google maps

I believe it is absolutely essential for mapping technologies to be "open source".

One very important reason for this is that Name + (residential) Address is widely accepted throughout the western word as Identity (which is why news stories frequently cite "...givenName surName of 123 streetname..." or "givenName surName of no fixed address"). This effectively makes your residential address half of a widely accepted Identity "key". Now, as we become more mobile, "residential" address is becoming less important than "current" addess (e.g. the current GPS co-ordinates of my omni-present mobile phone). Since most people still need a "map" to provide the contextual information related to latitude & longitude co-ordinates, its essential that they have unrestricted access to "maps".

Google Map Maker users have the ability to enhance and highlight their communities unique locations. This should dig some great finds and I suspect some real good gags!

Mom's and Dad's here's one for the the kids. Let them track Santa's progress compliments of NORAD and Google.

In a logical next step - Google brings us indoor maps of places where you can and do get lost. Earlier this week, a U.K. company named FootPath was being bashed by consumers for gather their shopping habits via captured mobile data at malls - With its upgraded indoor maps - Google can gather the same information with the users knowledge by offer instant Ads (savings coupons and the like) for stores at a given location.

Google's November 2011 algorithm update puts an even bigger emphasis on fresh content. Participation in social media is not only a great way to provide content snippet updates but to get more attention for your local listing. The recent study by Mediative shows that with strong social signals, you can fare well even if you are not the number one local listing. This means that getting lots of reviews and votes really does make a difference. What then is the reason so few companies create more robust local listings? Lack of time and know-how (even though it is easy) is my guess. What do you think?

Google Maps

"WouldISurviveANuke is a morbid Google Maps mashup that plots out the effective radius of nuclear weapons on major metropolitan areas, your distance from them, and your chances of survival...Visit the site, plug in your zipcode, and set the parameters (how big of a nuclear weapon and how large the nearest target city needs to be) to find out if you’re in the blast radius."

So, according to this, I would survive a nuke where I am - but seriously? I wouldn't want to!

What is China up to these days?

Mestre is near Venice (Italy)