This is where we're headed.
I LOVE that I can read New York Times stories based on their location using Google Earth. The new map layer was big news when it launched a year ago. Coverage in Wired, CNET, and of course Google's own maps blog, LatLong. (The links from the LatLong blog post will take a while to explore, but look extremely relevant to this project.)
Google Earth layers aren't available yet (as far as I can tell) in the iPhone/iPod Touch Maps app, but when they are, this will allow someone standing anywhere in the world to read the latest news (from this one major news source) about the places nearest them. Looking at my neck of the world in GoogleEarth a few weeks ago, for example, I was surprised to see not one but three stories about Duluth, Minnesota in the Times. Since I don't comb the NYT Web site every day, I had missed these stories.
And I think this is the key to placecasting...it starts with the map. My mobile device finds where I am (or I tell it where I'm going) and it's map function shows me the information available about that place.
Now, what if the information wasn't a news story I have to read, but a radio story, audio tour or personal history relevant to the landscape around me? My eyes can be in the present while my ears are receiving the context to help me understand what I'm seeing.
No comments:
Post a Comment