WebProNews

We often get so caught up in what Google is doing with Google Maps that we sometimes forget there are other map services out there like Microsoft's Live Search Maps. Well, they have reminded us today with the release of a bunch of new features.

Chris Pendleton posted on the Live Search Blog about the features, which include: 

- New imagery

- Weather integration

- Localized maps

- Near-matching capabilities

- Landmark-based routing

- Rich imagery for mobile users

- One-click directions

The new Virtual Earth Web Service and Virtual Earth Map Control 6.2 were both taken advantage of to bring about these new features, which Pendleton looks at more closely (with a bunch of screenshots) here. Application developers and webmasters can also use the new virtual earth offerings in a variety of ways.

Apart from the aforementioned features, "communities" are being stressed. "Community submitted collections are now indexed immediately after upload and can be searched seconds after they are created," says Pendleton. "In addition to this, we provide better overall information retrieval by using collections data to augment search results in the 'business' scope in cases where limited or no business listings exist that meet the search criteria." Microsoft's local search has also been improved upon. Searches can now be refined further through filters, and related searches are presented.

Will any of this sway users away from Google Maps? Frankly, I have no plans on changing which service I use, but developers appear to be the ones who will have the most fun with Microsoft's new features.