Official Google Maps API Blog: UK Geocoding Now Available in the Maps API

Official Google Maps API Blog: UK Geocoding Now Available in the Maps API
that's the word from Pamela and crew out of the G maps API team. She also note... "Developers should be aware that the API geocoder is not using the same resources as maps.google.com and may not return the same results."

More on iPhone yadayada

Just wanted to set something straight.. I got an email from someone asking why I thought the iPhone "blows"(he had read that somewhere) - correction... I never claimed that.. since I've never actually used it it would be a bit tough for me to put that label on it. What I have been talking about the past week of so was simply why all the hype around iPhone when similar features have been available for sometime now on many Symbian S60 smartphones, particularly those from Nokia (and Sony Ericsson). Case in point, the Nokia Communicator series has been an enterprise user workhorse for years, being widely used in Europe by many power users. The Nokia N series devices like the N75, N80, and most recently the N95 are amazing devices that do most of what you can accomplish with iPhone, although they likely won't integrate with the Apple and with iTunes like the iPhone and they don't come bundled with the funky custom youtube service and innovative keyboard entry system. UIQ devices like the SEw950i are touch screen driven and have n amazing music player, after all they do come with the branded "walkman" tag associated! Finally the N95 has quad band functionality, integrated GPS, web browser, WiFi, Bluetooth, loads of memory, etc... most notably though the S60 devices will run a huge assortment of applications that you can easily find via Handango or the Nokia application shop. Does iPhone blow.. well, you'd have to ask a user. Is the device worth $600 compared to paying something like $200 for a subsidized Nokia N80 that will do pretty much everything else? You be the judge. I see Peter Batty has been using an iPhone and he also has an N95... he'd be a great one to chat with about that.. Peter be sure to drop me a line with your thoughts ;0)

Oh, last thing... clearly this battle is a war of the marketing departments and clearly Apple will likely have an edge... Nokia's lack of penetration in the high-end devices in North America has long been scrutinized and teh fact that most people don't know anything about the N-Series devices, what they do, where you can get them etc... is testament that the marketing efforts have really fallen short in North America. Or maybe Nokia simply hasn't been that concerned about North America... until now!

Zillow - sorry but your Firefox is not supported

Just got this message rfom the Zillow website.. too bad but I guess they don't support firefox yet.. strange! I had no choice as for some weird reson my IE has been totally hosed-up all week. Just grabbed IE 7 and its giving up bizzarre messages. Boy that Mac PowerBook is sure looking good.. maybe I'll try Opera next!


Well, after getting a swift response from zillow looks like all is cool.. see below zillow as viewed using firefox 2.0.0.4

Map Mashup Software Allows Users to Easily Integrate Data with Google Maps and Google Earth

terra IMS announces the release of geoXtract (geoxtract.com), a powerful desktop application that provides users with an easy way to integrate existing data in a variety of formats with Google Maps and Google Earth. geoXtract™ provides an intuitive “wizard” interface that leads users through data selection, data configuration, data processing, and data publishing. All data processing is automated with geoXtract™, so there is no need for users to manually create each data point that will be displayed on the map. Users can easily integrate tens, hundreds, and even thousands of points with Google Maps™ and Google Earth™, and there is absolutely no programming required. See more details here

Get Schmapping - a cool app from Schmap

Today's GISuser spotlight is on a way cool city guide app called Schmap... I saw it at Where2.0 and have been messing around with it for a bit. Some details... This amazing resource offers up free travel guides/maps that enable you to easily explore virtually any major destination on the planet. The company has schmapped 200 destinations throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - just pick and click to get schmapping! Plan a walking tour, view photos and reviews, cjeck out hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and much more. Perhaps coolest of all, create your own "Schmapplets" and embed them into your blog. This is likely one of the coolest, Free apps you'll stumble onto this summer! See details on Schmap and on the developer platform - Schmapplets HERE

Contractor Wanted -- GIS consultant in the North Dallas, TX area (MapInfo)

I've been contacted by someone interested in getting in touch with a developer interested in the following: a client of mine in the North Dallas area that does flood determination for insurance purposes. They have a system today that utilizes components from MapInfo with data from Navtech. They are in need of a consultant to come in and help them tune the system. Anyone interested? Contact me (glenn at gisuser.com) and I'll connect you!

Mappam - location-based advertising for Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, and virtual Earth

First we delivered details about Lat49 and their solution for serving contextual ads to Google maps, Yahoo! maps, and virtual Earth. Now there's another player entering this space... from the developer; With Mappam advertisers can within minutes create campaigns on www.mappam.com targeted to geographic locales, paying only when users click through to the advertising website. Adverts are displayed to visitors on the maps of Mappam network partner websites as 16x16 pixel icons which when clicked on open a descriptive text and a link to the advertising website. See http://www.mappam.com/

Happy 4th and a BBQ Rub recipe from a Miner & Miner BBQ champ!

Happy 4th to all of you celebrating today... I'm sitting around contemplating what to do for the holiday and reading this AM's edition of The Coloradoan. To my surprise I found a cool article about BBQ.. indeed I love to BBQ although I am lacking a bit in equipment and would give my right arm for a way cool smoker... one of these days! To the point... front and center on the Life section we have a great treat in the form or a BBQ rub recipe called "Tom's Texas BBQ Rub"... this comes from a champion BBQ expert originally from Texas and now here in Fort Collins, Tom Tabor. What's cool is Tabor works right down the road from where I am and is employed by Miner & Miner... kudos Tom and thanks for the recipe! FYI, Tabor recently won the Pueblo Boats, Blues, and BBQ Cook-off and has secured a spot in the coveted Kansas City BBQ Contest.
Tom's Texas BBQ Rub:
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cumin
1/4 cup chile powder
1/2 cup blk pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup paprika
1/8 cup onion powder
1/8 cup garlic powder
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
mix and store in a tightly sealed container... mmmmmm

Slashgeo bids farewell to the geobloggers

A final post came from "Satri" regarding the end of a 2 year run on slash-geo... unfortunately the site is going the way of many popular blogs... the author simply needs to focus on his day job. This from Slashgeo and the final post -- Slashgeo's Site Closing or in Indefinite Hiatus. Thank you. .. from the So-long,-and-thanks-for-all-the-fish dept. You got that right. The best interpretation of this post's title is that the Slashgeo.org project has come to an end. Or at least in serious hiatus until the context significantly evolves. Over the last two years, Slashgeo has been a source of enjoyment and stress. As much as it has been fun, it slowly became more of a responsibility then a rewarding project. Here's some explanations and personal thoughts on the adventure. See Here

Customized iPhone Web Application for 54 Cities and 3266 Neighborhoods

Local Search for iPhone users...Outside.in (www.outsidein.com), a web service for sharing and exploring information about neighborhoods, today announced a new version of its service, designed for optimum viewing and functionality on the much-anticipated iPhone. This is the first mobile application for Outside.in’s hyper-local content, which incPublish Postludes comprehensive, up-to-the minute neighborhood news from local bloggers, along with community information from local newspapers, entertainment listings and restaurant reviews. iPhone users simply type in a zip code and the Outside.in application automatically serves up the latest headlines for that neighborhood or community. Users can also restrict their searches to specific categories, such as Entertainment, Dining, Schools, or Crime. The service works with most mobile devices that include web browsers but is optimized for the iPhone’s screen.

More Google Street View fallout - what to put on the web?

More Google Street View fallout... when is too much information too much? This from the NY Times ... "This morning, the state comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, held a news conference in Midtown Manhattan to urge Internet-based mapping services to consult with law enforcement authorities — and well, to just be responsible — in deciding what to put on the Web. Citing Google Earth among other services, he said he was worried that too much information might compromise counterterrorism efforts." Coincidentally another "street viewish" service launched recently at MapJack  (see http://www.mapjack.com) providing users street-level scenes of San Fran. Imagine if DiNpola was to see Google's future views that were exhibited at the Google Developer Day - imagine scenes that incorporate SketUp 3D scenes of the inside of buildings, imagine you walk down the street using Google's street view then you enter a building and move around... even shop using a second life! See http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/28/google-earth-makes-some-officials-nervous/

Google Maps new draggable driving directions - so sweet, so easy

Have you seen Google Maps new draggable driving directions? Its very clever and amazing to se how all these pieces to the puzzle are coming together. Now with more "draggable" functionality users can easily update their routes to get more personal and logical results. Imagine this... you want to go from Seattle to San Fran and ask for teh default directions using "maps". Chances are that you'll get routed down I-5, however, maybe you want to make sure you spend a couple of days along the coast through Washington and Oregon... no problem. Simply enter a couple of locations along the coast that you want to visit (maybe Long Beach, and Astoria) - just drag your route over to the 101 and your route is updated. Also, try simply right-clicking to provide input for the common "directions from here" and "to here" functionality.. its very fast and handy. Be sure to give it a try - http://maps.google.com