In this special episode we talked to Rob and Jerry of Autodesk about the new Autodesk Utility Design 2009 and the new version of Topobase 2009.

Click to download mp3 version

Click to download aac version

While I was waiting for my XNA project to rebuild, I was surfing around the Web and found a great little gift idea over at Uncommon Goods. For those of you who still have a soft spot in your hearts for the analog world we’ve left behind, this nifty map postcard comes complete with a needle and red thread so that you can sew your way from destination to destination. Each card is $5, and you currently have a choice of the USA, Europe, or the World.

Engadget is reporting an interesting new system that’s being created. Researchers over at Ohio State University (a hop, skip, and 4 hour drive from here) are attempting to make a GPS like system for navigation on the moon. The system is supposed to be ready by 2020, and the linked article from Engadget’s site says the team is working on making lunar navigation less frustrating than its terrestrial counterpart. The quotes state they’re hoping “to avoid the stress of getting lost, or getting frustrated with the equipment” with their research. As one who’s dealt with technology gadgets pretty much his whole life, I wish the researchers luck, but I have to say that’s one big charge to take on. Here’s hoping some of their research makes it back to the consumer side before 2020!

A VerySpatial Podcast
Shownotes - Episode 157
July 20, 2008

Main Topic: Mobile and Location based

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So Sue has the iPhone 3G and I was FINALLY able to upgrade the iPod Touch to the 2.0 firmware. I am quite happy with the number of times that the devices have asked to use the location settings. The camera and maps are the two Apple apps that use the location info and I have downloaded most of the location aware apps…at least the free ones…so far. Many people have been hating on the lack of telenav-like turn by turn directions, but with the Google routes through the Map app and your current position blinking on screen it is great for areas you now well enough, though a dash mounting will be good if you don’t have a person in the passenger seat to convey the directions. While I am editing a quick video run through of the iPhone location capabilities for VSTV Episode 35 we haven’t had a chance to do a side-by-side with Frank’s Windows Mobile based phone like I had hoped. Click through the break to see a few screen grabs from some of the iPhone location apps.
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Unfortunately, I signed on to the Imagine 9.3 session late and missed most of the things I wanted to see (Web Services and vector rendering details) but while I was in the session they talked about some of the compression updates and RADAR tools using slides then offered a live demo of some of the content I had missed. The points I walked away with were:

1) there will be a new module in conjunction with TerraGo named Imagine Map2GeoPDF and they showed an example of using it to export a single map composer image and a batch using the Map Series tool (nice, very nice)

2) vectors are drawing (especially redrawing) faster, at least points and lines, but there was an off hand remark about polygons drawing a little slower without an explanation

3) there was an interesting demo of contrast tools. I am not sure if the are new or not in 9.3, but they are new to me

4) as I was dialing up the audio via skype (which was being cranky as usual) I saw a bullet point on a new license manager, but I missed the details

Other interesting bits include ERDAS falling in line with other companies and moving to quarterly service packs and incorporating enhancements into the SPs, but just fixes. ERDAS also is releasing ~10 minute videos via their own YouTube channel and FTP (though the URI they gave was blocked). Overall, while I was hoping to see the parts at beginning of the webinar I am pretty excited about being able to talk to someone about the upcoming changes in ERDAS Imagine when the product is closer to going gold.

In 2009, the State of Alabama will begin a project to map all of the municipal and rural water systems within the state. As many of us here in the US know, a number of areas of the country have been experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions, and water resources are a contentious issue. Conflicts between various groups and government entities will likely grow, as more and more people move into areas that already have scarce water supplies. Although the Governor of Alabama denied that such issues played a role in the decision to set up the mapping program, Alabama and neighboring Georgia are already arguing about water rights. I expect that we will begin to see more initiatives like this in the coming years, as the first step in claiming the rights to scarce resources is identifying where they are and mapping them.

Via Prattville Progress

Next week (July 22nd & 23rd), the Virtual Policy Network, a group focused on researching the public policy implications of virtual worlds, will be holding the first conference in the UK on public policy issues related to virtual worlds, dubbed Virtual Policy ‘08. The event is co-sponsored by the UK government’s Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, and with all the recent news about virtual world investment, I think it’s really interesting that a government department focused on business development and regulation is playing a key role in the conference.

Here in the US, there are a number of debates about virtual worlds and their social and economic implications, including issues about appropriate content and crime within virtual worlds, but the US government so far has not taken a strong stance on public policy related to virtual worlds. That could change, however, if the potential revenue generation and social importance of virtual worlds continue to grow.

Via Terra Nova

I try not to talk about our adverts in posts, but the most recent ERDAS ad is for an upcoming webinar titled ERDAS IMAGINE 9.3…IMAGINE What’s Next! (Webinar) which grabbed my interest. The teaser blurb on the registration page talks about better vector support and, what I have been hankering for, OGC web service access. I will try to post something after the webinar on Thursday, but if you are an Imagine user you may want to check out this most recent in their on-going series of webinars. FYI. It looks like ERDAS Image 9.3 will ship in the 3rd quarter which I assume that means a late September release/ship…two 9.x releases in one year.

I played Webkinz all weekend with my nephew. It’s a cute stuffed toy with a code to enter a virtual environment with tons of interactive games. Many schools use Webkinz as an educational tool or as a reward for good behavior. Gantz, the makers of Webkinz list the reasons why virtual world is educational but they left out one component - you have to use a map tool to add rooms to your virtual house. If. like my nephew, you have almost every room configuration possible, you definitely need the map to find your way from your beach room to your space room without getting lost. You can see all the different types of Webkinz animals at Amazon.