Location-based Services

The early verdict is in: Apple Maps on iOS 6 underwhelms the tech press and some users. What does this situation suggest about the state of consumer mapping and are there implications for GIS professionals?

The long northern hemisphere summer is over and the geospatial industry is gearing up for fall. What should we expect? What would we like to see? Our editors get listeners ready for the next few months.

ProPublica investigative reporter Peter Maass says cellphone companies monitor where we are, who we call, what we buy -- and often provide it to law enforcement when requested.

Last week location-based ad company JiWire announced a new ad service to help marketers target specific audiences based on location data it has collected from mobile devices. The product, Location Graph, uses the data to create anonymous user profiles based on the types of places people visit. Is this truly a new way to target or just a twist on the tried and true psychographic analysis?

Our editors attempt to judge the health of the geospatial tech industry based on evidence from last week's Esri International User Conference. Do they see mergers, morphing or mortality?

A new algorithm developed by UK researchers can predict, within 1000 meters, where you will be in 24 hours based only on past location information. Add in data on where your friends are and the resolution drops to just 20 meters. What if you add in sensor data from your phone and data from your social networks and online shopping? What is possible, in terms of using these data to improve your personal life and the lives of entire communities?

In the past few weeks two companies shared details of who checks in where. Facebook detailed the top social landmarks in cities, while Endomondo compiled who is tracking their workouts and where. Is this data valuable to those companies? To marketers? To those of us trying to make sense of the check-in phenomenon?

Apple's new Maps offering for iOS had some expected features and a few unexpected ones. What are the implications of this new player in the mobile mapping marketplace?

Google shared some of the history of its geospatial offerings and then made three announcements about some features and technology that are

Two weeks ago the world learned about Zombie-based Learning, a geography teaching tool envisioned by a middle school teacher from Seattle. He used the crowdfunding site, Kickstarter, to ask the world to support his project. He had $5000 pledged in just four days. What other geography-related projects, educational and otherwise, are appearing on Kickstarter? What is getting funded? What isn't?