deCarta to Offer OpenStreetMap Data Across Product Line
Today deCarta (the company whose engine powered [updated per confirmation from deCarta below, was “powers”] things like Google Maps and currently powers other mapping site and many personal nav devices) announced beta support for OpenStreetMap data. Here’s the plan: The beta program offer data for just selected cities; a full release coming in October will support complete OSM coverage.
The data will be free (recall that deCarta does not sell data, but offers partner data - NAVTEQ/Tele Atas/etc. so it’s not losing anything on this deal) and available for server and client side use and through its developer program. “This includes self hosted solutions using deCarta’s Drill Down Server, deCarta’s Hosted Web Services, Personal Navigation Devices, and Mobile Phones. Developers will also be able to quickly prototype and demonstrate location-enabled applications using OSM content through deCarta’s Developer Zone available to developers at http://www.decarta.com.”
You can play with a demo here.
I could find no details about planned maintenance of the data - that is - how and how often it will be updated, but posed that to the company.
