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App allows citizen scientists to track monarch butterfly migration
If you've ever pulled out your phone to take a picture of a butterfly, researchers want your help. A team from the University of Maine is using an app that lets citizens scientists along the East Coast take photos of monarch butterfly migration sites and log details about where they're found. The responses will be compiled in an online database and help researchers determine if their monarch migration predictions are accurate.
Russia lets anyone use Earth-sensing data from its civilian satellites
The US government has been willing to loosen its grip on satellite data, but what about the info from other countries? Don't worry, that's opening up as well. Russia has declared that the Earth-sensing data it collects from civilian satellites is now available to the public, not just the government -- if you want to track St. Petersburg's urban sprawl, you probably can. Officials are keen to tout the advantages for Russian businesses that rely on maps, but the move should also help anyone who wants a more complete picture of how the world works. [Image credit: AP Photo]
TED founder thinks big data needs a big makeover
Richard Saul Wurman isn't a fan of President Barack Obama's push for data.gov, an online repository for big data. "That's just politicians talking," the 79-year-old TED (technology, entertainment, design) conference founder told me. "I think there will be a pushback saying, 'We don't understand all this fucking data.'" The way Wurman sees it, that bulk collection of raw information has no value without a creative means of diagramming, mapping and comparing it all in a way that gives it meaning. "[You] have to have it in a form that you can understand. They're leaving that step out," he said. It's that approach to the organization of data that has directly informed the creation of Wurman's high-tech information-mapping project, Urban Observatory.
Ninja gear to premiere in North American Aion
Shaking up the usual order of things, NCsoft is actually premiering new Aion armor and weapon skins in North America before anywhere else in the world, including Korea. The studio just revealed the Shadow Wraith sets coming next week. Daevas who love the ninja movement in-game may also love the new ninja-themed armor sets, gis, and weapons. Without any stats of their own, these items can be skinned onto existing armor in game for a completely new look. These skins will available in the BlackCloud Marketplace starting October 17th. Get an exclusive look at all of the looks in the gallery below, and check out Aion's new 3.5 patch that is live now! [Source NCsoft press release]%Gallery-165495%
Magellan's eXplorist Pro 10 does GIS data collection for $700, makes Google maps green with envy
It's been quite awhile since we last saw a GIS unit from Magellan, but the company is once again dipping its toes in the cold, clear waters of GPS data collection. Running Windows Mobile 6.5 (so it'll play nice with existing GIS data collection programs) and powered by dual AA disposables, the eXplorist Pro 10 has a three-inch 240 x 400 color transreflective display -- so on-screen site surveying is as easy in direct sunlight as it is in the dark of night. The device fears neither raincloud nor Super Soaker and comes with a 533 Mhz CPU, 128MB of RAM, 4GB of onboard memory, and room for more bits and bytes via microSD. A 3.2 megapixel camera, three-axis compass, pressure altimeter, and a barometer round out the geographic measurement gear, and a Bluetooth radio is included for connecting peripherals should the existing array of tools be insufficient for your mapmaking needs. On sale now for $699.99, the Pro 10 is aimed squarely at the pro crowd (shocking, we know), but Google's pretty much made casual cartography unnecessary, anyway. Press release is after the break.
Ricoh announces new GPS unit, new firmware for 500SE camera
It's been a while since we've seen any major updates for Ricoh's 500SE camera, but if you're in the mood, here's a heads up: the company has just announced its new SE-2 GPS module. Designed by EKA Technologies, Inc., this bad boy sports a new helix antenna, which should provide better reception and accuracy, and smaller fix times. Available in two flavors, the SE-2g (GPS only) has an MSRP of $169, while the SE-2c offers GPS and a 3-axis compass for direction information for an MSRP of $399. And if that weren't enough, the company has just announced new firmware for the camera that enhances its ability to store field data and embed it into images for GIS mapping applications. The new firmware also allows up to three attributes as well as GPS position, azimuth, and UTC (satellite time) to be imprinted directly onto images as they are captured. Pretty awesome, right? Full PR available after the break.
Magellan introduces the MobileMapper CX pro GPS unit
GPS and mapping might be ubiquitous now, but all those cute little devices still need to get their data from somewhere, and Magellan's got the answer for the pro-level GIS user with their MobileMapper CX GPS. The WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled CX can interface with remote databases, connect to other units, and even browse the web, while the phone-inspired interface lets mapmakers and surveyors log data one-handed. The CX runs an open version of WinCE 5.0, which Magellan touts as being easy to develop for, and features SD expansion for those data-intensive field excursions. No word on pricing or availability, but we're certain the five of you who need this thing are already on the phone -- or driving to the nearest reseller in your crazy map-cars.
Trimble offers Juno ST GPS PDA to the mobile workforce
Businesses and organizations looking to deploy location-aware handhelds to large numbers of personnel will be delighted to hear about Trimble's new Juno ST GPS / GIS PDA, which promises to be a low-cost solution that's equally at home behind a desk or in the field. Featuring a 300MHz processor running Windows Mobile 5, 'high-sensitivity' GPS receiver, WiFi, Bluetooth, and an SD slot, the 2.8-inch Juno ST claims to be especially skilled at locating a signal in so-called 'hostile environments,' and predictably works with the company's entire line of mapping and GIS software. The heralded low price has not been announced (it likely varies by volume), but you have until May to convince the boss that your team's Handspring Visors and fanny packs full of Springboard modules are getting a bit outdated. [Via NaviGadget]
