If you happen to be an Android mobile device user then perhaps you
noticed that Google recently rolled out an update to the Google Maps
mobile app for Android... or perhaps not.
The app boasts a number of updated features including better battery
performance but perhaps most noticeably you'll get a real kick out of
the new checkin functionality.
The service provides the familiar checkin capabilities that we all
love or hate to use, however, it has much more than that. For the gaming
experience there's a leader board, you know, who's checked in most
etc... Foursquare has this and for me anyway, it's likely the most
boring and useless part of foursquare... sorry but I really don't care
if I'm leading in checkins, and quite frankly, if I am a leader amongst
my contacts then I think I'd be a little concerned that I need to get a
life!
Moving on, the app really is quite interesting. Here's how it works.
Load up gMaps and locate yourself (make sure GPS is enabled). Then,
using the drop-down menu in the top left corner, drop down the options
that are available to you. In the middle you'll notice an option to
Checkin. Maps will search a POI database nearby (another example of why a
business MUST get listed and verify their listing in Google Places) and present a number of options, optionally you can search if your place
doesn't appear near the top (handy in congested urban areas). I was
interested to notice that when I load the checkin while at home, Google
maps geocodes my location and accurately presents my home address as an
option, although I don't think I'll checkin from my home! Select a
place, I'll pick a nearby cafe as an example, add a comment (the dialog
is exactly what you see when you use G+ to make a post from your mobile,
and checkin. Note, when checking in you have a number of sharing
options that you can set including: share with your G+ circles, share
with Latitude friends, or make public... this is cool! And here's
something quite cool, you can optionally enable maps to automatically
check you in to this venue in the future when you are nearby or remind
you to checkin the next time you come here.
Finally, once you checkin you are shown stats of the leaderboard,
this is the gaming element to Google Maps checkin, and then you can
proceed to the Google Place listing page of the venue. I really like
this, particularly as I frequently lookup Google places via this
information. From this page you can read reviews, add a review, add a
photo, rate the place, link through to their website, view it on a map,
or call them... very nice and I'm afraid I have to say that this is much
more useful for me as a visitor to a venue than the place information I
see when I do a foursquare checkin.
The new look for Google Maps Mobile on Android
Great stuff from Google Maps on Android.
For business owners this is a HUGE reason to make sure you secure
ownership of your Place listing on Google maps and make sure your
information is relevant and up to date! See http://www.google.com/places/
Using QR Codes to Deliver Maps Electronically - cartographers
are tapping into technology in the form of Quick Response Codes (QR
codes) to help promote, sell and deliver maps electronically. Ted
Florence discusses QR codes, what they are and how they are useful for
maps and map producers.
10 Resources To Help You Get Started Programming with Python-
There's no question that if you want a head start in your career as a
GIS Analyst, programmer, or other technology professional that Python
programming is a must. Just look around on twitter, follow some geo
hacks on Google +, check out the developer resources, and attend a
GeoGeek meetup of WhereCamp and you'll hear about python.
58% Use Location-based Apps Despite Privacy Concerns- A telephone poll of 1,000 Americans shows that many people are concerned
about geolocation, which uses data from a computer or mobile device to
identify a physical location
The Really Big List of Mapping, Geo location Mobile developer resources, APIs and Tools - The Mobile Ecosystem... no question that mobile is huge and
the opportunity for developers, in particular, geo developers! There's
loads of developer resources on the web so to help the developer,
here's a listing of just some of the fine dev resources, blogs,
toolsets and more to consider when developing or porting your app to a
smartphone or Tablet.
Mobile Technology Feature - Top 10 Business Apps for Android - Android has become one of the most popular mobile operating systems
in the world due to advanced software, competitive manufacturers, and an
app market that is filled with exciting and useful applications. Read
on for this fine Top 10 List compiled by tech writer, Blake Sanders
ArcGIS.com Mashup Tutorial with Flickr and Foursquare data-
Here's a simple "how to" tutorial on working with the free ArcGIS.com
to easily import KML or RSS data from Flickr and foursquare into ArcGIS
to create your own custom map mashup.
Most Users of Free Photo Apps Say Adding Cool Effects is Most Useful - Adding cool effects
to photos was rated as the most useful thing by more than halfof
consumers surveyed using free online photography services, according to
CatchFree a free
online service that helps people find the best free mobile and web applications
to perform useful tasks.
Flickr GPS Photo Tag Tip - Here's a tip for Flickr users who want to share their GPS information
with their photos. note, in order to do this you'll need to be
capturing photos using a GPS-enabled or GPS-aware camera (see you're
smartphone hardware settings to ensure that GPS or location sharing is
turned "ON)".
Featured Events
Location Business Summit USA - The biggest meeting place for hands on knowledge and networking within
the mobile and location industry. Continuing on from the massive success
of last year’s events in Silicon Valley and Amsterdam, join the biggest
and best companies in the community at the most influential LBS focused
summit in the world. San Jose CA
Wavefront Summits - Wavefront Wireless Summits Week 2013 connects
technology solution providers with global business leaders to
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The Underground Guide To The iPhone:
The iPhone is – if I may say so – one of the greatest mobile
revolutions of the past decade. More and more, mobile phones seem to
materialize out of our wildest dreams. Because of the tight integration
of third-party applications, you can do nearly everything with your
device — be it gaming, working, fooling around, and of course phoning.
10 Resources To Help You Get Started Programming with Python
