For those of you that haven’t heard of OpenStreetMap it is basically the Wikipedia of Google maps. They are an “initiative to create and provide free geographic data, such as street maps, to anyone.” This is accomplished by allowing anybody to edit the map.
Due to Google’s new terms of service they started charging any business that gets over 25,000 map views a day. Because of this, in early march foursquare switched from Google Maps to OpenStreetMap (OSM); a huge move. Also in early March Apple switched their iPhoto app over to OSM. Then in late March Microsoft announced it’s backing for OpenStreetMap; they have been using data from OSM as early as 2010. Here in Portland Trimet has created an incredible route trip planner using OpenStreetMap that includes an amazing bike route planner. Finally a design and tech studio in San Francisco has created this incredible watercolor map using OSM, check their website in the links for some of their other projects.
Link to OpenStreetMap: http://www.openstreetmap.org/
Link to Foursquare story: http://blog.foursquare.com/2012/02/29/foursquare-is-joining-the-openstreetmap-movement-say-hi-to-pretty-new-maps/#prclt-xAFYZZ15
Link to Microsoft story: http://www.pcworld.com/article/252649/microsofts_secret_
weapon_against_google_maps_open_source.html
Link to NY Times story: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/technology/many-sites-chart-a-new-course-as-google-expands-fees.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Link to Trimet Trip Planner: http://rtp.trimet.org/#/
Link to more Stamen maps: http://maps.stamen.com/#toner/11/45.5380/-122.6624
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