Web 2.0

Virtual Earth v6 Is Here

antonio@inspectorit.com — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:00:00 GMT

Last week Microsoft released the Virtual Earth Map Control v6 API. Here are some of the details:

Some of the major focuses of this release are enhanced accuracy, performance, Safari Browser support as well as a new interface. There seems to have been no report of breaking changes from version 5, so a simple change in the javascript URL should be enough for anyone to upgrade.

Here are a few features and enhancements that you will find with the new version 6:

New Zooming Option
Another interesting interactive option is to change from the default scroll wheel zooming on the centre of the screen to zoom on the mouse location – ala google maps. It is enabled with one line of code: map.SetMouseWheelZoomToCenter(false);
Multipoint Routing
A new GetDirections method was added to support multipoint routing on the map. Also, additional options have been added to better customize route rendering including the ability to customize the route color and pushpins.
Improved Geocoding Accuracy and Relevance
We have added more accurate geocoding when using the Find call with a location. Multiple geocoders and datasets provide more relevant and accurate results.
Rooftop Geocoding Support
Rooftop geocoding is now supported. The rooftop geocoded location will be returned when available when making a Find call with a location.
Improved Performance
Peformance with large numbers of pushpins has been improved. A new method to add a large number of VEShape pushpins to the map was added to improve the initial drawing of the map with large number of pushpins. Also, performance of map operations with shapes has been improved.
Altitude for shapes
Altitude support for shapes in 3D is now supported so you can position shapes in 3D above the earth.
Pushpin Accuracy in Birdseye
There is now an option to more accurately position VEShape pushpins when in Birdseye view to more accurately pinpoint places in Birdseye.
Improved shape control
You can now specify the ZIndex of VEShapes and tile layers to control the order of content on the map.
Realtime Traffic
The v6 platform now supports real time traffic flows which can be displayed over the map. Licensing restrictions for this feature apply.
Shaded Map Style
A new shaded map style was added which shows elevation with the traditional Road view
SafariSupport
Virtual Earth v6 platform now supports the Safari 2.0 browser in addition to Internet Explorer and Firefox.
Improved 3D Experience
Enhanced 3D features
MapCruncher (Beta)
Add your own custom image layers to the map using MapCruncher (Beta) for Virtual Earth
Improved Birdseye Control
A new SetBirdseyeScene method was added to improve the control of Birdseye based on latitude and longitude instead of requiring a scene id.
New Navigation Control
A new enhanced default navigation control was added for v6.

So go ahead and give it a quick try and see if you agree with me when I say that I am impressed with the changes so far.

Microsoft Live Labs Launches LISTAS.

antonio@inspectorit.com — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 19:00:00 GMT

Microsoft Live Labs, is always experimenting with new and (sometimes) useful ideas. Recently they released their latest technology preview:

Listas (http://listas.labs.live.com)

Listas is a tool for the creation, management and sharing of lists, notes, favorites, and more. It allows you to quickly and easily edit lists, share them with others for reading or wiki-style editing, and discover the public lists of other users. We encourage you to try using it for meeting notes, bookmarks, shopping lists, to plan a night out, or whatever other creative ways you can think of.

In the Listas Community Section, you will find a number of highlights of the most popular and random items from around the community of public lists such as the most used tags, the hottest lists, and prolific contributors. You can even add others’ lists (or any RSS feed) to your own Listas so you are always up to date.

You can create lists from all the things you find on the web, like search results, wish lists, videos, or all or part of virtually any page with the Listas Toolbar for Internet Explorer:

Give Listas a try, I know I have, and so far I like it!

How many AJAX desktop apps is enough?

antonio@inspectorit.com — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 10:26:00 GMT

I was doing some research this evening on some Office 2.0 applications (more on what these are later) and ran into a slew of AJAX based desktop-like web apps.

Granted, I have known of websites like PageFlakes and konfabulator (now a Yahoo company) for a while now but it seems that more people keep on coming up with more of the same concept.

The one thing that baffles me is how these folks are able to sustain such ventures without necessarily having a monetization strategy. Unless they are VC funded and plan on another YouTube-like buy-out, I am not able to see how these guys will survive.

It seems that social networks are popping up every minute, everybody is doing this Web 2.0 thing. I just wander when will these guys wake up a smell that sour coffee.

Just as the social networking space is getting crowded so is the AJAX desktop space. Even the giants are in on it. Microsoft and Google are hard at work on their own versions of the desktop internet with Start and Google and even then, some others are given them a good run for their money.

Take NetVibes, PageFlakes, Goowy, Protopage and Zimbio for instance, they are all really really good products. They are all well designed and thought of, but how many of the same is enough? How many of them will survive the fight? How many of them even have a long-term business plan that makes any sense?

What do you think? Let me know your thoughts.

Have you seen PageFlaskes Recently?

antonio@inspectorit.com — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 10:08:00 GMT

The speed at which technology progresses never seizes to amaze me.

Not more that 3 or 4 months ago I was looking at PageFlakes. I remember thinking to myself "here another one of these Web 2.0 wanna-be's".
Everyone seemed to be getting into the "AJAX" band-wagon and all kind of websites were popping up and down their interpretation Web 2.0.

Today, I once again decided to take a look at PageFlakes only to be very pleasantly surprised at the progress they have made in such a short period of time.

To be quite honest, I still do not see the "real value" it gives the consumer - take my mom for instance, will she ever find this useful? - Uh, nah. I don' think so.

The technology behind it is absolutely cool, don't get me wrong, but I would like to learn and understand what their business model is really all about. How do they plan on monetizing it? Do you know? If so, drop me a line.

So far, it does not seem to be saturated with ads, which I like, but who know how long that will last.

What is also interesting is the fact that Dan Cohen, until just recently Head of My Yahoo business for Sunnyvale, California-based web media and search company, has joined PageFlakes as the new Chief Executive Officer. Also interesting is the fact that Mr. Cohen was with Google before moving to Yahoo.

Would it be safe to predict that we are going to see My Yahoo service users attracted to PageFlakes?
Are we going to see PageFlakes become a "social network" of sorts?