- Just-announced Microsoft Popfly is a competitor to Yahoo! Pipes. From the screenshots, it looks like formidable competition indeed, and there seems to be plenty of geospatial functionality included. (As this TechCrunch image makes clear, Geonames.org’s database is provided as a resource). The beta is closed, so I can’t answer the big question in my mind: Will Microsoft manage to provide output as KML, or will it succumb to not-invented-here-ism? If the latter, that would be a big mistake, one that Yahoo! has avoided and which would hand it the geospatial mashup stakes on a platter.
- Useamap.com, the map application with easy-to-remember map URLs that was rapturously reviewed on this blog a few months ago, just got better: You can now also permalink directions, and alternative maps are available if Google’s imagery happens to be low res.
- Currently playing on my N95: J2MEMaps, which impressively renders Google My Maps’s KML output on the phone as well as all georeferenced Flickr images for the current view; and a test version of 8motions by the same developer that looks so good you want to lick it.
- Got Crackberry with GPS? MobileTracker is for you. Exports your tracks to KML. $24
- Got PocketPC with GPS? GPS Tuner imports and exports KML. $24-$48
- Trip Tracker Sportsmate is a Dutch site that lets you upload your GPS tracks for analysis and commentary. They’re currently providing live tracking of several Dutch sports events as way of advertising their services and stress-testing their system. Events are viewable in Google Earth and are updated every second. TTSM’s Reiner Fleuren writes that they’re also planning on letting individuals do private live tracking in the future.
- Freeware Windows Image viewer IrfanView version 4.0 is out, and it has the following feature relevant to this blog: “New EXIF dialog button: Show in Google Earth (if GPS data available)”
- Google’s new universal search incorporates geospatial search, of course.
- Google gets serious about scaling up its 3D buildings creation for Google Earth, and licenses an automated technology developed at Stanford. Details on Google Earth Blog.
One thought on “Links: Microsoft Popfly, Useamap.com, J2MEMaps”
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J2MEMaps is cool indeed, but have you ever heard of Mobile GMaps? I stumbled upon it recently and was amazed by its features. It was created by Cristian Streng and lets you use Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, MSN Virtual Earth and Ask.com Maps on your mobile phone together with GPS if you like. I’m sure you’ll love it too. Good luck with your blog, I even read it whilst on Holiday on Crete!