Content/Results from USGS VGI Workshop

I didn’t even know this happened until just afterward. Two of the other advisors for the Geospatial Revolution Project came from that meeting to Penn State. It was a small gathering (53) and the only media person there was Brady Forrest from O’Reilly, but I didn’t see any coverage of it from him or any of the other attendees. Interesting that there was no impetus for social media use in discussing volunteered content.

In any case, details of the meeting and the outputs are now available on the event website including PPT and PDF of presentations, opening remarks and notes from several sessions.

(Note to USGS: OpenStreetMap is one word, not three.)

via @mhaklay

WayFinder NYC, other practical Apps Top Big Apple Apps Competition

The Android augmented reality-based WayFinder NYC finds the closest subway station when a user looks through the camera at the local scene. Other top picks from the judges: a tool to rate cabs and their drivers and and app providing information on city schools.

- New York Times Bits Blog

Apple Patent Application: Device-to-Device Location Awareness

As you might expect the patent describes a way to share location information with someone one who’s already on the phone with you, or someone you’ve texted. Unless on the “safe list” permission is required.

- patent application via Apple Insider

Apple will Say “No” to iPhone Apps that Primarily Serve Location-based Ads

A note to developers this week makes that clear, according to Apple Insider. Why? The thinking is that Apple wants developers to use its yet to launch ad serving tools, likely built on recently acquired Quattro Wireless.

- Apple Insider

Hey Ontario, the new Economic Dev Mapping Site is Wanting

That’s the point of James Murray’s article in the Thunder Bay paper taking aim at a Bing Maps based tool aimed at helping those looking to open businesses in the province find possible locations. The app is called SelectOntario and the provincial website states: “Ontario is now the first province in Canada to implement a state-of-the-art geographic information system (GIS) tool for the purposes of investment attraction.”

I don’t think he “against” Bing Maps per say, but rather the ease of use and number of clicks to an answer. The site, so far as I can tell, is built on Rolta’s OnPoint (originally from Orion, which Rolta acquired in recent years). I was unable to run the app on my Mac in Safari.

The best news about this article: user expectations for online mapping/GIS are high, as they should be.

- Net News Ledger