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Microsoft and Google Fighting for the Skies

Posted by Zonk on from the nuke-the-site-from-orbit-only-way-to-be-sure dept.

Robert writes "Today's SF Chronicle has an article about Microsoft and Google's new battle for the skies. Both companies now have similar products that combine maps and satellite photos. Roads and driving directions can be superimposed on imagery on both products." From the article: "Google and Microsoft are engaged in a major battle over Internet users. Each has unveiled a series of features designed to keep users loyal and grab a bigger share of the lucrative search-engine market. Yahoo, in Sunnyvale, also is a major competitor, though its executives have yet to express any interest in aerial images. Amazon.com offers street- level photographs of businesses through its A9.com search engine. "

6 of 278 comments (clear)

  1. Canada by gregmac · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Too bad MSN doesn't work in Canada at all, while Google works great. I do find it kind of funny that "Virtual Earth" is USA-only.. ;)

    That said, MSN has hi-res images of my cottage (which is right on the border, and only JUST made it in) while Google only has low-res images of that area.

    --
    Speak before you think
  2. Mapping Abilities are Growing by PepeGSay · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I've implemented mapping solutions for large vendor applications and the business benefits for it are awesome when it is implemented properly. The major impediment was the multiple thousand dollar cost. Web solutions allow the data holder to centralize the data, update it more often and fix issues faster. Googles *and* Mircrosoft's work on allowing you to overlay custom data is brilliant when you consider that Google maps can now be a service within an application architecture. Microsoft is not coopting or stealing Google's idea, far from it. This concept and its use in software is probably 20 years old and it has been becomeing more and more mainstream in applications. It is just being brought to the masses now.

  3. Canada? by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 5, Funny
    Yeah, but that's Canada, man. Do they even need maps? I mean... is there anything *to* map? Other than moose migration vectors, barren tundric wastelands, scattered impact crater remnants and the Molson brewing plant, what the hell else is there worth getting a map to?

    Hey, I'm teasing! Calm down!

  4. That's easy by overshoot · · Score: 5, Funny
    Use Google to see where you are and where you're going.

    Use MSN to see where you grew up before the freeway went through.

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    Lacking <sarcasm> tags, /. substitutes moderation as "Troll."
  5. WAY out of date by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 5, Funny
    OK, I can forgive if the some of the stuff is a little out of date, but this is just ridiculous.

    MS Virtual Earth zoomed all the way out

  6. Re:it just doesn't seem like them by umeshunni · · Score: 5, Interesting

    FWIW, Google didn't build Google maps or Google earth. NEITHER were invented by google. Both were acquisitions (WhereTo and Keyhole respectively.
    Interesting to note a lot of the hypocrisy related to innovation vs acquisition over the last few days. It seems that when Microsoft acquires a company or technology, it is labeled as playing catch up. When Google acquires a company (or 2 in this case) they are widely credited as innovators.