An update to that tidbit yesterday; noticed on the first day of its launch, Microsoft Virtual Earth was noted strangely to not have Apple’s headquarters on the map at its Cupertino, California address. Astute observers noticed the on Google Earth, Apple’s headquarters, in all its overhead glory, was seated firmly where it should be, but on Virtual Earth there was nothing but a warehouse and an empty dirt lot.
I know, I know, Microsoft didn’t do anything insidious and remove Apple headquarters, they’re just using old satellite photos. Very, very old satellite photos. So old in fact that the World Trade Center is still standing in New York City, for example. But regardless, Wired News picked up on the story today and actually managed to get hold of a Microsoft spokesperson, who gave the predictably amusing reply: