Dataviz by Sunlight

Idea of the Week: Open Vs. Closed

On The Business Pages this week, Tim Wu has a story about the open-versus-closed debate in the technology industry.

On The Business Pages this week, Tim Wu has a story about the open-versus-closed debate in the technology industry.

New weather app combines high design and usable data in a crisp infographic-style interface

ThreadWatch: Tracking and Visualizing the Use of Software Applications

ThreadWatch [finekost.com] by interactive developer Alex Milde visualizes the usage of software programs on the Mac platform over the timeframe of one day.

Apple reportedly putting acquired map technologies to good use in iOS 6

A switch away from Google’s mapping data in favor of Apple’s own in-house solution is imminent, according to a report by 9to5Mac. Citing “trusted sources,” the site says the Maps application for iOS will be done “completely in-house,” mapping data and all, thanks to Apple’s acquisition of Placebase, Poly9, and C3 Technologies over the last couple of years. Apple’s deal to use Google’s Mapping data is also said to be expiring soon, opening the door for Apple to begin experimenting with its own technologies.

handsfullofdirt:

this is from my third year project for ‘information and interface design’. the project has two parts, a print outcome and a digital media outcome. this is a selection of the digital media outcome, an ipad application.

we were to create an advocacy campaign for greenpeace using infographics to represent data. my topic was the banks in australia and their funding of coal power. the aim of the overall campaign is to get the banks to redirect funding into more renewable energy sources and reduce financing for coal power.

the app is meant to be a more personalised aspect of the campaign, where the user can investigate their bank and the breakdown of what they fund, as well as compare the four main banks against each other. the app also allows the user to choose various coal power stations from the map and then investigate more about them. the last screens encourage the user to take action and contact their banks and urge them to redirect funding.

part 2 will come in a few days once i spend a million dollars on printing the final.

Thank you Steve.

centerforinvestigativereporting:

The New York Times has a look at some of the 313 Apple patents that list Steven P. Jobs among the group of inventors.

Mobile patent lawsuits

Mike Bostock visualizes mobile patent lawsuits, improving on a graphic from Thomson Reuters that wasn’t so good. Dashed lines are resolved suits and green ones are licenses to the company.

Biblion, iPad App That Showcases Archive of the New York Public Library

Biblion: World’s Fair is a free iPad app from the New York Public Library that showcases the library’s vast archive of materials from the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Perusers can read original essays about the fair, explore photo galleries and listen to radio broadcasts (see a video of Biblion’s slick user interface.) Future editions of Biblion will cover other collections, programs, and services at the New York Public Library.

Where to park? Parking in Motion has the answer.

We’ve got services to help us navigate anywhere in the world with everything from traffic information to flight delays at our fingertips. Parking in Motion is confident that they have the one missing piece to our navigation puzzle, where to park once we get there.

EFB For iPad: Will Your Pilot Be Using This In 2012?

Back in February, we heard that a private jet company had gotten FAA approval to use an iPad-based charting system instead of paper charts, which are the standard throughout the industry. They used an app called Mobile TC, but GlobalNavSource has come up with another app, EFB (“electronic flight bag”), and it’s being offered for free until they release it commercially on June first.

Apple-backed rules prohibit electronics makers from buying minerals used to fund wars

Bloomberg reports that new rules have gone into effect which prohibit electronics makers from buying minerals that help fund wars in Central Africa. The Conflict-Free Smelter program specifically bars electronics makers like Apple and Intel from buying tungsten, tin ore, gold and coltan from Congo and neighboring countries unless mineral processors can prove purchases don’t contribute to conflict in eastern Congo.

Apple, Inc. on Influence Explorer

Check out who these companies are influencing -

ilovecharts:

How Companies Bypass High Income-Tax Rates in the US and UK

via Kurt White

Visualized: US smartphone market share, by manufacturer and platform

They say a picture is worth a thousand words — but in this case, a picture is worth tens of billions of dollars in market share. Nielsen has broken down its US smartphone market share stats between November and January in two dimensions — by market share and by platform — and stuffed all that data into a single block of mesmerizing color. It’s interesting to see the Apple and RIM juggernauts flanked by two imposing, red slivers of HTC, isn’t it?