MSN Virtual Earth is Microsoft’s new entry into the aerial mapping and local information market. The service went live last night in a Google-style public beta, and is available at virtualearth.msn.com .

MSN Virtual Earth isn’t really the same thing as Google Earth. Their greatest similarity is the name. Google Earth is a Windows download; Virtual Earth is mostly browser-based. Google Earth does amazing, earth-spanning animations, but Virtual Earth doesn’t.

Microsoft’s Earth is really a competitor to Google Maps. If you look at the interfaces, both look very similar.