Microsoft gives Virtual Earth and Live Maps a major overhaul

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

Microsoft gives Virtual Earth and Live Maps a major overhaul

by Brad Linder Apr 11th 2008

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.

Tags: live-maps, virtual-earth

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Quikboy said 7:49AM on 4-12-2008

This is really sweet stuff. One of my favorite things about Live Maps (not on this list), is that your map search results dynamically change as you zoom in and out.

Like if you were looking for hamburger in a certain area of Houston, as you zoom out, more listing immeadiataly show up on the map AND the list. Google Maps does no such thing.

It's only too bad that most people really don't know about Live Maps. Out of all the WinLive services, the Live Maps team is the best. They blog a lot, they give really good updates, and their solution is 2nd to none.

If you want to find a pretty equal or better alternative to Gmaps, Live Maps is definitely it.

MrMuggs said 12:02AM on 4-13-2008

This is so true. I love almost all things Google but MS Live Maps is FAR superior to Google Maps and few people seem to know it. Live Maps and the Bird's Eye View will blow you away compared to GMaps. Many of the Live Maps features are also light years ahead of GMaps.

Samuel Lago said 7:25PM on 4-12-2008

Well I can't see it in Safari - that sounds like MS to me. Si I think I'll stick with, and be safe with, Google.

Randall said 8:49AM on 4-13-2008

FINALLY it works for Safari. ^not sure why it didn't work for you. I love the birds eye view thing but still prefer the speed and ease of use that is google maps.

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