Navteq scores with big earning... revenues soar!

NAVTEQ Corporation today reported record revenue and operating income for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2006. Check out these numbers and tell me the execs aren't seeing green!  Revenue in the quarter rose 24% over the fourth quarter of 2005 to $180.7 million.  Operating income grew 51% over the prior year to $62.8 million.  Net income was up 55% over last year's fourth quarter to $42.9 million.  Earnings per diluted share grew 54% to $0.45, compared to $0.29 in the prior year's quarter.... kaching!

Mashing Toronto with Google Maps

BlogTo has an interesting update today that highlights some 30 google maps mashups for the City of Toronto... developers have been busy implementing the API into their apps. The resource points us to a number of cool mashups including:
Restaurant Listings
Beer, Liquor, and Wine Store Locator
Coffee Shop Locator
Dim Sum Finder
Chocolatier Finder
TTC Subway and Go Train
TTC Subway, Bus, Streetcar, and Go
Parking Lots
Red Light Camera Locations
Public Library Locator
UofT Campus Building Finder
Ryerson Campus Building Finder
Live Music Venues
Golf Courses
Wireless Toronto
Toronto Star Gallery Tour
Virtual City
Envision Toronto
360capture

 

Source: BlogTo - http://blogto.com/city/2007/02/toronto_google_maps_mashups_compendium/

Online Survey - GIS for natural hazards

Lucy Stanbrough, a final year student at the University of Hertfordshire, is undertaking her dissertation into the use of online GIS for natural hazards.  According to Stanbrough, to date there have been no studies that that aim to identify and compare content providers assessment and provision of user needs against actual user needs on a global multi-hazard level, which could provide a valuable piece of research in this burgeoning field. She's looking to do a survey of users and content providers to determine what is currently available from provider’s verses what users to like to see made available. The Online GIS Users questionnaire should take more than 10-15 minutes to complete and the Online GIS Content Providers questionnaire no more than 30 minutes. Any details provided will be held in the strictest confidence and only non personal information will be used in the research findings. To take part in her survey jump to www.the-online-gis-survey.co.uk

Nokia introduces smart2go - aka. Nokia Maps - for Symbian OS S60 smartphones and Windows Mobile

This cool app is available to any of you who are lucky enough (and smart enough ;o) to use a Nokia S60 smartphone - I have mine! smart2go is a hybrid map solution: Map data from Tele-Atlas and Navteq can be downloaded directly via wireless network (e.g. GPRS/3G/WLAN) and stored on the devices memory card as needed. Users can then get directions, look up POIs, and get turn-by-turn routing. You can download the app starting in a few days or, if you plan on buying / investing in a cool N-series device down the road Nokia plans to pre-install the smart2go mapping and navigation application on all future Nokia Nseries multimedia computers under the name "Nokia Maps". The application is also supported by Windows Mobile devices. See more on this at www.smart2go.com - for mopre about Symbian OS and N-Series devices I suggest you check out www.symbianone.com and also www.allaboutsymbian.com

A cool location-based Services (LBS) game at CTIA and $10k cash in prizes!

Loc-aid is planning something fun at CTIA which I'll definitely be taking part in... the $10,000 dash for cash. Here's some details about the contest (which reminds me somewhat of last year's Pixi hunt - think Microsoft - held at Where 2.0) ... The format of the game will be a two-stage treasure hunt, the first of which will be played using a Short Message Service (SMS) enabled cell phone. Players will be directed to specific locations in the Orange County Convention Center where they will answer trivia questions on their phone about the wireless industry and various applications – highlighting the universal appeal of the treasure hunt format. The second stage of the game will showcase LOC-AID’s award-winning Over-The-Air programming (OTA) application “LOC-AID Treasure” as well as advanced handsets and networks. The top ten winners from stage one will race to win the $10,000 grand prize. The game will be played within the city of Orlando and will leverage the advanced LBS and application capabilities of the newly released LG VX9900 phone. The $10,000 cash giveaway event will be available to all conference attendees as “Dash for Cash” and is co-sponsored by LG Electronics, Qualcomm, Intrado and NAVTEQ. More details on this on our LBSzone - see http://www.lbszone.com/content/view/1621/2/

ER mapper Image Compressor Webinar reminder

At 3pm (EST) on 7th March, ER Mapper will hold a web seminar launching the Image Compressor product.  George Davis, ER Mapper Technical Manager, will host the seminar that will demonstrate the features of the Image Compressor.  After the seminar, users will have the opportunity to discuss the Image Compressor with George on ER Mapper's forum. A trial version of the new app will also be available for download from the company's website - www.ermapper.com - more details on the app at http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/10784/ - about Image compressor - Set for release on the 7th March, ER Mapper Image Compressor is a cost-effective desktop application for high-speed JPEG 2000 or ECW image compression. A key feature of Image Compressor is its high-speed image compression to the open standard JPEG 2000 format.

measurements from your photos courtesy of iPhotoMeasure

A reader just sent me a tip on a way cool application that enables you to measure anything simply by using the app and a photo captured with any digital camera - even a cell phone. From the jkontherun weblog, a detailed description of the iPhotoMeasure application. Essentially, what you do is place a "digitarget" onto the scene that you'll be capturing with the photo.. essentially calibrating the image scene. Then the application software uses the digitarget to calibrate, register, and provide accurate measurements of items in your scene... very cool! See the detailed write-up at http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2007/02/how_to_measure_.html - see the iPhotoMEasure app at http://www.iphotomeasure.com/index.asp

Mobile application developer event - a must consider this April

Here's an interesting event for some of you hard-core mobile application developers... Orange Code Camp. The events, typically flip-flopping between the US and Europe (past events in Spain, France, Florida etc...) are designed to immerse you in a developer camp for 72 hours. The events promises loads of coding, schmoozing, and educational content. For a unique experience in a beautiful setting these events are a must consider.. the cost is amazing too! Print out a flyer and develop a justification letter for your boss for this one. Some details... Registration has opened for Orange Partner Camp, Cape Canaveral (Florida) 16-18 April 2007 – this will be the only Partner Camp of 2007. For more details, see http://www.lbszone.com/content/view/1619/2/

Mashup Contest at ETel - Wanted... mashups for the Telephony Market

This just came to me from O'reilly Media... organizers of the very cool eTel and Where 2.0 events (among others)... StrikeIron and O'Reilly Media Announce Mashup Contest at ETel. From O'reilly - This new contest provides a stage for developers to demonstrate their creative skills using emerging telephony technologies such as VoiceXML, SIP phones, VoIP, hosted PBX & IVR services, and Web Services. In addition to StrikeIron and O’Reilly, Tellme Networks, Inc. and Sylantro are sponsoring this contest with $3,000 of prizes to winning entries. For more on this contest, see www.strikeiron.com/developers/contest.aspx.  The first round of the contest is open to all developers. To enter the contest, go to www.strikeiron.com/developers/contest.aspx; research the tools, services and APIs; come up with an idea and build your telephony mashup. Next, submit your mashup to developer@strikeiron.com by February 21, 2007 at 5 pm PST. The top three finalists will demonstrate their mashups to ETel conference attendees on the last day of the conference, March 1, 2007. Attendees will choose the winning mashup immediately following the presentations.

A new field mapping solution from Delorme - comes with maps and imagery too!

Delorme this week has announced a very cool product suite that delivers an "all-in-one" suite that includes a GPS device, DeLorme maps and aerial imagery - no additional mapping software purchase or subscription is required. DeLorme Topo USA(r) 6.0 DVD software is included with the device, this includes topographic and road maps of the entire U.S.  Topo USA 6.0 works with Microsoft Windows(r) Vista(tm) as well as Windows 2000 and XP. With its waterproof rubberized housing, the Earthmate GPS PN-20 is designed for rugged outdoor use. It measures just 2.43" W x 5.25" H x 1.5" D and weighs only 5.12 oz. See more here - http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/10769/

International Satellite magazine

I just stumbled onto a publication that I'm not familiar with, however, it may be of interest to some of you (outside North America only, sorry). The publication is Via Satellite magazine and its free (to qualified applicants)- This from the publisher... For more than 20 years, Via Satellite magazine has provided the global satellite and communications industries with coverage of the latest technologies, information on the newest applications, and updates on emerging markets. See details and request yours here- http://symbiandevzone.tradepub.com/free/vs

Free resources and FTP sites for ortho photos - a reminder

Looking for orthos? Here's a decent reminder list that I published a while back... always useful for reference.. enjoy.
The data from the SDDS is available as a seamless product on the Seamless Data Distribution System see http://seamless.usgs.gov The imagery is available for online download as small files or larger areas may be purchased on media (CD or DVD).
Looking for more free resources & FTP sites? Other Sources of Orthophotos & imagery:
http://gisdata.usgs.net
http://www.faygis.org/datasearch.cfm
http://www.cast.uark.edu/cast/geostor/raw_DOQ/index.html
http://sal.uamont.edu/pages/nsdd/Arkansas_State.htm
ftp://ccwgov.co.calaveras.ca.us/GIS/Raster_Data/Aerial_Photos/2002_2ft_Color_DOI/
ftp://ftp.ci.corvallis.or.us/pw/gis/orthophotos/
http://casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/kerncog.org/
http://casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/usgs.gov/
http://www.landwateruse.water.ca.gov/basicdata/landuse/digitalsurveys.cfm
http://www.fcgov.com/gis/downloadabledata.php
http://www.udel.edu/dgs/dgsdata/hundreds.html
http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/cgibin/MAGIC_DBsearch2.plGeography=37811&Loc=0001
http://data.labins.org/2003/MappingData/DOQQ/doqq.cfm
ftp://gisftp.hicentral.com/AirPhotoImages/
http://inside.uidaho.edu
ftp://itoc.in-span.net/
http://cairo.gis.iastate.edu/map.html
http://gisdasc.kgs.ku.edu/kgcc/
http://gis.sedgwick.gov/view/
http://musashi.ogis.state.me.us/catalog/catalog.aspstate=2&extent=24k
http://www.mass.gov/mgis/laylist.htm
http://maps.dnr.state.mn.us/deli/data_search.html
http://www.lmic.state.mn.us/chouse/airphoto_usda.html
http://www.maris.state.ms.us/HTM/DataWarehouse/NAIP.htm
http://msdisweb.missouri.edu/data/naip/
http://nris.state.mt.us/nsdi/orthophotos/
ftp://www.co.missoula.mt.us/Surveyor/Horizx/MR_SID/
http://www.dnr.state.ne.us/databank/fsa03.html
http://www.dnr.state.ne.us/databank/lanc_doqq.html
http://njgin.nj.gov/OIT_IW/index.jsp
ftp://ims.bernco.gov/data
http://rgis.unm.edu/loader_div.cfmtheme=Digital20Orthophotos
http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/gisdata/
http://lnweb02.co.wake.nc.us/gis/gismaps.nsf
http://www.state.nd.us/gis/mapsdata/download/
http://www2.ocgi.okstate.edu/2003img1/
ftp://ftp.ci.corvallis.or.us/pw/gis/orthophotos/
ftp://imagery.pasda.psu.edu/pamap/
http://www.edc.uri.edu/orthosf/orthos/2003usda/
http://www.pasda.psu.edu/documents/datalist.cgi/naip
http://www.edc.uri.edu/orthosf/orthos/2003usda/
http://www.edc.uri.edu/orthosf/orthos/2003usda/mrsid.html
http://www.sdgs.usd.edu/register/index.html
http://www.capco.state.tx.us/Information_Clearinghouse/Orthoimagery_main.asp
http://agrc.utah.gov/agrc_sgid/naip.html
http://gis.vcu.edu/datausda.html
ftp://ftp.spokanemaps.com/
http://wvgis.wvu.edu/data/dataset.phpaction=search&ID=254#Download
http://edc.usgs.gov
http://nationalmap.usgs.gov
http://www.usgs.gov
http://terraserver-usa.com/
Something missing???

Aussies Say G'Day to Google Maps

No our mates down-under have the same functionality at their finger tips when using Google maps... according to the Google Weblog (http://googleblog.blogspot.com). Searching for dirdctions to Bondi Beach... how about a Thai restaurant near the Opera House? No worries mate... Google Maps can point you there. This from the blog... We've expanded service to include Australian business listings, driving directions, and support for Google Mobile Maps in Australia. Check out the functionality at http://maps.google.com.au/... no doubt come cool mashups will follow! Are you developing a Google maps mashup for Aussies? If so be sure to tell me about it.

Super Sunday - do you remember the nuvi, Garmin Man, and maposaurus?

I hope you had a fun Super Sunday and managed to make it into the office this morning without a head-ache! Yesterday's game was full of firsts including the first Super Bowl commercial devoted to a consumer GPS product, this came courtesy of Garmin. If you saw the game do you recall seeing the animated ad featuring Garmin Man and the Maposaurus? (see http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/10746/) I'm not sure if this message is going to kick-start consumer mapping and GPS, however, it was cool to see Geospatial technologies going prime-time once again... things can't be that bad if Garmin has the cash available for such a promotional placement - FYI, the ad was promoting the Garmin nuvi. My most memorable commercial spots have to be the Budweiser "fist bump is out", Doritos "clean up on aisle 6", and the Sprint "Connectile Dysfunction" spots... too funny! Oh, the Dave and Oprah love-in spot was pretty good too! What was your favorite Super Bowl moment? Mine had to be the final score and the Bears screwing up on pretty much every turn-over that they should have taken advantage of. Manning getting the MVP was second best although the Colts RB duo likely deserved it as well.