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

Ralph Grawbowski explains the why. The details are here. AutoCAD Map 3D is on the list; MapGuide Enterprise is not.

Our editors ponder Autodesk's quarterly expectation-beating revenues. The company reported solid growth around the world even as gas and food costs remain high. Just what is the company doing right and what can we extrapolate to geospatial companies in particular? Also, a look at Autodesk's recent acquisition of 3D, standards focused company in Germany.


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The German company provides "software and services for geo-visualization: solutions for effectively creating, analyzing, managing, and distributing large-scale geo information" and is a "maker of intelligent 3D urban models software." Further, "The products of 3D Geo are made in accordance with international standards such as CityGML." The company is based in Potsdam, Germany and is privately held.

The interesting bit about the company found in the "about" part of the press release: 3D Geo GmbH, is a spin-off company of the Hasso Platter Institute. Hasso Platter? He co-founded SAP and I believe I saw him on stage at ESRI UC back when ESRI was implementing, then partnering with SAP. He funds the institute which focuses on IT; there is no tuition!

The company has two sites: 3D Geo and LandXplorer (a free CityGML viewer for models created with for fee LandXplorer Studio, there's a full suite including a server, developer platform, a product to put data in to Google Earth and another to support geotainment). I am surprised not to find 3D Geo in the list of OGC member companies.

This is a clear step that Autodesk is trying to fill in any gaps it has between BIM and 3D GIS. Autodesk gets a gold star for holding the announcement until after the ESRI User Conference. Autodesk is taking a very different route than Google and Autodesk here, focussing on standards-based tools for professionals for 3D modeling. Google and Microsoft seem to be going after the "amateurs" providing free tools to build up and share home made versions of a 3D world.

- press release