Today, GIS enables the mapping of locations and objects, the placement of intelligence into the objects and the use of tools and applications to derive knowledge from this converged data, often for the public good. Take AIDS.gov, for example. AIDS.gov is an internet portal for all Federal domestic HIV and AIDS resources and information, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services.

Have you heard the latest news about AutoCAD? In the ever so popular world of mobile technology, Autodesk is now offering its flagship product, AutoCAD, for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Using the new AutoCAD WS, users can now access their design files over the internet - which means that you aren’t confined to your office to do your work. To access your design files, simply log in to your AutoCAD WS online account; it’s free and available for anyone to use. After you log in, you can begin working on totally new designs and/or upload your current drawings to work on projects that have already been started. Essentially, it’s like using AutoCAD in the cloud because your files are stored in your online workspace. Previous versions of your files are automatically saved, so you don’t need to worry about file backups. Best of all, you can invite your colleagues to meet and share files online, in real time. Collaboration has never been so easy.

On January 12, 2011, the people of Haiti marked the one year anniversary of the 7.0 earthquake that devastated their country. It’s been a year since the disaster and signs of improvement dot the landscape. But 1.2 million people still make their homes in tent cities and the destruction can be seen from miles above Earth. The New York Times has created a sobering interactive feature using aerial photos from GeoEye and Google Maps to show Port-au-Prince before and after the earthquake in Haiti last January. Using the application it is possible to view aerial imagery from both before and after the earthquake, and includes shots of the tent cities that were created after the quake as well as the damaged structures in the city and the UN logistics relief operations base.

Google has just taken another step in making geospatial data more usable and actionable with the launch of Google Maps 5.0 for mobile devices. This new version of Google Maps comes with 3D imaging that allows the user to rotate, tilt and even re-route offline. Also available are compass mode and smoother zooming. Currently, Google Maps 5.0 is only available on Android mobile devices, but as with any new technology, I’m sure that’s going to change very quickly. So what does this mean for the public sector? The answers aren’t very clear; however, it’s likely that law enforcement agencies and military officials will benefit greatly from these enhancements.