Where2.0 2007
The conference is over and before I'm heading out, here are some of my first, yet unrefined impressions:
-
The Geoweb is here, with a broad range of services enabling the general
public to annotate the earth and bring location into our everyday
lives, now elevated by Google indexing kml, georss and other geo
information on the web, basically becoming a geo-search engine.
-
Mashups are maturing and are being taken serious, with all industry
leaders offering their data via webservices and developing your own
maps takes less code and hassle than before. New business models around
mashups are appearing and are being embraced. Combining different
information layers is constantly made easier for the semi-professional
developer by offerings like Yahoo Pipes and Google's just released
Mapplets application.
- 3D and virtual worlds are across the field
being identified as the next step for the Geoweb, often replicating the
real world, with different competing platforms, Google Earth and
Microsoft's Virtual Earth chasing each other and Place9's just released
RayGun, that goes the next step with avatars duplicating it's users
real-world location via cell phone and gps tracking.
- Real-time
location services on mobile phones are pushing forward, that are , with
competing approaches (GPS vs.Wifi), like Loki, Where.com, Loopt, and
cell carriers embracing or simply via twitter/twittervision
- Neogeography is maturing, with KML and GeoRSS now being acknolewdged standards by most organizations in the field
- Showing change over time with GIS data is getting big, e.g. Trulia Hindsight, GE,
- Mapping products become more user friendly, flashy and lightweight.
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