Live.com - Microsoft's Version of Maps

For this week's featured homepage, we wanted to focus on satellite maps. Yes, with Google Maps, satellite maps have been all the rage. With Google opening up their satellite map APIs, all kinds of Mashups have been spawned - housing, gas stations, fast food locators, sexual offender locations - you name it.

Why then would we give our valuable featured homepage space to Microsoft's 'late to the party' Live.com mapping technology? The answer is simple - the tool actually adds a lot of value IN ADDITION to Google maps. While the interface for Microsoft's maps isn't as slick (still in Beta, or maybe Alpha the way it looks...), the amount of detail that you can see is amazing. I believe Google maps allows users to see down to about 200 yards above ground with its satellite maps (don't quote us on that). Microsoft's maps actually zoom down to 30 yards above ground. The amount of detail you can see is amazing. We have told many of our friends about this - all people who are anti-Microsoft - they all agree, the detail is amazing.

For all of you stalkers out there, this could be another tool you use... For people looking at houses or real estate, now you'll be able to tell exactly where the property is located, whether it has a pool, and other amazing pieces of detail. With Google's satellite maps, you just can't see property specific detail.

Try it out - it is cool. If you are a sports fan, try zooming in on your favorite sports stadium. You may be able to tell when the image was taking based on the condition of the playing field.

The level of detail from Microsoft's maps make it this weeks' featured home page of the week.