Windows Live goes Local

dualcore writes "PC Magazine is reporting that Windows is going live with a 'new online local search and mapping service.' The interface is pretty close to Google Local, but with subtle enhancements, such as right-clicking anywhere on the map brings up a context menu or the way you can click on a point on the map to select it for directions. The final word on which service is better remains to be seen but this competition will certainly benefit the end-users."

Worldwide

[Anonymous Coward]

For users outside of the US and UK Live Local is the better one. Google Maps/Local still ignores most parts of the world

Something weird...

[Bill Walker]

If you do bird's eye view for my office [live.com], there are tons of people in the street on 5th avenue. It's too disorganized to be a parade, and Madison has traffic on it, so it wasn't the blackout. There are also two circles of people in the northern part of the image. Anyone know what gives?

Cor

[tehshen]

Works for me with Galeon under Linux. Looks like we're not being ignored anymore!

It does.

[chaboud]

I tried it with FF on Windows and IE. In IE, it feels great. With FF, it just sticks and sticks and sticks.

right click

[sunwolf]

I really love the right click features - getting directions to and from places you don't know the exact addresses of are a godsend.

Re:Cumbersome

[TaylorTAP]

OK, why would I use this instead of Google again?

Let's compare a basic query from Google to MSN Lives.

http://local.google.com/maps?q=hospitals+near+stoc kton,+ca&hl=en [google.com]
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&ss=hospital s&cp=37.953792~-121.290691&style=h&lvl=11&sp=aN.34 .143119_-77.915445_road%20lake..%20make%20up%20you r%20mind_ [live.com]

First off, Google's URL is MUCH shorter for permalink.

But the real guts to this query is in the results.

As you can see Google returns much cleaner, relative results and has more results too. Not to mention a COLORED MAP that is UP TO DATE.

Live doesn't even have my house built on their map and that was back in 1996.

This data is especially meaningful to me because a few weeks ago I got a call from a nurse that my Mom had had a heartattack and the hospital was St. something but thanks to Cingulars wonderful reception I couldn't make out what the lady said.

Luckily, I had Google Local and it returned the right hospital almost instantly and allowed me to get in contact with the nurse again to find out that she was going to be alright.

Now, looking for the nearest Pizza Hut isn't that big of a deal but when somebodies life is involved, I wouldn't trust any other search provider.

Re:Bird's Eye view is amazing - just needs few twe

[tommers]

I've also been very impressed with how quickly the Google Earth team has innovated in Google Earth. They took an excellent product and improved it in many ways very quickly and even integrated the Google look in ways that make it clear both Google Earth and Google Picasa are definitely "made" by the same company.