local.live.​com

local.live.com is in the wild now

doesn't seem to be working however

It doesn't go live until Thursday, and it won't be complete (containing the whole US) for a while.  Sounds like a cheap knockoff of Google Earth anyways.

CannotResolveSymbol wrote:

Sounds like a cheap knockoff of Google Earth TerraServer anyways.

There, fixed that for you.

TerraServer was the first, but Google was the first to get it right, and TerraServer never had 3D either.  At this point, Google Earth dominates that market.

CannotResolveSymbol wrote:

TerraServer was the first, but Google was the first to get it right, and TerraServer never had 3D either.  At this point, Google Earth dominates that market.

Are you talking about Google Maps?

Google Earth is a desktop application which uses DirectX or OpenGL to render 2D images in a somewhat 3D fashion, and allows easy exploration. Its closest competitor is NASA Worldwind, an open-source .NET desktop application which uses DirectX to display public 2D data in a 3D fashion.

Neither Google Earth nor NASA Worldwind have the 45 degree images from Pictometry, which Microsoft has an exclusive license on. Nor can them emulate the imagery with fancy 3D adaptations of 2D imagery, and the Pictometry imagery is far higher resolution than the 2D satellite imagery.

Oh-- missed that part.  Oops.  Now I see what makes it different.

Works for me, even with transparency...better firefox support than virtual earth! Way to go Microsoft!

More ariel imagery too, it has my town on there, but no house Old imagery!

Sweet.

My home address in York, UK has a direct mapping in the city of New York. I've allways wanted to go here, knock on the door and say hi to see who or what is there. Now at least I have seen a bird's-eye image of it

I played with it for a second this morning and the bird's eye view is nice.  But, it only seems like you can move around in that one frame and no others unless you zoom out and or switch to a different view.  Seems slightly restrictive.

Michael Griffiths wrote:

45 degree images from Pictometry, which Microsoft has an exclusive license on. Nor can them emulate the imagery with fancy 3D adaptations of 2D imagery, and the Pictometry imagery is far higher resolution than the 2D satellite imagery.

hmm... wow, I didn't know it was an exclusive deal.

Good move Microsoft.

Sorry to be negative, (I know, not like me)

But these maps things are all very pretty but they are very gimmicky.

I am struggling with the real practical need and the burning business requirement they cover-off.

My other issue is being US only. I believe that it's not worth releasing websites like these untill they have more international data and good quality. Google Maps has a satelite picture of my home town as a rather nasty green splodge.

Sabot wrote:

Sorry to be negative, (I know, not like me)

But these maps things are all very pretty but they are very gimmicky.

I am struggling with the real practical need and the burning business requirement they cover-off.

My other issue is being US only. I believe that it's not worth releasing websites like these untill they have more international data and good quality. Google Maps has a satelite picture of my home town as a rather nasty green splodge.

I can imagine that 1 meter satallite imagry of foreign (to the US) countries would probably make those countries a little paranoid

And, I agree.  Maps aren't really ringing my bell as of yet.

Hey, they finally have updated imagry for my house! Now they just need to get some updated images for my college

Looking great though.