Virtual Earth

Create engaging applications by combining online maps with your data

The Microsoft Virtual Earth platform is an integrated set of services that gives you the ability to create applications that enable users to visually interact with complex information. Virtual Earth combines quality geospatial data, rich imagery, and dependable performance for integrating location information into business solutions.

Virtual Earth provides structure, support, and flexibility for your customized solutions through the following:

• Geospatial data offers deep, complex detail in a variety of views, including bird's eye and 3D perspectives.
• Microsoft hosts the Virtual Earth application and base data to help minimize your financial investment. And a service level agreement can guarantee 99.9% uptime.
• Tools designed to help increase your team's productivity include:
  • Virtual Earth Interactive SDK
  • MapCruncher Beta for Virtual Earth
• The base functionality in the application programming interface (API) gives your team a head start. Integrate your data or other third-party data sources to add customized views and functionality.

Virtual Earth Features & Functionality

Bird’s eye view imagery: Exclusive to Virtual Earth —get unique views of real-world locations, providing insight into “what it’s like there.” Bird’s eye view imagery is popular with travel sites and real estate sites because users can get a glimpse of the location or house.

Aerial imagery: Enjoy high-resolution aerial images from the best-of-breed imagery providers.

3-D imagery: See three-dimensional, photorealistic views of buildings and landscapes.

Map data: Access all supported countries and regions through a single API.

Map rendering: Get 33 map styles adjustable fonts for labeling, the ability to display maps in resolutions up to 2000 × 2000 dpi, plus support for .gif, .wbmp, and .png file formats.

Proximity search: Return a list of points of interest based on the proximity to a selected location. Explore flexible ways to search for additional points of interest along a specified route.

Geocoding: Get the most accurate locations around the world through the integration of multiple geocoders and datasets with MapView, reverse IP, and culture to provide the most relevant and accurate results.

Driving directions: Provide optimized driving directions with step-by-step instructions or travel long distances with worldwide, city-to-city routing.

Multipoint routing: Optimize travel schedules and improve driver efficiency by implementing the Virtual Earth trip planner and multipoint routing.
  
Map annotation and drawing: Easily customize and modify pushpins, polylines, and polygons. Customize line colors, widths, and transparencies of shapes as well as add custom icons. You can also customize shape and tile layers and add GeoRSS feeds and information boxes.

Localization: Localized market support, beginning with Japan, is supported in the Virtual Earth API along with localized maps and driving directions in 13 languages.

Flexible platform: Build on a platform that continually improves its flexibility and ease of use. Microsoft incorporates developer feedback in feature customization and in expanding coverage.

The Virtual Earth Advantage

With Virtual Earth, you can deliver highly visual and immersive applications.  Your users will be able to explore and visualize rich sets of complex information.

• Reliability: Virtual Earth is designed for the enterprise user.  The platform provides reliable and detailed information with Service Level Agreements guaranteeing 99.9% uptime.

• Manage Costs: Minimize your financial investment. With Microsoft hosting the Virtual Earth application, there's no need to invest in scaled-out infrastructure just to support your data and mapping solution.

• Tools: Developer tools enable you to employ unique imagery, dynamic maps, and customized content layers that provide a tailored experience for your end users.

Pricing

Tetrad provides flexible pricing options to accommodate your business requirements and the type of solution you are creating.  For more information, please call us at 1-800-663-1334 or request more information.

TETRAD is a Microsoft Virtual Earth Solution Provider