Microsoft enters the Internet map wars with 3-D models

The world's leading software-producing company Microsoft on Monday announced the launch of its new mapping service, 'Virtual Earth 3-D' to further add to the services being offered on its Live Search.

Microsoft has initially included three-dimensional tours of 15 US cities, including Boston and some other cities are expected to be added in coming months. Moreover, Microsoft plans to map nearly 5,000 cities around the world, and within five years.

By adding 3D models of cities to the maps of its Live Local service, Microsoft has firmed its hopes to enable people not only navigate sidewalks but even enter stores and shops online.

Until now, the earth was flat for us, but websites such as Google Earth have given us a bird's eye view of the world. Google’s popular Earth software allows a third of the world’s population obtain aerial views of their homes and neighborhoods. The largest search engine on the Web, Google has distributed more than 100 million free copies of Earth since June 2005.

About the new service that provides consumers with a three-dimensional experience to search, browse and explore the real world online, Microsoft's Alex Daley says it is different from Google Earth because "this is a singularly unique experience. Virtual Earth is really about creating a fully 3-D realistic model of the world." He further says, "The real power of this application is when you actually turn to see the angle of the buildings."

Microsoft's new mapping service that goes online Monday night aims to upstage Google’s popular Earth software. What makes 3-D Virtual Earth more significant and effective are the photographic images of cities and terrain to generate textured, photorealistic 3-D models with engineering level accuracy. Terrain imagery in 3-D is available globally, Microsoft said.

Three-dimensional models are available initially for these cities: San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Detroit, Phoenix, Houston, Baltimore, Atlanta, Denver, Dallas and Fort Worth.

After typing a query into the search box and clicking the “Maps” tab, users will get their search results in a map context that offers the option to explore the area using two-dimensional views (aerial and bird’s-eye) or three dimensional models with Virtual Earth 3D.

To help people easily find local information Microsoft has added some more features in its Live Search that include access to real-time traffic information in selected major US cities, and access to business listings "Yellow Pages" and people listings "White Pages".

“By helping people visualize information in far more useful and intuitive ways, Virtual Earth 3D takes search to an entirely new level,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. “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.”

Today, the local search is one of the fastest-growing categories online and by releasing the Virtual Earth 3D Microsoft has taken a significant step towards creating a truly new dimension in search.

According to Steve Berkowitz, senior vice president of the Online Services Group at Microsoft, the service with features like 3-D will, indeed, help move the category further ahead and help Windows Live attract more customers and advertisers.