All Your Routes, All Your Adventures Mapped with OS MapFinder

Ordnance Survey has launched the organisation’s first official mobile app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. OS MapFinder, is an ideal iOS app for outdoor enthusiasts or anyone participating in in outdoor activities; is free to download and includes free overview mapping for the whole of Great Britain. Once downloaded OS MapFinder allows users to purchase and download more detailed map data for outdoor use.

Ordnance Survey maintains Great Britain’s definitive digital mapping database and OS MapFinder brings all the detail and accuracy of the iconic and trusted Ordnance Survey paper maps to iOS devices. 

A unique feature of the fast and easy to use app is the tile download facility, which provides users with, the ultimate freedom to choose the maps they want. Sections of mapping are purchased in single 10 km by 10 km tiles with prices from just 69p and the image brings Ordnance Survey’s recognised print quality to iOS devices using 660 dpi. This means that on devices with retina display, the images appear sharp and clear.

All maps are cached on the device, meaning they can be used even without a WiFi or mobile signal, improving reliability and the experience of using the maps outdoors. Users can search for locations by place name, postcode, Ordnance Survey Grid reference and then seamlessly zoom across the range of maps to get a range of perspectives. Having selected their map of choice, OS MapFinder also allows users to record or draw their walking, cycling or running routes. Routes can be saved on the device to be reviewed or repeated at a later date and can be personalised with photographs. 

Peter ter Haar, Director of Products said: “Ordnance Survey prides itself on generating accurate and up-to-date mapping data. Customers have been asking us to extend the ways they can access our detailed and trusted mapping to meet the demands of today’s digital lifestyle. We are delighted to be launching OS MapFinder to give consumers the most up-to-date mapping from just 69p. Customers will now be able to enjoy the same experience as using a trusted Ordnance Survey paper map when exploring Great Britain on the go, at the touch of a screen.

“OS MapFinder is an extension of our outdoor products with accessibility to our quality mapping in print, online and now on mobile devices.”

The OS MapFinder app will be free to download from iTunes. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/os-mapfinder/id577097874?mt=8

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Tel: 08456 050505

The publication of AGI member press releases is a member service. The AGI neither approves or endorses the contents of member's press releases, nor makes any assurance of their factual accuracy.

Aligned Assets Present a Practical Strategy for Adopting AddressBase Premium

Aligned Assets have published guidance to aid public and private sector organisations in the implementation of AddressBase Premium

Woking, Surrey 7^th January 2013 – Gazetteer specialists Aligned Assets have released guidance to assist both public sector and private sector organisations in implementing AddressBase Premium from the Ordnance Survey.

With the majority of existing datasets such as AddressPoint, AddressLayer 2 and the NLPG being withdrawn in 2014, the document draws on the necessity for organisations to act sooner rather than later in their migration to AddressBase Premium.

Titled ‘A Practical Strategy for Implementing AddressBase Premium’, the document demonstrates how any organisation can start using AddressBase Premium without the immediate need to change their existing systems over to AddressBase-compatible versions.

It is these existing systems that present the main obstacle to change as they are often large, complex and critical to the organisation, yet will be based on older address datasets or sometimes no structured dataset at all. It is this issue that the document looks to address.

Andy Hird, Managing Director of Aligned Assets, explained more, “The process described involves initially bringing AddressBase Premium into an organisation and access being given to it via a browser based search engine.  With this, technical staff can begin to familiarise themselves with the format and structure of the data, whilst non-technical staff can begin to adapt to elements such as UPRNs and property classifications.”

“Once in place, the process would move to using Aligned Assets’ data conversion software, Symphony iExchange, which can take AddressBase Premium and convert it into standard and non-standard formats.  In doing so, changes to the AddressBase Premium data can be exported to the non-AddressBase systems, thereby keeping them updated.”

Click to read more ...

APPSI Produces a Glossary of Terms for Open Data and Public Sector Information

APPSI has released the first version of a new glossary containing definitions for some 70 terms related to Open Data and PSI. The aim is to encourage consistency of use of the vocabulary to avoid confusion in this developing area. The glossary and an introduction are on the APPSI Web site:

In collaboration with the Cabinet Office, APPSI will also conduct an open consultation on the glossary using a 'wiki' style approach. In the meantime, any comments and suggestions for additions are welcome.

If you have comments on the glossary, please email them to secretariat@appsi.gsi.gov.uk.

About APPSI
Government’s Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information (APPSI) is an independent UK-wide Non-Departmental Public Body of the Ministry of Justice. APPSI advises Ministers and the Director of the Office of Public Sector Information (The National Archives) on matters relating to Public Sector information re-use. Its members are drawn from the business and entrepreneurial, economic, academic, ICT, legal and public sector communities, also including local government and health sector experience and representing all three Devolved Administrations. Members have operated at senior level in numerous different organisations, acquiring many years of relevant experience. Members give their time for free.

Multi-Award Winning Asset Protection Solutions from Symology

An Asset Protection Solution provided by Symology for the Scottish Road Works Community has won the following two National Awards:

• Institute of Engineering and Technology Built Environment Award 2012
• National Joint Utilities Group Avoiding Damage Award 2012

The Scottish Community Apparatus Vault is a new way to share and access information on the location of underground pipes and cables. This major new development makes underground pipe and cable information accessible via the Scottish Road Works Register (SRWR) (Scotland's existing national database for the electronic transfer, retention and management of road works data).

Each type of apparatus is held as a separate layer and users can view all plant or a specific type of plant as required. Other information such as on-going and planned works or the locations of bus stops can also be accessed. All information can be interrogated on-line or can be printed as A3 or A4 maps. To date, the records of all electricity cables, gas pipes, drains and sewers are available. The spatial database includes over 8 million assets, over 290,000 km of cables and pipes, with data received from 35 different organisations. Whilst the project is obviously a significant technical achievement it also represents a massive collaborative achievement to get all the Utilities and Road Authorities working together to contribute to the solution.

Prior to the introduction of the Community Apparatus Vault in March 2012, users would have to contact each underground apparatus owner separately, and receive plans in a variety of formats including e-mail, CDs, individual web-sites and even paper copies. The new system provides significant administrative benefits by dramatically reducing this staff intensive process. In addition, with the aid of a mobile device anyone needing to dig in a road can access the records on site and instantly see what pipes and cables they are likely to encounter, providing significant safety benefits.

The National Joint Utilities Group Avoiding Damage Award 2012 was a joint application between the Scottish Road Works Register Management Group (SRWR MG), the Office of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner (OSWRC) and Symology. The award was presented by Louise Ellman MP, Chair of the Commons Transport Select Committee, to Nisha Kharbanda (OSRWC), Andrew Leyden (SRWR MG Chair & Scotland Gas Networks) Mike Bartlett (Symology) at the House of Commons, Members Dining Room.

The Institute of Engineering and Technology Built Environment Award was a joint submission by the following organisations; University of Leeds, Susiephone Ltd, Ordnance Survey, 1Spatial Ltd, ESRI(UK) Ltd, Symology Ltd, UK Water Industry Research Ltd (UKWIR), the VAULT Steering group and the VISTA consortium.

The judging panel commented:

This innovation provides an imaginative solution to the coordination of underground services by supporting the integrated planning and maintenance of underground infrastructure assets and improves the safety of works on and around buried utility services by encouraging a collaborative approach between service providers. Wider benefits include reduced disruption to the public and significant time and cost savings to utility suppliers by accessing a comprehensive asset database.

Further details of the awards are available here:

http://www.njug.org.uk/category/5/pageid/84/

http://conferences.theiet.org/innovation/categories/built/index.cfm

Further information on the Scottish Community Apparatus Vault is available here:

http://www.roadworksscotland.gov.uk/Performance/VAULT/VAULT.aspx

The publication of AGI member press releases is a member service. The AGI neither approves or endorses the contents of member's press releases, nor makes any assurance of their factual accuracy.

Mystery Shopper Web Chat with Stephen Allott - Wednesday 19th December 2012

In recent weeks, Informed Solutions’ Chief Executive Elizabeth Vega has worked with the Cabinet Office and Intellect to better understand and profile the Cabinet Office’s Mystery Shopper service and how it can support SMEs.  The attached flyer is a collaboration between the Cabinet Office, Intellect and Informed Solutions and it serves to introduce the service and demonstrate just how effective and helpful it is to SMEs trying to do business with government.

Stephen Allott, the Cabinet Office’s Crown Representative for SMEs actively supports the Mystery Shopper service and will be running a Web Chat on Wednesday, 19 December from 3-4pm.  He will be explaining the service and would like to invite all SMEs to attend his Web Chat, as well as help us spread the good word. 

Stephen has tweeted about this (below) and it would be great if other SMEs could re-tweet and share with contacts and colleagues:

Stephen Allott (@SMECrownRep), 14/12/2012 17:12, “Join my #mysteryshopper webchat on 19 Dec at 3pm and share your #sme procurement experiences cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/myster… - spread the word!”

Stephen wants to hear about SMEs’ experiences of using Mystery Shopper and bidding for public sector contracts.

SMEs can get involved in the Cabinet Office’s Web Chat by:

• tweeting us now using the hashtag #MysteryShopper
• posting questions or observations on our Web Chat page from 11am on Wednesday 19 December
• taking part in our online poll and telling us how you find out about government contract opportunities

The link to the Web Chat page is www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/mystery-shopper-live-chat.

Stephen Allott will be answering as many questions as possible between 3-4pm on Wednesday.

The Mystery Shopper scheme offers an anonymous way for suppliers to report any problems or issues with the way a public sector contract has been run.  The Cabinet Office will investigate and, regardless of whether it’s a local authority or a central government department, take action as necessary.

Have a quick look at the attached flyer as it will help introduce you to Mystery Shopper.  The latest stats demonstrate that the service has so far received 285 cases, of which 228 have been closed, with 75% of them resulting in a positive outcome.  For example, a current or planned procurement was changed or the supplier gained a better understanding of the procurement process.

See more about the Cabinet office Crown Rep for SMEs....

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/crown-representative-smes-stephen-allott