Tag: Maps

Esri maps festive events around Ireland this Christmas

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has created a digital map of some of the best Christmas festivals, light shows, and ice skating events happening across the country this holiday season.

Using Esri’s ArcGIS digital mapping system, the interactive map highlights a range of enchanting spectacles and festive activities to suit all ages. Experience the wonder of Christmas by immersing yourself in a winter wonderland; browsing market stalls, marvelling at the glittering lights, soaking up festive music, and gliding across ice-rinks.

From magical train rides in Donegal and family-friendly festivals in Kerry, to glistening light shows in Galway and fun-filled ice-skating in Dublin, this map will help bring festive cheer to life this Christmas season.

Click HERE for more

Esri maps spooktacular events around Ireland this Halloween

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has created a digital map of some of the most fun, spooky and frightful happenings across the country this Halloween.

Using Esri’s ArcGIS digital mapping system, the interactive map highlights both popular events and hidden gems to suit all tastes. For those who want to get into the spirit, keep the kids entertained, or have a fun fright, our island has something for everyone to make this Halloween a spooktacular night.

From terrifying train rides in Belfast and haunted hayrides in Cork, to pumpkin trails in Offaly and family-friendly fall fests in Wexford, this map will help witches and wizards of all ages and interests plan their weekend for Halloween 2022.

Link to map here

Google Maps Eco-friendly routing launches in Europe

Imagine you’re planning a day trip from your home in Athlone over to Limerick – over an hour and a half journey. To decide how to get there, you open Google Maps — which offers multiple navigation options including walking, cycling and public transit directions. Given the length of the trip, it makes the most sense to drive, and you immediately search for the fastest route.

But what if there were other options: A route that would take nine minutes more, but would save nearly 30% of your expected fuel consumption?

Now rolling out: Eco-friendly routing across Europe

This is now possible thanks to eco-friendly routing in Google Maps, which starts rolling out in nearly 40 countries across Europe today. With eco-friendly routing, you can choose a route that’s optimized for lower fuel consumption, which helps you save money on fuel and reduce carbon emissions — something that’s top of mind for many Europeans. And this is a real concern – according to Statista’s 2022 report, road transportation is the largest source of carbon emissions throughout Europe.

Now, in addition to showing the fastest route, Google Maps will also display the one that’s most fuel efficient, if it doesn’t happen to also be the fastest. With just a few taps, you can see the relative fuel savings and time difference between the two routes and choose the one that works best for you. Always want to choose the fastest route, no matter what? That’s okay too — simply adjust your preferences in Settings.

Eco-friendly routing is making an impact around the world. Since launching in the U.S., Canada, and Germany, it’s already estimated to have helped remove more than half a million metric tons of carbon emissions — equivalent to taking 100,000 fuel-based cars off the road.

Get the most fuel-efficient route based on engine type

The most fuel-efficient route will vary based on what type of engine you have. For example, diesel engines are usually more efficient at higher speeds than petrol or gas engines, while hybrid and electric vehicles perform better in stop-and-go traffic. That’s why, in the coming weeks, we’ll make it possible for drivers using eco-friendly routing in Europe, the U.S. and Canada to select their engine type — petrol or gas, diesel, hybrid or electric vehicle (EV) — in order to get the best route and most accurate fuel or energy efficiency estimates.

This technology is made possible thanks to insights from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and data from the European Environment Agency. By pairing this information with Google Maps driving trends, we were able to develop advanced machine learning models trained on the most popular engine types in a given region.

Helping you make sustainable choices with Google Maps and beyond

Whether you’re staying local or traveling, Google can help you get where you need to go more sustainably with a few helpful tips:

It’s electric! If you have an electric vehicle, just search for “EV charging station” on Google Maps to see charging stations nearby, along with helpful details, like port types and charging speeds. And for some stations, you can even see if a charger is available right now, helping you avoid the wait and save valuable time.

Swap four wheels for two. Often, the most sustainable choice doesn’t involve a car at all, and Google Maps can help you with alternate ways to get around. We recently announced more cycling route information, including a more detailed breakdown of your route and whether you’ll encounter heavy car traffic, stairs or steep hills on the way. And you can find nearby bike and scooter shares in over 500 cities around the world including Barcelona, Berlin, London, Paris, and Rome.

Walking the walk: Google Maps offers turn-by-turn directions for pedestrians. To ensure you’re not walking the wrong way, Live View uses augmented reality to display arrows and directions clearly overlaid on the map. Plus, you can preview your walking route with Street View.

Navigate public transport with ease. By tapping on the transit icon in Directions, you get directions to your destination by bus, train, subway and even ferry. When available, you can see real time arrival and departure times, transfers, and service delays. And Google Maps gives you all the information you need to be prepared, like how crowded your ride will be, what the temperature is like, and if there are wheelchair-accessible routes available.

Sleep more sustainably. Google Search helps you find hotels that have made significant commitments to green practices. Hotels that are certified for meeting high standards of sustainability from certain independent organizations, like Green Key or EarthCheck, will have an eco-certified badge next to their name. This helps you understand their eco-friendly practices, from waste reduction to energy efficiency to water conservation measures.

All this is part of their commitment to empower 1 billion people through Google products by the end of the year – by making the sustainable choice an easier choice.

New Digital Map Showcases Dublin Street Art

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has created a new digital map of the growing volume of Dublin street art that is dotted throughout the city and county.

The street art is part of Dublin Canvas, an inclusive public art initiative that adds a flash of colour and creativity to the traffic control boxes that are highly visible at traffic junctions throughout Dublin. Currently, there are over 600 pieces of artwork spread throughout the county, and it is expected that there will be over 750 pieces completed by the end of Autumn this year.

Using Esri’s ArcGIS system, the interactive digital map pinpoints exactly where each box is located and provides an image of each piece. A simple click on the image provides information about the art, along with the background story of the artist.

The art is painted by exceptionally creative and talented amateur and professional artists residing in Dublin. They come from all walks of life and range from students to retirees, barristers to baristas, and engineers to editors.

Be it the artwork of squirrels in Stepaside, beasts in Blackrock or fishermen on Fitzwilliam Street, the map can be used to discover inventive artwork nearby. There’s a varying mix of themes to suit everyone, to brighten up the wait time at a red light or to get inspired on a summer stroll.

To view the map, go to https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/df0f78525b0440aa80bbd9bac7450376

Esri maps Ireland’s best music and arts festivals for summer 2022

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has created a digital map of some of the best music and arts festivals across the country this summer.

Using Esri’s ArcGIS digital mapping system, the interactive map highlights both popular and lesser-known festivals around Ireland.

Ireland’s festival scene has something for everyone, offering a mix of experiences and activities to suit all tastes and interests. From arts in Galway and storytelling on Cape Clear, to rocking at Indiependence and traditional music galore at Fleadh Cheoil, this map will help festival-goers to plan their itineraries for summer 2022.

The map also provides a helpful list of festival essentials including links to packing checklists, tips on how to survive a rainy festival, and Spotify playlists.

See here for more

Esri Maps Ireland’s Best Picnic Spots this International Picnic Day

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has created a digital map of some of the best picnic spots across the island of Ireland ahead of International Picnic Day on Saturday, 18th June.

Using Esri’s ArcGIS digital mapping system, the interactive map highlights both popular and lesser-known spots for a picnic with family and friends this summer. Locations include forests, parks, lakes and beaches, with something to suit all interests and ages.

As the weather improves and picnic season begins in earnest, grab a blanket, get some snacks and use the map to find a picnic area near you.

Click the image below for the digital map

Which Apps Are The Best: Routing Apps Vs. GPS Apps

Despite their growing similarities, GPS and navigation apps have distinct objectives, particularly in quickly getting from A to B.

So, let’s begin by comparing the two, starting with the difference: routing apps vs. GPS apps.

This will simplify your selection and assist you in selecting the ideal one for you.

Discovery

Although routing software is primarily a navigation tool, it has advanced discovery features equivalent to GPS.

Both apps have similar features that help you find nearby attractions and businesses.

They have a search bar and unique buttons that cut out most intermediate steps and show you precisely what you want.

You can quickly locate a store or gas station, whether you need one or both. But, as is so often the case, GPS wants to give you more.

It features more specialized buttons. Whether you’re searching for an electronics store or a sports store, GPS’s discovery buttons have you covered. However, routing software makes things simple.

When it comes to finding things, less is more, mainly because you can always utilize the search box to accomplish the same result. Unfortunately, routing software location cards don’t supply as much data as GPS.

The first one gave information on local parking but just supplied the essentials: website, address, and phone. Smaller businesses in your neighborhood have similar issues, but significant chains have many more.

GPS doesn’t catch up on everything, but it does pick up on a lot. One of the adjacent takeout restaurants has no online presence—not even a map. Despite this, GPS knows their phone number, when they’re open, and even when they’re busy.

A routing program’s supplemental information is hit or miss, but GPS contains almost everything you might want since it gets data from so many sources.

Navigation

In GPS, you input a destination, and it will find a way to get you there. There’s something for everyone in GPS. It may also alert you of potential traffic challenges and suggest other routes.

On the other hand, routing applications are built for trucks and cars. A routing program continually monitors situations to find the quickest single path to bring you there as soon as possible.

Both systems can assess traffic circumstances based on user counts, but routing programs act, unlike GPS, displaying obstacles or traffic on the screen.

Also, routing software will happily keep you on the same road regardless of changes. It may recommend a different route based on traffic, but it isn’t aggressive.

Early this year, GPS changed its route calculation algorithm. The service will now analyze factors like real-time red lights and traffic to make the route safer and eco-friendly.

You will conserve petrol and be less likely to get in an accident. In other words, when GPS tells you where to go, it considers more than just your ETA.

It also shows you how much a journey would cost if you paid tolls.

Routing software is meant to shorten your travel time and get you to your destination quickly.

Instead of asking for permission to modify your course, it quickly offers you directions to navigate around any obstacles—all to get you to your destination as fast as possible.

Consequently, consumers are often sent to random destinations by the program.

However, a routing app’s unique manner of navigating delays makes it a beneficial tool for motorists. Routing software is ideal for those willing to take detours.

Design or interface

The GPS seems like a typical app, including on-screen information, while the routing application is much simpler, with fewer components.

Since these two apps serve pretty different goals, they are distinguished. Routing applications let drivers go from A to B while avoiding traffic and road hazards.

However, GPS may be utilized for nearly everything, including navigation, discovery, and even business communication.

In terms of navigation, the two apps seem to be quite similar. The apps eliminate all unnecessary data and only show you what you need to know.

This includes your destination, symbol, and other information such as road hazards and speed limits.

Routing software wins this one because it removes all the unnecessary data and shows you what you need to see.

Everything is orderly if you’re receiving directions or just looking at the map. The GPS’s extra information is beneficial, but it obstructs eyesight.

And, if you live in a city, it might seem like a complete mess at times.

Bottom line

GPS offers a more comprehensive navigation service. It’s not just more comprehensive and has more resources than routing software.

More importantly, GPS can help you no matter how you travel.

If you want to go there quickly and don’t care about the route, you should use routing software.

GPS can monitor and anticipate road conditions when things become complicated, but it isn’t as active in guiding you.

Esri Ireland Maps Ireland’s Favourite Festive Markets this Christmas

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has created a digital map of some of the best Christmas markets across the Island of Ireland.

With the festive season in full swing, they have used Esri’s ArcGIS digital mapping system to create the interactive map highlighting the most festive markets for all the family this December.

Each market has a variety of local and artisan crafts on display and lots of our favourite festive treats like hot chocolate and mulled wine. A walk in the colourful glow of the Christmas market lights is a great way to brighten up the dark winter evenings.

Find your local market on the map below: