MS Virtual Earth

Ok... I have had a lot of fun with Google Earth (didn't do a good job in back country areas).... and Windows Live Local (good bc satellite photos).   However, I think we have taken another step forward with Microsoft Virtual Earth.

Virtual Earth has good bc sat photos and allows me to zoom, tilt and rotate.  It is like flying around the mountains.  Too bad it doesn't have google earth's nav capabilities with longitude and latitude, elevation, etc. 

So it takes a sat photo and processes it into 3-D.   Here is a shot of upper Muir Snowfield.  I selected the zoom, tilt, and rotation:

Prolly a stupid question, but Windows only?

This requires a download of a software app from MS (Virtual Earth)... That software apparently launches a browser window.   It is a MS app, so yes it probably is windows, as opposed to linux or Apple?

This did create occasional errors from my video driver... so I downloaded a video driver update.

I think this is part of MS's answer to Google Earth.   GE also did 3-d rendition, but not as good.  So there may be a competitive race here.   Which is good for us.

Crystal Mtn. North with Snorting Elk Bowl w/lake in background:

That is rad. I think I know what I'll be playing around with tonight

now that I can run both OS's on the Mac I might have to try it out on the Windows side.