The Official UpNext Blog

If you haven’t heard yet, FireFox and WebKit (which Safari and Chrome are based on) have enabled WebGL in their codebase. Major browsers will soon have hardware accelerated 3d graphics built into the browser. No need for special plugins. You’ll be able to just download the new version of Firefox, Safari and Chrome and browse 3d interactive websites with ease. Why is this a big deal?

Up till now the only way to get 3d content was through a plugin. At UpNext we use a Java Applet. That requires us to ask your permission to access the video card. This already limits adoption. Flash can do 3d, but only in a limited fashion. Because Flash doesn’t have permission to deal directly with the video card, its 3d capabilities are severely limited. Plugins tend to be messy (they tend to crash often), not everyone has them and they lack ability to easily share content.

The announcement by Mozilla and Webkit can finally bring 3d content to the mainstream. We’ll finally be able to play rich online games without installing something. Full virtual streaming worlds will only require a url address. Social gaming will get another dimension to play with. 3d Avatars will be commonplace. 3d content will be easy to embed, share and load(finally!). In short, this announcement has the potential to change the interface of the web. Rather than all content being structured around text, content will also be able to be structured around polygons.

Quite honestly, we expected this to happen sooner than 2009. Perhaps the fact that the full embrace of 3d by the iPhone had browsers vendors jealous. Now all that rich content will soon be available through your browser. With touch screen interfaces becoming more common place, WebGL can’t arrive soon enough. We’ll be watching the developments closely and keep you updated on what our progress is with migrating UpNext to WebGL.

Check out this blog post by Patrick Laforge,

Third-Party iPhone Apps I Actually Still Use

It is a great list of 35 iPhone App that are useful, fun and worth keeping around.

(I guess it also helps that UpNext made the list!!)

UpNext Ups the Ante, NYC

It’s not often that you come across a mapping application that provides equal utility and pleasure in one package. This spring, UpNext managed to give us just that - Launching the mobile mapping application inspired by its online 3-D map of NYC that made it’s debut over two years ago. In this user-friendly application, curious New York City residents and tourists alike are likely to find themselves lulled into an addictive series of tapping and clicking, bookmarking and sharing… (read the rest)

(via Living Lab Global)

Sometimes you need a little diversion from work. Perhaps some TV or a movie or maybe even a video game. But it can be hard partaking in those activities while being on the sly. Well, UpNext to the rescue…

Play our version of Grand Theft Auto on UpNext

1) Go to UpNext (www.upnext.com)

2) Enter the site

3) Zoom into the map as far as possible (easiest way is to hold down “E”)

4) Use the arrow keys to move around

The best part? If someone comes poking around, wondering what you are doing, simply tell them that you are looking for a lunch spot to take an important client out.

Possible games include:

• Time Trial - keep time to see how quickly you can finish a specific route
• Taxi Driver - drive as erratically as possible while talking on your cell phone
• Bike Heaven - after a horrific morning bike ride to work, sit at your desk and imagine a city devoid of cars while you leisurely make your way around NYC.

Enjoy and keep an eye out for easter eggs and artistry.