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Courtesy of Wired’s Autopia blog, researchers at Zurich’s School of Applied Science built a video that simulates the flight paths of airline traffic around the world in one 24-hour period. The video appears below but also check out the entire blog post as it has other videos showing air traffic in and out of ATL, FEDEX’s daily traffic and a video of European traffic that goes into 3D mode.
The system called Pegasus Europe Geo-route, used by the Royal Mail, calculates the optimum post load that can be delivered by staff. The new goal is 4 miles per hour or 15 minute miles. Until now the goal pace was 2. 5 miles/hour. Remember, besides the actual walking the workers typically carry bags, pick up mail, get signatures, etc. A reporter, a runner, couldn’t make the pace!
There’s quite a lot of pressure on letter carriers here in the states. Even my marathoning friends with routes in and around Boston find U.S. targets challenging.
- The Scotsman
The real estate site at one time used a mix of the two, but now has gone 100% Google due to speed. The story “broke” on the Redfin website, where the blogger speaks very positively of the work with Microsoft.
This bit lays out the basic pros and cons:
We like a lot of things about going with Google Maps:
Fast downloads
Fast drawing speeds
Broad browser support
High-resolution Geoeye-1 satellite images
We don’t like that we can no longer embed Bird’s Eye views on our site and that 3 developers spent four weeks to do the switch instead of adding more features.
I’m not sure how they can like GeoEye-1 images since they are not online yet…
Part of the reason for the departure at this point? The ending of a two year contract with Microsoft. There’s also a post on the switch from a developer perspective on the Redfin developer blog.
- Computerworld
You can now see the latest local Twitter posts and store up to five searches for job in the areas you visit on the map in MapQuest Local. It’s part of MapQuest’s effort to be a destination and lose marketshare to Google per one analysis.
- Details on MapQuest Blog
- Analysis on LA Times Blog
The property was acquired by Demand Media in 2006 and the plan was to shut the office eventually, but it came sooner rather than later due to a lease issue, rather than the economy say those involved. Some of the 15 people in Seattle will be offered position at other locations. Much of the site will be supported from Santa Monica, HQ for Demand. The site, introduced to my by one of my students, allows hikers and bikers to share trails and image and stories from their adventures. The is doing well and making money.
