NPP Hemisphere
Great complete Earth hemisphere over at NASA Earth Observatory Image of the Day, explaining how it was made and the strips of sunglint visible in each strip of imagery.
posted on: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
Powers of Ten
I recently came across the Powers of Ten Flipbook, a wonderful odyssey in to the world of remote sensing....
posted on: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
Journal M3trics
I wrote a while back about Researcher ID and the notion of flipping the standard journal performance to look at researcher performance....
posted on: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 | path: /publications | permanent link to this entry
Windows Sort Order
Came across a very strange problem recently..... all files in any Windows Explorer or Open/Save dialog were sorted by reverse order. I could go back in to Explorer, get up the "Details" view and then resort it. However it would default back to reverse order. Very strange and frustrating!!!
A quick Google brought up this article. In short, if you hold Ctrl and click the close window "X" it remembers the last sort order.... permanently. So the solution is to re-sort (as you want it) and then Ctrl-"X".
Simple solution to a very frustrating problem!
posted on: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
Pleiades First Images
Some really nice sample images from Pleiades.
posted on: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
WebDAV for Blackboard
Quite a few years back I blogged about using the CMS on Blackboard to store learning materials for students. A much more flexible system that uses WebDAV for drag and drop file management. Well, yes, there are a few Android WebDAV clients around, my favourite of which is WebDAV File Manager. Log in to BlackBoard merrily and modify your files....
posted on: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 | path: /teaching | permanent link to this entry
TanDEM Update
Jonathan Amos gives a good overview of the TanDEM mission to date - well worth a read for those new-ish to DEMs and this particular mission. Makes good reading!
posted on: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
Digital Globe Image of the Year 2011
Nice catch from GoGeo..... Digital Globe best image 2011. Well worth a look!
posted on: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
New release: GDAL/OGR
A new year and a new release of GDAL/OGR (1.9). It's been a while since I last covered this, but there continue to be significant improvements with the big news being the support for ESRI File Geodatabases and Google Fusion tables (see James Fee's blog). However CounchDB, Idrisi, GRASS, ARCGEN are all worthy additions. Keep it in the toolbox.... because most of us do, and that includes ESRI.
posted on: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 | path: /GIS | permanent link to this entry
Humax PVR Update
After the best part of a year since I reported on my new Humax PVR, I thought I'd give an update as the firmware has been upgraded a few times and I've finally gotten around to playing a little more with it....
posted on: Tue, 03 Jan 2012 | path: /fun | permanent link to this entry
SMS Backup
Got lots of SMS on your Android phone? Want to backup or delete some?? SMS to Text is a simple app to do just that.... export to your SD card, filtering by your contact list or simply all of them and press go. Output formats are TXT or CSV. Simple, useful, does the job.
posted on: Sun, 01 Jan 2012 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
ArcGIS for Android
Well anfter the initial fuss that ESRI had actually released the ArcGIS for Android (AA) app, I realised that it wasn't compiled for ARMv6 deviecs, which includes my cheap and cheerful San Fran....
posted on: Sun, 01 Jan 2012 | path: /GIS | permanent link to this entry
New US Army Drones
Nice article over at the BBC on new US Army drones. Helicopter based for VTOL, they sport a 1.8GP (yes, thats gigapixel) video camera capable of real time video feed at 10 frames per second, allowing multiple target tracking up to altitudes of 6000m. Nice.
posted on: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
Beidou is here
Well just about.... Beidou is the Chinese GPS equivalent and is now "operational". Well its got 10 operational satellites and these will provide coverage for China and near-surrounds. Expect global coverage by 2020. Whilst perhaps uptake won't be quick, it is designed to be inter-operable and expect to see handsets starting to take advantage of US, Russian, European and Chinese satellites for positioning. An exciting marketplace at the moment....
posted on: Tue, 27 Dec 2011 | path: /GIS | permanent link to this entry
BBC Year in satellite imagery
Really nice set of images over at the BBC highlighting aspects of 2011 using satellite imagery. Shame there isn't more detail on the sensor etc, but a powerful reminder of events.
posted on: Sun, 25 Dec 2011 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
Kindle Book Prices
I've moaned before about the price of Kindle books and that they are often pennies cheaper than the printed version.... and you can't lend them! Anyway, part of the reason is that VAT is charged on ebooks, but not on paper books. As PCPro explain, a cut in VAT on ebooks in Luxembourg may well see some sort of parity across Europe and we deserved dropped in prices.
posted on: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
First imagery returned from Pleiades
Nice articles by Jonathon Amos on the release of first imagery by Pleiades and the critical role played by British CCD manufacturer e2v. Some sample imagery at Astrium for the moment.
posted on: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
KAP Camera Settings
Capturing aerial imagery from KAP can be a hit and miss affair (although far less so with digital cameras) and therefore setting the camera up carefully prior to imaging is essential....
posted on: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
Pleiades 1 Launched
Pleiades 1 has now been launched and give Europe similar commercial imaging capabilities as the US. Slightly more detail (but older) here showing the 50cm coverage over four bands. Also confirms the future launch of SPOT 6 and 7 to provide a high resolution constellation family. The BBC also provided good coverage as this was somewhat of an unusual launch as it came from a Russian Soyuz rocket launched from French Guiana. See the launch in all its glory!
posted on: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
First global image from NPP VIIRS
NASAs Earth Observatory have posted the first global image from VIIRS on NPP. This is a great start to demonstrate the capabilities of VIIRS; and for those doing introductory courses in remote sensing the accompanying notes nicely explain why we have sun-synchronous orbits and why there is variation in the imaging of the global composite.
posted on: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
Open Access Publishing Model
Just as the Journal of Maps is transitioning over to a subscription based model we see the government increasingly becoming interested in open access publishing....
posted on: Wed, 14 Dec 2011 | path: /publications | permanent link to this entry
Carbonite on your smartphone
Some of you may know that I'm a big fan of Carbonite, the online backup facility. Yes it charges, but for unlimited storage and a real no-hassle backup it is a bargain at $59. Which in my book is pretty good for the 85Gb I've got stored there. Whilst it's really billed as online backup, it is a "webdrive" and the web interface to access files is pretty reasonable. Of course, there is also now an Android app to do this which is simple, small and fully functional. Very handy to be able to grab a file whilst out and about.
posted on: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
Calls on a data contract??
Nice article at The Guardian on using a data contract on your mobile to route all your comms traffic....
posted on: Wed, 07 Dec 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
PDF Printing
Loads of stuff is sent, received and archived as PDF. Its a great format originally derived from postscript (by Adobe) designed for bridging the gap between designing a print job on a PC and delivering it to a printer for output....
posted on: Wed, 07 Dec 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
Map Makers Crib Sheet
Good set of info in the carto crib sheet from Alex Tait. Useful stuff.
posted on: Wed, 07 Dec 2011 | path: /GIS | permanent link to this entry
Netherlands KAPping
I'm currently involved in a project led by Paolo Paron (UNESCO-IHE) looking at beach development in the Netherlands....
posted on: Sat, 03 Dec 2011 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
More open data....
This is nothing but great news..... more open data! There is some genuinely useful stuff here: Met Office Public Weather Service, train/bus real time running and Land Registry. All valuable/useful stuff in and of itself that should already be public. In addition to last weeks criminal court sentencing records, there will also be personal health records. These will (anonymously) tell a very detailed story about the UK and provide invaluable data for further analysis by academics and companies.
posted on: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 | path: /GIS | permanent link to this entry
Raspberry Pi
If you haven't seen the fuss over Raspberry Pi then head on over and take a look at their website. And if you don't want to invest too much time then read the excellent summary over at The Register....
posted on: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
Open Source Roundup
A useful open source roundup with a slight focus upon geo-stuff.
posted on: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
NPP Launch
NPP launched a few weeks back and has just sent back its first imagery. Jonathon Amos (over at the BBC) has an interesting article discussing the importance of weather satellites to remote sensing and society more widely....
posted on: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
Open Source GIS Intro
Nice article over at Directions on Open Source GIS.... a reasonable primer on the topic.
posted on: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 | path: /GIS | permanent link to this entry
Landsat 5 Anomaly
Not a healthy outlook for Landsat 5 27 years after launch. Mind you, its not bad for a 3 year life expectancy!!
posted on: Mon, 21 Nov 2011 | path: /remote_sensing | permanent link to this entry
NERC Knowledge Exchange Grant
For those interested, I am currently a Co-Investigator on a NERC Knowledge Exchange grant titled "The Physical Landscape of Britain and Northern Ireland."...
posted on: Wed, 16 Nov 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
One Story
One Story is a great subscription for your Kindle. Each month you get one new short story and they never use an author twice....
posted on: Wed, 16 Nov 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
Kindle Daily Deal
Amazon UK offering a "daily deal" each day for a heavily discounted book. See the blog post for further details. It'll be interesting to see how these deals develop.... equivalent price in the US at the moment. Will have to see if it goes up tomorrow as well or whether its the usual "Brits can pay more"
posted on: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
Ball camera
How cool is this ball camera?? Love the application.... our Leica laser scanner grabs similar imagery and splices them together but this is so elegant and you get a whole sphere of imagery. The alternative would be to fish-eye images but not as easy to do. Great!
posted on: Thu, 10 Nov 2011 | path: /GIS | permanent link to this entry
Eject USB
Safely ejecting USB devices is a perennial gotcha for those not in the know, recently brought home to me by a friend who copied some audio books to her Kindle and couldn't find them to play them....
posted on: Wed, 09 Nov 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
Kindle loses audio.....
PCPro had a good review of current ebook readers this month. And yes the new Kindle came out on top, but as they say, its all about content!...
posted on: Mon, 07 Nov 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
"Couldn’t install on USB storage or SD card” error on Android
Finally got around to sorting out a niggling bug on my San Fran phone. For *one* application only, I kept getting the following error when I tried to install it:
"Couldn’t install on USB storage or SD card"
I couldnt be bothered to do anything about it, but when it then occurred for another app I thought I'd better do some digging....
posted on: Thu, 03 Nov 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
Mighty Text
I've just been trialling MightyText which allows you to send and receive SMS messages on your PC from your Android phone....
posted on: Tue, 01 Nov 2011 | path: /computing | permanent link to this entry
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