Update: Added inputs on Paid Search, on request from Microsoft Microsoft India has released the latest version of its mapping service powered by its Virtual Earth platform. Gurpreet S. Pall, General Manager of Microsoft’s India development centre in Hyderabad, told Business Line that Live Search Maps has seen about 600,000 visitors a month since its launch in November 2008. Live Search Maps version 2.0, according to the release, offers maps for 17 cities and highways in 16 states, covering 48,000 towns. Nasik, Indore, Sholapur, Surat, Nagpur, Pimpri, Chandigarh, Panaji and Marmagao have been added to Live Search. Though announced at the launch in Hyderabad, Mohali and Panchkula are not yet online. Features There has been much improvement in the way directions are given, combining landmarks such as hotels, banks, ATMs and petrol pumps with roads and even a ‘if you reached here, you’ve gone too far’ input to help avoid overshooting. Users can also explore businesses in the city, read reviews, view MSN search results and, most importantly, find contact information. For example, a search of real estate brokers in Bangalore generated 250 listings, with their addresses, landline numbers as well as email addresses. Microsoft licenses this data from its partners Infomedia and Indiacom. The mapping service, powered by Nokia owned Navteq, can also be used on mobiles at http://m.live.co.in. A small feature that would offer the right spelling of cities and towns could be added to ensure users do not get stymied while searching. Will it get a traffic…
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