tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-941690005694731632024-02-19T05:11:47.983-05:00Map RapA resource for teaching and learning about mapping amidst geospatial revolution.B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-27242302916514168712021-05-07T10:35:00.003-04:002021-05-07T10:35:36.333-04:00Deep fake geography? <ol class="downloadCitList search-results" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 29px; position: relative;"><li style="-webkit-box-shadow: none; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; box-shadow: none; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; transition: all 0.3s ease 0s;"><article class="searchResultItem" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1em; overflow: hidden;"><div class="pub-meta" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="authors" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bo Zhao, Shaozeng Zhang, Chunxue Xu, Yifan Sun & Chengbin Deng</span> <span class="date" style="box-sizing: border-box;">(2021)</span> <span class="art_title" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-break: break-word;">Deep fake geography? When geospatial data encounter Artificial Intelligence,</span> <span class="serial_title" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Cartography and Geographic Information Science,</span> <span class="doi_link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15230406.2021.1910075" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;">10.1080/15230406.2021.1910075</a></span></div></article></li></ol><p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></p>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-24431436389807847642021-04-03T19:10:00.002-04:002021-04-03T22:35:24.317-04:00Updated<p>This update includes a test of all external links, and a renewal and reformatting of the blogroll. Overall the resources on the page continue to be useful, and the links haven't changed that much. </p>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-36461328612696531202017-10-28T21:00:00.000-04:002021-04-03T22:44:34.818-04:00BBC on Maps<a href="http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20161007-why-paper-road-maps-wont-die">http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20161007-why-paper-road-maps-wont-die</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160614-maps-have-north-at-the-top-but-it-couldve-been-different">http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160614-maps-have-north-at-the-top-but-it-couldve-been-different</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32545974">http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32545974</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20141127-the-last-unmapped-places">http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20141127-the-last-unmapped-places</a><br />
<br />B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-55008357250818897972016-06-15T21:17:00.003-04:002021-04-03T22:45:15.871-04:00Death by GPS<a href="http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/05/death-by-gps/">http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/05/death-by-gps/</a><br />
<br />B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-29572505050933479892014-10-20T15:21:00.002-04:002021-04-03T22:45:50.286-04:00Uncertain Futures: Spatial Thinking, Digital Maps, <a href="http://www.citylab.com/tech/2014/09/smartphones-and-the-uncertain-future-of-spatial-thinking/379796/">http://www.citylab.com/tech/2014/09/smartphones-and-the-uncertain-future-of-spatial-thinking/379796/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/02/how-digital-maps-changing-the-way-we-understand-world">http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/02/how-digital-maps-changing-the-way-we-understand-world</a>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-59189405809498549332013-07-04T14:30:00.001-04:002021-04-03T22:32:03.553-04:00WelcomeThis site has evolved into a repository of resources and links to all things related to mapping. Its not really a blog, and for now I will keep it this way.B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-22284660645427071992012-07-13T11:35:00.001-04:002021-04-03T22:32:28.663-04:00Summer 2012Changes in mapping and in pedagogies of mapping continue at a pace difficult to keep up with. In order for me to manage these changes and continue to provide a useful site for all things mapping, I will try using this blog in different ways my teaching. Not sure what these will be, but this post starts the process. B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-67261242310219575422011-12-05T17:13:00.001-05:002016-06-15T09:26:47.937-04:00WhatWasThere<a href="http://www.whatwasthere.com/">http://www.whatwasthere.com/</a><br />
<br />
WhatWasThere is an online application created to merge the software of Google Maps, with historical photographs of a given location. Any user can upload and explore different photos of a location, making it beneficial for studying urban sprawl, city development, or simply watching your favorite locations change throughout history. With the added software of Google Maps, the user can simply type in a location that they are familiar with and view different photographs of that location from different periods in time. The purpose of this application is to clearly show the user how locations have changed over time, and give an idea of how time periods or historical events can generate change of particular locations. The user achieves this by adjusting “the fade bar”, which places a historical photograph layered over a contemporary street view map of the same location, allowing one to fade the historical photograph in and out of the frame. This application is important because its objective is to educate and inform users of the major changes and development of spaces through time by using photographs to illustrate changes. It lets users know how land use has changed by giving information of historical buildings and landscapes. Another objective of this application is to display surroundings from different eras while providing historical information of architecture and the different land uses.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Data and Methods<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The WhatWasThere application is designed in a simplistic way allowing user to navigate through areas regardless of how computer literate they may be. Users are encouraged to add photographs that specify the year and location it was taken at. This allows the user to take a virtual tour of the past. Images can date back a year, a decade or even a century ago. For example, if the user were to type in Toronto, the application will show a map of the area along with the submitted historical photographs of the same location. The map will display points, represented by orange circles with numbers in them, which correspond to the number of photos available for that particular location. There is an option to observe the landscape in Google Street View, which shows the particular street or building in a timeline setting from when the photograph was taken to the current landscape today. WhatWasThere is a great application as it lets people reflect and reminisce about the environment you grew up in. In addition, many photographs simply showcase important buildings and landmarks of the past while others show important cultural events and people. For example if you search for Central Park in New York City you can find pictures of the Bethesda fountain, a picture of the first winner of the New York City Marathon, and a picture of John Lennon and Yoko Ono in front of their apartment overlooking the park.<br />
If interested in a particular photo, the user can click the image and read a description of the environment. WhatWasThere is a fantastic resource for historians, students, and photographers. The pictures vary greatly. Each new photo helps contribute to our knowledge of a particular location.<br />
<br />
<br />
Methodology and Analysis<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In most geospatial applications there is a key purpose and function for the user to find data, thus, the program and its administrators need access to data. The methods of most geospatial applications utilize satellite imagery from Google Maps and GPS technology. Many geospatial applications utilize the base satellite information provided by Google Maps. WhatWasThere operates through existing spatial reference data of Smartphones equipped with GPS and its own geographic reference technology providing the specific information for the region. The website and phone applications give the user a great ‘before and after’ illustration of many areas across a city, where they can capture nearby historic photographs and videos plotted on a map. This application in particular operates through a combination of the GPS technology using Google Maps and provides a platform where anyone can easily upload a photography with two straight forward tags to provide context, Location and Year. The information is obtained from the individual that uploads the picture, and then identifies the location and enters this data into a recording system. WhatWasThere accesses its information through public information; it works as a search engine for historical photographs and videos.<br />
<br />
<br />
Issues and Evaluation<br />
<br />
The potential ethical concerns surrounding this application have to do with the incorporation of individuals within photographs and the street-view setting of the particular location. This could pose a problem because it impedes on their privacy. This has always been an issue with Google maps and street view but in the application WhatWasThere, images of the people are slightly pixilated removing individual identities, relieving any privacy concerns. Also, since any user may upload images, the addition of photos that are inaccurate or not actually of the location could diminish the importance of the landscape and the historical accuracy of a location, either past or present. There is also the political aspect to this application which is evident when looking at the history of the Waterloo Region, it displays that there use to be street cars traveling down King Street. This is important as it can be used as clout in order to re-establish light rail transit back into the city. There are numerous examples of particular groups being excluded from this application. The most striking are, ChinaTown and Little Italy, which are two of the most known areas of Toronto but are not part of this application. On a more global scale, the continents of Australia, Africa and South America are all very under represented even though the majority of the “Wonders of the World” are location in those areas. Lastly, there are aspects of colonialism, as when looking at the French Polynesia there is “a location photo” of a half naked woman in native tribal gear. This out of context photo makes it seem as if the local populous of the French Polynesia are still highly underdeveloped even though the photo was taken in 1921. This application would be better if there was a larger time line of the areas, rather than just selected photos from nearly a century ago.<br />
<br />
Conclusion<br />
<br />
Regarding the WhatWasThere application, the consensus opinion appears to be more positive than negative. There are many great aspects to this geospatial application such as; it is easy to use, it have GPS connection that can lead you to any place that you search and of course, the fact that it is free. WhatWasThere also detects where the user is when they request a search, resulting in the user getting the results that are closest in proximity to your current location. This application has the potential to reduce a large amount of paper if one day and could completely replace any historical books and maps. Thus, from an environmental stand point, this is a very good application with a potential to continuously help environmental consumption of paper. Overall, WhatWasThere has created a successful application with a diverse range of uses.<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
Works Cited<br />
<br />
http://www.whatwasthere.com/about.aspx<br />
http://wiredcpu.com/whatwasthere-is-an-ios-app-which-adds-history-to-augmented-reality/<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
By: Steven Campbell, Lisa Truong, Matt Morrison, David Wisniewski and Colin Bezeau</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-79830648973006293382011-08-20T14:26:00.012-04:002021-04-03T22:33:07.103-04:006 months later ...Its been more than six months since the last update - I'm wondering what developments there have been in Web 2.0 mapping. <br />
<br />
There are a lot of questions to ask: Are the geospatial applications previously identified still active? Have there been changes in functionality? What new applications can be identified? What evidence is there of how these applications are being used? Who is using the geospatial web? Are some types of applications more useful than others, and for what purposes? <br />
<br />
A brief search of recent literature reveals a surge of scholarly articles on the geospatial web, some of which I have included in the updated Reading List page above.<br />
<br />
Once again, students in my cartography course will explore online
mapping applications and report their findings on this blog later in the
fall term.To help get these investigations going again here are a few new map apps on the scene:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mapnificent.net/">Mapnificent</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.padmapper.com/">Padmapper</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.onebayarea.org/maps.htm">One Bay Area Maps</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.historypin.com/">Historypin</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://whatwasthere.com/">WhatWasThere</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wildknowledge.co.uk/">Wild Knowledge</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.camineo.com/index-en.html">Camineo</a>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-13392056165435087512011-01-10T13:50:00.007-05:002021-04-03T22:31:17.329-04:00The Geospatial Web and Revolution: a Synopsis<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">The Geospatial Web and Revolution: a Synopsis</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">by Bob Sharpe, November, 2011</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
The geospatial web refers to the convergence of geographic
information and geotechnologies with the services and data provided by the
Internet. In essence, the geospatial web
enables anyone with access to the Internet to collect, search, share, analyze
and display location-based information.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
The unique aspect of the geospatial web is its potential to
aggregate multiple, disparate data sets on the basis of their geographic
coordinates. These data can be drawn
from government agencies, private industry, and most importantly, from the
general public. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Several observers argue that this powerful new human
capability is bringing about revolutionary change (e.g. Penn State Public
Broadcasting, 2010; Scharl and Tochtermann, 2007).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<b>Why is the geospatial
web revolutionary?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
The geospatial web might be characterized as revolutionary
for several reasons:</div>
<ul style="font-family: inherit;">
<li>the rapid adoption of this technology has led to
innovation and the widespread disruption of many existing practices;</li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>the public has a freely available, comprehensive
map of the world, rich in information content;</li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>individuals can create and contribute their own
information, and engage with others to this public map of the world </li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
The geospatial revolution was a long time in making and the
product of developments in geodesy, geography, cartography and geographic
information science. From these sciences
were developed the tools and techniques of remote sensing, global positioning
and satellite navigation systems, and geographic information systems, which
together form the infrastructure of the geospatial web. The Internet and the proliferation of a range
of mobile devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and smartphones
have made this infrastructure available to the public. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Along with the development of this infrastructure was a
rapid expansion of geospatial digital content.
This now includes access to vast libraries of geospatial data, much of
it of high quality. Access to remote
imagery for the globe, transportation networks, elevation data, and more
enabled the development of online mapping services such as MapQuest and Google
Earth. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Significantly, the development of GML and KML,
enabled the further ability for users to share their own geospatial data. Such data can be collected from coordinates
determined by a GPS-enabled smartphone, from
coordinates assigned by geotagging an image or text file, and from geoparsing
or assigning geographic identifiers to words, phrases, and other media
references to place. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
It is probably the involvement of the general public in
generating and using geographic information, which fuels the geospatial
revolution. This type of information has
been rapidly developing across various domains and includes voluntary
geographic information, crowd sourced data, user generated maps, social
networking. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<b>What are the benefits
of the geospatial web? </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
The geospatial web has already demonstrated, through several
applications, the potential for revolutionary societal benefit in terms of
saving lives, creating efficiencies and business opportunities, and enhancing
access to various services. The most
prominent recent examples of such applications are those used to assist in
emergency response (e.g. mapping, operations, communication) to natural
disasters and crises, such as the aftermath of Katrina, the Gulf oil spill, and
the Haiti earthquake. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
A wide range of other types of applications are increasingly
popular. Students in a undergraduate
cartography class selected and reviewed over 30 geospatial applications, the
summaries of which are posted on the Map Rap Blog (http://scrubbrush-maprap.blogspot.com/).
These applications have been grouped below into categories based on the
main function of the application. </div>
<ul style="font-family: inherit;">
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Find directions, plan routes and map trips, map
activities, geotag photos (EveryTrail, TripWiser, MapMyFitness, CapSpotter,
Cycling the Alps, EveryTrail, TravelPod, MapMe,
WalkJogRun, Picasa Web Albms, TripGeo, MapMyRide)</li>
<li>Provide a wide range of location-based services
to consumers (e.g. identifying and
locating services and friends in proximity to the user) Facebook Places, Trapster, Foursquare,
Gowalla, Poynt, Yellow Pages, SitorSquat)</li>
<li>Use online tools for manipulating geospatial
data (GPS Visualiser)</li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Map and monitor the activities or locations of
wildlife (PolarBearTracker), roadkill (California Road
kill Observation System), currency (Where’sWilly?), sex offenders (Family
WatchDog), and solar energy installations (San Francisco Solar Map).</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Note that these applications and their categorization are
just a start.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Another benefit of the demand for these geospatial
applications is that it reflects increased interest in, and value for,
geographic information, geographic literacy and spatial thinking. It raises new questions for geography
educators that relate to:</div>
<ul style="font-family: inherit;">
<li>the capacity of people to use these services, </li>
<li>the effect of these services on spatial
cognition, </li>
<li>the means to educate people about these
services, </li>
<li>the longterm effect of these services on
geographic literacy</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br />
<b>What are some concerns
with the geospatial web?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Although geospatial applications clearly are of some
benefit, a critical perspective reveals a number of concerns and issues worth
further investigation. Here is an
initial list of concerns:</div>
<ul style="font-family: inherit;">
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>The concern mentioned most often is that of personal
privacy. Information uploaded to the Internet
is publicly and permanently available and can result in a loss individual
privacy and autonomy. It is interesting
to note that most students do not see this as a major problem. </li>
<li>Although geotechnologies are increasingly
pervasive, their uptake has been uneven and characterized by complex geographic
and socioeconoimic disparities (i.e. the digital divide). Social justice issues emerge around
inequities in access to these technologies.</li>
<li>For many individuals, the technologies have
become incorporated into everyday life, and have thus influenced their scheduling,
workflows and behaviours. (Again, social
justice issues arise around inequities in access and usage). The implications of the usage of these
technologies for some groups are not well researched or understood.</li>
<li>An increased societal dependence on technologies
(including virtual globes) that are both
fallible and controlled by corporate interest.</li>
<li>An effect on cognitive skills such as a loss of
map reading, spatial reasoning and geographic knowledge. Related to this is the limited perspective to
which the public is now conditioned.
Geobrowsers, virtual globes and online mapping services provide a bird’s
eye view or street level view. These are
constrained perspectives which are not always the most effective way of seeing
the big picture, as would be revealed by casting one’s eye over an entire
large-format map. </li>
<li>Applications vary widely in their user base and
geographic coverage. There seems to be a
clear bias for sites originating in large cities, especially in the USA.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>There are problems with data on many sites,
ranging from too much data – (i.e. how to display and retrieve it), to issues
of data accuracy and currency.</li>
<li>Restrictions on access, for example, personal
accounts for some sites can be accessed only by citizens of USA. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: inherit;">
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<b>Selected References</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Elwood, Sarah 2010
Geographic information science: emerging
research on the societal implications of the geospatial web. <u>Progress in Human Geography</u> 34 (3) pp.
349-357.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Penn State
Public Broadcasting 2010</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<a href="http://geospatialrevolution.psu.edu/project/board.html">http://geospatialrevolution.psu.edu/project/board.html</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Scharl, Arno and Klaus Tochtermann
(eds.) 2007 <u>The Geopspatial Web: Social Software and the Web 2.0 are Shaping
the Network Society</u> Advanced Information and Knowledge Processing Series
2007, London: Springer, ISBN
1-84628-826-6</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Sui, Daniel Z.
(ed.) 2008 <a href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/978-1-4020-8339-6/contents/">Geospatial
Technologies and Homeland Security: Research Frontiers and Future Challenges.</a> The GeoJournal Library, Volume 94, London:
Springer, ISBN 978-1-420-8339-6</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
Turner, Andrew and Brady Forrest 2008 <a href="http://radar.oreilly.com/research/where2-report.html">Where 2.0:
The State of the Geospatial Web</a>, An
O’Reilly Radar Report (see downloadable excerpt)</div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-25613205788170958522010-11-30T23:29:00.000-05:002010-11-30T23:29:02.570-05:00MapMyTri<style>
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<a href="http://www.mapmytri.com/">http://www.mapmytri.com/</a> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The geospatial web is a relatively new term that represents
the merging of geographical and abstract information that is currently
dominating the internet (ESRI par. 1). It has had a profound impact on managing
knowledge, structuring facts, and communicating with individuals in virtual
communities. The concept was first introduced by Dr. Charles Herring in his
1994 paper “An Architecture of Cyberspace: Spatialization of the Internet”,
which kick-started the development GIS with new technologies, concepts, and
products (Anders par. 18). Today the internet holds a wide array of geospatial
applications to explore, which all carry specific themes and objectives. For
example, the MapMyFitness corporation which has created geospatial websites
such as MapMyRun, MapMyRide, MapMyMountain, MapMyHike, and MapMyWalk, are all
fitness-oriented. By using satellite images provided by Google Maps these
applications allow individuals to create specific exercise routes around the
world. Users also have the ability to view maps created by others, allowing
information like the advantages and dangers of their courses to be seen.
Overall, the most dynamic and intricate application created by this company has
been MapMyTri, which allows individuals to create their own triathlon route
“with just a few mouse clicks” (MapMyTri par. 2). However, even though MapMyTri
does have clear benefits for avid athletic enthusiasts, it still carries
fallbacks such as pop up advertisements, and poor security. It is because of
the obvious strengths and weaknesses of this geospatial website that we found it
to be best suited for a critical overview. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Laura Curk </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Steven Allison </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ashley Gyori </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Olivier Leonard </div>
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">Erin Gouweleeuw </span>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-21681026518916599962010-11-30T23:24:00.000-05:002010-11-30T23:24:32.024-05:00MapMyRun<style>
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<a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/site_map%20">http://www.mapmyrun.com/site_map </a></div>
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<br /></div>
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The subject if this report is the geospatial application
www.mapmyrun.com. This website uses mapping technology from Google Maps to
provide users with a platform in which they can input personal data and receive
accurate, tangible numbers to measure the effects of their exercising. From
this perspective, it could be used by any level of athlete, from the weekend
cyclist so the seasoned marathoner, to help set goals (in distance travelled,
avg. speed and lap times) and give oneself measurable feedback, such as the
number of calories burned based on one’s Body Mass Index. Say you are a fitness
enthusiast travelling out of town. If the settlement you’re in has been mapped
by Google, you could draw a route along the streets of the city you’re in, and
MapMyRun will update the route distance as you set waypoints. Also, you have
access to Google’s satellite imagery, which allows you to view the surface of
the earth via aerial photographs. This way the user can be aware of the terrain
they will be travelling through.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Samantha Tremmel</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Clara Greig</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kayla Jefferson</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thomas Rolf</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cody Bachmann</div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-33462582469637426662010-11-30T23:21:00.000-05:002010-11-30T23:21:30.549-05:00Foursquare<style>
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<a href="http://foursquare.com/"> http://foursquare.com/</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Foursquare is a mobile geospatial application that can be
accessed through either a web based browser or a Smartphone. This application
allows one to ‘check in’ to specific places, such as restaurants, schools,
stores, amusement parks, offices, and much more. By checking in you can
automatically get points, tips, and interesting information regarding your
location. Upon ‘checking in’ one can see what other friends are at that
location, as well as a foursquare history for the location.<span> </span>When a member ‘checks in’ to a site
they can also provide a ‘shout’. A shout is a brief message regarding what is
on your mind, it is directed to your foursquare friends. Foursquare is not only
a source of geospatial information, but it is also a game in which members can
collect points and receive tangible rewards for their dedication. For example
if one ‘checks in’ to a place very often, they can become the ‘mayor’ of that
place. A mayor can then receive ‘specials’ at their current location; this
could include anything from half off drinks to a complimentary gift. Users can
also collect badges; they are awarded for following a certain brand and for
visiting locations. Foursquare allow members to upload photos whilst at a
location. Other friends and members can then view these photos pertaining to a
specific location. The purpose of this application is to link social networking
with informative geographical data. This application encourages sharing
information with your friends, its purpose is to connect people and provide
helpful information about the places one frequents.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Matt Polley</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Jamie Stewart</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Royce Ellis,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Kelsey Pettit</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">David Paone</span></div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-80507827142928709212010-11-30T23:14:00.003-05:002010-11-30T23:17:59.847-05:00Gowalla<style>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://gowalla.com/">http://gowalla.com/</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gowalla Inc. is a geolocation application that functions as
a website and mobile service. By using the Gowalla application, users are able
to “check in” (see figure 1) to locations and build a passport of all the
places they have been. Users can also create trips and follow trips that others
have created. Through travelling to different locations and completing trips,
users collect pins and build an overall profile where they can upload pictures
and other information about their life. Gowalla is mainly used as a
location-based social networking site to connect real people to real locations.
It can be accessed through Twitter and Facebook. Gowalla’s main purpose is to
act as a geospatial web application to connect friends and family. Most users
of the application use it mainly for its entertainment value rather than the
geospatial function. The Gowalla application is not only useful for social
networking for users, but also for geospatial analysis by third-parties.
Businesses can analyze the information in order to see patterns and trends
among users, including locations and interests. Gowalla is applied on an
individual level to create personal projects, such as trips (see figures 2 and
3), so that other users can follow their paths and activities. Larger-scale
projects created by third-parties allow users to follow trips that take them to
their business locations in order to market their company to a larger audience.
<span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Brandon) Scott Conzelmann </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chelsea Deakin </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aishwarya Muralidhar </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rachel Schaus</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-14040294206017824422010-11-30T23:10:00.000-05:002010-11-30T23:10:52.195-05:00Polar Bear Tracker<style>
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<a href="http://polarbears.wwf.ca/"> http://polarbears.wwf.ca/</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The WWF-Canada Polar Bear Tracker is a project created by
the Canadian World Wildlife Fund that tracks polar bears through the Arctic.
Radio collars are placed on the bears’ necks, and their positions are recorded
and sent via satellites to researchers, who then plot the movement of the bears
on Google Maps. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Polar Bear Tracker is an important geospatial
application for a number of reasons. Firstly, the tracker provides information
on how the polar bears are adapting to the changes in sea ice volume. Polar
bears are considered indicators of an ecosystem’s health because they are at
the apex of the arctic food chain. Thus, a polar bear at risk is an indication
that there is something wrong elsewhere in the ecosystem (“Polar Bear
Tracker”). Secondly, the tracker provides scientists with information that can
be used to improve conservation and management efforts, and also allows them to
further understand the global impacts of phenomena such as climate change and
habitat loss (“Polar Bear Tracker project areas”). There are several
application projects associated with the data provided by the Polar Bear
Tracker. For example, using the collected data, the World Wildlife Fund is
gaining an understanding of where the polar bears travel, monitoring the health
of the bears, and determining their average lifespan (“Tracking Polar Bears”).
Organizations outside of the World Wildlife Fund are also using polar bear
tracking in predictive science and strategy development regarding arctic
wildlife. The Alaska Science Center is using the information concerning the
adaptation of polar bears to changes in ice quality and quantity to predict how
future polar bear generations will be affected by ice changes. These
predictions will allow for the development of strategies to ensure the
long-term survival of polar bears in an environment that is vulnerable to
changes in sea ice (“Polar Bear-Sea Ice Relationships”).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Erik Paige</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lauren Knowles</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Brett Mullen</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dallas Cotterell</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Karli Allen</div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-84187522820596454382010-11-30T23:07:00.001-05:002010-11-30T23:07:47.487-05:00Cabspotting in San Francisco<style>
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<a href="http://cabspotting.org/%20">http://cabspotting.org/ </a></div>
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For our geospatial web application case study we have chosen
to examine a project called Cabspotting. It is a part of San Francisco
Exploratorium’s Invisible Dynamics initiative. Cabspotting traces San
Francisco’s taxi cabs as they travel throughout the Bay area. The collected
data is used to create live and constantly changing maps of city life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This initiative is attempting to investigate alternate views
of the Bay area’s infrastructure. The maps created expose economic, social, and
cultural trends and relationships that are otherwise invisible. Artists and
researchers use Cabspotting data to create projects to reveal larger trends or
focus on specific events. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cabspotting data can be used in many projects, examples
include:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- correlating cab rides with zip codes and average income to
show the relationship between socioeconomic status and use of cabs</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- tracking individual rides and documenting it with photos,
drawings, sound recordings, or video</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- examine points where cabs rarely or never visit and
investigate why this is</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- examine places most frequently visited and investigate why
this is - showing all cab rides that pass in front of a specific place during one
day or time period </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- using data to warp Bay area mapto show a ‘cab-centric’
view by distorting the landscape </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- highlighting the most eccentric paths, such as very short,
long, or circuitous</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alyson C</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Amy M</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chanel F</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hilary B</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kaileigh B</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-75523804733775574792010-11-30T22:58:00.000-05:002010-11-30T22:58:26.373-05:00California Road Kill Observation System<a href="http://www.wildlifecrossing.net/california/">http://www.wildlifecrossing.net/california/</a><br />
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California Road kill observation system (CROS) is a program
for storing information on road kill in California. Currently over 300
volunteers scour the California landscape looking for incidents of collisions
with animals, they fill out a species identification form (Taking a picture to
be double checked by a professional later) this picture is also geotagged, with
a time and date so information is stored for timing, seasonality and location
of the animal. The creator is looking to put together an iPhone application to
allow further ease of access to uploading information for volunteers. These
volunteers could then just download the application onto their phone and take
geotagged pictures with their smart phones. The program was created in response
to the millions of animals are struck down by vehicles in the United States a
week, the purpose being to create more known hotspots for animal activity. This
is in hopes of preventing collisions by using mitigation techniques like fences
and sings to warn drivers. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN">Michael
Goddard-Duncan </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN">Kristen McGeown </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN">Lindsay Taylor </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN">Sarah Hardholt </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN">Chris Barth </span></div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-82342849246846233192010-11-30T22:52:00.000-05:002010-11-30T22:52:45.131-05:00Facebook Places<style>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/places/">http://www.facebook.com/places/ </a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Facebook <i>Places</i> is
an application designed to keep users connected with their social networks on a
geospatial scale. It provides users with the time-stamped locations of their
Facebook friends who have the application as well, and mutually provides friends
with the user’s own location. <i>Places</i>
can be downloaded onto iPhones, Blackberries, and other smart phones equipped with
GIS software. It is especially relevant to the geospatial revolution because it
allows people to stay spatially aware of one another and electronically connected
constantly, which is of utmost importance in modern times (Green 2003). Simply checking
one`s cell phone enables users to see where their friends are in order to connect
with them. <i>Places</i> aids in planning
such get-togethers by cross-referencing the users’ locations. If a friend is
nearby, one can follow a map designating their two relative locations, or send
an electronic message to alert friends of their proximity to plan a meeting
place together. <i>Places</i> removes the
barriers that had prevented people from being able to locate their friends instantly
in relation to themselves. The application is also helpful in capturing and
preserving memories, by archiving the places and events attended by users and
recording them on a timeline. People can view their past locations, remembering
each place and the people that were there, and review the comments that were made
about that particular event. People are now able to share a critical component
of their lives through this application and can feel closer than ever to their friends
on Facebook by using <i>Places</i> (Michael,
“The Facebook Blog”). The following is a descriptive video created by Facebook
which illustrates the idea behind the application: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfX_ZQag1BM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfX_ZQag1BM</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Christine Jennings</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Leslie Chamberlain</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Erin O’Neill</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Erin White</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shelby Betschel</div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-73613737998596666912010-11-30T22:47:00.001-05:002010-11-30T22:48:42.630-05:00Google Maps bike routes<a href="http://maps.google.com/">http://maps.google.com/</a><br /><style>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The geospatial web application we have chosen to examine is
bike routes on Google maps. A bike route is a section in the Google maps
application that allows users to locate a bike route or path. This is an
important aspect of the application because in towns with universities
especially, students use bikes as a major method of transportation. This allows
users to ensure there is a safe bike route that can take them to their
destination and tell them how long it should take from the starting point to
their destination. This is not only important for students as more and more
people everyday are using bikes as a method of short distance transportation
because it is the greener option of travel. As an example of this application,
below is a photo showing popular bike routes right here in Waterloo. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ashley Kennedy</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alexander Troop</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Drew Melnyk</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gabriella Gomes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Matthew Salsbury </div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-90054812667817042812010-11-30T22:44:00.000-05:002010-11-30T22:44:22.675-05:00Family Watchdog<style>
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<a href="http://www.familywatchdog.us/">http://www.familywatchdog.us/</a> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Family Watchdog application is used as a means to view
registered sex offenders all over the United States. There are multiple ways to
search for offenders one being by name and the other by neighbourhood. The
neighbourhood view is displayed on Yahoo Maps. According to US law all sex
offenders residing in any state must be registered with that particular state.
Family Watchdog is a website that allows anyone with internet access to view
locations and information of every registered sex offender. This application is
important because it helps members of society to be aware of the dangers in and
around their neighbourhoods. The objective of Family Watchdog is simply put on
their ‘about us’ link, “Our goal at Family Watchdog is to provide you with the
information you need to protect your loved ones.” (familywatchdog.us). This
website exists because of The Sexual Offender Act of 1994 and Meghan’s Law. The
Sexual Offender Act of 1994 requires sex offenders to register with a national
and state database while Meghan’s Law requires that this information be
available to the public. Due to Meghan’s Law, applications similar to Family
Watchdog are able to exist for the purpose of informing the American public on
the issue of sex offenders. <span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nicole Berube</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meghan McIntosh</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Robert Quinlan</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jackie Smith</div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-1476234968108024902010-11-30T22:40:00.000-05:002010-11-30T22:40:35.059-05:00Poynt<style>
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<a href="http://www.poynt.com/"> http://www.poynt.com/</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Poynt is an easy to use all-in-one geospatial application
for the Blackberry smart-phone, Iphone,<span>
</span>Ipod touch and Android. The free application utilizes GPS and WiFi (or
3G network) capabilities to give accurate and relevant connections to the
outside world. This highly advanced technological application connects the user
to businesses, retailers, and services while providing various amounts of
information regarding movie information and guides, restaurant locations and
reviews, gas stations in close proximity and best prices available and is even
able to track and locate friends, colleagues or relatives. Images of Poynt are
shown in Appendix A. Overall Poynt’s easy accessibility to the geospatial
network gives the user a variety of options to make everyday activities much
easier. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah Williams</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jasmine Folger-Laronde</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jordan Drexler</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Michael Finn</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dustin Dubiel</div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-46954099962894906232010-11-30T22:36:00.001-05:002010-11-30T22:37:42.917-05:00Map Quest’s Bar Locator<a href="http://www.mapquest.com/">http://www.mapquest.com/</a><br /><style>
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When it comes to geospatial applications, MapQuest is
definitely one containing a great amount of information. Www.mapquest.com is a
website/ geospatial application that allows you to view the world. The purpose
of MapQuest is to help people, wherever they are, locate places, generate
directions, and know the approximate time it will take to travel between destinations..
For the purpose of our assignment, we have decided to go into greater detail on
the bar locating application that MapQuest offers to its users. The top menu
bar of the map contains a scroll bar with many different search applications
that make it possible to find hotspots easily. To locate and apply the bar
finding application, you scroll through the list until you find the martini
glass icon, then click on it. After clicking the icon numerous numbered bubbles
pop-up on the current map you are viewing. The bars have been tagged so that if
you place your mouse over the bubbles, the address of the chosen bar will
appear in what resembles a speech bubble. Along with the bubbles appearing on
the map, a legend is generated on the left side that allows you to see all the
tagged bars. From the legend you can generate a route and directions to and
from bars. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Dave Drago</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cory Hudson</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Allyson Oliphant</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Catherine Reining</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Taylor Wright</div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-34053299730318636202010-11-30T22:29:00.001-05:002010-11-30T22:30:30.994-05:00Glympse<style>
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<a href="http://www.glympse.com/"> http://www.glympse.com/</a></div>
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Glympse, a geospatial application developed to share your
location with friends, family and business associates . Glympse is an
application which uses smart phone technology to track real time locations and
make them available for others to view. With Glympse, security features permit
you to choose who is able to see your current location. These features allow
for you to post your location to the social networking sites Facebook and
Twitter or merely send it to the phone of a selected individual. The technology
of real time location sharing provided by Glympse is an important tool in
communicating with others and an alternative to texting or talking while
driving . Because the program displays a real time location of your whereabouts
it is easier for people to locate you and know of your safety. Glympse is an
application that can be used for numerous purposes with the main objective to
share your geographical location, routes and destinations. Location sharing
applications are not only available with Glympse but through different programs
such as Loopt, Gowalla and Foursquare. The program Loopt allows you to use your
current location to find friends, places and activities nearby . Gowalla is
another program which is designed to share your location with others as well as
share your experiences through photos and recommendations . This application
also provides ‘badges’ for explored locations like Foursquare. Foursquare is
the application which simulates a game, encouraging people to explore new
spaces for point collection . Although Glympse does not provide features such
as nearby attractions, location recommendations and photos or a game like
experience, it is an ideal program for simple location communication. Before
getting into more details about Glympse, here is a video describing this
geospatial application:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg-MsCQJ6n4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg-MsCQJ6n4</a> </div>
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Mathew Cart</div>
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Alexa Lupinacci</div>
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Phil Reid</div>
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Graeme Singleton</div>
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Nicole Smith</div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-52379158929571139622010-11-30T22:23:00.001-05:002010-11-30T22:23:39.656-05:00Cycling the Alps<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.cyclingthealps.com/">http://www.cyclingthealps.com/</a></div>
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The geospatial web application www.cyclingthealps.com is a
Google Earth and Google Maps based website, used to familiarize cyclists with
various possible cycling routes. This is beneficial for cyclist enthusiasts, as
it allows them to navigate the Italian alps from the comfort of their home. Not
only is the website a convenient source of detailed information regarding
cycling routes in the Alps, but it also allows one to personalize their
adventure based on skill level, intensity of the route and scenery. The website
offers tourists from around the world the chance to experience multiple trails
suited to their needs, just by the click of a button. By using GIS data
collected and distributed by Google, this website demonstrates that it is no
longer necessary to spend money on maps and travel guides, as users can simply
plan their own trips (Roxanne Nelson, 1999). Not only does the user have access
to the experiences of previous cyclists, but they can view their chosen route
in 3D, as if they are already there. This geospatial application is the first
of its kind, covering every aspect required for planning an unforgettable trip.
Applications like these will soon be cropping up everywhere, for uses from
hiking trails, canoe routes and skiing paths, to cross country road trips.
Because of Google, online mapping has exploded into a phenomenon that gives
‘being there’ a whole new meaning (National Geographic, 2010). </div>
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Lauren Boutilier</div>
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Jennifer Hickman</div>
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Colin Donoghue</div>
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Shinead Macfarlane</div>
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Kayla Cressman </div>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94169000569473163.post-6468956635841464492010-11-30T21:52:00.001-05:002010-11-30T21:53:29.468-05:00Twitter as a Geospatial Tool<style>
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<a href="http://twitter.com/">http://twitter.com/</a></div>
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Twitter is a
social media tool use for expressing a user’s message in a form of
micro-blogging called tweets. Tweets can be seen publically and be forwarded
which is known as re-tweeting, it can also be linked to various applications
and social networking sites like Facebook
and Pikchur . This ability enables an acceleration of the spread of
information concerning environmental and geographic issues. Many smart-phones
are Twitter compatible, with this ability; users can transmit crucial data to a
global audience within minutes of an environmental disaster or updates of
ongoing issues. Although the current user base in approximately 175 million
many mainstream media outlets such as Al Jazeera , CBC etc. use Twitter collect and spread
information to an even wider audiences.
An example of how Twitter can spread information about geographic and
environmental issue is the Haitian Earthquake in 2010. British Red Cross aid workers on the ground were able to
provide information to relief workers enroute via Twitter. This information was
used to coordinate relief efforts. While Twitter is limited to a 140-computer
character message Twitter also provides the ability to instantly tag
photographs with GPS coordinates. In the case of the Hungarian Aluminum smelter slag spilling into the Danube
this function allowed for instant damage assessment. The ability to transmit both text and images from any
internet connection including smart-phones makes twitter an important tool in
the arsenal of geographers and environmentalist. For these reasons, it is
likely that the importance of Twitter will increase to the fields of geography
and environmentalism.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Terry Eckmeier </div>
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Sean Pollock </div>
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Annemarie Petejan </div>
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Sarah Penner </div>
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">Courtney Jones </span>B. Sharpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899214380247197968noreply@blogger.com0