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Filed under: Internet, Web services, Microsoft, web 2.0

Microsoft gives Virtual Earth and Live Maps a major overhaul

Live Maps
Microsoft has rolled out a major update to its web-based Windows Live Maps and it desktop Virtual Earth applications. Here are just a few of the new features:
  • Improved 3D cities with higher resolution textures, rendered trees, and thousands of additional buildings. This feature is only available in a handful of cities for now, but more are coming soon
  • Export Collections to GPS devices in KML, GPX, and GeoRSS formats
  • Improved modeler for adding your own buildings
  • Labels added to Birds Eye imagery, letting you figure out what buildings or landmarks you're looking at
  • 1-Click Directions maps can now be edited to add hotspots and popups
  • MapCruncher integration
  • Subscribe to RSS feeds for any neighborhood to keep up to date on activities in that area
  • High definition videos in Tours
  • Improved display of web-based KML files, including Google maps links.
This release comes a day after Microsoft added ClearFlow technology which helps you choose driving directions based on traffic predictions.

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