Google has bought Endoxon, a Swiss company focused on web-based geo information services. The company developed in 2004 map.search.ch, a successful map service, and this year local.ch, a local search service - both restricted to Switzerland.

Endoxon has been working on a technology called "blue", that will work worldwide. "blue is visualized information on the web. blue is the clever linking of a world map server, a search engine and a GIS. blue is a high-quality, comprehensive points- and map server, a virtual worldwide marketplace, a search and services platform. The user can search for information or he can visualize his own collected information. The download of selected blue data onto the mobile phone is possible. But blue is not only a vision. Its reality: Endoxon has been collecting, enhancing and geo referencing worldwide satellite and aerial images for a couple of years now."

Google acquired Endoxon's internet, mapping and data processing business units. Google says the acquisition "will enable us to leverage their analysis capabilities and will help us build out and improve the functionality of Google Earth and Google Maps across Europe." </img> </img> </img> </img>