Map Watch News

MapSexOffenders.com has created a google map showing the photos, addresses and police registry information for thousands of sex offenders in 38 states.

Screenshot from MapSexOffenders.comView theirOnline Maps of Sex Offenders website.

If you want to see lots of ways that webmasters are using the new Google Maps public interface the Google Maps Mania is posting dozens of examples every week. Featured on the site are ways that the maps are being used for real estate, travel, education, science, sports and more.
Check it out at Google Maps Mania.

In California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill into law that gives probation officers the authority to require GPS monitoring of probationers - without a court order. Cost rather than policy will be the limiting factor for now.
Read more about GPS tracking of probationers at Newsday.com

An article at ITweek.com explains how the current constellation of GPS satellites is aging and beyond their expected lifetime. Norman Bonnor, a retired RAF Air Commodore and President of the Royal Institute of Navigation, says that service interruptions are a real possibility given the age of the equipment and current rate of satellite replacement.
Read the article about New GPS Satellites Needed at the ITweek.com website.

Wikipedia is a free-use online encyclopedia. PlaceOpedia is website that "connects Wikipedia articles with their locations". The integration of these two services will be a powerful tool for people doing geographic research or simply learning about places and topics.

Screenshot of PlaceOpedia WebsiteCheck out the PlaceOpedia Map Encyclopedia.

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has posted a series of maps on their website that relate to Deadly Arsenals: Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Threats. Specific maps include: 1) Nuclear proliferation status, 2) Countries with possible or suspected nuclear weapons, 3) Countries with possible or suspected biological weapons, 4) Countries with ballistic missiles. Country profile maps are also provided for Iran, North Korea, China, India, Pakistan, Libya, Russia, Israel, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine.
See the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Threat Maps at the Carnigie Endowment for Insernational Peace website.

GPS data has been used to convict a murderer. Jimmy Davis was convicted of murdering Sheryl Spiros through the use of a GPS system in his Lincoln Navigator. The GPS system was on and recording the location of the vehicle. This placed Davis at the murder scene at the time the crime was committed.
Read more about this GPS Crime Solution at the globaltechnology.com website.

William Bright had a great idea. Get the maps of subway systems for major cities, convert them into iPod format and give them away for free from a websites. Great idea - right? Surprisingly some of the subway systems objected and sent him cease and desist letters. They didn't want their maps given away. New York said that they wanted $500 for a license to distribute their maps. $500 whole dollars. I think that they have bad business sense. In my opinion they would get more than $500 back in fares if their maps are distributed for free this way. Most people who can afford an iPod can also afford cab fare. Or they can grab a paper map at the terminal and that costs the subway system money.
Screenshot of iPodSubwayMaps.comDownload Free Subway Maps at ipodsubwaymaps.com.

MapQuest's Find Me service has added support for Blackberry software version V4.0.0.249 and later. This allows Blackberry owners to determine their location, identify nearby businesses, share their location with trusted people, and view maps and driving directions to selected locations. They can also go to MapQuest's website and view their location history on an interactive map.

Image by BlackberryLearn more about Blackberry GPS at the MapQuest Find Me website.

Geocaching plays a prominent role in a new movie titled "GPS The Movie". Set in the Pacific Northwest a group of college students go geocaching only to become involved in suspense and high-level mystery. If you are into geocaching you might enjoy the movie.
Learn more at the GPS The Movie Website.