Microsoft Bing Maps
Microsoft have recently adopted the brandname of Bing Maps for their online map offerings. Most of these were previously marketed under the Virtual Earth brand name, but also include the MapPoint Web Service. The Virtual Earth brand included the Virtual Earth JavaScript ('AJAX') Control; Virtual Earth 3D Control; Virtual Earth WebService; and the Virtual Earth Silverlight Control.
The JavaScript control is the most mature of these products. It has a rich JavaScript API, and has a map coverage which increases most months. Maps can be road vector maps, satellite/aerial imagery, or "bird's eye view" (a slanted aerial view). We have also used the Bing Maps JavaScript control for some of the interactive maps in the EcoMap Costa Rica project and for the Univ. of Dallas Biology Department ecology class. Most business applications of the JavaScript control require subscription licensing with Microsoft.
The Bing Maps 3D Control (Virtual Earth 3D Control) is an ActiveX control that interfaces with the JavaScript control. End-users can access it by selecting "3D" in the control panel. The 3D Control features digital elevation data and increasingly-complex building models. Enterprising developers have already created flight simulators that use the 3D control's API.
Bing Maps for Enterprise (Virtual Earth Web Service - VEWS) is a relatively new component of the original Virtual Earth suite. This will eventually replace the MapPoint Web Service (MWS), but currently lacks some MWS functionality. If possible, new development projects should start with Bing Maps for Enterprise - so avoiding migration issues when MWS is eventually retired.
The Virtual Earth Silverlight Control was publically announced in March 2009, and is currently in "CTP" (Community Technology Preview) status. As such, it is currently free to use, but the API can and will change. The combination of Silverlight's visual richness and Bing Maps imagery should deliver some impressive web applications in the near future.
Further Information
- Our sister site, The GeoWeb Guru is a new community site for geospatial web development, including the Bing Maps product line.
- Microsoft maintain their own Bing Maps pages that include MSDN reference material and an interactive SDK.
