The news popped Thursday night. Of course the bird is not in the sky yet (it launches next week) and the imagery won't be available for another 45- 60 days. But after that assuming all is well with the satellite and receiving stations, Google will add .5 meter (corrected was: .41 meter; corrected per direct communication from Google and comment) to Google Maps and Google Earth.

No word on the price tag, but it should be a good deal: the deal stipulates the imagery not go to any other on-line mapping websites. And, if it matters, Google's logo is on the rocket.

- Reuters

Sprint's OHMTM WiMAX mobile broadband is poised to launch in Baltimore in September year. It's high speed wireless, basically, but, it "will be largely location-centric,” explained Rick Robinson, vice president of XOHM Services. “We’re creating a new dimension to online presence, making points of interest near your current location easy to identify and access. This ‘geobrowsing’ effect provides location context and will give XOHM members a richer personal broadband experience when they’re mobile.”

I read this as: this service is more "LBS-y" than say your iPhone with AT&T service. Perhaps; for now the list of app and platform providers is quite familiar: uLocate, Yelp, Accuweather, OpenWave, Google... One is a surprise to me:

Autodesk Inc. of San Rafael, Calif., will provide a standards-based interface and geospatial services, such as addresses, ZIP code and city/state information, to enhance location within the XOHM network.

I think that means the Autodesk Location Services platform will be available for developers. We've not heard much from Autodesk's LBS corner for a while, so this is good news.

- press release

I was minding my own business doing some news searches this morning when a sponsored ad appeared next to my Google search.



Navtec? That's not how you spell it! It's now NAVTEQ but back in the day was NAVTECH. Must be some scammer playing on the name to get folks to buy their... Ooops. The link takes one to navigation.com, the URL NAVTEQ has for its map update store.

I'm so naive.

Despite all the hoopla, GPS-enabled mobile games have not exploded. But Wayfinder, a GPS services provider, says the time has come and they will enable the great games. How? By providing an API to their gaming platform to forum members on September 30.

- TechRadar
- press release

I can't say I'd run into the latter term until today in the Ionia Sentinel-Standard (Michigan). The term is in the headline and throughout the "we're getting Web-enabled GIS" story. Allied Information Solutions will create the system at a cost of $20,000 plus $5000/year maintenance. I wondered if the consultants, AIS use the term? I found two webpages that might relate to the company one was a placeholder listing three offices, the other was "under construction."

So, I look at Clinton County's site, noted in the article as being up and running with Web-enabled GIS. I found this page which uses the terms:
On-Line Mapping Service and On-Line Mapping. That said the text confirms "This is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) application brought to you by Clinton County, MI. It was designed by PlanSight LLC using ArcIMS."

I'm thinking this won't be sorted out anytime soon!

Steve Poizner is currently the insurance commissioner for California. Before that we knew him as founder Strategic Mapping and SnapTrak. Word is he may run for governor in 2010. For now, though, he's pushing for an option for insurance that would be tied to actual mileage, one that would ideally drop miles travelled and thus air pollution. Thirty other states already have this option. Oh, and no GPS is allowed; it would invade privacy. Odometer or other device readings would be used to confirm mileage.

I'm not sure I follow the logic:

The Environmental Defense Fund estimates that if 30 percent of Golden State drivers participate in this new form of voluntary coverage, the state could avoid 55 million tons of carbon dioxide between 2009 and 2020 -- the equivalent of taking 10 million cars off the road. This would save an estimated 5.5 billion gallons of gas and $40 billion dollars in car-related expenses.

Is the logic, "If I pay more to drive more, then I'll drive less?" That's working "somewhat" with the recent high gas prices. How can they know it'll take 10 million cars off the road? Here in Massachusetts I get a break because I drive fewer than 5000 miles/year. How much lower would my rate be on such a plan (we don't have one here). Would I drive even less? I doubt it, but I'm the first to say that lifestyle issues in my compact city are very different than those in much of California.

- San Francisco Business Times