Podcast: Spatially-enabled Data Warehouse Appliances

This week two different vendors, Netezza and Teradata announced spatial extensions for their data warehouse appliances. Our editors explain the new offerings and explore what questions they prompt for geospatial practitioners and well as traditional database administrators. Is one of these solutions in your future?

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Google Map Maker for India - Good Thing? Bad Thing?

With Google’s opening its Map Maker service for India, is this a good thing or bad thing? The Economic Times provides some details but also offers caution as any uploaded content becomes the property of Google and competes with services like OpenStreetMap which offers to share data through a Creative Commons license. The article raises the valid issue of that in countries that have an historically poor way of updating and distributing (even discouraging) digital map content whether this is the way to go. You can argue about whether Google is fostering economic development or just hoarding data for itself. After my visit to the country last year, I feel that the government is loosening its hold on some data sources. But whether data becomes the property of Google or not, some of it will be shared for public consumption regardless of the policy of the Indian government. Google has already run afoul of the Indian government regarding satellite imagery once before but it’s getting harder to corale the masses who see the enormous value in better map data.

Wired’s Survey Tracks iPhone 3G Speed and Data

Wired Magazine asked iPhone users to participate in a study to test 3G speed and data entry. AT&T networking problems seem to be the issue than anything related to the iPhone itself. The survey is capturing upload and download speeds and the results are tracked on a Google map.

Drop.io Adds Location

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.

NZ DigtialGlobe Imagery Service to Debut

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