Fly over UK cities with Local Live

Microsoft has launched a UK version of its online mapping service Local Live, which lets web users view cities from a 45-degree bird-eyes view.

The stunning-looking service currently only covers 230 square miles of London, and Portsmouth, Southampton and Cambridge, but this will soon be expanded, Microsoft says, so that within the two years Windows Live Local will have bird’s eye imagery for 80 per cent of Europe’s population.

The feature also lets users choose to look from North, South, East and West, and is detailed enough to see what types of car are parked outside peoples’ houses.

Local Live will also offer local search and driving directions.
Microsoft said that additional features such as improved aerial views and real-time traffic data will be added in the future.

Web users can also log-in with their Microsoft ID, Hotmail or Messenger account and save information and searches to a personalised ‘scratchpad’, and then share the information with contacts.

http://local.live.com