New features in Virtual Earth
Tons of new features have been added in Virtual Earth software by Microsoft. They are as follows:
Export your collections to your GPS/Navigation device:
A common complaint that is often heard from users is that this search system does not have an easy way for getting waypoints on to their navigation system from web maps. In the new release, we have added support for exporting Collections to GPX, KML, and GEOSS that you can directly load to any of the portable Navigation system. You will find no funky links in your way when you are doing an export of the resulting file that contains the geometry your navigation system requires. You also do not require any internet connection to export the file. You can plan a tour on the web by simply creating a set of waypoints, and then you can use this new export feature for taking them on the road.
The export capability is not limited only to navigation system. As these files are standard GPX, GEOSS, or GPX, you can use them in any application that is compatible with any of the above file formats. For instance, a KML file can be imported and converted to GeoRSS. On the other hand, you can export collection for viewing it in Google Earth. A GeoRSS feed can be converted to GPX.
Improved 3D cities: The new 'Version' cities are more densely modeled. They have higher resolution textures and also include rendered trees. Now cities feature thousands of more buildings than ever before that are clearly noticeable as you fly across the city.
By adding all these new features virtual Earth has become less virtual and has come a one step closer to deliver a truly astonishing mirror world experience. Initially only Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Denver have received this 'Version 2'face lift. But sooner all other cities will receive all these enhancements before the end of this year.
3D modeling using 3DVIA: The interactive 3D environment has been greatly enhanced in the latest version of Virtual Earth. The modeler that users use to create their own buildings and other structures is much more improved. To check whether it has really improved, you can switch over to 3D view, then right click where you can add a building and then select 'Add 3D model'. By this action, 3DVIA editor will get launched and you will be able to add a building. Improvements such as lighting to contributed models, creation of thumbnails if you want save a model are very useful. Other improvements include much faster publishing when you are making use of high-resolution textures.
Labels are now provided for bird’s eye imagery. Until now, the bird’s eye imagery of Virtual Earth has been naked and users had to rely on inset maps or they had to toggle back to aerial views or traditional map to see building and street levels. To calculate labels in 45-degree oblique imagery is harder than to calculate labels in ortho imagery. As labels appear on birds eye scenes in the new version, searching has become simpler.
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