In+ersec+ion for Spatial People

Nantes (France), April 26, 2013 :

The Marine GeoGarage has launched a business-to-business online mapping service with worldwide nautical charts with a new API (Application Programming Interface), which is already in use by a number of public and private-sector organisations.
The API provides immediate online access to the most complete and highest quality nautical raster map data coming directly from the major international Hydrographic Offices.
It offers single-source access to premium map data at a variety of scales from the GeoGarage Cloud Computing solution through a tile mapping service (TMS).
The GeoGarage hosts all map data, which saves significant time and costs as organisations avoid the need to store and manage the data in-house.
Map data is presented in a seamless mode and is more cost effective and easier to use, as time-consuming translations to different data formats are not required.
Built on industry standards, the GeoGarage works across all browsers and operating systems.
It may be used in conjunction with or to supplement existing web-based map viewing applications built around Google Maps, Microsoft Bing or OpenLayers applications for example.
The new GeoGarage service can be used across a range of maritime business sectors with a variety of applications, mainly by software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for managing marine vessels or robots tracking (via AIS or satellite).

Speaking at the launch, Peio Elissalde co-creator of the web service added :
"The creation of the B2B service responds to the growing demand of our customers who wish to develop an integrated solution webmapping benefiting from official and regularly updated nautical charts.
The GeoGarage provides a custom API for customers interested in accessing our marine map layers and integrating them into their own products. We make it easy for customers to quickly and easily integrate our nautical layers onto a new or existing Google Map. With just a few lines of code you get all the GeoGarage functionality without all the setup hassle. We provide a convient and reliable service that has helped our partners enhance the value of their sites.".

Pricing is set through some monthly subscriptions according to desired geographical coverage.

http://magicinstinct.online.fr/press/Press_Release_GeoGarage_API.html

Here's the recent geonews in batch mode.

From the Esri front:

• An interesting entry on Designing the next generation of online Topographic Maps
• There's an ArcGIS Online World Topographic Map New Design which includes High-resolution imagery for South America, Australia, New Zealand, and Afghanistan
• The 2012/2017 Esri U.S. Demographic Data Release

On the web maps front:

• We mentioned it before, and here's more details on JS.geo 2013: A Meeting of Javascript Mappers in Denver
• There's a new site to give you Instant Google Street View (direct link)... worth trying, it's really fast
• Also Google-related, the GEB talks about GPS4Sport that combines GPS with Video and Google Earth
• On Apple Maps
  • Rumors of OS X 10.9 to Include Siri and Maps Integration
  • A lot of geoblogs mentioned that Apple axed the head of its mapping team, Richard Williamson (more here)
• Microsoft added New Imagery Added to Windows 8 Maps App & Bing Maps
• The MapBox iOS SDK hits version 0.5.0
• Two weeks ago, TomTom launched its SDK for LBS Apps, including maps, geocoding, routing, traffic

In the miscellaneous category:

• Launched less than 10 days ago, MarineRegions.org, "towards a global standard of georeferenced marine names" (via Kurt)
• A slashdot story named French Company Building a Mobile Internet Just For Things
• While 3D printing have most of its applications outside of geospatial, I found interesting that it's really going mainstream as demonstrated by Staples To Offer 3D Printing Services, an O'Reilly story named Printing ourselves, the state of 3D Printing Patent Suits (via OR), and yes, you can 3D-print your own drone
• More news about drones:
  • The Make magazine offers a gift guide for aerial drones (via OR)
  • But beware, High Levels of Burnout in US Drone Pilots (via OR)
• VerySpatial offers an entry on Forensic GIS and the Role of Geospatial Technologies for Investigating Crime and Providing Evidence
• Apparently, there's Nokia offline maps available in Firefox OS (alpha)
• If you're excited by OGC standards
  • There's the development of an international standard for 4D archaeological data
  • And soon, Augmented Reality Standard ARML 2.0 in its Final Stage
• If you're in the U.S., you'll be interested by the GAO Report on Federal Geospatial Data Coordination
• You wonder about earth observation satellites from Russia? Here's news about the Resurs-P with 3-m hyperspectral capabilities and other Russian satellites
• As part of Autodesk University, you'll find the Autodesk CEO saying “I do believe that everything is moving to the cloud.” and an entry indicating that Autodesk's future is in the cloud

In the maps category:

• Interesting maps, U.S. Geography of Personality: The United States of Mind

OpenCPN Version 3.0.0 Release

ANNOUNCEMENT:

OpenCPN Version 3.0 is released, and available for immediate download.
The version is a major feature upgrade and maintenance release of OpenCPN.

OpenCPN is a free and OpenSource navigation package running on Windows, Linux, and Macintosh computers.

Some features of OpenCPN include:
- Quilted Raster(RNC) and Vector(ENC) digital chart display
- Industry standard GPS receiver interfacing, with "moving map" on-screen vessel tracking.
- AIS receiver interfacing with configurable target safety monitoring
- Integrated Route, Track, and Waypoint database, with industry standard Import/Export capabilities
- Tide and Current prediction, with on-screen overlay of predicted data.
- Broad International Language support

OpenCPN is designed to be easy to install, configure, and use daily.
OpenCPN may be freely downloaded and installed without cost, registration, or time limits.

New and Enhanced Features for OpenCPN Version 3.0

1. OpenGL support, for enhanced graphics performance and functionality.
2. Improved ENC object Query interface
3. Portable execution option, allowing easy migration to new systems.
4. Upgrade to wxWidgets 2.8.12.
5. Support ENC Overlay cells.
6. Upgrade gpsd support to Version 2.96
7. Implement enhanced PlugIn system, enabling a wide variety of PlugIn types.
8. Implement DSC and GPS_Gate Buddy tracking.
9. Implement user defined Chart Groups.
10. Implement AIS SART transponder display and tracking.
11. Improved ENC object rendering and display.
12. Implement user definable Tide/Current datasets.
13. Full conformance for all platforms, especially including Macintosh OS X.
14. Greatly improved stability on all platforms, as a result of extended Beta testing.
15. Many, many improvements in the basic User Interface, while maintaining the ease-of-use that OpenCPN is widely known for.

Extended Release Notes for OpenCPN Version 3.0 may be found at
http://opencpn.org/ocpn/node/189

We hope you enjoy the new features of OpenCPN Version 3.0, and look forward to your continued feedback.

Download OpenCPN Version 3.0 at
http://sourceforge.net/projects/opencpn/

For PlugIns and other useful information, visit our support website at
http://opencpn.org

The OpenCPN Development Team
Dave Register, Lead Developer
__________________