Smugmug mapping vs. TripTracker

[TheDuck]

With Sony's new $100 gps logger (GPS-CS1) I'm taking another look at putting geographic perspective on photo galleries. The smugmug mapping is intriguing...but the examples I've looked at are very "busy" with the smiley icons scattered all over and don't provide an overall context. In addition, it's slooooow to look at photos and maps on smugmug (though maybe that will change with your new updates).

Andy - have you looked at how TripTracker has implemented mapping for photos? Very very cool (e.g., http://triptracker.net/trip/263/map/ ) - a great trip route mapped, click on a location for a fast visit to an annotated gallery of photos.

RoboGEO (http://www.robogeo.com/home/system.asp) even allows linking digital audio files to EXIF data - how cool would it be when viewing a photo to be able to click to a link and listen to field notes, or a description of the special circumstances regarding the photo? Sort of best of both worlds - "captured moment" of the still photo linked with verbal relevance info normally only recorded with camcorders! That'd beat the compressed fuzziness and small size of online video!

Audio linking may be too much to hope for right away, but has the great Smugmug team given any thoughts to improving the smugmug mapping so we have more than "push-pins" of photo locations available?

Thanks!
The Duck

ps - apologies in advance if smugmug already provides route mapping similar to TripTracker and I didn't uncover it...I did search "help" and several sample galleries!!

[pat.kane]

With Sony's new $100 gps logger (GPS-CS1) I'm taking another look at putting geographic perspective on photo galleries....

I've not used the Sony unit, but I can easily recommend another $100 unit -- the Garmin Foretrex, which is quite small as well. See the following thread
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=48555

Geotagging and the displaying of geotagged images are only going to get easier and better over time. Don't wait to jump in. Go for it and you'll have an archive of images ready when the killer application finally shows up.

[Andy]

Thanks for the links and info, I'll be sure that our Product manager sees this :D

[TheDuck]

Thanks for the links and info, I'll be sure that our Product manager sees this :D

Please also take a look at this example from panoramio: http://www.panoramio.com/map/#lt=-13.313458&ln=-72.509766&z=7&k=2&a=1

I like that the map is displayed next to photo thumbnails, and when you put the mouse cursor over a thumbnail the google icon on the map changes color! Very easy to see "where is this photo?" vs. Smugmug's "what photo is here?".

Thanks, Andy!

Be seeing you,
The Duck