MSN Virtual Earth

[neonerd]

:Q

My neighborhood was photographed pre-1996, in B&W....my street has no houses on it

 

[Slickone]

http://virtualearth.msn.com/default.asp...6.207069|-86.693837&style=h&lvl=16&v=1
This is labed as Opry Mills, but still shows the Opryland theme park, which was torn down in Jan. '98.

It uses the same pics as terraserver.microsoft.com, so only the few cities that have Urban Area photos on terraserver are newer, high quality color. They've been very slow adding new cities too.

 

[thedealmaker]

I agree that Microsoft is copycat, but so is Google.

Google didn't invent search engine, they just improve on it. In fact, most of the stuff they do are not new. Like Toolbar, someone else did that before. Desktop Search, someone did that before also. AJAX, someone did that back in 1998. So are many other stuff they do.

There is one thing, that they did that is new and I truely admire: their homepage, I started using Google since 2000 and their homepage hasn't changed at all.

Originally posted by: EKKC
Google = innovators
Microsoft = copycats with billions of dollars to put innovators out of business (but not google)

 

[Xephian]

Originally posted by: neonerd
:Q

My neighborhood was photographed pre-1996, in B&W....my street has no houses on it

Lol.

 

[sapiens74]

I like google's better,

This one refreshes too much, not seamless zoom

 

[Funkertosh]

You can zoom in closer on the MS one compared to google maps. I haven't tried google earth though.

zoom zoom zoom
10236 Charing Cross Road, Los Angeles, CA

 

[1Cheap2Crazy]

next week, Amazon will have A9 maps. The site is unique in offering street level photographs of storefronts along with graphical maps. How cool will that be? Hope they're not 1995 pics.

Check it out now!

 

[guy1nj]

If microsoft starts copying things like this, i am worried that they may even copy my little website!!!hehehe!!!

 

[guy1nj]

Originally posted by: thedealmaker
I agree that Microsoft is copycat, but so is Google.

Google didn't invent search engine, they just improve on it. In fact, most of the stuff they do are not new. Like Toolbar, someone else did that before. Desktop Search, someone did that before also. AJAX, someone did that back in 1998. So are many other stuff they do.

There is one thing, that they did that is new and I truely admire: their homepage, I started using Google since 2000 and their homepage hasn't changed at all.

Originally posted by: EKKC
Google = innovators
Microsoft = copycats with billions of dollars to put innovators out of business (but not google)

Google guys started their search engine thing as part of a research. it is their own original ideal i believe...

 

[Bry]

Huh? Google was one of the last to the search party. What they added was an uncluttered homepage and PageRank.

MS has had satellite photos and maps for a long time now. The fact that they were able to release Virtual Earth so soon must mean they have had a working version for a while now -- it takes time to develop something like that.

But who cares who's copying who. The question is, which is better. In my area, MS is more updated and gives more accurate directions, and has MUCH better looking maps. So, as much as I love Google, I won't be using Google Maps.

 

[EuGeNiLe]

now that is sweet! if google earth had this.. or if they make a standalone program like google earth with this feature.. that would be a great program.. not saying it isnt already (both)

 

[Samus]

Originally posted by: pxc

Originally posted by: dc
terraserver around since 98... oh noes, microsoft is copying google.
:roll:

LOL

I never heard anyone cry that google was copying mapquest either. :roll:

That's because Google Maps is far more evolutionary than Mapquest. Hell, originally Google Maps didn't even have 'Get To' direction features, it was just a freakin' scrolly map

 

[Powermoloch]

lol wtf, I can't even find my home street weeeeeiiiird

 

[chinkgai]

gmail copied hotmail!! :roll:

 

[RobsTV]

At least in our area of 30 year old homes, in a small town, The MS is much better, much more detailed, and much more up to date. I can zoom down and see who was home at the time of photo because it shows detail down to car type.

zoom in and see the detail:

http://virtualearth.msn.com/?sp=adr.665...%20New%20Port%20Richey%2C%20FL%2034653

With google, it is so bad you can not even see any houses.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=6651+flor...richey&spn=0.040797,0.079093&t=k&hl=en

MS rates 5 out of 5.
Google rates 2 out of 5.
And I hate MS with a passion.

 

[labgeek]

Originally posted by: dc
hasn't microsoft had a satellite picture site running for several years?

seems like this is just a big update to it.

pretty much

But I do like this story about it: Microsoft's Earth deletes Apple HQ