Microsoft Adds 26 Terabytes to Virtual Earth

Microsoft on Thursday pushed its biggest update to Virtual Earth in the history of the mapping service, adding 26 terabytes of 3-D and birds-eye imagery. A large amount of the data is for a new feature the company calls "hill shaded," which displays the topography of a location.

Microsoft has additionally added new cities to its list of aerial imagery, with most featuring textured 3-D buildings and cityscapes. Canadian cities Hamilton, Quebec, Toronto have been added (Montreal will arrive next month), along with Toulouse France, Eastbourne UK in Europe. In the United States, a slew of cities have received updates, including New Orleans, Brooklyn and Nashville.