Presently, Google is miles ahead of Bing in all spheres be it popularity or sheer usability. However, Microsoft is keen to make people consider Bing a force to reckon with in the ultra-competitive search market, and its fascination for new innovations and features could surely propel Bing nearer to Google.
To prove a point Microsoft’s Bing (the web search engine from Microsoft, unveiled on 28th May, 2009) has just dropped the beta tag, a month and a half after Bing Maps was released and also has integrated 2 Silverlights applications to its Bing maps. Microsoft’s been looking for that extra yard to outrun Google. It recently launched the revamped service to the press, demonstrating its Silverlight interface and array of applications, including a Twitter application that lets you find tweets based on geo-location.
This announcement coincides with the introduction of two new apps, Destination Maps and Local Events. With the help of these two applications, users can follow the events and places with Pins on the map. To make it more convenient for the users, stylized directions map have also been introduced. Destination Maps lets you select a map area which in turn helps you in providing your friends detailed directions from any direction, while Local Events would show up the time and locations of shows and community events in your vicinity.
The events’ description and place will flow on the left side of the map. Interestingly, there is a provision for sorting the events and places by popularity or date. In order to make it more precise, there are further categories like music, sports, performing arts, food and dining, and fairs and festivals. Filtering on time basis is also possible now.
So, now the arduous task, of finding a location in a new city, seems to have been alleviated by the Simplified Maps version. You can also create custom maps with the aid of the Destination application. Furthermore there are different themes to skin your custom map as per your whims and fancies.
The new application could not have come at a better time. In an era, where ‘competition‘is the buzz word, everyone wants to outrun other in this mad race and this application would further intensify it. The new Bing Maps is very crafty and innovative, though its directions still have aeons to go before it can prove to be a match for Google’s superior algorithms.
