Wednesday, November 4. 2009

More on How Google Does 3D

Martin Daly (Lost in Spatial blog) summarizes Ed Parsons latest talk (at BCS) and I grabbed these tidbits about how the 3D building data is captured.

- Street View uses LIDAR to get the building shapes, for the fancy navigation, and bespoke cameras because the high number of images captured broke the shutters in consumer digital cameras. [I'm almost tempted to make an analogy with consumer slippy maps and bespoke GIS there, but I'll refrain.]
-Google use their own plane to capture the oblique images for Building Maker.

Quote of the Week

"Satnav maps from Tele Atlas AND Navteq incorrectly show Ashdown Terrace in South Tidworth as a through road with a connection to Station road, see here when in actual fact it is a dead end."

The story is from PocketGPSWorld and details how locals have put up sign to help prevent trapped trucks. The funny part? "Tele Atlas AND Navteq." Why is it not "and" or "and" - since AND is Automotive Navigation Data, yet another data provider! Or, did they mean that AND also has it wrong?

Guinness Promo: Create your own terrain

The interactive bit is described this way: "Guinness has also teamed up with Google Earth to create an online world that users can help bring to life by creating their own terrain."

It's an add-on to a new video advertisement that shows a team of men bring the world to life after a Guinness is poured. The ad will run on TV, in theaters and be accompanied by a press and online campaign. It's quite an enjoyable ad filmed on several continents.

- Campaign

Acquisition/Parntership Roundup

TeleCommunications Systems, a developer of text messaging location-based software, has acquired Solvern Innovations, a Baltimore company specializing in cyber security.

- press release

MapmyIndia, one of India’s map and GPS navigation services providers has signed a deal with Survey of India. MapmyIndia can use and provide value added services to Survey of India maps.

- India Times

Loopt has added "Pulse" a tool to access content (like restaurant reviews from Zagat and Citysearch) as well as a search feature and check in option to its LBS app. Loopt will also be using NAVTEQ LocationPoint Advertising to offer the targeted and relevant offers and promotions.


- TechCrunch

Aussie Ipernica/NearMap Challenge Google/Bing Maps

That's how the Ipernica, which acquired NearMap last year, is describing its launch as a new media property. The technology (proprietary) sounds a lot like Pictometry (the sensor pod attaches to small aircraft and takes oblique and ortho shots, with quick processing on the ground).

The NearMap portal is expected to launch before the end of the year and will include monthly coverage of Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane that has been built up over the past year.

The business model, per CEO Graham Griffith: "There are multiple revenue streams but the main one is licensing the service to local, state and Federal Governments, It will be free to consumers." He tosses around how great an NSDI would be. The future? Coverage of 700 cities worldwide; Australia is a just a pilot project.

I don't buy the competition with Google/Bing Maps since those (while the tech is licensable) drive ad revenue, not data licensing. And, while MS does own some of its data and uses and sells the UltraCam that collects it, neither company is yet focussed on a data licensing model. Further, many government entities use Google and Microsoft's public APIs for free.

- ITWire

Garmin Profits Up (despite SatNav chaos)

It may be a bit hard to fathom since TomTom saw losses based on lower margins that Garmin saw profit increase on what? Higher margins! "Garmin Ltd.'s (GRMN) third-quarter profit rose 26% as improved margins more than offset a moderate decline in revenue."

The stock is up 64% this year.

- WSJ