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Microsoft launches StreetView rival in Europe
By admin | April 22, 2011
Microsoft extends street to Europe – which is equivalent Bing with Google Maps Street View. Microsoft is already mapping service London and their applications will be different from Street View in terms of privacy and scale.
Microsoft has partnered with NAVTEQ (one of the fantastic info mapping providers and a subsidiary of Nokia) for this project, clearly one advantage to do with Nokia. Street is already available in some U.S. cities (and several Canadian cities), but now, Microsoft has set foot in Europe. Mapping are already moving to London and other European cities next month.
Collection of data Microsoft is not yet Wi-Fi (which is vital for non-GPS positioning) – Google may want to avoid storing private data blunder. Some Wi-Fi data will be collected in a later stage, only absolutely necessary to use the hotspots for positioning.
Microsoft is also careful about letting people opt out of the street have their faces blurred and their homes from street level images. “Privacy is soaked in everything we do,” says Microsoft.
The plot now is just main roads to be included in the street (especially in urban centers) instead of each side street. Mapping data will be used to expand the Microsoft location based services.
Microsoft launches its own version of Google Streetview – named street – across Europe.
Machines equipped with video cameras started taking pictures around London and will start mapping the continent’s major cities next month.
The service is already available in 56 U.S. cities and towns.
Microsoft was keen to avoid the privacy problems dogged Google service, but said he is plotting to collect data Wi-Fi.
Originally, the street will be on a smaller scale than Streetview, director-search company, Dave Coplin.
“We are not setting a record of each street. We believe it is most valuable in urban centers where people want to find services,” he told BBC News.
Wi-Fi data
Microsoft’s ultimate goal was to combine street location-based services, said Mr. Coplin.
To do this, needed to collect data Wi-Fi, such as the unique number that identifies the location of a hotspot, such as signal strength and wireless use. This information could be used to help locate users.
Google ran into distress with privacy groups while making Streetview after it emerged the company intercepted and stored in some private information access points.
Google apologized for the “mistake” which he accused rogue encryption.
The incident led to investigations of the globe, causing the search giant to make radical changes to its privacy policies.
By contrast, Microsoft announced it would collect the “minimum” of data.
She has already started taking photos of street level, but, the Wi-Fi scanning process is currently on hold until the company refines its strategy.
“We chose to postpone Wi-Fi data collection. I want to do it right,” said Dave Coplin.
Street in New York street image is already available for some U.S. cities, including New York
Opt
Another issue that dogged the roll-out of its Google Streetview was whether to allow users to opt out.
Some residents have complained that they could only question for their property to be removed from service after pictures went live.
In Germany, authorities were reported to be considering legal action against Google.
Lastly, have guaranteed the right of householders to opt out Streetview, having their homes and businesses pixelated before the service was live.
250,000 Germans chose to do so.
As a result, the country has introduced a code of practice, which mean all related services, including street, you have to follow the same rule.
But Microsoft will not offer the option of opting out to people from other countries.
“He came in our discussions with the bodies of privacy, but the service opt-out” was not something huge on their list of priorities, “said Mr. Coplin.
Microsoft said it had consulted with the authorities for data protection and privacy organizations such as Privacy International development along the street.
“Privacy is soaked in everything we do,” said Mr. Coplin.
It will inform the public about the service before the images taken using the ads, which will include a helpline number and website where people can get more information.
Location and advertising
When the street goes directly to Microsoft’s mobile platforms, including Windows operating its phones will be combined with so-called blockview technology that allows images to be flattened and covered with metadata.
This information will be used to provide contextual advertising and other information located, said Mr. Coplin.
“Where most people have a smartphone and mobile broadband is completely stable, services such as four corners, Groupon and other local services will all come together, offering local service and localized advertising,” he said.
Unlike Google, Microsoft has no ambitions to map every street in the world.
This service should mean avoiding some of the most bizarre events captured Streetview.
Those included a naked man climbing into the trunk of his car in Germany and pictures of corpses on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, which Google has been forced to eliminate shortly after the service has been living in South America.
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