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]
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.
Software Updates
Surfer 10 Gridding and Contouring Software Released
A new version of the popular gridding and contouring software, Surfer 10 is now available from Rockware, Inc. Some of the improvements include a 64-bit version, the ability to mix data with different map projections […]
Available Resources
Google Earth for Geotechnical Engineers and Geologists
Google Earth is a software application that uses satellite and aerial photo imagery, terrain, maps, 3D buildings and Google Search data to view information in our world in two and three dimensions in real time. I’m curious how other geotechnical engineers and engineering geologists are using Google Earth in their practice. Read on for some GE related resources I’ve found useful or interesting, and then post a comment on how you use Google Earth in your practice and for fun! (Logo copyright Google Inc.)
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