Google Earth: Reviewed

I found what I guess is the first review of Google Earth. Ok, so itТs the second, this one was posted earlier. Google Earth is in beta and you need an invite to get in.

Nothing really struck me in the reviews that I guess I didnТt expect. One author really liked being able to УflyФ along a route created by the directions creation tool. It made me immediately think of functionality I used at Motionbased.com to Уplay backФ the long runs I do. Of course, thatТs just a dot on a flat mapЕ The reviews certainly raise more questions than they answer. We hope to provide our own take on the offering in the coming weeks.

Irish to Ordnance Survey - Gaelic Only Please on Maps

The Globe and Mail reports that Ireland has passed a law forbidding the use of English on maps and road signs in most of the country’s western coast. According to the report, most of the names in English no longer have legal standing and may not be used in legal documents or on Ordnance Survey maps. So if your mapping out your next trip to Ireland’s west coast, make your your best laid plans do not gang aft aglay.а

“Why bother seeing the world for real?Ф

Reader Charlie pointed me to Google Sightseeing, a website that asks the question: УWhy bother seeing the world for real?Ф ItТs mostly a listing of Уcool imagesФ of places found in GoogleТs (KeyholeТs) image database. One nice feature is a УmapФ link for each image, so you can see a Google УkeymapФ of where it is. Other goodies: a detailed FAQ, with one answer that parses the Google Map URL and explains each piece.

Podcasting geodata?

Ed Parsons considers including geodata in a podcast.  A podcast is basically XML with a file or two thrown in (an mp3 file or any other file) so, why not? How often do consumer technologies jump ahead of serious professional ones? There seems to be quite a lot of that going on now in the mapping/geospatial space.

New GPS for Runners

I did a bit of research on the Navman (based in New Zealand, which is why you probably never heard of the company) GPSs for sports. There are five - one for running, one for walking, one for water-based sports, one for inline skating and one for downhill skiing. Cost: $179 (list). Distinguishing characteristics: For the running product, the press release only stated that unlike other solutions you need not carry anything more than the device itself. (I guess they are not familiar with the Forerunner?)

The devices are an odd triangular shape and apparent the cover can be changed (so it matches your outfit?) It appears to use a single AA battery. I could find no evidence of a way to get data out of the device, map it, or otherwise use it. There is no heart monitor.

This bit of marketing fluff from the spec sheet made me laugh: “The only thing not included is the fun of training. This comes automatically with the R300.”