It was just a few days back that NORAD had released a Santa App for Windows 8. What many of us may have missed noticing is that this time NORAD will not be using Google to track Santa this time – but Bing!
NORAD has been using Google Maps to track Santa’s movement across the globe, since 2007. But this year onwards it has chosen to opt for Bing Maps. So henceforth NORAD will let you track Santa on Cesium (3D) and Bing Maps, unlike Google Earth and Google Maps, till last year.
The reason could be obvious. Among the many sponsors of NORAD, Microsoft, Windows Azure and Bing Maps are amongst those who have been listed. Google is not mentioned in the list of contributors. Moreover, the Santa Tracker tool is now built on the Microsoft Windows Azure cloud computing platform and Bing Maps.
For more than 50 years, NORAD has helped children around the world track Santa during his Christmas journey, and this year Microsoft is partnering with NORAD to make following the big red sleigh easier than ever. The Santa Tracker tool is built on the Microsoft Windows Azure cloud computing platform and Bing Maps, and anxious kids can even track Kris Kringle on Windows Phone and Windows 8 apps, says a blog post at TechNet.
This year, nearly 25 million people around the world are expected to follow Santa’s journey in real-time on the Web. Starting at 12 a.m. MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa make the preparations for his flight.
At 4:00 a.m. MST (6:00 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide will be able to speak with a live phone operator to inquire as to Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an e-mail to [email protected].
NORAD is also offering its apps for Windows 8, Windows Phone, Google Play, iPhone, iPad & iOS devices.
