A VerySpatial Podcast | Discussions on Geography and Geospatial Technologies · VerySpatial

A VerySpatial Podcast - Episode 749

·29 min·2 clips

Microsoft will charge $30 a year to keep Windows 10 secure after support ends.

1. A Very Spatial Podcast episode 749, dated November 3, 2024, covers Google Gemini in maps, Unity 6, MapQuest private maps, PlanetScope, Windows 10 support, and GISCI certification. 2. Jesse, Sue, Barb, and Frank host the episode and speak from the perspectives of mapping, GIS education, and software use. 3. The episode asks what these product changes mean for routing, geospatial analysis, and professional credentialing. 4. Google's plan to push Gemini into Maps and Waze leads the news, with AI-generated business details and conversational route reporting. 5. Frank describes wanting to tap Waze and report a car on the side of the road without using the old interface. 6. The hosts say Gemini still suffers from unclear branding because some listeners may not know what it is, and Google search results now put AI summaries above simple website links. 7. The hosts say NotebookLM has drawn attention because it can summarize uploaded material and generate an audio podcast from that summary. 8. Unity 6 brings GPU-focused improvements, updated learning resources, and examples such as TimeGhost and Metro City. 9. Jesse links Unity 6 to the long fight over the runtime fee, which the company only rolled back in September 2024. 10. MapQuest's private maps for Android add anonymous mode, device-only favorites, and anonymous analytics. 11. Sue compares that feature set to the old MapQuest workflow of printing directions onto paper and carrying them in the car. 12. Planet's analysis-ready PlanetScope product standardizes 3.7 meter imagery for near-daily time-series work and machine learning. 13. Barb says that kind of packaged data could help Fairmont State University's national security program teach change analysis. 14. Windows 10 support ends on October 14, 2025, and Microsoft offers a $30 annual security-update option for users who cannot move to Windows 11. 15. The conversation focuses on TPM requirements and processor cutoffs that make some older laptops ineligible even when they still run well. 16. The GISP segment says GISCI has been accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards and points to an internship program for students. 17. The hosts mention ASPRS, ABET, and the broader certification ecosystem to explain why the accreditation matters outside pure GIS circles. 18. The episode keeps a loose panel rhythm, with quick reactions, shared memories, and side jokes instead of a formal interview. 19. Listeners who follow GIS, mapping apps, or geospatial education will get the most out of this episode. 20. People looking for a narrow deep dive into one product or one case study may skip it.

As heard by us

A grounded geospatial conversation linking AI, private maps, visual realism, and MapQuest's paper-era legacy.

The 749th episode tracks generative AI as it moves into everyday mapping, from Gemini-made business pop-ups to more conversational ways of reporting road problems in Waze.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play when you want mapping news with a detour through MapQuest's paper-directions past.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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