Monday, February 8. 2010

Trimble Adds Indoor Mapping Tool to its Suite

While there are not images of the new product called The Indoor Mobile Mapping Solution (expected to be widely available in Q2) it sounds like the company's version of PenBay Media's indoor mapping robots. (I'm not sure at all from the collateral if its self propelling or if someone walks around with the device. I've asked Trimble.) The device uses a mix of active and passive sensors.

- website
- press release

Update: NAVTEQ Shutting Down Phone Map App Nav4All that Uses NAVTEQ Data

NAVTEQ responded to NAV4ALL's claim that its license was unexpectedly not renewed in an Italian blog (strange place to make a statement on the matter in my opinion). It's view of things:

... it [NAVTEQ] was simply unable to reach an agreement that aligned with its terms and conditions.

Speaking to an Italian gadget blog, Navteq said it doesn't disclose the details of individual contracts, but added that Nav4all's 'surprise' at the decision should have been nothing of the kind as it followed standard practice in the renegotiation process in advance the existing contract's deadline and that everything was scrupulously documented.

The statement also indicates that NAVTEQ continues to be independent and did not act on direction from above, that is, from Nokia. The Inquirer notes that another NAVTEQ licensee notes increased licensing fees and restrictions of late.

- The Inquirer

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ESRI's Bill Davenhall Debuts Column in HuffPo

The Huffington Post recently engaged ESRI's Bill Davenhall, who leads the health and human services marketing team, to write a regular column. The first one was published on Friday. He looks at personal health histories and links to an ESRI app to help individuals track there own histories (anonymous).

- Huffington Post, via reader Matt

South Dakota Watershed Data Made Available in Google Earth

The data had been available from Natural Resources Conservation Service, but it required software most people don't have. Once the data was converted to Google Earth format (KML) anyone can view it in Google Earth. The cost?

"It only cost $10,000," Ehlers said of getting the information to mesh with Google Earth. "Now that's a really good investment, and I hope other states pay attention and start digitizing their watershed data."

South Dakota was the first state to make data available this way, under an agreement with Google. Funding for the boundary tool came from Hyde County Conservation District, the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts, the State Conservation Commission, the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

- Argus Leader
- app and data download
(Note to USGS and Google: Is this correct? "In recent years, public domain software such as Google Earth has made it possible for anyone with internet access to view maps and high-resolution imagery of the earth’s surface." Is Google Earth public domain? I do not believe it is.

Prankser Organization Puts a GPS on a Google StreetView Car (pants droppin ensues)

The organization is called Free Art & Technology (FAT) and they state that they did indeed put a tracker on a StreetView car in Berlin. Then they posted its track on a (what else) a Google Map. That led to, of course, people posing for the camera.

I was skeptical - how would Google not hear of this and remove the device? Well, at least one commenter on BoingBoing suggests FAT provided the fake car itself. Even if it's "fake," it's pretty clever!

- Forbes Blog via reader Larry who quite correctly notes this is cool because it's meta.

Google Maps/Earth Now has "Nearby Places You Might Also Like"

You may have heard about Google Maps' and Earth's new feature that suggests "nearby place you might like" after a map based search. Google rolled it out Friday and several folks who've explored it find the suggestions....well, odd. I'm among them.

I tested the feature using our local BBQ place, Redbones in the heart of Davis Sq. When I went to its place page I found:

Nearby places you might like

Segway of Boston 4.2 mi SE
73 Commercial Street, Boston, MA
Rated 4.7 out of 5.0 78 reviews - Tourist Attraction

Pawsh Dog Boutique 3.7 mi SE
31 Gloucester Street, Boston, MA
2 reviews - Pet Groomer

Boston Landmarks Orchestra 1.4 mi SW
168 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
Orchestras & Bands

A Weekly Affair 3.9 mi SE
Copley Square, Boston, MA
restaurant

The only one that makes any sense based on something Google might know about me is the Landmarks Orchestra, but even that's a stretch. I think this is a feature under development.

- Mashable
- Google Blog Post