Bing has announced a set of much-needed tweaks to the Bing Maps user interface.

Rather than scattering navigation options both above and below (not to mention off to the side of) the map itself, all menu options are now accessible in a nav bar that stretches across the screen above the map. It’s a much cleaner look and seems that it’ll be easier to use, too.

The new menu bar makes Bing’s “Map Apps” much more visible than they’ve been, which could spur adoption of what are some pretty interesting tools/features. Also new is quicker access to Bing’s “Bird’s Eye” and overhead aerial imagery — an area in which Bing has invested heavily in recent months.

Bing has also added a “locate me” button that centers the map on your current location. (You need to be using a browser that supports the W3C Geolocation API for this feature to work.) The “Print” and “Share” options on the right side are also new to that position.

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Microsoft: Bing Maps & Local

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