Google has released a custom multitouch version of their popular Google Earth service for the Apple iPhone. Early reviews tout the program for it’s tactile inventiveness, giving users control of zooming, twirling and panning all with some quick finger flicks. It also uses the built-in accelerometer, so you can also pan and tilt.Google has also overlaid areas of interest with Wikipedia and Panoramio. These overlays pop up with information or photos in an in-app browser. It seems to pack quite a punch for an iPhone application. Some reviewers have said it’s even better than the desktop version.

And the best part? It’s free. Head on over to iTunes to try it out.

WorldHistory, a new product from Utah-based Family Link, has just entered it’s private beta phase. The interesting interface allows users to pick a location on a map to see historical events that occurred there. You can even set a date range to see events that happened during those years. The program also allows you to enter your own ancestors and genealogy information to the site, say if you had an ancestor that fought in a historic battle.

The program, for the most part, accesses Wikipedia data in order to create the content. They also say they are hard at work on an iPhone version of the program that will show historical events that occurred near you at any given time.

Click here for a series of demo videos.

At 9 Inches, 2 pounds, 5 hours of battery life, the Cloudbook comes with Surf, email, blog, IM, Skype, compute. The Everex / Packard Bell / FIC Nanobook / Cloudbook / CE260 will be selling at (of all places) Wal-Mart as of January 25th.

With 1.2GHz VIA C7-M CPU, 512MB of RAM, a 30GB hard drive, and a 800 x 480 display — and all for $399.

Installed software includes: Mozilla Firefox, gMail, Meebo, Skype, Wikipedia, GIMP, Blogger, YouTube, Xing Movie Player, RythemBox, Faqly, Facebook and OpenOffice.org 2.3 (includes WRITER, IMPRESS, DRAW, CALC, BASE).

wow. In a crazy turn of events the founder of Wikipedia is going up against the Internet search giant Google, in an all out 12 round match for Internet supremacy. This is awesome, and it’s all over the geek news tubes so I don’t want to sound redundant.

I love competition for my attention.