Perhaps you missed the news… this week Microsoft and DigitalGlobe announced the latest deal inked by the two – enter the Clear30 program. The Clear30 initiative is a new agreement that expands the current relationship between Microsoft and DigitalGlobe and reflects a commitment to increase accessibility and use of high-resolution digital imagery. To collect the first ever multi- continental aerial imagery from 30 cm, the companies will use the UltraCamG, a large format digital aerial camera manufactured by Vexcel Imaging. These orthophoto mosaics (USA and Europe first) will be available through Bing Maps and through DigitalGlobe channels. See more details in the official PR
Archives for October 2009
Finally, the rest of us get Twitter Lists – an intro
Well, finally, many more of us now have access to the new Twitter List feature (think Groups) that many “special” people on Twitter have been bragging about for the past couple of weeks. Indeed it s a cool, and needed feature, although I’m wondering where the heck has it been all this time?? Many add-on Twitter apps (TweetDeck, Seesmic etc…) have supported group functionality for a long time now enabling you to categorize people you follow into a logical group structure.
So, now what? If you haven’t seen it yet (or maybe still don’t have access) you’ll know when you do. Once you login via web client (twitter.com) you’ll notice a huge message asking if you want to create a new list. From then on its pretty simple. [Read more…] about Finally, the rest of us get Twitter Lists – an intro
My Shwup video and Nokia N95 mobile Photography from London #OviGoodThings
A little mobile photo fun… Another look at a few of my favorite images recently captured in London on the Ovi Good Things event… enjoy this fun video presentation (put together with the very fun and slick, shwup service) highlighting some of the fine images captured using the awesome camera that comes in the Nokia N95 8GB… a fine device!
Google Rolls Out Turn-by-turn Navigation via Google Maps Navigation for Android
I’m a big fan of mobile maps and more recently, mobile navigation. In all honesty, I’ve never really had a need or desire to pay a monthly fee for navigation and it seems many others are in the same boat. Well now, as could be expected, Google is rolling out Navigation (Beta), great news for Android device users… not sure what this will mean for other device users (iPhone, Symbian s60 etc…) The service appears to adopt a similar approach that Waze and INRIX has been using where connected users act as sensors and provide live, real-time traffic information and even data updates. The results are compiled and redistributed to the user base in the form of navigation instructions and directions.
Features include voice recognition search, live data and traffic updates, alternate route suggestions, added layers of suggested POIs, and perhaps the coolest feature, the availability of viewing in satellite or street view more. I can’t wait to grab my MyTouch and give this a test run to see how it compares… you have to wonder what’s going on in the meeting rooms inside TomTom, Garmin, and others! The video below describes 7 things you can do with Google Maps Nav… See more on the Google Mobile blog
Nokia and the N900 Wedding Catastrophe Video
The Nokia N900 is slowly rolling out to Beta testers and those fortunate enough to get a pre-release trial unit… Nokia has also just rolled out a series of videos designed to tout the merits of this impressive, converged smartphone… enjoy! See more at http://www.youtube.com/nokia
Update your facebook and Twitter via MySkyStatus + Google Maps
I stumbled onto an interest social location-enabled travel application while following Ed Parsons of Google on Twitter @edparsons. Using the Lufthansa MySkyStatus service, Ed is providing regular updates to his social media resources (Twitter, facebook) via the application. MySkyStatus provides regular updates (see Twitter example here) on a map (Google maps API in use) as well as notices to facebook and/or Twitter depending on how the user has configured the services. What an awesome social location service that I hope to see from all airlines in the future. On a somewhat related matter, I was very pleasantly surprised to see that on a visit to London’s Heathrow Terminal 5, a Twitter post that I sent while having lunch in the terminal was picked up and re-tweeted (RT) by the official Heathrow Twitter account (another great travel service) and then I also noticed how others in Terminal 5 can connect with others in the terminal via the #T5 hashtag… very clever! The sly is the limit when it comes to social media it seems! See more on the MySkyStatus service at http://myskystatus.com
More Images from London, Nokia Ovi Map Good Things Tour #OviGoodthings
Some more images from the recently held Nokia / Ovi Maps Good Things kick off event. The following images were captured with the Nokia N97 smartphone. See more about the event on Twitter via #OviGoodThings or See More info HERE. NOTE: See All the images in full res. on Ovi Share – See Album #1 Here, See Album #2 HERE
GeoCities R.I.P as Yahoo! pulls the plug
I doubt that there will be very many tears shed, however, one of the web’s old timer resources is shutting down today as Yahoo! pulls the plug on GeoCities. I have to admit, I haven’t even looked at a GeoCities site in over a decade and I suspect that very few of you have either. In my opinion there really wasn’t very much traditional “Geo” involved in GeoCities although you have to admit it was a great name and likely pretty high in demand… anyway, so long GeoCities http://geocities.yahoo.com/
New Mobile Innovation Center to Focus on Open Source Innovation
Interesting news from Qualcomm this week being officially announced at the Symbian Event (SEE09) in London as the mobile giant announces a new innovation center that will focus on mobile development in the open source arena. Qualcomm has established a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc. (QuIC), focused on mobile open source platforms. QuIC has brought together a dedicated group of engineers to optimize open source software with Qualcomm technology. These engineers will focus on such important open source initiatives as Linux and Webkit, and on open source operating systems such as Symbian, Android and Chrome.” See More details here
Related: More posts on Mobile Tech HERE & see here for Open Source news updates
Add Good Things to Ovi Maps online or from the N97 or new N97 mini #OviGoodThings
Last week in London, some 10 Mobile bloggers and mobile technology enthusiasts were in London to help Nokia promote the launch of Ovi Maps Good Things campaign. A promotion designed to encourage users of the Nokia N97 and new N97 mini to add “Good Things” to Ovi maps… check out more details and add your good things at http://maps.ovi.com/goodthings/ – once uploaded, your good things will appear on the World’s largest sign post suspended in the center of London for all to view.. the sign arrow will even be oriented to point in the direction of your good thing along with your message.
More about the sign post – To celebrate the launch of the Nokia N97 mini with in-built OVI Maps, the 40ft long signpost will be unveiled on 23rd October, asking people to send in their ‘Good Things’ to http://www.nokia.co.uk/maps or text 62010 to have it displayed above London’s skyline. Nokia’s record-breaking signpost is in the shape of a huge brightly lit arrow pointing to the nation’s favourite places as sent in by people across the UK. Anything from the best gastropub in Grimsby to the finest hotel in Brighton, or even a special one off gig with Alexandra Burke.
A reminder, to see more about how to post your own Good Things, see this recent post:
Save all your Good Things with Nokia Ovi Maps
Images from London found below in the slideshow, else see directly in full res on Ovi Share