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  • Mapping Upheavals, Indoor Location Headway, FCC on LBS Privacy

    Big changes. Apple finally ended its long time dependence on Google Maps. As part of its latest operating system upgrade to iOS 6, Apple is launching its own, home-grown mapping service. It is an impressive offering. In a very different move, Microsoft is replacing its own Bing maps in all Windows Phone devices. Nokia maps, previously Navteq, will replace Microsoft’s home-grown Bing Maps. Micello has a new indoor location trial that isn’t just indoor mapping. This month the FCC has something to say on the topic of privacy in LBS apps. ABI Research has high expectations for indoor location.

    Google maps will be demoted to just another app on iPhones and iPads, a blow to Google’s bottom line. iOS device owners account for 28 percent of Google Map users in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and Spain, reports Analysis Mason. This parting will create additional friction in the contentious relationship between Google and Apple. Many partners are helping Apple produce the offering, but TomTom is the only one acknowledged in the announcement. Apple reports TomTom is “powering Apple maps.” No explanation has been given.

    The new Apple in-house maps built for iOS 6 include 100 million business listings and Yelp recommendations, integrated with real-time, crowd-sourced traffic, navigation, and suggested travel routes. It all works with Siri, Apple’s voice-activated search software. Siri has its critics, including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak who has been quoted with derisive, even crude, comments on Siri’s usability.

    Will Location Move Stock Price? Facebook says it’s working on a location-based mobile-advertising product that will allow advertisers to target users based on their real-time whereabouts. Facebook’s shares have dropped by almost 20 percent since the company’s initial public offering, fueled partly by concern that ad-revenue growth isn’t keeping up with a shift by users to mobile phones.

    LBS Is Being Monitored. Ever concerned with privacy, the FCC released a report on location-based services. The agency declined to adopt privacy regulations or best practices, but indicated it would monitor the industry for the following: ensuring privacy considerations are integral to product development, security of data from unauthorized access, timing and frequency of location privacy notices to consumers, and minimization of data collected and time period for which it is retained. The FCC warns it will take additional steps if not satisfied with privacy implementation for LBS.

    Indoor Fortunes. Indoor location is positioned to save retail brick and mortar, says ABI Research. I wouldn’t go that far, but it will certainly have a positive impact. Major U.S. retail brands will launch indoor location technologies in 2012 and 2013, says ABI. “Revenue will come from multiple sources, including advertising, infrastructure deployment/service fees, and application management,” says Patrick Connolly. The technology will enable advances in customer analytics, proximity advertising, store optimization, couponing, and CRM. Retailers will likely want to control store data, which will be an important consideration in picking partners.

    I Am Here. Micello, indoor mapping creator, has a trial for its new FindMe location application. Users can share their whereabouts in Singapore with anyone in their address book. The app allows users to send a text that includes a detailed map that shows the user’s indoor location. The company is expanding the app to Las Vegas and some college campuses.

    Grapevine. Rumors persist that Amazon is in talks to acquire Jumptap, one of the mobile advertising network leaders. Amazon plans to enlarge its Special Offers advertising platform to the Kindle Fire Tablet, a competitor to Apple’s pricier iPad, reports Ad Age. A Jumptap purchase would make sense. Amazon has a treasure trove of purchase information on individual users on hand that can be used to develop personalized and contextual mobile advertising.

    Timing Is Everything. In Apple’s forthcoming operating system update, all applications will require explicit user permission before accessing personal information, such as location information. Apple made the announcement just after developer Arun Thampi reported iOS social application Path was uploading users’ address books to its servers. A backlash from consumers and legislators followed. Path later acknowledged storing user data and updated its app to enable users to opt out of its contacts database.

    Sad News. Sorry to hear Nokia plans to cut 10,000 jobs by the end of 2013. Remember when Navteq had the mapping world in the palm of its hand? What a fall. Last year Nokia cut 14,000 jobs.

  • Flurry Announces Ad Analytics for Mobile Apps

    Flurry has announced Flurry Ad Analytics, an analytics-powered service for mobile app marketers to measure the effectiveness of traffic acquisition campaigns across ad networks. The service enables app marketers to track the quality, follow-on behavior, and return on investment of traffic sourced from campaigns across major mobile ad networks including Apple iAd, Google Admob, Millenial Media, InMobi, Jumptap, and Flurry AppCircle.

    “Flurry estimates that during 2012 app marketers will spend over one billion dollars worldwide on app traffic acquisition without the ability to measure user quality, assign attribution or easily determine ROI,” said Simon Khalaf, Flurry president and chief executive. “Flurry Ad Analytics empowers app marketers to change the way they think about acquisition and focus on quality not just quantity.”

  • SCVNGR LevelUp Raises $12 Million

    SCVNGR, makers of the location-based social game SCVNGR, and LevelUp, the app that lets users pay by phone, announced that it has 12 million in funding with participation from existing investors Highland Capital Partners, Google Ventures, Balderton Capital, and new investors Continental Investors and Transmedia Capital.

    Part of a larger round of fundraising, the $12 million in financing will support the growth of LevelUp, the mobile payment app which is now available at more than 3,000 merchant partners in 8 U.S. cities, including well-known fast-casual chains like boloco, Johnny Rockets, and Ben & Jerry’s. LevelUp has nearly 200,000 users who are spending at a volume of $2 million per month with the app, and the fundraising round at large will be focused on the product’s nationwide expansion.

    “LevelUp adds tremendous value for both merchants and consumers and has quickly accelerated to become a leading player in a highly competitive space,” said Google Ventures Partner Rich Miner. “We’re impressed by the product’s success to date and are excited to provide additional support as LevelUp scales nationally and the mobile payments industry continues to evolve at a fast pace.”

    Launched by Boston-based SCVNGR in July 2011, LevelUp enables its users to pay with their phones by linking their credit or debit card to the app and scanning it at checkout. In turn, businesses on LevelUp are able to attract new customers with incentives while motivating them to become regular customers with loyalty rewards.

    LevelUp is also expanding its staff to accommodate the product’s rapid growth, adding 40 new recruits to its sales team in recent months. At the executive level, LevelUp has also appointed Paul Purcell of Continental, a participant in the $12 million funding round , as an observer on the Board of Directors.

  • Weather Channel Is First Publisher to Launch Hyperlocal Advertising with PlaceIQ

    The Weather Channel Companies announced they will partner with hyperlocal data company PlaceIQ to provide advertisers with new audience targeting that can deliver highly contextually relevant ads to consumers. With 30 million monthly mobile users, The Weather Channel can offer hyperlocal audience targeting at scale. This targeting is now available on The Weather Channel iPhone App and will be rolling out on The Weather Channel Android App in July and all mobile platforms later this year.

    PlaceIQ extracts intelligence from large amounts of place, social, and mobile location-based data to create hyperlocal, targetable audience profiles informed by time of day as well as location, giving advertisers the power to connect with consumers. These anonymous audience profiles can provide powerful targeting opportunities for advertisers. For example, financial services clients can target ads to mobile phones in areas with a high propensity for business travelers, such as airports during peak commuting hours, or in areas with a high concentration of hotels in the morning or evening that score high for business travelers. An ad on The Weather Channel app can be served during lunch on mobile phones on certain blocks populated with office workers, or served targeting late-night diners in an area that has a high concentration of nightlife and social activity. 

    "Consumers expect to receive the most accurate local weather news and information when they use The Weather Channel mobile products, which gives us the opportunity — and our advertisers the advantage — to deliver messages highly targeted to their location that will feel completely organic to their user experience," said Patrick McCormack, vice president, mobile sales and strategy, The Weather Channel Companies. "We feel strongly that our premium content and ability to target a specific mobile audience provides an unparalleled ad solution to our advertising clients."

    "The combination of PlaceIQ's hyperlocal audience targeting, with The Weather Channel's tremendous reach and ability to transform hyperlocal impressions into specific audiences, is an extremely powerful one. The combination of weather, location and audience creates a set of offerings we think represent true innovation in mobile advertising, and we're extremely excited to partner with The Weather Channel to deliver this to market," said Duncan McCall, CEO and co-founder, PlaceIQ.

    The product is launching with a number of high profile advertisers, including Chevy Silverado,Frito-Lay, and the Ram Truck brand, among others.

  • CMTINC.com Announces a Real Estate App for iOS

    CMTINC.com Announced the Release of Deed Calls, Area, Perimeter App for iOS (iPad, iPhone, iTouch), enabling real-estate agents, property financing officers, title officers, attorneys, construction contractors, and anyone working with real property to quickly convert angles and distance data into a boundary map. 

        

     

    According to the announcement, the app will label the resultant deed plot and display the completed figure, its area and perimeter, as well as the closure error. There is an Auto-close option to automatically close the figure. The users may generate a PDF report containing the map drawing and the deed calls data. They may also save the Deed Calls data file and send it to other users via email. 
     
    If the users wish to pin the deed plot to a geographic location, they may specify the actual coordinates of the initial node. For devices equipped with GPS, this app provides the ability to pick the GPS position as the point of beginning. In these cases, the app can display the deed plot on top of a Google Earth map.
     
    The Deed Calls – Area – Perimeter app is available from the App Store by clicking here. 
     

  • Boeing Completes 5th GPS IIF Satellite for U.S. Air Force


    GPS IIF pulse line Boeing is building 12 Air Force GPS IIF satellites on its innovative pulse line at the Satellite Development Center in El Segundo, CA. The pulse line enables simultaneous construction of multiple satellites, increasing savings, quality and efficiency. Photo credit: The Boeing Company

    The Boeing Company has completed the fifth of 12 Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellites the company is building for the U.S. Air Force. The spacecraft was built at the Satellite Development Center in El Segundo using the GPS IIF pulse-line manufacturing approach, which draws on commercial production line practices to build satellites faster and more efficiently.

    Of the five completed GPS IIF satellites, two are on orbit as part of the current 31-satellite constellation; both satellites are meeting mission requirements. Three satellites are in storage on standby for launch by the Air Force. The remaining seven are in various stages of pulse-line production and will likely be added to the constellation over the next three to five years as determined by the Air Force to ensure robust constellation availability.

    "Boeing, in close partnership with the U.S. Air Force, is focused on execution and mission assurance — we are committed to sustaining the GPS constellation with GPS IIF," said Craig Cooning, Boeing vice president and general manager of Space & Intelligence Systems. "The GPS IIF spacecraft feature more capability and improved mission performance for the warfighters and civilians who depend on this critical system."

    The next GPS IIF launch is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2012. The satellite will be launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

    GPS is a space-based, worldwide navigation system providing users with highly accurate, three-dimensional position, velocity and timing information 24 hours a day in all weather conditions. GPS IIF satellites provide enhanced capabilities, including a jam-resistant military signal, greater accuracy through improved atomic clock technology, and a protected, civilian L5 signal to aid commercial aviation and safety-of-life applications. Boeing also is the prime contractor for the GPS Operational Control Segment, which has supported an expanding set of GPS services and capabilities since 2007.

  • Spectratime Atomic Clocks Selected for Eight Galileo Satellites

    Spectratime, a provider of atomic clocks and a business of the Orolia Group, has announced it has been selected to provide the Rubidium atomic clocks and passive hydrogen masers for eight satellites for Europe’s Galileo GNSS. Spectratime expects this Authorization to Proceed will lead to a final contract for the manufacture of these two types of high precision clocks, estimated at 14 million euros, by summer 2012.

    “This new authorization to proceed, just a year after the signing contracts totaling nearly 20 million euros for the supply of the clocks for the first 14 operational satellites for the Galileo satellite navigation system, confirms Spectratime’s position as a world leading supplier of space atomic clocks,” said Jean-Yves Courtois, CEO of the group. “Each satellite carries on board two rubidium atomic clocks and a passive hydrogen maser, the most stable type of atomic clock in the world. In a few years, after the execution of the contract, which will be implemented in partnership with Astrium and Selex Galileo, we will have the most currently active atomic clocks in space, including 72 for the Galileo system alone.”

  • NovAtel SAASM to See First Action in Aerial Drones

    The new OEM625S Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) GNSS receiver from NovAtel, launched in a cooperative effort with SAASM expert L-3 Interstate Electronics Corporation (IEC), will get its first applications in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sector. NovAtel has brought forth the new product in part to meet requirements of UAV manufacturers who are now mandated to have SAASM onboard as well, for in-theater operations in areas of military activity.

    “The new SAASM regulations meant that integrators were looking at having to incorporate another receiver alongside their NovAtel unit, complicating user interface factors and increasing onboard space requirements,” said NovAtel Product Manager Neil Gerein. “The OEM625S gives our customers a drop-in form factor that easily replaces their existing NovAtel OEM receiver.”

    “NovAtel has supplied UAV integrators on the civil scientific side almost since our inception,” Gerein said, adding, “the military has become more and more involved in this market in recent years for budget and various other strategic reasons.” He mentioned that in its 20-year history selling GPS products, for the last 17 years NovAtel has provided receivers and expertise to U.S. and Canada defense contractors, and to defense research labs in Allied countries. Antcom, a wholly-owned NovAtel subsidiary specializing in antennas and microwave products, makes the majority of its sales into military areas.

    Examples of such products in this area — not necessarily from NovAtel customers, who remain unidentified — include hand-launched mini-UAVs like the Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven and Elbit Skylark I, and runway-capable tactical UAVs such as Textron RQ-7 Shadow, Aeronautics DS Aerostar, IAI Searcher II, and InSitu’s ScanEagle UAV system, quickly evolving into a mainstay with the U.S. Navy and its allies thanks to a partnership with Boeing.

    The InSitu ScanEagle was first developed to track dolphins and tuna from fishing boats, to ensure that fish labeled “dolphin-safe” actually are so. The same characteristics needed by commercial fishing boats — low infrastructure launch and recovery, small size, 20-hour long endurance, automated flight patterns — are key for naval operations from larger vessels, and for battlefield surveillance.

    At present the OEM625S, combining a commercial dual-frequency NovAtel GNSS receiver with an L-3 IEC XFACTOR SAASM, provides single-point positioning with SAASM for authorized defense customers. The SAASM position is provided via a dedicated communication port, as well as through NovAtel’s software command protocol, allowing for maximum flexibility. The small form factor and low power consumption expands range of potential defense applications requiring robust SAASM GPS positioning.

    The OEM625S measures 60 x 100 x 9.1 millimeters, and runs on field-upgradeable software. NovAtel will accept orders for the OEM625S from authorized customers starting in Q3 2012.

  • Blue Sky Launches SkyRouter for Fleet Management Applications

    Blue Sky Network has launched the SkyRouter, a fleet management portal for land mobile, aviation, and marine applications. SkyRouter is a feature-rich, cloud-based solution designed to support connectivity with remotely dispersed mobile assets including Blue Sky Network’s advanced dual-mode GSM and iridium tracking and communications services, the company said.

    SkyRouter enables seamless connectivity with assets in problematic cellular reception areas, where only 10 percent of the Earth is covered, and in remote locations, Blue Sky Network said, adding that only Iridium-based communications devices and services work globally through connectivity via the world’s furthest reaching network.

    Today’s fleet managers require around-the-clock communication with widely distributed mobile assets. Overall safety and fleet efficiency can be achieved through alerts, monitoring of position data, and unique event reporting. New SkyRouter leverages the integration of Blue Sky Network’s HawkEye 5300, which enhances coverage of GSM cellular tracking capabilities with global coverage to deliver dual-mode tracking and event reporting of assets located anywhere in the world. Fleet managers can receive real-time updates that include GPS location information, messages, and on board diagnostic (OBDII) alerts, among others, everywhere.

    “Our next-generation New SkyRouter for land mobile fleet applications furthers our commitment to be a market leader in advanced tracking products for customers who demand customized solutions and exceptional customer service,” said Jon Gilbert, CEO and founder of Blue Sky Network. “This new platform, in concert with our superb products, means more mobile asset sectors can benefit from smooth integration of tracking hardware with a cloud-based portal for seamless command and control across multiple asset types and deployments.”

    SkyRouter works in combination with Blue Sky Network’s certified hardware, which can be installed on land, aviation, and marine assets. Features include over-the-air parameter settings, automated event reporting, local sensor data capture, and two-way messaging capability.

    “The new SkyRouter is an innovative solution from an important Iridium partner enabling fleet manager’s global visibility of their important assets though the cloud,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president of global distribution channels at Iridium. “This level of visibility provides vital data delivery to fleet operators who are driving further efficiencies into their business, meeting regulatory requirements or protecting the safety of their personnel or assets.”

  • City of Edmonton Launches Pilot for Intergraph and Leica Geosystems GIS Solution

    Intergraph announced that the City of Edmonton, Canada, has implemented a pilot program that will use Intergraph and Leica Geosystems combined products for enhanced tracking of assets within its expansive network of public parks. The City of Edmonton is utilizing the Leica CS25 ultra rugged tablet and the GG02+ GNSS Smart Antenna, the most accurate data collection and update system available today for GIS professionals, in conjunction with Intergraph's GeoMedia, a powerful GIS management product. Together, Intergraph and Leica Geosystems contribute to Hexagon's comprehensive portfolio, addressing all aspects of the geospatial life cycle – from capture to delivery.

    Leica Zeno GG02 with CS25 Tablet

    Managed by the Parks Branch within the City of Edmonton, the pilot program will allow city workers and officials to track the condition of park-related assets through the use of a Leica Geosystems device running Intergraph's GeoMedia software. For the past five years, the Parks Branch has been collecting information in the field regarding these assets. This integrated solution provides a means to easily track and better perform maintenance and condition assessments for all of its properties.

    "We have spent a significant amount of time collecting data regarding all of our assets, and now we need to continually assess their condition," said Michael Boychuk, GIS Coordinator, Parks Branch. "By running this pilot program, we now have a mechanism for our workers in the field to report back the condition of any asset within our expansive park system."

    The Parks Branch is currently using devices to download the existing asset data from its GIS database. The new mobile data will be updated when field workers perform condition inspections, as well as add on new data regarding new assets – streamlining the entire workflow.

    GeoMedia enables users to realize the maximum value of their geospatial resources, integrating them to present clear, actionable information. It provides simultaneous access to geospatial data in almost any form, uniting them in a single map view for efficient processing, analysis, presentation and sharing. GeoMedia's intuitive, dynamic analysis functionality enables concatenation of analysis processes so the results of one operation feed directly into the next process, as well as automatic updating of results in response to data changes.

    The Leica CS25 is a versatile tablet computer combining a 7'' screen, fully rugged and lightweight. It provides a highly useable means for accomplishing data collection tasks efficiently, taking the office to the field. The GG02+ Smart Antenna is the most accurate system for GIS data collection and update. It brings high-accuracy RTK positions to the GIS user in a seamless way. Centimeter accuracy can be achieved either in post-process or real time by using the Leica SmartNet correction service or radio links. Coupled with GeoMedia's flexible architecture, the two products provide a dynamic solution.

    "This pilot is a prime example of how two Hexagon companies can be fully integrated to provide real-world solutions for any organization that is tracking assets in the field," said Mladen Stojic, Vice President, Geospatial at Intergraph SG&I. "The combined offering provides a complete end-to-end solution for making data relevant and actionable, allowing any organization to be more efficient and effective."

    The City of Edmonton has more than 460 parks and hosts the largest expanse of urban parkland in North America with its North Saskatchewan River Valley parks.

  • Telmap Launches Parking Space Locator on the Telmap Mobile Location Companion

    Telmap announced a partnership with Decell, a leading provider of traffic information including real-time road status and related transportation services. By collaborating with Decell, Telmap is now able to provide a unique navigation service to its users in Israel by providing them with real-time information on available parking spaces with regards to the users’ location.

    According to the announcement, this innovative service is currently available to subscribers using the Telmap Mobile Location Platform on all four leading Israeli cellular operators (Orange, Pelephone, Cellcom and Hot Mobile). Users can at any time get recommendations on parking lots with available vacancies relative to their current proximity. Currently this service is available in a selection of car parks in Tel Aviv and in the coming weeks it will be expanded to include cooperation in dozens of car parks across the country.

    “We are always seeking to provide added-value services to our users who are on-the-go and we classify finding a parking space as one of the recurring tasks that we all encounter while on-the-go. Our collaboration with Decell in Israel aims to provide a functional, innovative and substantially useful solution that empowers the Telmap user to find a parking spot on demand.” – Motti Kushnir, Chief Marketing Officer

    Telmap reports that Decell is Telmap’s premium traffic information and services provider in Israel for the past four years. Decell’s traffic services are designed to shorten drivers’ arrival time to their final destination as much as possible. Real-time data regarding the availability of parking lots holds a great value to drivers by saving time not only on the roads, but throughout their entire journey.

    “We are very proud to present another unique service in cooperation with Telmap. Relevant information regarding parking spaces at any given time is a natural completion to Decell’s rich real-time traffic data. As a premium traffic information provider, Decell constantly expands its offering and promotes the best experience for drivers.”- Jonathan Silverberg, CEO of Decell

  • Esri Releases ArcGIS Online for Organizations

    Esri officially released ArcGIS Online for organizations, a groundbreaking service that offers expanded collaboration tools for cataloging, visualizing, and sharing geospatial information.

    "ArcGIS Online is a new cloud-based mapping system for organizations that is essentially changing how GIS managers, as well as IT managers, think about mapping and GIS," said Jack Dangermond, president, Esri. "ArcGIS Online works with all types of data and is built on a powerful enterprise mapping platform that lets users simply manage their geospatial content, such as data, maps, images, applications, and other geographic information."

    According to the announcement, early adopters of ArcGIS Online have realized immediate benefits from extending their existing geographic information to reach more people across the enterprise and the public. The system supports better collaboration among teams and departments by allowing data to be easily integrated and shared. ArcGIS Online provides on-demand, self-serve mapping and is closely integrated with Excel for making maps from spreadsheet data commonly accessible. ArcGIS Online provides new insights and opportunities for organizations to visualize their information spatially and quickly turn these visualizations into web services that can be shared anywhere. Organizations can mash up map services coming from a variety of sources and configure an array of ready-to-use applications that can be embedded and run in browsers and on mobile devices.

    Through the purchase of an annual subscription, an organization can obtain a private and secure instance in Esri's cloud that's scalable and ready to use. No additional hardware or software has to be purchased or installed. An organization has access to tools for mapping and location analytics, global basemaps and imagery, demographic information, a library of templates, and applications for browsers and mobile devices.

    Users can catalog and discover maps and applications, set up groups to collaborate, and share items with each other, the entire organization, or publicly. For example, without any programming, any user that's part of an ArcGIS Online subscription can quickly share maps by embedding them in a website or blog, through social media, or using a preconfigured web application template.

    Because ArcGIS Online is integrated with ArcGIS for Desktop and ArcGIS for Server, maps created by GIS professionals can now be made accessible to others in the organization using the same system. Everyone in the organization can view and interact with these maps via a browser, smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device.

    Registering ArcGIS for Server services in ArcGIS Online only takes a few steps and puts them into the hands of those who need this information to get their work done. In addition, non-GIS professionals, such as knowledge workers who have a need for GIS, now have a way to quickly create maps from the unstructured information they work with in spreadsheets and text files and share these maps with others who can access them on any device.

    This type of on-demand and self-serve mapping frees up GIS professionals from having to respond to constant requests for maps and instead concentrate on making and publishing authoritative information products. An ArcGIS Online subscription also includes access to an API that developers in the organization can use to extend the system or integrate a custom solution with the ArcGIS system.

    A flexible, annual subscription plan structured to accommodate different sizes of organizations or departments is available—from small workgroups to an enterprise-wide implementation. What plan to purchase depends on the size of an organization and the online resources it plans to consume. You can purchase separate subscriptions for each department or one large subscription for the entire organization.

    The subscription plans start as small as 5 users and 2,500 service credits all the way to a multidepartment plan with 1,000 users and 110,000 service credits or even larger for enterprise plans. Regardless of which plan your organization chooses, more users and service credits can be added to the plan at any time.

    Service credits are the currency of the ArcGIS Online system. Each service credit entitles your organization to consume a set amount of ArcGIS Online services, such as storing features or tiled map services and geocoding. Providing a pool of credits gives your organization flexibility to use the system to fit your organizational workflows and other needs. Organizations that have an existing enterprise license agreement (ELA) with Esri receive an ArcGIS Online subscription as part of their agreement with a certain number of service credits allocated and unlimited users.

    There are three roles in ArcGIS Online: administrators, publishers, and users. Administrators of the ArcGIS Online subscription have the ability to publish and use content and also monitor service consumption through a dashboard. If the dashboard indicates that the service credits are at a low level, more credits can be purchased either online or by contacting Esri. Administrators also have the ability to invite and add users, remove users, assign user roles, delete content and groups, and set and manage the security policy.

    Administrators also have the ability to customize an organization's ArcGIS Online home page to represent the organization's brand and identity. Customization options include adding a logo and banner, creating a custom URL, and featuring maps and applications important to the organization.

    Publishers do not have administrative privileges but can publish content and use content published by others. Users can interact with and consume content but not publish it. It is important to note that organizations retain all the rights and title to, and interest in, any content they publish in ArcGIS Online.

    For organizations that didn't have the opportunity to participate in the ArcGIS Online beta program or be part of the early adopters program, a 30-day evaluation is available. To get more details about ArcGIS Online and sign up for the free 30-day trial, visit esri.com/agol.