Microsoft is permitting end users of Virtual Earth that are not happy with the content offered via the service to introduce patches with imagery. The Redmond company is constantly introducing double digit Terabytes imagery updates to Virtual Earth, but it is simply not enough, and entire areas of the world are covered only superficially, without allowing for an in-depth perspective. However, as far as Ortho imagery is concerned, Microsoft pointed to a third-party capable of enriching not only virtual Earth but also Google Earth with high resolution photographs.

"There are certain areas of the world where Virtual Earth's imagery is, well, low resolution. Let's face it, the world is a huge place and Virtual Earth just having had its 3rd birthday is only in the initial phases of rolling out imagery and photography to cover the world. For those of you who just can't wait, have a specific area you want covered or need more recently updated imagery/photography than what's native to Virtual Earth there's a new service from TerraPixel called Image Patch," revealed Chris Pendleton, Virtual Earth Technical Evangelist.

Microsoft is, in fact, permitting Image Patch to leverage Virtual Earth's raster overlay capabilities. In this context, through TerraPixel's service, users will be able to render their own content and add it to what is available in Virtual Earth. The past month, Microsoft introduced the GoVE program, an initiative aimed at permitting governmental and public sector organizations to publish their own Aerial photography to Virtual Earth.

"There are several different types of layers in which they will patch, including, but not limited to: CAD professionals to design conceptual planning, overlay their CAD files and or view 3D buildings over high resolution terrain; GIS professionals to publish their own data along with MSVE data (GoVE program) and get progressive updates of recently developed locations to keep their Base Map up to date. Real Estate Developers will soon be able to publish their recently developed location on the core DB of VE," Pendleton added.