Newsletter Archive
November 2007
Umpqua Bank Unveils Innovation Lab Featuring Virtual Earth
On Nov. 6, Umpqua Bank opened its new store concept in Portland, Ore.'s South Waterfront neighborhood. The store will serve as Umpqua’s Innovation Lab, showcasing emerging and existing technologies, including Microsoft Virtual Earth, that foster communities. To enhance the customer experience and store operations, the LocalSpace initiative, Umpqua’s social networking site designed to connect and assist local businesses in a virtual setting, will feature 3-D mapping from Virtual Earth. To read the full press release, please visit Umpqua Bank.
UltraCamX First-Quarter Sales
In the first quarter of its fiscal year, Microsoft Corp. delivered 10 UltraCamX units to customers in the United States, Russia and Korea. The UltraCamX is Microsoft’s lead-selling large-format digital aerial camera used by aerial mapping agencies to capture high- resolution aerial imagery. Much of this imagery can be seen in urban areas on Microsoft Virtual Earth-powered Live Search Maps site. More information on the camera can be found on the Web site of Vexcel Imaging GmbH, a company acquired by Microsoft and responsible for manufacturing and sales of the camera.
Recent Updates – Virtual Earth
Virtual Earth Partners Support SQL Server 2008
On Nov. 12, Microsoft Virtual Earth development partners AWhere Inc., MapDotNet, SpatialPoint and IDV Solutions announced support for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 spatial enhancements. The newly added spatial support in SQL Server will make geospatial functionality more accessible to Microsoft developers and SQL Server users. Users get the advanced 3-D capabilities, imagery and base maps delivered by Virtual Earth combined with their own spatial data. SpatialPoint’s Atlas technology allows users to visualize even highly complex datasets on top of the Virtual Earth platform. The MapDotNet Server 6.5 release will also support new features in Microsoft Virtual Earth 6.0, and will include upgraded map-rendering capabilities, support for Windows Communication Foundation, profiling, event logging and improved diagnostics. For more information on Virtual Earth development partners supporting SQL Server 2008, please visit the following sites:
Recent Updates – Live Search Maps
Live Search Maps Expands Bird’s-Eye View in the United States and Abroad
In November, the Live Search Maps team significantly expanded its availability of bird’s-eye view imagery in several U.S. and international markets. Bird’s-eye view imagery is now available for several new cities, including Dallas and Guadalajara, Spain. For a complete list of cities that have been updated with new bird’s-eye view imagery, please visit the team blog.
About Virtual Earth and Live Search Maps
Virtual Earth
The Virtual Earth platform is Microsoft's next-generation mapping and location service. It combines MapPoint Web Service functionality with exciting innovations in bird’s-eye* imagery, satellite and aerial views, map styles and usability, as well as local search. The Virtual Earth platform is an exceptional solution for businesses and enterprise customers.Virtual Earth powers Live Search Maps, Microsoft's online local search and mapping Web site, but this technology can be in your hands, too, for your custom online application. More information about the Virtual Earth platform is available here.
Live Search Maps
Live Search Maps represents an exciting component of Microsoft's Live Search vision, which gives consumers a deeply immersive local experience on the Web, where they can find, discover, plan and share relevant location information that is important to them. Live Search Maps is powered by Virtual Earth, delivering a core set of functionality that combines maps and directions, immersive bird’s-eye and aerial imagery, and local search. To try Live Search Maps for yourself check out Live Search, or, if you are interested in learning more about the service, go to Presspass.
Notes:
*Available in many metropolitan areas.
