Visualizing numbers and statistics
Monday, June 30, 2008
Many reporters use the football field as a visual metaphor for measurement as in "The plane was three football fields long." But what if something isn't nearly the size of a football field? It's still important as journalists to translate statistics and mathematical figures in an easy to digest way. Most people won't fully comprehend what 4,166 miles looks like, but they will more likely understand that something is the length of the Great Wall of China.
Luckily, Sensible Units is on hand to assist mathematically challenged journalists. Simply input a unit of measurement, small or large, and the site outputs a real life example of that the measurement looks like. For example 5,000 miles is equal to 18 Grand Canyons and 30,000 gallons is equal to 1.3 double-decker buses, according to the tool.
Reporters outside of the US using the metric system will appreciate knowing that 100 metres equals 31 male African elephants standing on top of one another or that 70 litres equals about 10 kettles.
Translating measurements can also be done visually as photographer/artist Chris Jordan has proved in his series Running the Numbers. Jordan takes hardcore statistics such as the 106,000 aluminum cans used in the US every 30 seconds or the 29,569 gun-related deaths in the US in 2004 and visualizes them using everyday objects.
For example, in the latter almost 30,000 handguns in one photograph represent the large number of gun-related deaths. The effect is sobering and thought-provoking and gives weight to statistics that might not be memorable otherwise.
Luckily, Sensible Units is on hand to assist mathematically challenged journalists. Simply input a unit of measurement, small or large, and the site outputs a real life example of that the measurement looks like. For example 5,000 miles is equal to 18 Grand Canyons and 30,000 gallons is equal to 1.3 double-decker buses, according to the tool.
Reporters outside of the US using the metric system will appreciate knowing that 100 metres equals 31 male African elephants standing on top of one another or that 70 litres equals about 10 kettles.
Translating measurements can also be done visually as photographer/artist Chris Jordan has proved in his series Running the Numbers. Jordan takes hardcore statistics such as the 106,000 aluminum cans used in the US every 30 seconds or the 29,569 gun-related deaths in the US in 2004 and visualizes them using everyday objects.
For example, in the latter almost 30,000 handguns in one photograph represent the large number of gun-related deaths. The effect is sobering and thought-provoking and gives weight to statistics that might not be memorable otherwise.
Stuff Journalists Like
Thursday, June 26, 2008
I was checking up on Stuff White People Like, the hilarious blog that spawned the equally thought-provoking Stuff Educated Black People Like, when I realized nobody has accounted for the journalists of the world. So here it is, Stuff Journalists Like:
1. Messenger bags
2. All the President's Men
3. Blackberrys
4. Holiday sweaters
5. Seinfeld
6. AP Stylebook
7. Vests with large pockets
8. Free food
9. Correcting bad grammar/typos
10. "This American Life"
11. Button-down shirts
12. Action figures
13. Exclusives
14. Credentials on lanyards
15. Small cars
16. Debates
17. Baseball caps
18. Blogs
19. Anchorman
20. Reporting overseas
21. The New York Times
22. Coffee
23. Telephoto lenses
24. Conferences
25. Lists
26. Standing up for the little guy
27. Cake
Feel free to add your own observations in the comments.
1. Messenger bags
2. All the President's Men
3. Blackberrys
4. Holiday sweaters
5. Seinfeld
6. AP Stylebook
7. Vests with large pockets
8. Free food
9. Correcting bad grammar/typos
10. "This American Life"
11. Button-down shirts
12. Action figures
13. Exclusives
14. Credentials on lanyards
15. Small cars
16. Debates
17. Baseball caps
18. Blogs
19. Anchorman
20. Reporting overseas
21. The New York Times
22. Coffee
23. Telephoto lenses
24. Conferences
25. Lists
26. Standing up for the little guy
27. Cake
Feel free to add your own observations in the comments.
"Find Your Inspiration" contest winner!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Congratulations to Mark Dodge Medlin who is the winner of the Find Your Inspiration contest. Mark correctly identified the works of art featured in the 10,000 Words logo and as such, received a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate. The temporary logo can be found here and the correct answers to the contest are below the jump.
The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh
Drowning Girl, Roy Lichtenstein
Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci
The Old Guitarist, Pablo Picasso
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Georges Seurat
The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dalí
Nude Descending a Staircase, Marcel Duchamp
I and the Village, Marc Chagall
Campbell's Soup Cans, Andy Warhol
Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue, Georgia O'Keeffe
The Scream, Edvard Munch
The Luncheon on the Grass, Édouard Manet
The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh
Drowning Girl, Roy Lichtenstein
Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci
The Old Guitarist, Pablo Picasso
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Georges Seurat
The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dalí
Nude Descending a Staircase, Marcel Duchamp
I and the Village, Marc Chagall
Campbell's Soup Cans, Andy Warhol
Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue, Georgia O'Keeffe
The Scream, Edvard Munch
The Luncheon on the Grass, Édouard Manet
Museums as Inspiration: Museum of Modern Art
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The most interesting thing about the Museum of Modern Art in New York City is not its incorporation of new technology, but its treatment of old technology. Projector screens that use to be the standard way to show news reels are used in installations for kitsch value. Old copies of Esquire hang on the wall in front of schoolchildren to young to know what Esquire is.
In a wing of the museum dedicated to product design, a 1960s era typewriter sat behind a glass case. I felt bad for the typewriter, especially when a group of grade school children and their teacher passed by:
Teacher: "Look guys this is a typewriter!"
Kid #1: "My mom says it's like an old computer."
Kid #2: "Does it have backspace?"
The kids and I were more intrigued by the computer-based exhibits at MOMA. Many of the installations aren't the flat paintings or sculptures one thinks of when they think art, but multimedia installations on large televisions. I was most impressed by one work that was like a live multimedia experience. In the installation "Wende >80< (Turning Point >80<)" by Hanne Darboven almost 150 pieces of sheet music line the walls of a very tall room. Because it would take forever to absorb that many pieces of paper, the music on the sheets is pumped into the room.
Unlike the Brooklyn Museum where patrons can dial a number of their cell phone to listen to additional information about the works on display, MOMA visitors must stand in line and hand over identification to receive an audio player that is exclusive to MOMA. The handheld device looks like a large remote control or, when placed to the ear, like an old school cell phone.
The process of procuring the device is reminiscent of the registration process required by some online news sites to read anything other than front page news. Sure its not difficult for a visitor to enter this information, but in this fast-paced, get it done world, who has the time?
In a wing of the museum dedicated to product design, a 1960s era typewriter sat behind a glass case. I felt bad for the typewriter, especially when a group of grade school children and their teacher passed by:
Teacher: "Look guys this is a typewriter!"
Kid #1: "My mom says it's like an old computer."
Kid #2: "Does it have backspace?"
The kids and I were more intrigued by the computer-based exhibits at MOMA. Many of the installations aren't the flat paintings or sculptures one thinks of when they think art, but multimedia installations on large televisions. I was most impressed by one work that was like a live multimedia experience. In the installation "Wende >80< (Turning Point >80<)" by Hanne Darboven almost 150 pieces of sheet music line the walls of a very tall room. Because it would take forever to absorb that many pieces of paper, the music on the sheets is pumped into the room.
Unlike the Brooklyn Museum where patrons can dial a number of their cell phone to listen to additional information about the works on display, MOMA visitors must stand in line and hand over identification to receive an audio player that is exclusive to MOMA. The handheld device looks like a large remote control or, when placed to the ear, like an old school cell phone.
The process of procuring the device is reminiscent of the registration process required by some online news sites to read anything other than front page news. Sure its not difficult for a visitor to enter this information, but in this fast-paced, get it done world, who has the time?
Museums as Inspiration: Brooklyn Museum
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The Brooklyn Museum is as traditional a museum as museums go (though one could argue that the work of artist Takashi Murakami currently on display is far from traditional). But much like journalism, another age-old institution, this museum is embracing the mobile phone and other new technology to heighten the experience of its visitors.
In the past one could meander haplessly through the halls, gawking at art and artifacts with no more understanding of each work than what was written on a tiny placard. Now, some of those placards have a cell phone icon and a number to dial that provides even more information about a particular exhibit.
At the Brooklyn Museum, visitors can call (718) 352-9589 and enter the item number displayed near the artwork (e.g. 12 corresponds to the intricate work "Flower Matango") and listen to either the artist (in this case Murakami) or a curator discuss the piece. The best part is museum guests are allowed to leave comments on the phone system as they navigate through its halls.
It is true that other museums have special listening devices, but most can only be used in that particular location. Making the audio available by phone means that any of the billions of cell phone users worldwide can access the additional information. The theory is similar to creating a multimedia project that only works in Firefox. Sure, a large percentage of users can access the content, but those that can't aren't exactly willing to download a new browser just to view the one site.
Other multimedia features of the museum include video incorporated into the exhibits through the use of high definition televisions and computers strategically placed around the museum for visitors to leave comments. At last check, one computer had 474 comments, an impressive number for any institution, whether it be a museum or online news site.
Museums as Inspiration: California Science Center
Monday, June 23, 2008
A few weeks ago, I mentioned how museums are a great possible source of inspiration for journalists and multimedia producers. To capitalize on my trip to New York, a city known for his world class museums, the next few posts will explore how the age old institutions are incorporating new media into their exhibits.
The first museum to be discussed is not actually in the Big Apple, but in my hometown of Los Angeles, California. The California Science Center in Exposition Park is a part of a new generation of museums in which interactivity and hands on trumps looking and reading.
One of the Center's most fascinating exhibits is its earthquake simulator. Visitors walk into a dimly lit room constructed to resemble a control center and watch as a talking head explains the earthquake safety features of the museum. Suddenly, there is a loud rumbling, the TV signal begins to crackle and the floor of the room actually moves, giving awe stricken visitors the sensation of a real earthquake. After the 4D sensation is over, the exit leads to a series of models and printed materials that further drive home the point of earthquake safety.
But what does this have to do with journalism? Just like the previously mentioned online news games, the exhibit is an example of immersive education. Rather than having photo slideshows or text that explains a news story or phenomenon, online multimedia can actually place site visitors in the experience and give them a greater understanding of the concept behind the news.
(Earthquake exhibit, Flickr photos by diabetesisfun and Leadershipper)
The California Science Center is full of similar exhibits that encourage visitors to experience rather than be preached to. One area designed to teach visitors about the effective of fuel cell energy uses a full-sized car, cut in half and equipped with computer screens, to explain the science. Like the earthquake experience, the exhibit is given a boost with traditional placards and computer screens.
Other interactive exhibits that may or not be recreatable online include a hurricane simulator and a lever which explains how balance and force can be used to easily lift a large pick up truck.
(l to r) Fuel cell exhibit, hurricane simulator, large lever outside of the museum. Flickr photos by Nick Humphries and Beautiful Freaks
The Center has many captivating exhibits that encourage new ways of learning, but none so much as Tess, a 50-foot woman with exposed organs and a great sense of humor. The "body simulator" was built to teach museum guests about homeostasis, the body's process of maintaining equilibrium while reacting two external factors. As Tess and her animated assistant Walt discuss the various components of the body, organs light up, her blood (a series of tube lights) pumps and gauges painted on a nearby wall swing back and forth. The ten-minute long demonstration is a lot more exciting than reading about homeostasis in a news article or worse, having a talking head discuss the process.
In short, there are many concepts that text or moving images just won't capture, something museums like the California Science Center are hip to. Instead of simply using multimedia to rehash print or broadcast stories, consider using Flash or interactive video to create a more immersive experience.
The first museum to be discussed is not actually in the Big Apple, but in my hometown of Los Angeles, California. The California Science Center in Exposition Park is a part of a new generation of museums in which interactivity and hands on trumps looking and reading.
One of the Center's most fascinating exhibits is its earthquake simulator. Visitors walk into a dimly lit room constructed to resemble a control center and watch as a talking head explains the earthquake safety features of the museum. Suddenly, there is a loud rumbling, the TV signal begins to crackle and the floor of the room actually moves, giving awe stricken visitors the sensation of a real earthquake. After the 4D sensation is over, the exit leads to a series of models and printed materials that further drive home the point of earthquake safety.
But what does this have to do with journalism? Just like the previously mentioned online news games, the exhibit is an example of immersive education. Rather than having photo slideshows or text that explains a news story or phenomenon, online multimedia can actually place site visitors in the experience and give them a greater understanding of the concept behind the news.
(Earthquake exhibit, Flickr photos by diabetesisfun and Leadershipper)
The California Science Center is full of similar exhibits that encourage visitors to experience rather than be preached to. One area designed to teach visitors about the effective of fuel cell energy uses a full-sized car, cut in half and equipped with computer screens, to explain the science. Like the earthquake experience, the exhibit is given a boost with traditional placards and computer screens.
Other interactive exhibits that may or not be recreatable online include a hurricane simulator and a lever which explains how balance and force can be used to easily lift a large pick up truck.
(l to r) Fuel cell exhibit, hurricane simulator, large lever outside of the museum. Flickr photos by Nick Humphries and Beautiful Freaks
The Center has many captivating exhibits that encourage new ways of learning, but none so much as Tess, a 50-foot woman with exposed organs and a great sense of humor. The "body simulator" was built to teach museum guests about homeostasis, the body's process of maintaining equilibrium while reacting two external factors. As Tess and her animated assistant Walt discuss the various components of the body, organs light up, her blood (a series of tube lights) pumps and gauges painted on a nearby wall swing back and forth. The ten-minute long demonstration is a lot more exciting than reading about homeostasis in a news article or worse, having a talking head discuss the process.
In short, there are many concepts that text or moving images just won't capture, something museums like the California Science Center are hip to. Instead of simply using multimedia to rehash print or broadcast stories, consider using Flash or interactive video to create a more immersive experience.
7 Gadgets for the eccentric journalist
Friday, June 20, 2008
As I flew over the U.S. for a week of work in New York City (more details at the end of this post), I got a chance to look through SkyMall, the ubiquitous airline magazine full of goodies for techies and home enthusiasts. Some of the mag's offerings are bizarre, but the available gadgets, and those elsewhere on the internet, may make some journo very happy.
Touted as a "pen that could make James Bond jealous," the CompuFlash pen can digitally record up to 64 hours using a built in microphone or be used as an FM radio.
(SkyMall | $89.99)
This digital notepad captures and stores everything you write or draw on ordinary paper without using a computer. Additional software will covert handwritten notes into digital form for use in word processing or e-mail programs.
(Skymall | $149.99)
The Paper GPS is a decidedly low tech way of transcribing directions, but it has to be more fun than Mapquest.
(Perpetual Kid | $6.50)
The Gorillapod is a lightweight, bendable gadget that holds a digital camera in place. The doohickey lessens the need for a tripod the flexible joints can be rotated and bent 360° to form the perfect shape.
(ThinkGeek | $21.99 - $49.99)
The mini file cabinet holds up to 800 business cards for cutting down on clutter. Perfect for hobnobbing journalists.
(ThinkGeek | $12.99)
Gadget freaks rejoice! The PowerStation hides all those ugly cables and makes charging a crop of handheld electronics much easier.
(ThinkGeek | $19.99)
The lightweight Super Ear's ethical use may be in question, but when you simply must hear what a source is saying the high-powered microphone will do the trick.
(ThinkGeek | $39.99)
Next week: I will be trolling the museums of New York City and posting a series of posts about multimedia and inspiration: particularly how to find it and also what inspires me. There will also be a contest next week; the first 10,000 Words giveaway to help you find your own inspiration. Check back on Monday for full details.
CompuFlash 2GB Pen
Touted as a "pen that could make James Bond jealous," the CompuFlash pen can digitally record up to 64 hours using a built in microphone or be used as an FM radio.
(SkyMall | $89.99)
DigiMemo Digital Notepad & Pen
This digital notepad captures and stores everything you write or draw on ordinary paper without using a computer. Additional software will covert handwritten notes into digital form for use in word processing or e-mail programs.
(Skymall | $149.99)
Paper GPS
The Paper GPS is a decidedly low tech way of transcribing directions, but it has to be more fun than Mapquest.
(Perpetual Kid | $6.50)
Gorillapod
The Gorillapod is a lightweight, bendable gadget that holds a digital camera in place. The doohickey lessens the need for a tripod the flexible joints can be rotated and bent 360° to form the perfect shape.
(ThinkGeek | $21.99 - $49.99)
Mini Business Card File Cabinet
The mini file cabinet holds up to 800 business cards for cutting down on clutter. Perfect for hobnobbing journalists.
(ThinkGeek | $12.99)
PowerStation Cable Organizer
Gadget freaks rejoice! The PowerStation hides all those ugly cables and makes charging a crop of handheld electronics much easier.
(ThinkGeek | $19.99)
Super Ear
The lightweight Super Ear's ethical use may be in question, but when you simply must hear what a source is saying the high-powered microphone will do the trick.
(ThinkGeek | $39.99)
Next week: I will be trolling the museums of New York City and posting a series of posts about multimedia and inspiration: particularly how to find it and also what inspires me. There will also be a contest next week; the first 10,000 Words giveaway to help you find your own inspiration. Check back on Monday for full details.
Documentaries that rock (!)
Thursday, June 19, 2008
I'm not a fan of the documentary mostly because the great majority of the ones I've seen are stodgy, tedious and/or boring. Sure, there are a couple of docs that have bowled me over like the gritty film Dark Days, the Oscar-winning The Times of Harvey Milk and more recently The Secret World of Haute Couture, but most just don't interest me.
There are, however, two excellent, recently released documentaries that made me realize why most others fail: because they don't appeal to my generation, the MTV-watching, iPhone-owning youngsters with the attention span of a pine nut.
The first of the two is Bigger, Stronger, Faster*, a documentary film on steroid usage in America that owes much of its greatness to its coverage of a sensitive topic with humor and pathos without seeming overwrought. The movie enhances its coverage of the subject with witty graphics and the pace never seems to slow, though it has an almost two-hour running time. The film has an impressive 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, an indication that it is better than the average doc.
The second is VH1's four-part series Sex: The Revolution, one of the channel's ongoing Rock Docs features. The documentary is not as titillating as its title suggests. Rather it approaches the subject matter with a rock star attitude while maintaining a high level of informativeness. The doc is full of talking heads, of course, but they are cool talking heads relaying information and experiences without the haughtiness seen elsewhere. Sex, along with its sister doc The Drug Years, take topics that can be found in most textbooks and present them in a way that makes viewers feel invested in the subject without being tawdry or talking down to the audience.
Another most compelling documentary I watched recently is Sicko by filmmaker Michael Moore. I know his methodology and style may be suspect, but his film put a human face on the serious issue of health care in America. I'm not much of a crier (last time was my graduation from college), but as I watched American citizens who had long been unable to afford essential medical procedures finally receive appropriate care in Cuba, I felt the tears begin to flow. It speaks to the power of the medium that it provoked such an emotional reaction. Now if only all documentaries could do the same...
There are, however, two excellent, recently released documentaries that made me realize why most others fail: because they don't appeal to my generation, the MTV-watching, iPhone-owning youngsters with the attention span of a pine nut.
The first of the two is Bigger, Stronger, Faster*, a documentary film on steroid usage in America that owes much of its greatness to its coverage of a sensitive topic with humor and pathos without seeming overwrought. The movie enhances its coverage of the subject with witty graphics and the pace never seems to slow, though it has an almost two-hour running time. The film has an impressive 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, an indication that it is better than the average doc.
The second is VH1's four-part series Sex: The Revolution, one of the channel's ongoing Rock Docs features. The documentary is not as titillating as its title suggests. Rather it approaches the subject matter with a rock star attitude while maintaining a high level of informativeness. The doc is full of talking heads, of course, but they are cool talking heads relaying information and experiences without the haughtiness seen elsewhere. Sex, along with its sister doc The Drug Years, take topics that can be found in most textbooks and present them in a way that makes viewers feel invested in the subject without being tawdry or talking down to the audience.
Another most compelling documentary I watched recently is Sicko by filmmaker Michael Moore. I know his methodology and style may be suspect, but his film put a human face on the serious issue of health care in America. I'm not much of a crier (last time was my graduation from college), but as I watched American citizens who had long been unable to afford essential medical procedures finally receive appropriate care in Cuba, I felt the tears begin to flow. It speaks to the power of the medium that it provoked such an emotional reaction. Now if only all documentaries could do the same...
Labels: video
8 Ways of visualizing the news
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
When journalists first began using Flash to produce multimedia stories, it changed the way news could be displayed. Hyperlinks and long blocks of text still exist (in a much cleaner form), but they are now supplemented by the new form of storytelling. The following news aggregators are the next step in the visualization of news and how users will interact with content in the future.
Instead of displaying the news as a series of headlines and links, the photo stream simply displays news photos aligned in a eye-pleasing grid. Hovering over a photo will display the full headline; clicking on the bubble icon takes users to the comment section where they can discuss the story on the photo stream site; clicking the arrow will direct the user to the story's original source. Using the site is intuitive and easier on the eyes.
There are multiple ways of digesting the news at Newser, but the centerpiece of the site is its tiled news headlines. Photos dominate each box and when each is moused over, more detailed information about the news story pops up. Newser's most admirable feature is its toggler which brings up harder or softer news stories, depending on the user's preference. For example, hard news stories today concerned the Iowa floods and the stock market while soft news stories included narratives about prom and cuddling chimps.
MSNBC.com has taken its RSS feeds and turned it into Spectra, a visual newsreader that adds a little color to the news. Spectra likely gets its name from the different news categories that line the top of the browser in a rainbow-colored spectrum. Users select their topic or topics of interest from such categories as politics, entertainment or sports. The stories are then pulled into an orbiting collection of squares. The interface is simple, but still takes a minute or so to get used to. Nevertheless, it is a lot more fun than reading the news in a normal RSS reader.
NewsWorldMap mashes up a full browser Google map of the world with Google News and GeoNames to create an interactive way of searching for news in a specific country. The latest news headlines for countries around the world are available in seconds by simply clicking on the location. Because the headlines are culled from Google News, there are a variety of news sources represented on the site.
Unlike the previous sites, Merriam-Webster's Visual Dictionary Online isn't a news aggregator, but it is a different way of understanding the concepts behind news stories. For example, someone watching Tuesday night's NBA finals could get a better understanding of the game by searching for basketball player positions or even an interactive graphic of a basketball player with links to further definitions. The Visual Dictionary isn't just limited to sports; the site contains interactive graphics for everything from portable sound systems to crustaceans to Stone Age weapons.
10x10 is an old standby, but remains every bit as impressive since its launch several years ago. The interactive site displays the news in a ten by ten grid of photos. Each photo represents a news subject and clicking will bring up stories about said subject. Dig a little deeper and you can find a visual representation of the news of every hour, every day, and every month of the last four years.
If all this talk of newspapers going the way of the dodo bird makes you clutch the printed product even closer, the Times newsreader wants to ease your pain. The virtual newspaper seeks to mimic the feeling of flipping through pages and is highly customizable, according to its vendor. Bad news is it is available for Mac OS X Leopard only, which means it has gone untested by this PC-using journalist.
LiveNewsCameras.com has done an amazing job of culling a great number of live web broadcasts from around the world. The site enables visitors to find out the weather in Philly and seconds later watch live news feeds from Sky Italy. It's additional live features — an ongoing chat in the site's sidebar and an embeddable live newscast created by site producers — makes LiveNewsCameras a go to stop for any news enthusiast.
Need more news? You can find seven more news visualizations at this previous 10,000 Words post.
1. the photo stream
Instead of displaying the news as a series of headlines and links, the photo stream simply displays news photos aligned in a eye-pleasing grid. Hovering over a photo will display the full headline; clicking on the bubble icon takes users to the comment section where they can discuss the story on the photo stream site; clicking the arrow will direct the user to the story's original source. Using the site is intuitive and easier on the eyes.
2. Newser
There are multiple ways of digesting the news at Newser, but the centerpiece of the site is its tiled news headlines. Photos dominate each box and when each is moused over, more detailed information about the news story pops up. Newser's most admirable feature is its toggler which brings up harder or softer news stories, depending on the user's preference. For example, hard news stories today concerned the Iowa floods and the stock market while soft news stories included narratives about prom and cuddling chimps.
3. Spectra
MSNBC.com has taken its RSS feeds and turned it into Spectra, a visual newsreader that adds a little color to the news. Spectra likely gets its name from the different news categories that line the top of the browser in a rainbow-colored spectrum. Users select their topic or topics of interest from such categories as politics, entertainment or sports. The stories are then pulled into an orbiting collection of squares. The interface is simple, but still takes a minute or so to get used to. Nevertheless, it is a lot more fun than reading the news in a normal RSS reader.
4. NewsWorldMap
NewsWorldMap mashes up a full browser Google map of the world with Google News and GeoNames to create an interactive way of searching for news in a specific country. The latest news headlines for countries around the world are available in seconds by simply clicking on the location. Because the headlines are culled from Google News, there are a variety of news sources represented on the site.
5. Visual Dictionary Online
Unlike the previous sites, Merriam-Webster's Visual Dictionary Online isn't a news aggregator, but it is a different way of understanding the concepts behind news stories. For example, someone watching Tuesday night's NBA finals could get a better understanding of the game by searching for basketball player positions or even an interactive graphic of a basketball player with links to further definitions. The Visual Dictionary isn't just limited to sports; the site contains interactive graphics for everything from portable sound systems to crustaceans to Stone Age weapons.
6. 10x10
10x10 is an old standby, but remains every bit as impressive since its launch several years ago. The interactive site displays the news in a ten by ten grid of photos. Each photo represents a news subject and clicking will bring up stories about said subject. Dig a little deeper and you can find a visual representation of the news of every hour, every day, and every month of the last four years.
7. Times
If all this talk of newspapers going the way of the dodo bird makes you clutch the printed product even closer, the Times newsreader wants to ease your pain. The virtual newspaper seeks to mimic the feeling of flipping through pages and is highly customizable, according to its vendor. Bad news is it is available for Mac OS X Leopard only, which means it has gone untested by this PC-using journalist.
8. LiveNewsCameras.com
LiveNewsCameras.com has done an amazing job of culling a great number of live web broadcasts from around the world. The site enables visitors to find out the weather in Philly and seconds later watch live news feeds from Sky Italy. It's additional live features — an ongoing chat in the site's sidebar and an embeddable live newscast created by site producers — makes LiveNewsCameras a go to stop for any news enthusiast.
Need more news? You can find seven more news visualizations at this previous 10,000 Words post.
How did you choose your blog's name?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Last month a poster on social network blogcatalog asked fellow users how they chose the name for their blog. Some were specifically chosen, others were randomly picked and many others were just dumb luck. Picking a blog name can go either way for journalists who either blog under a company name or blog independently.
Whether the names were pre-chosen or not, there are many mainstream news outlets with great names for their blogs. They include Fox News' The Bourbon Room, USA Today's Pop Candy, Time Magazine's Curious Capitalist, The Guardian's Media Monkey, Carpetbagger, The New York Time's fashion blog, Dishing, Boston.com's food blog and the truly original The Fastest Blog on 2 Feet, a lacrosse blog by Washington Post writer Christian Swezey.
If you're a pun person, there is What's Bruin, the LA Times' blog covering UCLA sports teams, Booster Shots, a health blog also from the LA Times, BaltAmour, a dating blog from the Baltimore Sun, and Foam on the Range, the Denver Post's beer blog.
As far as independent bloggers go, I've always been partial to Will Sullivan's choice of Journerdism, a portmanteau of journalism and nerd that perfectly describes the heart of every hardcore multimedia journalist.
As for 10,000 Words, the name came after some heavy deliberation. I initially wanted to call it Prometheus, after the Greek legend who stole fire from the gods and brought it to the people. But sensing that the name was a little heavy, I opted for 10,000 words which, as the about page points out, is a likely answer to how many words in a multimedia story worth.
Now it's your turn. What is your blog's name? Did you choose it yourself or was it chosen for you? Leave a link to your blog in the comments and feel free to share the story behind it.
Whether the names were pre-chosen or not, there are many mainstream news outlets with great names for their blogs. They include Fox News' The Bourbon Room, USA Today's Pop Candy, Time Magazine's Curious Capitalist, The Guardian's Media Monkey, Carpetbagger, The New York Time's fashion blog, Dishing, Boston.com's food blog and the truly original The Fastest Blog on 2 Feet, a lacrosse blog by Washington Post writer Christian Swezey.
If you're a pun person, there is What's Bruin, the LA Times' blog covering UCLA sports teams, Booster Shots, a health blog also from the LA Times, BaltAmour, a dating blog from the Baltimore Sun, and Foam on the Range, the Denver Post's beer blog.
As far as independent bloggers go, I've always been partial to Will Sullivan's choice of Journerdism, a portmanteau of journalism and nerd that perfectly describes the heart of every hardcore multimedia journalist.
As for 10,000 Words, the name came after some heavy deliberation. I initially wanted to call it Prometheus, after the Greek legend who stole fire from the gods and brought it to the people. But sensing that the name was a little heavy, I opted for 10,000 words which, as the about page points out, is a likely answer to how many words in a multimedia story worth.
Now it's your turn. What is your blog's name? Did you choose it yourself or was it chosen for you? Leave a link to your blog in the comments and feel free to share the story behind it.
Labels: blogging
Panoramas show the whole wide world
Monday, June 16, 2008
The internet is a great tool for creating innovative journalism, but has a disadvantage over newspaper broadsheet in that large photos often look better when displayed over wide sheets of paper, rather than small computer screens. Panoramic photos and video make up for this by taking advantage of the interactivity of the web to provide a better view of the world around us.
What better subjects to view in panorama than the new 7 wonders of the world? Panoramas.dk has full screen interactive views of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, The Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal in India and others. The awe-inspiring photographs or great for would-be travelers who don't the resources to explore the world in person.
One can also find beautiful 3D panoramic images of the Tower of David, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Mahaneh Yehuda Market and more virtual tours of Jerusalem at 3Disrael.com.
The United Kingdom, more than 2,000 miles away from Israel, can be seen in a matter of seconds just by clicking on this incredible panoramic shot of London. Unlike the aforementioned panoramas, this one is static and simply requires use of the scrollbar to see such sites like the London Eye and London Bridge in high resolution detail.
Everyscape has taken the power of the panoramic image and paired it with travel information to bring to life popular destinations around the world. The images are embedded with icons that point to Yelp reviews, Flickr photos and even advertising because when it all comes down to it, journalism is a business.
Panoramas are not only great for travel-related multimedia projects, but can also be used to illustrate crime scenes, display murals, or even photograph a neighborhood a la Google Street View. To create panoramic images, one can either use a 360° panoramic camera like those available at Panoscan or simply use a digital camera and "stitch" the photos using either free software or an online tool like MagToo.
What better subjects to view in panorama than the new 7 wonders of the world? Panoramas.dk has full screen interactive views of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, The Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal in India and others. The awe-inspiring photographs or great for would-be travelers who don't the resources to explore the world in person.
One can also find beautiful 3D panoramic images of the Tower of David, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Mahaneh Yehuda Market and more virtual tours of Jerusalem at 3Disrael.com.
The United Kingdom, more than 2,000 miles away from Israel, can be seen in a matter of seconds just by clicking on this incredible panoramic shot of London. Unlike the aforementioned panoramas, this one is static and simply requires use of the scrollbar to see such sites like the London Eye and London Bridge in high resolution detail.
Everyscape has taken the power of the panoramic image and paired it with travel information to bring to life popular destinations around the world. The images are embedded with icons that point to Yelp reviews, Flickr photos and even advertising because when it all comes down to it, journalism is a business.
Panoramas are not only great for travel-related multimedia projects, but can also be used to illustrate crime scenes, display murals, or even photograph a neighborhood a la Google Street View. To create panoramic images, one can either use a 360° panoramic camera like those available at Panoscan or simply use a digital camera and "stitch" the photos using either free software or an online tool like MagToo.
Labels: photos
How to stay interested in blogging
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Many journalists begin blogging without prompt and a great many more are instructed to do so by editors and producers trying to keep up with the times. For both groups, staying interested in the daily grind of blogging can be tough or even feel like a second job. But don't give up just yet. Here are some ways to keep that spark going and not lose your motivation:
Write fewer posts
Like exercise, it's easy to get stressed out from blogging if you do it too much. If blogging is becoming a brain drain, try lightening your writing schedule. For example, if you are writing two to three posts a day, try writing one really good post each day. If your blog is updated once daily, consider writing only a few posts a week. Writing a few good entries is better than writing a lot of bad ones.
Pre-post
Some bloggers have a set schedule of when to write and publish, but this doesn't work for everyone. It is better to write when inspiration strikes, whether it be first thing in the morning or right before bed. If enough pre-posts are accumulated (assuming you're not covering breaking news), then you could take the time you would be writing and enjoy a nice smoothie or up of coffee. In fact, this very post was written some time last week to have ready for what I knew would be a busy day. Many blogging platforms allow users to save posts and even publish them on a predetermined date and time.
Forget the stats
For years, newspaper reporters, and to a lesser degree broadcast journalists, performed their duties without a real idea of how many people had read/watched/listened to their story. But now that the internet has made user stats available with a click and the number of comments visible on each post, it is easy to be disappointed when those numbers are just a scattered few. Instead of agonizing over numbers, focus on building great content and eventually those numbers will grow. Hitting refresh won't make those number go any higher.
Write for yourself
In blogging, it is easy to fall in the trap of writing exclusively what you think the readers will want to read. Often this leads to losing the focus of the blog or worse being forced to write something that isn't of particular interest to you. Writing posts that interest you means you will write more fervently about the subject, which will in turn attract like-minded readers.
Take a day off
If you truly don't feel like writing one day, don't. Forcing yourself to write makes blogging a seemingly more arduous task and guess what? The blog will still be there the next day.
Shift your focus
If none of the above suggestions work for you, then it's time to shift the focus of your blog. Company mandated bloggers can still write about the same topic, but tackle a different subject. For example, travel bloggers can shift their focus from covering airline prices to covering travel destinations for families. A political blogger, instead of covering the minutiae of the upcoming presidential election, could cover the more local impact of the race. It all depends on the leniency of your supervisor. You may alienate some readers in the process, but you will likely gain a different audience. The point is to focus on what you care about, because if you don't care about the subject of your blog, no one else will.
Write fewer posts
Like exercise, it's easy to get stressed out from blogging if you do it too much. If blogging is becoming a brain drain, try lightening your writing schedule. For example, if you are writing two to three posts a day, try writing one really good post each day. If your blog is updated once daily, consider writing only a few posts a week. Writing a few good entries is better than writing a lot of bad ones.
Pre-post
Some bloggers have a set schedule of when to write and publish, but this doesn't work for everyone. It is better to write when inspiration strikes, whether it be first thing in the morning or right before bed. If enough pre-posts are accumulated (assuming you're not covering breaking news), then you could take the time you would be writing and enjoy a nice smoothie or up of coffee. In fact, this very post was written some time last week to have ready for what I knew would be a busy day. Many blogging platforms allow users to save posts and even publish them on a predetermined date and time.
Forget the stats
For years, newspaper reporters, and to a lesser degree broadcast journalists, performed their duties without a real idea of how many people had read/watched/listened to their story. But now that the internet has made user stats available with a click and the number of comments visible on each post, it is easy to be disappointed when those numbers are just a scattered few. Instead of agonizing over numbers, focus on building great content and eventually those numbers will grow. Hitting refresh won't make those number go any higher.
Write for yourself
In blogging, it is easy to fall in the trap of writing exclusively what you think the readers will want to read. Often this leads to losing the focus of the blog or worse being forced to write something that isn't of particular interest to you. Writing posts that interest you means you will write more fervently about the subject, which will in turn attract like-minded readers.
Take a day off
If you truly don't feel like writing one day, don't. Forcing yourself to write makes blogging a seemingly more arduous task and guess what? The blog will still be there the next day.
Shift your focus
If none of the above suggestions work for you, then it's time to shift the focus of your blog. Company mandated bloggers can still write about the same topic, but tackle a different subject. For example, travel bloggers can shift their focus from covering airline prices to covering travel destinations for families. A political blogger, instead of covering the minutiae of the upcoming presidential election, could cover the more local impact of the race. It all depends on the leniency of your supervisor. You may alienate some readers in the process, but you will likely gain a different audience. The point is to focus on what you care about, because if you don't care about the subject of your blog, no one else will.
Labels: blogging
Wise words from a wise man
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Sage advice from scientist, theorist, and all-around smart guy Mr. Albert Einstein:
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
"It is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for what this delicate little plant needs more than anything, besides stimulation, is freedom. It is a very grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and searching can be promoted by means of coercion and a sense of duty."
"True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist."
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."
"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity."
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
Flickr photo by ebravolosada
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
"It is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for what this delicate little plant needs more than anything, besides stimulation, is freedom. It is a very grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and searching can be promoted by means of coercion and a sense of duty."
"True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist."
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."
"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity."
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
Flickr photo by ebravolosada
12 Creative uses of time-lapse photography (and 4 ways to create it)
Tuesday, June 10, 20081. Track flight patterns
2. Document the reconstruction of a Katrina-ravaged home
3. Capture the excitement of a carnival
4. Watch a fire burn
5. Shorten a cross-country trip to four minutes
6. View the progress of a winter storm
7. Track the activity in a busy parking lot
8. Watch the sun set
9. Journey through the Panama Canal
10. Visualize 8 years of aging
11. View the wonders of underwater sea life
12. Roll out the fog of San Francisco
...and how to create time-lapse photography
- Most newer video camera models have interval recording built into the camera, a detailed rundown of which can be found at Photography Today. Those that don't can make use of SingleFramer, a free software that captures individual frames from DV cameras, either manually or automatically.
- Time-lapse software Flix is a great option for those projects that can be captured on a webcam (like the winter storm video above). The software is $10 after a trial period and also works with digital cameras.
- Instructables has a detailed description on how to use a graphing calculator to determine mathematically correct intervals to create time-lapse videos from photographs. An example of this method can be found at Digital Photography School.
- If calculators aren't your speed, the Pclix LT100 works with compatible photo cameras to shoot images at pre-determined intervals, anywhere from 1 second to 100 hours, according to the manufacturer. At $140 plus the cost of cables, the tiny device is a little more expensive than a graphing calculator, but its certainly better for the mathematically challenged.
For more on time-lapse photography, read this previous post or for more inspiration check out the Flickr "timelapse" pool.
Barack Obama: political candidate, muse?
Monday, June 09, 2008
Barack Obama was declared the presumptive Democratic nominee last week, but even more interesting than the heated race between the candidates are the Barack Obama posters that have been plastered on walls around the country. Never in my lifetime have I seen a political candidate inspire so many works of art before. Here are some of them:
From left: Rob Kelly, Obey Giant, Upper Playground, The Poster List
From left: Ray Noland, Steam Crow, Sam Flores, Ron English
From left: Kathleen Judge, Go Tell Mama, Ashley Henderson, Upper Playground
As for the other candidates, Logoblink has a visual history of the logos of presidential hopefuls from 1960-2008. Obama, Clinton and McCain are all there, in addition to single word candidates like "Muskie!" "Rocky!" and "Lamar!" Shirley Chisholm's slogan "Unbought and Unbossed" is particularly striking as is John Ashbrook's declaration of himself as a "Responsible Republican" alongside a graphic emphasizing his "No Left Turns" stance.
No matter the logo, slogan, or mantra there will always be a reporter (or citizen journalist) there to cover it.
This post is not an endorsement of any particular candidate or political party.
From left: Rob Kelly, Obey Giant, Upper Playground, The Poster List
From left: Ray Noland, Steam Crow, Sam Flores, Ron English
From left: Kathleen Judge, Go Tell Mama, Ashley Henderson, Upper Playground
As for the other candidates, Logoblink has a visual history of the logos of presidential hopefuls from 1960-2008. Obama, Clinton and McCain are all there, in addition to single word candidates like "Muskie!" "Rocky!" and "Lamar!" Shirley Chisholm's slogan "Unbought and Unbossed" is particularly striking as is John Ashbrook's declaration of himself as a "Responsible Republican" alongside a graphic emphasizing his "No Left Turns" stance.
No matter the logo, slogan, or mantra there will always be a reporter (or citizen journalist) there to cover it.
This post is not an endorsement of any particular candidate or political party.
8 Beautifully Designed Maps
Friday, June 06, 2008
With so many websites using Google Maps to create mashups, a lot of online maps are starting to look the same. But there are a few who are addressing both form and function to create maps that are both eye-catching and useful.
Get London Reading has mapped more than 400 books about or set in the city, using book covers as markers. The surrounding image, a pair of hands holding a book, heightens the creative design of the map.
Also illustrating the beauty of London is this map of the London Tube system. It is remarkable in that is so much more visually interesting than the flat map Londoners are used to seeing. The 3D rendering includes landmarks like the London Eye, Big Ben and London Bridge.
It's no secret that Capitol of Punk is more than your average map. The Museum of Modern Art recently included it in its Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition along with 13 other map mashups.
The zip codes of the United States never looked better than they do at zipdecode. The interactive map lets users type any zip code and as each one of the five digit numbers number is entered, the star-like dots fade away to reveal the intended area.
Wilshire Boulevard, like Sunset Boulevard and many other streets in Los Angeles, is a long stretch of road whose character changes many times within a short drive. Curating the City captures the essence of the avenue in its illustrated and interactive map.
MappedUp has been referenced here before as an innovative way of visualizing the news, but its bold color scheme and clever animations make its design worth reemphasizing.
Stamen Design, whose Trulia Hindsight and Oakland Crimespotting maps have been featured this week, is clearly on to some something with their unique design approach to maps.
And to close out this week of maps, the following video is one of my favorite maps since I was young and my gift to all the 10,000 Words readers around the world:
This post is the fifth in a five-part series on maps. Previously: Maps! With Action!, Online tools for getting more out of maps, Exploring the Earth, Tracking down criminals with crime maps
Get London Reading has mapped more than 400 books about or set in the city, using book covers as markers. The surrounding image, a pair of hands holding a book, heightens the creative design of the map.
Also illustrating the beauty of London is this map of the London Tube system. It is remarkable in that is so much more visually interesting than the flat map Londoners are used to seeing. The 3D rendering includes landmarks like the London Eye, Big Ben and London Bridge.
It's no secret that Capitol of Punk is more than your average map. The Museum of Modern Art recently included it in its Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition along with 13 other map mashups.
The zip codes of the United States never looked better than they do at zipdecode. The interactive map lets users type any zip code and as each one of the five digit numbers number is entered, the star-like dots fade away to reveal the intended area.
Wilshire Boulevard, like Sunset Boulevard and many other streets in Los Angeles, is a long stretch of road whose character changes many times within a short drive. Curating the City captures the essence of the avenue in its illustrated and interactive map.
MappedUp has been referenced here before as an innovative way of visualizing the news, but its bold color scheme and clever animations make its design worth reemphasizing.
Stamen Design, whose Trulia Hindsight and Oakland Crimespotting maps have been featured this week, is clearly on to some something with their unique design approach to maps.
And to close out this week of maps, the following video is one of my favorite maps since I was young and my gift to all the 10,000 Words readers around the world:
This post is the fifth in a five-part series on maps. Previously: Maps! With Action!, Online tools for getting more out of maps, Exploring the Earth, Tracking down criminals with crime maps
Labels: maps
Maps! With Action!
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Google Maps helps you drive, but have you ever driven on a map? There are a number of driving simulators that use online map technology to provide a 2D driving experience. Map Channels' Street View Driver lets users get a first person perspective of driving down any of the cities mapped by Google Street View. It's not the exact sensation of driving, but users can accelerate and decelerate and turn left or right down any mapped street.
Geoquake kicks the concept into high gear (pun intended) by adding a virtual steering wheel and letting drivers pick their own car for a fast-paced drive through a number of cities, including Tokyo, Las Vegas and Manhattan. GoogleDrive is comparatively underwhelming, but it's still fun to zip the little car through any street mapped by Google.
For those who are better spectators than they are drivers, this mashup of a YouTube video of the recent Big Wheel Race in San Francisco with a Google Maps widget shows viewers the actual race while plotting its course on the adjacent map. The result is, dare I say, genius and the technology has practical applications in journalism.
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race may be traveling the globe, but its impressive map remains in one place. The paths of competing yachts are tracked in real time on a Google Map with stats available for each vessel. As of this writing, the yachts are headed from New York to Nova Scotia and Team New York is narrowly ahead of Team Uniquely Singapore followed by Team Glasgow: Scotland with Style. It's exciting, kind of like watching a carnival's water pistol horse race.
The more literary inclined will enjoy We Tell Stories: The 21 Steps, a continuous story that unfolds over one map. The "digital fiction" work is inspired by The 39 Steps by John Buchan, but Buchan didn't have a Google Map. The story itself is a good read and definitely breathes new life into a well-worn medium.
If it's between 5:30 and 8:30 a.m. Central Time, you can find AirFox Live hovering over the virtual skies of Google Maps. Most TV stations have a news helicopter, but Fox News Chicago is making the most of theirs by streaming live video shot from the copter as it cruises the Illinois skies. When the cameras aren't rolling, the site has a live skyline cam and a slideshow of some of the best aerial views of the city.
This post is the fourth in a five-part series on maps. Previously: Online tools for getting more out of maps, Exploring the Earth, Tracking down criminals with crime maps
Geoquake kicks the concept into high gear (pun intended) by adding a virtual steering wheel and letting drivers pick their own car for a fast-paced drive through a number of cities, including Tokyo, Las Vegas and Manhattan. GoogleDrive is comparatively underwhelming, but it's still fun to zip the little car through any street mapped by Google.
For those who are better spectators than they are drivers, this mashup of a YouTube video of the recent Big Wheel Race in San Francisco with a Google Maps widget shows viewers the actual race while plotting its course on the adjacent map. The result is, dare I say, genius and the technology has practical applications in journalism.
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race may be traveling the globe, but its impressive map remains in one place. The paths of competing yachts are tracked in real time on a Google Map with stats available for each vessel. As of this writing, the yachts are headed from New York to Nova Scotia and Team New York is narrowly ahead of Team Uniquely Singapore followed by Team Glasgow: Scotland with Style. It's exciting, kind of like watching a carnival's water pistol horse race.
The more literary inclined will enjoy We Tell Stories: The 21 Steps, a continuous story that unfolds over one map. The "digital fiction" work is inspired by The 39 Steps by John Buchan, but Buchan didn't have a Google Map. The story itself is a good read and definitely breathes new life into a well-worn medium.
If it's between 5:30 and 8:30 a.m. Central Time, you can find AirFox Live hovering over the virtual skies of Google Maps. Most TV stations have a news helicopter, but Fox News Chicago is making the most of theirs by streaming live video shot from the copter as it cruises the Illinois skies. When the cameras aren't rolling, the site has a live skyline cam and a slideshow of some of the best aerial views of the city.
This post is the fourth in a five-part series on maps. Previously: Online tools for getting more out of maps, Exploring the Earth, Tracking down criminals with crime maps
Online tools for getting more out of maps
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Maps, video and geotagging are all coming together at Seero, a new video mapping site that aggregates citizen journalist-created video on a Google Map. Users can submit their geotagged video for archiving or broadcast it live. Casual visitors can browse video from all over the world, including footage of the Wailuku River in Hawaii and the Taj Mahal in India. The site is a little sparse right now, but shows great promise.
GPSed is also making use of geotagging by facilitating a place where users can upload photos onto a Google Map that corresponds to the exact location it was taken. A series of photos creates a mapped chronological line of the course of travel that others can later follow. Use of the site requires a GPS-equipped mobile device such as a Blackberry or Windows Mobile smartphone.
If you haven't had enough of geotagging, MetaCarta takes stories from news sources like Reuters and the Associated Press and plots them on an interactive Google Map. Clicking a link in the map markers directs users to a full version of the story with a small inset map of locations mentioned in the story. MetaCarta also suggests stories within the same region or of similar interest. Stories can be searched for by moving the map around or entering a specific location or keyword.
Geotagging stories is a growing trend in journalism, though honestly I have yet to completely wrap my head around the process. Click here for a primer on geotagging and be sure to read this thought-provoking editorial by Martin Stabe that questions the ethics of the process.
Away from the visuals and onto the audio. MyVox's API makes it less complicated for developers to integrate user-generated audio onto a map. Its Voice Map application lets users create a map and then provides a call-in number to add voice recordings to each marker(click here for a demonstration).
Lastly, the Static Map Wizard allows for creation of a Google Map without the need for messy JavaScript. Customizing the map only takes a few steps and the result is a map that can be embedded into any web site with just an URL and an <img> tag. A Google Map API key is required to embed the map and be obtained here.
This post is the third in a five-part series on maps. Previously: Exploring the Earth, Tracking down criminals with crime maps
GPSed is also making use of geotagging by facilitating a place where users can upload photos onto a Google Map that corresponds to the exact location it was taken. A series of photos creates a mapped chronological line of the course of travel that others can later follow. Use of the site requires a GPS-equipped mobile device such as a Blackberry or Windows Mobile smartphone.
If you haven't had enough of geotagging, MetaCarta takes stories from news sources like Reuters and the Associated Press and plots them on an interactive Google Map. Clicking a link in the map markers directs users to a full version of the story with a small inset map of locations mentioned in the story. MetaCarta also suggests stories within the same region or of similar interest. Stories can be searched for by moving the map around or entering a specific location or keyword.
Geotagging stories is a growing trend in journalism, though honestly I have yet to completely wrap my head around the process. Click here for a primer on geotagging and be sure to read this thought-provoking editorial by Martin Stabe that questions the ethics of the process.
Away from the visuals and onto the audio. MyVox's API makes it less complicated for developers to integrate user-generated audio onto a map. Its Voice Map application lets users create a map and then provides a call-in number to add voice recordings to each marker(click here for a demonstration).
Lastly, the Static Map Wizard allows for creation of a Google Map without the need for messy JavaScript. Customizing the map only takes a few steps and the result is a map that can be embedded into any web site with just an URL and an <img> tag. A Google Map API key is required to embed the map and be obtained here.
This post is the third in a five-part series on maps. Previously: Exploring the Earth, Tracking down criminals with crime maps
Tracking down criminals with crime maps
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
There has been an explosion in crime maps since the creation of the venerated Chicago Crime some years ago, now a part of hyperlocal news site EveryBlock. Average Joes are also getting in the game with the creation of PostaCrime.com which solicits user-generated reports of crime around the country.
So far SpotCrime has done an even better of job aggregating crimes from around the nation in one convenient site, but there are a number of newspapers, TV stations, police agencies and community organizations that maintain far mo
So far SpotCrime has done an even better of job aggregating crimes from around the nation in one convenient site, but there are a number of newspapers, TV stations, police agencies and community organizations that maintain far mo