Microsoft Buys Caligari To Pimp Up Virtual Earth
Microsoft’s Virtual Earth just added some serious 3-D modeling and animation chops. It bought Caligari, a small company that makes 3-D modeling and animation software. Terms were not disclosed.
Caligari’s trueSpace software renders lifelike environments with a consumer-friendly user-interface. Presumably, this software will be integrated into Virtual Earth, and will allow users to add fine detail to specific locations. Caligari also has software for creating fly-through animations, which could come in handy as well. (Check this one out).
In some ways, this is a catch-up move. Back in March, 2006, Google bought SketchUp, 3-D modeling software that can now be used to place 3-D objects inside Google Earth.
Here are some more Caligari screen shots.
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