Photo: Microsoft Bing on a rocket |
Follow the ups and downs of a new Seattle startup in a series of behind-the-scenes posts by its founders.
A Delta II rocket carrying the WorldView-2 satellite. (Photo by Bill Hartenstein, Boeing)
Soda cans, ping-pong tables, beer cups ... and now a rocket. Is there anywhere Microsoft won't put the Bing logo?
The company last week marked a new partnership with imagery company DigitalGlobe by participating in the launch of its WorldView-2 satellite at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Microsoft said the deal will give it more imagery to include in its Virtual Earth program.
"We'll finally be able to backfill areas around the world where people have come to my blog and complained about Virtual Earth not having good imagery or photos in their countries - Poland, Hungary, Russia, Taiwan, Mexico, to name a few," wrote Microsoft's Chris Pendleton, in a blog post.
Microsoft is also debuting a related educational program called 10,000 Rockets, soliciting drawings of rockets from schoolchildren that will be used to create a book and, in some cases, 3D models.
Boeing launched the satellite on a Delta II rocket.
CNet News.com notes that Google will also benefit from the new satellite, based on its existing partnership with Digital Globe. The search king had its logo on a rocket last year.
(Thanks to the tipster who pointed this out.)
Todd Bishop is co-founder and managing editor of TechFlash. He has covered Microsoft and the technology industry for more than five years, most recently as a daily newspaper reporter and blogger based in Seattle.
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WTIA 15th Annual Industry Achievement Awards
Held on March 4th at the Showbox SODO, this casual event celebrates and recognizes some of the best emerging and established companies in the Washington Tech Industry. The evening will feature a finalist company technology showcase and a variety of coffee, chocolate, and wine samples from local companies. More than 800 attendees are expected to be present at the celebration. Public online voting for Technology Leader of Tomorrow Scholarships will open February 3rd on the WTIA site.
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