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MSN Virtual Earth to Take on Google

Posted by samzenpus on from the eye-in-the-sky dept.

Jim Bruer writes "Microsoft sends news today that founder Bill Gates has announced a MSN Virtual Earth service is to debut in the summer. The service is promised to provide: *Satellite images with 45-degree-angle views of buildings and neighborhoods *Satellite images with street map overlays * Ability to add local data layers, such as showing local businesses or restaurants The service will allow users to choose from a number of different data types plus allow people to contribute their own information."

20 of 408 comments (clear)

  1. What I'm looking for. by glrotate · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can't wait until one of these outfits can finally offer the Virtual Ex-Wife Stalking service.

  2. The freedom to innovate! by /ASCII · · Score: 1, Funny

    Yay. A service that offers nothing that Google maps doesn't already do - but with a 45 degree angle.

    --
    Try out fish, the friendly interactive shell.
    1. Re:The freedom to innovate! by SnapShot · · Score: 5, Funny

      I don't know. The writeup sounds cool. I'm definitely looking forward to version 3!

      --
      Waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex Bud.
    2. Re:The freedom to innovate! by ggvaidya · · Score: 5, Funny

      Here's the comparison table:

      Open source calls it: alpha testing
      Microsoft calls it: 1.0
      Google calls it: shhhh ... top secret.
      Apple calls it: unsubstantiated rumors

      Open source calls it: beta testing
      Microsoft calls it: 2.0
      Google calls it: beta testing
      Apple calls it: rumors with possibly some substance to them

      Open source calls it: release candidate
      Microsoft calls it: 3.0
      Google calls it: beta testing
      Apple calls it: copies are circulated to the usual suspects, who eagerly publish reviews describing it as the "most innovating product yet!"

      Open source calls it: 1.0
      Microsoft calls it: varies. Previous names have included 3.1, 95, 98, 4.0, 5.0 or X.
      Google calls it: beta testing
      Apple calls it: released to the market place, Steve Jobs goes on record to say that it is "insanely great".

      Open source calls it: 2.0
      Microsoft calls it: SP1,2,3...
      Google calls it: beta testing
      Apple calls it: a recall

      And of course, for all of the versions above:
      Slashdot puts a writeup on the front page. A million posters call it a Slashvertisement. Somebody quotes CmdrTaco's lame-as-an-iPod comment. Atleast one thread will begin with a Goatse link and will end with a reference to either Adolf Hitler.
      Robert X. Cringley will claim with a smile that he knew this was coming.
      Paul Graham will write an article on how it could have been done better with Lisp, but oh well, good job anyways.
      Linus Torvalds will say nothing.
      Bill Gates will appear on pictures smiling evily.
      Steve Jobs will appear on pictures stoned.
      Maddox will put a writeup on his site involving the item in question and a penis.

  3. contribute their own information by Threni · · Score: 2, Funny

    > allow people to contribute their own information

    So you could overlay a map such as to identify the Chinese Embassy or Sudanese pharmaceutical factories? Sounds like something the US military could get ready for use in Iran!

    1. Re:contribute their own information by nacturation · · Score: 1, Funny

      So you could overlay a map such as to identify the Chinese Embassy or Sudanese pharmaceutical factories? Sounds like something the US military could get ready for use in Iran!

      The Whitehouse had such a user-contributed map of Iraq years ago. However, somebody trolled it and placed a bunch of phony WMD icons on it.

      --
      Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  4. Better for spotting UFOs by deetsay · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe it will give a better view of this thing.

    --
    "The looser the waistband, the deeper the quicksand", or so I have read.
    1. Re:Better for spotting UFOs by jfulcer · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hey, that's not a UFO - that's the overshot of that Tinfoil Hat house! Maybe there's something to putting tinfoil all over...

  5. Pranksters by dnhughes · · Score: 2, Funny
    "...plus allow people to contribute their own information."

    For some reason I get the feeling that there will be a number of pranksters entering things like:

    CowboyNeal's house
    Latitude: 38.8975
    Longitude: -77.03667
    --
    "When I die, I want to go quietly, like my grandfather, in his sleep... not screaming, like the passengers in his car."
  6. Microsoft is beginng to sound by UnknowingFool · · Score: 5, Funny
    like a broken record to me. Although some of the features of their projects are interesting, it sounds as if they are always trying to trump somebody else. It reminds me of that sibling that always try to grab attention from the others.

    Mom: Look! Sue is taking her first step.
    Billy: Mom! Look at me! I'm balancing a bowling ball on my nose.

    Apple: In Tiger you will have enhanced search capabilities called Spotlight
    MS: Forget Tiger's Spotlight, Longhorn will do your homework for you.

    Google: Now you can search locations using satellite maps. Nifty, eh?
    MS: Google is so 2004. MSN Virtual Search allows you to spy on your neighbor's hot wife.

    --
    Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
    1. Re:Microsoft is beginng to sound by pommiekiwifruit · · Score: 3, Funny
      More like:

      Mom: Look! Sue is taking her first step.

      Billy [crawling on stomach]: Mom! Look at me! I can fly!

  7. Re:Not invented here by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 2, Funny
    'Not to be invented here' seems their corporate stance.

    Yeah, but at least they came up with that on their own.

  8. Re:All right! by Darkman,+Walkin+Dude · · Score: 3, Funny

    While we're at it, we can rename this service to "Vitual America", not "Virtual Earth"! Just think of all the hassle and trouble that will be saved for Americans trying to find out which state China is in!

    --
    What he can't kill, he has sex on. Trent.
  9. Re:All right! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    which state China is in

    It's clearly right next to Cuba, in the communist state.

  10. Re:Will they open up the APIs? by Aumaden · · Score: 5, Funny
    But, I guarantee that it will have all kinds of bells and whistles. (some may really like 45 deg tilt views).
    And, if you zoom in the way, when you press Control-Left Windows and use the mouse wheel to tilt, you can actually see the occupants slide out the windows and hang on for dear life!
  11. Overlays... by wowbagger · · Score: 3, Funny
    Ability to add local data layers...


    But how long until it can overlay the map with the red arrows emanating from Redmond, and play the martial marching music, and the rousing speeches about liberating the world for the Fatherland?
    --
    www.eFax.com are spammers
  12. when they say "Earth"... by aneroid · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...do they mean the whole planet or just the US and/or Europe?

  13. Longhorn's delay isn't a strategy... by MooseByte · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Microsoft is waiting for a credible threat until they release Longhorn. The threat is not here yet."

    Let me correct a spelling error you made:

    Microsoft is waiting for a credible build until they release Longhorn. The build is not here yet.

  14. Re:All right! by Reality+Master+101 · · Score: 2, Funny

    The communist state is the People's Republic of San Francisco.

    --
    Sometimes it's best to just let stupid people be stupid.
  15. Re:either you are a leader or a follower by shotfeel · · Score: 2, Funny

    Google isn't the first map provider. Google is the firs map provider to do it right. To take a good idea and implement it in a useable, technichally sound way often requires much more innovation than simply coming up with an idea.

    Take it from a Mac-head, People never buy that argument.