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Windows Live goes Local

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the extending-embraces dept.

dualcore writes "PC Magazine is reporting that Windows is going live with a 'new online local search and mapping service.' The interface is pretty close to Google Local, but with subtle enhancements, such as right-clicking anywhere on the map brings up a context menu or the way you can click on a point on the map to select it for directions. The final word on which service is better remains to be seen but this competition will certainly benefit the end-users."

4 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Cumbersome by (1+-sqrt(5))*(2**-1) · · Score: 5, Informative

    Playing around with it, I find it cumbersome compared to its Google analog; the drag behaviour, for instance, goes into a bizarre sticky mode.

    1. Re:Cumbersome by mikecito · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Playing around with it, I find it cumbersome compared to its Google analog; the drag behaviour, for instance, goes into a bizarre sticky mode."

      Well it probably gets sticky because you're playing around with it, a little too much. Some find it bizarre, others like it.

      --
      HighSchoolForever.com
  2. Bird's Eye view is amazing - just needs few tweaks by tommers · · Score: 5, Insightful
    While the interface isn't as polished as Google Maps, the Bird's Eye View feature is just tremendous. I haven't found a single block in San Francisco that isn't covered and they all look really good. I can't wait for someone to write a GreaseMonkey plugin to tie this into Google Maps, since their hybrid view is still the best around (except when I want the higher resolution of Virtual Earth [in my area at least]).

    And I'm not afraid to say: Wait to go Microsoft! They've created something very very cool that no one else has. While Google Maps and Google Earth were bigger steps in the evolution of maps, this is still quite a large one and I think Microsoft deserves more credit than they got when they first released Virtual Earth and probably more credit than Google FanBoys at Slashdot will grant them now.

    That said, there are some annoying interface issues that make it less polished than Google Maps.
    1. Dragging feels unnatural and gets stuck. I feel like I have to drag a little, let go, and then drag some more. Don't see what's wrong with the way Google and Yahoo do it.
    2. While I can understand why you can't just drag around forever since perspective of the adjancent edges are all different, it would be great if they could make dragging between photos easier so I don't have to scroll up to the upper left to move up or down. Any thoughts on how this could be done more smoothly.
    3. There address parsing isn't as good as Google Maps.
    4. Even if it wouldn't be seamless, it seems they could still offer the option of scrolling around multiple photos in a mosaic format. Maybe they don't want to break the illusion that you are in this space by allowing you to have a mosaic view of all photos available in an area. Maybe someone can create this (though Microsoft will probably shut it down like Google shut down the Google Maps poster maker).
    5. And obviously greater coverage would be much appreciated.

    The draggable-maps may have just created interface expectations that can't be met with these photos.

    The Siteseeing link from their blog is also very cool.
  3. It does. by chaboud · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I tried it with FF on Windows and IE. In IE, it feels great. With FF, it just sticks and sticks and sticks.