The Web Services Report

Microsoft's Live Maps team just dropped a huge new version of its service in addition to the traffic updates from earlier Thursday.

Live Maps now offers a wealth of new features, including exporting to GPS devices, improved 3D imagery, and one of my personal favorites, MapCruncher integration.

Microsoft is rolling out its new "version 2" 3D imagery in four cities (Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas, and Phoenix) for now, with more to come later. The rest of us will have to wait and look on in envy. 3D improvements include higher-resolution textures, rendered trees, and buildings reaching farther out of the city cores and into the suburbs.

Another thing for GPS owners to get excited about here is that you can now export map collections in three different GPS-compatible formats (KML, GPX, and GeoRSS). Adoption of these standards also means that you can view these exported collections in any compatible application, such as Google Earth.

The feature in this release that has me really excited is MapCruncher integration. MapCruncher basically enables you to apply layers on top of the map that you are looking at.

The example that the Virtual Earth team used (seen above) is overlaying a seating chart onto Giants Stadium. This could also be used in cases like overlaying a campus map, labeling buildings on top of a university or corporation. I think that this has really great potential in providing a new level of information for maps that you are viewing.

The Live Maps team is really together right now. It is offering a product that, in my opinion, is clearly superior to Google Maps. Live Maps is the best browser-based map experience out there today.

Thanks to Kip over at my other blog, LiveSide, for alerting me to this new release. The full feature list:

• Export your collection to your navigation/GPS device
  
• Improved 3D cities
  
• 3D modeling with 3DVIA
  
• Labels for bird's-eye imagery
  
• 1-Click directions (party maps!)
  
• MapCruncher integration
  
• Enhanced explore of map content from across the Web, contributed by other people
  
• Neighborhood subscribe via GeoRSS
  
• Tour enhancements, including hi-definition movies
  
• Directions and traffic enhancements
  
• Improved display of KML files, including Google MyMaps links

The big news out of Redmond today is that Microsoft is working on a Flickr competitor.

A job posting on the software giant's career site reveals that the Digital Memories Experience Team is trying to recruit a program manager to lead the project.

"This feature team is building a next-generation photo and video-sharing service that will compete with Flickr, SmugMug, and other photo Web solutions today," according to the posting. It's clear who the competition is.

Flickr has a really strong and popular product right now, so if Microsoft wants to be competitive in this space, it will have to put out a phenomenal product with enough incentive to pull users away from the Yahoo service.

One thing that, in my opinion, has hurt some of Microsoft's online efforts recently is the lack of an open platform and open data. Flickr's main strengths lie in that they make it very easy for users to download and upload photos through a variety of methods. Much of this is made possible through Flickr's developer application programming interface, or API, and also through first-party support.

I am happy to see Microsoft entering this space and creating more competition, but it really needs to focus on making sure that the service plays nicely with a variety of download and upload methods. This will be a welcome replacement to Microsoft's current photo-sharing solution in Windows Live Spaces, whose photo resolution could stand to be bumped up.

Via Long Zheng

A few days after Google announced the release of its GOOG-411 service, Microsoft has announced its very own free directory assistance service, Live Search 411.

Live Search 411 has very similar functionality to GOOG-411. It is a voice-navigated free information service, powered by the recently acquired Tellme, that you can get to by dialing 800-CALL-411 on any phone.

Much like GOOG-411, you can find any business in a city and state of your choosing, then get its information and a map sent directly to your cell phone via a text message. You can also search by business category and connect directly to the business that you select.

The number is not yet active, and right now, you will get a coming-soon message if you try to call, so I cannot yet evaluate the service's ease of use or quality.

While Google was first to launch its 411 service and has already begun a billboard-advertising campaign in San Francisco, this is still an important launch for Microsoft. To compete with Google, the software giant needs to keep pace.

This is just one more Microsoft service that matches Google's offering. With the release of its much-improved Live Search 2.0 a few weeks ago, along with this release today, it's clear that Microsoft wants to take a real shot at dethroning the search giant.

Microsoft Press Release

Microsoft announced today that they would be renaming their online storage solution, Windows Live Folders, to Windows Live SkyDrive. I wrote about Windows Live Folders back at the end of June when the product was first released into a limited beta if you want a little perspective on this release.

In addition to the announcement today that the final name is Windows Live Folders, Microsoft also pushed out some upgrades to the service. Those include an updated user interface, drag and drop file upload, a "recently viewed users" section, the ability to embed files in web pages or blog posts, and a thumbnail view for pictures.

It's a pretty cool service and I'd recommend giving it a shot. If you're curious about how it looks, I've setup a public folder that you all can see, which includes my Google Reader feed list in OPML format and a shot of one of my Forza Motorsport 2 races.

Windows Live SkyDrive

Back when Windows Live originally released Windows Live Search for Mobile, I absolutely loved it. Windows Live Mobile Search is a killer app, especially if you have a Windows Mobile phone. Version 1 of the application included tight integration with Windows Live Local, with support for both standard and aerial map views. The most powerful features, though, are local search and directions. You can search for addresses, restaurants, hotels, or whatever in your area and get directions to get you there. I can't tell you how many times it has helped me to figure out where I needed to go. Since its release in December of 2006, it has quickly become my favorite mobile application.

When I read today that they had released version 2, I was eager to check it out. Version 2 includes some key new features that really take this application to the next level.

Among the coolest of the new features in the Windows Mobile version of the application is movie showtimes. Windows Live Search will give you the showtimes for any movie at your favorite theater. So, there is no more scrambling around trying to figure out what time the movie you want to see starts; it's right there in your pocket. As if that wasn't enough, you can also see the ratings for the movie that you are considering seeing and get directions to the theater.

They also employed a similar strategy with their improved restaurant listings. The listing page includes consumer reviews and star ratings for the establishment in question. As always, there is a direct link to call the restaurant and directions to get there.

Windows Live Search for Mobile can either be used on Windows Mobile (2003, 5, or 6) or on J2ME phones. I am not sure how the J2ME version of the application is since I don't have a compatible phone to test it on, so if anyone wants to give it a shot, let me know in the comments.

This is an absolute must-download application if you have a Windows Mobile phone. Also, the best part...it's free! So, if you don't like it you can always take it off, but from my experience, it will be there to stay.

Download Windows Live Search for Mobile (navigate here on your phone)

Team blog post

Since we saw the beta release of Windows Live Folders a couple of days ago, I thought that now would be a good time to take a look at the different online storage solutions that are out there now. So, without further ado here are six places to store your files online.

Box.net

Box.net is one of the most talked about online storage solutions. It offers some really solid features, which make up for the storage being on the smaller end of the offerings. Of course, it offers the standard sharing between users that other services have, but on top of that Box.net offers mobile access, email uploading, and a killer Facebook app.

Their Facebook application lets you upload files into a special shared folder in your Box account from either the Box.net website or your Facebook page and share them with your friends, right in Facebook. It's good that they have features like this to keep people coming back because their storage limits are a little bit...limiting:

Free - 1 GB/10 GB of bandwidth/10MB file size limit
$80/yr - 5 GB/unlimited bandwidth/1 GB file size limit
$199/yr - 15 GB/unlimited bandwidth/1 GB file size

1 gig of storage space for free gives you a little bit to work with and you probably won't run into the 10 GB bandwidth limit, but my main concern is with the 10MB file size limit. While you should be able to upload most music to Box, aside from maybe Stairway, 10 MB is really limiting when it comes to video. The paid plans are also definitely on the high side for the amount of storage that you get for the price. Although there are other services out there with better price to storage ratios, the real value of Box.net lies with the additional features and services that it offers to compliment the storage.

Mozy

Mozy takes a different approach to online storage than these other services. While most of them encourage you to upload and store a file here and there, Mozy takes aim at full computer backups.

The shot, seen above, is of Mozy's client application. Upon installation, Mozy checked off a bunch of folders that I might want to backup. One more click and a backup of those files was scheduled for the next time my computer was idle. Granted, I did a clean install of my operating system about a month ago, so I do not have a ton of stuff on my computer right now, the entire backup only took up 33% of my storage limit. Speaking of storage limits, here's how Mozy breaks it down:

Free - 2 GB
$55/yr - Unlimited space

Both of these packages come with unlimited bandwidth and no restrictions on file size. The $55 a year package for unlimited storage allows for the backup of only one computer, so don't think that you are going to be able to backup every computer in your house at this price.

Omnidrive

One of the big selling points of Omnidrive is that there is no file size limit for uploading as long as it falls under the cap on your total storage. Here is how the total storage for Omnidrive breaks down:

Free - 1 GB/5 GB of bandwidth
$40/yr - 10 GB/20 GB of bandwidth
$99/yr - 25 GB/50 GB of bandwidth
$199/yr - 50 GB/100 GB of bandwidth

Omnidrive is a little bit on the low end as far as its free offering goes, but their paid offerings are priced competitively with the other services. For uploading, Omnidrive also offers the choice of a browser based tool or a standalone application for both Mac and PC. It also includes functionality for sharing with other Omnidrive users and also for making files publicly downloadable.

Xdrive

AOL's Xdrive definitely offers the most bang for your buck for storage space. As far as I can see, there are no caps on bandwidth or file size, even for the free version. A free Xdrive account offers 5 GB of space. For $120 a year, you can have an Xdrive with 50 GB of space.

This is the web based application for Xdrive. It looks pretty slick and seems to get the job done. It also includes an upload accelerator which, supposedly, lets you upload a file in half the time. They have also introduced a new feature called Xdrive Shows, which is basically a cool way to make slideshows from your photos and music in your Xdrive. A backup feature is also included.

Amazon S3

Another big company is also throwing their hat into the online storage ring. Amazon S3's main draws are it's pricing system and minimalist feel. S3 is not really going for the mainstream internet user crowd just yet, but rather opening up their platform for developers to create their own implementations of the service. Now, bear with me as I go through the pricing for S3 because it is a little bit different from the other ones that I have been covering:

Storage
$0.15 per GB-Month of storage used

Data Transfer
$0.10 per GB - all data transfer in

$0.18 per GB - first 10 TB / month data transfer out
$0.16 per GB - next 40 TB / month data transfer out
$0.13 per GB - data transfer out / month over 50 TB

The pricing may look a bit daunting, but it is really pretty simple. The concept is that you only pay for what you use. Why pay for 50 GB when you are only going to use 45? Amazon is hoping that people will see the upside of flexible pricing and start storing their data with them. The other benefit to going with someone like Amazon is that they are really reliable and fast. So, when that crucial moment hits and you absolutely need a file, it is almost guaranteed that Amazon will be there to serve it up.

Windows Live Folders

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding Microsoft's entry into the online storage space ever since Ray Ozzie started talking about something called Live Drive in the spring of 2006. The Fortune article said, "With Live Drive, all your information - movies, music, tax information, a high-definition videoconference you had with your grandmother, whatever - could be accessible from anywhere, on any device." Well, that definitely sounds like a pretty ambitious vision, but certainly not out of reach for a company like Microsoft. Unfortunately Microsoft hasn't delivered on that promise quite yet.

Windows Live Folders, currently in the early stages of beta, provides the least amount of storage of any of these services that I have gone through. The free package, which is the only package that they have for right now, gives you 500 MB of storage and a cap on file size, set at 50 MB.

Chris Jones, Corporate VP for Windows Live Experience Program Management is saying that 500 MB is enough for this service since it is built to store and share documents as opposed to music and video, despite one of the default folders created with new accounts being named "Music." Although Folders does include the standard sharing and publishing features that the other services do, there is little else there right now. Keep in mind that this is a beta product and that by the time it is released, we could see drastic changes. It's not that Folders is a bad service by any means, but I personally expect a lot more from Microsoft and their web services. I think that they have the talent and the resources to be able to compete with anyone in the industry, but they need to take a step back and see what the users really want.

Conclusion

When it comes down to figuring out which of these services are the best, I like to take a few things into consideration. First, I'll look at the amount of storage space/bandwidth/file size limit. Second, I have to consider the pricing. Finally, the make or break factor: features.

AOL's Xdrive wins hands down in amount of storage offered. You really can't beat getting 5 GB of storage with unlimited bandwidth and no file size cap for free. Even the pricing for the paid plan is very reasonable. For pricing, I would have to say that I like Amazon's S3 the best. I really give them credit for going with a pricing structure that is completely different from any of their competitors. Although it is geared more towards developers, it would be really nice to see Amazon bring S3 into the mainstream. Who knows, maybe pay as you go is the next big thing. Finally, we come to features. Box.net wins the contest for best features in a landslide. None of the other services integrate sharing, widgets, a variety of access and uploading points, and third party application development anywhere near as well. Box.net's storage is on the low end, but as I said before, their innovative features and implementation more than make up for it.

I have gotten my hands on the new Windows Live Photo Gallery application and have been playing with it for the last couple of days. Here are the features that I think make the product.

Panoramic Stitching

I have to admit, I was a little bit skeptical about this feature when I first heard about it. The concept is that you take a bunch of pictures, all next to each other in the same location, and WL Photo Gallery will stitch them together. Of course, I didn't believe that it could be very good, so I had to give it a try. Here are the photos that I took that make up the panoramic photo.

... Read more

Microsoft has just announced two new Windows Live products, Windows Live Folders and Windows Live Photo Gallery. Windows Live Folders is Microsoft's online storage solution, set to compete with AOL's Xdrive, Box.net, and a lot of other startups in this market. Windows Live Photo Gallery acts as an upgrade to Vista's Windows Photo Gallery, providing tight integration with Windows Live Spaces and Windows itself.

Windows Live Folders

Windows Live Folders features a 500 MB storage limit, which is a below the industry norm, compared to competitors like Xdrive which provides 5 gigs or Box.net which provides 1 gig of storage for free. When I asked Chris Jones, Corporate VP for Windows Live Experience Program Management about the smaller than average storage space, he said, "There are lots of people who use .Mac and pay $99 a year for a gig. The reason they do is because of the great integration across the experience and how convenient it is. So we think that the storage limit isn't the interesting thing, it's how integrated the experience is and how convenient it is to go and share those files."

Unlike some of the other competing services, Windows Live Folders is more geared towards storing and sharing documents as opposed to storing music and videos. Xdrive, on the other hand actually encourages uploading music and videos by creating folders for both by default. Microsoft's take is that 500 MB is a sufficient amount of storage for documents. Jones comments, "People will really run over that limit when they are talking about storing video or storing music and that's not what we're designing the service for." While I do agree that it is important to have tight integration with other services and that is where the real value of a service like this is, I think that people are certainly going to want more storage as they quickly fill up their 500 MB. Obviously since this service is just going into beta, Microsoft will have plenty of time to see how their storage limit works out, tweak the service, and make it better for the release.

The other issue that I touched on with Chris was the potential availability of a client based application for Folders. While there aren't plans right now for a traditional client, Chris Jones said that, "We do think that in a lot of cases, the 'client' for this stuff should just be the Windows shell. By that I mean, you just create a folder, you say I want it in the cloud and it's just in the cloud, you shouldn't have to run a separate application to do that." The online storage industry will definitely benefit from the added competition of a big player like Microsoft.

Windows Live Photo Gallery

Windows Live Photo Gallery is an upgrade to Vista's Photo Gallery, replacing it on install. It can also be installed on Windows XP SP2. In Vista, it integrates heavily with features already built into the OS, making it easy to make a movie out of your pictures or burn a picture CD. One of the other features that was demoed was "photo stitching." Basically this consists of taking a series of photos in the same location and stitching them together to make a big panoramic photo. I haven't had any hands on time with Photo Gallery yet, so I will probably have more to say on this later, but for the time being, I can say that there really does not seem to be a reason to not upgrade to Windows Live Photo Gallery, especially if you are already using Vista.

Both of these products are being released into limited beta with around 5,000 to 10,000 testers initially. We should see the betas expanding throughout the summer with an eventual full release sometime this winter.