Ordnance Survey, the United Kingdom's national mapping agency, is opening up some of its secret code to allow software developers to create Google Maps-style mashups. Dubbed OpenSpace, the project will initially launch as a closed beta test with up to 12 volunteers and will run for around three months before the Ordnance Survey (OS)--one of the world's largest map producers--makes a final decision on releasing the code. The JavaScript application programming interface (API) will give individuals access to the OS' mapping data and allow them to develop applications with style features like the click-and-drag "slippy" map, markers and bubbles.
Yahoo! Maps beta has released 1-meter/pixel resolution colour satellite photos for the entire continental US. The imagery is of more consistent data, instead of the patchwork of varying colour and resolutions used in Google Maps/Earth, and Windows Live Local.
Yahoo! now has the best medium resolution dataset for the entire continental US.