BING MAPS NEW STREETSIDE VIEW!

Bing Streetside View, Bing's latest street imagery enhancement to its Bing Maps, provides a virtual way to walk through streets for desktop browser users. Using Microsoft Research Street Slide technology, Streetside view shows panoramas of the currently displayed street and renders continuity when users move up or down a street.

In a blog post unveiling the new technology, Chris Pendleton noted, "In the past you explored Streetside imagery by navigating between 'bubbles,' or discrete 360 degree views, and moving down the street was accomplished by jumping from bubble to bubble."

Besides the smooth sideways-panning navigation, users now have additional information. A strip at the top shows a map image that indicates the block that's being viewed and neighboring streets. A strip at the bottom displays useful information including street names, business listings, bus stops and storefronts in that area.

"These changes represent a significant enhancement for desktop browsers, enabling you to quickly pan up and down the street to see the neighborhood and find businesses. We are doing this by providing street level panoramas so you can take a virtual walk through the streets with a view of locations and landmarks."

Reviewers are noting that Bing';s Streetside View is an improvement over Google Street View, but Bing has some more work to do as the technology is currently only available in select locations.