I get calls all the time asking for suggestions for “someone” to talk about “something” geo as the keynote speaker at a conference. I want to crowdsource the latest one to get some new faces and ideas out there!
Here’s the basic outline of what’s requested:
The organizer wants someone to speak about the future of geospatial, “where the train is heading.” With all that Google and Microsoft and other players are doing, with 3D and all the new data collection, where are we going? While I don’t have all the details, these gigs typically cover travel, conference attendance, and food. Some have stipends (but that’s rare). The request is for someone in the eastern US to simplify travel and limit costs.
So, if you think you have the cred (or know someone who does) to pull off a 45 minute or so keynote, drop me a line via the via the brown “suggestions” button above and I’ll pass the info on.
The organizer and I thank you in advance.
by Adena Schutzberg on 03/10 at 01:34 PM |
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Junaio 2.0 is launching at SXSW this week. The big news for augmented reality platform? It works indoors using GPS and compass-based geo-information.
And, junaio announced a partnership with BART, the Bay Area, SF transit system. It’ll use augmented reality to integrate station locations and estimated arrival times in a digital display of information in the real world.
- PocketGamer
- press release(pdf) on 2.0 launch
- press release (pdf) on Eventful Channel Bart PR BART Video
Foursquare has announced a dashboard for its business partners to see who and how often folks are checking in to the establishment. Users can opt out of having their info included.
The hyped LBS apps are not the only ones on the radar. “Company officials say Mplayit’s research also shows the Location Based Services category continues to grow in popularity and while Loopt, Foursquare and Gowalla usually get the most attention from media, the analysis shows “growing consumer interest in lesser known apps on iPhone that include FastMall, AroundMe on iPhone, and BeatTheTraffic on BlackBerry.”“
Twitter and Facebook are on the verge of launching location in a big way, per many tips and rumors. Twitter enabled, then disabled a feature this week that will provide location information for tweets on the Web page. It’s expected to be back on for SXSW. Facebook will introduce a location sharing app at its developer conference in April.
Google has hinted about adding bike directions to Google Maps and now it’s here. The beta app was announced at the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. Google sent a note to journalists about the desktop only, USA only tool. A mobile version is in the works.
In addition to providing thousands of miles of bike trails directly onto maps, this new feature includes step-by-step bicycling directions and a new “Bicycling” layer that indicates bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly roads.”
...
The new bicycling layer for Google Maps, accessible via the “More…” drop down menu at the top of the map, will display an overlay of the various bike-friendly roads and trails around town. The layer is color-coded to show three different types of paths:
• Dark green indicates a trail;
• Light green indicates a dedicated bike lane along a road;
• Dotted green indicates roads without bike lanes but are more appropriate for biking, based on factors such as terrain, traffic, and intersections.
On Monday Google announced a new geocoding Web Service. It has all the goodies in the JavaScript API v3 for Google Maps. Oh, and you have to use it with Google Maps.
Note however that it is a requirement of the Maps API Terms of Service that you use the Geocoding Web Service in conjunction with a Google map. This means that when it comes time to use cached geocoder results in an application, the application must display the results or any data derived from them on a map generated using one of the Google Maps APIs or Google Earth API.
Also Monday, Google announced the ability to place edits to its data via StreetView. The idea is to note the location of entrance or facade of a business.
Also on Monday, Google announced the Google Public Data Explorer, an experimental visualization tool in Google Labs. It seems more graphy than mappy on first look.
A Google product manager told eWEEK the company will try different points of integration between Google Latitude and the new Google Buzz for mobile application.
In November of 2009, Microsoft launched a contest for developers to build on a beta of Microsoft’s cloud platform, Azure. Last month the winners were announced and they were heavy on Web maps. Miami’s 311 System, a citizen info and reporting tool, won with iLink GIS Framework , a data sharing solution, as a runner up.
Steve Read, Microsoft’s National Azure Lead for State and Local Government, “said at the end of the day, the eye candy (map-heavy) apps were the ones that got the most attention, but he also believed there is a huge potential for enterprise applications to help deliver real savings and efficiencies.”
“Four months in the making, and at least four years behind neighboring Staunton and Augusta County, the Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping technology will likely be used by developers, engineers, utilities companies and prospective home buyers, area GIS coordinators said.” That’s how the local paper described Waynesboro, Virginia’s new online GIS. Richmond-based WorldView Solutions, Inc. developed the system for $20,500 and the city will pay $450/month for maintenance. Among the cool tools: swipe between one image and another, annotate, view in Google Maps of Bing Maps. Looks like ArcGIS Server on the back end.
- News Virginian
In Saginaw, Michigan consolidation is the name of the game in local government. Last month City Manager Darnell Earley announced the formation of a new department, Technical Services, which combines GIS and Information Services. Savings? $208,300 per year. The GIS lead, Jeffrey Klopcic, is director of the department. His first goal: online bill payments.
“That’s going to be our first big push,” said Klopcic, a City Hall employee since November 2000. “If you look at credit card payments and bank (transactions), a lot of those are done now on the Internet. We’re looking at the best way to do that here.” The total of 12 employees are cross training on each others’ specialties.
- Mlive
Kingston, Ontario, Canada has added a map gallery to its GIS website. It includes some 140 “frequently requested” stored maps (pdf) for download.
