Google Incorporates Geodata In API, Partners With ESRI, Yahoo Introduces “Internet Location Platform”

May 13, 2008 at 2:16pm ET by Greg Sterling

Google’s John Hanke keynoted the Where 2.0 conference this morning and discussed the development and evolution of the “geoweb.” But he also announced that KML files (now a public standard) and GeoRSS data (I believe) being indexed by Google are now going to be available to third parties via the Google API. That means things like Panaramio and geotagged YouTube videos, among other datasets, will be available through the API.

Google also announced a partnership with geospatial software platform and provider ESRI. ESRI will also be a kind of additional gateway for thousands of live datafeeds that can be equally tapped by third parties to do mapping mashups and other applications. The key here is that data is coming from feeds, which are more accurate and complete than conventional search indexing.

Hanke didn’t speak at length about the details, but what it appears to mean as a practical matter is that huge amounts of data will now be available to others to incorporate into existing sites and applications and/or to build new sites and applications around.

Update: I just spoke with John Hanke directly. What he said is that all the third party data from ESRI will be converted into KML files so they can be easily rendered in Virtual Earth, Google Maps/Earth, or on any site that can take these files. You will be able to search all the data as well to quickly discover what’s available. This will effectively mean huge amounts of additional data will be easily accessible and available to work with on mashups, mobile sites, etc. (for free).

I neglected to include Yahoo’s announcement, also coming out of the Where show, of its new Internet Location Platform. Here’s more explanation from the Yahoo Local & Maps Blog.

Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land, and writes a personal blog Screenwerk, examining the broader world of media and advertising. He also posts at a Local Mobile Search, which is focused on the mobile Internet.

See more articles by Greg Sterling >

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