Links List 8.1.08

Microsoft Virtual Earth and ESRI’s ArcGIS have integrated. Microsoft’s mapping and imagery content will be available for use inside ArcGIS 9.3. Users will be able to access ‘resources that add comprehensive depth to their projects.’ The new service is not free; it will be $200 a year per user.

ArcGIS Server 9.3 is going mobile. The TD Group announced the release of Freeance™ Mobile 2.0, a new application that incorporates ESRI’s ArcGIS Server 9.3 Postgres database integration for GPS enabled BlackBerry smartphones. Features include GIS searching and database reporting, and linking database records to GIS map features using reports.

After last week’s release of Google’s walking directions, they have decided to simplify the Google Maps layout. Google aims to create a less cluttered look, allowing for a bigger map display and moving the search to the top of the map. The motto for the new layout is: “less is more.”

ESRI posted their results of the 2008 ESRI Q&A. The answers reveal that ESRI will support ‘the ability to check out licenses and borrow licenses from a central license manger for use in that field’ and that they will continue to support Visual Basic for Application in the future. We’ll be attending the ESRI User’s Conference next week, so stay tuned for some feedback from that!