Archives for April 2010
Video – Google Favorite Places and QR codes explained
Google is hyping favorite places (ie. places that Google search users seem to prefer) and is rewarding shop owners of favorite destinations by providing them with a handy sticker boasting they are a favorite place and displaying a QR code. One issue though is that Joe consumer is likely not familiar with QR codes and what to do with them. Here’s a handy video I created some time ago showing off the Nokia E71 smartphone scanner and showing how to scan a QR code.See more on Google Favorite Places here
Nanaimo, BC, Canada – Google Model Citizens!
This interesting update comes via some inspiration from Jason Birch of the City of Nanaimo (BC, Canada) as Jason shares details of how Nanaimo has taken part in the Google Model your Town Competition.
From Jason… Recently, the City of Nanaimo participated in Google’s Model Your Town competition. After a call for participation by the mayor and council, a number of community members attended a training session run by Nanaimo’s Development Services and Information Technology departments. Over the next two months, Nanaimo’s team worked hard and helped grow the number of buildings in Nanaimo’s 3D Warehouse collection from 30 to 128 (You can see these in Google Earth when you turn on the 3D Buildings layer).
The upside… “As a result of this great collaboration between city staff and residents, Nanaimo has gained an invaluable resource. Apart from the obvious benefit of showing downtown Nanaimo off to the world, this new level of completeness gives City staff an amazing resource to use for three-dimensional planning and analysis.” Kudos to Jason and the City “Geo” Team for putting Nanaimo on the map!
GIS Training, BC, Canada – Introduction to GIS for Emergency Management
Here’s some info about an interesting training opportunity for those in BC, Canada. Details… This course is ideal for anyone involved in emregency management – at any level. You don’t have to be a technology expert, just bring your basic computer skills! Note: this basic-level course is not recommended for those already proficient in GIS. In this interactive course, learn how GIS can be used to analyze information and improve decision-making around emergency events. Through discussion and actual application in our computer laboratory, explore real-world experiences and applications of GIS:
· Learn how GIS can be used across every stage of emergency management
· Explore GIS applications for specific events, such as floods, earthquakes, epidemics, fires and terrorist attacks
· Run a Google Earth tour and explore mapping applications
· Perform spatial analysis using a leading GIS software package
May 17, 18, 2010 JIBC Justice Institute of British Columbia, New Westminster, BC Canada – See Course Details
Tenth Anniversary of Open GPS Signal Initiated by President Bill Clinton
Did You Know… May 1st 2000 President Bill Clinton Opened up the GPS Signal that Enabled Navigation As We Know it Today. Some details about this provided to us via Navigon… President Bill Clinton changed the course of navigation possibilities with the push of a button that turned off the US GPS satellite dithering signal. Known as “selective availability”, this block was set up by the US government to prevent the military use of GPS by their enemies. Clinton’s decision to turn off the GPS interference signal helped mobile satellite navigation to finally make its breakthrough. See more details HERE
GPS, Did You Know?
1. Three satellites are needed to ascertain the position of a GPS receiver.
2. It takes 24 satellites and several backup satellites orbiting the Earth at a height of over 20,000 kilometers, to ensure that three satellites are available anywhere in the world and at any time.
3. Satellites transmit an uninterrupted signal detailing their current location and time, and it’s up to the GPS receiver to handle the signal delay with the help of an integrated clock to calculate its own position and speed.
4. Using distance measurements from three points, known as trilateration, exact positions are determined. The signal from the first satellite determines the receiver’s degree of longitude; the second identifies the degree of latitude. As the receiver’s integrated clock is not accurate enough to measure the exact signal delays, the clock error is calculated using a third satellite and thus identifying the exact position.
A Social Media Risk survey of 1,040 Americans
Some findings from a recent survey by Chubb Group of Insurance Companies of 1040 Americans concerning risk and social media usage.
- A third (31%) said they sometimes use their real name and sometimes use a nickname
- Only half (51%) of the people surveyed always use their real name on social networking sites
- Eighteen percent said they always use a nickname
- Two-thirds (66%) of respondents said they would not use mobile technology that shows people on social networking sites where they are located
- Nearly 20% of respondents said they have shared a negative product or service experience
- Almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents said their company had no policy for talking about the company on social networking sites
- Of the 36% who said their company had a policy, 18% said they were encouraged to talk about the company and 18% said they were prohibited from talking about the company
From the company… “Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare have created new social media risks and an environment where many people don’t know who they are talking to online. They don’t realize who can see their location, creating many exposures for individuals and companies” For more information SEE HERE
GIS Data Tip – Geological Survey of Alabama
A State resource of interest … The Geological Survey of Alabama (GSA) with support from the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) has developed and maintains a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Isite Node of the National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse that houses metadata and geospatial data sets archived by the GSA and State Oil and Gas Board. See also http://www.alabama.gov/portal/index.jsp and Virtual Alabama from Alabama DHS – for more State GIS data resources see this huge directory!
I.M. Systems Group, Inc. (IMSG) Seeks A Spatial Analyst
An interesting Geo Career Opportunity… I.M. Systems Group, Inc. (IMSG) (www.imsg.com) seeks a talented individual with experience in geographic information systems (GIS) and geospatial data management to support the NOAA Coastal Services Center (Center) assisting primarily with our Coastal and Marine Planning project. A part of the NOAA National Ocean Service, the Center’s mission is to support the environmental, social, and economic well being of the coast by linking people, information, and technology. The Center (www.csc.noaa.gov) works with various branches of NOAA and other federal agencies to bring information, services, and technology to the nation’s coastal resource managers. See complete details here & Good luck!
A sample ESRI facebook connect activity feed (Beta)
I’m testing the cool, facebook activity feed application plug-in. This app shows off what people are saying about things of interest, in this case ESRI. The very cool thing is that its tied to yoru facebook account so it should appear differently for everyone, depending on if you use facebook and who you’re connected with… interesting! I hope it looks ok for you, if not please excuse the experiment! Thanks to @mattsingley for the cool tip.
10 Awesome Things About the new, Nokia N8 Symbian Smartphone
I’ve been scoping out the new Nokia N8 today and find I’m still drooling over it! After looking over the device specs and galleries, I’ve decided on sharing 10 of the coolest things about the N8… lets hope for an unboxing one of these days ;0)
- 12 freaking MegaPixel Camera… wow!
- Carl Zeiss optics & Xenon flash… sweet!
- price of the Nokia N8 is EUR 370, before applicable taxes or subsidies… Kaching$$
- Update and view live feeds from Facebook and Twitter in a single app directly on the home screen
- comes with free global Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation
- Personalizable homescreens… love switching from work to play mode in the evening!
- For developers, its the first device integrated with Qt
- Comes in a variety of colors including Orange (our SymbianOne.com fave color!!)
- HDMI connection means I can connect to my home theatre system to watch me media gallery or movies
- Battery support for 50 hours or music playback & 6 hrs video playback
- BONUS feature… runs on Symbian^3… ohyah!
See More at http://www.nokia.com/n8 Check out a hands-on Video HERE
