PublicEarth 'Wiki for Places'

PublicEarth 'Wiki for Places'

PublicEarth is a'wikipedia for places' that can be extended by users. Using Google Maps to display 'crowdsourced' Points of Interest [POI] locations.
Guests can view the data in a read-only format whereas registered users rate places,create collections and can personalise their suggestions.


Clean, Fast Public Earth Points of Interests [POI] Layers.

example:
http://www.publicearth.com/explore/2c51606a-c99f-11de-addb-00163e75a173?swx=-1.5652084350585938&swy=50.844538088124565&nex=-1.2411117553710938&ney=50.96534632163772#page=0


PublicEarth has currently 4 million + POI's and rising, all grouped into a number of categories. PublicEarth has over 450 categories, these include the usual categories such as restaurants and entertainment but also more unusual topics.

Full List of Catergories
http://www.publicearth.com/categories/browse
include
Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Recreation & the Outdoors
Shopping
Community Essentials
Places to Stay
Food & Drink.

Some different catergories to the norm.
Fossil Sites, Kiteboarding Locations, Public Rooftops, Shipwrecks, Sundials, Street Art

The site allows the user to plan a trip or a day out and then send the saved locations to a GPS device, a mobile phone or e-mail them to friends. PublicEarth also lets you display your saved places on your own website or blog by creating and embedding a widget.

The site even comes with an API that allows developers to access PublicEarth's huge database of recommendations.

Ordnance Survey Maps to go FREE Online

Ordnance Survey Maps [and Data] to go FREE Online by April 2010.

updated: 18th November 2009.

News coverage on this story

Ed Parsons (former CTO at OS now Geospatial Technologist at Google)
http://www.edparsons.com/2009/11/now-why-was-that-so-difficult/

BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8366190.stm

Number10
http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page21343
The Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6920761.ece
TechRadar
http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/ordnance-survey-maps-now-free-online-652001
eGov
http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/30951
PublicNet
http://www.publicnet.co.uk/news/2009/11/18/plan-to-make-os-data-available-to-improve-public-services/


Groundbreaking News this is amazing turn-around for UK Government Geo-Spatial Datasets.



Thanks to Sir Tim Berners-Lee (& inventing the World Wide Web)

"The government is to explore ways of making all Ordnance Survey maps freely available online from April"

Today's announcement will be followed by a speech, due next week by the chief secretary to the Treasury, Liam Byrne, explaining how the freeing up of data, alongside the scaling back of other functions of central government, could lead to a "smarter state".


1:10,000 Raster Maps might be available for all in April 2010....
image source for illustration only.
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/images/userImages/misc/products/10kraster/map-image-10k-lrg.gif

This is likely to include Flood Mapping Data, 1:10,000 data [Vector & Raster Datasets], Highways Agency Traffic Data and much more.
reports are conflicting whether 1:25,000 data will be freed (to be confirmed)
"sets of public data currently not freely available include wills dating back to 1858, house values recorded in the Land Registry, maps, and flood-risk data for individual homes"

***More important is vector data as users can create thier own maps/styles with it.
Will be interesting to know the re-licencing of these products and deriving from such sources conflicts with crown copyright.

The online maps would be free to all, including commercial users who, previously, had to acquire expensive and restrictive licences at £5,000 per usage, a fee many entrepreneurs felt was too high.

Noted on the Guardian:
Today the union representing staff at the OS stated that Brown's pledge was in "complete contradiction with the OS's own plans to explore commercial opportunities and find new ways of raising revenue".
Read more
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/17/ordnance-survey-maps-online
(and thanks for running the Free Our Data Campaign over the years)

Free Wall Maps to Print - Geography Awareness Week

Free Wall Maps to Print - Geography Awareness Week

National Geographic sponsors & highlights:

Geography Awareness Week 2009, with its theme of "Get Lost in Mapping: Find Your Place in the World" was kicked off on Sunday 15th November 2009.


"The Geography Awareness Week Web site offers students, teachers and the public access to games, activities and lessons about mapping. The site features contributions from National Geographic and partner organizations such as Google and ESRI. Visitors can learn about mapping at home and at school, as well as experiencing geospatial technologies and learning how to become "map activists." Visitors can explore maps of all sizes, from high-tech to low-tech, and can download a free poster-size National Geographic world map for the bedroom or living room wall. Google Earth tours offer virtual interactions with fascinating people and places, and engaging videos explain how today's geospatial revolution is changing everything from shipping to warfare."



http://mywonderfulworld.org/pdf/mww_worldpol.pdf
[pdf that can be printed in 6 sections]


There are more wall maps across the world Physical/Political /Terrain to download and print out are available here:
http://java.nationalgeographic.com/studentatlas/printpdf.html?

source:
http://www.directionsmag.com/press.releases/index.php?duty=Show&id=39752

Advantage West Midlands Using OpenStreetMap

Advantage West Midlands Using OpenStreetMap

One of the first commercial enterprises to fully take on 'crowdsourced' maps
A huge boost to OpenStreetMap



Advantage West Midlands is the regional development agency (RDA) for the West Midlands. We are one of nine RDAs in England established to transform the English regions through sustainable economic development.

AWMist (A Web Map-based Information Search Tool)
AWMist has data about ICT and electronics businesses, about public sector supporting projects and services, about universities and their research groups, and about private sector professional services and training organisations from the West Midlands.

The purpose of AWMist is to encourage and foster collaboration between businesses, universities, local, regional, national and transnational agencies and organisations by greatly increasing the speed and ease by which organisations can easily identify potential partners and business opportunities.

West Midlands chose a solution based on OSM for its more open commercial terms and lack of technical restrictions when compared to rival map providers. The fact that the data for the West Midlands was collected and maintained locally was also a factor in the decision.

quote:
"One more example Open Source, GIS and Open Street Map in particular making a difference in this highly competitive world."

source:
http://www.openstreetmap.org/user/brianboru/diary/8617#comments

South Downs National Park - Map Confirmed

South Downs National Park - Map Confirmed

After months of debate. The final boundaries have been confirmed of what is inside England's newest National Park.


England's Newest National Park Boundaries are now confirmed.

"Following a period of public consultation the Countryside Agency (as predecessor body to Natural England) made a National Park Designation Order in December 2002 detailing the area that it believed should be included within a South Downs National Park. A Variation Order was subsequently made in 2004 so as to include additional land. The proposed boundary was considered at a public local inquiry (in two phases) (and a later public hearing to consider some additional areas). Following consideration of the Inspector’s reports, Hilary Benn, Secretary of State decided that there was an area which met the designation criteria under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and that the principle of a National Park for this area had been established."

More Related Information

Lastest Maps (PDF files)
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designatedareas/new/southdowns/default.aspx

Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Downs_National_Park

South Downs Online
http://www.southdownsonline.org/

Defra
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2009/country-1112.htm

The Secretary of State decided to confirm the Designation Order and the Variation Order boundary subject to a number of modifications, as set out in his decision letters of 31st March 2009 (PDF 181KB) and 12th November 2009 (PDF 41 KB).

Details of the inquiry and hearing can be found on the Planning Inspectorate website.

A more detailed map can be found on Natural England’s website.

What does designation mean?

Designation as a National Park is a formal recognition of the South Down’s special qualities in terms of natural beauty and opportunities for open-air recreation. It means that:

• the area has the highest level of landscape protection under the planning system

• there is a fixed boundary for the area to be protected

• public bodies and others are required to have regard to National Park purposes when operating in the area

• it permits a National Park authority to be established (under the Environment Act 1995) to carry out functions associated with the Park.

National Parks, along with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are considered to be the nation’s finest landscapes. They form part of a worldwide network of protected landscapes established by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature/World Conservation Union).

The formal designation of the South Downs National Park will be on 31 March 2010.

Marine Protected Area (MPA) Map - UK

Marine Protected Area (MPA) Map - UK


The interactive map illustrates the location of the different MPAs in the UK. For each site there is information about its designation, interest features and a link to a relevant website.

A Marine Protected Area (MPA) is often defined as any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain, together with its overlaying water and associated fauna, flora, historical and cultural features, which has been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment.

Related to this is the Marine and Coastal Access Bill
"The Marine and Coastal Access Bill will ensure clean healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas, by putting in place better systems for delivering sustainable development of marine and coastal environment."
More Information
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/marine/legislation/index.htm

Bing Maps Revamp - Draggable Routes

Bing Maps Revamp - Draggable Routes


Routes can be picked up and moved around the current map - distances are shown on the fly.


Information on private roads and gated roads is much clearer now.

New Functions

• Draggable Routes – Bing Maps now allows you to generate a route, then you can change the route, you can simply grab any part of it and drag it to where you want the route to actually go. To use draggable routes, click the directions link in the welcome pane or the car icon near the bottom of the welcome pane. Enter a start and end, generate a route, then grab anywhere on the route to move the route line. The route will regenerate for you.
• Zoom Bar – No longer just a zoom in and zoom out button, the zoom bar allows you to jump to specific zoom levels within predefined settings.

View Larger Map
Get Directions
View Bird's Eye

• Embeddable Map Cutomizer (EMC) – You can now take a map view right from Bing Maps and embed it into your site. To do this, you’ll want to click the Share button once your map is where you want it to be. You can copy the embed code from there; or, you can click the Customize View link which will take you to the embeddable map customizer (EMC). The EMC allows you to set a map to the map height and width (small, medium, large or custom); the map type (static or draggable); the map styles (road, aerial, aerial w/ labels); and, add links to Bing Maps for Viewing a Larger Map or Getting Directions. Once you’ve set everything the way you want it, click Generate Code and there is your code. You copy it, then paste it into your web page and you’ll have the map you wanted.
  

Backend:
Dynamic Compute – We’ve moved the processing power closer to the user. Using Microsoft’s ECN, we now have Bing Maps running in data centers in 7 locations around the world. This means wherever you are around the world, you will access Bing Maps from the closest geographic node to where you are physically located.

Front End
New Navigation – We also added a subset of features to a button bar along the bottom of the welcome pane. Each button loads features on Bing Maps. Welcome loads the welcome pane; the car loads the route planner; the star loads My Places, formerly called Collections; the envelop loads the ability to share the map with someone via email, copying a URL or embedding the map into a web page (more on that below); the printer icon is for printing; and, stoplight will load a traffic overlay with flow and incident information.

Faster Cold Start:
Diet Bing Maps - The default Bing Maps home page dropped from 678kb to 484kb. It zips through the pipes much faster now.

source:
http://www.bing.com/community/blogs/maps/archive/2009/11/10/bing-maps-gets-an-overhaul-and-some-new-features.aspx

Street View - Gran Canaria & Tenerife.

Street View - Gran Canaria & Tenerife. (Hawaii too)

Gran Canaria

Tenerife

Don't Forget the 50th State of the United States too. Hawaii

Official Blog
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/fifty-states-of-street-view.html

Google Street View Mexico Arrives

Google Street View Mexico Arrives



Mexico City
Monterrey
Guadalajara
Puerto Vallarta
Cancun
Playa del Carmen
Cozumel

nice views on the Google Maps Mania Blog
http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/2009/11/mexico-gets-street-view.html

Network West Midlands - Live Bus, Train and Metro Map

Network West Midlands - Live Bus, Train and Metro Map


Interactive Travel Map - this is information overlaid on to Google Maps showing live information from http://www.networkwestmidlands.co.uk/

The Interactive Live Map shows:

• Bus stops (real time bus timetables, where available) rail stations (train departure and arrival times) and Metro stops.
• See forthcoming departures (live for rail and bus)
• Link through to full timetables relevant for each station and stop
• See the 8-letter bus stop code for a particular bus stop.
  

The map functions:

• Search box Type a road, town or village, postcode, bus stop name or bus stop code list matching bus stop results in the left panel.
• Map top strip Tick/untick a checkbox to show/hide those map icons.
• Map & markers You can pan, zoom and scroll using your mouse and the Google map controls (and the small map view in the bottom right-hand corner).
• Left side links Select Rail or Metro to list local rail or metro stops
• Left panel Bus stops matching your search are displayed as lists of links.
• Quicklist Moves the map to an locality on the drop-down list.
  

View the Live Interactive Map
http://netwmtravelmap.com/

OpenStreetMap Data 'On Demand' with Quantum GIS 'Mimas'

OpenStreetMap Data 'On Demand' with Quantum GIS 'Mimas'

Updated 07/11/2009

Getting the data you want.

One of the hardest things about OpenStreetMap [#OSM] is getting access to the data you want and for the location you require.
You can download large files for entire regions or countries, but why only if your going to use a small amount.
CloudMade gives you this by country. http://downloads.cloudmade.com/

Here is a solution - All software is FREE and Open Source so no excuses.


Viewing styled (Automatically) Open Street Map Data in Quantum GIS 'Mimas' [QGIS]
The data has been downloaded directly from the Open Street Map Servers [most up to date data].
**There are area limitions controlled by OpenStreetMap Servers, the plugin will warn you of this issue if required.
You also can edit, select features, query features and do spatial geoprocessing (buffer,intersect etc) on the data.

Clarification on editing the OSM data.

After selecting the area, download to a location on your computer .osm format.
you will get 3 layers called
osm points*
osm lines*
osm polygons*
*not editable
now these are 'representations' only, so you are required to load the .osm file in again.
use the openstreetmap plugin to do this
This will create two layers ways and nodes - These can be edited - right click/toggle editing.
Now you can edit your OpenStreetMap data.

Import Issues to Edit your on-demand openstreetmap data.

Please note: There are 2 'OpenStreetMap' Plugins available - both are required. But to use the editor with the data downloaded please use the 'Import OpenStreetMap' version - not the Load OSM option.


You will need the development version of Quantum GIS 'Mimas'
http://blog.qgis.org/node/138
http://qgis.org/en/download/current-software.html
http://download.osgeo.org/qgis/win32/QGIS-1.3.0-3-No-GrassSetup.exe [Direct link to Windows file 28.1mb]

Spatial Database or Shapefile?
If you want to store your OSM data and use it for other projects then storing it in a Postgres Spatial Database is a good idea.
http://www.postgresql.org/download/

With Postgis 1.4 (1.5 in dev) you can speed up functions of geoprocessing and achieve more accurate results.
Download - http://postgis.refractions.net/download/ [install after Postgres].

Or if you just want it as a common file type you can just save out to shapefile.
Good if you want to share it to others with minimum impact.

Note: There are many new plugins for Quantum GIS


For this please use the OpenStreetMap Plugin (Version 0.5) [top]
and if you choose the postgres/postgis route a very useful plugin 'PostGIS manager (Version 0.5.4)' gives users a Graphical User Interface for managing Postgres/Postgis functions.
*versions maybe different in future.

This give users the power and speed. This gives Quantum GIS the edge on Open Source and Commercial GIS by breaking down the limitations and access to geographical data directly.

Weather.com goes into the 'Future' (Bing Maps)

Weather.com goes into the 'Future' (Bing Maps)


The new 'Future' button starts moving into a predicted mode using 'trupoint' technology at 15 minute intervals up to 6 hours into the future.

http://www.weather.com/weather/map/interactive/30004?from=36hr_maps&zoom=8&interactiveMapLayer=radar

"The Weather Channel's unique TruPoint^SM technology delivers the most accurate weather reports and forecasts - for more locations - than any other weather provider.

NEW: TruPoint technology is now available on weather.com interactive maps! See exactly where storms are forecasted for up to the next six hours so you can better plan and prepare for any activity."

Summary of TruePoint Technology

A highly localized weather forecast; accurate down to a one-square mile area.

Allows you to zero in on specific places such as schools and parks.

Available every 15 minutes across a 6 hour period.

Available only within the 48 contiguous United States.

A proprietary technology developed and used exclusively by The Weather Channel.

Full details on the technology here:
http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/trupoint.html?from=hrly_trupointlogo

source:
http://www.bing.com/community/blogs/maps/archive/2009/11/01/weather-com-adds-futures-on-bing-maps.aspx

Google Maps JavaScript API v3 - Now with Directions

Google Maps JavaScript API v3 - Now with Directions

**Remember Google Maps JavaScript API v3 is designed to be super lightweight for mobile devices

This makes mapping for mobile devices a lot more useful


New Directions (Walking or Driving) in London - Google Maps V3

@mapperz example above
http://mapperz.googlepages.com/google_mapv3_directions.html

With a Directions Panel
http://mapperz.googlepages.com/google_mapv3_directions_panel.html


Code:
New required parameters

var directionDisplay;
var directionsService = new google.maps.DirectionsService();

Set Start and End locations:

function calcRoute() {
var start = document.getElementById("start").value;
var end = document.getElementById("end").value;
var request = {
origin:start,
destination:end,

Travel Modes:

travelMode: google.maps.DirectionsTravelMode.WALKING
travelMode: google.maps.DirectionsTravelMode.DRIVING

Get the response from the Geocoder if both locations geocoded then display route between locations:

directionsService.route(request, function(response, status) {
if (status == google.maps.DirectionsStatus.OK) {
directionsDisplay.setDirections(response);


See the changelog
http://code.google.com/p/gmaps-api-issues/wiki/JavascriptMapsAPIv3Changelog

revelant links
Official documentation
http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/v3/reference.html#DirectionsRenderer
http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/v3/reference.html#DirectionsService

Offical Examples:
http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/v3/examples/directions-simple.html
http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/v3/examples/directions-panel.html

source:
http://groups.google.com/group/google-maps-js-api-v3/browse_thread/thread/ee7ce7cf8a872268?hl=en#

Google Navigation Beta for Andriod

Google Navigation Beta for Andriod
(turn-by-turn GPS navigation with voice guidance for the Google Android Platform)

News update: 29/10/2009
"Shares in sat-nav device companies have fallen substantially after Google unveiled its free live sat-nav for mobiles on Wednesday.

US firm Garmin fell 18% after details of Google Maps Navigation were revealed. Dutch firm TomTom fell 9.5% when markets closed on Thursday."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8331824.stm

Google Maps Navigation is an internet-connected GPS navigation system with voice guidance. It is part of Google Maps for mobile and is available for phones with Android 2.0.


Searching for Points of Interest along your route. (users choose poi topics)

Google Maps Navigation uses your phone's internet connection to give you the latest maps and business data. But that's not all that's different about Google's approach to GPS navigation. Watch the below video to learn more.

1. Search in plain English
2. Search by Voice
3. Traffic View (see busy routes either green,yellow,red segments)
4. Search along a Route (Points of Interest of users choice along the active route)
5. Satellite View (includes direction visualisations)
6. Street View (includes direction visualisations)
7. Car Dock Mode - Landscape. (voice processing active, backlight enabled)

http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/index.html#p=default



source:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/announcing-google-maps-navigation-for.html

The Met Office Weather Maps - October 2009 update

The Met Office Weather Maps - October 2009 update

The biggest difference is speed, layers of weather data have improved and load even faster.

The rainfall layer shows you a radar image of rain across the country. The different colours show different intensities of rain, from dark blue (least severe rain) to white (most severe).

Faster radar and coverage expanded users will find the 'Tools' easier to control opacity (even in timeline mode).

Timeline: (animated weather in time lapse)

The timeline has been improved due to the layers speed, one of the most important parts of the weather map. By clicking on timeline, you can see recent observations or forecast weather.

The weather that is being displayed on the map has its date and time shown on the timeline, and its segment is highlighted in green.

Note that segments on the left-hand side (weather already happened) have a grey bottom. Segments on the right (which show show weather forecasts) have a green bottom.

As your mouse moves over each segment, you will see the date and time of the information, shown in light blue. Click the segment to display the weather you're hovering over.

With some options, there is a play button shown next to the timeline. Clicking it will step through the information one segment at a time. This can be very useful to see how rainfall or cloud is moving across your area. Click the pause button to stop the animation.

Layers that can't be animated show a play button with a red line through it.

The locations box now allows you to store up to 8 places, for quick navigation to those points on the map.


The pressure layer now shows text and lines called isobars. Each isobar connects points that have the same atmospheric pressure.


Require imperial measurements?, then they are available in preferences.
Welsh is in the pipeline but not available currently.


National Parks (Leisure areas) have now got there own unique weather warnings, specifically to highlight Blizzards, Heavy snow, Storm force winds,Gales, Severe chill effect, Persistent extensive hill fog, Thunderstorms and Heavy persistent rain.

See previous posts on this topic versions
http://mapperz.blogspot.com/2009/06/met-office-google-maps-weather.html
http://mapperz.blogspot.com/2009/07/best-uk-google-map-api-mashup-ever.html
(note suggestions have been picked up on)

Broadband Trends Map (UK)

Broadband Trends Map (UK)

Using the 'Top 10 Broadband Speed Test'
is a free-to-use speed (and compare) testing service that analyses your broadband speed in seconds. It can measure speeds on every type of broadband connection whether ADSL, cable / fibre-optic or mobile broadband (3G).

• Test your broadband speed in seconds
• See your neighbours' speeds with Broadband StreetStats™
• Find out the fastest broadband provider in your area!

http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/speedtest/#