Firstly, Mapufacture provided geospatial aggregation of user-generated data before Google, Microsoft or others. Fortunately they have seen the benefit and are now also aggregating and creating user-generated geospatial content.

Above and beyond the basic aggregation, Mapufacture provides tools for users to easily build customized, or personalized subsets of the GeoWeb. They can create multiple maps in a specific area of interest with a selected collection of feeds or geospatial datasets. Users can then access their maps from any number of devices: mobile phones, navigation units, widgets, embedded maps, and even paper maps.

With regards to recommendation systems - there is a definite need to provide users with easy mechanisms to wade through the huge mountains of geographically relevant information that will vary depending on their current desires (business, pleasure, activity, passive, et al), mode of transit, trajectory, and other contextualizations. Doing this in a simple to use and almost ambient manner is where it gets both really difficult and intriguing.

I hope this helps show just a few of the differences - we’re working to add a number of features, and ease of use improvements, to Mapufacture and welcome any input.

I’ll be interested in your thoughts on how to provide this kind of information to people without creeping them out about having The Machine (or more likely, someone else watching The Machine) know where they are to a level of precision that starts to feel uncomfortable.

We have discussed located-based services here in Denmark at Mobile MOnday, and are interested in new input in this area!

Scott Hill
mobile monday group
Copenhagen