14 DAY TRIAL // The latest update to Microsoft’s mapping, location and search platform has internationalized one of the features recently introduced to Bing Maps, namely Enhanced Bird’s Eye. Chris Pendleton, the Bing Maps technical evangelist for Microsoft, revealed that Enhanced Bird’s Eye had gone global, allowing users around the world to access Bird’s Eye imagery on steroids of specific locations worldwide. Of course, the Bing Maps refresh also brings to the table an expansion to the content covered by the platform, with over 194,000 square kilometers of new imagery.
“We now have Enhanced Bird’s eye worldwide with more urban models and the ability to view locations from a re-projected perspective, from all 4 cardinal directions, across the globe. In total, we’re releasing 194,000 square kilometers of new and refreshed imagery. This includes high resolution 20cm aerial for Wellington, New Zealand and 60cm satellite updates for Australia, Mexico, Namibia, Russian Federation and South Africa,” Pendleton added.
Microsoft also updated the Bing Maps World Tour application offered on top of the platform to highlight the evolution of the service. Users have the option to either explore the new content by themselves or watch a slideshow put together by the Redmond company. Also, after a recent refresh to Bing Maps, Microsoft has made all past updates available for viewing via Bing Maps World Tour. “We also introduced updates for our Silverlight Maps users that include seamless Bird’s Eye imagery for major UK cities to deliver a smoother scrolling and panning experience,” the company said.
Enhanced Bird’s Eye first made its debut in Bing Maps in December 2009, when Microsoft offered a massive upgrade to the platform, which also involved transitioning the service to a Silverlight-based interface. Unlike the plain vanilla Bird’s Eye, Bing Maps’ new Enhanced Bird’s Eye does not limit the users’ perspective, allowing them to explore a location from all cardinal points.