PEER 1 has launched a fascinating new mobile app that shows a 3D visualization of all the networks worldwide that interconnect to form the Internet.
Called The Map of the Internet, the app is really responsive, and allows you to see a network or global view of all the nodes on the Internet.
The colored dots represent an Internet exchange point, large or small ISP, university, network information center or an organization network.
You can type in a domain, company or ISP to locate it on the map.
It is interesting to locate yourself on the map, and then move around from that point to see the networks that are interconnected around you. You can also do a traceroute from your location to any node on the Internet.
The app includes a timeline feature that shows historical moments in Internet history. Dragging your finger along the line lets you see just how quickly the Internet has grown.
The Map of the Internet is free in the Google Play Store and iTunes, and while I’ve been using it on my phone, I think it would look better on a tablet.
Visualizations of what the Internet looks like are relevant to anyone who uses it, and while the app is clearly a great marketing tool for PEER 1, it’s simply fun to use.
Last year, the Internet Map creator Ruslan Enikeev had a hard time paying for his bandwidth after his site got so much traffic.
Talk back: Have you downloaded the Map of the Internet by PEER 1 app yet? Will you? Let us know in a comment.
About Nicole Henderson
Nicole Henderson is the Editor in Chief of the Web Host Industry Review where she covers daily news and features online, as well as in print. She has a bachelor of journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto. You can find her on Twitter @NicoleHenderson.
