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Poly9's product "Poly9 Globe" is self-described as a "cross-browser, cross-platform 3D globe which does not require any download." I suspect it is more of a presentation tool, though, and thus would improve on the maps currently in iMovie (which lack Great Circle animations between places!).
Still, who knows what it might turn into when connected to Placebase, the other mapping company Apple has bought recently (though neither seems to have direct access to a repository of high resolution imagery, such as what Google and Microsoft have). I'll bet on one thing, though: Whatever comes out of this acquisition, it won't require Flash to run:-)
One more thought: The more 3D globes the merrier — Google Earth and 3D Google Maps have been at it all alone in the mainstream web mapping space ever since Microsoft abandoned its 3D virtual globe in the latest iteration of Bing Maps.
4 thoughts on “links for 2010-07-14”
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hmm, interesting.
I would like to see more competition for Google but don’t you count ArcGIS explorer? at the very least its got v interesting tour features.
Rich
Hi.
I thought you might be interested in a project I’ve been working on: the CityNewsGlobe.
This software is a new way of browsing international news. By focusing on cities and highlighting places where news is increasing, this software highlights news differently than what you might see on CNN. The idea is to leave users with a real sense of what is happening all over the world.
http://woj.com/citynewsglobe
I’m curious what you think of it.
Ian
I don’t regard ArcGIS Explorer as mainstream as it hasn’t been marketed that way, nor does it have the popular mindshare. Also, it doesn’t really compete in terms of imagery and map overlays.
I see your points, I’d be thinking about it far more seriously for teaching purposes if the imagery was anything close to GE’s. And you’re right about the mindshare – Google are excellent at promoting GE.