Keyhole, Inc, founded in 2001, was a pioneering software development company specializing in geospatial data visualization applications that was acquired by Google in 2004. Initially launched as a spin-off of Intrinsic Graphics, first round funding came from a Sony venture capital fund and others, additional capital came from an NVIDIA bundling deal, from the CIA (via its venture-capital appendage, In-Q-Tel) and from angel investor Brian McClendon (who later came on as a board member and VP). Keyhole's marquee application suite, Earth Viewer, emerged as the highly successful Google Earth application in 2005; other aspects of core technology survive in Google Maps, Google Mobile and the Keyhole Markup Language. Google, Inc. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) (Pronunciation: IPA: ) is a major supplier of graphics processors (graphics processing units, GPUs), graphics cards, and media and communications devices for PCs and game consoles such as the original Xbox and the PlayStation 3. ... The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an intelligence agency of the United States Government. ... In-Q-Tel is the venture capital arm of the American Central Intelligence Agency. ... Google Earth is a free-of-charge, downloadable virtual globe program. ... Screenshot of Google Maps showing a route from Toronto to Ottawa on the 400-Series highways. ... Google Mobile allows users to search using Google from wireless devices such as mobile phone and PDAs. ... KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is an XML-based language for managing three-dimensional geospatial data in the program Google Earth, Google Maps and Google Mobile. ...

The term "Keyhole" actually honors the KH reconnaissance satellites, the original eye-in-the-sky military reconnaissance system now some 30 years old.

Notable personnel

Near the time of its acquisition by Google, Keyhole's management team included the following people: Google, Inc. ...

• John Hanke, CEO – previously worked in "foreign affairs" in Washington DC, Myanmar & Indonesia.
• Brian McClendon, VP Engineering – previously with @Home, SGI.
• Daniel Lederman, Director of Business Development – previously with Aerzone, Inc.
• Bill Kilday, Director of Marketing – previously at Weelhouse Interactive, Cox Interactive.
• Noah Doyle, Strategic Marketing – cofounded MyPoints, a startup acquired by United Airlines.
• Andria Ruben, Director of Government Affairs – previously at Intrinsic Graphics, GigaPixel, CompCore.

The board also included: A Chief Executive Officer (CEO), or Chief Executive, is the highest-ranking corporate officer, administrator, corporate administrator, executive, or executive officer, in charge of total management of a corporation, company, organization or agency. ... Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Federal District District of Columbia  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack Evans... A vice president is an officer in government or business who is next in rank below a president. ... @Home Network Operated as High Speed Cable Internet Service provider from 1998 to 2002. ... Silicon Graphics, Inc. ... United Online is a Woodland Hills, California, company formed by the 2001 merger of NetZero and Juno Online Services. ... Uniteds logo as seen at United hub Denver International Airport. ...

• Thomas Gewecke, Sony.
• Michael T. Jones, CTO, Intrinsic Graphics.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Chief Technical Officer or Chief Technology Officer, usually seen as CTO, is a business executive position whose holder is focused on technical issues in a company. ...

Major product lines

• At the time of its being rolled into Google Earth, Keyhole 2 consisted of 3 major branches: LT, NV, and Pro.
• They also had EarthStream, a product for car navigation.

Keyhole got a big boost during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when CNN, ABC, CBS & other major news networks used sophisticated 3D flyby imagery from its EarthViewer product line, to the delight of viewers and investors alike. "One of the problems (Keyhole) faced as a small company was getting exposure," said NVIDIA's Dan Vivoli. "This will certainly help."^[1] Google Earth is a free-of-charge, downloadable virtual globe program. ... Combatants Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom South Korea Australia Poland Romania others. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... 2002 identity of the ABC Circle logo, designed by Paul Rand in 1962. ... CBS is one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States. ... NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) (Pronunciation: IPA: ) is a major supplier of graphics processors (graphics processing units, GPUs), graphics cards, and media and communications devices for PCs and game consoles such as the original Xbox and the PlayStation 3. ...

Notable customers

Keyhole boasted of an active customer base in several sectors, including real estate, media, urban planning, state and federal governments, defense, homeland security, and intel, but at the time of its acquisition its only named customers were US Army CECOM, the United States Department of Defense, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and the Middlesex County Sheriff's Office. Presumbably these entities are now customers of Google, as well. Real estate is a legal term that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings. ... Urban planning is concerned with the ordering and design of settlements, from the smallest towns to the worlds largest cities. ... Look up war in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the NBC TV Movie starring Tom Skeritt, see Homeland Security (TV Movie). ... Intelligence (abbreviated or ) is the process and the result of gathering information and analyzing it to answer questions or obtain advance warnings needed to plan for the future. ... The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated as DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ... The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), before 2004 known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), was established October 1, 1996, by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency Act of 1996. ... Google, Inc. ...

References

1. ^ Kevin Manney (3/21/2003). Tiny tech company awes viewers. USA Today.

External links

• http://web.archive.org/*/keyhole.com - keyhole.com at the Wayback Machine