Incentives for GOS?

One of the big questions swirling around Geodata.gov is how to get people to make their metadata available. The big question, spoken or not, from government agencies from local to federal is “what’s in it for me?” Judy’sBook.com is giving away (free registration required) iPods to those who review 50 local businesses for its website aimed ultimately at capturing local advertising. The job is described as “uninspiring” by the New York Times. I think dealing with metadata might be analogous. So, what’s the equivalent of the iPod?

A9 Relaunch

The headlines say there’s a new mapping service online, (“Amazon.com Unveils Photo-Mapping Service”) but it’s really an updated version of Amazon’s A9 with more storefront/block photos. The maps are by MapQuest (nice to hear from you guys!) It’s certainly easier to navigate (and find) the site than it was when hidden within A9. Still, it may be too little too late as hackers continue to pummel Google Maps.

VOIP Locating: An Unfair Tax?

Declan McCullagh writing at CNET suggests that trying to attach the same location requirements to VOIP mobile phones as exist on traditional ones is inappropriate. He feels since its different technology, it should have different rules.

“But the Internet is not the telephone network, and it isn’t wise to copy regulations crafted for analog phone networks and apply them to a packet-switched universe.

“For one thing, what if someone doesn’t want 911 service on his or her VoIP phone?”

Sure, and what if people don’t want to wear seat belts? Or motorcycle helmets? States still have laws about that…

I guess I don’t see the big deal here. Does it matter how the phone works as to whether the government provides emergency services? I should think not. One could argue that would be discriminatory.

Pictometry Lawsuit

Pictometry, one a few companies that specializes in capturing and using oblique imagery, has filed what I believe is its first patent infringement suit against two companies: Aerial Cartographics of America Inc., of Orlando, FL and Ofek Aerial Photography International, LTD of Netanya, Israel. The patent in question, US 5,247,356 describes a method of storing data (metadata) in an image such that if the image is tampered with, so is the data. The patent doesn’t seem to have anything to do with oblique imagery, though that’s something both of the companies charged with infringement offer.

Google Wi-Fi?

The rumor is out that Google may be looking into providing free Wi-Fi. So? The question is what’s behind such a move? Some suggest that it’s a two-fer. First, get more folks online more often meaning more searches and potentially more Google revenue. Second, use those access points to locate users and thus target ads. For those not paying attention, Microsoft already uses wired and wireless connections (it does not own) to determine locations in its Virtual Earth. No word on the technology behind it, however.