Microsoft "Virtual Earth" sucks.

Permalink: 7/25/2005 01:08:00 PM | << Back Home

Aside from poor functionality, black-and-white arial photography, and bad design, Microsoft's new "Virtual Earth" (we'll call it MSN Maps) is pretty bad. Most, if not all, of the maps are out-of-date, and the site is slow and buggy. The worst feature is definitely when you zoom-in on the Maps, it stretches them out in your browser a few times before loading the next level in... which is all blurry. Why would they add a feature like that!?

Anyway, the maps are WAY old. I've highlighted the fact (in yellow) that MSN still thinks the Twin Towers are standing in lower Manhattan. Lame.



So basically, there's no reason to use this service because Google Maps already offers better features and an overall cleaner experience. Plus, since they kicked off "Hybrid" mode a few days ago (even before this MSN Maps service was available), you can now see road maps clearly placed over satellite imagery. Anyway, don't use MSN Maps. Use Google maps instead:
-- http://maps.google.com/

UPDATE: Another article of interest, the fact that Apple's HQ is completely missing from MSN Maps. Hah, coincidence? We'll never know: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07/25/msn_earth_deletes_aple/

UPDATE #2: I guess some of the newer maps ARE in color. Good to know.