Microsoft Street Slide Demonstration

Microsoft [MSFT] is working on a new street view style service that allows you to view a wider perspective of a particular street.

The Street View service that Google [GOOG] uses is currently restricted to what Microsoft calls bubbles. When viewing a street you sit in a particular bubble that you can look around. By clicking an arrow you jump to the next bubble and carry on that way. You cannot view details of location on the street without jumping to a bubble, or close to another bubble. This is where Microsoft differs in there new technology.

Street Slide differs in that you can zoom out of the bubble and see a perspective view of a lot more of the street. In effect you are seeing all the bubbles on a street stitched together in perspective. The service allows you to slide down the street, flip around to see the other side of the street and see a lot of related information about the street such as company logos and building numbers.

As well as creating an application for the desktop/browser, it appears that Microsoft is also testing out an application for the iPhone that allows you to more easily view streets with the new system. The video below shows a good demonstration of what it’s all about.

Via: Engadget