If you don’t have enough cash yet in order to visit the interesting places around the globe, then how about a virtual tour instead? Microsoft has recently issued the Virtual Earth 3D tool that will be integrated as a mapping component of its Windows Live Local Search. Windows Live is the browser-based mapping and navigation service offered by Microsoft.

This mapping tool is Microsoft’s competing product against another navigation tool, the Google Earth. According to Greg Sterling of Sterling Market Intelligence, the fact that Virtual Earth 3D is browser-based is a big advantage over Google Earth in attracting users since the latter is a stand-alone application.

With the Virtual Earth 3D tool you’ll have a more appealing time searching for certain places and landmarks. This is possible because the Virtual Earth offers very comprehensive landscape. All the views seem so lifelike, that the texture and colors is exceptional replica of the real thing. Microsoft made use of aerial photography in coming up the images used in this navigation tool. Microsoft has made this a browser-based application so the users can add-on anything that they want on top of it.

The primary cities that will be searchable in the Virtual Earth are San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Detroit, Phoenix, Houston, Baltimore, Atlanta, Denver, Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.