In+ersec+ion for Spatial People

This is our last batch-mode edition of the year - happy holiday break to everyone!

From the open source / data front:

• MapBox share an interesting entry named The Trouble with Geoportals: "Heavy interface-driven sites based on predetermined data acquisition processes are a key part of a local, state, and national spatial and open data infrastructures, but they do not make open data open and accessible to all."
• Here's a nice demo of OpenLayers 3, read the associated discussion
• Here's news of the QGIS Globe and PostGIS 3D with a video demo
• Here's an entry on how the LGPL license of geospatial software is completely destroying iOS adoption of open source geospatial software
• Here's about the version 1.8.0 release of Libspatialindex (which switches from LGPL to MIT) 
• And Jeff McKenna is the new OSGeo president
• Here's an article on Vizzuality, the makers of CartoDB

From the Esri front:

• Here's a summary of Whats New in ArcGIS Online (December 2012): "This is major update, with new capabilities for authoring web maps, publishing hosted services, sharing, and configuring ArcGIS Online organizations."
• DigitalGlobe Imagery for the United States and Western Europe added to the Esri's World Imagery map
• If you're eager to know, here's What’s coming in the next update of the ArcGIS SDK for Android?

From the Google front:

• Obligatory, Christmas Trees in Google Earth and Street View
• Interesting, Using Google Earth to teach math
• Google shared tips for getting the most from Google Maps on iPhone
• Apparently, the iOS version of the Google Maps app might violate EU privacy laws
• Here's what Google Earth looks like on the Nexus 10
• Here's the Google entry on the Count down to Christmas Eve with Google Santa Tracker
• It's the end of the world right? Predicting volcanic ash with Google Earth
• That's not a reason for not providing New Google Imagery - December 17

In the remote sensing category:

• If you have an iOS device, don't miss ESA's 'Earth from Space: the Living Beauty' free book: "The digital publication has over 100 pages with interactive maps, stunning image galleries and animations that encourage you to discover the various Earth processes. "
• Name change, Copernicus is the new name for European Earth Observation Programme
• Here's a discussion on How to build a microsatellite

In the miscellaneous category:

• Know the WMS standard? Here's a pertinent entry named Don't "upgrade" to WMS 1.3.0 unless you really have to, stick to 1.1.1
• Here's a pertinent entry on GIS user interfaces and how bad they are
• Here's the Directions Mag summary of A Day at Nokia’s U.S. Headquarters
• While they can't do it anymore with a GPS device, the U.S. government can use location data from cell towers in order to track suspects without a warrant

In the maps category:

• Here's an Interactive map of the U.S. Nuclear Weapons Complex

An important Google announcement that will impact all major users of the Google Maps API is the Introduction of usage limits to the Maps API. 

The HEO blog summarizes it this way: "Beyond the free limit of 25,000 views per day, sites will start having to pay $4 per 1,000 views." The details are actually in the Google Maps API FAQ. This 25,000 limit will impact only heavy traffic websites, which may be interested in the more cost-effective Maps API Premier license. But still that's the end of the free Google Maps API. Enforcement will begin in early 2012.

In the Google announcement: "We understand that the introduction of these limits may be concerning. However with the continued growth in adoption of the Maps API we need to secure its long term future by ensuring that even when used by the highest volume for-profit sites, the service remains viable. By introducing these limits we are ensuring that Google can continue to offer the Maps API for free to the vast majority of developers for many years to come."

The second announcement is Google Map Maker now available for Canada. And as a bonus (and less important), here's the official entry for this week's imagery update to Google Maps and Google Earth.

Here's the recent Google-related geonews in batch mode.

From the official sources:

• For developers, Google shared an entry on managing and visualizing your location based data with Fusion Tables and another one on High Performance KML for Maps and Earth
• Google informs us building outlines now appear in London, Paris, Barcelona, and more
• Google announced Google AdWords Express for local businesses and that Places Pages has been improved
• They shared an entry on Keeping an ‘eye’ on the 2011 Atlantic and Pacific hurricane seasons
• Google added large geographic features in Google Earth, such as the Alps and the Sahara Desert
• Google has an entry named UNITAR/UNOSAT team up with Google Map Maker to boost impact of community mapping for disaster relief and humanitarian aid
• Google has an entry celebrating Marine Day with Google Earth exploration of the ocean with Japan's Skinkai 6500
• Here's an entry on the evolution of the look of Google Maps from 2009 to 2011
• Google shared an entry on last week's imagery update, with tens of countries getting fresh imagery

From other sources:

• The GEB shares an interesting tool to find out what you are allowed to do with Google Maps and Google Earth, license-wise
• SS mentions that Google and SAP are teaming up for geovisualization of business analytics
• The FGT blog lists Geodetic Tools For Google Earth
• Ogle Earth offers a long entry on South Sudan's northern border discrepancies between Google Earth and other sources
• Another entry on Ogle Earth indicates satellite corroborates accounts of a massacre in Sudan and is visible in Google Earth
• The GEB shared an entry on the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Machu Picchu in Google Earth
• Here's an entry on Google Earth in the Classroom with StrateLogica