Microsoft’s Revamped Bing Maps Targets Google

by Nicholas Kolakowski

Bing Maps Beta includes a variety of new features designed to help Microsofts search engine eke an advantage over Google.

Bing Maps Beta still includes those online-map stalwarts like satellite view.

The new Streetside feature works similarly to Googles Street View, offering an eye-level perspective of local terrain.

Twitter Maps will Tweets originating from particular geographic locations.

The new PhotoSynth feature allows various locations to be explored in far more depth, via a collage-style assembly of images and information.

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.

Through Virtualglobetrotting.com, users can find the most interesting billboards and signage in a particular area.

The traffic app (increasingly utilized by online and smartphone maps) allows you to see where traffic is heaviest.

Another app lets you find restaurants.

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.

The “Whats Nearby” feature shows all local points of interest.

Bing Maps will collate and display local Webcams.

The full collection of Bing Maps apps (say that last part five times fast).

For those interested in urban exploration, Bing Maps can let you check out the local graffiti.