Drop.io is an application that lets users host text, pictures, audio, etc. for sharing on the Web in "Drops." Until now, those drops were named. Now they can be location-based using Drop.io Location. Details on use here.

One can set up and leave "material" in a drop associated with a location on a Google Map. It ties into Loki to use your current location, if you like. You can use the interface to search for or create drops. Once a drop exists you can "subscribe" to is via Twitter, e-mail etc. and receive alerts when its updated. Drops are Web and mobile friendly.

The review at Ars Technica suggests uses like LBS games, LBS advertising etc. I can't see an immediate use for it, but welcome another app to the world of geo.

The demo and eventual service from e-spatial and valuation and property information company Quotable Value won't be online until later this month, but the buzz is starting. The service will provide government access to the imagery acquired by the KiwImage project, "a joint government project which aims to provide government agencies with high-resolution Digital Globe satellite imagery of the New Zealand mainland, off-shore islands, the Ross Dependency (an area of Antarctica claimed by New Zealand) and selected South West Pacific Islands." The New Zealand Defence Force is data custodian.

The 10-plus TB of .5 meter imagery will be available to government players via the VueNZ service for an annual fee of NZ$70,000 (which includes 50Gb on which to store an organization's own imagery) and served up as ECWP, ImageX, ArcXML and WMS (OGC Web Map Service). The back end is Image Web Server (ERMapper's tool, now owned by ERDAS). A commercial service is expected as well.

First customers include: Australian property information provider RP Data and New Zealand Transport Agency.

- Computerworld

I enjoy reading about new Web maps in the local papers. It's interesting to see what's highlighted about the app. In the City of San Angelo TX I learned that while 50 layers of data are available, the location of Fire Stations is not included. There's no reason given for that omission. Nursing homes and 911 streets with speed limits are also not available. Water tanks and the treatment plan are available. The article does not note this, but its a Freeance implementation.

Also of note:

Attempts with free software [to develop an online website] were less than successful, but a $10,000 Homeland Security grant allowed the city to massively upgrade its mapping capabilities. The new software included the publicly available map, which updates in real time every time a city employee makes a change to any of the hundreds of maps stored on the city's server.

- GoSanAngelo.com