New Platial Mapkit Makes It Easy to Publish Maps on Web Sites and Blogs
Written by Platial
01 November 2006
Free Social Atlas Tool Helps Build Community on Individual Web Sites
PORTLAND, Ore.-- Bloggers and Web site owners can start building maps with their community members in seconds by using a new MapKit from Platial.com. Users can sign up at http://www.platial.com/mapkit, cut and paste a snippet of code into the site, and in seconds they’re able to easily create and share places of interest directly with their readers. Because there’s no new programming to learn, the interface is simple, easy-to-use, and can be customized to complement any Web site. This new community-building map tool – once available exclusively at Platial.com – can be used on any Web site and most blogs.
The Platial (pronounced PLAY-shul) MapKit social mapping tool enables users to enhance their blogs and sites with “geotags.” Social media expert and Micropersuasion.com blogger Steve Rubel predicts that “geotagging will become part of virtually every Web site one can think of.”
WordPress (www.WordPress.org) – a free, personal publishing platform for bloggers – is integrating the Platial MapKit into its offering to bloggers. WordPress users will be able to embed Platial maps into posts and as persistent pages in their blogs.
“Our users loved being able to build maps on Platial with others in their communities, but wanted a way to have that same experience on their own Web sites,” explains Di-Ann Eisnor, Platial co-founder and CEO. “With MapKit, individuals and groups can create maps that are relevant to them, just like on Platial, but do so in the context of their own community Web sites.”
More than 4,000 sites are already publishing Platial user-created maps, building community and generating content. The blogger behind the “The Accidental Yogist” Web site was one of the first Platial users to publish her map. Her community of yoga enthusiasts has created a map of 67 yoga studios in the Los Angeles area, and more are added every week. The map is also available on Platial, so visitors to Platial.com can benefit from this community’s work.
“Platial has created a clever Web 2.0-ish applet. Being able to just drop a customizable map into a site, with a few clicks will be useful to non-coders and coders alike,” says Dan Gillmor, director of the Center for Citizen Media.
Initially available in beta form in Dec. 2005, the Platial online atlas adds a new dimension to blogs and other online communities by enabling people to map and tag their experiences, memories and opinions to specific places that others can explore. The site’s 75,000 users are discovering places and sharing maps related to hundreds of topics, such as adventure, history, politics, music, architecture and various life experiences. MapKit now offers that capability all across the Web.
About Platial
Platial.com is the user-created atlas — a free resource where thousands of people around the world share and discover stories, images and videos about all kinds of Places. Platial has been featured in Wired, NPR’s All Things Considered, National Geographic Online, The New York Times and ABC News online. Based in Portland, Ore., Platial launched in December 2005 by successful Internet entrepreneur Di-Ann Eisnor and her business partner co-founders, Jason Wilson and Jacob Olsen. Early stage investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Omidyar Network, Sherpalo Ventures, Georges Harik, Will Hearst, Jerry Neumann and Jack Dangermon. Visit www.platial.com for more information.
Create a map in seconds like this GISuser places map!
GISuser Feature Articles
Top iPhone related GIS and Geo Tech news stories from 2009 - At the end of the year its always interesting for us to look at some of the stats and results to identify trends and more important, to see what our readers think is hot! In the "news" category it seems that iPhone related geo tech items were extremely popular.
Geo Social Location Checkin to Twitter from iPhone - With the cool SXSW event taking place Austin, TX, everyone who's anyone in social and social location seems to have rolled out updates this week, making your choice for how to check-in to your social media bookmarks even tougher to decide on!
10 Awesome GIS and Mapping apps for the iPhone - I recall last year at the ESRI UC when an iPhone was on stage showing a prototype app (think ArcPad on iPhone). It was then that I realized the iPhone platform is going to be BIG in mapping and there's a ton of opportunity for developers.
Nokia Booklet 3G, unboxing video and image gallery... Those of you in the USA who pop in to BestBuy occasionally, you may have seen a stand showing off the Nokia Booklet 3G. A sleek, 3G enabled, SIM slot (AT&T) sporting netbook.
Interesting Tweeple - 10 Geo Technology & Geo-Social Women of Twitter - given the growing love for geospatial and location-aware technologies, I’ve decided to hype 10 women that I feel make a significant contribution to the Geo-Twittersphere. If you’d like to add 10 knowledgeable and useful Twitter contacts to your Geo following list I highly suggest the following: (in no particular order)
10 Geo Social Location-Aware Apps Making Waves... With Twitter's opening of their location API to developers there's going to be a ton of third party apps that will enable Twitter users to share location-aware information via their Twitter accounts.
Signs that indicate you may be a GeoGeek (aka. GeoNerd) and some suggested Geo blogs - Chances are good that if you are a Geo Geek then you already know it and likely refer to yourself as one. However, there’s many of you out there that may be on the fence and wondering… “am I a Geo Geek?" Read on for a comprehensive list of signs you might be a GeoGeek followed up by some suggested Geoblog reading.
Real-time GPS Mapping and GIS Solution Aids Efficient Disaster Management - Saturday, February 7, 2009 will forever be known as Black Saturday in the State of Victoria, Australia. In the midst of a 10-year drought, a record breaking heat wave descended upon the state, with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees C (110-120 deg F), breaking all-time record highs in some cities - Victoria Police Use Trimble Juno SC Handhelds to Speed Assessment of Damage Caused by Bush Fires.
2010 ESRI Federal User Conference February 17-19, 2010, Washington D.C. Walter E. Washington Convention Center - The FedUC is the largest geospatial conference for federal agencies. Connect with other leaders, decision makers, and GIS professionals.
The International LiDAR Mapping Forum 2010 - Tenth Anniversary Event! ILMF 2010 will be held from March 3 - 5, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency in Denver at Colorado Convention Center.
The NAVTEQ 2010 Global LBS Challenge Awards Ceremony will be held during Ignite at O'Reilly Where 2.0. Be among the first to hear as NAVTEQ announces the winners for the North America region. Participants will be competing for a global prize pool of $10 million and growing by showcasing pre-commercial location-enabled apps using NAVTEQ map data & products. March 30, 2010, during Ignite Where, 7:30pm - 9:00pm, at the Marriott San Jose, CA
WHERE2.0 2010 - Now in its sixth year, the Where 2.0 Conference is where the grassroots and leading edge developers building location-aware technology intersect with the businesses and entrepreneurs seeking out location apps, platforms, and hardware to gain a competitive edge. For 15% use Discount Code: whr10lbs
See more 
