Microsoft and Google both come out with new versions of free online satellite mapping software this past weekend. Google Maps has added the “hybrid view” that lets you see your driving directions laid out on the map itself, which is the feature I’ve wanted ever since they came out with satellite-view. Microsoft has just released their web-based Virtual Earth, which doesn’t yet support driving directions (coming soon I’m sure) but does include a nice (dare I say “Google Maps-like”?) scrollable interface and switching between maps and aerial photography. They’ve an interface for keeping track of multiple locations on a scratch pad, an API for adding your own way-points on the URL line, and a cute zoom-in animation.

One fun feature of Virtual Earth is that some parts of the US have incredible resolution: compare Seattle’s space needle from Virtual Earth and Google Maps to see what I mean. Unfortunately, Virtual Earth’s image coverage is pretty spotty. In spite of the name, it only covers the USA — I’m guessing they’re just using USGS publicly available images right now. Also, for many areas they’re using very old black-and-white images that they’ve then overlaid with color for roads and parks. This leads to a few embarrassing misses like the fact that their map shows Apple Computer’s Corporate HQ has yet to be built (I didn’t see any horse-and-buggies on the streets though, so it can’t be too old).

According to a Data Memo by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 29% of online Americans have a good idea what phishing means, 13% what podcasting is, and only 9% know what RSS feeds are. Over half knew the terms adware, internet cookies, spyware, firewall and spam.

Of course, the real question in my mind isn’t whether people know what phishing means, but whether they know that regardless of what it’s called the 22 “You must change your PayPal password!” emails they have in their inbox are attempts at fraud. Still, it’ll be interesting to see how these terms spread in the next six months or so.

(Thanks to Rowan for the link.)

MarsFlag is a new search engine in Japan (went live in March) that provides links as thumbnail images of returned results instead of text, with larger-version pop-ups when you rollover with the mouse. Supports full-text search (e.g. this search on wearable computer) as well as pictorial topic areas like movies, fashion magazines and motercycles.

According to Internet Watch [JP → EN], the search engine at least in part determines results ranking using bookmarks kept by the 35,000 subscribers to the Mark Agent web-based bookmarking service that the company also owns. MarsFlag claims this helps thwart attempts to gain page rank by creating link farms, a process called search engine optimization. (Presumably that’ll only work until SEO companies start generating fake Mark Agent accounts…)

Tech-On reports that Matsushita (Panasonic) showed off a new prototype color eBook reader with a 5.6″, 210 points-per-inch display at the NE Technology Summit 2005 event held in Tokyo yesterday. Given that their current grayscale Σ book uses a bistable display made by Kent Displays, I would hazard a guess that their prototype is using Kent’s new color ChLCD display (but that’s just a guess). Bistable displays like the ChLCD and eInk‘s microcapsule display (used in the Sony LIBRIé) take power to change an image but not to maintain it, so they’re incredibly low power for low-framerate applications like eBooks.

(via engadget by way of Steve)

Another nice Google Maps reuse: gmapPedometer. Chart your bike/running/walking/tourism route and see how far you’ve gone (not to mention get a pretty satellite image, and a URL you can use to bookmark or email to friends).

(Thanks to Jill for the link!)