Apple Non-Existent in MSN Virtual Earth

By Ed Oswald | Published July 26, 2005, 1:14 PM

No Apple in Microsoft's Virtual EarthAnyone who's been following technology likely already knows that the relationship between Microsoft and Apple is strained at best. However, with the beta release of MSN Virtual Earth, it now appears that Microsoft would like to act like Apple doesn't even exist.

Word spread around the Internet Monday night that whatever image Microsoft is using for 1 Infinite Loop, it sure wasn't of the sprawling 11-building complex that exists today.

What is pictured instead is a dusty parking lot with what appears to be some kind of large building, possibly a warehouse.

MSN Virtual Earth went live in beta form on Monday and allows users to view satellite imagery, as well as traditional map locations, and perform local search functions based on the area in focus.

Microsoft has blamed the error on old photographs from 1991, even though its satelite images show copyrights of 2004 and 2005. Viewing Apple's headquarters on Google Maps shows the campus correctly.

Google and Microsoft use the same sources for their images.

Comments

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3040 College Park Dr, Conroe, TX

search for that address in each site.
It is a walmart. It has been there for a few years at least. It is just the dates on the MSN imagery that is wrong. The images themselves are faithfully ancient.

http://www.walmart.com/s...amp;edit_object_id=3213

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haha that is hilarious, i love it!

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Someone at Microsoft has a sense of humor.

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I would not call this

http://virtualearth.msn....fc243db811f0940c4c7c7ca

"sense of humour". :¬(

Saluditos,

Ferrán.

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Calm down there, buddy. It's an old image. I'm sure there are other buildings and such that were sadly destroyed that are still in the images. Maybe it's Microsoft's way of saying "we'll never forget".

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lol

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I’m not surprised. I noticed this early in the morning yesterday when I read about the beta, but I though I was just not good at finding places :P

Yes, sure it is an error.... I wonder if the googleplex is there......

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clearly, google maps is newer and better.. hello, color? what is the argument here?

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Actually, some cities are in color and share their plates with Goggle. Some of these are LA, San Francisco, St. Louis, Tampa, Seattle, Orlando, among others I'm sure. So don't worry, color images are coming.

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This "story" was reported by The Register and later on Slashdot yesterday (I would go into the Slashdot-headline-steling that happens around here a lot lately, but I digress).

Slashdot has already settled this issue. The images *are* old. http://apple.slashdot.or...109&tid=1&tid=3
You don't even need to read past the first comment to see some evidence of this. Additionally, as others have mentioned, the WTC towers are still visible.

Sorry, nothing to see here, move along. MSN Virtual Earth images may be out of date, but there's no conspiracy going on here.

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Yeah, this is definitely a stretch. It's an old picture! Just like the rest of the old pictures in Virtual Earth. I don't hear anyone complaining about an incomplete American Airlines Arena! On no! Maybe Microsoft doesn't like American Airlines!

And I like the wording..."dusty parking lot"? Can anyone hear tell that the parking lot is dusty? I sure can't from a 1/2 mile black/white satellite image.

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It almost looks like a farm or something. :P

(When you see the small version you click on atleast)

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I guess some people have waaaaayyyy too much time on their hands. Do yourselves a favor: Get outside more. Get a girlfriend. Go to a movie. This is too pathetic for even the tinfoil hat crowd.

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Indeed, that's the first thing that popped to my mind when I read that article.

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yes, yes. and the World Trade Center towers are still in NYC, and the parking lot down the street from my apartment is still an old building, and my parent's house of 8 years isn't built yet. this "news" has been everywhere for a day now. way to be current, betanews.

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