Microsoft’s Revamped Bing Maps Targets Google
by Nicholas Kolakowski
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Bing Maps Beta includes a variety of new features designed to help Microsofts search engine eke an advantage over Google.
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Bing Maps Beta still includes those online-map stalwarts like satellite view.
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The new Streetside feature works similarly to Googles Street View, offering an eye-level perspective of local terrain.
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Twitter Maps will Tweets originating from particular geographic locations.
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The new PhotoSynth feature allows various locations to be explored in far more depth, via a collage-style assembly of images and information.
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Bing Maps will allow access to traffic-camera feeds; in order to assure you that, if nothing else, you are indeed stuck in that traffic jam.
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Through Virtualglobetrotting.com, users can find the most interesting billboards and signage in a particular area.
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The traffic app (increasingly utilized by online and smartphone maps) allows you to see where traffic is heaviest.
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Another app lets you find restaurants.
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Local Lens scans blogs for geography-related terms and uses those to try to geo-locate blog postings on a map; Microsoft intends this feature to allow users to find community happenings.
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The “Whats Nearby” feature shows all local points of interest.
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Bing Maps will collate and display local Webcams.
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The full collection of Bing Maps apps (say that last part five times fast).
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For those interested in urban exploration, Bing Maps can let you check out the local graffiti.