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Google fetes 40 years of Landsat with new timelapse videos of Earth
Compared to Landsat, which has been beaming photos of our planet since 1972, Mountain View is a cartographic newb. But Google Earth drove geospatial interest into the stratosphere when it launched in 2005 and, with a billion downloads and counting, the company is well placed to celebrate 40 years of Landsat imagery. To do that, it has collaborated with the US Geological Survey and Carnegie Mellon to create a collection of timelapse videos ranging from seasonal snowcover changes across North America to Amazon deforestation. Though the search giant is gradually shifting from relatively low-res 100 feet per pixel Landsat imagery to 8 feet SPOTImage maps, its Google Earth Engine was used to process the vast archive and make it available to the public. To watch a video of the history of the grand dame of satellite imagery and its liaison with Google, head after the break -- or check the source for all the timelapse goodness.
Bing Maps piles on 215TB of new Bird's Eye imagery, proves it's a small world after all
Did you think Microsoft was done with Bing Maps updates after it threw a whopping 165TB of satellite imagery at virtual explorers? You've got another thing coming. The mapping crew in Redmond has thrown another 215TB of data over the fence, this time targeting its Bird's Eye views. Most of the attention is on Australia, Europe, New Zealand and Tokyo, although Microsoft has seen fit to sharpen up some of its US visuals in the process. All told, there's over 88,800 square miles covered by the new and updated aerial shots -- enough to make sure that we'll never have trouble finding Cinderella Castle at Tokyo Disneyland.
Nokia grows Destination Maps coverage to 4,605 venues in 38 countries, coming to Nokia Maps soon
After covering more than 23 million miles of the world's roadways, Nokia has focused on expanding its interior mapping footprint. Since its launch during CTIA 2011, the company's Destination Maps service has grown to cover a total of 4,605 different venues in 38 countries, including airports, department stores, shopping malls and transit hubs. As you can see in the infographic above, the majority of those locations are in North America, with a total of 2,595 mapped on the continent, followed by 1,778 in EMEA, 225 in the Asia Pacific region and just seven in Latin America -- that's 235 million square feet in all. Nokia also promises much more to come in the future, with hints identifying amusement parks and stadiums as possible beneficiaries. The company also reiterated its recent partnership with Bing, adding that Nokia Maps will have access to Destination Maps in the not-so-distant future as well. You'll find a few more details at the source link below, and while we don't have precise predictions to share, you can rest easy knowing that Nokia's indoor effort is far from complete.
New Recce 3D map app offers location-based services and games, Sim City possibilities abound
The mapping scene has seen plenty of activity lately -- what with Apple ditching Google to launch its own service while the latter continues to layer on improvements such as better walking directions and more Street View coverage for its maps. Now a new app called "Recce" is trying to elbow its way into the conversation by using a free, searchable 3D mapping system that not only serves up location-based services but also location-based games. Named after military slang for "reconnaissance," Recce is the brainchild of former Psygnosis co-founder Ian Hetherington and Google engineering director Rian Liebenberg, who formed London-based developer eeGeo. The app works by pulling together a slew of data feeds from sources such as map providers and social networking services to provide an interactive 3D view of an area. It can also be used to update services like Twitter so your followers can know exactly where you were when you saw Justin Johnson, er, Bieber speeding away from the paparazzi in his chrome Fisker Karma. Do note that data is limited to central London at the moment, though San Francisco and New York are slated to get their 3D closeup next.
MapQuest picks TomTom Maps to power iPhone and Android turn-by-turn navigation apps
Still trying to figure out which way to turn when it comes to on-phone navigation? How's about a free option to ponder? MapQuest's gratis iPhone and Android programs are set to get a heck of a lot better, and soon. The company just announced that TomTom would become its maps provider, enabling it to provide coverage for more than 7.5 million miles of roads across North America. Interestingly, it seems that TomTom is finding new life after the death of the PND (personal navigation device) in software; just last month, Apple knighted TomTom to power its own internal Maps app, which is set to debut with iOS 6.
Google Maps adds floor plans and walking directions for 20 US museums
Getting lost can be half the fun of any leisurely museum excursion, but if you'd prefer to navigate your indoor outing with a level of precision typically reserved for trips across town, you'll want to bring Google Maps along on your next journey to the Smithsonian. Mountain View just added 20 US museums to its battery of 10,000 indoor schematics, including the de Young Museum in San Francisco, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cincinnati Museum Center, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, 17 Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo in DC. You can find the plans for any venue by searching or hitting the current location button once you're on site, and Google plans to continue growing its collection, with SFMOMA, The Phillips Collection, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the National WWII Museum in New Orleans set to join soon. Meanwhile, institutions interested in joining forces with Google can use the company's Floor Plans tool to get the process started. Full details are at the source link below.
IndoorAtlas uses disturbances in the (geomagnetic) force to map interiors, plot a path to aisle 3 (video)
Interior navigation is only just coming into its own, but IndoorAtlas has developed a technology that could make it just as natural as breathing -- or at least, firing up a smartphone's mapping software. Developed by a team at Finland's University of Oulu, the method relies on identifying the unique geomagnetic field of every location on Earth to get positioning through a mobile device. It's not just accurate, to less than 6.6 feet, but can work without help from wireless signals and at depths that would scare off mere mortal technologies: IndoorAtlas has already conducted tests in a mine 4,593 feet deep. Geomagnetic location-finding is already available through an Android API, with hints of more platforms in the future. It will still need some tender loving care from app developers before we're using our smartphones to navigate through the grocery store as well as IndoorAtlas does in a video after the break.
EVE Evolved: Four things MMOs can learn from EVE
New MMOs are released every year, and we often see them repeating the same mistakes as previous games or releasing without tried-and-tested mechanics. It just seems like common sense to learn from the years of mistakes and successes of other companies and previous titles, but it isn't always clear how to apply game mechanics or lessons from dissimilar types of game. EVE Online is as dissimilar from the typical MMO as you can get, but there are lessons to be learned from its turbulent nine-year history that can be applied to all MMO development. EVE has helped prove that you can start small and grow rather than raking in huge launch sales and then fading away. The past year has also shown conclusively that iteration on existing features can trump big expansions. EVE's market system and single-shard server have both been commended countless times over the game's nine-year history, and yet in all that time, few games have tried to replicate those features. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at four lessons learned from EVE Online that could easily be applied to other MMOs.
Modern Warfare 3 hits 'Terminal' condition July 17, for free
The popular Modern Warfare 2 airport map, Terminal, will come to Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox 360 on July 17 for Elite members and July 18 for non-Elites, but free for everyone, regardless of digitized classist regulations.Earlier this week Infinity Ward's Mark Rubin outed Terminal for Modern Warfare 3, but couldn't provide a solid release date. Terminal exists outside of the Elite content drop schedule, and its PS3 and PC release dates are still to-be-decided, Rubin tweets.
Five apps (and more) for the summer road trip
The Independence Day holiday week is upon us, and millions of American families are heading out on the open road. Where past generations depended on paper maps and Mad Libs, the march of technology has given us new tools for kids and parents alike. Our five-plus apps for road trips are accompanied with standbys and alternates to match up with your specific travel needs. Got other favorites or recommendations? Give them a shout out in the comments. When I was young, in the pre-cellphone days, our road trips with other families included walkie-talkies or CB radios to help coordinate bathroom stops or route changes. Even with iMessage and hands-free headsets, there's something to be said for the one-button convenience of push-to-talk -- just ask the crowd of satisfied and loyal Nextel users who depend on the technology every day. Three popular apps that simulate the PTT experience on the iPhone are Voxer, HeyTell and Zello (all free). All the walkie-talkie apps offer one-to-one or group voice chat at the press of a virtual button. Voxer's got Facebook integration and a rapidly growing userbase, plus photo and text sharing (and some hefty funding); Zello's got a simple UI including "one big button" for PTT conversations with the other cars in your convoy; and HeyTell's got geographic indicators for your chat partners plus in-app purchases for fun items like voice changers. Any one may save you some dialing and phone calling while you're looking for your next pitstop, so consult with your fellow vacationers and settle on the one you like. Eyes on the road, please! If you want to automatically alert your friends or family at your destination that you're making progress, check out the free En Route! or the $0.99 just-released iETA. Both apps will automatically update your selected contacts with your expected arrival time and optionally share your location as you go. Other options in this vein: Glympse, Google Latitude or Apple's Find my Friends app. Want to make sure you've got solid 3G or LTE coverage where you're headed? Reader Chris suggests his $2.99 Coverage! app, which consolidates multiple carrier maps into one convenient view. Getting there is half the fun, and getting distracted along the way is at least 15% of the fun. Roadside America for iPhone ($2.99 + IAP) delivers a mapped guide to the silly and serious attractions that make a road trip memorable. Buying the app unlocks a single region of the US & Canada, with a $1.99 option in-app to purchase additional regions or $5.99 to unlock them all permanently. You can track your attraction visits, upload photos, get sunset alerts to time your visits to scenic sites, and of course get directions/hours and phone numbers. Not to be confused with the one and only Roadside America miniature village in Shartlesville, PA, which is absolutely mandatory if you're taking I-78 through southeastern Pennsylvania. Speaking of I-78, I'm positive that my wife and I have made the same mistake at least four times on that highway -- taking an exit for lunch at Friendly's only to find that it's a five-mile winding drive to get to the restaurant, when there's one right off the highway two exits further on. The solution may be iExit for iPhone and iPad (now on sale for $0.99, usually $1.99), which gives you a list of all the amenities and dining options for up to 100 exits on down the road. You can sort your iExit results by type (hotels, gas, fast/slow food, coffee) or identify favorite outlets for more filtering choices. iExit also comes in $0.99 Food and Hotel versions (not much point in buying them while the main app is on sale, though) plus a free Lite version; the Lite version only shows what's coming up at the next exit. There's a similar free app called RoadAhead that Mel reviewed last year; on my next highway drive I'll compare it to the Lite version of iExit and see which one stacks up better. Hat tip to CNN for Roadside America and iExit. Of course, the king of the American road guide castle is the venerable AAA Triptik. Readers of a certain vintage may remember the paper strip maps from AAA with manually highlighted routes, mileage indicators and approved motels & restaurants marked along the way. Triple-A has also changed with the times, as seen in the AAA Triptik Mobile app (free). Integrating maps and navigation details from NAVTEQ, the app simulates the experience of the old paper Triptiks by letting you shake your iPhone (or press an onscreen button) to announce the next navigational maneuver; not exactly turn-by-turn, but not bad. It also lists AAA-approved hotels, restaurants, campgrounds and more. You can also get navigational help and geosearch from the built-in Maps app, naturally, and from apps such as Mapquest (free) and MotionX GPS Drive ($0.99 plus subscriptions). AAA's separate, free Roadside app is also a must-have for members, as it ties into the complimentary roadside service and towing options from the association. If you'd rather document your journey with a photo journal, there are apps for that too. The latest entry is the free Rough Guides Trip Lens, incorporating technology from the HipGeo trip journal app. Trip Lens gives you an Indiana Jones-style map path with your photos along it, even if you took them far away from WiFi or cell towers -- the geocoded photos are cached and uploaded when you're back in range. You can share or send photos, see other shots taken nearby, and give family or friends a custom URL where they can follow along with your travels. Keeping pointed in the right direction is one thing; keeping everyone from boredom-induced road coma is another thing entirely. BoingBoing points out the social trivia app Trivi.al, available in ad-supported or paid ($2.99) versions. Compete against other quizmasters around the country to see who's got the fastest finger and the sharpest recall... and watch the miles fly by. Being on the road means being away from your familiar -- and presumably secure -- home and work WiFi networks. To keep your mobile connections protected on Random Truck Stop Network, a VPN is a good idea. The commercial VPN service Hotspot Shield secures your data with a bonus; compression routines squeeze your data requirements down so that if you're stuck using your 3G or 4G connection, you can minimize the amount of your quota that gets chewed up. Hotspot Shield subscriptions for a single iOS device run $0.99 a month or $9.99 per year, but there is a current deal via Parallels that gets you protection for up to five computers and five iOS devices for a year for $39.95. Finally, when you do step away from the car for a few minutes of sunbathing, you'd better know how much UV you're absorbing before you burn (sticking to the car seat = an uncomfortable ride). Katie Couric's blog, of all places, points to the UV Safe Timer app (free). This tool takes the actual weather at your location into account when computing your sun exposure, along with your activities and skin type. A timer alerts you when you're due for a reapplication of sunscreen. And wear a hat! Photo by C.G.P. Grey | flickr cc
'Terminal' map taxis its way to Modern Warfare 3
Terminal, the popular airport map from Modern Warfare 2, is heading to Modern Warfare 3, Infinity Ward's Mark Rubin has revealed via a series of tweets. Better still, Rubin says Terminal will be free for everyone, existing outside of the Elite subscription model.Rubin says Terminal is in Microsoft certification now and the release date and official confirmation may not go public until Thursday or Friday. The map isn't confirmed to hit Xbox 360 first, but that is still an option. It may even drop as a title update, rather than a separate batch of DLC. MP1st has compiled a few of Rubin's tweets in one place, but he's still at it on his own feed.
More WoW Maps using the Google Maps API
After posting the World of Mapcraft site the other day, I got quite a few comments and tweets about not only World of Mapcraft itself but other, similar projects that map the World of Warcraft. Here's a rundown of some of the links I've received. Cal Henderson, the creator of World of Mapcraft, actually wrote a post about the project on his personal blog in which he explains where he got the idea, how he extracted the data, and how he integrated it into the Google API. Mapwow.com is considered by many to be the granddaddy of WoW Google maps, and it inspired Cal to create his version. But far from covering just the base maps, it has a lot of useful menu bar features that show every thing from flight path connections to resource node locations. Unfortunately, everything on it is woefully out of date, and it doesn't even have the updated Cataclysm maps. That does, however, mean that it's perfect browsing for nostalgia purposes. Want to take one last long look at the unruined version of Southshore? You can at least get a bird's-eye view. Wyrimaps appears to be the most developed up-to-date version of WoW Google maps I've seen yet. It includes both Cataclysm- and Wrath-era maps and has a widget for resource nodes. It also appears to have the best ability to zoom, with more zoom levels on the way. Marlamin.com also has its own version of the project, which includes some preliminary Pandaria maps. Probably the most intriguing addition this version offers is the possibility of adding screenshot markers. It looks that whole WoW street view feature I wished for might be a possibility after all. As someone who's loved MMO fan cartography since the early days of EverQuest, when you had to use third-party programs and sites like EQAtlas to map zones because Sony didn't actually provide in-game maps, it's pretty exciting to see where it's going in WoW with modern technology. Thanks to everyone who commented or tweeted links.
Glitch dev Google Maps all of World of Warcraft
What do MMO developers do on their days off? If you're Tiny Speck co-founder Cal Henderson, you engage in huge projects concerning other MMOs. The man partially responsible for the sleeper hit Glitch spent a gob of time recreating World of Warcraft in Google Maps, and the result is awesome. Henderson was inspired by an earlier attempt to provide a comprehensive map of the game but felt that he could vastly improve upon the project. He details in his blog how he went about converting the entire world of Azeroth into Google Maps, including the dungeons and several off-the-grid areas unseen by most players. Henderson also shares a few interesting tidbits that he dug up in WoW's files, including earlier names for areas. World of Warcraft is a popular target for such crazy projects. We reported earlier this year that a player was working to create a Minecraft version of the entirety of Azeroth.
Microsoft and Nokia bring enhanced traffic data to Windows Phone, announce international plans
Cross-pollination is a beautiful thing. In the natural world, it brings bountiful harvests and pretty flowers. In the mobile world, we benefit from the sharing of ideas and technologies. Case in point is Windows Phone, as Microsoft has just announced that it's adopted traffic information from Nokia into the Maps app of its mobile OS. In addition to providing Windows Phone users in the US with more detailed overviews of traffic flows and congestion, the functionality will soon become available for many cities across the globe. Perhaps the move shouldn't come as a total surprise, as just last month, Microsoft revealed the inclusion of Nokia's "Where" platform within Bing Maps. As for future availability, citizens of Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom will benefit from the sharing of technologies within the next few weeks. For the moment, however, just hop the break, where you can see the before / after traffic data that's now available to Los Angeles residents.
Google Maps for Android takes you inside with improved walking directions
All right, so Google Maps has gotten you safely to your destination. Now what?! Don't panic -- the company is rolling out indoor walking directions for the app's latest Android release. Version 6.7 also features 360-degree photo views of businesses, to help ensure that you really don't get lost once inside. Also new is nearby deals that can be accessed by clicking "Offers," so you can nab some sweet deals within arms' reach. The latest version is up for the download now via Google Play. If you're still lost, please consult the instructional video after the break.
Guild Wars 2 fan compares new game map to original
Enterprising Guild Wars 2 player and Reddit member that_shaman went above and beyond the call of duty by providing a useful tool for the growing beta community: a giant, fleshed-out map of the new Tyria. In it, he fits the current explored player regions of Guild Wars 2 on top of the preexisting Guild Wars 1 world map to show just how faithful ArenaNet has been in staying true to its landscape and outposts. The full Guild Wars 2 map encompasses around 25 zones, six cities, and some odds and ends. Of course, not all of Guild Wars 1 areas are revisited in GW2 (at least, not yet), and Guild Wars 2 has a few areas that were never explored in its predecessor.
Nintendo patent application tech tracks your DS from above, serves as tour guide
Nintendo is already guiding you through the Louvre with a 3DS, but a newly published US patent application takes that kind of tourism to a very literal new level. Legend of Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto's concept describes a way to direct lost tourists by beaming position information through an overhead grid of infrared transmitters to a mobile device (portrayed as a DS Lite) held by the confused visitor below. The handheld then talks wirelessly to a server that lights up floor displays with maps and directions, and a helpful app on the device lets visitors pick their route while they read up on sightseeing tips. Like with any patent, there's no certainty that Nintendo will act on the idea and start wiring up museums with IR blasters, but the January 2012 patent may still be fresh in a frequently inventive mind like Miyamoto's.
OpenStreetMap gets acknowledged in iPhoto credits
After iPhoto landed on iOS in March, people quickly discovered the app used OpenStreetMap data for the map tiles. At the time, there was no attribution given to OSM but that has changed in the latest version of iPhoto, which was released earlier this week. OpenStreetMap pointed out in a tweet that Apple now lists OpenStreetMap contributors in the long list of acknowledgements for the app. Richard Fairhurst, OpenStreetMap Foundation board member, explains how the foundation nudged Apple to get the attribution added to iPhoto, The OSM Foundation has made informal contact with staff at Apple and, in addition, one of our volunteer mappers who is an iOS developer spoke to people at Apple. We believe it was the latter that precipitated adding the attribution - it's great to have such an active and engaged community! OpenStreetMap is a crowdsourced mapping platform that provides free map data in exchange for an attribution. Both FourSquare and Wikipedia use OSM data in their apps. [Via TalkingPointsMemo Idea Lab]
Trendy offering real money for best Dungeon Defenders maps
Trendy Entertainment, the dev behind Dungeon Defenders, is looking to beef up the offerings from that game's free development kit. It's holding a contest, in which it's giving away some real money and prize packs for the best maps made for the game.To enter, all you have to do is put a map together for the tower defense RPG (here's a guide.) Submit your map to Trendy by June 21, and if it wins both a public vote and a judges' vote you can walk away with $1000, and even get your map included in the game.The full rules and requirements are over on Trendy's forums. Those of us without any design skills at all will just sit here quietly waiting to see what you put together. Don't mind us.
Google Earth adds balloon and kite aerial imagery, invites you to contribute
Google Earth already offers quite a variety of ways to explore the planet, but the folks in Mountain View never seem content to leave things alone for long. Their latest addition is some aerial imagery of a slightly different sort -- images shot from ordinary balloons and kites. That initial batch of photos comes courtesy of The Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science, which is itself a grassroots effort that anyone can contribute to. And that's apparently what Google hopes folks will do in order to expand the aerial views available -- as Google notes on its Lat Long blog, all that you need to get started is a digital camera and about $100 in parts, plus a little initiative. Complete details on how to start your own DIY mapping effort, or simply explore the options now available, can be found at the links below.
