What is special about Geospatial?

The GeolocationAPIprovides the geolocation of a device running a Gears-enabled web browser. The Geolocation API allows web apps to retrieve the user’s current position. The API should provide the following features:

• One-shot position requests (e.g. for recommendations sites — “where am I right now?”)
• Repeated position updates (e.g. for continuously updating one’s location on a map)
• Ability to get the last-known position cheaply before doing an expensive new request
• Compatibility with future use as a singleton in the standard DOM (e.g. window.geolocation)

Link: http://code.google.com/p/google-gears/wiki/GeolocationAPI

Written and submitted from Home, using my 802.11g WiFi network.

Google’s 3D data has escaped the client and is now available for your Browser. Today at Google I/O a Google Earth Browser plugin was released. With the plugin it is possible to view Google Earth mashups in the comfort of their own browser instead of having to pull up a separate client.

A small excerpt from the O’Reilly post:

This release does not change Google Maps, the mapping site on Google’s domain; it will not be serving up Google Earth imagery (yet). This release does not change all Google maps mashups into Google Earth Mashups. Instead the plugin enables developers to offer Google Earth imagery to their users very easily. I think it is notable that this is being offered to developers first. Why developers first? For one the plugin is being released at Google I/O, Google’s developer conference. I think that we should expect many developer-only treats today and tomorrow. Second, mashups can really help with distribution and help gain mindshare with those who don’t make it to Google’s sites on their own.

As Paul Rademacher, the creator of the first mashup (Housingmaps.com) and the technical lead on the project, pointed out to me during a call last week “The goal, apart from opening up Google Earth, is to bring Earth to the user. You can’t help but see Google maps when you surf now you’ll also see Google Earth.” The final reason, I am sure, is to keep Google’s main mapping site clean. Google Maps has had a lot of features added lately; they will need to spend some time figuring out a 3D UX.

Here are some sample apps for trying out. You will be prompted to download the plugin:

• www.google.com/earth/plugin/examples/samples/ - A developer sandbox. It has a list of the possible API commands. (the screenshot above)
• www.google.com/earth/plugin/examples/template/ - Go to any location you want.
• www.google.com/earth/plugin/examples/milktruck/ - A cute game where you get to drive a Milk Truck around different locations. How many developers will take on the gaming challenge?
• www.google.com/earth/plugin/examples/mapsapi/ - A potential implementation of how a 2D app could share space with a 3D one. The last screenshot (after the jump) shows this one; it’s got a really nice shot of the web-based Google Earth controls.

[via http://radar.oreilly.com/geo]

Written and submitted from Home, using my 802.11g WiFi network.

Searching the own home place with Google Earth or Google Maps is definitively one of the most popular activities for many users. “Geoimage-Austria” has provided Google with new imagery for Burgenland, Upper Austria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Salzburg. All data is older than one year, but it should be possible to recognize an object with the size of an football.

Until 2009 a new, updated image is planned, which covers whole Austria.

Sample: Villach (this is older data, but also high resolution)

[via derStandard]

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Google is planning a german edition of “StreetView”. For “StreetView” pictures from street scenes of all major cities are taken. One major issue for StreetView in Europe is privacy. The European version will definitifely include blurring mechnaisms for faces and code plate, as it was introduced in the USA.

The german newspaper Focus has interviewed Peter Fleisch from Google. He said that, they are en route around Europe and want to come to Germany. Furthermore the magaize reported that Deutsche Post is working on a simmilar project. This was accredited by Deutsche Post, and they are working on a picture database for german cities.

“Die Post möchte die Bilder unter anderem für ihre Adressdatenbank statistisch auswerten und einen virtuellen Stadtbesuch anbieten”, teilte eine Sprecherin der Datenschutzbeauftragten Nordrhein-Westfalens mit.

[via winfuture.de]

Written and submitted from Home, using my 802.11g WiFi network.

There were some indications that Streetview is comming to Europe. Streetview cars were seen in Milan, Amstadam, Rome, Paris and now Barcelona.

Which city will be the next? I’m waiting for Vienna

Foto: flickr.com

[via GWB]

Written and submitted from Home, using my 802.11g WiFi network.