Microsoft launches MSN Virtual Earth Beta

Microsoft launches MSN Virtual Earth Beta

Google Earth finally has some competition. Microsoft has finally launched the beta of its highly anticipated ‘Virtual Earth’. The software offers a combination of aerial imagery, maps, and yellow-pages data. And it is designed to let users based in the United States search for information about specific U.S. locations. The service also offers a ‘scratch pad’ to bookmark certain locations on the map that users search for on their computers.

The company announced that they were working on such a service in May and have now provided it for free. And the service is integrated with other MSN utilities already online such as MapPoint and also includes data from aerial imagery from TerraServer-USA. It also enables the users to make use of a special feature called ‘Locate Me’. It determines the user’s location using Wi-Fi access points or IP addresses.

The requested for information is than displayed on a visual map with the targeted location highlighted. Users can also e-mail search results, bookmark them, and even post about them on their Blogs. MSN Virtual Earth Beta also allows for zooming in on the location. Stephen Lawler, general manager of Virtual Earth said in a statement: “When you’re in an unfamiliar city and need to find a nearby Chinese restaurant or ATM within walking distance of your hotel, a traditional Internet search experience won’t give you the visual location-specific information you need.”

He added: MSN Virtual Earth provides a deeply immersive search experience that lets people see what it’s like to be in a location and easily explore what they can do there.” The company now plans to add bird’s-eye-view imagery depicting cities, landmarks and other sites at a 45-degree angle.