Microsoft Virtual Earth: Impressions
So I arrived home from Toronto today and got a chance to test drive the new Microsoft 3D Earth. As with all Microsoft products, the first version isn’t quite usable. But there are some very promising elements. First among those are the textured/shadowed buildings, which look amazing. It looks like Microsoft is working with Harris Corp, a military contractor specializing in communications. I understood they’ve done some good work on 3D reconstruction from satellite photos, which makes me wonder which part the Microsoft Vexcel acquisition has played… But either way, the buildings look great from a fly-over distance. There’s no level-of-detail to zoom in close yet, so don’t expect good street-level views in the near term.
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