Windows Live Local
Encyclopedia
Bing Maps is a web mapping
service provided as a part of Microsoft
's Bing
suite of search engines and powered by the Bing Maps for Enterprise
framework.
s for many cities worldwide. Maps include certain points of interest built-in, such as metro stations, stadiums, hospitals, and other facilities. It is also possible to browse public user-created points of interest. Searches can cover public collections, businesses or types of business, locations, or people. There are 5 primary types of street map views available to users: Road View, Aerial View, Bird’s Eye View, StreetSide View, and 3D View
.
Microsoft announced in March 2008 that it will be releasing its latest software technology called “ClearFlow”. It is a Web-based service for traffic-based driving directions available on Bing.com in 72 cities across the U.S. The tool took five years for Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence
team to develop. ClearFlow provides real-time traffic data to help drivers avoid traffic congestion. ClearFlow gives information for alternative routes and supplies traffic conditions on city streets adjacent to highways. Clearflow anticipates traffic patterns, while taking into account sporting/arena events, time of day and weather conditions, and then reflects the back ups and their consequential spill over onto city streets. Often, ClearFlow found it may be faster to stay on the highway instead of seeking alternative side street routes, which involve traffic lights and congestion as well.
Also, larger fonts correspond to larger roads to help customers more easily identify main roads in cities. More readable labels eliminate the need for bolding and less-attractive glows. The inclusion of neighborhood labels allows users to quickly find or convey locations in a commonly used and highly relevant format.
The search process can also be guided using local directories for numerous categories (restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, retail stores, etc.).
The AJAX and Silverlight site share the following features: Road View, Aerial View, Bird’s-Eye View, Sharing Maps, People/Business/Location Search, Building Footprints, Driving Directions, Walking Directions.
Silverlight users exclusively can Map Apps, StreetSide View, Photosynths, and Dynamic Labels.
, a leading global content provider of high-resolution earth imagery solutions, announced the collection of the first imagery from the company's Advanced Ortho Aerial Program. Through a special agreement with Microsoft, the Advanced Ortho Aerial Program will provide wall-to-wall 30 cm aerial coverage of the contiguous United States and Western Europe that DigitalGlobe has the exclusive rights to distribute beyond Bing Maps. The program's first orthophoto mosaics are of Augusta, GA, San Diego, CA and Tampa, FL, and can be viewed on DigitalGlobe's website.
technologies such as Microsoft MapPoint
, and TerraServer
. The original version lacked many of its distinguishing features, including birds' eye view and 3D maps, and the Collections functionality was limited to a single "Scratchpad" of points of interest. Upon its release in December 2005, Windows Live Local became the public face of the Virtual Earth platform. On November 6, 2006, Microsoft added the ability to view the maps in 3D using a .NET managed control and managed interfaces to Direct3D
. Microsoft subsequently referred to this product officially as "Live Search Maps", integrating it as part of its Live Search services. On June 3, 2009, Microsoft officially rebranded Live Search Maps as Bing Maps, and the Virtual Earth platform as Bing Maps for Enterprise.
However, the necessary time-lapse before images are updated means that aerial and Bird's-Eye images for a particular location can sometimes be several years out-of-date. This is particularly noticeable in locations that have undergone rapid recent development or experienced other dramatic changes since the imagery was taken, such as areas affected by natural disasters.
Compatible browsers include Windows Internet Explorer 6 or later, Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or later, or Safari 3.1 or later. Opera
is stated to be usable "with some functionality limitations". Users of browsers
that are not considered compatible, as well as users of versions of compatible browsers that are not supported, will be directed away from viewing the map without an error message.
The 3D Maps viewer plug-in requires Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft Windows Server 2003
, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 with Internet Explorer 6/7/8 or Firefox 1.5/2.0/3.0.
Web mapping
Web mapping is the process of designing, implementing, generating and delivering maps on the World Wide Web and its product. While web mapping primarily deals with technological issues, web cartography additionally studies theoretic aspects: the use of web maps, the evaluation and optimization of...
service provided as a part of Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's Bing
Bing
Bing is a web search engine from Microsoft.Bing may also refer to:* An onomatopœia of a bell sound* Bing cherry, a variety of cherry* Bing , Chinese flatbread* Bing , a German company that manufactured toys and kitchen utensils...
suite of search engines and powered by the Bing Maps for Enterprise
Bing Maps for Enterprise
Bing Maps Platform is a geospatial mapping platform produced by Microsoft. It allows developers to create applications that layer location-relevant data on top of licensed map imagery...
framework.
Street maps
Users can browse and search topographically-shaded street mapStreet map
A street map is a map showing roads and streets in a district or entire city. Street maps are great tools for navigating cities, towns or communities. They are available in printed forms, online on the Internet or on mobile phones with GPRS connection....
s for many cities worldwide. Maps include certain points of interest built-in, such as metro stations, stadiums, hospitals, and other facilities. It is also possible to browse public user-created points of interest. Searches can cover public collections, businesses or types of business, locations, or people. There are 5 primary types of street map views available to users: Road View, Aerial View, Bird’s Eye View, StreetSide View, and 3D View
Road view
- Road view is the default map view and displays vector imagery of roads, buildings, and geography. The data from which the default road map is rendered is licensed from NavteqNAVTEQNavteq is a Chicago, Illinois-based provider of Geographic Information Systems data and is a dominant company in providing the base electronic navigable maps...
. In certain parts of the world, road view maps from alternative data providers are also available. For example, when viewing a map of LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, you can display road data from the Collins Bartholomew London Street Map. In all parts of the UK, you can display road data from the Ordnance SurveyOrdnance SurveyOrdnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
. A Bing Maps app is available that will display road data from Open Street Map.
Aerial view
- Aerial view overlays satellite imagery onto the map and highlights roads and major landmarks to be easily identifiable amongst the satellite images.
Bird's-eye view
- Bird's-eye view displays aerial imagery captured from low-flying aircraft. Unlike the top-down aerial view captured by satellite, Bird's-eye images are taken at an oblique, 45-degree angle, which give the user better depth perception for buildings and geography. Bird's-eye view is available in selected locations across the globe, including major cities in the United States, Canada, Japan and in over 80 European locations. Bird's-Eye images for a location may be viewed from all four cardinal directions. These images are typically much more detailed than the aerial views taken from directly above. Signs, advertisements, pedestrians, and other objects are clearly visible in many Bird's Eye views.
StreetSide view
- StreetSide view provides immersive, panoramic (360 degree) imagery of street-level scenes taken from special cameras mounted on moving vehicles. Launched in December 2009 it contains imagery for selected metro areas in the United States as well as selected areas in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia associated with the 2010 Winter Olympic Games (example: Richmond Olympic Oval). Microsoft plans to make selected cities in Europe available by end of 2011. From August to September 2011, German customers were allowed to appeal integration of their house of flat in Bing StreetSide until end of September. According to some officials, the number of appeals was significantly lower than with Google Maps Street View. Only 40,000 request were sent to Microsoft.
3D maps
- The 3D maps feature lets user see buildings in 3D, with the added ability to rotate and tilt the angle in addition to panning and zooming. To attempt to achieve near-photorealism, all 3D buildings are texturedTexture mappingTexture mapping is a method for adding detail, surface texture , or color to a computer-generated graphic or 3D model. Its application to 3D graphics was pioneered by Dr Edwin Catmull in his Ph.D. thesis of 1974.-Texture mapping:...
using composites of aerial photographyAerial photographyAerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position. The term usually refers to images in which the camera is not supported by a ground-based structure. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or...
. To view the 3D maps, users must install a plugin, then enable the "3D" option on "Bing Maps". In addition to exploring the maps using a mouse and keyboard, it is possible to navigate the 3D environment using an Xbox 360 controllerXbox 360 ControllerThe Xbox 360 Controller is the primary controller for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console and was introduced at E3 2005. The Xbox 360 controller comes in both wired and wireless versions. Original Xbox controllers are not compatible with the Xbox 360...
or another game controllerGame controllerA game controller is a device used with games or entertainment systems used to control a playable character or object, or otherwise provide input in a computer game. A controller is typically connected to a game console or computer by means of a wire, cord or nowadays, by means of wireless connection...
in Windows 7 , Windows VistaWindows VistaWindows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
or Windows XPWindows XPWindows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
. - Currently, roughly 68 cities worldwide may be viewed in 3D, including most of the major cities in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and a few cities in CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Some additional cities have had a select few important landmarks modelled in 3D, such as the ColosseumColosseumThe Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre , is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire...
in RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Terrain data is available for the entire world. It is also possible to use a 3D modelling program called 3DVIA Shape for Maps to add one's own models to the 3D map. As of November 2010, Microsoft decided to drop their 3D feature to focus on other aspects of Bing Maps.
Driving, walking, and transit directions
Users can get directions between two or more locations. In September 2010, Bing Maps added public transit directions (bus, subway, and local rail) to its available direction options. Currently transit directions are only available in 11 cities: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark Metro Area, New York Metro Area, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver BC, and Washington DC.Map apps
Bing Map Apps is a collection of 1st and 3rd party applications that add additional functionality and content to Bing Maps. Examples of map apps include a parking finder, a taxi fare calculator, an app that maps out Facebook friends, and an app which lets users explore the day's newspaper front pages from around the world. These apps are only accessible through Bing Maps SilverlightMicrosoft Silverlight
Microsoft Silverlight is an application framework for writing and running rich Internet applications, with features and purposes similar to those of Adobe Flash. The run-time environment for Silverlight is available as a plug-in for web browsers running under Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X...
.
Traffic information and ClearFlow
Bing Maps shows users current traffic information for major highways and roads. The feature users 4 color codes (black, red, yellow, green) to indicate traffic volume, from heaviest traffic to lightest traffic.Microsoft announced in March 2008 that it will be releasing its latest software technology called “ClearFlow”. It is a Web-based service for traffic-based driving directions available on Bing.com in 72 cities across the U.S. The tool took five years for Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
team to develop. ClearFlow provides real-time traffic data to help drivers avoid traffic congestion. ClearFlow gives information for alternative routes and supplies traffic conditions on city streets adjacent to highways. Clearflow anticipates traffic patterns, while taking into account sporting/arena events, time of day and weather conditions, and then reflects the back ups and their consequential spill over onto city streets. Often, ClearFlow found it may be faster to stay on the highway instead of seeking alternative side street routes, which involve traffic lights and congestion as well.
Sharing and embedding maps
Bing Maps allows users to share maps and embed maps into their websites. By clicking the e-mail icon in the bottom-left corner of Bing Maps, a window will open that displays a shareable URL so others can access the map currently being viewed. This window also provides HTML code to embed a small version of the map onto any web page.Design
In August 2010, Bing Maps launched an overhauled design for its default view. The new colors create a more visually appealing backdrop for information delivery that helps content ‘pop’ on the map. The backdrop provides clear differentiation for pushpins, labels and red, yellow and green traffic overlays. These design principles also works well in black and white and creates differentiation for those with the most common forms of color blindness.Also, larger fonts correspond to larger roads to help customers more easily identify main roads in cities. More readable labels eliminate the need for bolding and less-attractive glows. The inclusion of neighborhood labels allows users to quickly find or convey locations in a commonly used and highly relevant format.
People, business, and location search
The search box at the top of Bing Maps can be used to locate places, businesses and landmarks, and people. Search results appear both on a left-side rail and as pushpins on the map (linked together by numbers). Search results often include addresses, contact information, and reviews for businesses and landmarks. For relevant searches, the user will also see a description of the landmark or place (powered by Wikipedia) if a Wikipedia article exists.The search process can also be guided using local directories for numerous categories (restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, retail stores, etc.).
User contributions
Bing Maps users can also view and add “user contributed” entries to the map. These user-contributions must be toggled on by users. These user-contributed items can include businesses, landmarks, buildings, locations, as well as Microsoft [Photosynth]s. Users can browse user-contributions by tags and subscribe to RSS feeds to receive updates of new user-contributions to a specific area.Dynamic labels
In August 2010, Bing Maps added dynamic labels to its Silverlight experience (bing.com/maps/explore). Turn on the dynamic labels beta from the map style selector on bing.com/maps/explore and the labels become clickable. This allows users to quickly zoom down to a region or location anywhere on the map with just a few clicks. Zooming back out in a single click is also possible by using the ‘breadcrumb’ trail at the top left of the map.AJAX and Silverlight versions
Bing Maps has two separate experiences for users: an AJAX version (located at Bing.com/Maps) and an opt-in Silverlight version (located at Bing.com/Maps/Explore) that requires Microsoft Silverlight to be installed. The Silverlight version is positioned to offer richer, more dynamic features and a smoother experience. In November 2010, the AJAX and Silverlight versions were combined into a semi-hybrid site where Silverlight features such as Map Apps and Streetside could be enabled through the Bing.com/Maps site - these features still required Silverlight to be installed, but does not require use of a separate Bing Maps site.The AJAX and Silverlight site share the following features: Road View, Aerial View, Bird’s-Eye View, Sharing Maps, People/Business/Location Search, Building Footprints, Driving Directions, Walking Directions.
Silverlight users exclusively can Map Apps, StreetSide View, Photosynths, and Dynamic Labels.
Access
Bing Map Apps are accessed either through the “Map Apps” button in the Bing Maps Explore Bar or through direct perma-links. The Map Apps button is only viewable if the user is in the Bing Maps Silverlight experience.Bing map apps
There are a number of map apps that are developed/published by Bing, as indicated by the publisher above the map app’s name in the app gallery. The following are a list of 1st party apps:| 2010 Tour de France 2010 Tour de France The 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996... : Shows Tour de France segments and results |
Bing Health Maps: Displays various health statistic heat maps for the US | Bing Maps World Tour – Explore new imagery for Bing Maps |
| Businesses by Category: Displays businesses by various categories (Shopping, Food, Travel, etc.) | Coin Search: A game to find hidden coins in StreetSide imagery | Current Traffic: See traffic levels Traffic congestion map A traffic congestion map is a graphical, realtime or near-realtime representation of traffic flow for some particular area. Data is typically collected via loop sensors embedded in the roadways, then processed by computer at a central facility and distributed as a map view to users.Many web sites... for major highways and roads |
| Distance Calculator: Calculate the distance between 2 points in Miles or Kilometers | Education Map: See local opportunities to volunteer and mentor kids | Food Cart Finder: Find the best food carts to eat at in Portland, OR |
| foursquare Everysquare: Integrates foursquare checkins and badges to Bing Maps | Haiti Earthquake: View before and after photos of Haiti | Home Turf Finder: Find places to watch the World Cup based on country |
| Hotel Finder: Find and learn about hotels | Local Events: Learn about local upcoming events | Local Lens: Keep up to date with hyperlocal information |
| StreetSide Photos: Explore cities and landmarks at the StreetSide level using geo-tagged Flickr images | Teach Here: Search for local teaching job opportunities | Twitter Maps: See real-time updates from geo-tagged tweets |
| What’s Nearby: See what’s in the neighborhood (restaurants, bars, movie theatres, shopping, etc.) | World Cup: Check the latest information on the World Cup | WorldWide Telescope WorldWide Telescope The WorldWide Telescope is a computer program created by Microsoft that displays the astronomical sky as maps, the 3D Universe, visualised data sets and animations. It was announced at the TED Conference in Monterey, California in February 2008. Users are able to pan around outer space and zoom as... : Explore the skies and universe |
| My Friends: Map out Facebook Facebook Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as... friends |
OpenStreetMap: Change the base map to OpenStreetMap |
Third-party apps
Bing Map Apps also allows third parties to create and submit map apps. The following are a list of 3rd party map apps:| Destination Maps: Create a custom map to a party or place | Everyscape Eats!: Explore 360 degree views of restaurants | Gas Prices: See gas prices for nearby gas stations |
| GeoSalesTax: View a heat map of sales tax rates in the US | Global Action Atlas: View ongoing global efforts to help people in need and help the environment | DonorsChoose.org: See micro-donation opportunities to help classrooms in need |
| Oodle Rentals: Find places to rent housing | ParkingFinder: Find parking and get parking rates in major cities | Random Location: Jump to a random location on the map |
| Ricky’s Data Viewer: Import shape files and GSS files to view on Bing Maps | Roadside Sculptures: See sculptures found on US highways | Roadside Attractions: Learn about attractions found along US highways |
| Seattle Issues: Shows SeeClickFix civil issues in the Seattle area | Signs & Billboards: Unique and noteworthy signs and billboards | Taxi Fare Calculator: Estimate taxi care costs |
| Today’s Front Pages: View the front pages of newspapers from around the globe | TrafficLand: See traffic cameras across the US | Travel Webcams: View webcam feeds at global attractions |
| Urban Graffiti: Images of graffiti from cities | Urban Murals Wall paintings from urban corridors | Wcities Events: Find local events |
| WCities Places Nearby: Find nearby hotels, attractions, venues, and restaurants | Weather: See weather conditions and forecasts | Wiki Explorer: Explore the 50 most recent entries to Wiki Places |
| World of Football: See scores of top European soccer teams |
Global Ortho Program
In July 2010, Microsoft and DigitalGlobeDigitalGlobe
DigitalGlobe, of Longmont, Colorado, USA, is a commercial vendor of space imagery and geospatial content, and operator of civilian remote sensing spacecraft...
, a leading global content provider of high-resolution earth imagery solutions, announced the collection of the first imagery from the company's Advanced Ortho Aerial Program. Through a special agreement with Microsoft, the Advanced Ortho Aerial Program will provide wall-to-wall 30 cm aerial coverage of the contiguous United States and Western Europe that DigitalGlobe has the exclusive rights to distribute beyond Bing Maps. The program's first orthophoto mosaics are of Augusta, GA, San Diego, CA and Tampa, FL, and can be viewed on DigitalGlobe's website.
Americas
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Bahamas | Full | No | Yes |
| Canada | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Cayman Islands | Full | No | Yes |
| Mexico | Full | No | Yes |
| Puerto Rico | Full | No | Yes |
| Virgin Islands | Full | No | Yes |
| Argentina | Full | No | Yes |
| Brazil | Full | No | Yes |
| Chile | Limited | No | Yes |
| Colombia | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| French Guiana | Full | No | No |
| Guadeloupe | Full | No | No |
| Martinique | Full | No | No |
| Saint Barthelemy | Full | No | No |
| Venezuela | Full | No | Yes |
| Anguilla | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Aruba | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Barbados | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Belize | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bermuda | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bolivia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Costa Rica | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cuba | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Dominica | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Dominican Republic | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Ecuador | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| El Salvador | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Greenland | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Grenada | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Guatemala | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Guyana | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Haiti | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Honduras | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Jamaica | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Montserrat | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Netherlands Antilles | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Nicaragua | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Panama | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Paraguay | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Peru | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Saint Lucia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Saint Vincent and The Grenadines | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| St. Pierre and Miquelon | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Suriname | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Uruguay | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
Africa
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Angola | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Benin | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Burkina Faso | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Burundi | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cameroon | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cape Verde | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Central African Republic | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Chad | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Comoros | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Congo | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Djibouti | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Equatorial Guinea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Eritrea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Ethiopia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Gabon | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Gambia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Ghana | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Morocco | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Guinea-Bissau | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Kenya | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Liberia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Madagascar | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Malawi | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mali | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mauritania | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mauritius | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mayotte | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mozambique | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Niger | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Nigeria | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Rwanda | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Senegal | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Seychelles | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Sierra Leone | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Somalia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| South Africa | Full | No | Yes |
| St. Helena | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Sudan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tanzania, United Republic of | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Togo | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tunisia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Uganda | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Western Sahara | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Zambia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Zimbabwe | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
Europe
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Full | No | Yes |
| Austria | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Belgium | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Croatia | Full | No | Yes |
| Czech Republic | Full | No | Yes |
| Denmark | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Estonia | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Finland | Full | Yes | Yes |
| France | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Germany | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Gibraltar | Full | No | Yes |
| Greece | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Guernsey | Full | No | Yes |
| Hungary | Full | No | Yes |
| Ireland | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Isle of Man | Full | No | Yes |
| Italy | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Jersey | Full | No | Yes |
| Latvia | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Liechtenstein | Full | No | Yes |
| Lithuania | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Luxembourg | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Monaco | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Netherlands | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Norway | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Poland | Full | No | Yes |
| Portugal | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Russian Federation | Full | No | Yes |
| San Marino | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Slovakia | Full | No | Yes |
| Slovenia | Full | No | Yes |
| Spain | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Sweden | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Switzerland | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Turkey | Full | No | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Vatican City State | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Albania | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Belarus | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bosnia and Herzegowina | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bulgaria | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Iceland | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Moldova, Republic of | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Montenegro | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Romania | Full | Yes | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Serbia | Full | Yes | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Azerbaijan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Faroe Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Sudan | Georgia | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Armenia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cyprus | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Malta | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Ukraine | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
Asia / Oceania
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunei | Full | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Japan | Full | Yes | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Afghanistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| American Samoa | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bangladesh | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Bhutan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Cambodia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| China | Limited | No | No |
| Cook Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Fiji | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| French Polynesia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Guam | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Kiribati | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Kyrgyzstan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Maldives | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Marshall Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Micronesia, Federated States of | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Mongolia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Myanmar | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Nauru | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Nepal | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| New Caledonia | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Niue | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Norfolk Island | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| North Korea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Pakistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Palau | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Papua New Guinea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Philippines | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Solomon Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| South Korea | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Sri Lanka | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tajikistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Timor-Leste | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tonga | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Turkmenistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Tuvalu | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Uzbekistan | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Vanuatu | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Viet Nam | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Wallis and Futuna Islands | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Australia | Full | Yes | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Hong Kong | Limited | No | Yes |
| India | Full | Yes | Yes |
| Indonesia | Limited | No | Yes |
| Macau | Limited | No | Yes |
| Malaysia | Limited | No | Yes |
| New Zealand | Limited | No | Yes |
| Singapore | Limited | No | Yes |
| Taiwan | Limited | No | Yes |
| Thailand | Limited | No | Yes |
Middle East
| Country | Navteq Coverage | Bird’s Eye | Map POIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | Full | No | Yes |
| Botswana | Full | No | Yes |
| Kuwait | Full | No | Yes |
| Lesotho | Full | No | Yes |
| Namibia | Full | No | Yes |
| Oman | Full | No | Yes |
| Qatar | Full | No | Yes |
| Saudi Arabia | Full | No | Yes |
| Swaziland | Full | No | Yes |
| United Arab Emirates | Full | No | Yes |
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Iraq | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Israel | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Lebanon | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Syrian Arab Republic | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Yemen | Limited | No | Named Places & Transportation Hubs |
| Jordan | Full | No | No |
| Reunion | Full | No | No |
| Egypt | Limited | No | No |
History
Bing Maps was based on existing MicrosoftMicrosoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
technologies such as Microsoft MapPoint
Microsoft MapPoint
Microsoft MapPoint is both a technology and a specific software program created by Microsoft that allows users to view, edit and integrate maps. The software and technology are designed to facilitate the geographical visualization and analysis of either included data or custom data...
, and TerraServer
TerraServer-USA
Microsoft Research Maps or MSR Maps is a free online repository of public domain aerial imagery and topographic maps provided by the U.S. Geological Survey . The site is a collaboration between Microsoft Research , Bing Maps, and the USGS. It has been under continuous operation since June 1998. It...
. The original version lacked many of its distinguishing features, including birds' eye view and 3D maps, and the Collections functionality was limited to a single "Scratchpad" of points of interest. Upon its release in December 2005, Windows Live Local became the public face of the Virtual Earth platform. On November 6, 2006, Microsoft added the ability to view the maps in 3D using a .NET managed control and managed interfaces to Direct3D
Direct3D
Direct3D is part of Microsoft's DirectX application programming interface . Direct3D is available for Microsoft Windows operating systems , and for other platforms through the open source software Wine. It is the base for the graphics API on the Xbox and Xbox 360 console systems...
. Microsoft subsequently referred to this product officially as "Live Search Maps", integrating it as part of its Live Search services. On June 3, 2009, Microsoft officially rebranded Live Search Maps as Bing Maps, and the Virtual Earth platform as Bing Maps for Enterprise.
Updates
- v1 (Beagle) (July 2005)
- v2 (Calypso) (December 2005) - "Bird's-eye imagery" released
- v2.5 (February 2006)
- v3 (Discovery) (May 2006) - Real time traffic, collections, new API
- v4 (Endeavour) (September 2006) - People search, drawing on maps, new imagery
- v5 (Spaceland) (November 2006) - 3D viewer, building models in 15 cities
- Data update (December 2006) - New 3D models and high-resolution imagery for 6 new areas
- Data update (January 2007) - Over 100 European cities with bird's-eye coverage added
- Data update (29 March 2007) - 3.8TB of bird's-eye imagery, orthophotoOrthophotoAn orthophoto, orthophotograph or orthoimage is an aerial photograph geometrically corrected such that the scale is uniform: the photo has the same lack of distortion as a map...
s and 3D models of 5 British cities - v5.5 (Falcon) (3 April 2007) VE 3D plugin for Firefox, GeoRSSGeoRSSGeoRSS is an emerging standard for encoding location as part of a Web feed. GeoRSS is an emerging standard for encoding location as part of a Web feed. GeoRSS is an emerging standard for encoding location as part of a Web feed. (Web feeds are used to describe feeds ("channels") of content, such as...
support, area calculations - v6 (Gemini) (15 October 2007) - New data, party maps, traffic based routing, v6 MapControl, Bird's Eye in 3D, etc.
- v6.1 (GoliatH) (10 April 2008) - Improved quality of 3D models, improved KML support and new export capabilities, street labels on Bird's Eye imagery, MapCruncher integration, HDHigh-definition videoHigh-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
filming capabilities, Clearflow traffic report system - v6.2 (Helios) (24 September 2008) - Multi-point driving directions, landmarks in directions, weather, real stars, new data
- Data Update (29 December 2008) - 48TB of road network data
- v6.2 (Ikonos) (14 April 2009) - Performance improvements
- Bing (3 June 2009)
- Bing Maps Silverlight Beta (2 Dec 2009) - Silverlight, Twitter, Streetside
- (Oslo) (11 June 2010) - Silverlight improvements
- (Boston M4) (Dec 2010) - New map style Venue maps
Imagery updates
Bing maps frequently update and expand the geographic areas covered by their imagery, with new updates being released on roughly a monthly basis. Each imagery release typically contains more than 10TB of imagery.However, the necessary time-lapse before images are updated means that aerial and Bird's-Eye images for a particular location can sometimes be several years out-of-date. This is particularly noticeable in locations that have undergone rapid recent development or experienced other dramatic changes since the imagery was taken, such as areas affected by natural disasters.
Compatibility
Microsoft states that Bing Maps needs the following environment:- Windows XP with SP2 or a later version
- Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
- Windows Imaging Component
- 250 MB or more of hard disk space
- A 1.0-gigahertz (GHz) processor (2.8 GHz or faster is recommended)
- 256 MB of system memory (1 GB is recommended)
- A 32-MB video card (256 MB is recommended) that supports Microsoft DirectX 9, with 3D hardware acceleration enabled
- A high-speed or broadband Internet connection
Compatible browsers include Windows Internet Explorer 6 or later, Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or later, or Safari 3.1 or later. Opera
Opera (web browser)
Opera is a web browser and Internet suite developed by Opera Software with over 200 million users worldwide. The browser handles common Internet-related tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, chatting on IRC, downloading files via BitTorrent,...
is stated to be usable "with some functionality limitations". Users of browsers
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
that are not considered compatible, as well as users of versions of compatible browsers that are not supported, will be directed away from viewing the map without an error message.
The 3D Maps viewer plug-in requires Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 is a server operating system produced by Microsoft, introduced on 24 April 2003. An updated version, Windows Server 2003 R2, was released to manufacturing on 6 December 2005...
, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 with Internet Explorer 6/7/8 or Firefox 1.5/2.0/3.0.
See also
- Comparison of web map servicesComparison of Web Map Services- See also :* Navteq* Traffic Message Channel * Online virtual globes, with more web map services:Category:Street view services-Sources:**********...
- Google EarthGoogle EarthGoogle Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographical information program that was originally called EarthViewer 3D, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a Central Intelligence Agency funded company acquired by Google in 2004 . It maps the Earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite...
- Google Street ViewGoogle Street ViewGoogle Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides panoramic views from various positions along many streets in the world...
- DigitalGlobeDigitalGlobeDigitalGlobe, of Longmont, Colorado, USA, is a commercial vendor of space imagery and geospatial content, and operator of civilian remote sensing spacecraft...
- Microsoft MapPointMicrosoft MapPointMicrosoft MapPoint is both a technology and a specific software program created by Microsoft that allows users to view, edit and integrate maps. The software and technology are designed to facilitate the geographical visualization and analysis of either included data or custom data...
- Microsoft Research Maps (formerly TerraServer-USA)
- Pictometry International
External links
- Bing Maps
- Bing Maps for different regions
- Bing Maps Interactive source SDKSource SDKThe Source SDK is a software development kit compiled by Valve Software that is used to create maps or mods for the Source engine, with the exception of Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, Alien Swarm, and Portal 2...
- Official Bing Maps team blog
- Bing Maps for Enterprise and Government