Maps and directions from the web

Google.com is beta testing a pretty nice mapping and direction website http://maps.google.com currently for the United States. It allows you to enter an address and to get directions. What is unique is that it places pseudo 3D markers of the location with a shadow. You can also scroll in different directions with your mouse to update the map in the direction of your mouse panning as well as magnify or zoom out. It looks like this is Google’s answer to Microsoft’s MSN Maps http://mappoint.msn.com/ but MSN Maps covers countries besides the US.

  maps.google.com                         MSN Maps