New Live Search Maps is Live

Just checked on maps.live.com and noticed a bunch of new features, and checked with the Virtual Earth / Live Maps blog and sure enough the new release is now live.

denver

Denver in 3D (you really have to try it out, much improved!)

Man there’s a lot of stuff here.  Just taking the high points from Steve Lombardi’s blog post:

  • Lots of back end improvements (seems much snappier, right off the bat)
  • Safari and IE8 compatibility
  • Map Control update to version 6.1 (for developers
  • Export your Collection to your Nav/GPS device (nice!)
  • Improved "version 2" cities (Las Vegas, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix to start, lots more to come)
  • 3D modeling with 3DVIA (much improved)
  • Labels for Bird’s Eye imagery
  • 1-Click Directions improvments
  • MapCruncher integration (this is very cool, add layers of information from within Live Maps)
  • "GeoWeb" tagging and collections enhancements
  • Neighborhood Subscribe via GeoRSS
  • Tour Enhancements including Hi-Def Movies
  • Directions and Traffic Enhancements
  • Improved KML display including Google MyMaps links

So much stuff it’s going to take a lot more than one post to tell you about.  Check out Live Maps, and the Virtual Earth / Live Maps blog and let us know what you think in the comments.


  • BV2312

    I think all peeps should read the following: http://blog.multimap.com/2008/04/11/a-new-and-improved-multimap/

    Plus UK gets redirected to MultiMap.com

    I’ve not been getting any Live Alert from this site for a while! Please sort it :)

  • VasiS

    IE8 support!? 3D craps-out in IE8 spitting a bunch of exceptions. Finally i see the globe, i can zoom-in but nothing changes the images are not updated as i zoom-in.

    is something wrong on my comp.!? or do you also notice any issues with IE8!?

  • LosHavros

    I feel Multimap is a step backwards from Live Maps. If they want to call Live Maps ‘Multimap’, then just rebrand it! Instead, they’re using Multimap’s own implementation.

    I’m not impressed.

  • foaf

    “Multimap is now the lead consumer mapping experience for Live Search in the UK”

    Terrible news. Multimap abandons all the sleekness sleekness of Live Maps.

    Google Maps has consistently been more accurate (street address/post code search) for a while, yet I stuck with Live Maps hoping it would improve. Even if Multimap brings accuracy to the table, I’d still use Google Maps over Multimap any day!

  • derviskemal

    omg, what a big step back.
    Bring back the live search maps like the new US version one in the UK!
    http://maps.live.com/?mkt=en-us
    ahhhhh stupid MS!

  • BV2312

    You can shop the redirection, by removing the en-gb from (IE/Tools/Internet Options/Languages) or by using

    http://maps.live.com/?mkt=en-US

    Personally i think multimap has alot of info to offer like train distances and nearby infomation but i think it should be collectively in one places, you don’t see google using a company in italy and redirecting to their site rather than maps.google.co.uk.

    I see why they have done it, beacuse of the market share of Live Maps vs Multi Map