Sony GPS-CS1

[Eugene]

http://news.sel.sony.com/images/medium/consumer/digital_imaging/GPS-CS1_with_cara_med.JPG

I ain't going to buy a Sony camera, but it is neat to see this little device they made.

RED is working with Apple. That is great. Now RED better start working with Google (and YouTube too.) Looks like Sony could do something with Google maps with this GPS device. Time to hire more engineers at RED. RED needs to grow faster. Jim might have to take take RED public (NASDAQ) to raise the money to do it. After all Jim is only a billionaire. :greedy: I want in on the IPO.

[Eugene]

"A picture's worth a thousand clicks
5/30/2007 04:05:00 PM
Posted by John Hanke, Director for Maps, Earth and Local

I am pleased to tell you that we've agreed to purchase Panoramio, a website based in Spain that links millions of photos with the exact geographical location where they were taken. (Our FAQ has all the details.)

Panoramio is a community photos website that enables digital photographers to geo-locate, store and organize their photographs -- and to view those photographs in Google Earth. Other users can search and browse Panoramio photos and suggest edits to the metadata associated with the photos. Panoramio also offers an API that enables web developers to embed Panoramio functionality into their websites.

Those of you already using Google Earth have no doubt noticed Panoramio's striking images documenting settings from all over the world, like moonscapes in Croatia, dramatic sunsets in Australia, and innovative architecture in the United Arab Emirates.

We've been working with Panoramio for some time -- its photos have been a default layer in Google Earth since the beginning of the year. This layer will remain in place as our teams work together toward further integrating this amazing content, generated by many, into our mapping technologies."

It seems that Google is moving ahead on its drive to have people post their pics on Google Maps. All they need to know is their GPS location to plot exactly were they took the pic and where it goes on the Google map.
Hummmm. Seems Sony has just such a GPS device for your digital camera.

RED and Jim might be in tight with Apple, and Apple might be in tight with Google, but I think Sony will get in tight with Google before RED has a chance. RED shouldn't ignore the consumer market or Google (and their maps) or Sony (and not just the pro Sony cameras.) The real money is in innovative consumer products. Sony is innovating and is poised to take advantage of Google Maps.

I hope that when the RED team designs their "pocket pro camera" they design it to take advantage of everything Google has in their developmet pipeline.

[Eugene]

As far as I know Google Maps and YouTube are not "mashed up" yet. Yeah, they are the same company, but I don't think it marriage is complete. Last time I used Google Maps, you couldn't click on a location and a YouTube video poped up, well not all the videos on Youtube. Inorder for that to work, everyone that films something and posts it to YouTube would have to have the GPS data imbeded in the file they submit. Yeah, people can write the city or zip code in manually, but GPS would make it easier and more precise. RED had better hire some engineers and have them patent a system that integrates the camera, GPS, and Google Maps/Panoramio/YouTube. The RED team should think past the RED One and think of the future products and the patents they need to submit, before Sony or someone else gets an advantage in relation to being Google's strategic partner.

Lots of top Google engineers are leaving Google and cashing out their stock. It might be a good idea to court them and bring them into the fold.