The History of Virtual Earth and Bing Maps
If you're unfamiliar with virtual earth, you may be surprised to learn that the Redmond company began developing it years ago. You can explore the history of virtual earth and Bing Maps by watching this video. You'll also learn how the service compares with Google maps. You'll also learn about the new features that virtual earth provides, such as the support for advanced shapes. If you're wondering about the rebranding, you'll find it helpful to watch this video and learn about it.Features of Virtual Earth Bing Maps
While Microsoft has discontinued the free version of its Virtual Earth platform, they have added new features and rebranded the service as Bing Maps. The free version is a good introduction to the service, but there are some differences from the free version. In addition to a lack of 3D maps and a birds-eye view, it also lacks a number of other features, such as customizable tile naming schemes. Microsoft launched Bing Maps in the year 2005. The software is part of the Bing search engine platform and powers the Bing Maps for Enterprise product. The Bing Maps platform provides developers with the opportunity to layer location-relevant data on top of licensed map imagery. The software can automatically generate driving directions or public transit directions using imagery from nearby major roads. In addition, users can explore street-level panoramas for a more detailed view of a location.Comparison with Google Maps
There are some pros and cons to each map app. Google Maps is the default choice for many people, but it has some drawbacks that make it an inferior choice. One of those is the lack of offline availability, which is essential when you have no network access. Additionally, you can only use Google Maps for 30 days, and some regions aren't supported by the service. Lastly, Google Maps tracks your location and movement history, which isn't ideal if you value your privacy. While Apple Maps is more popular, Google Maps has many advantages. Apple Maps uses a lot of data, which can increase the risk of privacy breaches, but the convenience it offers is worth the extra expense. The downside to Google Maps is that it relies heavily on large images. These can take a while to load, and some browsers fail to load the map correctly. In such situations, you may want to consider alternative mapping apps.Support for advanced shapes
In order to develop for Bing maps, you must download and install the SDK. Once installed, Bing Maps JavaScript controls will allow you to create maps with advanced shapes. They are available for Windows Store apps and web applications. The AdvancedShapes module updates the Polygon and EntityCollection classes to support complex polygons. You must also add the SDK to Visual Studio to use it.Rebranding of Virtual Earth Bing Maps
The company has decided to rebrand Virtual Earth and Live Search Maps as Bing Maps. The rebranding also includes Bing Maps for Enterprise, which will be the same name as the enterprise version of the service. Microsoft has long considered Virtual Earth a valuable enterprise mapping platform, and this move further cements its position as a leader in this space. However, the rebranding will leave some users confused. Microsoft is currently launching a new search engine and consumer brand. The new service will kill off Live Search and replace it with Bing. The rebranding will affect all areas of Microsoft, including mapping and location services. Live Search Maps has been around for a while and was previously known as MSN Virtual Earth. It featured maps, aerial photos, directions, and point of interest searches. Users could also create collections of personal data and store them on their maps. While there are many differences between the new platform and Virtual Earth, both will work for the same purpose.Related Posts
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