MSN Virtual Earth takes on Google Earth maps

With Bill Gates' announcement of MSN Virtual Earth the other day, I thought it would be a good time to point out how this will compete with Google's satellite imagery map service. Google acquired 3-D Mapping service Keyhole last year, and has renamed it Google Earth. It looks like Google has big plans for it in the future. Have you tried Keyhole maps yet?  You should, it's very impressive - I rank it high on the cool meter!  Back to Bill Gates. The Microsoft chairman previewed the new MSN satellite-mapping technology designed to compete with local-search tools from Yahoo! (SmartView), Amazon.com, AND Google.

MSN Virtual Earth uses technology from MapPoint and Terra Server, an online database of satellite images, maps and aerial photographs that Microsoft has been collecting for the past ten years.  As I said, I have tried the 3-D mapping technology from Keyhole (now, Google Earth) which is amazing, but Microsoft says that their MSN Virtual Earth will provide a "see everything" view that will get you up-close to the front doors and windows of buildings.  Keyhole was not that detailed!  I can't wait to try MSN Virtual Earth. The whole world will truly be at our finger-tips!  Wait a minute... that sounds a bit scary actually. Let's hope it's not used the wrong way.

"Fly from space to your home town. Visit exotic locales such as Maui, Tokyo, Rome, and Paris. Satellite imagery makes it real. Explore restaurants, hotels, parks and schools. Think magic carpet ride!"

Description as seen on Google's Keyhole website.

MSN Virtual Earth will be a free service, available late-summer 2005.