3D World Map

This feature-packed program pulls double duty as an educational tool and a screensaver. As you might guess from its name, 3D World Map brings a three-dimensional rendering of the globe to your PC and displays a number of facts such as population, latitude, longitude, and altitude. The program's database appears to be very comprehensive, as we noticed information on many small and lesser-known places. The trial version restricts you to a low-resolution map, but it's still not too harsh on the eyes. Our only complaint is the lack of a zoom-in tool for closer inspection. 3D World Map also acts as a highly customizable screensaver. In this respect, you can choose from several differently designed globes, adjust the speed of the earth's rotation, select the degree of ocean and land opacity, and pick from a few camera angles. Also, rather than bundling a cheesy soundtrack, the developer wisely gives you the option to use your own MP3s. Because of its versatility, we can recommend this program to a wide range of users, and geography buffs and students will find it especially compelling.