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Location based data is a key element of the Internet. Initially, people were thrilled to have maps from companies like Mapquest back in the 90's, data visualization has advanced. SpatialKey represents the next iteration of geo-spatial data visualization on the Internet.
Today, SpatialKey announced a private beta. The SpatialKey team has been hard at work since InsideRIA first announced the technical preview on August 9th. This new version includes many new features and some advanced visualizations. This release demonstrates why SpatialKey is one of the most exciting RIA's I have seen recently.
Overview
What is SpatialKey? SpatialKey is a web application built in Flex that provides a platform for visualizing data that has geographical context. The site defines it as follows:
SpatialKey is designed to help organizations quickly assess location based information critical to their organizational goals, decision making processes and reporting requirements.
This isn't the first time we have mentioned SpatialKey on InsideRIA, but SpatialKey has changed a great deal since the initial preview release that I highlighted. The initial version provided a selection of data sets that you could view. This version allows you, the user, to submit your own data sets for visualization. That means you can take most any data set that includes geographic information and output it as a CSV, upload it into SpatialKey, and setup reports to view your data. There isn't another web application that offers this type of functionality.
As a part of the release, the SpatialKey team has released a video detailing the updated features and giving an overview of the application.
Visualizations in SpatialKey
In addition, the SpatialKey sites provides many videos illustrating the functionality. Here is a video demonstrating some of the visualizations.
Architecture and Deployment
In my talks with the SpatialKey team, I learned a great deal about how the application is architected. The frontend is a Flex application, and the backend is deployed on Amazon EC2 and integrates with BlazeDS, Spring, and Hibernate. The team emphasized that the platform has been built to be extremely scalable, and it is able to support many different uses.
Previously I asked the team if SpatialKey would be open for deploying behind the firewall. There weren't any plans for that with the technical preview release, but the SpatialKey team has announced that there will be options for enterprise deployment behind the firewall as well as the ability to embed reports within websites.
The Future for SpatialKey
Currently, SpatialKey is just available to private beta testers, but in the future SpatialKey will be made available in a SaaS (Software as a Service) model. While no specific pricing has been announced, the price will be based on factors such as volumes of data.
Private Beta Access
We have a limited number of access codes for the private beta that have been reserved for InsideRIA readers. We will give these out in a first come - first serve basis. Leave a comment (remember to include a valid email in the email field - this will not be shown to viewers of this site). Remember it is first come - first serve.
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This is very awesome... would love to try it out
It looks like a very interesting service with a lot of potential. Being able to offer data in a visual form like this can really help to reveal patterns in the data more quickly than standard charts and graphs.
I'd love an invite to the beta if you've still got one to spare.
This could solve a business problem I have right now. Check yes for the beta please.
Isso que eu chamo de tecnologia, muito fundamental em recursos que precisamos em quase td na net em relaçao a sites e outros mais,...Parabéns pelo os desenvolvedores do SpatialKey.
I'd like to try this.
This looks really good. Is there any more information about the backend architecture and how the data is transferred? Would really like to try it.
We're looking for just such a thing here, for an upcoming project. Would love to try it!
Super application of the Flash platform (and Flex framework). Way to go UM!
Would love to check this out if there's a trial access code available!
Thanks for sharing.
regards
GIS data conversion
Hi, sounds very interesting, I would love to check it out for future projects!
I'd love to try it if access code is still available. thanks
I would love to give this a test run if you still have any access codes available. Thanks!
Would like access beta.
Access code please - I have a current project that could use this.
Hi everyone, my name is Anthony McClure and work on the SpatialKey team.
If anyone has any questions (technical or otherwise), please submit them at http://www.spatialkey.com on the contact us form.
Beta access would be appreciated.
Beta access would be appreciated.
Let's see give it a beta try.
Sounds great! I look forward to try it.
If you have one more code, would be nice..
THX
Can't wait to throw some data at it!
if you use QuickBooks, you can try out the Workplace version - it provides an easy way to analyze your QuickBooks customer data using the SpatialKey engine: http://marketplace.intuit.com/AppID-3108-Overview.aspx
The beta is awesome! I exported a list of our customers and the date of their first sales invoice. I showed this to our sales team and their jaws hit the floor. A few minutes later, I had requests for more data sets and reports :)
Great job!
I think I may be on the tail end of the comments, but testing this sounds like fun.
Have lots of use cases that could be applied to this, would be happy to take it for a spin around the block....
Like the excel export feature. Let me know if you have any beta invites left.
I got the ticket for free because I had registered for FotB in Miami before it went bust. I was so happy about a good conference so close to the Southeast (South Florida is not the Southeast by far) but it wasn't meant to be I suppose. work from home.
Regards,
Is this similar to google earth and where to download the SpatialKey software. The video review is great, I need such software so I would like to know where to download it, thanks