The upgrade on Google Earth includes its 4,500-source-strong local news aggregator to serve up headlines in the places you're visiting on the application.
Where is this leading? Easy assumption: A hyper-local ad model driven by timely content.
Now, Google Earth is a bit of a download beast, given the amount of data it houses, so the application won't necessarily make your PDA croon with delight any time soon. But marrying sophisticated maps and news is a powerful fusion, and any time Google unfurls a new application, it's important to take notice and ponder the consequences.