10 Coolest Map Apps for Bing Maps - Explore & Enhance Your Maps

Exploring Bing Maps: Beyond the Familiar

Many users automatically associate online maps with platforms like Google Maps and Mapquest. However, Bing Maps presents a robust alternative, offering a suite of features that are often overlooked.

A recent article by Evan, titled "Bing Maps -- Planning Your Car Trips Got Much Easier. Really.", highlighted several of Bing’s map applications. This prompted an investigation into the full range of tools available within the Bing Maps environment.

Discovering Bing Maps' Unique Applications

The following will detail some of the most useful and interesting applications offered by Bing Maps.

• Distance Calendar: This app allows users to visualize travel distances over time.
• Parking Finder: Locating parking can be stressful; this tool simplifies the process.
• Hotel Finder: Quickly identify and compare hotels in your desired location.

These are just a few examples of the functionalities integrated into Bing Maps. The platform continually evolves, adding new features to enhance the user experience.

Bing Maps provides a comprehensive set of tools for planning and navigating, making it a worthy contender in the online mapping landscape.

Locating Bing Map Applications

Accessing Map Apps is straightforward. Simply navigate to Bing’s mapping website and select the Map Apps button, positioned at the bottom of the page.

This action will display a grid containing all available map applications for selection. Users have the ability to organize these results based on several criteria.

Sorting Options for Map Apps

• Recommended
• Newest
• Title
• Rating
• Publisher

The following represent a curated selection of highly useful applications. These have been chosen for their functionality and user experience.

A variety of tools are available to enhance your mapping experience. These applications offer diverse features and cater to different needs.

Exploring these Map Apps can significantly improve how you interact with maps and location-based information.

My Friends

For users of Facebook, the My Friends application is worth exploring. Utilizing Facebook Connect, the app gathers the location data of your contacts.

This information is then displayed on a map, providing a visual representation of your friends’ whereabouts globally.

Key Features

• The application allows for the visualization of friends’ locations.
• It facilitates checking the current status updates of your Facebook connections.
• Users can directly post updates to their friends’ timelines through the app.

It’s important to note a limitation regarding data visibility.

Only friends who have explicitly included Current City information within their Facebook profile will be displayed on the map.

Therefore, the app’s functionality is dependent on the privacy settings and information shared by individual users.

Note: Location data is only sourced from profiles where the Current City field is populated.

Twitter Maps

Similar to its Facebook integration, Bing offers a dedicated Twitter application. This application, known as Twitter Maps, provides a unique visual representation of tweets.

Visualizing Tweets on a Map

Twitter Maps distinguishes itself by displaying tweets geographically. Users are able to observe the distribution of tweets across a particular region directly on a map interface.

Search and Filtering Options

The tool allows for focused searches. You can pinpoint tweets based on specific locations, relevant keywords, or individual users.

Image-Focused View

A useful feature enables users to filter the displayed tweets. It’s possible to view only those tweets that include accompanying photos.

Tweet Interaction

Selecting a specific tweet on the map opens it for detailed viewing. From this view, users have the option to easily share the tweet with their own network of followers.

This functionality offers a dynamic way to explore real-time conversations happening around the world.

Foursquare Integration within Bing Maps

Recent articles have highlighted my interest in location-aware applications, particularly Foursquare. Bing Maps now offers a dedicated Foursquare application.

Accessing Your Foursquare Network

This integration allows users to connect their existing Foursquare accounts directly within the Bing Maps interface.

By logging in, you gain the ability to visualize the current locations of your friends.

Discovering Local Information

The application extends beyond friend-finding, providing insights into activity within various cities.

Users can effectively search for and review check-ins and helpful tips associated with different locations and venues.

This functionality enhances the exploration of local points of interest.

Venue Details and Community Insights

The Bing Maps Foursquare app delivers a comprehensive view of venues.

• View recent activity.
• Access user-generated recommendations.
• Discover popular spots.

This provides a valuable resource for both locals and visitors seeking informed recommendations.

Global News at Your Fingertips

For individuals interested in current events, Today's Front Pages presents a unique and valuable resource.

This application enables users to browse the front pages of newspapers from across the globe.

Exploring International Headlines

Want to discover the leading stories in cities and countries worldwide? Simply navigate to the desired location on the integrated map.

Newspaper icons pinpoint available publications, allowing for easy access to their front-page content.

Visualizing Global Journalism

The app displays a high-resolution image of each newspaper’s front page.

Selecting an image expands it to full size, providing a detailed view of the layout and headlines.

Today's Front Pages offers a compelling way to stay informed about international affairs and perspectives.

Streetside Photos

Streetside Photos is a unique application that leverages imagery sourced from Flickr. It enables users to virtually explore urban environments.

The functionality mirrors that of Google Maps' Street View feature. However, instead of relying on dedicated camera systems, it utilizes publicly available photographs.

How it Works

When you select a photograph, the application displays its precise geographic origin. This allows for a contextual understanding of the image's location.

Users have the option to view the photos in isolation or integrated with a map interface. This map integration pinpoints the exact street location where each image was captured.

Essentially, Streetside Photos provides a crowdsourced street-level view, offering a different perspective compared to traditional mapping services.

Urban Graffiti

The Urban Graffiti application functions in a manner comparable to Streetside Photos. However, its distinguishing feature lies in the exclusive presentation of graffiti imagery mapped across various locations.

A Unique Perspective

This application provides a distinctly artistic perspective on cities globally. It allows users to discover and view street art that might otherwise remain hidden or unnoticed during typical exploration.

By leveraging map technology, Urban Graffiti unveils a layer of urban expression. It showcases the creativity found within public spaces.

Discovering Hidden Art

Users can virtually explore cities and encounter a diverse collection of graffiti. This offers a unique way to experience the cultural landscape of different urban environments.

The app effectively curates and presents this often-ephemeral art form. It makes it accessible to a wider audience.

Roadside Attractions

For those interested in unconventional art forms, the Roadside Attractions application is worth exploring. This platform features user-submitted photographs of unique and often peculiar sights.

The app showcases a diverse collection of images, ranging from the intriguing to the outright bizarre, discovered in various towns and cities.

App Features

• It provides entertainment during travel across the country.
• Users can view unusual landmarks and objects.
• The content is crowdsourced, offering a constantly updated stream of discoveries.

Roadside Attractions is designed to keep travelers engaged while they observe the eccentricities found within communities nationwide.

The application’s strength lies in its ability to highlight the unexpected and often overlooked aspects of the American landscape.

It serves as a digital catalog of oddities, offering a glimpse into the quirky character of different locales.

TrafficLand

TrafficLand offers a highly useful, practical application for monitoring current road conditions. The platform allows users to visualize live traffic camera feeds from numerous locations.

Real-Time Traffic Visualization

With TrafficLand, it’s possible to identify congested roadways and pinpoint the locations of traffic bottlenecks. Each camera icon, when selected, displays a recent still image along with its update timestamp.

This application is designed to integrate seamlessly with the TrafficLand.com website. Selecting an image directly links the user to the site for a real-time view of the traffic camera feed.

Essentially, TrafficLand provides a quick and efficient method for assessing traffic flow before and during a commute. It’s a valuable tool for route planning and avoiding delays.

WeatherBug

For integrated weather information directly on your maps, the WeatherBug application is a valuable tool. Numerous small icons are dynamically displayed, allowing users to access current weather conditions for specific locations with a simple click.

Detailed Weather Data

Upon selecting an icon, WeatherBug provides a comprehensive overview of the local weather. This includes the current temperature, as well as details regarding wind speed and wind direction.

Furthermore, the app delivers crucial comfort indices like heat index, alongside the recorded high and low temperatures for the day.

The time of the last weather update is also clearly indicated, ensuring users have access to the most current information available.

WeatherBug effectively combines mapping functionality with real-time meteorological data, offering a convenient and informative user experience.

Global Action Atlas

For those with a worldwide perspective, the Global Action Atlas application is worth exploring. The following is the official description provided by its developers:

National Geographic extends an invitation to participate in worldwide initiatives aimed at assisting individuals facing hardship, safeguarding plant and animal life, and conserving cultural diversity, among other objectives.

Individuals passionate about contributing to worthwhile causes will discover this app to be exceptionally useful. It serves as a resource for a wide range of activities, encompassing both exploration and the identification of humanitarian endeavors.

Key Features and Functionality

The Global Action Atlas provides a platform for users to connect with projects requiring support. It allows for discovery of initiatives focused on conservation and cultural preservation.

This application is designed to facilitate engagement with global issues. Users can learn about pressing needs and locate opportunities to make a positive impact.

User Engagement and Feedback

What are your impressions of the applications discussed? Will you be dedicating time to utilizing Bing Maps? Please share your opinions, suggestions, and comments below.

Your feedback is valuable and helps to foster a community of informed and engaged users. Consider leaving a comment to share your experiences.

The Global Action Atlas, developed by National Geographic, offers a unique way to interact with global challenges.