MSN Virtual Earth Revealed

jeremyw writes "A day before its official launch, MSN Virtual Earth has gone live. MSN appears to have been inspired by Google Maps in this combination of local search and mapping. Virtual Earth introduces a number of interface enhancements to the now-familiar draggable aerial web map, such as the ability to zoom in using your mouse scroll wheel, and a Location Finder to determine your location to determine your real-world location "using Wi-Fi technology." Microsoft blogger Robert Scoble claims the site may not perform at full capacity until Monday."

Comments

Re:Canadian Aerial Coverage Stinks

[defkkon]

Anyone try an aerial zoom into Toronto. It's a big green blog until you get closer, then its got no coverage at all.

And yet, when you use Google Maps with Satellite view, you can see the shadow cast from the CN Tower.

As I said in my earlier post, if they want to copy-cat and rehash what Google has done, more power to them. The thing is, they should be aiming to do it better than Google... or at least, just as well. Their current offering is definitely sub-standard.

Virtual Earth?

[Alioth]

Except it's not really Virtual Earth - it's more Virtual United States. There's very little detail outside north America (just like Google)

Re:ms and innovation

[greggman]

Any anything, Google copied microsoft.

Microsoft has had a map server up for years
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=4&S= 13&Z=10&X=363&Y=2599&W=1

Hrmm in typical Microsoft fasion

[matth]

The site is down..... google never went down when it got slashdotted.

They ment to call it...

[Snaller]

VirtualUSA ;)