Geomob

In this midsummer catch up Steven and Ed discuss separating life from work, Southeast Asia’s super app Grab, and contemplate the future of Google Maps. Using real problems from his daily work at OpenCage, Ed compiles questions for a monthly Twitter Trivia contest. It’s just one way to establish himself as a ‘geo-expert’. The conversation then turns to Super-apps such as Grab provide a range of services from delivery to vehicle rentals and much more, and recently announced the launch of Grab Maps. What affect will their maps have on Google and OpenStreetMap? Ed and Steven debate the pros and cons in this week's episode

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

On this week's episode Ed chats with Andy Ashburner the founder of Pin Drop. Andy was a Geomob London speaker all the way back in 2014 when the app he created to save locations first took off. Andy provides a unique perspective on progress in geotech since he left the industry for some time. He is now working on a new and improved Pin Drop app that will be designed with users in mind. Ed and Andy marvel at the range of uses for an app like this, and Andy explains how he only found out when he returned to the app himself that many people were still using it. What for? Listen now to find out.

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

If you’ve ever used a ride share app, bike share, or delivery app, you’ll understand the struggle this week’s guest is trying to solve. Adam Simkin is the COO and VP for autofleet.io, and has been trying to improve the most frustrating part of the app experience: "estimated wait times". As the demand for these services grows, so does the expectation. Customers want short, reliable, and accurate wait times but as Adam admits, this is still a bit of an "unsolved problem". With so many variables, and many competing apps, there is still a lot of work for Adam and his peers to do to improve the experience not only for clients but also drivers/vehicle owners. Find out how far we’ve come, and what the predictions are for the future (autonomous cars?) in this week's podcast!

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Tune in to the latest episode which is all about "geoing in public". Ed chats with geospatial industry veteran (and repeat podcast guest), James Fee. James discusses his long career in the industry and how it all began for him. Whether it be blogging, YouTube, or social media, James has tried it all and shares his most important advice to those getting into the GIS sphere and working in public - be yourself. Despite some negative reactions to his posts in the past, James says the collaborative nature of sharing your work far outweighs any negatives he has encountered. They discuss the various social media platforms, how they can be used effectively, and Ed inquires about James’ rumoured entry into the world of TikTok. Will we see this social media master conquer the latest platform? Listen to find out.

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

This week Ed speaks with Luca Delucchi, a member of the local organizing team for both State of the Map (SotM) and FOSS4G which will be held in Florence, Italy in August. It's wonderful not just that these events are again taking place in person (SotM will be August 19-21st, FOSS4G will be August 22-28th), but that they will be held in the same city, allowing geospatial open data and open source enthusiasts to easily attend both. Luca tells about the preparations and what attendees can expect.

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Ed and Steven catch up on the heels of two Geomob events. Ed compares the recent London event with the Barcelona event and ponders if London’s culture of sharing will eventually make its way to Barcelona. Focussing on the highlight of the Barcelona event, he describes the presentation by Bettermaps. Although still in the early stages, this app takes a written description of a location and turns it into a map. Ed and Steven discuss the possibilities of AI and the possible elimination of cartographers? We’re not quite there yet, but there certainly is potential in AI. Ed also discusses the recent launch of OpenCage's FlipCoords tool, while Steven shares that he will be presenting about Mappery at the British Cartographic Society annual event in September.

Tune in to find out which other OpenCage projects are picking up momentum, where the next Geomob event will take place, and where you may bump into Ed in the summer months.

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

If you’ve ever wondered how you can use a geospatial interface to encourage philanthropy, this is the episode for you. Ed speaks with Peter Rose, former Geomob speaker and Europe Director of Orbica. Orbica focusses on geospatial analytics, GeoAI and data science. Peter discusses a special project: ‘Lebenswald’ for the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. The goal of this project was to create a recurring revenue model. In order to motivate people to donate to prevent deforestation and preserve the habitat of the last Borneo Orangutans they have created an interactive map. Donors are able to choose the area they want to help preserve, claim it as theirs to sponsor and even draw on it. Peter talks about the challenges and benefits of working for a non-profit client. Tune in to learn more about this important project and great example of using geospatial in philanthropy.

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

In this episode Steven chats with an old friend, professor of Geographical Information Science at UCL, Muki Haklay. Muki is one of the early adopters of combining geography with computer science, and one of the eariest supporters of OpenStreetMap. For the past ten years he has been focusing on extreme citizen science. There are a number of programs and apps that allow people all over the world to contribute geographical and environmental data. His team of 20 researchers work with indigenous communities on developing tools that can be used by anyone, even those who can’t read or write, allowing for more access to relevant data about their own communities. Steven and Muki discuss the benefits and drawbacks of citizen science as it becomes more common.

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Show notes on the Geomob website, where you can also learn more about Geomob events and sign up for our monthly newsletter.