ArcGIS server Flex API

ESRI announced the new ArcGIS API for Flex Beta at the ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, California, which was held August 4–8, 2008. Read more at DM press release...

First look and feel is quite good, but it's really still a beta ;-)


Also listen to the podcast at the same topic.

Whereyougonnabe

Whereyougonnabe application has now gone live, Facebook account users can try it out here. Read more information about the application at our founder Peter Batty's blog (announcement and review).

Whereyougonnabe is a service which enables you to geocode and save locations where and when you will be doing things in the future (where you gonna be?), also you can see when your friends will be close to you. You can view information on Google maps in both in a browser and using Google Earth.

Map portals in Latvia

There're three main local players in Latvian internet-mapping market:

Jana Seta: best quality and coverage of maps and addresses, operating mainly raster images not GIS databases, limited software functionalities.
See demo here

BOD and Datorkarte: good map scales but not the best coverage, quality and updatedness, many additional layers, limited software functionalities.
See demos here

Envirotech (H-Nit daughter-company): local ESRI reseller, available ArcGIS server functionalites, not active in public internet market, state owned data:
See demo here

MapCat homepage

Our MapCat homepage is finally ready (yeah, almost - use FF please :-). Here you can find lots of demos, product descriptions, reference projects and information about us:


Demo site is funded by Enterprise Estonia within Finnish export plan of Regio. Finnish version will be available soon.

New GUI for tourism applications

As a result of GISSER (one of our R&D projects funded by Enterprise Estonia) new release of our tourism map-applications will be launched next week. First customer using upgraded technology and advanced GUI will be the biggest Estonian internet portal Delfi (see application under construction here).

Application is built based MapCat technology and attractive GUI for tourism-like type of applications is designed in cooperation with Webmedia design division. Long-term objective of this cooperation was to elaborate GUI traits characteristic to all our webmap applications including MapCat API.

Newsletter about ASP services and data updates

We started to send newsletter to our customers (only in estonian). Main motivator of doing this was need for updated information about our services and data updates, but also software upgrades and latest customer projects.

Regio runs biggest masperver in Baltics and more than 100 applications are using our ASP services daily. See newsletter archive in blog and also latest release about map updates here

JavaScript Map API comparison

Look at comparison of performance and developer friendliness of JavaScript mapping APIs by Niall Kennedy here...

See also Mapstraction.com website (library that provides a common API for various javascript mapping APIs to enable switching from one to another) and demos.

Papervision3D Public Beta

Papervision is 3D engine released under the MIT Open Source litsense:

...It started as a simple way to transform MovieClips to achieve the 3D illusion. By changing their position, size, rotation and skew you could almost forgive the lack of perspective. But the latest version, fully optimised for Flash 8 Image API, uses triangle tesselation to distort textures. Now we can render complex objects in “real 3D”!


Read also Adobe's article" Mapping Flash video to 3D objects".

Cooperation of Microsoft and Maporama

Microsoft’s Virtual Earth mapping platform featuring roadmaps, satellite and aerial imagery, plus bird’s eye and 3-D views will be available for Maporama Intl corporate customers. They will benefit from increasingly innovative and complete solutions to meet their business needs: geolocalization, business intelligence, geomarketing, and mobility. Read the press release...

Flex for ESRI?

Whereas we've combined Adobe Flash + AJAX technology and Minnesota server components to create rich internet applications (RIA's) many years for today, Esri has started partnership to develop their new generation platform also:

...Universal Mind Inc. today announced it will team with ESRI and Adobe to create a new generation of rich Internet applications that leverage ESRI’s enterprise GIS platform and Adobe® Flex™ software to make geographic analysis and access easy and ubiquitous. Read more (DM 22.06.2007)...


See also Google Maps travel and exploration mashup Geowalk with new UI made with Adobe Flex 3(See previous version of GeoWalk). More from Googlemapsmania

Is it allowed?

Many customers have asked, is it possible to use Google free API for applications like SeeMe launched lately. The answer is: NO, IT'S NOT ALLOWED! License says: "Except where you have been specifically licensed to do so by Google, you may not use Google Maps with any products, systems, or applications installed or otherwise connected to or in communication with vehicles, capable of vehicle navigation, positioning, dispatch, real time route guidance, fleet management or similar applications".

See also additional terms of Google API:
…Service may not be used: (a) for or with real time route guidance (including without limitation, turn-by-turn route guidance and other routing that is enabled through the use of a sensor), or (b) for, or in connection with, any systems or functions for automatic or autonomous control of vehicle behavior.

Yahoo maps: new design, new engine

Cartifact announced that their map design work is prominently featured in the recently released version of Yahoo! Maps worldwide. The goal of the project was to create a style distinct from other web maps, in both visual appeal and content. Yahoo! officially launched the new map styles on May 16.

Also it seems Yahoo has given up of using DeCarta map engine...

Animation examples

Some sexy examples about animation:
http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/2006-5-5_FedExDiversions.wmv
http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/2006-10-21-FAA-just-plots].mov
http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/2006-10-21-FAA-sees-USA.mov
http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/2006-5-5_FedEx_25HR_OPS.wmv

Sharing Data Visualization

IBM is showing that there's more to the social Internet than just sharing pictures and video clips. The company has launched a new website, called Many Eyes, with the hope of adding a social aspect to data visualizations like maps, network diagrams, and scatter plots. Already the site is being used by everyone from Bible researchers to college professors. Read more...

Many Eyes visualization gallery
Selection of Technology Review

James Fee GIS blog

Something worth of attention, man from our planet :-)

James Fee GIS blog

Blogging GIS, ESRI, Google Earth, Virtual Earth and Programming

Some interesting stuff at first glance:

Esri and flash see also Esri flash client components for ArcIMS here

Esri Server vs Open Source solutions

Kuler - Adobe’s Flash Based Color Pallet Generator

Google ignores Katrina :-)

Article about Google Maps using pre-Katrina satellite photos of New Orleans. Washington Post has more

See also minut.ee

GM Terms and Conditions

General use
http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/help/terms_local.html

GM enterprise
http://www.google.com/enterprise/maps/

Flash usage and statistics

Statistics of usage of flash player versions:
http://www.adobe.com/products/player_census/flashplayer/version_penetration.html

...and comparison with other plug-ins:
http://www.adobe.com/products/player_census/flashplayer/

Standard for tiling

Open Source Geospatioal Foundation has initiated some work to standardize raster tiling technology as technology for back-drop maps in map applications. Read more...

Flex on Google Maps

Google Maps Collaboration using Flex, Flash Media Server and Ajax (Updated for Flex 2 GA)

Interesting tool wherein some nice features have been implemented from our roadap:

- Map sharing: Maps are kept in sync (in real time) between users involved in a collaboration session.
- Videoconferencing (Webcam sharing and VOIP): You can share your Webcam and microphone to add video and audio to your collaboration session.
- Whiteboarding: Collaborating users can draw on the map. For example you could draw potential directions, etc. The users’ whiteboards are kept in sync in real time.
- Cursor sharing: When you move your mouse, other users see the movements of your mouse and what you are pointing at.

Look at the demo here (username 'quest' worked well)