Remote, automated posting to Google Maps

This is a quick-and-dirty test of live-mapping photos and content from the field using a mobile phone camera, GPS, Picasa photo tools and Google Maps. In short, I posted photos from my Android from location directly to a map on my website.

You may recall I mentioned this concept in my ONA wrap-up. I linked to Cory Haik's nice tutorial in that post, but I'll detail my experience here. This is not rocket science, and the fact I can figure it out means anyone can.

I took photos at each location along or near the Kern River bike path, tagged them with geo coordinates using the phone's GPS tools, wrote short captions and used GMail to email them to Picasa using a secret email address.

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Livestreaming video from your mobile phone

This video is a quick-and-dirty test of Qik live video-streaming tools using my Android phone.

The concept is simple: You're out in the field, you want to document something with live video and all you have is your mobile device. Here's the good news, the process is just as simple:

1) Set up an Qik account.

2) Download the Qik app to your phone. The list of supported devices is impressive.

3) Start playing around. Once you get comfortable with the tools, it's easy to grab the code and embed it onto your site, and start livestreaming your own video.

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Finally on the Android wagon

Updated on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 9:25 PM by Logan Molen

OK, I finally bit the bullet and bought a Motorola Droid (not to be confused with the HTC Eris Droid Verizon also sells). ... For my readers with short attention spans, here’s the key takeaway: Droid is awesome, and I’m overjoyed I bought it. It takes mobile phones to new levels. BUT unless you’re a power user who lives in the world of apps, I recommend waiting until the end of Q1 for Verizon and Sprint to introduce the Android 2.0 operating system on its Eris Droid and Hero handsets, which are lighter and more elegant. Both of those models are using older versions of Android that don't offer cool stuff like the free turn-by-turn GPS navigation. The Eris and Hero have much smaller memories, but for most users, style and weight are more important than storage. OK, for geeks and others with more time, here are some pros and cons after using the phone for a few days.

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