Technology

In recent months, new players like Apple and MapBox have taken aim at the increasingly important arena of digital mapping. With the boldest redesign of Google Maps in 8 years launched this week, "the leader in online mapping" isn't standing pat.

May 16, 2013 - The New York Times

The evolution of today's infrastructure-intensive bike sharing systems has been a hard-fought learning process; alas, the current paradigm is about to get turned on its head, and it's happening – surprise - this week in Hoboken, New Jersey.

May 16, 2013 - Ian Sacs

Code for America is planning a National Day of Civic Hacking next month to "promote transparency, participation and collaboration between governments and citizens." In advance of the event, they've explained how cities can benefit from civic hacking.

May 15, 2013 - Code for America

All-electric vehicles - those without tailpipes or gas tanks, are entering the marketplace, particularly in California, but unlike other models from the same manufacturers, they are not expected to sell well. So why are they even being manufactured?

May 13, 2013 - USA Today

In recent years, Los Angeles has embraced mass transit as a solution to the city's legendary traffic woes. This embrace has historical precedent, however, says Sam Lubell, who examines six of L.A.'s unbuilt proposals for transit systems.

May 11, 2013 - Good

Data collection and analysis promise to make our cities better, and more efficient, places to live. Though many cities are expanding their digital integration, several obstacles remain to realizing the full potential of the urban data revolution.

May 10, 2013 - Governing

One of the most valuable graphics in the planner's toolbox is the scale comparison. However, producing such graphics can be a tedious process. A web-based tool utilizing Google Maps seeks to make cartographic “mixtures” much easier to produce.

May 10, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

There may be something to the premise that bike amenities attract young technology professionals. Jayme Moye looks at one Boulder software company that's building on the natural affinity between the two subcultures with a bike-themed hackfest.

May 10, 2013 - People for Bikes

With Earth Engine, Google has compiled decades of images taken by Earth-observing satellites. The tool is meant for "scientists, independent researchers, and nations...to detect changes, map trends and quantify differences on the Earth's surface."

May 9, 2013 - Smithsonian

Contrary to what would seem logical, estimates of oil and natural gas reserves may increase as they are depleted, as the new USGS assessment of recoverable oil reserves in the greater Bakken Basin shows. How does this square with peak oil theory?

May 9, 2013 - MIT Technology Review

A new study from the Pew Research Center looks at the way digital technology is changing civic engagement. Nick Judd digs into the results and pulls out four intriguing trends.

May 9, 2013 - Tech President

Glowing trees are the latest project in the weird and maybe not-so-wonderful world of genetic engineering. Alarmed over the potential for the spread of "malicious organisms", environmental organizations are trying to shut down the effort.

May 8, 2013 - The New York Times

In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, Eric Jaffe explores how cash-strapped cities will handle terrorism. "The short answer is public surveillance cameras. The long answer is smarter public surveillance cameras."

May 8, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

As they move into positions of leadership in their communities and in the public sector, a generation once labelled as "slackers" is helping to change the relationship between governments and their citizens, reports Rob Gurwitt.

May 5, 2013 - Governing

Bacterial manufacturing, bio-electric envelopes, robotic swarm construction, biosynthetic design patterns; Chris Arkenberg sketches the future of city design and construction in which "the barriers between biology and technology will start to fall."

May 4, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

With the right approach, social media can expedite the exchange of information between stakeholders, facilitate participatory planning, and build better places. Two case studies offer insight for using social media to connect with communities.

May 3, 2013 - Jessica Hsu

Utilizing the largest data release of its kind, researchers at IBM have analyzed the location information from 500,000 cell phones to help optimize the routing of buses in Ivory Coast's largest city of Abidjan.

May 3, 2013 - MIT Technology Review

A private collection of 38,000 historical maps has been added to the Digital Public Library of America, reports Rebecca Rosen, making it more accessible to researchers and anyone interested in the history of their community.

May 2, 2013 - The Atlantic

Patrick J. Kiger looks at the global trends that will impact urban landscapes over the next 50 years and explores two competing visions for the future of land use.

May 2, 2013 - Urban Land

Expanding car and bike share services beyond America's big cities and affluent demographics requires adaptability and old economy technologies. Buffalo CarShare is providing a model for success that even the big boys could learn from.

April 30, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog