AWhere Inc. opens office in Golden CO

Congrats go out to Jim and crew at AWhere on their open house coming up next week. Some details... AWhere Inc. will be holding a launch party and open house next Weds at their new digs in Golden. The Golden Chamber of Commerce will officially cut the ribbon to welcome them  (and their VIP friends) to the Old West.

Event: The AWhere Open House Date: Weds, June 27, 2007 Time: 4:00 to 6:00pm Location: 39° 45' 16" N 105° 13' 08" W (where else?)

...or for the GPS challenged: 720 14th Street at Washington Ave. in Golden CO. See http://www.AWhere.com

Winding down from ESRI UC and hot topics this year

Well, another ESRI UC has come and gone for many of us... I'm still trying to regroup after 5 busy days on the West Coast. There's still plenty of activity taking place today including the official launch (ceremonial) of the Service At Sea journey... an educational initiative taking GIS to people who need it - see more on this below. I had many people ask me, "so, what's hot this year"... well, that depends on what you need, however, I can say that just a few of the hot/cool things that I observed at the conference include (but not limited to) Server - ArcGIS Server is huge and the server products are indeed becoming a huge part of ESRI's offerings... I'm hearing numbers like 30%+ of sales/revenues coming from this space. I also heard much reference to simple mashup creation and use of the REST API as being hot and big in this area - seeing ArcGIS services on top of Google Maps and Virtual Earth basemaps was definitely cool! Image server is a tremendous solution and the offering for mobile solutions keep on coming (so do the licenses!). Cool products like those coming from TopCon and Trimble (like the Juno) are making life much easier for mobile users and field workers.

On the floor there were several touch table solutions being presented, obviously a hot product for the defense users - the DIT-2 from Panoram definitely turned heads! An update to Geographic Imager from Avenza was announced this week... offering users more flexibility and enhancements to help them be more productive working with imagery... the added support for tiling is likely the most noteworthy update users will enjoy. The Definiens extension for ArcGIS is also an amazing app that enables power users of imagery with ArcGIS to conduct feature extraction, change detection, and object recognition... all within a familiar environment.

GeoMarc from GCS Research was demo'd to me and indeed this app is a tremendous offering for those using/publishing imagery... embed sensitive information within your imagery, even store meta-data as well - truly a clever solution! Got loads of output? The Oce TCS500 with map folder setup is one of those "WOW" technologies... imagine letting that plotter crank out plots all night long and your output is automatically folded according your specifications... cool! The gang from Latitude Geographics (Victoria) also filled me in on how their gamble to roll the dice and bet on .Net has paid off - think rapid/real-world ArcGIS Server application development using the .NET version of Web ADF.

I could go on and on but if I had to pick out several hot topics/buzz words I'd definitely have to say Server, Imagery, mobile, ease of use, mashups, and interoperability rank right up there at the top. Ok, I need a nap then I'll get back to sifty through the notes! See photos from San Diego HERE - I didn't get to the windup party last night as I was in transit... how was it??

Some Common GPS myths

Spent the lunch hour here listening to a gentleman from Trimble discuss GPS, GPS myths etc... Some Common GPS myths:
WAAS will work everywhere
GPS will work everywhere
All GPS receivers are the same
You can use a rec. GPS for GIS data collection
US coast guard beacons are coastal
Selective Availability is still on or will be on again
You can get an accurate position with less than 4 satellites
Other people can track you if your GPS is on
All basedata is accurate
Aerial or satellite imagery will replace the need for GPS
Datums are not important when collecting GPS
WGS84 datum is the same as NAD83
Vert accuracy is the same as horizontal accuracy
See also http://www.trimble.com/gps/index.shtml

ArcGIS Image Server – Author, Serve, Use…

Random notes about ArcGIS Image Server - Released with ArcGIS 9.2 late last year. Recall, imagery is a natural background for many GIS apps. Useful for direct interpretation, statistics and analysis, used for vectorization (80% of vector data collected using imagery backdrop), data verification after GIS analysis. Diff. apps have diff demands on their imagery – time, quality, sun angle, etc…

Why Image Server??
Use of imagery growing exponentially
Available from many sources (aerial cameras, scanned maps, satellites)
Depth of imagery increasing, more bands of imagery, higher resolution, overlap in imagery (same image from multiple dates or diff. angles)
Imagery is often available but simply not accessible (obviously Google Earth has addressed this)
Fast access to imagery and metadata

Much more! See ArcGIS Image Server – Author, Serve, Use… Random Notes from the ESRI UC for more on this

Developing Web2.0 flash mapping apps with ArcWeb Services

Some random notes from the session on AWX 2 -- Recall recently ArcWeb explorer 2 beta 1 released last week - See arcwebservices.com labs

ArcWeb Services AWX2 is built on Adobe Flex 2
2 APIs – javascript and Flex 2 ActrionScript API
Simple authoring where anyone with a notepad should be able to author an ArcMap web service (Source: AWX dev team)

New Features in AWX2
- more map types… tiled streets (ArcGIS online), topo, shaded relief. Streets, aerial and hybrid always been there
- support for 13 diff projections (repro on the fly)
- create your own widgets (think Apple)
- using Flex API the map can be completely customized (via style sheets)

See Developing Web2.0 flash mapping apps with ArcWeb Services - Random Notes from the ESRI UC for more on this topic

Enhancements in ArcGIS at 9.3 and simple mashup creation, and Publish SOAP, REST and OGC services

ArcGIS Server 9.3, the next version of the popular app will be an incremental release… support for integrated security, better cashing, more options in building apps and simple mashup applications, deploy REST services… and more! Some random notes from the session:

Enhancement – map tips

Enhanced printing support – print tool in web app

More access to web developers – expands the ways you can build apps… Javascript API for mashup style apps (new at 9.3). AJAX enabled web App Dev Framework for advanced web services… Publish SOAP, REST and OGC services.

.Net web ADF

- full integration with ASP .Net AJAX

- client side javascript Object Model that works with server side ASP .Net web controls

- enhanced task results, identify and map tips

- IDE integration for Eclipse and NetBeans

At 9.3 ArcGIS Server brings New javascript APIs

- combine your organization’s GIS content hosted in ArcGIS Server with content from Virtual Earth or from Google Maps, or ArcGIS online – powered by backend ArcGIS Server REST services.

- Done by writing a javascript enabled webpage hosted on your web server.

A choice of javascript map controls:

ArcGIS Server Javascript Map Control and API – use ArcGIS online or your own content for a base map – Overlay arcGIS content

Use Microsoft Virtual earth Map control and API – use VE as a base map, overlay GIS

Google Maps JS Map control and API – use google maps as base map overlay your data

Demo: quickly create a mashup using your data (ArcGIS) on a Google maps basemap.

Mobile Map connect takes ESRI data to the field

Speaking of ArcPad and mobile GIS, Geoage today has introduced ESRI UC attendees to their Mobile Map Connect application. According to Don fromm Geoage who I just spoke with, Mobile Map Connect enables ESRI users to take their maps and data into the field, with little mobile know-how etc... so newbies can get up and running fast, right out of the box and with little or no training. The solution works on any Windows mobile enabled device. See www.geoage.com for more

Intro to ArcGIS Mobile and ArcPad at 7.1

Just listening to an intro session focused on ESRI’s extension of GIS beyond the office and into a mobile environment. Why mobile GIS?? Need to take GIS into the field to enable timely, relevant, and accurate decisions. Making real-time decisions in the field enables more collaboration between the field and the office.

ESRI's key Mobile GIS users:

Asset management – signs, hydrants, poles

Logistics – package delivery

Public Safety

Natural resource management – habitat and forestry

One of the main mobile solutions offered by ESRI is obviously ArcPad. Currently at release 7.1, the solution is currently in Beta and will likely be available in a couple of months. What can you do with ArcPad

- deploy data for field use

- use pre-loaded streetmap data, geocode, and create routes

- query data using query builder and customized query forms

- field data capture and editing

- use data capture deviced (GPS, range finder, camera)

- update enterprise database – including related tables

- navigate with your GPS

- customize ArcPad

- streetmap data is included (Canada and US)

- ArcPad 7.1 currently in Beta

Usability improvements in 7.1 – QuickProject

- focus on those new to GIS. Quickly create a new data capture project/template to get up and running fast.

ArcPad application builder is a provided tool for customizing ArcPad.

Developing for ArcPad - About The ArcGIS Mobile SDK

- ships with ArcGIS server, came with 9.2

- a suite of .Net components useful for building your own mobile solution

- Core capabilities – provide a method for synchronizing data to and fromm ArcGIS Server – optimized for wireless networks

- Enables display of rich maps on mobile devices (Pocket PC, smartphones)

- Provides and easy to use and standardized developer environment

Who’s using the SDK? Logistics (stops, deliveries), Utilities (sketching and markup), public safety, emergency response… What Can you do with the sDK? Design, serve, deploy, and Sync – design focused apps targeted at specific mobile workers, serve mobile web services, deploy large number of clients easily, synch field edits to a from a mobile web service.

Mobile platforms supported (mainly MS) running on desktop, tablet, and mobile. Many field-ready mobile devices are designed for all day use and offer enhanced wireless capabilities. These devices are designed to plug into the enterprise. Supported devices include smart phones, pocket PC phones, tablet PCs and laptops. Pocket PCs are ideally suited for all day long field work. Many offer touch screen UI, they can be rugged, and are affordable. I wish I could tell you more about ArcPAd at 7.1 but i guess that's in another session.

Finally... ESRI’s mobile team provides users with The StreetMap Mobile SDK – for building mobile navigation solutions. Provides components for mapping, geocoding, and much more.Of interest, clinets include the likes of Searc who have deployed a navigation solution to thousands of their vehicles. Enables them to move their vehicles safely and efficiently around the country.

Demo: we saw how a nav solution provided a voice (male or female) to warn driver if they are speeding etc… Directions can be reported in multiple languages. We entered a start and stop location and then an optimal route was returned to us and voice commands were presented to route our driver… pretty cool.

Don Cooke and the Lifetime achievement Award

Yesterday Don Cooke was given the Lifetime achievement Award by Jack Dangermond – recall Don Cooke, led the creation of the DIME file and the subsequent TIGER files. Don reminded us how lucky we are to be here at this event... he was definitely genuine in expressing how much he enjoys being surrounded by clever minds and geo-technology enthusiasts. Don is a great guy, always willing to share a story with you if you happen to be lucky enough to run into him. I recall seeing him at a recent event where he was standing in front of a large LCD watching twittervision - this app pulls random images from flickr and mashes then up on a map, quickly scrolling around teh Globe and showing you who's doing what... its apps like this that integrate GPS into real-life fun that seem to really get Don excited... you can tell. Congrats to Don.

Loads of images and vids from this morning at ESRI UC

Besides these posts have you had a chence to check out all the images uploaded to the ESRI UC flickr stream yet? There's about 50 images there from this morning's sessions.. .enyoy! FYI, a few videos now uploaded to youTube as well -- sorry about that accidentsal one going up the escalator... i fat-fingered the phone on that one!

Changes at GITA

This from GITA...Association leaders have changed the “Annual Conference” to the “Geospatial Infrastructure Solutions Conference.” This repositioning and shift in how GITA will brand and market the event better reflect the broader interests and industry audiences that GITA’s conference has accommodated over the years. The next conference will take place March 9-12, 2008, in Seattle, Wash. See www.gita.org

Tele Atlas places2protect - High Quality Digital Map Content

A new product announced today at ESRI UC comes from Tele atlas... Tele Atlas places2protect for federal, state and local governments and commercial enterprises - Tele Atlas places2protect provides relevant information for government officials, emergency planners and private companies developing emergency management applications or managing utility or pipeline assets. The product helps provide instant location and feature data for planning and preparedness and delivers up-to-date institution and location information. With Tele Atlas places2protect, detailed location information is accurately positioned on the map using Tele Atlas’ proprietary Address Points database, which is designed to pinpoint street addresses to a specific physical building, site or parcel.

Morning session wrap up and cool technolgies from OQO and the Omni globe

John Calkins just showed off some future "WOW" technology and raised a few eye brows inn the wrap up for this morning's session. We saw a digital pen... imagine scribing with a pen in a familiar manner, tracking lines and shapes, taking notes etc... then you dock the pen and the updates are stored and displayed within your Geodatabase.. COOL! I'm sure it's likely not quite as simple out of the box but none the less its very slick. We saw metalens, a servcie from National Geographic that uses the Adobe Flex UI (i actually saw this at Where2.0 also). Use it to locate images, documents, or videos fromm a specific region. Users can also integrate this will technology like the GPS enabled Ricoh camera in order to immediately share images captured inn the field. We saw a way cool USB stick that had a whopping 8 GBs or data and was used to boot up a laptop on Linux and then run an application. The scenario was meant to show how a first responder could get access to an application and data while in the field, simply by getting a small flash drive from the command center. under the heading of "small packages" we saw the OQO mini computer - similar to the Nokia Tablet PC in concept although this device runs Vista. I actually just ran into Sue and Jessie from Very Spatial and Sue was packing one of these devices around. She gave me a demo loading ArcExplorer and google Earth on the device. It had decent wireless connectivity and was pretty quick too. Search OQO for more on this device. finally... under the topic of TOTALLY FREAKING COOL Calkins showed us what I think was called the Omni globe. Imagine a large (4ft in diameter) illuminated Globe on a stand. the Globe rotated slowly and the data diaplsyed on it changed accordinng to a scene selected from an application... imagine swapping from a topo map, to a thematic map etc... on a Globe... see the flickr for pics of this one. Gotta go as the laptop battery is done and I'm starving! (sorry about the typos but my "m" key is sticking!)

ArcGIS Server 9.3 enhancements … Author, share, serve - Top 7 Enhancements

In a cool presentation we were provided with the TOP 7 Favorite enhancements in ArcGIS Server
– printing maps with out of the box enhancements

- Map Tips – hover over query results and see features highlighted on the masp as well as additional information about the object like video or images.

- Support for interoperability – support for WMS, WFS, WFST, web coverage service for raster data, GMl, and KML

- Carto capabilities now available to AutoCAD users – see ArcGIS for AutoCAD (free) – integrating ArcGIS Server and AutoCAD.

- Rest API and javascript API for Server. Creating a web mashup using various data sources. Also, leverage consumer basemaps from Google maps. Using REST services adding Virtual Earth data and google maps data into your aRcGIS Server webmap. Imagine seeing results of an ArcGIS geoprocessing functionality like a plume model, and share with users of Microsoft Virtual Earth.

- Cashing to enable faste refresh of your webmap. At 9.3 enhancements to cach on demand or cach select areas of interest.

- NUMBER 1 improvement.. added security for your web app and services. New Security ArcGIS Server Manager… create profiles for custom users and define their roles (ie unrestricted usage for a manager etc…)

Taking GIS into the field with ArcPad – coming at 7.1

Imagine in the field with limited or no existing data. Enhancements .. street mapping extension (included with 7.1). Start your project and add a base data layer - data is provided for anywhere in the US or Canada. This is COOL! Using a GPS-enabled device data is collected in the field. Capture locations of objects using the point tool, add a photo to the feature, and store attribute information on the fly. Easily add options to available lists of categories (dynamically defined in the field) = rapid data capture. 7.1 supports editing of related tables. A new query builder tool provides the ability to quickly retrieve desired data and attributes. While n the field capturing data the user can quickly add or update multiple data types that are created via a database relationship(s). We're told ArcPad 7.1 should be available in a couple of months.

ArcGIS Desktop 9.3 Label placement and the mapping center website

Im just listening and seeing some of the new features that will come in ArcGIS desktop at 9.3.

ArcGIS Desktop 9.3 Label placement enhancements…

River name placement with multiple splines… new 9.3 algorithms

WYSIWIG editing for a realistic editing experience (clap!)

New disperse makers tool – automatically removes overlaps (clap)

Something quite cool to help support users of new label placement enhancements is a the New mapping center website – users will find resource downloads, models, style files, blog, map gallery, instructions, screen shots. Mappingcenter.esri.com

Notes fromm the ESRI UC opening session - GIS is becoming an instrument of Evolution

The morning kicked off with Jack’s welcome – he commented how his work is about our “new approach”. Your Work is creating a new approach was displayed on a slide behind Jack. He then highlighted a number of projects underway around the Globe.

Weather prediction maps from Korea

Visualizations created using ArcGIS explorer – examining the ozone

Managing natural resources – looking at geological structures

Maps and Charts for navigation, aeronotical charts

Maps of natural and human disasters

Landscape design, land use planning, property valuations

Management of facilities for wireless infrastructures

Conservation maps, bird corridors

Defence and homeland security – using a touch table in Moscow

Transportation analysis, planning, and analysis

Trip tips in San Diego

Businness geographics – providing the geographic advantage to help locate stores, competitive analysis, flood risk assessments

Human health apps – the influence of

GIS in the media eg Wolf Blitzer, CNN, Reuters – citizens providing services

The Enterprise Application Award was presented to Saudi Aramco – taking a social position of making Saudi Arabia a special place. Create a live and exciting workplace.. GIS is alive and well in the Middle East according to Dangermond.

President’s Award – The Nature Conservancy – creating a Global dataset of all the World’s habitats! One of Jack’s favorite org’s was selected for “his” award.

Dangermond discussed what he calls the geographic approach – this is why he got into Geography and GIS

Allows us to create knowledge

Allows us to analyze our measurements to describe change and model the future

Allows us to create and apply geographic knowledge

Allows us to act out in a logical, holistic framework.

Allows us to integrate geography and apply the geographic approach

Tools to support collaborative action

Spatial analysis integrating data sources from a wide array and corners of the Globe

Making better decisions – a methodology for making more efficient and better decisions.

Help save resources, communicate better through the visual dimension

“GIS is becoming an instrument of Evolution”

Enhancements coming at ArcGIS Desktop 9.3

We were reminded this monring by Jack Dangermond that this year we've seen 25^th anniversary of ArcInfo – machines were 1 million times more expensive – Jack laughs as he notes he sold some of you those computers to you!! From Dangermond... "ArcGIS is our main focus and how we support you." ArcGIS... Author on the desktop... put it on a server… use it on a free client.

To put things in context we heard some history - Recall ArcGIS 9.2 (100 person yrs of development) shipped late last year… many people are still just getting up and runninng (is that you?. ArcGIS 9.3 is being worked on currently and improves the fundamental quality, and has infills of things people asked for. This update is to be incrementally released in service patches, major release next year (early in the year?)

Additions and enhancements in the ArcGIS Desktop

- Updates and improvements to the ArcGIS extensions

Functionality enhancements to desktop tools:

- better algorithms to conduct and improve geographic science

- Rich error messaging

- Huge improvements in mapping and labeling (polygon label choices, labels along graticules, better contour labeling

- WYSIWYG graphic editing, better street numbering placement, support for stacked vertical Asian letters

- Loads of geological labeling

- Support for multiple view windows (clap)

- Textures for buildings (collada), faster import of web services, tracking in 3D

- Schematic diagramming – take mapped data and auto make a diagram from it

- New diagram types (ie. Electrical)
Stay tuned for more on ArcGIS at 9.3 - a reminder that photos fromm today's session can be found on our GISuser flickr

Notes on updates coming with ArcGIS at 9.3

In the Monday morning welcome session at ESRI UC we heard about some new things coming in ArcGIS at 9.3 (this will be released inncrementally in patches with a full release next year... items of note and areas that will see somme major, cool updates:
A new solution for Logistics.. Jack’s favorite! Enter ArcLogistics -- Demo… transporting patients to hospitals at diff times with a number of rules (ie. Legth of time for a ride – max), vehicle rules (capacity), vehicle costs, work day/time rules… hospitals, vehicles, patients… generate a least cost solution so patients can make their appts on time.

New ArcGIS Explorer for consumer usage -Like google earth, it has analytic tools to perform some analysis on a simple to use tool. Access an ArcGIS Server, or connect to several of them (like ArcGIS online) then overlay these services with your own services. An open and interoperable tool Working closely with Adobe for interoperability with PDFs.

ArcGIS Server to support Mashups. Allow our servers to be mashed up. Integrating multiple GIS services and making use of consumer map services. Use data from Google Earth and other services … this will help us tell stories of geography on the web and integrate content into our GIS’s.

ArcGIS for AutoCAD – a free, downloadable set of tools making it easier to work with AutoCAD data and CAD tools. Since so many users are using both it makes sense to enable users to benefit.

Webmapping gets easier and better – fewer clicks, better map navigation, new tools built on AJAX standards. At ArcGIS 9.3 there's a new mobile app – ArcGIS Mobile. Operating in a connected or disconnected environment. Maintain synchronization with your server. A lightweight client for the field powered by ArcGIS Server. Note... ArcPad still exists and is going strong - of note: US Census Bureau to use 400,000 ArcPad seats for mobile data collection for the Census!

Survey measurements coming into the parcel model - New data model –the cadastral fabric – in a demo a surveyor takes measurements for new subdivision and create in CAD system. Brings inn CAD lines, copy/paste into a cadastral job, adjust parcels to fit survey control. This solution comes out of a partnership with Ggeodata info systems – AUS – to be released with SP3 – editing cadastral fabrics with survey analyst. Supporting bringing together GIS and surveying communities!

Coming in support - users will have full access to ESRI's buglist! Clap - this will be available via the online support center. Look for "the bug system"

Monday at esri uc

Hello from San Diego... I didn't bother blogging or anything yesterday, partly because I was on the go most of the time and opted not to. My father's day flight was just fine... I got dropped off by the family (nice for a change rather than hunting for a parking spot at DIA). I then had the covetted Southwestern Group A boarding pass (sweet!) and then managed to grab the "money" seat on the plane... you know, the one in the emergency exit with no seat in front of it (SCORE!). Then I got picked up at the airport, checked in at the connference, had and early dinner, then connected with loads of ESRIers in the Gaslamp. Its always cool when people come up to me and say "hey man, aren't you the guy with the newsletter... your face shows up in my email all the time!" Dick's was pretty quiet last night given that thousands of GISers are inn town for the ESRI lovefest... mind-you it did seem to pick up there at about 11:30! I got up this morning and quickly came to the connference center where I'm now sitting in the main hall waiting for the keynote to start. I just love ESRI UC Monday.. you know, we get that way cool starting video that shows ESRI projects and users from around the Globe... it gets people so pumped up! Word on the street has it that ArcGIS Server will be the talk of the show... I'm sure it will be! I'm also speculating that people will hear lots about KML, mashups, Globes etc... Also, when people see live demos of ArcGIS Analysis inside of mashups they will be blown away