New GeoBlog Unleashes the Use of GPS, the Potential Future for Travel Blogslocation based services | |
Michael Tyler employs the use of GPS in his newly launched blog, www.michaeltyler.co.uk. Geoblogging may well be the wave of the future for travel blogs. Wolverhampton, England (PRWeb) March 29, 2007 -- A new kind of travel blog, dubbed the GeoBlog, has been launched by creator Michael Tyler. The GeoBlog, at www.michaeltyler.co.uk, harnesses the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to direct viewers to exact geographical locations. This interactive element is a real leap forward in developing and maintaining all important user interest, a factor that’s difficult to attract in the overcrowded, increasingly generic blogosphere. “In the UK these days, it seems everyone has GPS in their car, hand-held, or mounted on their bike or wristwatch,” says Michael Tyler. “It occurred to me why not use GPS for a travel blog.” Having exact GPS locations, times, dates and altitudes has given rise to the ideal platform for passing on more detailed, more accurate and more precise information -- and nowhere is this new clarity of communication more evident and necessary than in the ever-expanding realm of travel. Michael Tyler employs this new application is his travel blog, dubbed GeoBlog, www.michaeltyler.co.uk. The GeoBlog lets visitors know exactly where specific tourism features are, as well as dining and accommodation locations. Some of the great random views and general wildlife spotting opportunities are to be found in the first GeoBlog series on New Zealand. Michael Tyler explains, “Relaying information through an easy-to-use, interactive interface has increased the session lengths of visitors by 300 percent. Since the Google Map mod was added to the header, visit times have gone up from an average of 20 seconds to over 3 minutes. Some visitors stay on the site for hours, browsing through all the pictures from the various places I’ve visited. The technology is out there; with sites like GPS Visualizer, Google Maps and Yahoo’s Flickr and with digital cameras and mobile phones with cameras, plus Google’s recent announcement of the inclusion of GeoRSS standard feeds, anyone can log, create simple maps let visitors know what they’ve being doing and where they’ve been doing it.” To see Michael Tyler's GeoBlog, complete with GPS enhanced visualized locations, please visit www.michaeltyler.co.uk. Contact: |
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Google goes back to pre-Katrina maps
location based services
NEW ORLEANS - Google's popular map portal has replaced post-Hurricane Katrina satellite imagery with pictures taken before the storm, leaving locals feeling like they're in a time loop and even fueling suspicions of a conspiracy.
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Scroll across the city and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and everything is back to normal: Marinas are filled with boats, bridges are intact and parks are filled with healthy, full-bodied trees.
"Come on," said an incredulous Ruston Henry, president of the economic development association in New Orleans' devastated Lower 9th Ward. "Just put in big bold this: 'Google, don't pull the wool over the world's eyes. Let the truth shine.'"
Chikai Ohazama, a Google Inc. product manager for satellite imagery, said the maps now available are the best the company can offer. Numerous factors decide what goes into the databases, "everything from resolution, to quality, to when the actual imagery was acquired."
He said he was not sure when the current images replaced views of the city taken after Katrina struck Aug. 29, 2005, flooding an estimated 80 percent of New Orleans.
In the images available Thursday, the cranes working to fix the breach of the 17th Street Canal are gone. Blue tarps that covered roofless homes are replaced by shingles. Homes wiped off their foundations are miraculously back in place in the Lower 9th. So, too, is the historic lighthouse on Lake Pontchartrain.
But in the Lower 9th Ward, the truth isn't as pretty, 19 months after Katrina.
"Everything is missing. The people are missing. Nobody is there," Henry said.
After Katrina, Google's satellite images were in high demand among exiles and hurricane victims anxious to see whether their homes were damaged.
The new, virtual Potemkin village is fueling the imagination of locals frustrated with the slow pace of recovery and what they see as attempts by political leaders to paint a rosier picture.
Pete Gerica, a fisherman who lives in eastern New Orleans, said he printed pictures of his waterside homestead from Google to use in his arguments with insurance adjusters.
"I think a lot of stuff they're doing right now is smoke and mirrors because tourism is so off," Gerica said. "It might be somebody's weird spin on things looking better."
Henry also wondered whether Google's motives might be less than pure.
"Is Google part of the conspiracy?" he said. "Why these images of pre-Katrina? Seems mighty curious."
Ceeon Quiett, spokeswoman for Mayor Ray Nagin, said that as far as she knew, the city did not request the map change.
"My first reaction was, that's a bit problematic," she said.
Ohazama, the Google product manager, said he "personally" was not asked by city or state officials to change the imagery, but he added that Google gets many requests from users and governments to update and change its imagery.
Google has become a go-to service for people looking for up-close satellite imagery.
"I use it on a regular basis in my class," said Craig Colten, a geographer at Louisiana State University who has written extensively on New Orleans. He called Google's switch "unbelievable."
"I'm sure the mayor is thrilled," he quipped.
___
On the Net:
location based services
NEW ORLEANS - Google's popular map portal has replaced post-Hurricane Katrina satellite imagery with pictures taken before the storm, leaving locals feeling like they're in a time loop and even fueling suspicions of a conspiracy.
ADVERTISEMENT
Scroll across the city and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and everything is back to normal: Marinas are filled with boats, bridges are intact and parks are filled with healthy, full-bodied trees.
"Come on," said an incredulous Ruston Henry, president of the economic development association in New Orleans' devastated Lower 9th Ward. "Just put in big bold this: 'Google, don't pull the wool over the world's eyes. Let the truth shine.'"
Chikai Ohazama, a Google Inc. product manager for satellite imagery, said the maps now available are the best the company can offer. Numerous factors decide what goes into the databases, "everything from resolution, to quality, to when the actual imagery was acquired."
He said he was not sure when the current images replaced views of the city taken after Katrina struck Aug. 29, 2005, flooding an estimated 80 percent of New Orleans.
In the images available Thursday, the cranes working to fix the breach of the 17th Street Canal are gone. Blue tarps that covered roofless homes are replaced by shingles. Homes wiped off their foundations are miraculously back in place in the Lower 9th. So, too, is the historic lighthouse on Lake Pontchartrain.
But in the Lower 9th Ward, the truth isn't as pretty, 19 months after Katrina.
"Everything is missing. The people are missing. Nobody is there," Henry said.
After Katrina, Google's satellite images were in high demand among exiles and hurricane victims anxious to see whether their homes were damaged.
The new, virtual Potemkin village is fueling the imagination of locals frustrated with the slow pace of recovery and what they see as attempts by political leaders to paint a rosier picture.
Pete Gerica, a fisherman who lives in eastern New Orleans, said he printed pictures of his waterside homestead from Google to use in his arguments with insurance adjusters.
"I think a lot of stuff they're doing right now is smoke and mirrors because tourism is so off," Gerica said. "It might be somebody's weird spin on things looking better."
Henry also wondered whether Google's motives might be less than pure.
"Is Google part of the conspiracy?" he said. "Why these images of pre-Katrina? Seems mighty curious."
Ceeon Quiett, spokeswoman for Mayor Ray Nagin, said that as far as she knew, the city did not request the map change.
"My first reaction was, that's a bit problematic," she said.
Ohazama, the Google product manager, said he "personally" was not asked by city or state officials to change the imagery, but he added that Google gets many requests from users and governments to update and change its imagery.
Google has become a go-to service for people looking for up-close satellite imagery.
"I use it on a regular basis in my class," said Craig Colten, a geographer at Louisiana State University who has written extensively on New Orleans. He called Google's switch "unbelievable."
"I'm sure the mayor is thrilled," he quipped.
___
On the Net:
Subcommittee criticizes Google images
location based services
NEW ORLEANS - Google's replacement of post-Hurricane Katrina satellite imagery on its map portal with images of the region before the storm does a "great injustice" to the storm's victims, a congressional subcommittee said. oversight on Friday asked Google Inc. Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt to explain why his company is using the outdated imagery.
The subcommittee cited an Associated Press report on the images.
"Google's use of old imagery appears to be doing the victims of Hurricane Katrina a great injustice by airbrushing history," subcommittee chairman Brad Miller D-N.C., wrote in a letter to Schmidt.
Swapping the post-Katrina images and the ruin they revealed for others showing an idyllic city dumbfounded many locals and even sparked suspicions that the company and civic leaders were conspiring to portray the area's recovery progressing better than it is.
Andrew Kovacs, a Google spokesman, said the company had received the letter but Schmidt had no immediate response.
After Katrina, Google's satellite images were in high demand among exiles and hurricane victims anxious to see whether their homes were damaged.
Now, though, a virtual trip through New Orleans is a surreal experience of scrolling across a landscape of packed parking lots and marinas full of boats.
Reality, of course, is very different: Entire neighborhoods are now slab mosaics where houses once stood and shopping malls, churches and marinas are empty of life, many gone altogether.
John Hanke, Google's director for maps and satellite imagery, said "a combination of factors including imagery date, resolution, and clarity" go into deciding what imagery to provide.
"The latest update from one of our information providers substantially improved the imagery detail of the New Orleans area," Hanke said in a news release about the switch.
Kovacs said efforts are under way to use more current imagery.
It was not clear when the current images replaced views of the city taken after Katrina struck Aug. 29, 2005, flooding an estimated 80 percent of New Orleans.
Miller asked Google to brief his staff by April 6 on who made the decision to replace the imagery with pre-Katrina images, and to disclose if Google was contacted by the city, the
U.S. Geological Survey or any other government entity about changing the imagery."To use older, pre-Katrina imagery when more recent images are available without some explanation as to why appears to be fundamentally dishonest," Miller said.
Edith Holleman, staff counsel for the House subcommittee, said it would be useful to understand how Google acquires and manages its imagery because "people see Google and other Internet engines and it's almost like the official word."
Google does provide imagery of New Orleans and the region following Katrina through its more specialized service called Google Earth.
___
Mobile Presence: The Essential Attributes
location based servicesMy mobile lets me reach others and be reached anywhere I go. But I’m not satisfied. I want to know whether the people I’m trying to reach are reachable. I want to let people know when I’m not reachable, and what form of communication I prefer when they’re trying to reach me.
Mobile presence is coming to a phone near you. The following is my quick list of 10 go-to attributes for an effective mobile presence system:
1. Presence should not be interruptive.
My last post was on Twitter. ‘Nuff said.
2. Users must set/maintain their own presence information.
Maintaining one’s presence status is a subset of maintaining one’s mobile identity. Unless we’re willing to allow the ads of the future to call out to us by name (cue Minority Report) then we can’t allow the phone to automatically set our presence based on phone activity.
Like instant messaging, mobile presence should allow the user to control which groups of people are allowed to see their presence information. More on this later.
3. Setting presence should be quick, simple, and easy.
Access to setting presence needs to be in a high traffic area of the phone. The idle screen provides an ideal opportunity, and could be designed to be accessible within a few keypresses - but could is this also be an opportunity for a hardware rocker key?
4. Presence should accommodate for a contact’s different phones.
Mobile address books are designed to manage multiple phone numbers for your contacts. So when displaying presence, the UI should allow for a different status for each phone number on record.
Imagine a wired phone (office phone, home phone) with green and red buttons on it, which a user could quickly tap to indicate whether they are present or not. If a call comes in when the phone number is shown as unavailable, it would not be a surprise when it goes right to voicemail.
5. Presence should allow users to display different statuses to different groups.
It’s not hard to imagine a scenario in which you might need to display different status messages to user groups in your contacts list. You want to tell your friends “Skiing in Tahoe - Call me!” while you want your boss to see “Home sick in bed - Voicemail please.”
6. Mobile presence should include communication preference.
With the diverse ways we can communicate today, there should be a quick way to define how you wish to be reached. Here’s a rough syntax:
[name] [context/status msg] [communication preference]
Jared is at a movie. SMS OK
Jared is in a meeting. Do Not Disturb
Jared is in a meeting. Voice calls OK
7. Presence should include a universal visual/icon system for quick reference.
The syntax above may be a little verbose, but an accompanying color and icon system could effectlvely boil it down for quick reference. Green and red are easy go-to colors, but another color will likely be needed when presence information is blocked or not available. In either case, there’s also an opportunity for a series of visual icons that can lend additional information about the contact’s physical or social context.
8. Presence should allow connections to other mobile services.
Mobile presence can get especially useful when you start to see connections into other phone services such as Location Based Services. I might like to tell my phone to set my presence toward certain work groups to “Unavailable - Voicemail please” when I’m home.
9. Presence information should be seen anywhere a contact is referenced in the mobile UI.
We access our contacts through many touchpoints. Whether via the Contacts list or Messaging Inboxes, every reference to a contact should include a quick reference to their availability.
10. Presence should be maintained by a non-carrier third party.
How many users in your address book are on other carriers? Should it matter? If presence information were maintained by a third party instead of separate carriers using their own closed, propietary system, all carriers could plug into an open standard and users everywhere would benefit.
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User Insights , M
Easy Walk aims to give blind people greater independence
Geoff Adams-Spink, the age and disability correspondent on the BBC News website joins the programme to discuss his navigation of the streets of Turin.
Whilst in the northern Italian city, Geoff tried out a GPS system called Easy Walk, aimed at people with visual impairment.
Britain releases GPS co-ordinates of captured sailors
The British Government has released GPS co-ordinates which it says proves that the 15 military personnel captured by Iran last week were in Iraqi waters.
The British sailors and marines were detained in the Arabian Gulf after searching a merchant vessel.
Iran claims they had illegally entered Iranian waters, but the British Government has insisted that they were in Iraqi territory at all times.
It said today that GPS co-ordinates showed the British vessels were 1.7 nautical miles inside the Iraqi section of the Shatt al Arab waterway, which forms the border between Iraq and Iran.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Alinta Takeover - David Llewellyn, MHA
Minister for Energy, David Llewellyn, expects today’s takeover of Alinta by Babcock and Brown in conjunction with Singapore Power will not have any impact on Alinta’s Tasmanian contracts.
"This is exactly the same scenario as when Duke sold its Australian assets to Alinta including the Tasmanian natural gas pipeline," Mr Llewellyn said.
"In fact this news is very positive for Tasmania since Babcock and Brown is greatly increasing its investment in the State.
"It reinforces their commitment and presence in Tasmania, with these acquisitions building on their original Powerco gas distribution business.
"It demonstrates BNB’s confidence in Tasmania as they will now have a portfolio of gas assets ranging from transmission, to distribution through to power generation," Mr Llewellyn said.
Minister for Energy, David Llewellyn, expects today’s takeover of Alinta by Babcock and Brown in conjunction with Singapore Power will not have any impact on Alinta’s Tasmanian contracts.
"This is exactly the same scenario as when Duke sold its Australian assets to Alinta including the Tasmanian natural gas pipeline," Mr Llewellyn said.
"In fact this news is very positive for Tasmania since Babcock and Brown is greatly increasing its investment in the State.
"It reinforces their commitment and presence in Tasmania, with these acquisitions building on their original Powerco gas distribution business.
"It demonstrates BNB’s confidence in Tasmania as they will now have a portfolio of gas assets ranging from transmission, to distribution through to power generation," Mr Llewellyn said.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
NOKia Selects Tele Atlas Connect for N95 to Provide Global Maps to Wireless Users
location based services
Orlando, FL, CTIA Wireless 2007, March 27, 2007 ? Tele Atlas (FSE: TA6, EUNV: TA), a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location-based solutions, today announced the availability of Tele Atlas Connect(TM), which provides digital map coverage for more than 140 countries. A complement to the company?s comprehensive MultiNet(TM) global digital map database, Tele Atlas Connect has already been selected by Nokia for the N95 multimedia device, which is the first product to leverage the data and help users initiate local searches all over the world. Tele Atlas Connect features basic mapping and routing functionalities, including cross-border routing, and is intended to provide partners with a single, seamless global coverage solution for digital map and location-based applications. Designed to simplify development, Tele Atlas Connect is geometrically and logically seamed with the MultiNet database and is available in standard database formats to ensure ease-of-use. ?Our partners are seeking broader coverage solutions in order to strengthen their own products and meet the demands of their increasingly global markets,? said Basak Ozer, vice president, global product marketing, Tele Atlas. ?With the introduction of Tele Atlas Connect, we continue to deliver on our commitment to providing global digital map data solutions that help enable business users and consumers find more of what they need, wherever they may be.? Tele Atlas Connect is now available in limited release for partner application developers and device manufacturers in the Internet, wireless, GIS, fleet/logistics, utilities, personal navigation and automotive markets. The general release of Tele Atlas Connect is scheduled to be available later this year. About Tele AtlasTele Atlas delivers the digital maps and dynamic content that power some of the world?s most essential navigation and location-based services. The information is the foundation for a wide range of personal and in-car navigation systems and mobile and Internet map applications that help users find the people, places, products and services they need, wherever they are. We also work with business partners who trust our digital map data to deliver critical applications for emergency, business, fleet and infrastructure services. Founded in 1984, the company provides maps covering 64 countries around the world. Tele Atlas has approximately 2,400 full-time staff and contract cartographers at offices in 24 countries and uses a sophisticated network of professional drivers, mobile mapping vans and more than 50,000 data resources to deliver highly accurate and up-to-date digital maps. Tele Atlas is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (TA6) and on Euronext Amsterdam (TA). For more information, visit www.teleatlas.com.
Next >
location based services
Orlando, FL, CTIA Wireless 2007, March 27, 2007 ? Tele Atlas (FSE: TA6, EUNV: TA), a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location-based solutions, today announced the availability of Tele Atlas Connect(TM), which provides digital map coverage for more than 140 countries. A complement to the company?s comprehensive MultiNet(TM) global digital map database, Tele Atlas Connect has already been selected by Nokia for the N95 multimedia device, which is the first product to leverage the data and help users initiate local searches all over the world. Tele Atlas Connect features basic mapping and routing functionalities, including cross-border routing, and is intended to provide partners with a single, seamless global coverage solution for digital map and location-based applications. Designed to simplify development, Tele Atlas Connect is geometrically and logically seamed with the MultiNet database and is available in standard database formats to ensure ease-of-use. ?Our partners are seeking broader coverage solutions in order to strengthen their own products and meet the demands of their increasingly global markets,? said Basak Ozer, vice president, global product marketing, Tele Atlas. ?With the introduction of Tele Atlas Connect, we continue to deliver on our commitment to providing global digital map data solutions that help enable business users and consumers find more of what they need, wherever they may be.? Tele Atlas Connect is now available in limited release for partner application developers and device manufacturers in the Internet, wireless, GIS, fleet/logistics, utilities, personal navigation and automotive markets. The general release of Tele Atlas Connect is scheduled to be available later this year. About Tele AtlasTele Atlas delivers the digital maps and dynamic content that power some of the world?s most essential navigation and location-based services. The information is the foundation for a wide range of personal and in-car navigation systems and mobile and Internet map applications that help users find the people, places, products and services they need, wherever they are. We also work with business partners who trust our digital map data to deliver critical applications for emergency, business, fleet and infrastructure services. Founded in 1984, the company provides maps covering 64 countries around the world. Tele Atlas has approximately 2,400 full-time staff and contract cartographers at offices in 24 countries and uses a sophisticated network of professional drivers, mobile mapping vans and more than 50,000 data resources to deliver highly accurate and up-to-date digital maps. Tele Atlas is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (TA6) and on Euronext Amsterdam (TA). For more information, visit www.teleatlas.com.
Next >
Business Outlook — Whither Personal Navigation? - GPS World
Navigation is hands-down the top dog in location-based services. 2006 sales of portable nav systems in the United States finished somewhere north of 2.5 million, more than double 2005 sales. Betting that the past is prelude to the future, many analysts project a similarly rosy increase in 2007 for personal navigation devices (PNDs).
North American Sales of Portable Naviagaion DevicesWhile navigation is a location-based service, it differs from the other services such as tracking, mobile resource management, mobile commerce, social networking, and so on, because it enables or enhances many of these other services. Therefore, navigation should increase demand for these other services. But the tail sometimes wags the dog — especially if it is a long tail.
One of the more intriguing location-based services is social networking. This has the explosive growth potential of text messaging or MySpace. Especially interesting is that it involves a demographic group not strongly represented in navigation system sales. One big reason: price. This year, PND prices, on average, seem to have dropped several hundred dollars. But $499 or even $399 is still a big bite for most 18–25 year olds.
Text messaging is a crude form of social networking, but better solutions are on the way. The New York Times recently highlighted two new social networking services worth noting: Boost Mobile, Sprint's pay-as-you-go subsidiary, and Loopt's (yes, Loopt) recently unveiled Boost Loopt. Earlier, SK Telecom, the top Korean cellular carrier, and Earthlink teamed up to introduce Helio.
The idea of social networking is not new. In Helio's implementation, one of your circle of friends or associates can map out your location (along with the locations of up to 25 other friends), assuming you want to be seen. Boost's Loopt offers its members the option of continually tracking each other at designated intervals.
North American Factory-Installed Vehicle Navigaion System SalesSome obvious concerns arise, such as stalking, perhaps by a spurned group member, or by someone finding a lost phone, or someone hacking into the system. Still, these possibilities will not likely deter the service's adoption if the perceived value is high enough, at least in this demographic group.
Price poses a bigger problem. Helio's Drift phone runs $225, along with a service plan. Boost has something of advantage. Its service is only $2.29 per month. It also requires a phone, but its phones are pay-as-you-go, which generally are cheaper. Unlike text messaging, there is no interoperability between carriers; the entire group of friends would have to have the same brand of phone. Text messaging began the same way, but interoperability is more problematical with GPS. Phone companies are very protective of location for a number of reasons, not the least of which is potential liability.
If social networking gets off the ground in a big way, it could fuel demand for navigation, or more precisely, directions. After all, directions could be very useful for finding your friends, as are directions to gas stations with lower prices. In navigation, there is no killer app, just death by a thousands cuts. As Wired editor Chris Anderson puts it, "the future of business is selling less of more."
By this logic, Nokia is on the right track with its plan to provide GPS, maps, and text directions for "free" on its cell phones (Nokia has taken to calling its high-end phones like the 95 "multimedia computers," with some justification). Someone has to pay for those maps and directions, but it's not inconceivable that it could very well be the merchant eager to give directions to the store — turn-by-turn, text-to-speech directions even.
Navigation in the future shapes up as a battle between PNDs and high-end, tricked-out, very smart phones. The PNDs that survive will have to take on the characteristics of the phones. Maybe, in the end, everything will be a diminutive multimedia computer. It's possible that's what convinced Philips Electronics not to enter the PND market after all.
– Mike Sheldrick Editor, LBS Insider e-newsletter
Navigation is hands-down the top dog in location-based services. 2006 sales of portable nav systems in the United States finished somewhere north of 2.5 million, more than double 2005 sales. Betting that the past is prelude to the future, many analysts project a similarly rosy increase in 2007 for personal navigation devices (PNDs).
North American Sales of Portable Naviagaion DevicesWhile navigation is a location-based service, it differs from the other services such as tracking, mobile resource management, mobile commerce, social networking, and so on, because it enables or enhances many of these other services. Therefore, navigation should increase demand for these other services. But the tail sometimes wags the dog — especially if it is a long tail.
One of the more intriguing location-based services is social networking. This has the explosive growth potential of text messaging or MySpace. Especially interesting is that it involves a demographic group not strongly represented in navigation system sales. One big reason: price. This year, PND prices, on average, seem to have dropped several hundred dollars. But $499 or even $399 is still a big bite for most 18–25 year olds.
Text messaging is a crude form of social networking, but better solutions are on the way. The New York Times recently highlighted two new social networking services worth noting: Boost Mobile, Sprint's pay-as-you-go subsidiary, and Loopt's (yes, Loopt) recently unveiled Boost Loopt. Earlier, SK Telecom, the top Korean cellular carrier, and Earthlink teamed up to introduce Helio.
The idea of social networking is not new. In Helio's implementation, one of your circle of friends or associates can map out your location (along with the locations of up to 25 other friends), assuming you want to be seen. Boost's Loopt offers its members the option of continually tracking each other at designated intervals.
North American Factory-Installed Vehicle Navigaion System SalesSome obvious concerns arise, such as stalking, perhaps by a spurned group member, or by someone finding a lost phone, or someone hacking into the system. Still, these possibilities will not likely deter the service's adoption if the perceived value is high enough, at least in this demographic group.
Price poses a bigger problem. Helio's Drift phone runs $225, along with a service plan. Boost has something of advantage. Its service is only $2.29 per month. It also requires a phone, but its phones are pay-as-you-go, which generally are cheaper. Unlike text messaging, there is no interoperability between carriers; the entire group of friends would have to have the same brand of phone. Text messaging began the same way, but interoperability is more problematical with GPS. Phone companies are very protective of location for a number of reasons, not the least of which is potential liability.
If social networking gets off the ground in a big way, it could fuel demand for navigation, or more precisely, directions. After all, directions could be very useful for finding your friends, as are directions to gas stations with lower prices. In navigation, there is no killer app, just death by a thousands cuts. As Wired editor Chris Anderson puts it, "the future of business is selling less of more."
By this logic, Nokia is on the right track with its plan to provide GPS, maps, and text directions for "free" on its cell phones (Nokia has taken to calling its high-end phones like the 95 "multimedia computers," with some justification). Someone has to pay for those maps and directions, but it's not inconceivable that it could very well be the merchant eager to give directions to the store — turn-by-turn, text-to-speech directions even.
Navigation in the future shapes up as a battle between PNDs and high-end, tricked-out, very smart phones. The PNDs that survive will have to take on the characteristics of the phones. Maybe, in the end, everything will be a diminutive multimedia computer. It's possible that's what convinced Philips Electronics not to enter the PND market after all.
– Mike Sheldrick Editor, LBS Insider e-newsletter
http://www.wirelessdevnet.com/news/2007/mar/29/news1.html
Handango Enables Smartphone Content Providers to Increase Revenue Through Subscription Billing Printer Friendly
location based services
ORLANDO, FL (CTIA WIRELESS 2007, Booth #4748) - Handango, the world's leading provider of smartphone content, today announced successful results of its ongoing subscription billing services. Handango is helping more mobile content providers than ever adopt subscription-based billing models, a strategy that is quickly gaining popularity as evidenced by an almost 600 percent lift in subscription revenue through Handango sales channels from 2005 to 2006. By the end of the first quarter of 2007, Handango projects a quarter-on-quarter earnings increase of 37 percent. Through the use of Handango's proprietary Mobile Billing Application Programming Interface (API), top content providers have seamlessly integrated subscription billing methods into their business models, resulting in a continuous increase in sales and revenue since launching their products through Handango. Handango's Mobile Billing API enables content providers to build on-device subscription management into their products. Capabilities include:
Establishing a billing frequency (monthly, quarterly or annually)
Creating or cancelling a secure subscription plan through the Web or directly from the device
Creating and tracking unique subscriber IDs
Storing and managing subscriber account information
Checking status of a specific subscriber in real-time Ideal applications for Handango's subscription billing functionality include those with on-demand content that periodically integrate information from other sources, such as news feeds, weather, financial data and multiplayer games. For example, The Weather Channel uses Handango to manage recurring subscriptions for Handango customers who receive local weather updates directly on their smartphones."Subscription services are an integral part of our mobile strategy," said Traci Van Deventer, director of mobile products at The Weather Channel. "With Handango handling some of our subscription billing, our smartphone subscribers are automatically billed monthly or annually for The Weather Channel application, allowing us to maintain a long-term customer relationship instead of offering a one-time download. It's a smart business model for us because customers rely on The Weather Channel for information that is constantly updated and easily accessible."Companies including Concrete Software, Inc.; RealDice, Inc.; Cerience Corporation; and Webmessenger, Inc. have integrated Handango's Mobile Billing API directly into their applications. Unique identifiers coupled with secure DRM encryption allow the companies to verify the status of a customer's subscription against Handango's server each time the application is accessed. MobiTV, the industry-leading mobile and broadband television and music service provider, created an application that allows consumers to access live television just like at home, and it quickly became one of Handango's best selling titles. This type of application with dynamic content lends itself well to a subscription-based model."Handango's no-hassle billing solution allows our subscribers to watch their favorite television shows without worrying about payment options," said Jason Taylor, worldwide director of corporate communications for MobiTV. "I think we'd all rather be watching our favorite primetime TV shows than worrying about paying another bill."Handango's subscription-based content sales in Q4 2006 and Q1 2007 exceeded the previous seven quarters combined. Handango reports that content providers can rely on an average of 8-12 months of revenue per subscription application download, which typically generates more lifetime revenue per customer when compared to one-time application purchases."Subscription billing is an important part of our commitment to continuously improve the consumer experience," said Randy Eisenman, chief executive officer of Handango. "With the significant rise in mobile commerce and service-fed applications, we see a clear indication of increased consumer confidence in mobile applications and billing. Offering a subscription plan that content providers can individually manage is great for the consumer but even better for content developers who can now benefit from a recurring revenue stream."For more information on Handango's subscription billing services visit www.handango.com/mobilebilling.About HandangoHandango is the leading provider of smartphone content globally. Leveraging its network of more than 16,000 content partners and its vast distribution network, Handango seamlessly delivers the smartphone marketplace to millions of consumers on the Web and from the device. Handango's market-leading content delivery platform, Handango AMPP, is the platform of choice for numerous mobile industry leaders including Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung, RIM, HP, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, Cingular Wireless, Telefónica Móviles and AOL. By delivering intuitive and compelling consumer experiences, Handango has become the trusted source for millions of smartphone users around the world. For more information, visit http://corp.handango.com.
Handango Enables Smartphone Content Providers to Increase Revenue Through Subscription Billing Printer Friendly
location based services
ORLANDO, FL (CTIA WIRELESS 2007, Booth #4748) - Handango, the world's leading provider of smartphone content, today announced successful results of its ongoing subscription billing services. Handango is helping more mobile content providers than ever adopt subscription-based billing models, a strategy that is quickly gaining popularity as evidenced by an almost 600 percent lift in subscription revenue through Handango sales channels from 2005 to 2006. By the end of the first quarter of 2007, Handango projects a quarter-on-quarter earnings increase of 37 percent. Through the use of Handango's proprietary Mobile Billing Application Programming Interface (API), top content providers have seamlessly integrated subscription billing methods into their business models, resulting in a continuous increase in sales and revenue since launching their products through Handango. Handango's Mobile Billing API enables content providers to build on-device subscription management into their products. Capabilities include:
Establishing a billing frequency (monthly, quarterly or annually)
Creating or cancelling a secure subscription plan through the Web or directly from the device
Creating and tracking unique subscriber IDs
Storing and managing subscriber account information
Checking status of a specific subscriber in real-time Ideal applications for Handango's subscription billing functionality include those with on-demand content that periodically integrate information from other sources, such as news feeds, weather, financial data and multiplayer games. For example, The Weather Channel uses Handango to manage recurring subscriptions for Handango customers who receive local weather updates directly on their smartphones."Subscription services are an integral part of our mobile strategy," said Traci Van Deventer, director of mobile products at The Weather Channel. "With Handango handling some of our subscription billing, our smartphone subscribers are automatically billed monthly or annually for The Weather Channel application, allowing us to maintain a long-term customer relationship instead of offering a one-time download. It's a smart business model for us because customers rely on The Weather Channel for information that is constantly updated and easily accessible."Companies including Concrete Software, Inc.; RealDice, Inc.; Cerience Corporation; and Webmessenger, Inc. have integrated Handango's Mobile Billing API directly into their applications. Unique identifiers coupled with secure DRM encryption allow the companies to verify the status of a customer's subscription against Handango's server each time the application is accessed. MobiTV, the industry-leading mobile and broadband television and music service provider, created an application that allows consumers to access live television just like at home, and it quickly became one of Handango's best selling titles. This type of application with dynamic content lends itself well to a subscription-based model."Handango's no-hassle billing solution allows our subscribers to watch their favorite television shows without worrying about payment options," said Jason Taylor, worldwide director of corporate communications for MobiTV. "I think we'd all rather be watching our favorite primetime TV shows than worrying about paying another bill."Handango's subscription-based content sales in Q4 2006 and Q1 2007 exceeded the previous seven quarters combined. Handango reports that content providers can rely on an average of 8-12 months of revenue per subscription application download, which typically generates more lifetime revenue per customer when compared to one-time application purchases."Subscription billing is an important part of our commitment to continuously improve the consumer experience," said Randy Eisenman, chief executive officer of Handango. "With the significant rise in mobile commerce and service-fed applications, we see a clear indication of increased consumer confidence in mobile applications and billing. Offering a subscription plan that content providers can individually manage is great for the consumer but even better for content developers who can now benefit from a recurring revenue stream."For more information on Handango's subscription billing services visit www.handango.com/mobilebilling.About HandangoHandango is the leading provider of smartphone content globally. Leveraging its network of more than 16,000 content partners and its vast distribution network, Handango seamlessly delivers the smartphone marketplace to millions of consumers on the Web and from the device. Handango's market-leading content delivery platform, Handango AMPP, is the platform of choice for numerous mobile industry leaders including Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung, RIM, HP, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, Cingular Wireless, Telefónica Móviles and AOL. By delivering intuitive and compelling consumer experiences, Handango has become the trusted source for millions of smartphone users around the world. For more information, visit http://corp.handango.com.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
A list of Google Maps mashup blogs
location based services
Google Maps Mania isn't the only blog in the blogosphere providing examples of Google Maps mashups. Here is a list of other Google Maps focussed blogs from around the world:
Official Google Maps API Blog
Mapperz - A general Google Maps (mashup) blog based in the UK with significant content from that region.
Mibazaar - A current events blog Google Maps in its posts.
SinGeo - All things Google Maps and Earth for Singapore!
RenaLId - A Google Maps Blog covering French mashups and news
Nederkaart - The Dutch Google Maps Mania
Google Karten - The central resource for all German Google Maps mashups and news
Google Mapping Blog - Italian Google Maps Mashup Blog
Belgeoblog - Belgian Google Earth and Maps blog
The Unofficial Hungarian Google Maps API Blog - catering to the Hungarian Google Maps API enthusiasts!Other great blogs providing Google Maps content from time to time:ProgrammableWeb Blog, Google Earth Blog, OgleEarth, The Map Room, All Points Blog, MAPtrix, Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local SearchDoes your Google Maps mashup, tool or application have it's own blog? It's a great way to journal updates you make for your users and also allows you to provide content to your users (links, YouTube videos etc..) that might match the themes of your mashup (eg: news, YouTube clips, commentary etc). Here are some good examples:
Atlas Mapping Tool Blog
Community Walk Blog
Platial Blog
FindByClick Blog
Matt's Wikimapia BlogDo you maintain a blog with a high level of Google Maps content, or does your Google Maps mashup have its own blog? If so, please post a comment to promote it here!
location based services
Google Maps Mania isn't the only blog in the blogosphere providing examples of Google Maps mashups. Here is a list of other Google Maps focussed blogs from around the world:
Official Google Maps API Blog
Mapperz - A general Google Maps (mashup) blog based in the UK with significant content from that region.
Mibazaar - A current events blog Google Maps in its posts.
SinGeo - All things Google Maps and Earth for Singapore!
RenaLId - A Google Maps Blog covering French mashups and news
Nederkaart - The Dutch Google Maps Mania
Google Karten - The central resource for all German Google Maps mashups and news
Google Mapping Blog - Italian Google Maps Mashup Blog
Belgeoblog - Belgian Google Earth and Maps blog
The Unofficial Hungarian Google Maps API Blog - catering to the Hungarian Google Maps API enthusiasts!Other great blogs providing Google Maps content from time to time:ProgrammableWeb Blog, Google Earth Blog, OgleEarth, The Map Room, All Points Blog, MAPtrix, Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local SearchDoes your Google Maps mashup, tool or application have it's own blog? It's a great way to journal updates you make for your users and also allows you to provide content to your users (links, YouTube videos etc..) that might match the themes of your mashup (eg: news, YouTube clips, commentary etc). Here are some good examples:
Atlas Mapping Tool Blog
Community Walk Blog
Platial Blog
FindByClick Blog
Matt's Wikimapia BlogDo you maintain a blog with a high level of Google Maps content, or does your Google Maps mashup have its own blog? If so, please post a comment to promote it here!
Yahoo! Trailblazes With Its New Mobile Publisher Services
location based services
Posted by Blake Robinson
Yahoo! has announced a new service that will be kind of a big deal for the mobile arena. Yahoo! Mobile Publisher Services is a suite of services designed to enable publishers to increase the discovery, distribution and monetization of their content on mobile phones. The suite is comprised of Yahoo! Mobile Ad Network, Mobile Content Engine, Mobile Media Directory and Mobile Site Submit. That’s a lot of mobile, so let’s take a look at what each of these products do.
The Yahoo! Mobile Ad Network aims to make it easy for mobile publishers to have syndicated advertising served along with their mobile content and services. Publishers are allowed a large degree of control over the the ads displayed along with their content — the service gives them options to adjust ad formats (display settings, etc.), sponsored links and video or in-game placement.
Launch partners include MobiTV, Opera and Go2, with more advertisers expected to sign on in the coming months. Y! has stated that the first round of advertisements will go live in the second quarter of 2007.
The services focus squarely on aiding mobile producers in their quest to distribute their wares. Chief amongst these offerings is the Mobile Content Engine, a product that greatly improves burgeoning developers’ chances of proliferating their content. The service provides producers of mobile content with the ability to make their content discoverable through Yahoo! oneSearch.
Yahoo! Mobile Content Engine is steered by the feature-set of Mobile Media Directory. This one is pretty transparent, but don’t think that somehow doesn’t diminish its value to the suite or the developers or, most of all, the consumer. Through the utilization of the Mobile Media Directory, Yahoo! Publisher Suite has taken a decisive step toward embracing user-driven mobile content. It provides an easy path for publishers to make their mobile media content accessible directly through oneSearch.
The service combines Yahoo!’s editorial knowledge and earch technology, as well as rating and reviews from Yahoo! community members, to push quality content along the path to recognition. For instance, information from a mobile game publisher could be made readily available through Mobile Media Directory. The data could show ratings and reviews that set it apart from competitors and direct people to the publisher’s mobile site where the games are available for demo or purchase.
Rounding out the Publisher Services is Yahoo! Mobile Site Submit.From what I gather, this is essentially a method of efficiently marking mobile sites for indexing by oneSearch. It can apply descriptions and relevant tags to content so that it can deciphered accurately and delivered to consumers in an effective matter.
It is important to consider the relationship of oneSearch and Publisher Services. The oneSearch service is Yahoo! premier method of mobile content distribution. By opening it up to mobile publishers Yahoo! is answering the call for decentralized, universal information that was sounded with the birth of the Internet and has carried through to present times with blogs, vlogs, any other type of log, and now, mobile content.
As innocuous as this may seem, this is a vital movement in the charge toward the independence of information. Before the Mobile Web has even really cleared the gate, Yahoo! has developed a mechanism for users to conveniently distribute and monetize their content. Not even considering its wireless availability, the Mobile Web is quickly being positioned at the center of technological world of tomorrow.
This is a pivotal moment for Yahoo! It has struggled for some time with its identity and ways to distinguish itself from the juggernaut that is Google search. A continued play at content delivery and a broadening of its scope as a information hub, rather than just an index, is undoubtedly an imperative step toward realizing its goals and seizing share from soon to be wildly active market before it comes too saturated.
Yahoo! Mobile Publisher ServicesYahoo! oneSearch
location based services
Posted by Blake Robinson
Yahoo! has announced a new service that will be kind of a big deal for the mobile arena. Yahoo! Mobile Publisher Services is a suite of services designed to enable publishers to increase the discovery, distribution and monetization of their content on mobile phones. The suite is comprised of Yahoo! Mobile Ad Network, Mobile Content Engine, Mobile Media Directory and Mobile Site Submit. That’s a lot of mobile, so let’s take a look at what each of these products do.
The Yahoo! Mobile Ad Network aims to make it easy for mobile publishers to have syndicated advertising served along with their mobile content and services. Publishers are allowed a large degree of control over the the ads displayed along with their content — the service gives them options to adjust ad formats (display settings, etc.), sponsored links and video or in-game placement.
Launch partners include MobiTV, Opera and Go2, with more advertisers expected to sign on in the coming months. Y! has stated that the first round of advertisements will go live in the second quarter of 2007.
The services focus squarely on aiding mobile producers in their quest to distribute their wares. Chief amongst these offerings is the Mobile Content Engine, a product that greatly improves burgeoning developers’ chances of proliferating their content. The service provides producers of mobile content with the ability to make their content discoverable through Yahoo! oneSearch.
Yahoo! Mobile Content Engine is steered by the feature-set of Mobile Media Directory. This one is pretty transparent, but don’t think that somehow doesn’t diminish its value to the suite or the developers or, most of all, the consumer. Through the utilization of the Mobile Media Directory, Yahoo! Publisher Suite has taken a decisive step toward embracing user-driven mobile content. It provides an easy path for publishers to make their mobile media content accessible directly through oneSearch.
The service combines Yahoo!’s editorial knowledge and earch technology, as well as rating and reviews from Yahoo! community members, to push quality content along the path to recognition. For instance, information from a mobile game publisher could be made readily available through Mobile Media Directory. The data could show ratings and reviews that set it apart from competitors and direct people to the publisher’s mobile site where the games are available for demo or purchase.
Rounding out the Publisher Services is Yahoo! Mobile Site Submit.From what I gather, this is essentially a method of efficiently marking mobile sites for indexing by oneSearch. It can apply descriptions and relevant tags to content so that it can deciphered accurately and delivered to consumers in an effective matter.
It is important to consider the relationship of oneSearch and Publisher Services. The oneSearch service is Yahoo! premier method of mobile content distribution. By opening it up to mobile publishers Yahoo! is answering the call for decentralized, universal information that was sounded with the birth of the Internet and has carried through to present times with blogs, vlogs, any other type of log, and now, mobile content.
As innocuous as this may seem, this is a vital movement in the charge toward the independence of information. Before the Mobile Web has even really cleared the gate, Yahoo! has developed a mechanism for users to conveniently distribute and monetize their content. Not even considering its wireless availability, the Mobile Web is quickly being positioned at the center of technological world of tomorrow.
This is a pivotal moment for Yahoo! It has struggled for some time with its identity and ways to distinguish itself from the juggernaut that is Google search. A continued play at content delivery and a broadening of its scope as a information hub, rather than just an index, is undoubtedly an imperative step toward realizing its goals and seizing share from soon to be wildly active market before it comes too saturated.
Yahoo! Mobile Publisher ServicesYahoo! oneSearch
NAVTEQ Announced Winners of the Global LBS Challenge(R) - The Americas
location based services
Sixteen Semifinalists in the Americas Region Showcased at CTIA Wireless
2007 in Orlando, Florida
leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and
location-based solutions, announced the winners of the NAVTEQ Global LBS
Challenge - The Americas today at CTIA Wireless 2007. The Global LBS
Challenge is the wireless industry's premier program driving the next
generation of location-based services and products. Developers from around
the world have entered LBS applications that work on portable devices using
wireless technology and NAVTEQ(R) map data to compete for a global prize
pool valued up to $2 million. Sixteen semifinalist companies were selected
to advance to the final judging where they were evaluated by a panel of
industry experts based on each competitor's commercial viability, unique
functionality and features, and ease of use.
During today's Global LBS Challenge Awards Ceremony, three Category
winners and a Grand Prize winner were named in the following four
categories: Business, Entertainment & Leisure, Navigation and Social
Networking.
The grand-prize winner and Business Application Category Winner, ComVu
Media Inc., received $50,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of NAVTEQ map data
licenses for up to one year. ComVu Media's application, ComVu
PocketCaster(TM) GPS, leverages cameraphones with integrated GPS receiver
to create an easy 'one-button' mobile Webcasting. It automatically embeds
date, time and GPS data in a live video stream, and archives it. Location
data can be viewed dynamically on maps, while the video is streaming. The
ComVu PocketCaster GPS is powered by OPENWAVE.
Each category winner, excluding the Grand Prize Winner, received
$10,000 in cash and $75,000 worth of NAVTEQ map data licenses for up to one
year.
The Category Winners are:
Entertainment & Leisure Application
TikGames' GeoChief is a social networking game in which individual
players interface by way of a blog. The application allows users on the go
to create blogs, track routes, and navigate anywhere with multiple tools
such as compass and altimeter. TikGames was also a category winner in last
year's LBS Challenge in Europe. GeoChief is powered by Autodesk.
Navigation Application
ParkWhiz Inc.'s Mobile Parking Information Search helps consumers find
parking information about their surrounding area. While on the go, users
have access to available parking information including prices, distance
away, and hours of operation -- drivers even have the ability to reserve a
parking space. The ParkWhiz application is powered by Autodesk.
Social Networking Application
Jentro Technologies GmbH's activepilot offers local search, car and
pedestrian off board navigation with traffic avoidance and spoken street
names, traffic information on commute routes, public transportation and
flight information, personal security and community services information.
Jentro won the Grand Prize for the European LBS Challenge just this past
February. Activepilot is powered by PTV.
Nokia globally sponsored the Global LBS Challenge for the second
consecutive year and provided LBS contestants from both Europe and The
Americas with access to resources from Forum Nokia -- Nokia's global
developer program. Sponsors for the Global LBS Challenge - The Americas
included Autodesk, deCarta, ESRI, KnowledgeWhere, Garmin, LOC-AID, Motodev,
Networks in Motion, OPENWAVE, and SiRF Technology. Sponsors offered free
access to tools, platforms and support to Global LBS Challenge developers
in the Americas region.
"The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge, along with its industry-leading
sponsors, combines critical developmental support and business
opportunities to create a world-class environment that leverages the demand
for location- aware applications on wireless devices," commented Winston
Guillory, Senior Vice President, Consumer and Enterprise, NAVTEQ. "Past
winners have experienced great commercial success, and we anticipate
unprecedented accomplishments from this years' semifinalists. NAVTEQ
congratulates the winners of the Global LBS Challenge - the Americas, and
expresses our gratitude to the judges and sponsors that continue to help
drive innovation and growth in this vital market."
"Nokia is pleased to again be the global sponsor of this important
program, and commends NAVTEQ for its commitment to encourage the
development and emergence of inventive location-aware solutions," stated
Nasser Iravani, Director, Forum Nokia - Americas. "The Global LBS Challenge
creates an outlet for the developer community to gain unique industry
access and exposure, and its success can be seen in the prevalence of
wireless location and navigation services available today. The innovation
seen in the applications demonstrated today is truly exciting --
congratulations to all of the winners."
About the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge
First launched in 2003, the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge is focused on
driving the development and visibility of innovative navigation solutions
for wireless devices. From wireless business applications to sports, travel
and security, integrating the accuracy and richness of NAVTEQ digital map
data facilitates the timely evolution of the next wave LBS using wireless
position technology (GPS).
European Global LBS Challenge winners were named in February at 3GSM
World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. More information regarding next year's
Global LBS Challenge will be available in the upcoming months at
http://www.LBSChallenge.com .
About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information
for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices,
Internet-based mapping applications, and government and business solutions.
NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and
location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based
company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 2,200 employees located
in 144 offices in 27 countries.
NAVTEQ and Global LBS Challenge are trademarks in the U.S. and other
countries.
This document may include certain "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans,
objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in
this press release that are not historical facts and statements identified
by words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes,"
"seeks," "estimates" or words of similar meaning. The statements are based
on our current beliefs or expectations and are inherently subject to
various risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under "Item 1A.
Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2006, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to
changes in global political, economic, business, competitive, market and
regulatory factors. NAVTEQ does not undertake any obligation to update any
location based services
Sixteen Semifinalists in the Americas Region Showcased at CTIA Wireless
2007 in Orlando, Florida
leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and
location-based solutions, announced the winners of the NAVTEQ Global LBS
Challenge - The Americas today at CTIA Wireless 2007. The Global LBS
Challenge is the wireless industry's premier program driving the next
generation of location-based services and products. Developers from around
the world have entered LBS applications that work on portable devices using
wireless technology and NAVTEQ(R) map data to compete for a global prize
pool valued up to $2 million. Sixteen semifinalist companies were selected
to advance to the final judging where they were evaluated by a panel of
industry experts based on each competitor's commercial viability, unique
functionality and features, and ease of use.
During today's Global LBS Challenge Awards Ceremony, three Category
winners and a Grand Prize winner were named in the following four
categories: Business, Entertainment & Leisure, Navigation and Social
Networking.
The grand-prize winner and Business Application Category Winner, ComVu
Media Inc., received $50,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of NAVTEQ map data
licenses for up to one year. ComVu Media's application, ComVu
PocketCaster(TM) GPS, leverages cameraphones with integrated GPS receiver
to create an easy 'one-button' mobile Webcasting. It automatically embeds
date, time and GPS data in a live video stream, and archives it. Location
data can be viewed dynamically on maps, while the video is streaming. The
ComVu PocketCaster GPS is powered by OPENWAVE.
Each category winner, excluding the Grand Prize Winner, received
$10,000 in cash and $75,000 worth of NAVTEQ map data licenses for up to one
year.
The Category Winners are:
Entertainment & Leisure Application
TikGames' GeoChief is a social networking game in which individual
players interface by way of a blog. The application allows users on the go
to create blogs, track routes, and navigate anywhere with multiple tools
such as compass and altimeter. TikGames was also a category winner in last
year's LBS Challenge in Europe. GeoChief is powered by Autodesk.
Navigation Application
ParkWhiz Inc.'s Mobile Parking Information Search helps consumers find
parking information about their surrounding area. While on the go, users
have access to available parking information including prices, distance
away, and hours of operation -- drivers even have the ability to reserve a
parking space. The ParkWhiz application is powered by Autodesk.
Social Networking Application
Jentro Technologies GmbH's activepilot offers local search, car and
pedestrian off board navigation with traffic avoidance and spoken street
names, traffic information on commute routes, public transportation and
flight information, personal security and community services information.
Jentro won the Grand Prize for the European LBS Challenge just this past
February. Activepilot is powered by PTV.
Nokia globally sponsored the Global LBS Challenge for the second
consecutive year and provided LBS contestants from both Europe and The
Americas with access to resources from Forum Nokia -- Nokia's global
developer program. Sponsors for the Global LBS Challenge - The Americas
included Autodesk, deCarta, ESRI, KnowledgeWhere, Garmin, LOC-AID, Motodev,
Networks in Motion, OPENWAVE, and SiRF Technology. Sponsors offered free
access to tools, platforms and support to Global LBS Challenge developers
in the Americas region.
"The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge, along with its industry-leading
sponsors, combines critical developmental support and business
opportunities to create a world-class environment that leverages the demand
for location- aware applications on wireless devices," commented Winston
Guillory, Senior Vice President, Consumer and Enterprise, NAVTEQ. "Past
winners have experienced great commercial success, and we anticipate
unprecedented accomplishments from this years' semifinalists. NAVTEQ
congratulates the winners of the Global LBS Challenge - the Americas, and
expresses our gratitude to the judges and sponsors that continue to help
drive innovation and growth in this vital market."
"Nokia is pleased to again be the global sponsor of this important
program, and commends NAVTEQ for its commitment to encourage the
development and emergence of inventive location-aware solutions," stated
Nasser Iravani, Director, Forum Nokia - Americas. "The Global LBS Challenge
creates an outlet for the developer community to gain unique industry
access and exposure, and its success can be seen in the prevalence of
wireless location and navigation services available today. The innovation
seen in the applications demonstrated today is truly exciting --
congratulations to all of the winners."
About the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge
First launched in 2003, the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge is focused on
driving the development and visibility of innovative navigation solutions
for wireless devices. From wireless business applications to sports, travel
and security, integrating the accuracy and richness of NAVTEQ digital map
data facilitates the timely evolution of the next wave LBS using wireless
position technology (GPS).
European Global LBS Challenge winners were named in February at 3GSM
World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. More information regarding next year's
Global LBS Challenge will be available in the upcoming months at
http://www.LBSChallenge.com .
About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information
for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices,
Internet-based mapping applications, and government and business solutions.
NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and
location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based
company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 2,200 employees located
in 144 offices in 27 countries.
NAVTEQ and Global LBS Challenge are trademarks in the U.S. and other
countries.
This document may include certain "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans,
objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in
this press release that are not historical facts and statements identified
by words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes,"
"seeks," "estimates" or words of similar meaning. The statements are based
on our current beliefs or expectations and are inherently subject to
various risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under "Item 1A.
Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2006, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to
changes in global political, economic, business, competitive, market and
regulatory factors. NAVTEQ does not undertake any obligation to update any
Location-based services enhance metro offerings
-->Municipalities are poised to make increasing use of location-based services as more and more wireless networks come online. New applications which identify the location of a Wi-Fi device are beginning to enter the market. NAVTEQ, which provides digital maps for vehicular GPS navigation systems, and Skyhook Wireless, which makes software positioning systems for Wi-Fi devices, this week announced NAVTEQ will resell Skyhook’s software with its maps. Skyhook’s products leverage metro Wi-Fi networks, using databases of known Wi-Fi access points around the cities to pinpoint the precise location of Wi-Fi devices that are logged into them. What I find interesting is the range of applications that are starting to evolve—from public safety applications that help first responders pinpoint the location of contacts made via Wi-Fi phones to services provided to tourists in the area. This is not the first time that NAVTEQ has partnered with Skyhook. The companies worked together on ReignCom's iriver W10 which uses Skyhook’s technology with a pedestrian guide from NAVTEQ to give mobile consumers access to information on sites, hotels, restaurants and other amenities in a city. Click here to read the companies’ press release.
-->Municipalities are poised to make increasing use of location-based services as more and more wireless networks come online. New applications which identify the location of a Wi-Fi device are beginning to enter the market. NAVTEQ, which provides digital maps for vehicular GPS navigation systems, and Skyhook Wireless, which makes software positioning systems for Wi-Fi devices, this week announced NAVTEQ will resell Skyhook’s software with its maps. Skyhook’s products leverage metro Wi-Fi networks, using databases of known Wi-Fi access points around the cities to pinpoint the precise location of Wi-Fi devices that are logged into them. What I find interesting is the range of applications that are starting to evolve—from public safety applications that help first responders pinpoint the location of contacts made via Wi-Fi phones to services provided to tourists in the area. This is not the first time that NAVTEQ has partnered with Skyhook. The companies worked together on ReignCom's iriver W10 which uses Skyhook’s technology with a pedestrian guide from NAVTEQ to give mobile consumers access to information on sites, hotels, restaurants and other amenities in a city. Click here to read the companies’ press release.
Maps, games lead location-based services apps
Location-based services, like so many emerging technologies in the wireless space, for years have been on the cusp of widespread use among mobile-phone users. With more global positioning system-enabled handsets coming to market and more tech companies launching LBS applications that exploit previously untapped uses or enhance mapping applications, LBS is poised to make significant headway and account for even more data use in the wireless world this year.Many carriers now offer GPS applications to their customers, and free applications such as Google Inc.’s Google Maps for mobile are increasingly finding their way onto cellphone users’ handsets. The opportunities presented by the technology run the gamut; meanwhile, growth continues in both the consumer and business segments, however consumer-minded products seem to be taking up more ink these days. With the LBS market expected to exceed $1 billion in the United States by 2008, you can be sure countless companies are vying for a piece of the pie before it’s fully risen. Indeed, the power plays—acquisitions, mergers and consolidation—have already begun. The LBS space is filled with more than a half-dozen pure-play mobile developers while Internet behemoths Google and Yahoo! Inc. continue to gain traction as they expand into wireless mapping solutions. Some of those companies are finally gaining interest among carriers, as many are inking deals to provide their applications on their growing suites of GPS-enabled handsets. Still, others are making their applications available for free—taking their product directly to the end user. Nokia Corp. recently made smart2go available as a free download to a variety of smartphones. The mobile navigation platform delivers mapping and routing information in more than 150 countries and supports turn-by-turn satellite navigation in 30 markets. The platform also allows users to download maps for quicker availability.Although GPS technology has been around for years, companies in the field are approaching the industry as if a glass ceiling is hovering above it all. TeleCommunication Systems Inc. recently landed a patent that promises to determine a wireless subscriber’s location more quickly and reliably than traditional methods. According to the company, there are 29 satellites in the GPS network and each orbits the Earth approximately six times a day. The new application will reportedly deliver better data after it receives a list of satellites within range and prioritize the service for which can provide the most accurate location. In a move sure to generate interest through the halls of CTIA this week, Florida-based LOC-AID Technologies Inc. is introducing a live, location-aware game that gives conference attendees the chance to win a $10,000 cash grand prize. Once registered via text message, attendees will receive trivia questions as they move from location to location within the conference hall. The two-stage event will whittle down the field of participants at the CTIA show over Tuesday and Wednesday to the top 10 finalists, who will compete throughout Orlando on Thursday. The “Dash for Cash” event will highlight location-aware mobile marketing opportunities with a treasure hunt theme that aims to introduce location-based promotions, scavenger hunts or point-to-point chases to potential clients. “LOC-AID’s objective in hosting the game is to showcase our creative application for LBS, and more importantly to explode the notion that LBS is just for navigation or family/friend finders,” the company’s CEO Isaias Sudit said. LG Electronics Inc., Qualcomm Inc., NAVTEQ and Intrado Inc. are co-sponsoring the event and instructions for the competition will be available at each of the sponsors’ booths at the show.If not through the swarm of carriers bringing LBS to their customers or the developers looking to generate interest and use among mobile-phone users directly, the trend toward increased growth in this sector was only further validated by a recent report by ABI Research that forecast that at least a quarter of all 3G GSM-based handsets will offer GPS by the end of 2008. While many argue, rightly so, that LBS is more than mapping data and the like, it’s clear that GPS will continue to be the front runner as this technology continues to come to the wireless industry in sets of waves.
Location-based services, like so many emerging technologies in the wireless space, for years have been on the cusp of widespread use among mobile-phone users. With more global positioning system-enabled handsets coming to market and more tech companies launching LBS applications that exploit previously untapped uses or enhance mapping applications, LBS is poised to make significant headway and account for even more data use in the wireless world this year.Many carriers now offer GPS applications to their customers, and free applications such as Google Inc.’s Google Maps for mobile are increasingly finding their way onto cellphone users’ handsets. The opportunities presented by the technology run the gamut; meanwhile, growth continues in both the consumer and business segments, however consumer-minded products seem to be taking up more ink these days. With the LBS market expected to exceed $1 billion in the United States by 2008, you can be sure countless companies are vying for a piece of the pie before it’s fully risen. Indeed, the power plays—acquisitions, mergers and consolidation—have already begun. The LBS space is filled with more than a half-dozen pure-play mobile developers while Internet behemoths Google and Yahoo! Inc. continue to gain traction as they expand into wireless mapping solutions. Some of those companies are finally gaining interest among carriers, as many are inking deals to provide their applications on their growing suites of GPS-enabled handsets. Still, others are making their applications available for free—taking their product directly to the end user. Nokia Corp. recently made smart2go available as a free download to a variety of smartphones. The mobile navigation platform delivers mapping and routing information in more than 150 countries and supports turn-by-turn satellite navigation in 30 markets. The platform also allows users to download maps for quicker availability.Although GPS technology has been around for years, companies in the field are approaching the industry as if a glass ceiling is hovering above it all. TeleCommunication Systems Inc. recently landed a patent that promises to determine a wireless subscriber’s location more quickly and reliably than traditional methods. According to the company, there are 29 satellites in the GPS network and each orbits the Earth approximately six times a day. The new application will reportedly deliver better data after it receives a list of satellites within range and prioritize the service for which can provide the most accurate location. In a move sure to generate interest through the halls of CTIA this week, Florida-based LOC-AID Technologies Inc. is introducing a live, location-aware game that gives conference attendees the chance to win a $10,000 cash grand prize. Once registered via text message, attendees will receive trivia questions as they move from location to location within the conference hall. The two-stage event will whittle down the field of participants at the CTIA show over Tuesday and Wednesday to the top 10 finalists, who will compete throughout Orlando on Thursday. The “Dash for Cash” event will highlight location-aware mobile marketing opportunities with a treasure hunt theme that aims to introduce location-based promotions, scavenger hunts or point-to-point chases to potential clients. “LOC-AID’s objective in hosting the game is to showcase our creative application for LBS, and more importantly to explode the notion that LBS is just for navigation or family/friend finders,” the company’s CEO Isaias Sudit said. LG Electronics Inc., Qualcomm Inc., NAVTEQ and Intrado Inc. are co-sponsoring the event and instructions for the competition will be available at each of the sponsors’ booths at the show.If not through the swarm of carriers bringing LBS to their customers or the developers looking to generate interest and use among mobile-phone users directly, the trend toward increased growth in this sector was only further validated by a recent report by ABI Research that forecast that at least a quarter of all 3G GSM-based handsets will offer GPS by the end of 2008. While many argue, rightly so, that LBS is more than mapping data and the like, it’s clear that GPS will continue to be the front runner as this technology continues to come to the wireless industry in sets of waves.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
SKorea's LG to install Google on millions of phones
location based services
SEOUL (AFP) -
South Korea' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> South Korea's LG Electronics said Wednesday it has reached a deal with the world's leading search engine Google to pre-install its services on millions of mobile phones.
Mobile users worldwide will be able easily to search for information, find locations, update blogs and manage e-mail while on the move, LG said in a statement.
"LG's mobile devices, combined with Google, will provide consumers with easy access to their favourite Internet services even without a PC, and make it easy for them to stay connected while in motion," Paul Bae, vice president of product planning at LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, said.
Selected LG handsets, pre-installed with Google products and services, will be shipped globally in the second quarter. They will offer one-click access to Google's search engine as well as Google maps, Gmail and Blogger Mobile.
Samsung Electronics in January signed a similar pact with Google
location based services
SEOUL (AFP) -
South Korea' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> South Korea's LG Electronics said Wednesday it has reached a deal with the world's leading search engine Google to pre-install its services on millions of mobile phones.
Mobile users worldwide will be able easily to search for information, find locations, update blogs and manage e-mail while on the move, LG said in a statement.
"LG's mobile devices, combined with Google, will provide consumers with easy access to their favourite Internet services even without a PC, and make it easy for them to stay connected while in motion," Paul Bae, vice president of product planning at LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, said.
Selected LG handsets, pre-installed with Google products and services, will be shipped globally in the second quarter. They will offer one-click access to Google's search engine as well as Google maps, Gmail and Blogger Mobile.
Samsung Electronics in January signed a similar pact with Google
AAA and Networks In Motion Announce First GPS-Enabled Navigation System for Mobile Phones with Integrated Roadside Assistance
location based services
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AAA, North America’s foremost motoring and leisure travel organization, and Networks In Motion (NIM), the award-winning wireless navigation and location-based services (LBS) company, today announced an industry first in mobile phone-based GPS navigation and travel assistance. A new application called AAA Mobile, powered by the NIM LBS platform, transforms the mobile phone into a powerful navigation device and travel companion.
AAA Mobile subscribers can use their mobile phone to receive visual and audible directions to any travel destination in the U.S.; locate AAA Approved® points of interest (POIs), including Diamond Rated® hotels and restaurants; and find locations that offer AAA member savings. Subscribers can review detailed AAA descriptions for POIs on their phone, receive a map showing a destination on the mobile phone screen, and bookmark locations as favorites for quick recall in future.
When users experience vehicle difficulties, AAA Mobile streamlines access to AAA’s Roadside Assistance service. The press of a single button on the phone sends the phone’s GPS location to AAA and connects the user with AAA for quick and reliable roadside assistance services.
AAA Mobile’s main menu provides users with the option to:
Navigate to a destination using turn-by-turn directions with audible prompts and automatic rerouting if customers miss a turn;
Search for AAA-inspected POIs from AAA’s travel-tested TourBook® guide listings, and navigate to the selected location;
Search for other POIs such as ATMs, gas stations and theaters; and
View maps of selected locations, and store destinations in “My Places” for quick recall.
“Unlike navigation devices that must be outdoors to work, AAA Mobile uses assisted GPS technology that allows users to find a route or get a map while sitting in a covered parking lot or meeting room,” said Marshall L. Doney, Vice President of Automotive Services for AAA. “AAA Mobile always has up-to-date maps and listings of restaurants and other businesses, eliminating the need to purchase software upgrades or maps for new cities.”
Subscribers can search by category, such as hotel or restaurant, for the closest locations or those that match all or part of a business name entered using the keyboard. AAA Mobile users can view a map of their current location, another address, an intersection, an airport, a recently searched location or a bookmarked location. Pan and zoom functions allow users to scroll to a place on the map, search for a nearby business, or request a route to that location, as well as save that location for future reference.
“The ability to find AAA Approved locations, determine a property’s Diamond Rating or transmit your GPS location directly to AAA for roadside assistance takes mobile phone applications to the next level. It’s a convenience car travelers won’t want to be without,” said Doug Antone, President and CEO for Networks In Motion. “AAA Mobile combines a personal concierge and GPS navigation capabilities in one device – a mobile phone that’s always carried with you – and a subscription that is more affordable than an in-car navigation system or personal navigation device.”
AAA is currently in discussions with major US wireless carriers, with availability of AAA Mobile projected for the second half of 2007. Please visit us at CTIA Booth #217 for further information or to see a demonstration of AAA Mobile.
About Networks In Motion
Networks In Motion™ (NIM) is an award-winning wireless navigation and LBS Company, with products that are built on a foundation of strategic patents, scalable and extensible server network, advanced mapping technology and integration with emerging wireless and positioning technologies. Founded in 2000, the company is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif. More information is available at http://www.networksinmotion.com.
About AAA
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 50 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.
location based services
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AAA, North America’s foremost motoring and leisure travel organization, and Networks In Motion (NIM), the award-winning wireless navigation and location-based services (LBS) company, today announced an industry first in mobile phone-based GPS navigation and travel assistance. A new application called AAA Mobile, powered by the NIM LBS platform, transforms the mobile phone into a powerful navigation device and travel companion.
AAA Mobile subscribers can use their mobile phone to receive visual and audible directions to any travel destination in the U.S.; locate AAA Approved® points of interest (POIs), including Diamond Rated® hotels and restaurants; and find locations that offer AAA member savings. Subscribers can review detailed AAA descriptions for POIs on their phone, receive a map showing a destination on the mobile phone screen, and bookmark locations as favorites for quick recall in future.
When users experience vehicle difficulties, AAA Mobile streamlines access to AAA’s Roadside Assistance service. The press of a single button on the phone sends the phone’s GPS location to AAA and connects the user with AAA for quick and reliable roadside assistance services.
AAA Mobile’s main menu provides users with the option to:
Navigate to a destination using turn-by-turn directions with audible prompts and automatic rerouting if customers miss a turn;
Search for AAA-inspected POIs from AAA’s travel-tested TourBook® guide listings, and navigate to the selected location;
Search for other POIs such as ATMs, gas stations and theaters; and
View maps of selected locations, and store destinations in “My Places” for quick recall.
“Unlike navigation devices that must be outdoors to work, AAA Mobile uses assisted GPS technology that allows users to find a route or get a map while sitting in a covered parking lot or meeting room,” said Marshall L. Doney, Vice President of Automotive Services for AAA. “AAA Mobile always has up-to-date maps and listings of restaurants and other businesses, eliminating the need to purchase software upgrades or maps for new cities.”
Subscribers can search by category, such as hotel or restaurant, for the closest locations or those that match all or part of a business name entered using the keyboard. AAA Mobile users can view a map of their current location, another address, an intersection, an airport, a recently searched location or a bookmarked location. Pan and zoom functions allow users to scroll to a place on the map, search for a nearby business, or request a route to that location, as well as save that location for future reference.
“The ability to find AAA Approved locations, determine a property’s Diamond Rating or transmit your GPS location directly to AAA for roadside assistance takes mobile phone applications to the next level. It’s a convenience car travelers won’t want to be without,” said Doug Antone, President and CEO for Networks In Motion. “AAA Mobile combines a personal concierge and GPS navigation capabilities in one device – a mobile phone that’s always carried with you – and a subscription that is more affordable than an in-car navigation system or personal navigation device.”
AAA is currently in discussions with major US wireless carriers, with availability of AAA Mobile projected for the second half of 2007. Please visit us at CTIA Booth #217 for further information or to see a demonstration of AAA Mobile.
About Networks In Motion
Networks In Motion™ (NIM) is an award-winning wireless navigation and LBS Company, with products that are built on a foundation of strategic patents, scalable and extensible server network, advanced mapping technology and integration with emerging wireless and positioning technologies. Founded in 2000, the company is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif. More information is available at http://www.networksinmotion.com.
About AAA
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 50 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.
Garmin Mobile(TM) Adds More Features, Content to Cell Phones
location based services
OLATHE, Kan., March 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. , today announced new features and content for select mobile phones equipped with Garmin Mobile -- a subscription-based, feature-rich application delivering maps, directions and turn-by-turn navigation on mobile phones. The new services are available now at no additional cost to customers.
Adding Garmin Mobile to cell phones transforms the phone into a high-end personal navigation device," said Charles Morse, Garmin's director of mobile and PND marketing. "Customers who have experienced Garmin Mobile know that it simplifies travel at home and afar. Plus, it's one of the most affordable ways to enjoy the benefits of GPS navigation with real-time traffic info, fuel prices, weather forecasts and hotel prices."Hotel information and discounted room rates are the newest content additions to Garmin Mobile. From the smallest inns to the world's largest resorts, Garmin Mobile customers can use their phone to search and access information for over 70,000 hotels. Hotel information is provided by Hotels.com and includes the hotel's discounted room rate, ranking, description, amenities and location. Once a customer selects a hotel on the phone, they can immediately call Hotels.com who makes the reservation at the reduced room rate. Garmin Mobile users can then receive turn-by-turn directions to the property with a few keystrokes. In addition, Garmin Mobile still provides numerous other dynamic content features -- weather conditions and forecasts, real-time fuel prices and traffic at no additional cost to the subscriber.
Forge valuable relationships at The World's Only IP Communications Development Event. Communications Developer Conference is May 15-17, 2007 in Santa Clara.
Where do you stand on selecting sofware products? Take a quick survey to voice your opinion.
Forge valuable relationships at The World's Only IP Communications Development Event. Communications Developer Conference is May 15-17, 2007 in Santa Clara.
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Garmin Mobile also offers several new customizable options such as 3D mapping, "find along route" and route preferences. The 3D navigation perspective allows a user to choose between a 3D map representation that displays an uncluttered view of the road ahead or the more traditional "birds eye" view. The "find along route" option is a timesaving feature that makes it easy to find destinations along the current route such as restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and gas stations. For additional customization and route optimization, users can select how they are traveling -- car, bicycle, taxi, foot and more -- and Garmin Mobile will calculate the most efficient route based upon the mode of transportation.Garmin Mobile includes highly detailed street maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The database features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. Map data is provided by NAVTEQ(TM) -- a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Garmin Mobile maps are server-based and give consumers the most recent mapping available.Customers have unlimited access to all Garmin Mobile content -- which includes fuel prices, weather conditions and forecasts, traffic content and hotel information -- for just $9.99 per month. Garmin Mobile is currently available on select Sprint and Nextel mobile phones. Some Garmin Mobile features may vary based on the phone's capabilities. For more information on Garmin Mobile, visit http://mobile.garmin.com/.Garmin International Inc. is a member of the Garmin Ltd. group of companies, which designs and manufactures navigation, communication and information devices -- most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin is a leader in the general aviation and consumer GPS markets and its products serve aviation, marine, outdoor recreation, automotive, wireless and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at http://www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin is a registered trademark and Garmin Mobile is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Anticipated product availability dates are based on management's current expectations and are not guaranteed.All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.Notice on forward-looking statements:This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company's future product introductions and expected product availability dates are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2006 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 000-31983). A copy of Garmin's Form 10-K can be downloaded at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061026/CGTH082LOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.comGarmin International Inc.CONTACT: Ted Gartner or Jessica Myers, both of Garmin InternationalInc., +1-913-397-8200, media.relations@garmin.comWeb site: http://www.garmin.com/
location based services
OLATHE, Kan., March 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. , today announced new features and content for select mobile phones equipped with Garmin Mobile -- a subscription-based, feature-rich application delivering maps, directions and turn-by-turn navigation on mobile phones. The new services are available now at no additional cost to customers.
Adding Garmin Mobile to cell phones transforms the phone into a high-end personal navigation device," said Charles Morse, Garmin's director of mobile and PND marketing. "Customers who have experienced Garmin Mobile know that it simplifies travel at home and afar. Plus, it's one of the most affordable ways to enjoy the benefits of GPS navigation with real-time traffic info, fuel prices, weather forecasts and hotel prices."Hotel information and discounted room rates are the newest content additions to Garmin Mobile. From the smallest inns to the world's largest resorts, Garmin Mobile customers can use their phone to search and access information for over 70,000 hotels. Hotel information is provided by Hotels.com and includes the hotel's discounted room rate, ranking, description, amenities and location. Once a customer selects a hotel on the phone, they can immediately call Hotels.com who makes the reservation at the reduced room rate. Garmin Mobile users can then receive turn-by-turn directions to the property with a few keystrokes. In addition, Garmin Mobile still provides numerous other dynamic content features -- weather conditions and forecasts, real-time fuel prices and traffic at no additional cost to the subscriber.
Forge valuable relationships at The World's Only IP Communications Development Event. Communications Developer Conference is May 15-17, 2007 in Santa Clara.
Where do you stand on selecting sofware products? Take a quick survey to voice your opinion.
Forge valuable relationships at The World's Only IP Communications Development Event. Communications Developer Conference is May 15-17, 2007 in Santa Clara.
Have an opinion on software products? Customer Interaction Solutions wants to know what you think. Take this brief survey.
num = 'num' + ran_number;
show(num);
if(num == 'num1' num == 'num3')
{
document.write('');
}
Garmin Mobile also offers several new customizable options such as 3D mapping, "find along route" and route preferences. The 3D navigation perspective allows a user to choose between a 3D map representation that displays an uncluttered view of the road ahead or the more traditional "birds eye" view. The "find along route" option is a timesaving feature that makes it easy to find destinations along the current route such as restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and gas stations. For additional customization and route optimization, users can select how they are traveling -- car, bicycle, taxi, foot and more -- and Garmin Mobile will calculate the most efficient route based upon the mode of transportation.Garmin Mobile includes highly detailed street maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The database features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. Map data is provided by NAVTEQ(TM) -- a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Garmin Mobile maps are server-based and give consumers the most recent mapping available.Customers have unlimited access to all Garmin Mobile content -- which includes fuel prices, weather conditions and forecasts, traffic content and hotel information -- for just $9.99 per month. Garmin Mobile is currently available on select Sprint and Nextel mobile phones. Some Garmin Mobile features may vary based on the phone's capabilities. For more information on Garmin Mobile, visit http://mobile.garmin.com/.Garmin International Inc. is a member of the Garmin Ltd. group of companies, which designs and manufactures navigation, communication and information devices -- most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin is a leader in the general aviation and consumer GPS markets and its products serve aviation, marine, outdoor recreation, automotive, wireless and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at http://www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin is a registered trademark and Garmin Mobile is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Anticipated product availability dates are based on management's current expectations and are not guaranteed.All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.Notice on forward-looking statements:This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company's future product introductions and expected product availability dates are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2006 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 000-31983). A copy of Garmin's Form 10-K can be downloaded at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061026/CGTH082LOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.comGarmin International Inc.CONTACT: Ted Gartner or Jessica Myers, both of Garmin InternationalInc., +1-913-397-8200, media.relations@garmin.comWeb site: http://www.garmin.com/
EU lawmaker favors opt-in cellular cap - Yahoo! News
location based services
BRUSSELS, Belgium -
European Union' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> European Union legislation creating a compulsory cap on mobile phone roaming charges would lead to a sudden massive drop in network providers' revenues that could cause share prices to plummet, a key EU lawmaker said Tuesday.
Austrian Christian Democrat Paul Ruebig, who is charged with steering the proposed regulation through the European Parliament, said he was in favor of letting consumers decide whether they want to be charged a capped EU-wide tariff for calls made abroad. They also could opt to keep their existing packages with high roaming fees but lower charges on national calls.
Ruebig said an obligatory price ceiling would disrupt mobile phone companies' delicate pricing structures and lead to massive administrative costs because providers would have to restructure the packages they offer to clients — which could lead to the price of domestic calls rising to compensate for the loss of revenue from roaming.
The assembly is preparing for a showdown between center-right and center-left deputies in a May vote on a proposed price ceiling on roaming fees — one of the most lobbied pieces of EU legislation in recent years. EU governments are to decide on it in June, in time for the European summer holiday season.
The EU executive is asking them to support its plan for a compulsory upper limit for how much phone companies can charge customers who use their phones abroad, claiming network providers are reaping massive profits from unjustifiably high roaming charges that can increase call costs fourfold.
A 4-minute call home for a Cypriot in Belgium, for instance, can cost 12 euros ($15.95) and for an Irish visitor in Malta as much as 13.16 euros ($17.49).
The commission wants to cut the cost of mobile phone calls for cross-border travelers by up to 70 percent.
Ruebig said some companies already offer a better deal for roaming than the proposed EU-wide ceiling, set by the
European Commission' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> European Commission, the EU executive, at 50 euro cents ($0.66) per minute for an outgoing call and 25 euro cents ($0.33) per minute for an incoming call.
But Ruebig's argument was rejected by center-left lawmakers and consumer protection organizations, who are in favor of an obligatory tariff cap.
"I can see the point of view of industry — some companies have invested lots of money to put customers on a certain tariff. But we really need to see the interest of the consumer," said Maltese Socialist lawmaker Joseph Muscat.
The EU executive also wants mobile phone companies to give personalized information to customers on what they will be charged if they take their phone abroad to receive or make calls or text messages — a measure supported by Ruebig.
location based services
BRUSSELS, Belgium -
European Union' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> European Union legislation creating a compulsory cap on mobile phone roaming charges would lead to a sudden massive drop in network providers' revenues that could cause share prices to plummet, a key EU lawmaker said Tuesday.
Austrian Christian Democrat Paul Ruebig, who is charged with steering the proposed regulation through the European Parliament, said he was in favor of letting consumers decide whether they want to be charged a capped EU-wide tariff for calls made abroad. They also could opt to keep their existing packages with high roaming fees but lower charges on national calls.
Ruebig said an obligatory price ceiling would disrupt mobile phone companies' delicate pricing structures and lead to massive administrative costs because providers would have to restructure the packages they offer to clients — which could lead to the price of domestic calls rising to compensate for the loss of revenue from roaming.
The assembly is preparing for a showdown between center-right and center-left deputies in a May vote on a proposed price ceiling on roaming fees — one of the most lobbied pieces of EU legislation in recent years. EU governments are to decide on it in June, in time for the European summer holiday season.
The EU executive is asking them to support its plan for a compulsory upper limit for how much phone companies can charge customers who use their phones abroad, claiming network providers are reaping massive profits from unjustifiably high roaming charges that can increase call costs fourfold.
A 4-minute call home for a Cypriot in Belgium, for instance, can cost 12 euros ($15.95) and for an Irish visitor in Malta as much as 13.16 euros ($17.49).
The commission wants to cut the cost of mobile phone calls for cross-border travelers by up to 70 percent.
Ruebig said some companies already offer a better deal for roaming than the proposed EU-wide ceiling, set by the
European Commission' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> European Commission, the EU executive, at 50 euro cents ($0.66) per minute for an outgoing call and 25 euro cents ($0.33) per minute for an incoming call.
But Ruebig's argument was rejected by center-left lawmakers and consumer protection organizations, who are in favor of an obligatory tariff cap.
"I can see the point of view of industry — some companies have invested lots of money to put customers on a certain tariff. But we really need to see the interest of the consumer," said Maltese Socialist lawmaker Joseph Muscat.
The EU executive also wants mobile phone companies to give personalized information to customers on what they will be charged if they take their phone abroad to receive or make calls or text messages — a measure supported by Ruebig.
Shoulder-worn camera acts as a third eye
location based services
A shoulder-mounted camera system that automatically tracks head movements and can recognise hand gestures has been developed by UK researchers. Eventually, they hope the system could identify a wearer's activity and offer assistance, for example by accessing a telephone directory when they reach for the phone.
The collar-mounted camera, developed by Walterio Mayol Cuevas from the University of Bristol, is worn on one shoulder. It is controlled wirelessly from a laptop computer, which uses the camera's output to keep track of objects, map its position and recognise different hand gestures made by the user.
Three separate motors make the camera highly directional, and even allow it to tilt, while inertia sensors are used to keep it pointed correctly while the wearer moves around.
A video shows the the camera following the wearer's gaze using a second camera positioned elsewhere in the room. Another clip shows the camera rapidly mapping the location of different objects in a scene.
To the point
The system can to recognise when the wearer is pointing with a finger, grasping an object or resting their hands on a surface.
Pointing can direct the camera towards a target. Or it can be used to overlay virtual objects on a video picture. This video shows virtual objects being generated and positioned with different hand gestures.
"If you are going to use wearable computers, you cannot use a computer and mouse," Mayol Cuevas says. Instead, users may one day assemble their own "virtual workspace" around them using a wearable computer and a head-mounted display, he suggests.
The ultimate goal is to have the system understand what a person is doing simply by observing their hands. This should be easier than trying to decode everything happening within a scene, says Mayol Cuevas.
"A person's hands are always there to see," he told New Scientist. "I want to have the system use that to tell if you are, say, cooking or eating." This information could warn a computer to reroute phone calls to avoid interruptions, or cause it to bring up information on a computer screen or head-mounted display related to the task in hand.
Capture and go
"A wearable camera can remove the need to explicitly report what you are doing," says Chris Baber is researching wearable cameras at Birmingham University, also in the UK, who was not involved with the work.
Baber is working on another wearable camera system that could offer assistance to people such as police and archaeologists who spend a lot of time producing detailed reports about a location. Police in north England are currently testing a much simpler helmet-mounted camera system that can be used to record evidence.
"A camera can let you capture as much information as possible and assemble it into a report as you go along," he told New Scientist. This could cut the amount time spent filling in forms and make it easier for others to understand the situation.
Baber's system relies on voice commands rather than gestures. "Gesture recognition could be useful though," he says, for example recognising a specific task, like dusting for fingerprints.
location based services
A shoulder-mounted camera system that automatically tracks head movements and can recognise hand gestures has been developed by UK researchers. Eventually, they hope the system could identify a wearer's activity and offer assistance, for example by accessing a telephone directory when they reach for the phone.
The collar-mounted camera, developed by Walterio Mayol Cuevas from the University of Bristol, is worn on one shoulder. It is controlled wirelessly from a laptop computer, which uses the camera's output to keep track of objects, map its position and recognise different hand gestures made by the user.
Three separate motors make the camera highly directional, and even allow it to tilt, while inertia sensors are used to keep it pointed correctly while the wearer moves around.
A video shows the the camera following the wearer's gaze using a second camera positioned elsewhere in the room. Another clip shows the camera rapidly mapping the location of different objects in a scene.
To the point
The system can to recognise when the wearer is pointing with a finger, grasping an object or resting their hands on a surface.
Pointing can direct the camera towards a target. Or it can be used to overlay virtual objects on a video picture. This video shows virtual objects being generated and positioned with different hand gestures.
"If you are going to use wearable computers, you cannot use a computer and mouse," Mayol Cuevas says. Instead, users may one day assemble their own "virtual workspace" around them using a wearable computer and a head-mounted display, he suggests.
The ultimate goal is to have the system understand what a person is doing simply by observing their hands. This should be easier than trying to decode everything happening within a scene, says Mayol Cuevas.
"A person's hands are always there to see," he told New Scientist. "I want to have the system use that to tell if you are, say, cooking or eating." This information could warn a computer to reroute phone calls to avoid interruptions, or cause it to bring up information on a computer screen or head-mounted display related to the task in hand.
Capture and go
"A wearable camera can remove the need to explicitly report what you are doing," says Chris Baber is researching wearable cameras at Birmingham University, also in the UK, who was not involved with the work.
Baber is working on another wearable camera system that could offer assistance to people such as police and archaeologists who spend a lot of time producing detailed reports about a location. Police in north England are currently testing a much simpler helmet-mounted camera system that can be used to record evidence.
"A camera can let you capture as much information as possible and assemble it into a report as you go along," he told New Scientist. This could cut the amount time spent filling in forms and make it easier for others to understand the situation.
Baber's system relies on voice commands rather than gestures. "Gesture recognition could be useful though," he says, for example recognising a specific task, like dusting for fingerprints.
Hi-tech 'threat' to private life
location based services
Bombs triggered by the presence of people with specific biometric traits may soon be feasible, warns a report.
Written by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the report looks at how technology is eroding personal privacy.
It shows how abuse of technology can expose people to harm by, for instance, terrorists crafting bombs that use the biometric data stored on passports to target specific nationalities.
It urges people to get more involved in the ways data about them is gathered.
Fail safe
Professor Nigel Gilbert, one of the report's authors, said the idea was not to scare people but to show what could happen when novel technologies and personal privacy interact.
"No technology is 100% perfect, and no engineer will tell you that any technology is 100% perfect," said Prof Gilbert.
"We need to think very carefully about contingency plans," he said, "about what can go wrong and what we are going to do about it when it does go wrong."
Instead of simply accepting that technology erodes privacy, the report suggests that designers, individuals and governments should work harder to find ways of making life more secure.
For instance, said Prof Gilbert, it is accepted that buying via an electronic transaction means surrendering information that allows an individual to be identified.
Shops only need to know what you bought not who you areIn truth, he said, all a merchant needs is an assurance that the customer is old enough to buy a particular good or service and that they have enough funds to pay.
Similarly with supermarket loyalty cards customers are forced to hand over information that identifies them individually. This is despite the fact, said Prof Gilbert, that all the store really needs to is what items have been bought.
"These are apparently similar things, and are all cases where it would seem people are being required to give up more identifying information than is necessary," he said.
In a bid to combat abuse, the report recommends the creation of a digital charter that outlines the rights an individual has to manage, share and protect the data being collected about them.
Properly engineered technology should increase both privacy and security, said Prof Gilbert.
Among other recommendations, the report calls for the beefing up of penalties for people and companies that flout data protection laws. At the moment, warned the report, the penalties were "close to trivial".
It also calls for people and communities to get involved with the way that data is gathered, and how intrusive technologies are policed.
It suggests that CCTV cameras could be overseen by the communities that serve or the people they watch.
location based services
Bombs triggered by the presence of people with specific biometric traits may soon be feasible, warns a report.
Written by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the report looks at how technology is eroding personal privacy.
It shows how abuse of technology can expose people to harm by, for instance, terrorists crafting bombs that use the biometric data stored on passports to target specific nationalities.
It urges people to get more involved in the ways data about them is gathered.
Fail safe
Professor Nigel Gilbert, one of the report's authors, said the idea was not to scare people but to show what could happen when novel technologies and personal privacy interact.
"No technology is 100% perfect, and no engineer will tell you that any technology is 100% perfect," said Prof Gilbert.
"We need to think very carefully about contingency plans," he said, "about what can go wrong and what we are going to do about it when it does go wrong."
Instead of simply accepting that technology erodes privacy, the report suggests that designers, individuals and governments should work harder to find ways of making life more secure.
For instance, said Prof Gilbert, it is accepted that buying via an electronic transaction means surrendering information that allows an individual to be identified.
Shops only need to know what you bought not who you areIn truth, he said, all a merchant needs is an assurance that the customer is old enough to buy a particular good or service and that they have enough funds to pay.
Similarly with supermarket loyalty cards customers are forced to hand over information that identifies them individually. This is despite the fact, said Prof Gilbert, that all the store really needs to is what items have been bought.
"These are apparently similar things, and are all cases where it would seem people are being required to give up more identifying information than is necessary," he said.
In a bid to combat abuse, the report recommends the creation of a digital charter that outlines the rights an individual has to manage, share and protect the data being collected about them.
Properly engineered technology should increase both privacy and security, said Prof Gilbert.
Among other recommendations, the report calls for the beefing up of penalties for people and companies that flout data protection laws. At the moment, warned the report, the penalties were "close to trivial".
It also calls for people and communities to get involved with the way that data is gathered, and how intrusive technologies are policed.
It suggests that CCTV cameras could be overseen by the communities that serve or the people they watch.
Google phone is talk of the town -
location based services
Google is developing its own mobile phone, according to industry insiders and analysts, while a Google official in Spain last week acknowledged the company is "investigating" such a project.
Google isn't commenting directly on leaks from Europe and the United States which describe a low-cost, internet-connected phone with a colour, wide-screen design. Newspaper and blog reports in recent months have Google shopping its phone design to potential mobile phone manufacturing partners in Asia.
"Mobile is an important area for Google," Google spokeswoman Erin Fors said on Friday. "We remain focused on creating applications and establishing and growing partnerships with industry leaders to develop innovative services for users worldwide. However, we have nothing further to announce."
Gadget enthusiasts who only two months ago were obsessed with the potential revolutionary impact on the phone industry of Apple Inc.'s iPhone device - due out in June and at prices starting at $US500 - have shifted their attention to whether Google is developing an even lower-cost phone.
"We obviously need another mythical mobile to drool over and speculate about - and the natural candidate is, of course, the so-called Google phone," geek hardware site Engadget wrote earlier this month .
To be sure, feverish speculation about Google products has been wrong before. Google was widely reported to be building its own line of personal computers a little over a year ago. What in fact materialised was a set of free software programs designed to make any existing Windows PCs easier to use.
But Richard Windsor, a phone analyst with brokerage Nomura in London, told clients late last week that unspecified Google representatives at a major European conference in Germany had confirmed the company is working on its own phone device.
"Google has come out of the closet at the CeBIT trade fair admitting that it is working on a mobile phone of its own," Windsor said in a note entitled "Google Phone: From myth to reality."
"This is not going to be a high-end device but a mass market device aimed at bringing Google to users who don't have a PC," he said.
Over the past year, Google has branched out beyond computers to bring web search, email, mapping and other web services to millions of new and existing phone browsers worldwide. Rivals Microsoft and Yahoo also are racing to run web services on mobile phones.
Simeon Simeonov, a Boston-based venture capitalist with Polaris Venture Partners, said in a March 4 blog post that an "inside source close to the company" had informed him that Google was developing a "Blackberry-like, slick device."
The device Simeonov describes could handle voice over internet phone-calling. He said it is being developed within a 100-person mobile phone group at Google that includes Andy Rubin, the creator of Sidekick, a popular phone/internet device that he developed at a prior company he founded, Danger Inc.
Lending further clues, Isabel Aguilera, head of Google's Iberian operations, was quoted last week in Spanish news site Noticias.com as acknowledging the existence of a part-time project by some Google engineers to develop a mobile phone.
In her interview at, translated from Spanish, the Google executive said her company "has been investigating" developing a mobile phone that works both as an Internet access device and as a way to extend Internet use to emerging markets customers.
In January, Engadget circulated a photo purporting to be a prototype internet phone with a wide, colour screen designed by Google and built by Samsung Electronics. This unconfirmed report replaced an earlier theory published by The Observer in December that Google was working with Taiwan's High Tech Computer Corp (HTC) on a mobile phone.
A source at a rival internet company who has talked to the same mobile phone manufacturers said on Friday that "Google is going to build their own phone, whether it is with HTC or Samsung or some other ODM (original device manufacturer)."
Windsor, the London-based Nomura analyst who tracks mobile phone handset makers like Nokia of Finland, argues that a Google Phone "will meet with limited success and lose money" because it lacks the necessary phone industry relationships to reach the massive scale needed to compete.
Reuters
location based services
Google is developing its own mobile phone, according to industry insiders and analysts, while a Google official in Spain last week acknowledged the company is "investigating" such a project.
Google isn't commenting directly on leaks from Europe and the United States which describe a low-cost, internet-connected phone with a colour, wide-screen design. Newspaper and blog reports in recent months have Google shopping its phone design to potential mobile phone manufacturing partners in Asia.
"Mobile is an important area for Google," Google spokeswoman Erin Fors said on Friday. "We remain focused on creating applications and establishing and growing partnerships with industry leaders to develop innovative services for users worldwide. However, we have nothing further to announce."
Gadget enthusiasts who only two months ago were obsessed with the potential revolutionary impact on the phone industry of Apple Inc.'s iPhone device - due out in June and at prices starting at $US500 - have shifted their attention to whether Google is developing an even lower-cost phone.
"We obviously need another mythical mobile to drool over and speculate about - and the natural candidate is, of course, the so-called Google phone," geek hardware site Engadget wrote earlier this month .
To be sure, feverish speculation about Google products has been wrong before. Google was widely reported to be building its own line of personal computers a little over a year ago. What in fact materialised was a set of free software programs designed to make any existing Windows PCs easier to use.
But Richard Windsor, a phone analyst with brokerage Nomura in London, told clients late last week that unspecified Google representatives at a major European conference in Germany had confirmed the company is working on its own phone device.
"Google has come out of the closet at the CeBIT trade fair admitting that it is working on a mobile phone of its own," Windsor said in a note entitled "Google Phone: From myth to reality."
"This is not going to be a high-end device but a mass market device aimed at bringing Google to users who don't have a PC," he said.
Over the past year, Google has branched out beyond computers to bring web search, email, mapping and other web services to millions of new and existing phone browsers worldwide. Rivals Microsoft and Yahoo also are racing to run web services on mobile phones.
Simeon Simeonov, a Boston-based venture capitalist with Polaris Venture Partners, said in a March 4 blog post that an "inside source close to the company" had informed him that Google was developing a "Blackberry-like, slick device."
The device Simeonov describes could handle voice over internet phone-calling. He said it is being developed within a 100-person mobile phone group at Google that includes Andy Rubin, the creator of Sidekick, a popular phone/internet device that he developed at a prior company he founded, Danger Inc.
Lending further clues, Isabel Aguilera, head of Google's Iberian operations, was quoted last week in Spanish news site Noticias.com as acknowledging the existence of a part-time project by some Google engineers to develop a mobile phone.
In her interview at, translated from Spanish, the Google executive said her company "has been investigating" developing a mobile phone that works both as an Internet access device and as a way to extend Internet use to emerging markets customers.
In January, Engadget circulated a photo purporting to be a prototype internet phone with a wide, colour screen designed by Google and built by Samsung Electronics. This unconfirmed report replaced an earlier theory published by The Observer in December that Google was working with Taiwan's High Tech Computer Corp (HTC) on a mobile phone.
A source at a rival internet company who has talked to the same mobile phone manufacturers said on Friday that "Google is going to build their own phone, whether it is with HTC or Samsung or some other ODM (original device manufacturer)."
Windsor, the London-based Nomura analyst who tracks mobile phone handset makers like Nokia of Finland, argues that a Google Phone "will meet with limited success and lose money" because it lacks the necessary phone industry relationships to reach the massive scale needed to compete.
Reuters
Monday, March 26, 2007
HTC Advantage is new Windows Mobile from HTC with built-in HDD
location based services
HTC is introudcing a new Windows Mobile device to the American market. The company says the HTC Advantage is developed from the ground up to be extremely portable and to leverage the mobile office strengths of Windows Mobile 6.The device also have advanced wireless connectivity in one of the smallest mobile computer designs available. Users will find the device comes with mobile versions of Microsoft Office applications, including Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile for quick access to email, calendar and contacts. The HTC Advantage includes a thin, magnetically connected QWERTY keyboard and advanced connectivity with tri-band UMTS/HSDPA, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi. In addition, the HTC Advantage enables navigation capabilities with built-in GPS navigation. As if this is not enough, HTC is packing the HTC Advantage with an 8 GB (gigabytes) built-in hard disc, 256MB flash memory for data storage, and 128MB RAM for program execution. Memory can be further expanded through the use of miniSD cards.
location based services
HTC is introudcing a new Windows Mobile device to the American market. The company says the HTC Advantage is developed from the ground up to be extremely portable and to leverage the mobile office strengths of Windows Mobile 6.The device also have advanced wireless connectivity in one of the smallest mobile computer designs available. Users will find the device comes with mobile versions of Microsoft Office applications, including Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile for quick access to email, calendar and contacts. The HTC Advantage includes a thin, magnetically connected QWERTY keyboard and advanced connectivity with tri-band UMTS/HSDPA, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi. In addition, the HTC Advantage enables navigation capabilities with built-in GPS navigation. As if this is not enough, HTC is packing the HTC Advantage with an 8 GB (gigabytes) built-in hard disc, 256MB flash memory for data storage, and 128MB RAM for program execution. Memory can be further expanded through the use of miniSD cards.
deCarta Selected by loopt to Optimize User Experience
San Jose, Calif., March 26, 2007—deCarta, the leading supplier of software platforms and services for the Location-Based Services (LBS) industry, today announced it was selected by the innovative mobile social networking provider loopt to provide high-quality mapping for the company’s popular mobile friend finder service. Through its innovative blend of maps, GPS technology, and user interaction features, loopt has delivered a unique social mapping service that has already attracted more than 100,000 users since launching last fall. With loopt, users can alert, locate and check the status of friends on a map; geo-tag favorite hang-outs or places of interest; organize social events on the fly; and much more. High-quality maps that allow smooth panning around a city are inherent to the service’s engaging user interface and overall experience.“Our success depends on being able to consistently provide subscribers with the most user-friendly experience possible, so map quality, accuracy, performance and scalability means everything,” said Sam Altman, Founder of loopt. “With deCarta, we can confidently focus our resources on adding additional application features for the subscriber and not have to worry about whether the underlying platform will meet our needs as we grow.”
To achieve the quality and scalability of mapping service capabilities loopt required, the company turned to the deCarta Drill Down Server™ (DDS); the same underlying gold-standard technology broadly deployed by such leading Internet, wireless and navigation solution providers as Google, Ask.com, Verizon and Sprint. This high-volume geospatial software platform offers unparalleled speed, flexibility and scalability in embedding maps, geocoding, multi-point routing, proximity search and more for today’s location-enabled mobile, Internet, and other applications with high user volume.
With DDS, loopt can quickly and easily integrate digital maps and database content from multiple sources for fast and accurate access to the user. Users are always presented with well organized geospatial data, including real-time location of users and their friends, user generated points of interest like meeting places, and other information. deCarta’s configurable platform also allows loopt to create maps with their own look and feel, while delivering to loopt users a very attractive and compelling user experience.
“loopt is on the leading edge of new social networking applications,” said J. Kim Fennell, president and CEO of deCarta “The viral nature of these applications means they must scale quickly and cost effectively as they add subscribers. loopt can rest assured knowing the deCarta Drill Down Server can scale to meet growing demand and always deliver picture-perfect maps with the design and functionality consumers expect from their mobile applications.”
# # #
About looptloopt is a Palo Alto-based startup that has built a pioneering “social mapping” service to change the way people keep in touch with their friends. Using new location-based technologies, loopt lets you know where your friends are by automatically updating maps on your mobile handset and the web. loopt also lets you send messages to nearby friends or receive automatic alerts when they’re nearby so that you never miss an opportunity to meet. With loopt, mobile subscribers put themselves on the map. loopt received its $5 million Series A financing from venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and New Enterprise Associates, the same firms that helped found Google, Yahoo! and TiVo, among many other technology innovators. loopt launched on Boost Mobile last September and will be available on most major US carriers in the future.
About deCartadeCarta is the leading geospatial software platform that powers today's most successful Location-Based Services (LBS) applications such as those deployed at Google Maps, Yahoo, Ask.com, Verizon and Sprint. The company's unique, patented technology is ideal for high-volume LBS applications for use in Internet, mobile, personal navigation and enterprise applications where scalability, speed, and reliability are vital. Its Drill Down Server geospatial software platform, Rich Map Engine and Hosted Web Service are preferred by application developers and service providers who also want the flexibility to customize map styles, utilize unique routing capabilities and self brand. deCarta customers and technology partners include AND, Appello, Ask.com, ATX, AutoTrader.com, Google, Hotels.com, Local Matters, Maps.com, Motorola, NAVTEQ, Networks In Motion, Pharos, Rand McNally, Tele Atlas, TeleNav, TopTable.com, Yahoo! and Zillow. deCarta is privately held and headquartered in San Jose, California with international offices in the UK and China. http://www.decarta.com.deCarta, the deCarta logo and Drill Down Server are trademarks or registered trademarks of deCarta, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other product or company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Chris Blake (chris@msrcommunications.com)Phone: 415-987-0662
San Jose, Calif., March 26, 2007—deCarta, the leading supplier of software platforms and services for the Location-Based Services (LBS) industry, today announced it was selected by the innovative mobile social networking provider loopt to provide high-quality mapping for the company’s popular mobile friend finder service. Through its innovative blend of maps, GPS technology, and user interaction features, loopt has delivered a unique social mapping service that has already attracted more than 100,000 users since launching last fall. With loopt, users can alert, locate and check the status of friends on a map; geo-tag favorite hang-outs or places of interest; organize social events on the fly; and much more. High-quality maps that allow smooth panning around a city are inherent to the service’s engaging user interface and overall experience.“Our success depends on being able to consistently provide subscribers with the most user-friendly experience possible, so map quality, accuracy, performance and scalability means everything,” said Sam Altman, Founder of loopt. “With deCarta, we can confidently focus our resources on adding additional application features for the subscriber and not have to worry about whether the underlying platform will meet our needs as we grow.”
To achieve the quality and scalability of mapping service capabilities loopt required, the company turned to the deCarta Drill Down Server™ (DDS); the same underlying gold-standard technology broadly deployed by such leading Internet, wireless and navigation solution providers as Google, Ask.com, Verizon and Sprint. This high-volume geospatial software platform offers unparalleled speed, flexibility and scalability in embedding maps, geocoding, multi-point routing, proximity search and more for today’s location-enabled mobile, Internet, and other applications with high user volume.
With DDS, loopt can quickly and easily integrate digital maps and database content from multiple sources for fast and accurate access to the user. Users are always presented with well organized geospatial data, including real-time location of users and their friends, user generated points of interest like meeting places, and other information. deCarta’s configurable platform also allows loopt to create maps with their own look and feel, while delivering to loopt users a very attractive and compelling user experience.
“loopt is on the leading edge of new social networking applications,” said J. Kim Fennell, president and CEO of deCarta “The viral nature of these applications means they must scale quickly and cost effectively as they add subscribers. loopt can rest assured knowing the deCarta Drill Down Server can scale to meet growing demand and always deliver picture-perfect maps with the design and functionality consumers expect from their mobile applications.”
# # #
About looptloopt is a Palo Alto-based startup that has built a pioneering “social mapping” service to change the way people keep in touch with their friends. Using new location-based technologies, loopt lets you know where your friends are by automatically updating maps on your mobile handset and the web. loopt also lets you send messages to nearby friends or receive automatic alerts when they’re nearby so that you never miss an opportunity to meet. With loopt, mobile subscribers put themselves on the map. loopt received its $5 million Series A financing from venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and New Enterprise Associates, the same firms that helped found Google, Yahoo! and TiVo, among many other technology innovators. loopt launched on Boost Mobile last September and will be available on most major US carriers in the future.
About deCartadeCarta is the leading geospatial software platform that powers today's most successful Location-Based Services (LBS) applications such as those deployed at Google Maps, Yahoo, Ask.com, Verizon and Sprint. The company's unique, patented technology is ideal for high-volume LBS applications for use in Internet, mobile, personal navigation and enterprise applications where scalability, speed, and reliability are vital. Its Drill Down Server geospatial software platform, Rich Map Engine and Hosted Web Service are preferred by application developers and service providers who also want the flexibility to customize map styles, utilize unique routing capabilities and self brand. deCarta customers and technology partners include AND, Appello, Ask.com, ATX, AutoTrader.com, Google, Hotels.com, Local Matters, Maps.com, Motorola, NAVTEQ, Networks In Motion, Pharos, Rand McNally, Tele Atlas, TeleNav, TopTable.com, Yahoo! and Zillow. deCarta is privately held and headquartered in San Jose, California with international offices in the UK and China. http://www.decarta.com.deCarta, the deCarta logo and Drill Down Server are trademarks or registered trademarks of deCarta, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other product or company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Chris Blake (chris@msrcommunications.com)Phone: 415-987-0662
Symbian gets faster, cheaper, quicker -
Symbian has launched version 9.5 of its operating system, promising cost and time-to-market savings for handset vendors and richer experiences for consumers.The company claims the new OS reduces RAM usage by more than 25 per cent, to allow faster device start-up time, faster start-up time of popular applications and improvements in battery life It also introduces: standardised support for all digital TV standards and location-based services (LBS) making it cheaper and easier to bring these services to the mass market; 35 new camera features include support for tilt sensors, preset image enhancements, panorama stitching, and red-eye reduction; connectivity to home computers, enabling the transfer of music, videos and images using MTP. Symbian licenses Symbian OS to handset manufacturers. During 2006, 51.7 million Symbian smartphones were sold worldwide to over 250 major network operators, bringing the total number of Symbian smartphones shipped up to end 2006 to 110 million. “Symbian is driving the market by anticipating consumers’ mobile lifestyle changes – this means enabling even richer experiences and seamless multi-tasking to make the most of tomorrow’s technology”, said Jørgen Behrens, Executive Vice President, Symbian. “By lowering phone development cost and shortening time to market, Symbian OS v9.5 delivers on the promise of bringing the smartphone lifestyle to the mass market.”
Symbian has launched version 9.5 of its operating system, promising cost and time-to-market savings for handset vendors and richer experiences for consumers.The company claims the new OS reduces RAM usage by more than 25 per cent, to allow faster device start-up time, faster start-up time of popular applications and improvements in battery life It also introduces: standardised support for all digital TV standards and location-based services (LBS) making it cheaper and easier to bring these services to the mass market; 35 new camera features include support for tilt sensors, preset image enhancements, panorama stitching, and red-eye reduction; connectivity to home computers, enabling the transfer of music, videos and images using MTP. Symbian licenses Symbian OS to handset manufacturers. During 2006, 51.7 million Symbian smartphones were sold worldwide to over 250 major network operators, bringing the total number of Symbian smartphones shipped up to end 2006 to 110 million. “Symbian is driving the market by anticipating consumers’ mobile lifestyle changes – this means enabling even richer experiences and seamless multi-tasking to make the most of tomorrow’s technology”, said Jørgen Behrens, Executive Vice President, Symbian. “By lowering phone development cost and shortening time to market, Symbian OS v9.5 delivers on the promise of bringing the smartphone lifestyle to the mass market.”
Garmin Enhances Garmin Mobile Features GPS Lodge.com
location based services
Garmin announced new features and content for select mobile phones equipped with Garmin Mobile -- a subscription-based, feature-rich application delivering maps, directions and turn-by-turn navigation on mobile phones. The new services are available now at no additional cost to customers. They namely added hotel info and content to the Garmin Mobile Interface. Mobile Phone services or Location Based Services (LBS) are going to be big this year, and Garmin is doing their best to make sure that they, as leaders in the GPS world, are part of that upswing.
"Adding Garmin Mobile to cell phones transforms the phone into a high-end personal navigation device," said Charles Morse, Garmin's director of mobile and PND marketing. "Customers who have experienced Garmin Mobile know that it simplifies travel at home and afar. Plus, it's one of the most affordable ways to enjoy the benefits of GPS navigation with real-time traffic info, fuel prices, weather forecasts and hotel prices."
Hotel information and discounted room rates are the newest content additions to Garmin Mobile. From the smallest inns to the world's largest resorts, Garmin Mobile customers can use their phone to search and access information for over 70,000 hotels. Hotel information is provided by Hotels.com and includes the hotel's discounted room rate, ranking, description, amenities and location. Once a customer selects a hotel on the phone, they can immediately call Hotels.com who makes the reservation at the reduced room rate. Garmin Mobile users can then receive turn-by-turn directions to the property with a few keystrokes. In addition, Garmin Mobile still provides numerous other dynamic content features -- weather conditions and forecasts, real-time fuel prices and traffic at no additional cost to the subscriber.
Garmin Mobile also offers several new customizable options such as 3D mapping, "find along route" and route preferences. The 3D navigation perspective allows a user to choose between a 3D map representation that displays an uncluttered view of the road ahead or the more traditional "birds eye" view. The "find along route" option is a timesaving feature that makes it easy to find destinations along the current route such as restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and gas stations. For additional customization and route optimization, users can select how they are traveling -- car, bicycle, taxi, foot and more -- and Garmin Mobile will calculate the most efficient route based upon the mode of transportation.
Garmin Mobile includes highly detailed street maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The database features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. Map data is provided by NAVTEQ(TM) -- a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Garmin Mobile maps are server-based and give consumers the most recent mapping available.
Customers have unlimited access to all Garmin Mobile content -- which includes fuel prices, weather conditions and forecasts, traffic content and hotel information -- for just $9.99 per month. Garmin Mobile is currently available on select Sprint and Nextel mobile phones. Some Garmin Mobile features may vary based on the phone's capabilities. For more information on Garmin Mobile, visit http://mobile.garmin.com.
Read More in: Mobile Phone GPS
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Verizon VZ Navigator Review - Mar 02, 2007
location based services
Garmin announced new features and content for select mobile phones equipped with Garmin Mobile -- a subscription-based, feature-rich application delivering maps, directions and turn-by-turn navigation on mobile phones. The new services are available now at no additional cost to customers. They namely added hotel info and content to the Garmin Mobile Interface. Mobile Phone services or Location Based Services (LBS) are going to be big this year, and Garmin is doing their best to make sure that they, as leaders in the GPS world, are part of that upswing.
"Adding Garmin Mobile to cell phones transforms the phone into a high-end personal navigation device," said Charles Morse, Garmin's director of mobile and PND marketing. "Customers who have experienced Garmin Mobile know that it simplifies travel at home and afar. Plus, it's one of the most affordable ways to enjoy the benefits of GPS navigation with real-time traffic info, fuel prices, weather forecasts and hotel prices."
Hotel information and discounted room rates are the newest content additions to Garmin Mobile. From the smallest inns to the world's largest resorts, Garmin Mobile customers can use their phone to search and access information for over 70,000 hotels. Hotel information is provided by Hotels.com and includes the hotel's discounted room rate, ranking, description, amenities and location. Once a customer selects a hotel on the phone, they can immediately call Hotels.com who makes the reservation at the reduced room rate. Garmin Mobile users can then receive turn-by-turn directions to the property with a few keystrokes. In addition, Garmin Mobile still provides numerous other dynamic content features -- weather conditions and forecasts, real-time fuel prices and traffic at no additional cost to the subscriber.
Garmin Mobile also offers several new customizable options such as 3D mapping, "find along route" and route preferences. The 3D navigation perspective allows a user to choose between a 3D map representation that displays an uncluttered view of the road ahead or the more traditional "birds eye" view. The "find along route" option is a timesaving feature that makes it easy to find destinations along the current route such as restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and gas stations. For additional customization and route optimization, users can select how they are traveling -- car, bicycle, taxi, foot and more -- and Garmin Mobile will calculate the most efficient route based upon the mode of transportation.
Garmin Mobile includes highly detailed street maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The database features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. Map data is provided by NAVTEQ(TM) -- a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Garmin Mobile maps are server-based and give consumers the most recent mapping available.
Customers have unlimited access to all Garmin Mobile content -- which includes fuel prices, weather conditions and forecasts, traffic content and hotel information -- for just $9.99 per month. Garmin Mobile is currently available on select Sprint and Nextel mobile phones. Some Garmin Mobile features may vary based on the phone's capabilities. For more information on Garmin Mobile, visit http://mobile.garmin.com.
Read More in: Mobile Phone GPS
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