Tuesday, August 11. 2009

SQL Server 2008 R2 CTP - with more maps

There's a lot that's new and available to all tomorrow in a Community Tech Preview (CTP) but one aspect is a new release of Report Builder (3.0). It offers charts and gages and supports "geospatial visualization" which the blog posts explains means "maps." The actual release is expected in the first half of 2010.

- Data Platform Insider/SQL Server News Blog

DoD Wants More Imagery; GeoEye and DigitalGlobe Announce Quarterly Earnings

On Monday quite a bit happened in the satellite remote sensing arena:

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) issued a statement of requirements to get industry input and guide its own strategic planning process for imagery needed in the future. While the document is classified analysts and executives suggest a request for proposals later this year which could mean a few billion dollars in revenues for DigitalGlobe Inc and/or GeoEye in the coming years.

DigitalGlobe announced second quarter net income of $8.4 million (19 cents a share) down from $11.6 million (26 cents a share) last year. The forecast for the full year is expected below Wall Street expectations. The second quarter included a $7.7 million pre-tax charge for DigitalGlobe paying off debt early and was the first the company reported as a public company.

GeoEye had a surprisingly good second quarter. Net income for the second quarter was $9.6 million (46 cents per fully diluted share) up from net loss of $558,000 (3 cents per fully diluted share) last year. GeoEye said it would not plan for GeoEye-2 until the government stated its needs and funding plans.

- Reuters
- DigitalGlobe PR
- GeoEye PR

Quote of the Week

"Hanim Adnan is assistant news editor at The Star. She awaits patiently to see the success of GIS in the country."

- Bio of Hanim Adnan following an article on the value of GIS and GPS for agriculture in the Malaysia Star

An Online Map App "Optimized for Safari"

The article in the local paper touted how the new mapping app showing state and local parks and attractions was the first of it kind in the state of West Virginia. I was more interested in the badge below the Google Maps-based app which reads: "Optimized for Safari." That made me think there were different apps based on your browser. So I open the app in FireFox and Internet Explorer and found the same badge. Interesting choice.

- Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Podcast: Cloud Computing in Geospatial

Cloud computing is on everyone's list of buzz words this summer. What does the phrase mean? And what does it mean in the geospatial arena? We offer some definitions and ways to think about the new computing platform and look at what's happening now and may be ahead for geospatial technology practitioners.

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