![]() ![]() Here are some screenshots of 3D buildings for comparison between Virtual Earth and Google Earth. The disadvantage is that the level of detail and accuracy (at least currently shown) in VE3D is lower quality when examined closely. The advantages are being able to have a vast majority of buildings modeled, and be able to generate more cities with this level of detail at a better cost per city. Being able to automatically generate 3D buildings has some advatages and disadvantages (see some earlier comments and video I’ve written about). The 3D building data sets are also very impressive. Especially when you consider that it costs many millions of dollars to fly, photograph, process, store, and deliver this amount of data. And, Microsoft is adding cities with this data at an amazing rate. So, for any given city where Microsoft has Bird’s Eye views they have more aerial data than Google in those cases. The Bird’s Eye views in particular add several times as much photography for a given city as the standard straight-down views. Aerial photography, and Bird’s Eye views for many new cities in Europe and the US, about 30 more full cities with 3D building data, and more cities with road layers.Īlthough Microsoft still does not have nearly the amount of coverage of the world with high resolution aerial photos as Google, the amount of data they have added is significant. Support for the Firefox browser in addition to Internet Explorer for VE3D.Here’s a quick summary of the more significant things I’ve seen Microsoft add to VE3D since the beta was released last fall: There are more detailed comparisons below… Here is a my original video review using SpaceNavigator with GE. Note: I’ve made some comments in the video about the quality of the renderings and buildings. ![]() In the meantime, here is a video showing VE3D with the SpaceNavigator in use: There are some differences in the visuals – not just based on the data. But, with SpaceNavigator you get the same smooth 3D movement you have been able to get with GE since last November. The VE3D mouse interface is a bit clunky in comparison to Google Earth (you can’t seem to spin the globe for example). This greatly improves the experience with VE3D. And also, the focus of this comparison is from a user perspective, not a developer.įirst off, I want to say that Microsoft recently began supporting the 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator. Please take note my bias is towards Google Earth (GE), but I’ve tried to be fair in my comparisons. I will be sharing some video, screenshots and a table of comparisons in this article. However, Microsoft has been making significant progress with their application (still in beta) and especially their data, so I feel I should at least share some of my thoughts and observations in comparison to Google Earth. Prepare to be amazed.Since this blog is obviously focused on Google Earth, I have not devoted a great deal of attention to Microsoft’s new competing product: Virtual Earth and, specifically, Virtual Earth 3D ( VE3D). ![]() You will need to use Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) and install some local components. To access Virtual Earth 3D, navigate to the Windows Live Local Search service ( ). Advertising is particularly amazing: It's provided on billboards set in each city, on the top or sides of buildings, and in other similar locations. As you navigate around one of the supported cities (there are currently 15: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas and Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle), you can access such features as real-time traffic information. This service is one of those see-it-to-believe-it things. "The immersive 3-D experience provides a more powerful and engaging interface that delivers better experiences not only for consumers, but also for developers and advertisers." "By helping people visualize information in far more useful and intuitive ways, Virtual Earth 3D takes search to an entirely new level," says Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates. The new feature, dubbed Virtual Earth 3D, lets users navigate through select US cities-and eventually other cities from around the world-by using an amazing texture-mapped, near-photographic 3-D interface that emulates the experience of viewing a city from a low-flying plane. Microsoft's amazing Virtual Earth mapping service received a revolutionary upgrade this week, taking its bird's-eye imagery into brand-new 3-D territory. ![]()
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