Every good idea has its time and what is groundbreaking at one point in time soon becomes the standard. Just as having a tape deck in an automobile was once considered audacious, yet is now tragically out-of-date, with the announcement and demonstration of the new Apple iOS 6 operating system, it is possible GPS systems are about to go the way of the audio cassette. Read more »
For months, there have been rumors in the tech sector of a new competitor to Google Maps. That competitor is none other than Apple and at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, the new Apple mapping service made its debut. Here are some important aspects of it:
There is a somewhat ugly trend in the tech sector right now where the corporate philosophy seems to be “be everything to everyone.” The behemoths of the tech sector – Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc. – are each struggling to capture the market share of virtually every division and idea within the tech sector. When one company branches into mobile OS development, the others leap into mobile OS development and start developing their own search engines. The result is that consumers are forced to ally themselves with one company’s many product lines or scatter their allegiance on a product by product basis, often ending up with incompatible technologies causing additional headaches. One of the latest fronts is online mapping programs. Looking to shore up their position in the market, Google is launching improvements to Google Maps in advance of Apple unveiling its new mapping service. Read more »
Google Maps has expanded from just an online map system to an indispensible navigating system. In fact, newer Android phones come with their unique Google based GPS. Other uses, as you probably know, include getting directions, measuring distances, viewing satellite images, and, every once in a while, making a beautiful and creative short film like “Address is Approximate.” Still, if you’ve been a regular Google Maps user since the service’s inception, then you’re probably familiar with the occasional inaccuracies or glaring omissions that occur in some maps. Such problems used to be much more frequent in the early days of Google Maps, and are slowly becoming fewer as Google enhances the software. The cartographic data has been steadily improving since Google launched Google Map Maker in 2008.
Google Map Maker relies on a volunteer community to add features such as new locations, more venue details, and new or changed streets to its maps. This is especially helpful for Google because mapping information is not readily available everywhere. Map Maker is free, fairly simple to use, and open to the public.
Of course, though this may seem like an overtly philanthropic, egalitarian and democratizing act on Google’s part, by allowing the people who are most familiar with their own areas to contribute cartographic data, Google is saving itself a lot of time and resources. Instead of dedicating funds and advanced tech support to populate and repopulate maps with ever-changing local data ad infinitum, Google has chosen to let users do it themselves!
In many ways, this feature is almost like the Wikipedia side of Google, a side where everyone can contribute. One major difference between the two, though, is that Google is slightly stricter about its guidelines for editing. When users (called editors in the Map Maker sphere) make edits or suggestions, those changes need the approval of other members in the community. The more your edits get approved, the more merit you gain in the editing sphere, and the better your reputation, the easier it becomes for you to make changes. As you advance in the meritocracy of Google Map Maker, your edits will start to go live automatically.
The interface itself is very simple. You can tag buildings, create their outlines, and add roads. Ideally, you would do this based off the satellite image of the area you wish to edit. Next, you input some data about your newly added locale, and once you pass the approval process, you can celebrate your latest position as a Google cartographer.
If you are mainly interested in updating their own neighborhoods or specific areas, Google Map Maker allows you to subscribe to certain areas and monitor any edits that occur there. Overall, Google Map Maker is a great way to contribute your knowledge and have some fun on a rainy day. Be careful, though, it’s easy to spend endless hours editing once you’re hooked.
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315-882-1100
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Among the many ways Google Maps has changed navigation is the introduction of Street View technology which provides users with panoramic images of streets and buildings in many areas. The technology first became available in the Unites States in 2007 and spread to other parts of the world soon after. Though for most people, the technology is a fun way to bring back memories or make arriving at a destination much easier, a recent online video shows a liberating and innovative new usage for the technology.
Using stop animation, director Tom Jenkins tells the story of a lonely desk toy who longs to get out of the dark office. One night, when his owner leaves, the toy decides to take a trip to the Pacific Coast. In the short film, his fellow office toys help him relocate a toy car in front of a large Mac screen and off they go! The result is a beautiful short animated clip called “Address is Approximate,” complete with music, lighting effects, and a heart-warming plot.
As the desk toy sits in the car, images of Manhattan reflecting on his sad face, a fellow desk toy continuously clicks the mouse to move from one screen shot to the next—and he does that all the way from Manhattan to the Pacific. Perhaps what makes the film so visually beautiful is the physical setting’s interactions with the on-screen journey. Rotating desk lamps give a real presence to the tunnel lights that appear on screen, desk plants complement the trip’s forestry, piled boxes move along the edges to imitate tall buildings, and another bright lamp floods the office with artificial sunlight.
The actual making of the film didn’t require complicated computer support on the digital end, but rather plenty of patience from its director. In one online interview, Jenkins says that it took him six nights to film and several months of production.
The film’s director and creator used a Canon 5d MkII to shoot the stills for the film then Dragon Stop Motion software to animate the images. Stop motion is an animation technique used to make objects look like they’re moving on their own by altering their position slightly between frames and then playing the frames rapidly and consecutively. The technology, though largely obsolete, still has uses in popular culture. Famous British show Wallace and Grommet, for example, uses stop motion as its animation method.
“Address is Approximate” is a reminder of how amazing tech support tools like Google Maps can be put to artistic use in even the most limited of settings.
About RESCUECOM:
RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.
For More Information, Contact:
David Milman, CEO
315-882-1100
david@rescuecom.com