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Reflections on the Esri Partner and Developer Conferences 2013

I have just returned from a thoroughly enjoyable 6 days in Palm Springs. Back to back conferences allowed for a nice mix of business and technical discussions. Its hard not to come back not feeling super charged. These are exciting and changing times in the Esri and wider GIS/location technology worlds. As a company we more »

Mobile GIS: One Mobile App for all Devices?

The question of design, mobile apps and device we have discussed before in this blog. The recent Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona recently again touched on this subject. Smartplanet columnist Reena Jana wrote an interesting piece from observations made at the conference called Three mobile design trends worth watching. That list is: 1) Boundaries more »

Mobile, GIS and GPS: A Perfect Marriage

I had lunch with a friend a few days ago. He asked me about what we do as a company. I said Mobile GIS. His perplexed look told me a step back was needed. He knew about iPads, also knew about GPS but what is this GIS thing? I’m sure I am not alone; how more »

Happy Geographic Valentines Day

The Future of the Esri Flex for ArcGIS Viewer

We’ve worked with a variety of viewers and frameworks from Esri. We have fond memories of the HTML Viewer for ArcIMS, less enthusiasm for Web ADF, and a real affection for the Flex for ArcGIS Viewer. As a company we have spent much time working with the Flex viewer. It remains very popular, and the more »

Moving the ArcGIS for Flex Viewer to the iPad

We were reminded today of work we started nearly two years ago. This actually began our migration from Web to mobile GIS development. At the time we were doing much work with the ArcGIS for Flex web application; building new widgets and extending existing. This remains an excellent resource from Esri, making access to data more »

ArcGIS Online Mobile Offline Editing App

Mobile offline editing is something we have written much about in our blog. It is also the most common request we receive. Esri have an integrated solution being prepared. Release dates are very tentative. We took the initiative and have developed a connected/disconnected ArcGIS Online mobile editing solution for both iOS and Android. It is more »

Esri GIS for Local Government & ArcGIS Online

We have worked with a number of public organisations across the US over the years, helping with Web and mobile ArcGIS Server development. Local government is one of key business verticals. Our attention, and that of our public sector clients, is now turned to ArcGIS Online. We’ve been working with this new mapping platform for more »

Web & Mobile Development for ArcGIS Online

We’ve discussed in other posts how ArcGIS Online makes accessing and working with geo-data easier. Companies such as ours, focused on ArcGIS Online, are now building applications for a range of different devices. Non-Mobile Web ArcGIS Online Development of ArcGIS Online Web based non-mobile apps is dominated by HTML5/Javascript. Now we can write apps which more »

ArcGIS Online: Do Esri Partners Compete or Compliment?

A provocative blog post title. Esri have 3 tiers of partners; Silver, Gold and Platinum. We all use and love Esri technology. As partners we are looking for a business relationship too. For those looking to use Esri technology, as partners we can provide expertise. So do we then as Esri partners compete? The answer more »

A Demo of Esri’s Water Utility Mobile Map for iOS & Android

We mentioned in a previous blog post that we have started work on building a version of Esri’s Water Utility Mobile Map but targeting iOS and Android. We thought it might be interesting to share where we are in the development process. The video below shows the first phase of the work. Let us just more »

What Convinced Us About ArcGIS Online?

We’ve been waxing lyrically about ArcGIS Online lately. People following the blog have asked why? In short because we moved from reading about it to developing apps against it. After a decade of working directly against ArcIMS and ArcGIS (which don’t get us wrong we liked) this new platform has simplified everything. Publishing Geo-Data in more »

MapQuest, Nokia and New Mapping Platforms

Let’s avoid the term map wars. But exciting new releases continue in the mapping world. Established geo-focused companies like Google continue to build out their maps products. Esri have released ArcGIS Online; their new and exciting mapping platform. Apple have somewhat stumbled into the geo-world with tier own mapping product. Now along comes Nokia with more »

Building Water Utility Mobile Map for iOS & Android

We’ve started looking at building an iOS and Android version of the Water Utility Mobile Map; the ArcGIS for Windows Mobile application: Water Utility Mobile Map (ArcGIS 10.1) What is ESRI’s Water Utility Mobile Map? More than that we plan to integrate it with ArcGIS Online. Water Utility Mobile Map Functional Spec & Requirements We more »

ArcGIS Online Simplifies GIS App Development

One question we are often asked, particularly when it comes to mobile ArcGIS development, is how to display shapefiles. In the case of mobile to render a shapefile, the following steps were needed: 1) Download a zipped version of the shapefile to your mobile device. 2) Inside the mobile app: – Unzip the zip – more »

Custom Mobile Apps & Web Apps in ArcGIS Online

If you’ve wandered through recent posts in our blog you’ll see we are enthused about ArcGIS Online. As a development company who has spent the last 6 years building GIS Web applications, and more recently mobile apps using ArcGIS Server and WMS endpoints; web maps are a joy. GIS Map Viewers – A Short History more »

ArcGIS Online and Solution Templates

We spoke in a recent post about our excitement over ArcGIS Online. Not only do we find web maps compelling, but also the new solution templates. These are web and mobile apps which are integrated into the platform. In this post we wanted to walk through how to work with these ArcGIS Online apps. ArcGIS more »

Geography – Intelligent Maps, Story and Web Maps

I’ve spent my life loving geography. Text books filled with pictures of wonderful places, diagrams of how what we see around us was formed. I have always been a process person. To me geography was “See that glacial valley? Let’s learn how it formed”. Physical geography was my passion. It still is. Its funny I more »

ArcGIS Online: Its Time to get Excited

We’ve spent nearly a year working with ArcGIS Online. Our view is that it is a major step forward. We’ve been asked why we take this view. In short because this is a mapping platform like no other. Mapping Platforms Let’s start with what is a mapping platform. Put simply: “A web mapping platform is more »

Yahoo Joining the Map Wars

So those older folk (like me) remember Yahoo fondly. A fading giant; a memory of the dot com era. Then came Marissa Mayer, their new CEO. Her story, has been all Google; latterly Google maps and their geo-products. It was interesting to read some of the details of her first quarterly earnings call. Her big more »

Mobile Predictions for 2013

Gartner recently discussed their mobile thoughts for 2013. Soe of the key points we thought were as follows: “Mobile phones are projected to overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide in 2013, and more than 80 percent of the handsets sold in mature markets likely to be smartphones by 2015″ “The landscape more »

Mobile GPS & CRM

Increasingly, CRM vendors are incorporating geofunctionality into their offerings. It is a must-have marketing technique for brick-and-mortar retailers competing with e-commerce providers. While that use is indeed still a big driver, vendors are also beginning to view it as a technology that has multiple CRM-related uses, such as a complementary technology for contact management. Geolocation more »

ArcGIS Online Solution Templates

We have been in Redlands attending the Javascript ArcGIS Online Templates Holistic Lab. Its always exciting coming to ESRI, like being back at university; surrounded by super bright people. I’ve said this a number of times but in 2006 with the launch of Google Maps, I did wonder about the future of ESRI. Don’t think more »

Mobile ArcGIS Online – Offline/Online Editing Demo & Those Pesky Feature Layers

We have been developing mobile ArcGIS online maps for some time. Editing has been at the forefront of our recent work. Many of our clients are looking for tools which allow mobile workers to edit features (add, edit, delete) while in the field. Disconnected mode, where the mobile user has no wi-fi connectivity, is an more »

Mobile ArcGIS Online

Stepping into Mobile Development In early 2011 we began to turn our attention seriously from development for the PC Web to mobile. Blackberry released their excellent, but not well received, Playbook. As a first step into mobile GIS development we built and launched a mobile ArcGIS viewer to the Blackberry App World. Accompanying this release more »

ArcGIS Online or Google Maps For Developers?

We found this an interesting article: Google Launches New Website Promoting Google Maps For Developers Google are encouraging developers to use their mapping api’s. With developer stories: Google Maps Developer Stories and a showcase: Google Maps Showcase and demos: Google Maps Demos As mobile application developers who focus on maps and GIS, we have long more »

Topics in Mobile GIS

We came across the following table recently, listing mobile GIS topics. Interesting. Obviously only a subset of the potential uses of mobile GIS. But worth reprinting. From the mobile app development work we are doing, key mobile requests from clients are: Visualization – I want to see my data while in the field GIS Data more »

Mobile Feature Editing in ArcGIS Online

So we’ve been spending quite some time with the very cool editing capabilities of the ArcGIS FeatureLayer. We are most interested in services published to ArcGIS Online. Editing will be a key advantage mobile brings to the world of ArcGIS. Avoiding the details (maybe in a future post), but not all ArcGIS FeatureLayers are the more »

ArcGIS Online and Mapping MS Exchange Contact Data

Ok, so we admit to really liking ESRI’s idea of story maps. After all maps are really spatial indexes of geo-related data. Why not use a picture (that’s all a map really is) with easy to find linked information to help improve our understanding. That is an ESRI story. They can be many and varied. more »

Mobile Location Services & Technology – Ignoring the Hype

We predicted over a year ago – ignoring the hysteria – that Foursquare would fail. They are still around, but all signs are that they are in decline. We are a group of geo-folk, who have been working in the business since the 90′s. Its been a very interesting ride, with the Internet, Google maps more »

Our Geo-Future is Bright – Location Data, Story Maps and Mobile Location Services

We live in changing times in the geo-space. Our work with location data as a company, began in the 90′s. Its been an interesting ride; from desktop to Internet, to now the cloud and mobile. New conferences appeared like Where 2.0; too many so called experts and innovators were thrust at us. Much of this more »

Comparing Google Maps with ArcGIS

Interesting to see ESRI’s perspective: “While they are quite different, and designed for different applications, one cannot help but compare them. In the last five years, the world has made a distinction between traditional GIS and web mapping. Traditional GIS has been focused on the enterprise applications and been the domain of GIS professionals, whereas more »

Criticism – Future Trends in Geospatial Information Management: The Five to Ten Year Vision

We put up a blog post linking to a recently released UN paper entitled: Future Trends in Geospatial Information Management: The Five to Ten Year Vision We noted in the original post that without knowing who the list of experts who contributed to the paper were, we were a little hesitant. We do know that more »

ArcGIS Online & Mobile Apps – The ESRI RoadMap

Just following up on some of the announcements from the ESRI User Conference. We are interested in all things mobile. Here were a couple of items which caught our eye: When will offline Mobile ArcGIS be available? “In early 2013 we will deliver offline editing capabilities in our ready-to-deploy apps for the iOS and Android more »

ArcGIS Online Templates – Good the Bad & the Ugly

Lets go back in time. Remember the early 2000′s and those glorious ESRI ArcIMS days. To quickly get up and running with sharing your GIS data on the Web, ESRI were nice enough to supply us with the HTML and Java viewers. Code libraries which provided a viewer and tools without the need for programming. more »

Geography, Story Maps and Location Technology

So we build cool mobile apps. We have a mix of technically savvy geospatial experts and business focused personnel. All very different, and yet the same. We are all either geographers, or have a love of the geospatial world. Take me; a physical geography degree from London University, then Masters degree in GIS. My love more »

GeoSpatial Future Trends 2012

Saw reference recently to a paper produced by the United Nations Programme on Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM) entitled “Future trends in geospatial information management:the five to ten year vision”. Often interesting to read, I sometimes hesitate to point at these papers from this blog. Particularly since the contributors, or ‘leaders in the geospatial world’ more »

Emerging Location Technology – Improving Understanding & Changing Roles

Continuing our reprint of some of the questions and answers from the recent ESRI UC, here we look at improving understanding, and the changing role of GIS professionals: “Improving Understanding – The ability of GIS to reduce large volumes of data from multiple sources, disciplines, and organizations into simple and meaningful information suggests it is more »

Emerging Location Technology – Business Drivers

Continuing our reprint of some of the questions and answers from the recent ESRI UC, here we look at business drivers: “There are a series of fundamental reasons why organizations deploy GIS technology. They include: a) Creating efficiency. Organizations can save money and time and eliminate redundancy. One of the best examples of this is more »

Emerging New Location Technology Trends

Continuing our reprint of some of the questions and answers from the recent ESRI UC, here we look at trends: “Platforms – Particularly exciting are the cloud and device platform because they enable “pervasive access,” giving the ability to use GIS, from anywhere and on any device.” “Location Analytics. This term refers to the exploding more »

ArcGIS Online – The Future of Mobile Location Technology?

After the recent user conference ESRI published an interesting list of questions & answers. We thought parts of this were worth reprinting, starting with ArcGIS Online: “ArcGIS Online is Esri’s open cloud platform for GIS organizations to web-enable their maps and related geographic information for sharing with their users. ArcGIS Online includes tools for geospatial more »

ESRI UC & Mobile ArcGIS Online

Another year, another ESRI User Conference. This years was one of the more memorable. In 2005 Google maps left ESRI needing to move into reactive mode. In 2012 the picture is a little different. Not to be caught out again, their development and promotion of ArcGIS Online has been very proactive. The conference was an more »

Offline Editing with Mobile ArcGIS

Our previous blog entry showed the initial steps in working with mobile ArcGIS when offline. We ended the post with “whats next? Offline Feature layers and Offline editing”. And that is the topic of this blog post. As we have mentioned before as a company our focus is mobile location technology. GIS, and specifically ArcGIS, more »

Taking ArcGIS Online … Offline

ArcGIS Online is a major step forward for mobile ArcGIS. True its not just targeted at mobile, but it has and will make the lives of mobile developers and their clients considerably easier. Why? Let’s make a list: 1) Single endpoint, or webmap to load, in a mobile viewer 2) Easy for users to prepare more »

GeoMobile for ArcGIS Online – A Free Mobile GIS App for Tablets

GeoMobile for ArcGIS Online is a free mobile app we launched in July 2012 to the Android Market. In August it will be released in the Apple market. The app allows users to access their ArcGIS Online maps on their iPad and Android tablets. Multiple maps can be accessed, when users set up and host more »

Mobile Location Apps and the Enterprise

Introduction Our primary focus as a mobile application development company, is building apps which improve efficiency and reduce costs within the enterprise. Utilizing GPS, we build mobile apps which allows users to view, search and report from their current location. From data collection, to viewing maps and using spatial software such as geographic information systems more »

More Apple Maps Thoughts

Apple maps: Where is Apple going? Rob Palfreyman, CEO, of indoor location company sensewhere In early June Apple announced that it was dropping Google as the default provider of mapping services in iOS. As is so often the case, Apple’s announcement immediately whipped large swathes of the technology community into a lather of excitement. What more »

Free Mobile GIS App – GeoMobile for ArcGIS Online

A guide to using GeoMobile for ArcGIS Online a free mobile app we are about to launch.

Apple Maps and iOS 6 Preview

Ok, so I am a sucker for pretty pictures, particularly when most are of maps. Take a look at the iOS 6 preview page. Lovely jubbly iOS 6 Preview – maps, maps and more maps

Mobile Map Wars – The Rapid Evolution of the Geo Mobile Market

To repeat a phrase we’ve used a number of times in this blog; we live in interesting times. The geo mobile market is hotting up . Google, and ESRI are actively extending their already impressive geo product offerings. Apple, and Amazon are now adding maps to their mix. Venture capital money is pouring into the more »

Mobile GIS Presentation

An interesting presentation by Dave Bouwman, one of our peers in the Internet and mobile location and GIS development world. In this presentation, Dave covers many areas we do in our presentations. DTSAgile, Dave’s company, are GIS focused. We differ in that we are location focused. So our solutions are both business and consumer oriented more »

Mobile Maps – Google, Apple & now Amazon?

Apple has developed its own mapping application for connected devices, and now Amazon may be about to do the same. According to GigaOm, Amazon has acquired 3D mapping application UpNext for an undisclosed sum. UpNext has already developed a detailed mapping application designed specifically for the Kindle Fire, as well as the iPhone and Android more »

Ed Parsons on the Future of Google & Geospatial Technology

An interesting conversation with Ed Parsons of Google maps. We’ve mentioned on numerous occasions in the blog about mobile geospatial technology and context. Great to hear Ed talk in the same terms.

Are Apple Fighting Against Cross Platform Mobile Solutions?

Apple have been praised for their innovation in the mobile space. Criticism of the company has centered around their fixation on absolute control. Their spat with Adobe in 2011 over the Flash Player plugin, effectively forced Adobe to change direction away from Flash and Flex. This was an early sign that Apple would not be more »

Thoughts on Apple Maps Integrating Yelp Check-Ins

We were asked today to give our thoughts on the potential integration of Apple’s new Maps app with Yelp check-ins. Here are our thoughts: I’ll admit to having mixed feelings about check-in. Foursquare has never convinced me; badges for multiple check-ins and small discounts on products for check-in loyalty I have never thought would attract more »

A Discussion of Mobile Maps and Mobile Location Technology

Seems the recent Apple announcement around maps has caused quite the stir. This can only be good. Tom Ashbrook aired a programme on NPR recently discussing ‘The Next Generation of Maps’. There is a link to the show at the bottom of this blog entry. The discussion included guests; two cartographers and a journalist. Their more »

Is Mobile the Future of GIS?

We recently presented at the CalGIS conference in Sacramento. The proceedings of the conference have just been released. Our presentation was included with a wide range of others. Ours was one of the few mobile only presentation; certainly the only one which gave an overview of the new mobile revolution underway. Proceedings of CalGIS 2012 more »

7 Most Requested Mobile GIS & Location-Based App Needs

Over the years, as a company, we have worked with many clients. Certain mobile needs have been requested frequently. Its helped us shape our company. Here we list the most common client needs and how we have adapted to satisfy these requests. Extendible Simply put the ability to add functionality to the app without a more »

Nothing New in Apple’s Maps Announcement

Below is a summary of the maps part of today’s Apple announcement. Our first reaction is that it brings little new to the mapping landscape. As a mobile location-focused development company we see nothing which would help our customers beyond our current ESRI, Google and MapQuest solutions. That may be a somewhat premature thing to more »

Offline Disconnected Mobile Google Maps

Just to continue with the offline Google maps announcement. Below are some screenshots of their Android solution.

Google Maps Future Vision

Mobile Google Maps Offline

Now this is exciting ……..

Mobile ArcGIS Online-Offline Editing

No doubt the most frequent approach we get for the mobile ArcGIS apps we develop are offline or disconnected workflows. Clients want both to be able to visualize basemaps and their layers when out of wi-fi range, and offline editing; new feature additions, deletions and attribute edits. ArcGIS 10.1 gives us tile packages (.tpk) so more »

Starting a Location-Focused Mobile App Development Company

I read an interesting article today by Atanas Entchev called ‘Ten Things You Should Know About Starting a GIS Consulting Business’. Atanas started developing GIS web sites in the 90′s; a similar time to us. He too experienced how companies/consultancies got things right and wrong; finally deciding to go it alone. But, as an independent more »

Offline Mobile ArcGIS

ESRI just published the Top 10.1 Takeaways from the Esri Developer Summit. We have a particular interest in offline mobile ArcGIS app development. Solutions remain less than ideal, particularly for offline editing and data syncing. One of the ESRI take homes caught our attention: Emerging Trend toward Native Mobile App Development There’s a new paradigm more »

Utilities and Mobile GIS Apps

FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION systems (GIS) have been inextricably linked to outage management. The reason? GIS is able to integrate all the essential data from SCADA systems, customer information, work orders and the network, and put it all into play for a more rapid field crew response to outages. Whether the utility more »

Mobile Technology and the Pipeline Sector

Below is a snippet from an article written by us for a leading oil and gas pipeline publication: There are striking similarities between the pre-dot com period and today. That is not to suggest now is the time to contemplate a new stock market boom. Mobile resembles what was then the Internet; much discussed, used more »

Is Google Maps GIS Lite?

We’ve never been a company which sits on its hands and wonders what is around the corner. Sure we have some key partners, but they don’t limit our reach and exploration. Our goal is to provide the most appropriate solution to our clients. That might be an ESRI solution, Google, MapQuest, technology combination, open source. more »

Mobile Geo Technology Review

We’ve mentioned before that the mobile market is in a very fluid state. New hardware releases, differing approaches to app development and new tools to help improve locational accuracy are just a few of these areas of change. The lack of maturity is one of the reasons why the market remains consumer driven. Business’ fear more »

Mobile GIS

Just back from CalGIS in Sacramento. An interesting two day conference. Our presentation; ‘Is mobile the Future of GIS?” was one of the last sessions on the Friday. Its a shame since we gave an overview of the mobile market space; in hindsight it would have been better positioned early in the conference. Even so, more »

Custom Mobile ArcGIS Online

ArcGIS Online and the new ArcGIS 10.1 release are about to provide a plethora of online and offline mobile GIS solutions. We launched GeoMobile for ArcGIS nearly a year ago. The goal was to provide a custom mobile ArcGIS app. We include a configuration file so users could add their own map layers; basemaps, dynamic more »

Offline Mobile GIS App Demos

We have been asked many times about offline mobile capabilities. Situations where users are in areas without Wi-Fi access and still wish to access their mapping and GIS data, and geospatial tools using their Apple or Android mobiles. We have put together a video below which demonstrates a number of ways this can be done. more »

Custom Mobile GIS – Web Maps & ArcGIS.com

We launched GeoMobile for ArcGIS to both demonstrate a custom cross platform (one code base which runs on multiple platforms) mobile ArcGIS app, and experiment with porting widgets from the Flex viewer for ArcGIS. The results have been met with enthusiasm by the user community. By adding a configuration file which the mobile app reads more »

Mobile Geospatial Solutions – Transforming the Work Place

This article was originally planned to be titled ‘Mobiles in The Work Place – The End of Pen & Paper?”. A little narrow we thought, let’s broaden the focus and discuss more generally the potential impact of mobile in the work place. Examples will be taken from the engineering sector. Mobile computing is not new, more »

Mobile GIS Apps & Screen Size

Found this comment on Tuaw.com discussing screen size; Why Bigger is Not Always Better: ‘One of the things Android phone owners love to brag about — particularly those who have the new Samsung Galaxy S II with its 4.27-inch diagonal screen — is that the larger screens are much easier to read and watch videos more »

Mobile GIS Apps – Feature Attributes View & Edit

“If I could simply see my layers in the field on my mobile device, view feature attributes and edit/update these attributes my job would be so much easier” – Anonymous Client I’m wondering how many others empathize with one of our clients. Mobile devices and mobile GIS apps can now do this and much more. more »

Mobile GIS – Sharing Map Annotation

We wrote a blog entry a while back called ‘Hot Topics in Mobile GIS’. This was a summary of some of the many client conversations we had in 2011, talking about mobile GIS. Moving away from the use of pen and paper while working in the field, was often mentioned. It remains common for field more »

Flexible Mobile GIS Frameworks

We have spoken many times on this blog about our release of GeoMobile for ArcGIS. The link below will take you to a more detailed discussion: http://www.webmapsolutions.com/free-mobile-arcgis-viewer-upgraded Our logic for the release was: To demonstrate a custom ArcGIS mobile application Build a cross platform mobile GIS app or one code base which runs on multiple more »

Hot Topics in Mobile GIS

We recently looked back over client and potential client feedback in 2011. There were definitely some re-occurring themes. Here we summarise some of these conversations: 1) Mining Display in a mobile map app dynamic sensor data (click on map point and its shows current data) 2) Cultural Resource Management “Even though GPS technology has been more »

Open Source Mobile GIS Apps

Much of the focus of GIS remains on ArcGIS and the ESRI suite. In terms of access and distribution, the Web continues to dominate the future plans and thinking of many companies. But good though the ESRI ArcGIS suite is, the open source world still provides some excellent alternative solutions. In addition, we think that more »

Video Comparing Mobile GIS Apps

In the video below we compare a number of mobile GIS apps running on different mobile platforms. With particular focus on shapefiles and feature query and editing:

Mobile Apps: 2011 Reflections & 2012 Expectations

Smartphone and tablet purchases have been on the rise for several years, but 2011 was a turning point: This was the first year that these mobile devices outsold desktop and laptop PCs. The effect — and perhaps some of the cause of this — is a love affair with mobile apps, leading to more apps more »

Mobile GIS Feature Editing

This is part 2 of a discussion on mobile GIS and feature editing. In part 1 we began the discussion. Here we spoke about saving basemap tiles and shapefiles to the mobile device. How shapefiles can be represented (overlaid) on the map in a number of, less than perfect, ways. We discussed other mobile GIS more »

MapQuest to Benefit from Google Map Changes

OpenStreetMap is exactly what its name implies — a wiki of maps and location data to which anyone can contribute, just like Wikipedia. With the help of some deep-pocketed boosters, including MapQuest and Microsoft, it’s suddenly a legitimate challenger to the hegemony of Maps.Google.Com. Google announced two months ago that it was going to start more »

Mobile GIS Apps Review

There are an increasing number of GIS mobile apps available in the various app stores. Surprisingly few are cross platform; meaning one application which is built to run on multiple mobile devices; Apple, Android, BlackBerry. This is likely a result of the early dominance of Apples IPad and IPhone. Many mobile application development companies built more »

A Review of the Mobile Market in 2011

Overall Mobile Trends in 2011 Mobile in 2011 has been very much a case of hurry up and wait. Immature is maybe a better way to put it. The market remains consumer focused. Business’ have largely sat on the sidelines. Mobile software innovation has been somewhat limited, with too many copycat ideas; “I want to more »

Google maps the Indoors

A really cool announcement from Google maps with regards indoor mapping: “Where am I?” and “What’s around me?” are two questions that cartographers, and Google Maps, strive to answer. With Google Maps’ “My Location” feature, which shows your location as a blue dot, you can see where you are on the map to avoid walking more »

Maps & Mobile GIS: Mobile Applications in Politics for 2012

Politics revolves around organization. The increasing popularity of mobiles; IPhones, IPads and Android devices will revolutionize political organization and campaigning. It is now possible to provide field workers with mobile applications which will allow better organization and coordination of campaigns. Further, these applications will let users dynamically collect and upload data from the field. Campaigns more »

Mobile MapQuest – No Preset Limit on Free Map API Transactions

We are big fans of the work MapQuest are doing with mobile. We thought it worth reprinting here a recent announcement from MapQuest. Few remember these guys gave us the first useful and sophisticated Web maps, long before Google and the rest. Given Google’s change in licensing (starting in 2012), and their lack of support more »

IPad GIS Android GIS & Mobile GPS Data Collection

We’ve spoken about it many times before on this blog. It is now possible to build one application and have it run across multiple different mobile platforms. So Apple’s IOS, Android and Blackberry. There are many advantages to Mobile computing, the fact most mobile devices have a built in GPS, means location is a key more »

Mobile ArcGIS: From Paper to GPS Data Collection

Data collection in the field has always been a challenge. Often we need to collect data at a particular location. Historically this has been done a number of ways: Pen and paper – maybe the most common approach. Take a paper map into the field, mark the data collection point on the map and location more »

Offline Mobile ArcGIS

Custom cross platform ArcGIS mobile application are relatively new, but offer exciting possibilities. Using one application and running it on Apple, Android and Blackberry devices. ESRI have released their own ArcGIS mobile app which allows access to ArcGISOnline. We have been investigating custom ArcGIS mobile solutions which allow users to access existing ArcGIS layers not more »

Mobile ArcGIS Editing Features Online & Offline

We’ve been working hard on building custom mobile ArcGIS apps, with a particular focus on visualization. Our recent free release of GeoMobile for ArcGIS provides a number of GIS tools, and the ability of users to add their own ArcGIS layers to a mobile viewer. We’ve also started investigating mobile ArcGIS editing. Below are two more »

Agriculture & Mobile GIS – The Wine Industry Pt 2

We are at the beginnings of a new mobile revolution. In the first part of this series we looked at the application of GIS in the wine industry. Mobile will change how we work with GIS; visualization, query, search, analysis, data collection and editing will all soon be done in the field. GIS is increasingly more »

Agriculture & Mobile GIS – The Wine Industry Pt 1

While the role GIS plays in some industries is obvious, there are many non-technological businesses and non-profits that rely heavily on it, too. One arena that has been drastically improved by GIS is the wine industry. Wine Industry GIS Until the advent of geographic information systems, vineyard owners selected plots of land by thumbing through more »

Utah Mobile Application Development Company – Opportunities in the Mobile Revolution

We’ve been developing Web application since 1997. Yeah, in the early days of the Internet. Its unusual, our eyes have always been part turned to location. One of our partners is a weirdo geographer. You know the people you always ask the capitals of different countries. And find pleasure in coming up with one they more »

Mobile GIS Apps for Agriculture

A geographic information system or GIS, is a perfect tool for working with spatial data. ArcGIS from ESRI is the most popular GIS software currently available. After years of building PC based GIS applications, we’ve turned our attention to mobile. Smartphones and mobile tablets now provide a new way to access spatial data. Mobile GIS more »

Mobile GIS Apps for Forest Management

Mobile Apps for Mining

Mobile GIS Apps for the Water Industry

Mobile GIS Apps for Utilities

Mobile GIS Apps for Oil & Gas

Mobile Apps for Engineering

Mobile ArcGIS Online & Offline Shapefiles

We’ve continued working on offline solution for ArcGIS. The video below shows an application we have been working on for a while. This is a simple smartphone mobile app which stores both basemap tiles and a shapefile on the mobile device. In offline mode the smartphone uses data stored on the mobile phone itself. In more »

Mobile ArcGIS on the new Split Screen Sony Tablet

Mansour Raad at ESRI put together this very cool demo of ArcGIS running on the new split screen Sony tablet. We have a trial version of this new device. Like Mansour we plan to develop some mobile ArcGIS apps designed for the split screen.

Location Aware Apps: Its all About Social Networking?

Google alerts came up with this article, which at first glance seemed interesting: 5 Trends in Software Development for 2012 When I reached the section ‘Social networking: building more location aware apps’, we were treated with the following: ‘We have seen social networking making a foray into enterprises as well. The software applications that are more »

Mobile GIS

Mobile is new. Mobile is exciting. It’s confusing and changing rapidly. And yet one day we may well wonder how we ever managed to use a GIS on a non-mobile device. Mobile GIS is a transforming experience. Not only does it provide context, but analysis and visualization based on current location. A Brief History of more »

Beyond the Groupon and Foursquare Hype

There is an interesting recent article in the Guardian. I felt the need to comment: Its hard not to think of Groupon and Foursquare as part of the mobile location focused app hype. Flooded with venture capital money, their business models remain unproven. This conference may have been about consumers use of mobile location technology, more »

Thoughts on Location Focused Mobile Application Development

Mobile is new. Mobile is exciting. Its confusing, and changing rapidly. Mobile technology is charging forward. Enterprises cautiously watch from the sidelines. Gently dipping their toe into the water. The early days of the Internet saw the same trend. Mobile Applications in the Enterprise We are finding increasingly more corporate interest in mobile applications. Inquiries more »

Mobile ArcGIS – Online and Offline Access

One day we will wonder how we ever managed to use a GIS on a non mobile device. Mobile ArcGIS is a transforming experience. Just to prove the point we built GeoMobile for ArcGIS, and made it a free mobile download. Try it and let us know your thoughts. Below is a demo of the more »

Just Published: Mobile GIS & Location Based App Articles

We’ve had articles published in a number of magazines over the last few weeks. Here are links: The New Location Revolution – GeoInformatics (October 2011) You are Here – Utah Business (Sept 2011) Getting Smart with Mobile Devices – Facility Management Journal (Sept-Oct 2011)

Offline Mobile GIS

You might be wondering how you access GIS layers when your mobile has no Wi-FI access. Well wait no more, the solution is at hand. The demo below shows ArcGIS being used offline. Before you open source folk get upset, this solution could also be applied to a Geoserver/Openlayers/OpenScales solution. The app shows storage of more »

Q&A – Mobile App Development Planning

Q. We want to build a mobile application. Where should we begin? Before jumping in, first get a better understanding of mobile. That does not mean trying to understand the intricacies of the technology. But a good general picture of this still confusing mobile world will be a big help in the long term? Q: more »

Mobile GIS: Who is on First?

Ah, if only Abbot and Costello had the luxury of today’s mobile devices. Such questions are now so easy to answer. Just whip out your mobile tablet and see a visualization of every base. Who is indeed on first. His info window says he is 24 and was born in New York City … you more »

Free GIS Map Code & Apps

Over the years we have released both free code and apps to developers and users. Our goal has always been to help the GIS community; those wishing to test or develop their own Web and mobile apps. On the client side, our focus is mostly Adobe Flex and AIR. We work with both open source more »

Free Cross Platform Mobile ArcGIS App Upgraded

Custom cross platform mobile ArcGIS application are relatively new, but offer exciting possibilities. Using one application and running it on Apple, Android and Blackberry devices. ESRI have released their own ArcGIS mobile app which allows access to ArcGISOnline. We have been investigating custom mobile ArcGIS solutions which allow users to access existing ArcGIS layers not more »

GeoSpatial Mobile Development: Flash or HTML5?

I came across two interesting posts today. From James Fee on his excellent Spatially Adjusted blog: “JavaScript not Flex/Silverlight — Yeah, it isn’t much of a surprise, open source users aren’t big Flex or Silverlight users, but JavaScript HTML5 web apps are everywhere and doing everything Flex/Silverlight can do, but work everywhere …. At this more »

GeoSpatial Mobile Developers

As a company, we sometimes wonder who are our competition. Fundamentally we build mobile location based solutions, both mobile GIS and location based services. Turning to Google I tried some searches. A number of variation on a theme so; mobile gis application developers, geo-spatial mobile developers, mobile location based application developers, mobile location services, location more »

Mobile Application Planning Guide

Introduction This article is targeted at individuals or companies looking to build a new mobile or Web application. It is a guide to help you move from a great idea to a great application. Oh, and it is short. Let’s begin by imagining a house. Your dream house. The home you’ve always wanted to build. more »

Location & Mobile Applications

Mobile devices will soon make PC’s redundant. Location based data is about to move from the margins, to the core of many user applications. Bold statements, but should we believe the hype? Looking back, the GIS and location based sectors were very much a niche. MapQuest and later Google taking advantage of the Web, helped more »

Check-In & Data Collection

Mobiles offers the potential to aid workers in the field. From routing and traffic information, to check-in, local search and data collection. Many industries could benefit from mobile applications which offer tools to improve the life of mobile field workers. The following video shows an application running on an Android smartphone, targeted at mobile workers. more »

MapQuest & The Mobile Worker

Recently we’ve had considerable interest in mobile application development based around check-in and mobile data collection. Facility management companies, surveyors, multi-level marketing, insurance claims, pipeline companies, water utilities; all have field workers who would benefit from mobile applications. Not only checking in to work sites, but keeping a record of the work done; notes, pictures, more »

ArcGIS on IPad, Android and BlackBerry PlayBook

We’ve been building mobile apps using the new ArcGIS 2.4 release and Flash Builder 4.5.1. One huge advantage we see in this approach is the ability to write one (AIR) application and run it across multiple mobile platforms. Just to prove the point the following videos show the same application running on the BlackBerry PlayBook, more »

MapQuest on BlackBerry PlayBook

Below is a video which shows an application written in Adobe AIR and using the new mobile Flash maps API from MapQuest. It is a very impressive API, allowing for quick and easy development of applications focused on location based services (LBS).

ArcGIS 2.4 on Android SmartPhone

We continue to work with the new ESRI Flex 2.4 release in conjunction with Flash Builder 4.5.1 to build mobile apps. The attraction of Mobile Air is that one code base can be installed on multiple mobile platforms. That is potentially a big cost saving. To prove a point, we built an ArcGIS IPad app, more »

Low Cost Mobile Development

The mobile market is relatively new and still presents many challenges. From a strategic perspective many companies are looking at this newly emerging sector. But have found its immaturity has created a confusing market place. Hardware varies. Screen size is a particularly relevant variable for mobile application development. Smartphone screens range from 2.1 to 4″. more »

Utah Application Developers: The Mobile Revolution

The New Mobile Application Development Revolution The GIS industry and location based software sector (LBS) are on the verge of a revolution. Mobile is that revolution. A strong statement, but tracing the history; GIS applications first migrated from the desktop to the Web. ESRI moved from ArcInfo, to ArcIMS and ArcGIS. On the Web Google more »

Video: IOS IPad ArcGIS 2.4

The release of both Flash Builder 4.5 and the Flex 2.4 version of ArcGIS are major milestones for geospatial developers looking to build mobile apps. The video below shows an AIR app running on an IPad2 using ArcGIS 2.4 (this same mobile ArcGIS application runs on Android devices also): The Mobile GIS application has the more »

IPhone IOS Mobile Maps: ArcGIS & Location Based Services (LBS)

IPhone Application Development & Location Based Services Continuing with our mobile application development work. The IPhone and IPad remain intriguing platforms. Both popular and easy to use for consumers. They have remained a frustration for some mobile programmers. Notably those writing AIR and Flex applications for mobile. With the release of Flash Builder 4.5.1 life more »

Mobile GIS: IPhone ArcGIS & OpenScales using Adobe AIR

Well we live in rapidly changing times. Mobile GIS, and geolocation services remain in their infancy. Mobile itself is evolving. New hardware is being released, notably tablets. Software remains confusing with Web and native apps supported differently on the various platforms. Mobile software development has also had its challenges. But the recent release of Flash more »

BlackBerry PlayBook ArcGIS Viewer App Released

WebMapSolutions have just released to the Blackberry App World an ArcGIS mobile application. Based on the ESRI Flex viewer, this is a free app. It is a first version of a more complete application, to be released later in the Summer. The application is called ArcGIS Viewer and can be downloaded directly from App World more »

PlayBook & IPad Mobile Application Development

We’ve spent time recently focused on developing tablet mobile applications. Our targets have been the BlackBerry PlayBook and IPad2. We’ve just had our first app accepted in BlackBerry’s App World. So how was the experience? Background: Utah Application Development Company Some context first. We have been fully focused on Web application development for most of more »

Custom Mobile Application Development: Brands and Mobile Marketing

The growth of the smartphone provides a number of opportunities for brands to engage with consumers based on their current location. According to stats from the Mobile Marketing Association, 26% of mobile users regularly use a map, navigation tool or similar service that automatically determines their current location. Location-based marketing allows brands to adapt their more »

Utah Application Development

We are a custom software development company based in Utah. Much of our focus has turned to mobile application development. Smartphones remain the primary mobile device, but tablets such as the IPad and Blackberry PlayBook, are of increasing popularity. We have started building two types of mobile applications; those suitable for the limited screen real more »

Utah Mobile Application Development

We are an application development company based in Utah. How odd. When running a Google search today for Mobile Application Development Utah, I came up with a link which, when visiting the web site, sounded wonderful. Seeming experts in mobile application development. And based in Utah. After digging deeper, it turned out the company was more »

Mobile in the Enterprise: Challenges and Benefits

The mobile revolution is upon us. According to Nielsen, just over a third of cell phone subscribers in the US now have smartphones. Mobile tablets, such the IPad and BlackBerry PlayBook, are new. Penetration remains limited. But with a slew of new releases planned for 2011, this will be a buoyant sector. The days of more »

Mobile Location Based Application Development

The tech blogs are buzzing with excitement over mobile application development. Smartphones and mobile tablets offer new and interesting extensions of existing Web applications, plus the opportunity for new innovation. But both the hardware and software are ahead of business adoption. A phenomena noted historically with new technology leaps; the advent of the Web being more »

Mobile ArcGIS Demo: BlackBerry PlayBook & Location Based Services

This is a second video showing a mobile AIR application running on the BlackBerry PlayBook. This is a mapping application built using the ESRI ArcGIS API. The first video, which discusses the base functionality, can be viewed at this link: http://www.webmapsolutions.com/mobile-arcgis-demo-blackberry-playbook-advanced-functionality This new video shows the addition of two advanced widgets. The first adds layers more »

Mobile ArcGIS: BlackBerry PlayBook Support Questions

Here are some questions I had for the RIM PlayBook support team. Their answers are included: 1) If I have a client who wants a native app built for the PlayBook, but would only like it to be available to their employees, how would one go about setting this up in App World? – At more »

Geolocation LBS News: May 7th 2011

Location Service Links social-networking-links Location Service Links The Revenue Models of Location Twitter Location API http://mashable.com/2010/01/23/local-trends-analysis/ http://mashable.com/2010/03/02/twitter-location-api-places/ Location API’s http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/places/ http://api.foursquare.com/v1/tips.json?geolat=40.57114422245806&geolong=-111.87560430090332&l=50 http://api.yelp.com/business_review_search?&lat=40.57831549732822&long=-111.88023915808105&radius=0.1&limit=20 http://api.gowalla.com/spots?lat=40.57831549732822&lng=-111.88023915808105&radius=100 http://code.google.com/apis/gears/api_geolocation.html

Mobile ArcGIS Demo: BlackBerry PlayBook Advanced Functionality

A mobile AIR application running on the BlackBerry PlayBook. This is a demo of an ArcGIS mapping application. It shows both basic and advanced functionality, including base layer switching, overview map, geocoder and draw tool.

Mobile ArcGIS Demo: BlackBerry PlayBook & IPad

Mobile Applications & Facility Management

We are in the midst of a mobile device revolution. Smartphones and now tablet mobile devices are proliferating. In this article we will discuss what impact these changes will have on facility management. Smartphones versus Tablets According to Nielsen, just over a third of cell phone subscribers in the US now have smartphones. That is more »

BlackBerry PlayBook: An Open Source (OpenScales) GIS Mobile Map Application Demo

For some time, we have wanted to develop an open source mobile AIR application, running on the BlackBerry PlayBook. This is a video of the actual device, demonstrating some of the core functionality of an OpenScales mobile application:

BlackBerry PlayBook: ArcGIS Mobile Map Application Demo

We have just completed the first phase of development on an ESRI ArcGIS mobile AIR application running on the BlackBerry PlayBook. This is a video which demonstrates base functionality of the application. ArcGIS Mobile Map Application BlackBerry PlayBook Demo Useful Technical Resources Solving sparkskin issue in Flex 4 Change size of Flex TitleWindow Close Button

BlackBerry PlayBook: Location Based Services (LBS) Application Demo

This is a video of an AIR application running on the BlackBerry PlayBook. Its a location based services (LBS) applications which demonstrates check-in and check-out. Using the built in GPS in the PlayBook and AIR geolocation API. A SimpleGeo API is used to return places within a fixed distance from the device. Tweet

GeoLocation: Flex 4.5 and SimpleGeo

I wanted to reference a terrific article by Andrew Muller and provide some source code. Recently I received a BlackBerry Playbook tablet, very exciting. I have a client who is interested in a Flex and AIR check-in app (along the lines of Foursquare). The initial challenge was to get the geolocation of my device and more »

Flex 4.5 BlackBerry PlayBook & Geolocation

Last week the door bell rang. Standing on my doorstep was a Fed Ex guy holding a package. Addressed to me; unusual. I took it inside, ripped open the packaging in excitement. Looking at me in gleaming black; my new BlackBerry Playbook! BlackBerry PlayBook Initial Reaction My initial reaction. Looks great but it is small, more »

WebMapSolutions: Creating Location-Aware Applications

Mobile phones and tablets present companies with new opportunities to engage with users, improve efficiency and profitability. The ability to both track and predict users and workers mobile locations will provide important new data. A slew of new location based mobile apps are now being developed. These applications, which are either directly installed or accessed more »

Geolocation LBS News: May 1st 2011

Mobile Web apps versus Native Apps A technical article. But provides an interesting discussion on where things are today in terms of building mobile apps. http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=1968203 Challenges of Widening the Appeal of the Check-In “For now, the companies haven’t found audiences much beyond avid groups of tech enthusiasts in large cities.” http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2010/tc20100129_472377.htm Adobe Creative Suite more »

Will Tablet Apps replace SmartPhone Apps?

My friend Michelle has a cool IPhone app. Its for finding houses for sale. How it works. You drive past a home and notice the For Sale sign. The house number sticks in your head. Grab your IPhone … open the app .. type in the number and bingo a list of homes with that more »

Geolocation & Location Based Services – Opportunity Knocks Part 1

This is part one of a two part series on the location sector. Large scale changes are occurring with the increasing popularity of mobile devices. Many new location based services are being launched. In this first article, we will consider some of these services sectors; location based services (LBS), geolocation services (GS) and geospatial services. more »

The Future of Web GIS

The Future of Web GIS – Dr. Pinde Fu, ESRI What are some of the advances that we will see in Web GIS in the next few years? Dr. Fu: It is difficult to predict exactly where Web GIS will be in the next few years, but past successes and lessons clearly point to the more »

A Presentation on Building Location Based Services (LBS) and Web GIS

These are the slides from a presentation I recently did for the Utah Geographic Information Council (UGIS) in Logan, Utah. The presentation walks initially through the history of the Web and growth of the geospatial industry. It then focuses on Web 2.0 development with a particular focus on Adobe Flex. Both ESRI and open source more »

Geolocation LBS News: April 10th 2011

Stamen Design, SimpleGeo, Trulia – Look NoGIS! A very interesting discussion on GIS; take a look at the comments too. Some quick quotes: “Most “GIS” has not been done running coverage overlays and summary statistics, cost models or basin fills. It’s been done by laying a bunch of acetates on top of a base map more »

Beautiful Open Source Mobile Location Based Applications

The article below in pcmag caught my attention: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2383058,00.asp This quote in particular is thought provoking. “It’s long been proven that an open source app can be powerful, efficient and elegant. Can they be beautiful and easy to use, too?” So do we spend our time building clever geospatial apps and leave the interface as more »

Mobile Maps: OpenLayers Mobile GIS

There remains much confusion about the mobile market. Quite typical of the early stages of a new paradigm shift, as companies map out both their products and business models. One thing I am increasingly getting asked is: “I want to build a location based app for mobile what do you suggest?” What I suggest is more »

Geolocation LBS News: April 3rd 2011

Shwowp: The Crazy (funded!) Geolocation Ideas Come Thick and Fast I wrote about this recently here: http://www.webmapsolutions.com/geolocation-attract-wife My wife and others targeted by Schwop will not do manual check-ins let alone scan their receipts and send them to a company unknown to them. http://techcrunch.com/2010/09/28/shwowp/ Who comes up with these ideas, and more importantly who funds more »

Developing Location Based Services (LBS) Mobile Applications

So maybe you have a new fabulous idea for a Location Based Services (LBS) mobile application. Or, you are looking to migrate or extend your non-mobile Web presence to mobile. Where do you begin and what questions should you ask? Let’s demystify the landscape a little and maybe help frame some of the questions you more »

GeoLocation & GeoSpatial: BlackBerry PlayBook Flex Map Framework

I have mentioned here a framework I worked with historically, which was used for a Web application using Flex modules. A nice framework for mobile I felt, but, with modules, running natively on a mobile it would not work. I have adapted the framework, and here have added a mapping element. Figure 1: BlackBerry PlayBook more »

ArcGIS Flex Widgets: Using Query Builder and Draw Widgets Outside the 2.2 Viewer

I’ve mentioned my love hate relationship with the ESRI ArcGIS 2.2 Flex viewer in previous posts. To summarise, it is a quick way to get a functional, cool looking ArcGIS Flex viewer up and running. There is also a growing library of widgets which can be dropped in. Many offering very cool functionality. Most, have more »

This weeks GeoLocation News Bytes: March 25

Apple iOS Maps Developer in Cupertino would help “radically improve how people interact with maps and location-based services.” User interface design is a must, as well as a “passion” for location-based technologies. iOS Maps does not compare well with the latest on Android. Missing features including turn-by-turn directions, 3D maps, topography, offline maps, and information more »

Geolocation and How to Attract my Wife

Lets talk about the conundrum that is geolocation and social networking. Many were surprised by the Facebook Web phenomena. Now with 500 million active users, Facebook set the social networking wagon rolling. Mobile devices extend the potential for social networking to include geolocation or place. Who or what is near me. Marketers soon recognised the more »

The Future of Open Source Location Apps on Mobile

So the geo-industry is facing a new future. One where increasing numbers of users are accessing applications via their mobile devices. Both smart phones and tablet devices. The presence of GPS on these devices and geolocation offers the potential for a new stream of new applications. Foursquare introduces the idea of check in, where users more »

Mobile GIS: ArcGIS Flex 2.2 Viewer Issues

On the Flex side of the ESRI world, much emphasis is being given to the new Flex template. Developers are being encouraged to write new widgets, and the company are pushing hard in its promotion. One thing struck me as odd. The Flex template is a Web only application. It will not run as app more »

Beyond Social Networking: New Opportunities in the Location Based Sector

What is the current state of the location based market? The location based industry sector splits roughly three ways. First, there are the consumer mapping services provided by MapQuest, Google, Bing and Yahoo. For a potentially deeper dive into the spatial data we next have providers of geographic information systems (GIS), often described as geospatial more »

Mobile and the Geospatial Industry

Location is everywhere. Yet its use, at the moment, is split between two camps; geolocation and geospatial. One appears to know little about the other. Geolocation is about check in and who or what is near me. Part of the mobile revolution. Geospatial keeps nerdy types happy. Largely Web based, often using maps for visualization more »

Mobile GIS: Travel Guides and Video Maps

A few years ago I wrote a travel application using the Flex open source API Modest Maps. Figure 1 is an image of the application. Figure 1: Combining interactive map with Video and Web links The application combined a travel video, in this case on China, with an interactive map. One of the nice things more »

Mobile GIS: BlackBerry PlayBook Map Application Framework

Now RIM have released a simulator for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, we can test our Flex apps prior to the release of the actual device. I’ve posted some video already of apps I have written running in the simulator. One thing I keep revisiting is Flex UI design for mobile. I’ve written previously about IPad more »

Mobile GIS: Flex or Javascript

I was recently asked the following interesting question: “if we wanted to develop an application for an IPad or similar, should we use a Javascript API?” Mobile development: Flex or Javascript? My response: “Mobile devices have both browsers and native applications. For Apple most native apps are written in Objective C. These are the ones more »

Maps on the BlackBerry PlayBook

Flex Map Applications on the BlackBerry PlayBook Finally it is possible to side step the IPad and run applications on rival devices. The IPad has been a device of discussion and controversy; centred around how Apple have restricted applications which run on the devices. The lack of Flash Player has irked many developers including myself. more »

Mobile ArcGIS: Flex ArcGIS Running on The BlackBerry PlayBook

Flex ArcGIS Maps on the BlackBerry PlayBook I’ve mentioned the new simulator for the soon to be released BlackBerry PlayBook for Flex Burrito in other posts. Below is a video of an ArcGIS application I have ported to the new simulator. This is still work in progress. My hope is to build something like this more »

OpenScales GIS on the BlackBerry PlayBook

The release of the new BlackBerry Playbook Simulator for Flash Builder Burrito very exciting. I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to build mapping and GIS application on tablet devices. It took me a little while to get everything set up. You will need to follow the instructions in the RIM video available from the development more »

Mobile OpenScales GIS and the BlackBerry PlayBook

Flex Maps on the BlackBerry PlayBook An updated version of an application being written for the BlackBerry PlayBook. This shows an OpenScales mapping application running on the simulator.

Issues with OpenScales Mapping Applications running on the Playbook Simulator

The release of the new Playbook Simulator is very exciting. Finally we can start testing our mapping solutions on mobile devices with useable screen sizes. Configuring and developing for the Playbook simulator is an ever changing landscape, as with all newly released tools. So keep an eye on the most up to date articles. Most more »

Combining OpenScales with ArcGIS

Open source purists will be horrified. Well not really, we are already using Yahoo and Bing base maps in other applications described here. But how about hooking into ArcGIS? ESRI pay lip service somewhat to the OGC standards. They conform to some. So WMS is in, WFS out. So let’s try WMS. Let’s take one more »

Building Rich Open Source GeoSpatial Internet Applications in Flex

Whenever developers or companies look to build rich Internet geospatial applications or RIA’s in Flex, they usually turn to proprietary tools. ESRI, Google, yahoo etc; all provide Flex mapping API’s. But what about open source options? Flex Open Source GeoSpatial Internet Applications Over this last year, I have been working with two excellent open source more »

Open Source GIS: OpenScales and WFS

OpenScales offers very nice Web Feature Service (WFS) rendering. Just as a reminder; Web Map Service (WMS) is an image generated by the spatial server, in contrast WFS involves the server passing feature attributes to the client (in this case Flex or more accurately the generated swf) and the features being assembled as objects on more »

Open Source GIS: OpenScales Application Download

After a year or more of working with the open source Flex mapping API OpenScales, it struck me that a download-able template might help the user community. The OpenScales team provide some excellent code examples on their Web site. I wanted to pull this functionality, plus some custom additions, into one application. A few months more »

Broken Images in Chrome

Just found the following will produce broken images in the Chrome browser: <img src="http://flexmappers.com/img/blog/openscales/openscales_print_widget.png" alt="Openscales print widget" width="60%" height="40%"/> Remove the image sizing and all is good: <img src="http://flexmappers.com/img/blog/openscales/openscales_print_widget.png" alt="Openscales print widget" />

Images of Volcanic Lightning

Three superb pictures of lightning generated from erupting volcanoes. Mt Shinmoedake, Japan Mt Merapi, Indonesia

GeoSpatial Conferences

Taken from Ed Parsons blog. There are a range of different geospatial conferences out there. Ed notes the upcoming industry focused Where 2.0 and the Location Summit. He mentions the GeoWeb conference, which sits somewhere between these industry focused conferences and those more academic. Its in Vancouver this year; a great city.

Open Source Flex GeoSpatial Solutions

OpenLayers has long been the most well known open source client solution for building web based geospatial viewers. Great for Javascript developers, but what about Flex? I have had discussions with ‘purists’ over Flex and open source. That the only true open source client solution is Javascript. Ignoring these discussions for the moment; are there more »

OpenScales Print Widget

I made available for

Flex Mobile Framework

I recently wrote a blog entry comparing Weather Bug and Weather Channel IPad apps. I’ve been thinking for a while, along with many others I am sure, about Flex application design on these new tablet devices. Tablet Flex Application Design Some years ago I was working on a very interesting Flex framework. Web based, and more »

Flex Open Source Geolocation Solutions: OpenScales Widgets

Widgets from Other Mapping Applications OpenScales comes with some nice tools. Historically coupling was the biggest challenge. Meaning, tools could not easily be loaded independently (as widgets) for example. And many did not play well when combined with other tools. The drawing tool comes to mind. Things have got better. In an ideal world it more »

Flex Open Source Geolocation Solutions: OpenScales and WMS/WFS Styling

Web Map Service (WMS) Vs Web Map Feature (WFS) OpenScales Flex API handles both WMS and WFS. Its one of the really nice things about the API. The difference confused me when I first came across these terms years ago. Simply; WMS is a REST based request which returns a image. In contrast WFS returns more »

Apple Vs Flash

Apple Vs Flash My friend Andy’s funny video on Apple Vs Flash

GeoLocation meets GeoSpatial: Application Development and Design for the Tablet

Do I own a tablet PC yet? It pains me to admit not. As a geospatial Flex developer the IPad, even though we can now sidestep the silly Apple restrictions, remains a pain. I am waiting for the Android tablet Spring releases. This has not stopped me from closely watching location based application being currently more »

Foursquare – Destined to Crash and Burn?

Without meaning to upset anybody. I predict that Foursquare will crash and burn! Why? Because in their current form they will never attract those who hold the purse strings in households. Yes, wives and mothers. Let’s face it gaming (one of their key ingredients) is largely for the young. My wife cares no one jot more »

Best of Italy on the IPad

Now this is a really lovely application. I’ve been wanting a better travel resource for some time. A few years ago, I built an application which integrated a travel video with an interactive map, and links to the web based on places mentioned. Here is our web application This IPad application (see below) is the more »

Geospatial Today

Just came across Geospatial Today from a quick browse in Diggit. Looks like it might be an interesting read Related Resources Geospatial Today

Geospatial Application Development and Integration

Just been writing a proposal for an SBIR (small business grant). One section asked ‘what do you do?’. It took me a while to mull over this one. But I think the below describes nicely most of my focus for the last 6 or 7 years. Its interesting, as geolocation has raised the profile of more »

Praise and Criticism of new Openscales application

From the Openscales mailing list, somebody referenced their new application. Really nice design. I like the expandable panes, the table of contents (TOC) on the left is great, similarly the reference and layers list to the right. The query builder is very cool. My one issue though is the lack of toolbar or equivalent. The more »

Flex ArcGIS Map on Android Mobile

Geospatial Trends: So Many are Bollocks

Yikes, what an alarming blog title. But I’m sorry a moment of gentle criticism is needed. So often we read about the next big thing in the geospatial world; its like the next new band the press are promoting. Popularity is created by publicity, not musical quality. Our geo-world is the same. Seems we have more »

Jack Dangermond: Geographic Knowledge Article Comment

I was interested by a recent article written by Jack Dangermond published in The Winter edition of ArcNews. In the article he discusses this new idea (at least to me) of GeoDesign. I still have to get my head fully around the idea. But the overall thrust of the article I found interesting. How location more »

Christmas Humour

Totally off subject. But my wife sent me this video. Quite hilarious and an advert. Looks like I will need to quickly change some of my gift choices :-)

Maps On The Google Tablet

I’ve embedded an intriguing video below. Its an interview with Googles Andy Rubin. This is the first time I’ve seen a prototype of their tablet. The Google map application he shows is amazing. Note his mention of vector and not tiled basemaps. Google Maps on Android Running on Google Tablet Related Resources Google Tablet Video more »

Duane Nickull GeoWeb

Duane Nickull on the Geographic Web I met Duane a last year at a geospatial conference. A smart guy who is into the GeoWeb. I liked this short video he did and thought I’d embed it here.

Mobile GIS using OpenScales

Flex Mobile Development for Maps This application was written using the new Flex Hero SDK and Flash Builder Burrito. Using the packager for the IPhone we should be able to get this to run on an IPhone and IPad. I will post my findings here later. Get the source for this application here Let us more »

Flex OpenScales Demo 2

I will repost this entry in due course. The original post broke a confidentiality agreement. Using the latest code release of Openscales I will build a new demo, using code owned by WebMapSolutions, to demonstrate querying functionality. Two approaches are possible: 1) Using the data pulled from an initial WFS query (see http://flexmappers.com/openscalessolution) 2) Using more »

Flex OpenScales Demo 1

I will repost this entry in due course. The original post broke a confidentiality agreement. Using the latest code release of Openscales I will build a new demo, using code owned by WebMapSolutions, to demonstrate marker and image viewing functionality. Contact us to learn more about OpenScales. Twitter | Facebook | Google Buzz | Bookmark on Delicious

Flex Video Annotation and GIS

I read much these days about aerial video. Taken from drones, small aircraft or satellites. And used for surveillance, tracking wildfires, monitoring deforestation; to name but a few. So let me ask a question. Suppose I am monitoring a wildfire. I fly the area three times a day, flying the same route, and recording both more »

Flex GIS – Mapping Climate Change

For a while I have been looking for a carbon calculator; draw a polygon on a map and calculate the carbon emissions from the selected area. I finally found one at the World Conservation Monitoring Centre Carbon, biodiversity & ecosystem services Web site Figure 1 – World Conservation Monitoring Centre Carbon Calculator Flex ArcGIS World more »

Flex Open Source GIS and Climate Change

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are doing some very interesting work with climate change. The Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) unit are are in the midst of a huge data collection project. After visiting their portal, I realised they were using GeoServer to serve some of their map data. Figure 1 more »

In Praise of ESRI

Anybody who reads this blog knows that I hang both ways! I’m an open source ESRI type. I love GeoServer and the new OpenScales Flex API. I also have the same affection for ArcGIS and ESRI’s Flex API. This post is ‘in praise of ESRI’. Sounds a little Uriah Heep. But I have to comment more »

OpenScales Versus ArcGIS Flex API

OpenScales – the open source Flex mapping API – is a nice change from development with the ArcGIS Flex API. I’ve been working for over a year now with OpenScales. You’ll find in this blog various mentions of the work I have been doing. I have had the opportunity to test in some depth the more »

Flex Video Annotation for Fly Overs

I am very interested in combining video with mapping. I’ve messed around with this historically with a travel site. I was intrigued to read about YouTubes work in this area. Flex Video Annotation I posted a question to StackOverflow and somebody from onion.tv replied. They mentioned the YouTube AS3 API. I will be digging into more »

MultiMedia Mapping with Modest Maps

Some while ago I experimented with the Modest Maps Flex API. This is an excellent API for non GIS mapping. Its particularly good for building so called mash ups. So blending maps with video, imagery and other location based data. Ski Resort Mapping – Arkade Magazine I recently teamed up with the excellent Arkade Snowboard more »

ArcGIS Flex Solution

The Flex API for ArcGIS remains one of the best for developing Web based GIS applications. The API provides the base for building highly customised applications. ESRI have also made available the Flex 2.2 viewer which provides a quick and easy way to stand up a fully functioning Flex ArcGIS application. It comes with a more »

Open Source Flex GIS Solutions

There remain few Flex GIS (Geographic Information System) API’s outside of that offered by ESRI for ArcGIS. Though an excellent API, its requires that clients have a purchased license(s) for ArcGIS. Depending on the number of licenses, this can be very costly. ArcGIS also is not fully compliant with the OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) standards. more »

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Carbon Trading – Part 2

Carbon Trading and the Use of GIS Where does GIS fit? At this stage the focus is on monitoring, reporting and verification or MRV. The market and how it breaks down There are essentially 3 main areas: 1) Verification – both in the voluntary and non voluntary areas, auditors periodically will be required to check more »

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Carbon Trading – Part 1

Carbon Trading and GIS 1) How does carbon trading work? Target – Governments set annual targets for reduction of greenhouse gases for industry. The government then subdivides this target among sectors and down to individual factories or plants. Individual emission permits are then issued up to this limit. How factories receive these permits varies, depending more »

ArcGIS Flex Modules

Work continues on the new and improved ArcGIS Flex template. As I’ve discussed in previous blog entries, I wanted to build a better Flex interface to ArcGIS. One which makes sense both from a users perspective, and is easy for programmers to work with. The free ESRI template has its issues, from both perspectives. I’ll more »

New ArcGIS Flex Template

To continue this series on building a better base for Flex map applications. I have taken the template I have discussed in other blog entries, made some minor adjustments and started building an ArcGIS version. Flex ArcGIS Map Demo Base Let’s start with the base, you can link to it here Figure 1 – Flex more »

Building the Perfect Flex Map Interface Part 2

This is part 2 of a series of articles on building the perfect Flex map interface. In part 1 we discussed some of the guiding principals. These were based off my experiences and client feedback. Flex Map Demo To see a live version of the demo visit www.flexmappers.com/webmapsolution. Lets talk about some of the basic more »

Building the Perfect Flex Map Interface Part 1

Is design of the Flex map interface art of science? How about those pop ups; draw, print, buffer? Do you allow all to be opened at once, just one as an active component? Is the fact that the pop ups overlap an annoyance? Do unmoveable icons drive you crackers? How configurable are the interface elements; more »

GIS and Global Warming

Carbons Market Background Industry pushes out CO2 – the chief cause of global warming. Forests absorb or sequester C02. The new carbons market, allows C02 sequesters to sell credits equivalent to the amount absorbed by their forest or vegetative area. Thus industry can pollute beyond their individually allowed levels, but equal to the amount of more »

GIS Services, GIS Consulting, and Mapping Consultants

GIS Services Firms and GIS Consulting The range of GIS services provided by GIS consulting firms are many and varied. Some firms are focused on desktop development, and increasingly more on building web based applications. GIS applications themselves are multi-tiered and are often referred to as a “stack”. The “stack” is comprised of a database, more »

GIS Application Development using Flex

Is there a viable (and cheaper) alternative GIS solution to ArcGIS and the ESRI Flex API? I get asked this question alot, and I usually answer with “it depends”. ESRI ArcGIS Applications and the Flex API ArcGIS is map server technology made by a company called ESRI. ESRI has provided a very nice Flex API for more »

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