Wednesday, July 1. 2009

Lessons Learned in Hyperlocal

Poytner's E-media Tidbits has a contribution from Dr. Michelle Ferrier, an associate professor at Elon University and a former columnist and managing editor of MyTopiaCafe.com at the Daytona Beach News-Journal. She details what she learned trying to make MyTopiaCafe.com, a hyperlocal news site for two counties successful. It closes today.

Themes: Don't bite off too much, have multiple revenue sources, have a salesforce that knows how to sell your unique offering

New Map Puts Geography in the Curriculum

The week marked the National Education Computing Conference (NECC) in D.C. Among the geospatial highlights was the rollout of the latest in its series of 21st century roadmaps for core academic subjects, K-12 science and geography. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the National Science Teachers Association and the National Council for Geographic Education are behind the effort.

These maps are numbers 3 and 4 in the series and "provide a framework and resources for integrating technology and other 21st century skills into core subject areas." They "include lesson plans for integrating 21st century skills into existing curricula, as well as specific student outcomes, along with models designed to help enhance student achievement at specific grade levels."

Said Joseph Kerski, vice president of external relations for the NCGE (and ESRI employee):

The 21st Century Skills and Geography Map presents some of the best teacher-created examples of geographic education," said J. "This work augments our mission to enhance the status and quality of geographic teaching and learning and ensures students engage in spatial analysis and inquiry that will prepare them for today's rapidly changing world.

You can download the geography map (29 page pdf) here

- THE Journal

- press release

Skyhook Adds Location to Dell's New Mini

Starting next week Dell will offer its Dell Wireless 700 location solution for the Mini 10 netbook in the U.S. It's a GPS/wireless hardware and software solution. Skyhook provides the wi-fi locating. Dow Jones says Dell is using LBS to try to differentiate its netbooks.

- Dell Blog

EveryTrail Moves from B2C to B2B

GPS Business News has an interview with joost Schreve, the CEO of GlobalMotion, the company behind the social/location/travel/sharing site. (One of my students evaluated it, which is how I ran into it.) While B2C is growing, the real money seems to be in licensing the platform to other businesses including GlobalStar, the company behind the SPOT locator and REI. I suspect many other LBS companies will need to "adjust" their business models.

Waze: Dash Reincarnate for Android?

Update: Now it's in open beta for Android across the U.S.

- SV/SJ Business Journal

Continue reading "Waze: Dash Reincarnate for Android?"

Wired on LBS

One piece by Clive Thompson at Wired looks at the LBS market in the context of the oxymoron that the Web means location doesn't matter, but that location-knowing devices means it does. Mentioned: Loopt, Socialight, Skyhook. Next big thing, per the article, "tagging."