Windows Live Local Gets New Features

Latest version of Microsoft's online mapping and directions tool now provides real-time traffic flow and sharing of lists of favorite locations, among other features.

Microsoft today rolled out the latest version of its Windows Live Local service, which lets users find maps, directions and local search information that is layered on top of aerial photography. This marks the third release of this online tool since it was first announced.

Three new capabilities are available in this newest version, said Microsoft. They include real-time traffic flow and incident reporting provided by Traffic.com; social networking functionality which allows for the creation and sharing of lists of favorite landmarks and locations with attached personal photos; and integration with MSN Messenger whereby people sharing a chat can see and interact with the same Windows Live Local map so that all can benefit from a shared mapping and local search experience.

Joining these new features is also Windows Live Local Add-in for Microsoft Office Outlook, a Microsoft Outlook add-in which introduces Windows Live Local mapping capabilities to the Outlook Calendar, enabling Outlook users to find and print maps and directions to meeting locations from within Outlook. It will also enable users the ability to send links with mapping information about meeting locations to other people within Outlook Calendar requests.

Windows Live Local, added Microsoft, is also expanding its beta release to the U.K. and a limited version to Canada.

“This release is important, as it represents the first time that people can easily capture their rich local knowledge and share it with all Windows Live Local users and the Internet as a whole,” said Stephen Lawler, general manager of the Virtual Earth business unit at Microsoft, in a statement. “Our geographic expansion and integration with popular communication tools like Microsoft Outlook and Windows Live Messenger also enable us to bring the power of Windows Live Local to many more people than we do today.”