Looking for a little professional development? Take note of tomorrow’s webinar, scheduled to take place tomorrow (Dec 1) at 10 AM EDT (8 AM Central). The webcast will include an introduction to the PCI Geomatics/Microsoft Vexcel Imaging alliance from Alexander Weichert, Business Director of Microsoft and Managing Director for Vexcel Imaging GmbH, and will be followed by a presentation and demonstration of the GeoImaging Accelerator Aerial production system from David Piekny, Product Manager for PCI Geomatics. See complete details and register online
Archives for November 2010
Prepare to Believe Again As NORAD Tracks Santa
I’m not too big into all the Commercial Christmas hooplah yadayada… but I am big into the Christmas tradition and traditional Christmas fun. And so, I’m stoked that Norad Santa will officially go live tomorrow, December 1, 2010… awesome! See http://www.noradsanta.org or if you’re on Twitter you can follow him @noradsanta or on FB see www.facebook.com/noradnorthcom
I’ve covered off details of NORAD Santa a number of times over the years… add to that, I’ve also used the service to track Santa ever since I was a little kid. For details check out:
- The NORAD Santa Tradition Continues with expanded Social Media presence – some history
- Believe again!! NORAD Santa prepares to Track Santa on Christmas Eve – mobile app too!
- For more than 50 years, NORAD is Tracking Santa
- Believe!! NORAD Santa prepares to Track Santa on Christmas Eve
The tradition began after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. store advertisement for children to call Santa on a special “hotline” included an inadvertently misprinted telephone number. Instead of Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations “hotline.” The Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, received the first “Santa” call on Christmas Eve 1955.
Ok social checkin fans I’m calling it, watch out for #SCVNGR
SCVNGR (think scavenger) is a social check in game all about going places. Available on iPhone and Android mobile clients and there’s also developer tools available for those who want to build on the platform. See scvngr.com. USers can enjoy a fun, social gaming experience, share details via facebook and Twitter, snap and include photos, go on a scavenger hunt, create a game, and much more.
Ok social checkin fans I’m calling it, watch out for #scvngr …
Originally uploaded by GISuser.com GIS and Social, Mobile Tech Images
SCVNGR | How To Play from SCVNGR on Vimeo.
Wow, the power of a Twitter Retweet RT and a Social Contest or Give Away
Do you monitor your Twitter stats? Indeed it takes time and many companies are already quite concerned with the amount of time that social media (and Twitter in particular) can consume. But here’s a suggestion as to how you can qualify your tweets and figure out some patterns showing you just what topics are of interest to your followers resulting in more clicks and added followers via your network.
The graphic shows a sample statistic (using Hootsuite mobile Twitter client) from a recent tweet (Actually a ReTweet) and indicates a tremendous click-through response. when you consider that a tweet really only has signifigant life for a few seconds, securing hundreds of clicks from a single mention is quite impressive. The lesson here, tweet items of interest, encourage others to ReTweet, and consider a contest with real, interesting prizes! Please feel free to ReTweet this posting ;0)
Wow, the power of a Twitter Retweet RT
Originally uploaded by GISuser.com GIS and Social, Mobile Tech Images
Google Earth 6 Adds 3D Trees – 80 million and counting!
3D scenes and models are now even more realistic in Google Earth 6 thanks to 3D Trees. From Google… With 3D trees in Google Earth, we’ve brought characteristic trees to life, from the palm trees that dot San Francisco’s bayfront Embarcadero Street, to the olive trees that cling to the Acropolis in Athens, to the flowering dogwoods found in Tokyo’s parks. All told, there are around 50 different tree species to explore in Google Earth and counting – This first release of 3D trees in Google Earth includes more than 80 million trees to study and explore Source: Lat/Long blog) – download Google Earth 6
iPhone Auto Correct Fun – Dam you Auto Correct!
If you’ve ever used an iPhone and have auto-correct enabled then you’ll be loving this resource… enter Dam You Auto Correct http://damnyouautocorrect.com/ – the funny resource takes a light-hearted look at the joys and pitfalls associated with the iPhone auto-correct feature. I still to this day bust a gut when I think of the day that I was Tweeting from my iPhone and auto-correct replaced “Whitehouse” in my tweet with “WhoreHouse”… too much fun! What’s your favorite or most embarrassing auto-correct Fail??Remember, always read your post before hitting that “Send” button… (thanks to @manomarks for the tip off!)
Event Tip – SQL 08/Bing Maps Connector Web series
Here’s a tip off about an online event from Microsoft – Unlock the spatial data stored in Microsoft SQL Server 2008, part of the SQL 08/Bing Maps Connector Web series. Event details…
Attend this webcast and learn how SQL Server 2008 can help you visualize your data on a map using a free download called DataConnector. You’re most likely already familiar with SQL Server support for spatial data and now with DataConnector viewing this data on a map from Microsoft Bing is even easier. In no time at all using DataConnector you’ll be a wizard at displaying your organization’s geospatial data on a map or image of the world! This web cast will introduce DataConnector and relevant components, and we will deep dive on Microsoft Bing Maps and Microsoft SQL Server 2008’s spatial features and APIs.
DataConnector can help you:
- View SQL Server 2008 spatial data on a map or image of the world
- Create lines and polygons (right on the map!) and store them to SQL Server 2008
- Save your organization money leveraging the Microsoft software you most likely already own
- Utilize vector and raster data and query/display this data rapidly
Mobile Devs… Submit a paper to NN4D and Win a Nokia N8
Here’s a cool opportunity from Navteq, enabling developers to contribute their expertise to the NAVTEQ NN4D developer library and also have a chance at scoring a Nokia N8 smartphone. Contest details… To enter, submit a short article or video on the best practices of using NAVTEQ’s APIs. A panel of experts will review all submissions, and the best of the best will be published on NN4D.com. Additionally one whitepaper and one video will be selected to win the grand prize, a Nokia N8. See more details HERE or enter now! The submission deadline is December 30, 2010
Cool Technology – 3D Machine Control in Amsterdam
A great story from the Netherlands as MachineControlOnline Editor, Randy Noland, walks us through a cool story about 3D Machine Control on a massive scale in recent projects in Amsterdam – amazing how the topic of 3D, positioning, control, surveying and mapping can be such a crucial component in the construction industry… slightly off out typical topic but indeed cool technology! Source, MachineControlOnline
Event Tip – International Open Data hackathon
An interesting movement is scheduled to take place December 4th… International open data hackathon. What is it?? It’s a gathering of citizens in cities around the world to write applications using open public data to show support for and encourage the adoption open data policies by the world’s local, regional and national governments. The events will be Dec 4 2010, open to all, anything is hackable with open data, the results are all sharable. See more details at http://www.opendataday.org/