Second – I stumbled across a presentation by software architect Blaise Aguera y Arcas from a recent TED Conference. This is another instance where pictures are worth a thousand words. Watch the 8-minute video presentation and you’ll see some of the most amazing applications of mapping, user-generated content, geodata, metadata and much more. Blaise starts with an overhead map, very reminiscent of a Google map. Then he starts zooming in and changing his perspective, so you’re now looking at a 3d representation of the cityscape, with buildings being rendered as what seems like real 3d models. Then he shows some crazy stuff with flickr photo integration, some live video streaming, etc. Finally, he points his view up into the clouds and boom – the sky darkens and is full of constellations. Who knows if/when we’ll see this technology in mass markets, but this demo completely knocked me off my seat. Plus, I also enjoyed Blaise’s nonchalant, “my team and i have been playing with this” attitude.

Anyway, I’m very excited to see these two projects grow and develop. Just as I was ready to completely write off Microsoft as a company that lacks “it” and is always playing catch-up, something like these things pop up. Bravo, MS – hopefully you won’t crap out make me regret saying this.

Later in the day, Danielle, Grandpa and Nana took Maddie to Sweet & Sassy for a birthday salon visit, complete with manicure, pedicure and an ‘up do’. She had a great time – maybe it was a little long – but she was all smiles when she came home. Next she was off to a lunch of her choosing at Applebeasts (Applebee’s), consisting of a hot dog and fries. The day wrapped up with a giant birthday cookie from the Nestle Tollhouse shop in the mall.

Saturday was the big “Rock n’ Roll” party with family and a couple friends. Everyone had a good time, the highlight being one of Jen’s famous cakes – this time an appropriately themed pink guitar, as well as Nana’s homemade sugar cookies (decorated guitars, music notes and stars). After opening some more presents, the guests filed out and Maddie hit the sack – in her new dog-shaped sleeping bag (which she slept in for the next 3 nights on top of her bed). Definitely a nice couple of days for the family. Hard to believe she’s 5, and I hear the time just seems to go faster from here. Yeesh. You can check out more photos at flickr.