New Live Maps - Goes Live +KML Overlay

New Live 'Search' Maps - Goes Live


New cleaner version of Live Search Maps

and the 3D gets smoother....


Brighton Pier in 3D in FireFox.

Look for the Loader

The Globe show the data loading/rendering for the view.

quick guide -

Shortcut keys...
Home [Button] - Birds Eye -straight down
Page up [Button] - Zooms Out
Page Down [Button] - Zooms in
Cursor keys - Pan in keys direction
Shift - Pivot on that location
Control (Ctrl) Key - tilts and rotates (with mouse)
B - Birds Eye View

Click 'N' (North) on the controls resets the direction to North.

Control and Shift keys can be use with the mouse.

Have a Play - http://maps.live.com/


Some more details coming out.

Codenamed Gemini is Version 2 of Live Maps based on the Virtual Earth 6 Engine

New Features include KML overlay (a global accepted spatial dataset now?)

Seems only points are supported so far here is an example

Google Maps KML overlay

Now Live Maps KML Overlay

Same KML URL but the route(polyline) is missing - though does allow you to subscribe to the KML via RSS

Much more information in more detail is available from the official blog
http://virtualearth.spaces.live.com/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0

Google Earth Blog has a very good articial on Basic KML supported by Microsoft
http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2007/10/microsoft_virtual
_earth_supports_ba.html

Mapperz