Wondering if you can use those Google Earth images in your report? How about your power point slideshow? What is Google Policy on using their Google Maps data for various purposes? Find the answers to this and more info on Google’s Permissions page. They even have an interactive tool that will help you find the answers to your permission, attribution and other related questions. [Source: Google via Google Earth Blog]
Software Updates
Embeded Google Earth in Web Pages
Google has just released an API, or application programmer’s interface for Google Earth that allows website developers to embed a google earth application in any website. Users will have to have Google Earth installed on their systems and they will need a plugin which aside from a browser restart, installs rather painlessly. So now instead of seeing a Google map embedded on a web page, you will start seeing an instance of Google Earth so you can pan around in 3D. Pretty Cool. Check out an example and some video from Google after the break.
Software Updates
Exciting Changes for gINT Software
If you haven’t read today’s gINT Software press release on their new Google Earth capabilities in gINT, do that first. Go ahead..I’ll wait.
As readers of this site know, I’m a big fan of utilizing Google Earth as a geoengineering tool, and since I’m a big fan of gINT as a geoengineering tool as well, this news for me was like a match made in heaven! The good folks over at gINT were kind enough to give me a sneak peek at the new Google Earth functionality a couple days ago. And they also discussed a shift in their approach to updates and upgrades that will be of particular interest to all gINT users. Click through for more info. (Screenshot courtesy of gINT Software)
Miscellaneous
Digital Mapping Duopoly
By way of Geology.com, the Wall Street Journal reports on some interesting news related to GPS and even our beloved Google Maps / Google Earth. Apparently there are only two games in town when it comes to data providers for online and digital mapping products that are used by the aformentioned software as well as your GPS navigation system: Netherlands-based Tele Atlas NV, and Chicago-based Navteq Corp. (Photo by Websteria)
In October, Nokia bought Navteq for …wait for it… $8.1 billion. They plan to use the technology as the basis for a business model involving selling advertising tied to your phone’s location. A month later TomTom, a maker of GPS products, beat out rival Garmin and bought Tele Atlas for $4.2 billion. Were either of these companies really worth that much money? It doesn’t appear like it. Thus concern has been raised that the new owners of the technology might be in a position to hurt competitors by raising prices. We will have to see how things pan out.