Thursday, July 30. 2009

Microsoft Offers SQL Server "Add-in" for MapPoint

Microsoft PR just let us know that Microsoft released a free SQL Server add-in for MapPoint. It does what you'd think: "Customers using the MapPoint add-in for SQL Server can visualize and manipulate data directly on a MapPoint map."

Chris Pendleton (who writes the now Bing Maps blog, at this new address) provides details:

The add-on solution is NOT web-based. But it is inexpensive. SQL Server 2008 Express is free, the add-on is free and desktop MapPoint is $300. Thus "you get the power of some hardcore data visualization with offline capabilities" for a few hundred dollars.

MapIt (announced recently) is for the enterprise and is NOT an offline solution (and costs way more, $4500).

He also notes, but does not answer this question: "…what in the world has taken us so long to be these two together?"

$50,000 Mini-Helicopter May be UAV for Everyone

Rafe Needleman at C|net is impressed with the device from Aeryon which packs into a suitcase-sized create and can fly for 20 minutes at at time up to 500 feet (FAA rules) and take digital pictures or stream live video. Another great feature: it's got enough onboard stability that anyone can "steer" it by pointing to a location on a map. For now, the Canada-based company can only demo it in that country. It hopes for FAA ok within about six months.

French Web Mapping Firm Sues Google Over Google Maps

Bottin Cartographes filed a complaint in Paris commercial court against Google France and U.S. parent Google Inc. The basis of the complaint: "Google strategy is aimed at undercutting competitors by temporarily swallowing the full cost until it gains control of the market." In particular, "Google is undercutting the market by offering map services to some companies for internal use for free – if they use Google Maps on their internet site," according to one report.

Bottin seeks 500,000 euros (706,000 dollars) in damages.

- AFP

Report: State Stimulus Tracker Websites are Mediocre

Good Jobs First, a Washington research center released a report (pdf) on Wednesday that give mediocre grades to state efforts to be transparent about the flow and impact of federal stimulus dollars. The report found particular issues with coverage of job creation, contract awards and geographic location of projects. The average grade was 28 out of 100.

Among the findings: "states failed to use widely available Web tools, such as geographic information systems software." One suggested reason? Philip Mattera, the center's research director and the principal author of the study suggests site developers may not be aware of states' GIS capacity.

A statement from Deseret News notes that all states have access to a GIS template for mapping: "The most transparent state is Maryland, which uses software created by ESRI, a company specializing in geographical information systems that has contracts with all 50 states and provides a template to each state for free."

Some states did well: "Among the handful of exceptional states that scored 50 or higher were Maryland, which scored 80, and West Virginia, which earned a 60." Others, not so well: Illinois and Utah received "0." Maryland and California were noted using GIS to juxtapose "the geographic disbursement of funds with patterns of economic distress, such as county unemployment rates or foreclosure levels."

- NextGov

Agreement Cuts Red Tape on Indian Launches of U.S. Satellites

Representatives from the US and India signed a technology safeguard agreement (TSA) which allows the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to launch US made satellites from India without case by case approvals. The document was signed during US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent visit to India,

The current agreement allows foreign built non-commercial satellite launches; a separate ommercial space launch agreement (CSLA) is expected to be signed soon to allow the launch of commercial satellites.

- Express Buzz

Education Tidbits

Clark State Community College in Ohio announced a new geospatial technology associate degree program to begin this fall in Beavercreek. It was created through a partnership with Advanced Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC), CACI and Woolpert and is partially funded through the Ohio Board of Regent’s Future Jobs’ grant.

- Springfield News Sun

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium received an $894,228 grant from the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education program for the Geospatial Technician Education through Virginia's Community Colleges project. Three community colleges will establish "academic pathways in geospatial technology" and serve as model programs for other schools. Project partners include the Virginia Community College System; Virginia Geospatial Extension Program at Virginia Tech; and John Tyler, Tidewater and Virginia Western community colleges.

- Daily Press

As the latest cube-shaped disaster imaging satellite from Surrey Satellite Technology Limited launches today, there's a project aboard from UK students. Called Poise and developed by pupils at Shrewsbury School, in Shropshire, the experiment will measure variations in the ionosphere - the outermost layer of the atmosphere which can impact GPS signals.

- BBC