Bullets 'n' Babes

"Windows Live" to those who don't know is a new Microsoft brand with Live itself seeming to be a Portal (like Yahoo).

Anyway "Live Local" this will appeal to those who have ever used Microsoft AutoRoute in particular ("Streets & Trips" in America). Personally I love AutoRoute for it's excellent interface, making it so easy to use BUT as it's CD based you have to update it each year and pay for the privilege too (no automatic update).

On the other hand we have web based route directions/mapping sites with Multimap being the biggest but as they're web based they're clunky, take to long to find the results you want and quite frankly AutoRoute is much better (despite not having real-time updates).

Well one part of the Live brand is "Live Local" (how much did some egit get paid to come up with that?). The interface looks just like AutoRoute but it's FREE and also WEB BASED.

It's currently in Beta form, maybe they'll charge when it's out properly as this will have to hurt AutoRoute sales.

Anyway check it out. I'm impressed:

http://local.live.com/

p.s - Make sure you click on the "Aerial" view option, very nice!

For those with Outlook 2002 or 2003 you also must check out this Local Live Add-in (it's a 2.7Mb download) -

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... laylang=en

Ignore where it says you must have a "US English" version of Outlook installed. I'm running the "English UK/International" version (man I find it patronising to call British English "International English") and it installed fine BUT if you're not running an English version period who knows.

All it seems to mean in reality is the map defaults to America, big deal.

Anyway it plugs the same Local.Live.com interface neatly into the Calander Appointments of Outlook. Once installed open a new appointment and you will see a new tab called "Location".

NOTE: I had trouble downloading it, if you do to lmk and I can send it to you. It's only a 2.7Mb download.

Interesting. Have you seen how they'll radically change MS Office in the next version? I don't like it, I'll be sticking to 2003.

I watched a 14 minute seminar on Office 2007 and Office Vista and boy was I impressed.

Office 2002 was a leap forward from 2000 but Office 2003 is just a tweaked Office 2002 (not surprising with only a years development). There are a few minor changes but that's it.

Office 2007 on the other hand has had a complete overhaul and boy it looks impressive. I'll definitely upgrade to Vista and Office 2007 (why isn't it being called Office Vista?).

p.s - Check out "Live Ideas" to get a flavour of what the brand means. It's said to contain 12 products (most look to just be supped up products that already exist):

http://ideas.live.com/

The reason Microsoft aren't calling it Office Vista is because they learnt their lesson with XP. They released Office XP and Windows XP and people were forever confusing the two, and more frequently expecting Office to be bundled with Windows. Morons.