All Points Blog

More on How Google Does 3D

(Adena Schutzberg) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 12:56:20 -0600

Martin Daly (Lost in Spatial blog) summarizes Ed Parsons latest talk (at BCS) and I grabbed these tidbits about how the 3D building data is captured. - Street View uses LIDAR to get the building shapes, for the fancy navigation, and bespoke cameras...Read more

Quote of the Week

(Adena Schutzberg) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 09:34:42 -0600

"Satnav maps from Tele Atlas AND Navteq incorrectly show Ashdown Terrace in South Tidworth as a through road with a connection to Station road, see here when in actual fact it is a dead end." The story is from PocketGPSWorld and details how locals...Read more

Guinness Promo: Create your own terrain

(Adena Schutzberg) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 09:06:37 -0600

The interactive bit is described this way: "Guinness has also teamed up with Google Earth to create an online world that users can help bring to life by creating their own terrain." It's an add-on to a new video advertisement that shows a team of ...Read more

Acquisition/Parntership Roundup

(Adena Schutzberg) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 08:43:31 -0600

TeleCommunications Systems, a developer of text messaging location-based software, has acquired Solvern Innovations, a Baltimore company specializing in cyber security. - press release MapmyIndia, one of Indias map and GPS navigation services...Read more

Aussie Ipernica/NearMap Challenge Google/Bing Maps

(Adena Schutzberg) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 08:09:07 -0600

That's how the Ipernica, which acquired NearMap last year, is describing its launch as a new media property. The technology (proprietary) sounds a lot like Pictometry (the sensor pod attaches to small aircraft and takes oblique and ortho shots, with ...Read more

Garmin Profits Up (despite SatNav chaos)

(Adena Schutzberg) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 07:48:50 -0600

It may be a bit hard to fathom since TomTom saw losses based on lower margins that Garmin saw profit increase on what? Higher margins! "Garmin Ltd.'s (GRMN) third-quarter profit rose 26% as improved margins more than offset a moderate decline in reve...Read more

Googled Author Talks Google Maps and Google's Way of Thinking

(Adena Schutzberg) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0600

Credit our publisher, Jane, with finding this interview (mp3) by Terry Gross with Googled author Ken Auletta. He examines Google's initial goals, how it turned advertising into apps (with maps), and why the company is not Microsoft. Gross doesn't ful...Read more

Micro-flying UAV Maps the Halls (and other indoor, GPS restricted places)

(Adena Schutzberg) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0600

Yes it comes from MIT -specifically, the Robust Robotics Group at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. The mini buzzing quadcopter carries an array of sensors and scanners (including a camera and laser rangefinder) allowing ...Read more

AT&T Sues Verizon over "Map for That" Map Ads

(Adena Schutzberg) — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:25:09 -0600

Reader Kevin pointed me to Engadget's detailed coverage of the complaint (including 4 updates!). The ads (and maps) show that Verizon has 5x the 3G AT&T does. AT&T doesn't dispute that - but does seem miffed that the large blank areas on it's map ...Read more

Education Tidbits

(Adena Schutzberg) — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 08:10:00 -0600

There are more and more places to learn GIS! You can now take a three course series on ArcGIS from the KeyBank Tacoma Professional Development Center. After completion you receive a certificate. It's run through the Univ Washington Tacoma. It's rathe...Read more

OS Has First OpenSpacePro Client: A Tracker

(Adena Schutzberg) — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 07:39:16 -0600

OpenSpace is the Ordnance Survey's "free for non-commercial use" API. OpenSpacePro is the offering for commercial users. And, now there's an app that uses it: Locatorz offers a tracking solution for children, workers in hazardous areas and those who ...Read more

Impact of Weather.com's Use of Bing Maps?

(Adena Schutzberg) — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 06:35:23 -0600

I really enjoy when tech journalists look at some new "neat" tool and get right down to the nitty gritty of "does it matter to me?" Clint Boulton did just that when reviewing the new Weather.com tool built on Bing Maps (Flash, not Sivlerlight, he's ...Read more

Podcast: With Geodata, Developers, not Consumers Rule

(Adena Schutzberg) — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0600

If consumers think of geodata as a commodity, what does that say for its future? What are the key data relationships? And what, if anything, will differentiate one offering from another? Our editors ponder these questions in light of evidence that co...Read more

The Gravestone Project: Graveyard Geology for air pollution and climate change information

joe.francica@directionsmag.com (Joe Francica) — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 01:09:00 -0600

This from one of our readers: The Geological Society of America (GSA) is using cemetery data to serve as global climate monitors. To participate all you need is a GPS and a micrometer to measure weathering. This 2 year project should help create a ...Read more

TeleNav to File for IPO ($75 million)

(Adena Schutzberg) — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 08:30:29 -0600

- WSJ...Read more