Monday, February 9. 2009

Update 9: ESRI Invites Support for GIS for the Nation as Part of Stimulus Bill

Update 2/9/09: John Palatiello shared this proposal with National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) last week. Do read the author's note that explains this proposal has not been submitted to anyone, nor does it have any endorsements. You can learn more about the NGAC meeting in tomorrow's podcast.

Continue reading "Update 9: ESRI Invites Support for GIS for the Nation as Part of Stimulus Bill"

Update: OpenStreetMap Needs Pocket Change for New Servers

Update: 2/9/09 (date corrected per comment) - Mission accomplished. Total raised: £15,530. That includes £5,000 from Google.

- Heise Online

--- original post 2/6/09 ---------

Ok, it's not pocket change, but every bit helps. From the requesting blog post:

Today we’re kicking off a funding drive to raise £10,000 to buy new API database servers for the upcoming new API and server software which we call “0.6″ as it’s the 6th version. Specifically we’re after a 3U Rackmount server, 2x Quadcore, 24GB RAM, 10x SAS 15kRPM disks.

I will leave you with my Mom's advice on charity: "You have to support what you believe in."

Here's the donation page.

Should Aviation GPS Vendors Include User Generated "Emergency Landing Sites"?

I ask because the fellow behind a website, Emergency Runways, that's collecting such locations (via a Google Map) hopes vendors will do just that. I love the idea that these sites are being collected, ideally by those who know what makes a good landing site. It's also great the dataset is freely downloadable. I just wonder about liability for the vendors including such data in a product.

- AeroNews Network

Green jobs, including GIS, hot in Canada

ECO Canada's recent cites the top green careers right now as "environmental engineers, environmental technologists and technicians, conservation biologists, geographic information system (GIS) analysts, and environmental communication officers." Job growth in "green" is expected to be 4.3 per cent by 2010, compared to the national average increase of 2.3 per cent.

- Leader Post

Finland and Sweden Appeal to EC on Taxes on GPS-enabled Phones

The two countries are responding to a December plan from the European Commission to tax some phones with fancy features as "multi-function devices" and then tax them. GPS-enabled phones would get a 3.7% tax, those that get TV reception 14%. Note that Finland is home of Nokia (and my personal trainer).
Sony Ericsson joint-venture partner Ericsson is based in Sweden.

- Mobile Burn

The Next Market for Rosum: Femtocell

Rosum is the company behind the technology that uses TV signals to determine location. There's not been huge uptake, but there's a new potential market: femtocells. That's the name of the device that can turn an Internet connection (typically broadband, cable) into a local cell phone network. Verizon started selling them last month for home use to clean up cell phone calls. (PC Magazine)

Why do femtocell's need to be located? Because when you buy one you are licensed to use it in a certain geography and in the U.S. for emergency response. Currently, femtocells use GPS - except when they can't get a good signal. And that means "no sale" to providers. Enter Rosum, which can do the locating in challenging locations, such as in a BART station one level underground in San Francisco. So far, just one company is signed on, but it's nice to hear Rosum is still making (and using) waves!

- ArsTechnica