july 2009 archives

Monday, July 20, 2009

Thematic mapping by Bing Maps

With the launch of the MSN UK Local website and Microsoft's involvement in the ESRI MapIt software and online services, Microsoft Bing Maps is establishing a reputation in thematic mapping (or had I better say business intelligence mapping?). Is this part of Microsoft's Blue Ocean Strategy, if we regard online mapping as the Red Ocean, where Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Microsoft Bing Maps and MapQuest compete on features only?

Crime map of SW11 and surroundings.

With MSN UK Local, Multimap appears to bite the hand that feeds them: UpMyStreet, one of its long-standing customers. Similar to the UpMyStreet website, visitors to MSN UK Local can search for properties to buy or rent (powered by Property Finder) and find local information on crime rates, school ratings, and constituency information (e.g. the political leading party and socio-economic profile). So what has MSN UK Local over UpMyStreet? You guessed it: its thematic maps. Developer Shoothill has created the various heatmaps (crime maps, price trend maps) and chorochromatic maps (of the constituencies). Interestingly, Shoothill is a finalist for the Microsoft Data Visualisation Partner of the Year award for 2009.

Not only does ESRI ArcGIS as of version 9.3.1 now provide fast access to Microsoft Bing Maps, also ESRI MapIt software and online services integrate Microsoft Bing Maps to quickly visualise business data on top of imagery as well as street, topographic, and elevation maps. In short, MapIt seems to me as ESRI's attempt to copy GeoCommons, but with more advanced analytical functionality.  permanent link for this entry