It appears Microsoft is updating their virtual earth product with all new imagery.  To do that, they are updating 48 Terabytes of data.

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/01/01/microsoft-virtual-earth-gets-a-48tb-update

That takes backing up and moving data around to an all new level.

Can you only imagine the hardware infrastructure in place to handle that upgrade, roll-out and production support.  I know I read specs on their server farm for virtual earth when they first turned the switch on quite a while ago, but I am sure that has only grown as they have continued to one up Google.

This is an interesting read on a Google perspective on Mobile computing and the future.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/future-of-mobile.html

The excerpt that interested me the most was…

Sensors everywhere: Your phone knows a lot about the world around you. If you take that intelligence and combine it in the cloud with that of every other phone, we have an incredible snapshot of what is going on in the world right now. Weather updates can be based on not hundreds of sensors, but hundreds of millions. Traffic reports can be based not on helicopters and road sensors, but on the density, speed, and direction of the phones (and people) stuck in the traffic jams.

In my current consulting role, I see interaction with weather sensors, traffic data and other things dealing with transportation.  The thought that we could have devices (like your phone or other connected devices) have a cloud mentality and provide that data back in a collected form to state and local DOT or SHA could be very valuable.  But ultimately the long haul problem will be making heads or tails out of the huge flow of data, but that is what Google is good at right?

Final question though….

Will you like your device talking to other devices?

What if your shower radio started talking to the toaster and the phone about how good you sing in the shower?  What if they started sharing that info with the neighbor’s blender?  Hmmmmm

I created a Wicket based search that can be added to your iGoogle page.

Just click below and you are good to go. I picked the mailing lists, blogs and other misc sites that has great Wicket info and code.

Far from perfect, but better than having to check multiple sites.