Digital Globe, a provider of earth imagery and geospatial analysis, recently announced that Esri has licensed the rights for its Global Basemap imagery layer. The announcement was made at the Esri International User Conference, occurring this week in San Diego. Esri Founder and President also spoke at length about what the release of ArcGIS Online means for the company moving forward.

Esri today released Esri Maps for Office at the company's user conference in San Diego, a new analysis tool that allows business professionals to visualize data by creating and sharing interactive maps directly within Microsoft Office. Esri Maps for Office is a downloadable add-in for Microsoft Office 2010 that helps organizations make better decisions through location analytics.

Gehry Technologies, a software company created by architect Frank Gehry to develop and apply technology to the building industry, today announced the free preview availability of GTeam, a cloud-based 3D, file management and project collaboration platform purpose-built for AEC industry professionals and building owners. GTeam enables project teams, including architects, designers, engineers, contractors, consultants, and building owners, to easily collaborate and share documents, files, and 3D building information data from any device with a web browser. Project teams use GTeam to reach consensus faster, reduce change orders, save time, get more work, and reduce project costs. Owners and large enterprises with one or many buildings under management can also use GTeam as a centralized BIM data storage platform to easily identify, consolidate, and organize as-built documents of all existing and future buildings.

Microsoft officially unveiled Office 2013 and Office 365, a new cloud service, today. Microsoft refreshed the design of its flagship productivity solution, heavily incorporating the Windows 8 Metro interface. Office 365 is a subscription-based monthly cloud service that will allow users to download the desktop software onto multiple devices.

Graphisoft has begun shipping ArchiCAD 16. The company has also unveiled its BIMComponents.com GDL objects portal, a cloud-based database that allows users to create, search, upload, and download custom BIM components of their choice.

Trimble continued its AEC acquisition spree today, announcing that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WinEstimator, Inc. (WinEst), a provider of construction cost estimating and cost-modeling software. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2012, subject to customary closing conditions. WinEst  will be integrated into the operations of Meridian Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary within Trimble's Engineering and Construction segment. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Bluebeam Software, a manufacturer of AEC collaboration and PDF review software, unveiled a full iPad version of its Revu software in Los Angeles today. Revu iPad can import, mark-up and share drawings from from project servers or simply from an e-mail attachment of a Revu PDF. The application is an iPad native program that takes advantage of the device's touchscreen, retina display and software keyboard. Revu iPad will be available in the Apple app store July 10.

Autodesk's recent acquisition of long time partner Vela Systems was described by executives of both companies as a further investment in cloud and mobile technology. Autodesk is banking on the acquisition to better equip the AEC software manufacturer, and its many architecture and construction customers, to better utilize cloud storage and mobile computing in a bid to transform the AEC industries, themselves.

A virus that seems to target AutoCAD DWG files and send them to digital pirates, via China has already stolen tens of thousands of blueprints. Named ACAD/Medre.A, it secretly sends DWGs to Chinese email accounts located at 163.com and qq.com. This story originally appeared at and was reported by Develop3D

GreenWizard – a cloud-based product management and project collaboration solution that simplifies building efficient, healthy, and sustainable buildings – recently announced that it has formed a business partnership with Green Seal, bringing another national standard-setting organization into GreenWizard’s expansive database and workflow platform.