OpenStreetMap (OSM)
Description
OpenStreetMap is an open source, editable map of the world. Think of it as the Wikipedia of maps. By using user generated data from multiple sources (geotagged photos, location-based check-ins, satellite images, etc.) OSM hopes to be the most comprehensive resource for mapping.
It was started in 2004 and has been growing its user base and data library ever since. It has received greater attention by the development community over the last couple of years due to the flexibility it offers over widely-used Google maps. Recently, sites and applications such as Foursquare, WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and Flickr have chosen OSM over Google maps, with Wikipedia being the newest mega member to join the movement (as of this past weekend). An endorsement such as this should give some credibility to OSM as a viable alternative to Google Maps and Bing Maps.
Application
OSM, as an open source platform, could provide some interesting plugin and application uses for companies interested in more refined mapping capabilities without having to pay for access to a commercial API such as the one offered by Google. Beyond simple location maps for websites, companies and organizations could use OSM for photo-based maps for projects or locations, travel tracking maps, disaster relief maps, trekking/guided tour maps, the list could go on and on.
Mozilla WebRTC Video Chat
Description
WebRTC is an open source project that enables browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.) to use Real-Time Communication (RTC), ie video chat. The team at Mozilla recently gave a demo of their browser using this technology. As stated on their page, RTC is still in the early development stages, but it offers developers a hope of being able to things like video chat in the browser without requiring plugins. Instead of using a browser to chat, email, and communicate on social media and a separate video chat client (skype, facetime, etc.) or bulky plugins for video chats, users will be able to leverage real-time communication within the browser.
Application
Browsers with RTC technology will enhance the user experience by allowing for direct communication without plugins. The technology could enhance social sites, customer support, project collaborations, etc.
Detection of Flashback Trojan for Mac
Description
Trojan BackDoor.Flashback (Flashback Trojan) is a virus that has been infecting computers running Mac OS X. It is linked to a vulnerability with devices running Apple’s version of Java. A patch was released in February by Oracle, but was not addressed by Apple until April 3. It is believed that around 600,000 devices have been affected.
To check if your device is one of the infected lot, visit ARSTechnica and follow the steps provided.
Application
It may save your life. Well, your computer’s life at least.
Hieroglyph
Description
Hieroglyph is a Ruby gem that allows designers and developers to create an SVG font from a directory of SVG icons. If a website uses icons for navigation or user interaction those icons can now be turned into a font, which provides more flexibility with sizing and colors (goodbye sprites!)
Application
A site like Jauntaroo that uses icons for every step of the user experience (selection, description, rating) benefits by using a more scalable and dynamic approach to icons. It could reduce design time (no more sprites) and development time (fewer steps to make the site responsive).
Pictos
Description
Pictos is a hosted icon library that allows a developer to build a font of icons and have it served to a website from the Pictos server. Because it works as a simple CSS <link> tag, users don’t have to worry about running JavaScript on their site. By using the icons as a font, users will see faster load times because a site only loads the icons it needs, not an entire library. Pictos is a hosted alternative to the above-mentioned Hieroglyph gem.
Application
Using icons for common actions on sites is becoming more and more common: The Facebook “Like” button, Twitter’s “Tweet” bird, Google’s +1. Leveraging common icons for user interaction on sites allows for minimal user input (no reading text). Using an image library like Pictos allows sites to leverage those icons with minimal input from designers (no creating icons) and developers (keyboard shortcuts allow for icons instead of coding for images).