Microsoft MSN Unveils Virtual Earth - Feast Your Eyes
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If you really want to know what wowed the audience at the talk given by Bill Gates, take a good look at this image:
Beautiful, isn’t it? One aspect of MSN Virtual Earth includes 45 degree angle views of buildings and neighborhoods, such as the one above. This gives the user an “eagle eye” perspective of a particular area.
It may be the most visually stunning constituent of MSN Virtual Earth, but it’s not the only one, and it may not even be the most important. Microsoft’s developers put some real thought into how people can use technology to assist them when they travel, or when they anticipate moving. As of this writing, Microsoft had not yet released the full set of features, but what we know about it so far looks pretty good.
In addition to the 45 degree angle views of buildings and neighborhoods, MSN Virtual Earth will offer “hybrid maps.” These are street maps laid over satellite maps, letting users get a good view of both the map and the territory at the same time. Users will also benefit from full-bleed map views –- maps that take up nearly the entire screen, with which they can interact.
The feature that sounded most intriguing to me, though, was Scratch Pad. I think it has real potential for vacation or business trip planning. It’s an online clipboard that lets users perform multiple searches (and presumably save them).
Putting these features together, Microsoft officials gave the example of someone buying a house. They might want to look at the previous year’s traffic and weather patterns for the area, and find nearby restaurants and other businesses. With MSN Virtual Earth, they could get an aerial view on one map, and overlay information about local businesses, relevant links, and so on.
Microsoft is all about integration, and MSN Virtual Earth is no exception. According to Steve Lombardi, a program manager for Microsoft’s MapPoint unit, MSN Virtual Earth can be integrated with a user’s preferred email application. With just one click, it could then place links in email messages to maps and images. I would be rather surprised if MSN Virtual Earth could be integrated with, say, the Thunderbird email application.
There will be more, albeit less flashy, improvements to the MSN search engine. Microsoft will shortly add a local search index to help users find business directory listings. Stephen Lawler, general manager of Microsoft’s MapPoint unit, said that the company wants user feedback on the listings, with the goal of giving those who use the listings a good sense of what a particular area is like.
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