Waze is a free mobile navigation application which uses crowdsourcing to build its maps. Simply by having the application open and running, drivers using GPS-enabled smartphones can contribute map data to Waze where it then becomes part of the base map. Through passive tracking features which monitor speed, direction, and starts and stops, Waze can also identify traffic patterns to warn you of jams ahead. Drivers who want to take a more active roll in contributing content on hazards and accidents can do so from the app...although hopefully, not while driving.
Over the years, numerous companies have offered services that allowed users to annotate web pages. Now, with a new project called Sidewiki, Google is going to join the fray as well. Sidewiki, which will be distributed with a special version of the Google Toolbar for Firefox and Internet Explorer, allows users to publicly annotate any page on the web. Entries will then be sorted by an algorithm that filters out low-quality comments and moves the most interesting items to the top.
This post is sponsored by IBM's A Smarter Planet blog, where it has also been cross-posted.
In recent posts we've looked at three of the world's leading RFID-powered Smart Cards: Japan's cutting edge Suica Card, London's Oyster Card and Hong Kong's long-running Octopus Card. The most conservative of those three, the Oyster card, can only be used on London's public transport system. However that alone is a huge mainstream market for RFID chips. What's more interesting though is how Smart Cards are being used in Japan and Hong Kong.
Starbucks just launched two iPhone apps. One app, myStarbucks, allows users to find stores, build drinks, and browse the coffee chain's menu and find nutritional information. While this is interesting, the second app is far more exciting. Starbucks Card Mobile gives users a virtual Starbucks Card and in 16 select stores in Silicon Valley and Seattle, users will be able to use this app to pay for their drinks. The app will display a barcode that the baristas at these stores will be able to scan.
French member of parliament Valerie Boyer recently proposed a law to include a disclaimer at the bottom of all enhanced press, political, art and advertising-based photographs. Backed by 50 other French members of parliament, Boyer's efforts aim to reduce the instances of eating disorders across the country. While the attempt is certainly a noble one given France's influence on the fashion world, enforcing the legislation may be another story. While Boyer has already managed to pass a charter against inciting skinniness, policing image doctoring may prove to be a much tougher task.
Google has just opened the floodgates. With millions of users, it's only natural that the company is prioritizing features and crowdsourcing new product ideas. In a recent blog post, the company has revamped Google Product Ideas as a series of separate feedback pages for iGoogle, Google Docs, Google SketchUp, Google Ad Planner, Google Custom Search and as of today, Google Reader.
Pixelpipe, an increasingly popular service that allows its users to easily post text-based status updates and media files to multiple social media sites, just released a large update of its mobile clients. Thanks to this, users can now attach geolocation information to status updates they send from Pixelpipe to over 30 services. Today, Pixelpipe will release this feature in new versions of its Android apps and then integrate this feature in the next iteration of its Nokia and iPhone apps as well. Now, when you send an update from Pixelpipe, you simply enable the "Geo On" button and Pixelpipe will include a link to a custom pi.pe page with a map that shows your location.
Invite code available at bottom of the article!
Although the data repository Infochimps has been open for a year or so now, the company is making a big announcement at the DEMOfall 09 conference today. Now, in addition to simply being one of the best sources for finding raw data online, you're able to share your data - or even list it for sale - through new site features which the company hopes will encourage businesses to open up their commercial datasets to the world.
Say goodbye to your controlled web presence and say hello to Picasa 3.5. Google released Picasa 3.5 with a slew of new features including facial recognition and name-based batch tagging, faster geo-tagging and better web uploading functionality. The service is so good at finding your mug and tagging it that wild photos from yesteryear can resurface and wreak havoc on your reputation.
If you're a smart shopper (and these days, who isn't?), then you probably check the weekly circular for deals and clip out coupons so you can save at the store. Or maybe your coupons arrive digitally, through emails and text messages. But wouldn't it be better if your phone itself could function as the coupon? That's the promise of MoLo Rewards, a wireless coupon application which lets you scan your phone at the point of sale to instantly redeem all your coupons or loyalty rewards using either Near Field Communication (NFC) or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
