A clear trend over the past decade or so has been the introduction of spatial information into our digital lives. While I could be referring to conveniences like Google Maps, which is a good example, I’m really addressing the prevalence of not just maps but location-based information and how it’s become increasingly more mainstream. This has occurred through an infusion of consumer devices that have made knowing one’s location convenient, critical and often fun. The first wave of location-based media came through handheld global positioning system (GPS) devices that enabled consumers to pinpoint their geographic location quite easily. People use such devices primarily for outdoor activities like hiking and backpacking, as they make finding your location incredibly easy. One popular and now global sport that was created solely from the existence of GPS units is that of geocaching, where someone plants a “cache” at a specific latitude and longitude, records the location on a geocache website and then others use their GPS device to try and find the cache. . .
Columns and Commentary
Off the Map: The spatialization of information
Above excerpt taken from the June 2012 issue of MultiLingual published by MultiLingual Computing, Inc., 319 North First Avenue, Suite 2, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864-1495 USA, 208-263-8178, Fax: 208-263-6310. Subscribe