deCarta Partners With GlobeXplorer for Aerial & Satellite Imagery Capability
location based services
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- devCON'06 -- deCarta (formerly Telcontar), the leading supplier of software platforms and services for the Location-Based Services (LBS) industry and GlobeXplorer, provider of the world's largest commercial library of aerial photos, satellite imagery and geographic maps, today announced a strategic partnership enabling deCarta customers to leverage sophisticated high-resolution aerial and satellite imagery in their LBS applications.
The partnership between the two companies addresses the next-generation of LBS application feature enrichment for a wide range of markets including real estate, travel, Internet, government and business intelligence.
Through the partnership, deCarta customers will be able to easily create location-based applications that overlay spatial and complementary customer- generated data onto GlobeXplorer imagery. Applications can be developed through deCarta's no-cost Developer Zone, and commercially deployed through either deCarta's Hosted Web Services, a state-of-the-art, professionally- managed hosting environment or by licensing and deploying deCarta's market- proven Drill Down Server(TM) geospatial software platform. deCarta and GlobeXplorer have collaborated on a seamless interface between deCarta's Web services API and GlobeXplorer's Image Server within the deCarta AJAX framework. This enables easy generation of "hybrid" maps such as the overlay of road network data on top of satellite imagery.
"Maps and imagery are now the defacto visual reference point for spatially-oriented search and information," said J. Kim Fennell, president and CEO of deCarta. "The combination of GlobeXplorer imagery and deCarta technology opens new horizons for our customers to significantly expand the scope of their applications in ways that provide a high degree of real-world visual context and value to their end-users."
"The convergence of LBS and geographic imagery is upon us," said Robert Shanks, president and CEO of GlobeXplorer. "We look forward to our partnership with deCarta, and to the many new applications taking full advantage of our combined technologies that will come to the market delivering new levels of user utility and market differentiation. With GlobeXplorer, deCarta developers will be able to provide their users unmatched image resolution, coverage, and currency."
About deCarta
deCarta 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 telematics applications where scalability, speed, and reliability are vital. Its Drill Down Server geospatial software platform, Rich Map Engine and Hosted Web Service is 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, Google, Hutchison Mobile, Local Matters, Maps.com, Motorola, NAVTEQ, Networks In Motion, Pharos, Rand McNally, Tele Atlas, TeleNav, Yahoo! and Zillow. deCarta is privately held and headquartered in San Jose, California with international offices in the UK and China. www.decarta.com .
About GlobeXplorer
GlobeXplorer LLC is a leading geographic data integration and publishing company providing online access to the world's largest commercial library of aerial photos, satellite imagery, geographic maps, and real property information. Through dynamic Web applications, Web services, APIs, Internet portals, and Internet-aware devices, GlobeXplorer distributes interactive geographic content via flexible subscription services. GlobeXplorer owns AirPhotoUSA, the nation's largest, high quality aerial imagery provider. For further information, contact GlobeXplorer at info@globexplorer.com or visit www.globexplorer.com . GlobeXplorer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Stewart Information Services Corp.
About Stewart
Stewart Information Services Corp. (NYSE: STC - News) is a technology-driven, strategically competitive, real estate information and transaction management company. Stewart provides title insurance and related information services required for settlement by the real estate and mortgage industries through more than 9,000 policy-issuing offices and agencies in the United States and international markets. Stewart also provides post-closing lender services, mortgage default management solutions, automated county clerk land records, property ownership mapping, geographic information systems, property information reports, flood certificates, document preparation, background checks and expertise in tax-deferred exchanges. More information can be found at http://www.stewart.com .
NOTE: deCarta, the deCarta logo, Rich Map Engine and Drill Down Server are trademarks or registered trademarks of deCarta, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other company, brand and product names are marks of their respective holders.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Roaming around Europe, the US or Canada, and Need to Get Online in a Hurry? WeRoam’s Hotspot finder
location based services
Visit WeRoam’s Hotspot Directory Service, enabled by Multimap’s Storefinder Service, and You will be Guided to Your Nearest Wi-Fi Hotspots!
Multimap, one of the world’s leading online mapping providers, announces the implementation of its flagship Storefinder proximity search service for WeRoam, the specialist in wholesale public WLAN roaming solutions for the fixed and mobile telecommunications sector. Multimap’s Storefinder service is a core component of WeRoam’s Hotspot Directory service, a white-labelled web portal used to communicate Wi-Fi coverage to users. Thanks to the service, WeRoam’s customers can find their nearest Wi-Fi hotspots, for almost any address in Europe and North America, and access interactive maps showing their exact locations, together with the hotspots available in a given neighbourhood.
The service is available on www.weroam.com by simply clicking on the Hotspot Directory Service link on the home page. The user can click down to the desired hotspot using the interactive geographic map finder or use Multimap’s real-time geocoding engine. To use the latter, the user selects the country of interest, enters a street address and city, and/or postal code. The Hotspot Directory Service then delivers a list of the nearest Wi-Fi hotspots fitting the user’s specifications, with full contact details and a link to a Multimap interactive, street-level map which represents their respective locations as icons. Full contact details plus information about supported authentication modes appear beneath the map delivered.
Laurent Frelechoux, Director of Products, WeRoam, said, “Multimap’s Storefinder service is a powerful geocoding and mapping engine for our Hotspot Directory Service, offering our customers the precise location of individual hotspot addresses. For a business that is constantly adding new locations around the world, the value of this feature has a sizable impact on resource management and, ultimately, profits.”
Commenting on the deal, Steve Frost, Head of Sales for Multimap Europe, said, “We are really pleased to be working with WeRoam to enable people to find their nearest Wi-Fi hotspots, wherever they are in Europe or North America. It’s a particularly useful service for business travellers and holiday-makers who need to have internet access while they’re away from home. By empowering them to find their nearest hotspots, and showing them detailed maps plotting exactly where they are, we can help them save significant time and energy getting to a suitable location.”
About MultimapMultimap is Europe's leading provider of mapping and location-based services. The company delivers more online maps, point-to-point driving directions and geo-spatial ("where's my nearest?") searches to more companies than any other supplier in Europe. All services are offered on mobile, PDA, kiosk, and interactive TV platforms and in multiple languages.
The public website, www.multimap.com, provides a range of free, useful services to assist with everyday life. Key features include street-level maps of Europe, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia; road maps of the world; door-to-door travel directions; aerial photographs; links to location information; and services such as hotel, restaurant and entertainment booking. The public site attracts over 10 million unique users, registers more than 190 million page impressions every month, and is one of the top 10 most visited websites in the UK.
Multimap recently featured in The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 league table of fastest-growing unquoted UK companies across all sectors. In 2006, it featured in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 league of fastest-growing unquoted UK technology companies for the fourth year running. Also in 2006, Multimap won the Innovation category of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise. In 2005, Red Herring named Multimap as one of the top 100 private companies in Europe, and the company featured in Deloitte Touche’s Technology Fast 50 league for London and Southern England.
About WeRoamEstablished in 2001 and owned by TOGEWA Holding, WeRoam is the trading name of Swiss company TOGEWAnet AG. WeRoam specialises in wholesale mobility management and roaming solutions for the fixed and mobile telecommunications sector.
WeRoam’s patented open roaming platform currently connects over 50 Wireless Internet Service Provider networks (WISPs) with a number of the world’s leading GSM and Enterprise Remote Access Providers, offering an aggregated footprint of more than 20.000 hotspots. WeRoam is a market leader in SIM based authentication for WLAN.
location based services
Visit WeRoam’s Hotspot Directory Service, enabled by Multimap’s Storefinder Service, and You will be Guided to Your Nearest Wi-Fi Hotspots!
Multimap, one of the world’s leading online mapping providers, announces the implementation of its flagship Storefinder proximity search service for WeRoam, the specialist in wholesale public WLAN roaming solutions for the fixed and mobile telecommunications sector. Multimap’s Storefinder service is a core component of WeRoam’s Hotspot Directory service, a white-labelled web portal used to communicate Wi-Fi coverage to users. Thanks to the service, WeRoam’s customers can find their nearest Wi-Fi hotspots, for almost any address in Europe and North America, and access interactive maps showing their exact locations, together with the hotspots available in a given neighbourhood.
The service is available on www.weroam.com by simply clicking on the Hotspot Directory Service link on the home page. The user can click down to the desired hotspot using the interactive geographic map finder or use Multimap’s real-time geocoding engine. To use the latter, the user selects the country of interest, enters a street address and city, and/or postal code. The Hotspot Directory Service then delivers a list of the nearest Wi-Fi hotspots fitting the user’s specifications, with full contact details and a link to a Multimap interactive, street-level map which represents their respective locations as icons. Full contact details plus information about supported authentication modes appear beneath the map delivered.
Laurent Frelechoux, Director of Products, WeRoam, said, “Multimap’s Storefinder service is a powerful geocoding and mapping engine for our Hotspot Directory Service, offering our customers the precise location of individual hotspot addresses. For a business that is constantly adding new locations around the world, the value of this feature has a sizable impact on resource management and, ultimately, profits.”
Commenting on the deal, Steve Frost, Head of Sales for Multimap Europe, said, “We are really pleased to be working with WeRoam to enable people to find their nearest Wi-Fi hotspots, wherever they are in Europe or North America. It’s a particularly useful service for business travellers and holiday-makers who need to have internet access while they’re away from home. By empowering them to find their nearest hotspots, and showing them detailed maps plotting exactly where they are, we can help them save significant time and energy getting to a suitable location.”
About MultimapMultimap is Europe's leading provider of mapping and location-based services. The company delivers more online maps, point-to-point driving directions and geo-spatial ("where's my nearest?") searches to more companies than any other supplier in Europe. All services are offered on mobile, PDA, kiosk, and interactive TV platforms and in multiple languages.
The public website, www.multimap.com, provides a range of free, useful services to assist with everyday life. Key features include street-level maps of Europe, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia; road maps of the world; door-to-door travel directions; aerial photographs; links to location information; and services such as hotel, restaurant and entertainment booking. The public site attracts over 10 million unique users, registers more than 190 million page impressions every month, and is one of the top 10 most visited websites in the UK.
Multimap recently featured in The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 league table of fastest-growing unquoted UK companies across all sectors. In 2006, it featured in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 league of fastest-growing unquoted UK technology companies for the fourth year running. Also in 2006, Multimap won the Innovation category of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise. In 2005, Red Herring named Multimap as one of the top 100 private companies in Europe, and the company featured in Deloitte Touche’s Technology Fast 50 league for London and Southern England.
About WeRoamEstablished in 2001 and owned by TOGEWA Holding, WeRoam is the trading name of Swiss company TOGEWAnet AG. WeRoam specialises in wholesale mobility management and roaming solutions for the fixed and mobile telecommunications sector.
WeRoam’s patented open roaming platform currently connects over 50 Wireless Internet Service Provider networks (WISPs) with a number of the world’s leading GSM and Enterprise Remote Access Providers, offering an aggregated footprint of more than 20.000 hotspots. WeRoam is a market leader in SIM based authentication for WLAN.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Cell phone doubles as personal trainer
location based services
Trimble invites you to track your workout with your cell phone.
The company has released AllSport GPS, an application that enables users to measure distance, time, speed and calories on their cell phones. In addition, the program lets cyclists, runners and walkers track their location on street maps, topographical maps and aerial photos.
The data can then be uploaded to a Web site for analysis or just to track your progress.
One version of AllSport GPS is offered on 10 Sprint cell phones for $6.99 a month. Other pricing plans are available on 17 Nextel phones
location based services
Trimble invites you to track your workout with your cell phone.
The company has released AllSport GPS, an application that enables users to measure distance, time, speed and calories on their cell phones. In addition, the program lets cyclists, runners and walkers track their location on street maps, topographical maps and aerial photos.
The data can then be uploaded to a Web site for analysis or just to track your progress.
One version of AllSport GPS is offered on 10 Sprint cell phones for $6.99 a month. Other pricing plans are available on 17 Nextel phones
411 On PSP GPS
location based services
ITmedia Games has shots, as well as new info, on the upcoming PSP GPS attachment and the software that will take advantage of it. The (pictured) MAPLUS navigation system will ship in December and have GPS mapping and navigation functions tailored for folks walking, biking, or driving and will include points of interest. It appears that mapping information can be updated via the Web and be stored on the Memory Stick. Pricing for the software is currently undecided.
The GPS attachment will also be used for games, including the upcoming golf title Everybody's Golf Course, a spin off of the Minna no Golf series. Using real world golf courses, the GPS functions can be used during your real life golf game to give you location feedback while on the links.
Metal Gear Portable Ops will also take advantage of the GPS attachment to give you location specific maps. This new gameplay mode will require you to go to specific locations to interact with enemies. This all sounds pretty cool, but I hope it doesn't require me to actually go outdoors. That's scary! Michael McWhertor
location based services
ITmedia Games has shots, as well as new info, on the upcoming PSP GPS attachment and the software that will take advantage of it. The (pictured) MAPLUS navigation system will ship in December and have GPS mapping and navigation functions tailored for folks walking, biking, or driving and will include points of interest. It appears that mapping information can be updated via the Web and be stored on the Memory Stick. Pricing for the software is currently undecided.
The GPS attachment will also be used for games, including the upcoming golf title Everybody's Golf Course, a spin off of the Minna no Golf series. Using real world golf courses, the GPS functions can be used during your real life golf game to give you location feedback while on the links.
Metal Gear Portable Ops will also take advantage of the GPS attachment to give you location specific maps. This new gameplay mode will require you to go to specific locations to interact with enemies. This all sounds pretty cool, but I hope it doesn't require me to actually go outdoors. That's scary! Michael McWhertor
2ergo goes Direct
location based services
2ergo has launched its DirectResponse product suite, which it says will enable businesses to capture consumer profiling data, including contact details, lifestyle information, interests and referrals. In its initial version, DirectResponse will enable customers to text to a shortcode and receive a link to a mobile Internet site where they can browse through an organisation's product information, register their details and interest in the latest promotions, interact with competitions and quizzes, request a brochure or sales call, or place an order. DirectResponse also includes a payment module, allowing customers to securely pay for goods and services through their mobile phone, via SMS or credit and debit card. 2ergo says that by the end of the year, DirectResponse will also be available as an interactive speech-based product, offering the same sort of functionality over a fixed-line connection. DirectResponse also offers online reporting, allowing marketers to track the success of a given campaign and obtain real-time information on its progress. As DirectResponse is offered as a hosted solution, the company says that no capital outlay is needed. DirectResponse has been designed to complement 2ergo's existing mobile mapping and Location Based Services (LBS) offerings. When used as part of an integrated solution, the two applications enable a customer to find an organisation's nearest outlet, while at the same time enabling companies to dynamically change marketing messages to suit geographical locations, time and situational demands. "DirectResponse provides businesses with a greater ability to attract, convert and retain more customers, and thereby increase revenues” says 2ergo Joint Managing Director, Barry Sharples. “Many organisations already recognise the potential for high and immediate responses offered by the mobile phone, either as a separate channel or as part of an integrated campaign. But organisations are still missing the opportunity to maximise their potential to fully capture interest at a time when customers are most responsive. By enhancing the customer experience through innovative marketing solutions DirectResponse can help to effectively build brand awareness and perception.”
location based services
2ergo has launched its DirectResponse product suite, which it says will enable businesses to capture consumer profiling data, including contact details, lifestyle information, interests and referrals. In its initial version, DirectResponse will enable customers to text to a shortcode and receive a link to a mobile Internet site where they can browse through an organisation's product information, register their details and interest in the latest promotions, interact with competitions and quizzes, request a brochure or sales call, or place an order. DirectResponse also includes a payment module, allowing customers to securely pay for goods and services through their mobile phone, via SMS or credit and debit card. 2ergo says that by the end of the year, DirectResponse will also be available as an interactive speech-based product, offering the same sort of functionality over a fixed-line connection. DirectResponse also offers online reporting, allowing marketers to track the success of a given campaign and obtain real-time information on its progress. As DirectResponse is offered as a hosted solution, the company says that no capital outlay is needed. DirectResponse has been designed to complement 2ergo's existing mobile mapping and Location Based Services (LBS) offerings. When used as part of an integrated solution, the two applications enable a customer to find an organisation's nearest outlet, while at the same time enabling companies to dynamically change marketing messages to suit geographical locations, time and situational demands. "DirectResponse provides businesses with a greater ability to attract, convert and retain more customers, and thereby increase revenues” says 2ergo Joint Managing Director, Barry Sharples. “Many organisations already recognise the potential for high and immediate responses offered by the mobile phone, either as a separate channel or as part of an integrated campaign. But organisations are still missing the opportunity to maximise their potential to fully capture interest at a time when customers are most responsive. By enhancing the customer experience through innovative marketing solutions DirectResponse can help to effectively build brand awareness and perception.”
Yahoo! Maps Simple API
Displaying your content on Yahoo! Maps
The Yahoo! Maps Simple API enables you to overlay your data on Yahoo! Maps, allowing you to create custom map displays without programming. Simply pass geoRSS tagged XML files to our servers and your data will be displayed on a Yahoo! Map, complete with features like overlays and annotations.
location based services
Displaying your content on Yahoo! Maps
The Yahoo! Maps Simple API enables you to overlay your data on Yahoo! Maps, allowing you to create custom map displays without programming. Simply pass geoRSS tagged XML files to our servers and your data will be displayed on a Yahoo! Map, complete with features like overlays and annotations.
Toys 'R' Us Names Wherifone GPS Locator Phone on Its 2006 'Hot Toy' List for the Holiday Season
LOCATION BASED SERVICES
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.-- Wherify Wireless, Inc. (OTCBB:WFYW), a leading developer of wireless location products and services, today announced that Toys “R” Us has included the Wherifone GPS locator phone on its “Hot Toy” list for the 2006 holiday season. The Toys “R” Us list features new toys and kids products destined to be on children’s wish lists this year. The Wherifone is a two-way cell phone with built-in Aided-GPS location and “managed dial” features that give on-the-go parents the peace of mind of being able to quickly locate and communicate with their young children, while also controlling who they can call and how much it will cost. The Wherifone is available at all Toys “R” Us stores nationwide and at www.toysrus.com. “Toys “R” Us is in the toy business 365 days a year, and our team worked hard to identify products for the “Hot Toy” list that will leave kids speechless when they open their gifts,” said Ron Boire, President, Toys “R” Us, U.S. “The Wherifone is a great addition to our “Hot Toy” line-up given its unique value as a communications and safety tool for families with young children that packages kid-safe technology into a stylish, functional mobile phone that appeals both to parents and children.” Designed with pre-teens in mind, the Wherifone comes in a variety of trendy colors and features five pre-programmable buttons that let kids stay in touch with close family and friends or summon help with one-touch dialing. Additionally, the Wherifone’s Aided GPS location technology lets parents, caregivers and safety officials quickly locate a child in need of help, bringing peace-of-mind and added safety to the mobile family. “We’re thrilled to have the Wherifone picked by Toys “R” Us as one of the hottest kid products of the holiday season,” said Timothy Neher, CEO and Founder of Wherify Wireless. “Toys “R” Us is a great partner, and we think that their unrivalled experience and reach in the family-oriented products market will help us bring the benefits of the Wherifone’s communication and location safety features to families nationwide.” The Wherifone GPS Locator Phone retails for $99.95, and fixed-usage Wherify Family Locator Service plans that include both voice and location services start at just $19.95 per month, allowing parents to control the phone’s monthly costs. The competitively priced, all-inclusive service plans are straightforward and easy to understand, and there are no hidden costs for additional required services, so parents always know exactly what to expect. A Rate Protection Plan is also available to help save money when actual usage exceeds the current service plan’s limit. Under the Rate Protection Plan, when a subscriber goes over their basic monthly limit their plan automatically adjusts itself to the most cost-effective service plan rather than blindly racking up overage charges. Their service plan then automatically resets back to the basic plan at the beginning of each month. About The Wherifone The Wherifone is the world’s first GSM/GPS locator cell phone designed for children and seniors. The two-way cell phone has built-in Aided-GPS location and “managed dial” features that give on-the-go parents the peace of mind of being able to quickly locate and communicate with their young children and elderly relatives, while also controlling who they can call and how much it will cost. Wherify's Aided-GPS performance will vary, but often provides location results in places where conventional GPS solutions may have performance issues, such as in many types of wood frame buildings and vehicles, and under dense foliage. The Wherifone’s patented Aided-GPS location solution is supported by the Wherify Global Location Service Center, which maintains information on all the GPS satellites in space through a series of GPS Reference Receivers, and applies location information into Wherify's mapping and location management system to let users see a device's position displayed on a map or aerial photograph. About Wherify Wireless, Inc Wherify Wireless, Inc. (OTCBB: WFYW) is a pioneering developer of personal location products and services, as recognized by the Smithsonian Institution Museum’s adoption of Wherify Wireless’ groundbreaking first product, the Child Locator, into permanent display as the world’s first commercial personal GPS tracking device. With three U. S. patents granted in the areas of personal location and position tracking and four more patents pending in the area of GPS locator phones, Wherify Wireless continues to be a leader in location technology development by integrating Aided-GPS location into a GSM cellular platform that has been demonstrated on over 100 GSM networks world-wide. Wherify Wireless’ expertise in GPS technology for wireless devices and its patented back-end location service engine enable customers to obtain real-time location information on individuals and property directly through the Internet or any phone. Wherify Wireless was founded in 1998, and is located in Redwood Shores, California.
LOCATION BASED SERVICES
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.-- Wherify Wireless, Inc. (OTCBB:WFYW), a leading developer of wireless location products and services, today announced that Toys “R” Us has included the Wherifone GPS locator phone on its “Hot Toy” list for the 2006 holiday season. The Toys “R” Us list features new toys and kids products destined to be on children’s wish lists this year. The Wherifone is a two-way cell phone with built-in Aided-GPS location and “managed dial” features that give on-the-go parents the peace of mind of being able to quickly locate and communicate with their young children, while also controlling who they can call and how much it will cost. The Wherifone is available at all Toys “R” Us stores nationwide and at www.toysrus.com. “Toys “R” Us is in the toy business 365 days a year, and our team worked hard to identify products for the “Hot Toy” list that will leave kids speechless when they open their gifts,” said Ron Boire, President, Toys “R” Us, U.S. “The Wherifone is a great addition to our “Hot Toy” line-up given its unique value as a communications and safety tool for families with young children that packages kid-safe technology into a stylish, functional mobile phone that appeals both to parents and children.” Designed with pre-teens in mind, the Wherifone comes in a variety of trendy colors and features five pre-programmable buttons that let kids stay in touch with close family and friends or summon help with one-touch dialing. Additionally, the Wherifone’s Aided GPS location technology lets parents, caregivers and safety officials quickly locate a child in need of help, bringing peace-of-mind and added safety to the mobile family. “We’re thrilled to have the Wherifone picked by Toys “R” Us as one of the hottest kid products of the holiday season,” said Timothy Neher, CEO and Founder of Wherify Wireless. “Toys “R” Us is a great partner, and we think that their unrivalled experience and reach in the family-oriented products market will help us bring the benefits of the Wherifone’s communication and location safety features to families nationwide.” The Wherifone GPS Locator Phone retails for $99.95, and fixed-usage Wherify Family Locator Service plans that include both voice and location services start at just $19.95 per month, allowing parents to control the phone’s monthly costs. The competitively priced, all-inclusive service plans are straightforward and easy to understand, and there are no hidden costs for additional required services, so parents always know exactly what to expect. A Rate Protection Plan is also available to help save money when actual usage exceeds the current service plan’s limit. Under the Rate Protection Plan, when a subscriber goes over their basic monthly limit their plan automatically adjusts itself to the most cost-effective service plan rather than blindly racking up overage charges. Their service plan then automatically resets back to the basic plan at the beginning of each month. About The Wherifone The Wherifone is the world’s first GSM/GPS locator cell phone designed for children and seniors. The two-way cell phone has built-in Aided-GPS location and “managed dial” features that give on-the-go parents the peace of mind of being able to quickly locate and communicate with their young children and elderly relatives, while also controlling who they can call and how much it will cost. Wherify's Aided-GPS performance will vary, but often provides location results in places where conventional GPS solutions may have performance issues, such as in many types of wood frame buildings and vehicles, and under dense foliage. The Wherifone’s patented Aided-GPS location solution is supported by the Wherify Global Location Service Center, which maintains information on all the GPS satellites in space through a series of GPS Reference Receivers, and applies location information into Wherify's mapping and location management system to let users see a device's position displayed on a map or aerial photograph. About Wherify Wireless, Inc Wherify Wireless, Inc. (OTCBB: WFYW) is a pioneering developer of personal location products and services, as recognized by the Smithsonian Institution Museum’s adoption of Wherify Wireless’ groundbreaking first product, the Child Locator, into permanent display as the world’s first commercial personal GPS tracking device. With three U. S. patents granted in the areas of personal location and position tracking and four more patents pending in the area of GPS locator phones, Wherify Wireless continues to be a leader in location technology development by integrating Aided-GPS location into a GSM cellular platform that has been demonstrated on over 100 GSM networks world-wide. Wherify Wireless’ expertise in GPS technology for wireless devices and its patented back-end location service engine enable customers to obtain real-time location information on individuals and property directly through the Internet or any phone. Wherify Wireless was founded in 1998, and is located in Redwood Shores, California.
Monday, October 02, 2006
New Portable GPS Navigation System Featuring Text to Speech & Media Player
location based services
New Portable GPS Navigation System featuring Text to Speech & Media Player Boston, Mass. (September 27, 2006) — TeleType Company has just released a successor to its innovative product line that blends cutting-edge vehicle GPS navigation with MP3 and Video player technology. The all-in-one device, called the WorldNav 3100, is a portable touch screen car navigation system that offers door-to-door GPS guidance with text to speech instructions including pronunciation of street names.The WorldNav 3100’s exciting convergence of portable in-car navigation with the immense popularity of the MP3 player, video player, and picture viewer, makes it possible for travelers to not only reach their destination with greater efficiency, but to easily carry along their favorite music, videos, and pictures. “There is no other product on the market that offers the exceptional utility, simplicity and affordability of this new piece of mobile electronics,” said Marleen Winer, a spokesperson for TeleType.Based on TeleType’s award-winning GPS product line, the WorldNav 3100 is a compact system that weighs only 6 ounces. The device is user-friendly and simple to operate, making it easy for drivers to get from Point A to Point B. Drivers can navigate directly to a point of interest (POI) using the extensive POI database included, or a business, home address, or even a desired street intersection.Currently, the U.S. version of the WorldNav 3100 offers the following features and benefits:• Pre-installed, street-level maps for the entire USA, including Puerto Rico• Auto Complete when entering State, City, Street allowing minimal keystrokes to obtain desired address• Built-in Li-Ion battery allows you to use the GPS outside of a vehicle• High quality natural sounding voices for turn by turn route guidance with street name pronunciation• Various settings that allow drivers to create the best possible routes• MP3 Player, Video Player, and Picture Viewer that can be used with your own SD card• Can be mounted to the windshield or dashboard, and easily moved from car to car• Automatic reroute, 3D/2D view, pan and zoom, day/night mode functions• Points of interest including landmarks, gas stations, restaurants, etc.• USB cable for connection to PC for data, music, video, and picture transfer• High-resolution touch screen with large buttons and intuitive user interfaceThe WorldNav 3100 is the latest in a long line of products created by TeleType to provide unique and versatile solutions for land, air and water navigation. Notable innovations by the company include: The first aviation navigation product for use on PDAs in flight, the first program to offer combination vector-based marine and car navigation for Pocket PCs, and the first 16-channel Bluetooth GPS receiver with 20 hours of battery life. Pushing the envelope of technology for Pocket PC computing, TeleType created the first program to offer the combination of street, air, water, and land navigation with live weather, topographic and aerial map support on Pocket PC and Windows CE devices.Established in 1981, TeleType has emerged to become a leader in the field of Global Positioning Systems. TeleType specializes in software system integration and produces innovative products for a variety of industries. GPS software solutions include support of Windows CE and Pocket PC for vehicle navigation, fleet tracking, and geographic information systems data collection. Current hardware solutions include low power, high-sensitivity GPS receivers. The company is also expanding to support additional emerging technologies for GPS solutions based on satellite communications, GPRS, and GSM with support for Pocket PC phones and other mobile devices.TeleType’s WorldNav 3100 features a 3.5” diagonal screen and is available in two configurations, Deluxe ($399 MSRP) and Premium ($459 MSRP). WorldNav 3100 GPS can be purchased conveniently through on line resellers such as Target.com, NewEgg.com, and PCMall.com. Dealers may contact TeleType directly for pricing. For further information, contact TeleType Company at contact@teletype.com, 1-800-717-4478, or 1-617-542-6220.
location based services
New Portable GPS Navigation System featuring Text to Speech & Media Player Boston, Mass. (September 27, 2006) — TeleType Company has just released a successor to its innovative product line that blends cutting-edge vehicle GPS navigation with MP3 and Video player technology. The all-in-one device, called the WorldNav 3100, is a portable touch screen car navigation system that offers door-to-door GPS guidance with text to speech instructions including pronunciation of street names.The WorldNav 3100’s exciting convergence of portable in-car navigation with the immense popularity of the MP3 player, video player, and picture viewer, makes it possible for travelers to not only reach their destination with greater efficiency, but to easily carry along their favorite music, videos, and pictures. “There is no other product on the market that offers the exceptional utility, simplicity and affordability of this new piece of mobile electronics,” said Marleen Winer, a spokesperson for TeleType.Based on TeleType’s award-winning GPS product line, the WorldNav 3100 is a compact system that weighs only 6 ounces. The device is user-friendly and simple to operate, making it easy for drivers to get from Point A to Point B. Drivers can navigate directly to a point of interest (POI) using the extensive POI database included, or a business, home address, or even a desired street intersection.Currently, the U.S. version of the WorldNav 3100 offers the following features and benefits:• Pre-installed, street-level maps for the entire USA, including Puerto Rico• Auto Complete when entering State, City, Street allowing minimal keystrokes to obtain desired address• Built-in Li-Ion battery allows you to use the GPS outside of a vehicle• High quality natural sounding voices for turn by turn route guidance with street name pronunciation• Various settings that allow drivers to create the best possible routes• MP3 Player, Video Player, and Picture Viewer that can be used with your own SD card• Can be mounted to the windshield or dashboard, and easily moved from car to car• Automatic reroute, 3D/2D view, pan and zoom, day/night mode functions• Points of interest including landmarks, gas stations, restaurants, etc.• USB cable for connection to PC for data, music, video, and picture transfer• High-resolution touch screen with large buttons and intuitive user interfaceThe WorldNav 3100 is the latest in a long line of products created by TeleType to provide unique and versatile solutions for land, air and water navigation. Notable innovations by the company include: The first aviation navigation product for use on PDAs in flight, the first program to offer combination vector-based marine and car navigation for Pocket PCs, and the first 16-channel Bluetooth GPS receiver with 20 hours of battery life. Pushing the envelope of technology for Pocket PC computing, TeleType created the first program to offer the combination of street, air, water, and land navigation with live weather, topographic and aerial map support on Pocket PC and Windows CE devices.Established in 1981, TeleType has emerged to become a leader in the field of Global Positioning Systems. TeleType specializes in software system integration and produces innovative products for a variety of industries. GPS software solutions include support of Windows CE and Pocket PC for vehicle navigation, fleet tracking, and geographic information systems data collection. Current hardware solutions include low power, high-sensitivity GPS receivers. The company is also expanding to support additional emerging technologies for GPS solutions based on satellite communications, GPRS, and GSM with support for Pocket PC phones and other mobile devices.TeleType’s WorldNav 3100 features a 3.5” diagonal screen and is available in two configurations, Deluxe ($399 MSRP) and Premium ($459 MSRP). WorldNav 3100 GPS can be purchased conveniently through on line resellers such as Target.com, NewEgg.com, and PCMall.com. Dealers may contact TeleType directly for pricing. For further information, contact TeleType Company at contact@teletype.com, 1-800-717-4478, or 1-617-542-6220.
Nokia Dials Up GPS Technology Leader Trimble for Intellectual Property Licensing Deal
location based services
ESPOO, Finland and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 2 -- Today, Nokia (NYSE: NOK - News), a world leader in mobile communications, and Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB - News), a leading innovator of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, announced a cooperative licensing deal on Trimble's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) patents related to designated wireless products and services involving location technologies, such as GPS, assisted GPS or Galileo. The licensing agreement is exclusive to Nokia for the wireless consumer product and service domain and includes sublicensing rights. In return, Trimble receives a non-exclusive license to Nokia's location-based patents for use in Trimble's commercial products and services. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed; however it will not be material to either company's revenue or income."Location-based devices and services are receiving mass market acceptance, offering a range of benefits to both consumer and commercial users," said Steven W. Berglund, president and CEO of Trimble. "We are very pleased to be working with Nokia to incorporate our intellectual property into the most common consumer electronic device -- the mobile phone. This agreement validates Trimble's GNSS patent portfolio and offers us further opportunities to extend our presence in the mobile communications markets we currently serve.""We strongly believe that location-based capabilities and services will be an important element of future mobile communications devices," said Kai Oistamo, executive vice president and general manager of Mobile Phones, Nokia. "By licensing the world's largest GNSS patent portfolio involving innovative location solutions, Nokia will be able to offer our customers -- consumers and operators alike -- an even more compelling mobile experience. Also, by licensing our solutions and these patents to other players, we believe this deal with Trimble will benefit the entire wireless industry by accelerating the adoption of location technologies. From Nokia's perspective, the sublicensing rights under Trimble's industry leading location patent portfolio will nicely augment our industry leading WCDMA/UMTS and GSM patent portfolios."Today, the location-based services industry is experiencing significant growth in the area of navigation; for example car, pedestrian and maritime. Other services such as "local search" -- finding relevant information based on one's location -- are also becoming increasingly popular. As more and more location-based services continue to be added to mobile devices, the mobile phone is expected to play a central role in the mass adoption of location- based services by consumers.About NokiaNokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.comAbout TrimbleTrimble is a leading innovator of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. In addition to providing advanced GPS components, Trimble augments GPS with other positioning technologies as well as wireless communications and software to create complete customer solutions. Trimble's worldwide presence and unique capabilities position the Company for growth in emerging applications including surveying, agriculture, machine guidance, fleet and asset management, wireless platforms, and telecommunications infrastructure. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Trimble has more than 2,400 employees in more than 18 countries worldwide.For more information, visit Trimble's Web site at www.trimble.com
location based services
ESPOO, Finland and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 2 -- Today, Nokia (NYSE: NOK - News), a world leader in mobile communications, and Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB - News), a leading innovator of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, announced a cooperative licensing deal on Trimble's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) patents related to designated wireless products and services involving location technologies, such as GPS, assisted GPS or Galileo. The licensing agreement is exclusive to Nokia for the wireless consumer product and service domain and includes sublicensing rights. In return, Trimble receives a non-exclusive license to Nokia's location-based patents for use in Trimble's commercial products and services. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed; however it will not be material to either company's revenue or income."Location-based devices and services are receiving mass market acceptance, offering a range of benefits to both consumer and commercial users," said Steven W. Berglund, president and CEO of Trimble. "We are very pleased to be working with Nokia to incorporate our intellectual property into the most common consumer electronic device -- the mobile phone. This agreement validates Trimble's GNSS patent portfolio and offers us further opportunities to extend our presence in the mobile communications markets we currently serve.""We strongly believe that location-based capabilities and services will be an important element of future mobile communications devices," said Kai Oistamo, executive vice president and general manager of Mobile Phones, Nokia. "By licensing the world's largest GNSS patent portfolio involving innovative location solutions, Nokia will be able to offer our customers -- consumers and operators alike -- an even more compelling mobile experience. Also, by licensing our solutions and these patents to other players, we believe this deal with Trimble will benefit the entire wireless industry by accelerating the adoption of location technologies. From Nokia's perspective, the sublicensing rights under Trimble's industry leading location patent portfolio will nicely augment our industry leading WCDMA/UMTS and GSM patent portfolios."Today, the location-based services industry is experiencing significant growth in the area of navigation; for example car, pedestrian and maritime. Other services such as "local search" -- finding relevant information based on one's location -- are also becoming increasingly popular. As more and more location-based services continue to be added to mobile devices, the mobile phone is expected to play a central role in the mass adoption of location- based services by consumers.About NokiaNokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.comAbout TrimbleTrimble is a leading innovator of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. In addition to providing advanced GPS components, Trimble augments GPS with other positioning technologies as well as wireless communications and software to create complete customer solutions. Trimble's worldwide presence and unique capabilities position the Company for growth in emerging applications including surveying, agriculture, machine guidance, fleet and asset management, wireless platforms, and telecommunications infrastructure. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Trimble has more than 2,400 employees in more than 18 countries worldwide.For more information, visit Trimble's Web site at www.trimble.com
Geotagging Photos
location based services
Now that I have a GPS, I can have some fun with hiking and photography. The idea is to record my position on the GPS while hiking (i.e., the tracklog). This will provide me (and others) with a good record of different hikes. In addition, I can pinpoint the location where I took photographs and hence tag the photos with those coordinates (i.e., geotagging).
Here is the procedure I use for the purpose:
Set the GPS tracklog setting. My GPS allows time, distance and auto. Time and distance options are for specifying the time or distance respectively after which the GPS position should be recorded in the tracklog. Auto mode tries to determine the optimal interval automatically, though Garmin does not provide any information about how it determines the optimum interval. The preferable mode is specifying the time interval. If you are walking, then a time interval of 6 seconds should give you maximum accuracy and in my case the tracklog won’t fill up to its maximum of 10,000 points for about 17 hours. This just needs to be decided on once.
At the start of the hike, set the camera clock to the time from the GPS. You can either use UTC (popularly known as GMT) or your local time zone. I prefer to set the camera to UTC since then I don’t have to get into the hassle of changing camera time at the end of daylight savings or when I travel.
Sometimes, I also like to take a photograph of the GPS screen with the time showing so that I can later compare the difference in their clocks.
Reset the tracklog.
Mark waypoints on the hike for features, like parking, trailhead, scenic view, waterfall, etc. Write some shorthand in the waypoint name on the GPS to remember the reason later.
Take photographs whenever I feel like it.
Go home and upload the waypoints and tracklog from the GPS to my computer.
Upload the photographs from my camera.
Run RoboGEO to geotag the images and create a Google map.
Use GPS Visualizer to create an elevation profile for a hike.
Upload everything to my web server.
One thing I also want to do is to create a database of the tracklogs of trails which I hike. For this purpose, I will be providing you the GPX file for my hikes here. However, it would probably be a good idea to upload them to public repositories of trails. Does anyone know any such good sites?
Before using this technique on a hike, I decided to test it with a walk locally. I set my GPS tracklog setting to “auto”. With this setting the average time between tracklog points was 12 seconds but there was one interval of 2minutes and 57seconds, probably when I was sitting.
I tried several software solutions for geotagging and creating maps with the photos. Here is my review of them.
TopoFusion
Rich Owings told me about TopoFusion which is a great software with lots of features. But their PhotoFusion is not up to par. It is super-easy to use. All you do is load the tracklog either directly from your GPS or from a GPX file on your computer, point PhotoFusion to the folder where the photographs are and voila!
However, it does not output the coordinates of the photo locations in any form (EXIF data of the images or as waypoints in a GPX file). Hence, we are limited to its own output which shows the locations on USGS aerial and topographic maps with camera icons.
Another problem is that the camera icons do not stand out and can be difficult to spot in the web page output. We also have no options to set the size of the map image for the web output, so we have to set the size of the main TopoFusion window to whatever size we want the final map image to be.
if I provide an output folder in the options for PhotoFusion, thumbnails and all other files are created there. But the original photos are not copied. However the link to full photos in the web page is to the output directory, so those links don’t work without copying the original images yourself.
Also, thumbnails are created but you have to specify both width and height and so there might be a black band if the aspect ratio is not correct. You can see that in the one landspace format thumbnail in my test scenario.
Finally, the output of PhotoFusion is a static map image and the user cannot pan, zoom out or do other interesting things with the map like you can with Google Maps.
One good thing about it is that the output includes an elevation profile and other useful info (like distance travelled etc.)
Here is my test of TopoFusion.
WWMX and GPS Visualizer
Let’s now look at some free solutions. While there are several free solutions, none of them are as easy to use or as complete for this task. One has to use multiple software: one for geotagging the photos and another for creating maps.
The best solution for the map creation is GPS Visualizer, an online tool that does almost anything you could think of.
But before using that, I needed to geotag the photos using my tracklog. I checked two programs for that.
WWMX Location Stamper is a Windows-based application which is simple to use but does not have many features. For example, the camera must be set to the same time as your computer and you cannot specify any difference in the clocks of the GPS and your camera. It needs a GPX file with a tracklog as input unless you use WWMX TrackDownload which can get the tracklog directly from a GPS. It shows the track and photo locations on a map within the application (I think the map requires you to be connected to the Internet) and then stores the location info in the image EXIF.
Another program for geotagging is gpsPhoto.pl, a command-line Perl tool to extract location info from a tracklog and write to EXIF. It has a lot of options. However, it is command-line and requires Perl installation on your computer. Also, you can’t check the results in a map. One pro for this tool is that it is OS-independent.
Once I had the images with their coordinates in the EXIF info, I had to get it in a format that would be acceptable for GPS Visualizer. For the tracklog, I could use the GPX format, but for the photo information, I needed CSV as described here and here. I wrote a short Perl script to do that using Image::ExifTool.
Now comes the time to get GPS Visualizer’s Google Maps form to generate the map. If you are going to fill out the same form again and again, it helps to use the Firefox extension Form Saver to store the form data so you don’t have to select the same options every time.
And finally using the GPX file, I created an elevation profile of my walk.
Here is the page with all the results.
So you might be thinking why go through all this hassle. First, it is free. Second, GSP Visualizer has lots of options and can do almost anything: Google Maps, Google Earth, SVG or JPEG maps, topographic, aerial, street maps, all kinds of profile graphs, etc. And you can control the presentation in detail. Take a look at the map linked to above. In addition to the Google maps, it also has USGS topographic and aerial maps as well as some imagery from NASA.
The downside is the amount fo time/effort used to create a map every time. Also, I would be dependent on another website to create and display my maps.
I do plan to use GPS Visualizer to create elevation profiles and other special maps, but it is too much work for regular stuff.
RoboGEO
RoboGEO looks good and does lots of stuff related to geotagging. You can set the location of your photos manually using Google Earth, or set it using GPS waypoints or use the tracklog. It stores the location info in the EXIF fields or can even stamp the location on the image itself. The output can also be in several formats: Google Maps, Google Earth, GPX/CSV, Flickr, ESRI shapefiles, etc.
For Google maps, the output is in the form of a web page, but it also creates an XML file with all the data in case you want to use XSLT to create your own web page. There is also an option for string substitutions in the generated web files if you want to customize. These options are not as good as having a templating system for web page generation, but they do provide ways to customize the web page code.
I used the string substitution option to add USGS topographic and aerial maps to my map pages. I got the required code to do this from GPS Visualizer and Acme Mapper.
The demo version of RoboGEO is sort-of crippleware as it adds big random error to photo locations and tracklog points. However, I liked it enough after trying it out that I immediately bought it.
Another gripe I have with RoboGEO is that it stores output files in the Program Files folder.
One feature I would really like to see in RoboGEO is to be able to put the waypoints in my GPX files on the map as well. This would help by pointing out parking, trailhead, scenic view, waterfalls, or other features on a hike on the map. I emailed Tim Helton about this and he’s agreed to put it on his to-do list.
Before I show you the map from my test created using RoboGEO, if you are overwhelmed with signing up for a Google Maps API key etc., you can simply create a Google Earth KMZ file embedded with the photographs using RoboGEO and put it online (example). Then just enter the URL of this file in Google Maps like this and voila!
Map
Tags: exif, geotagging, google earth, google maps, gps, hiking, photography, review, software
Posted by Zack at September 30, 2006 12:30 AM in Hikes , Internet , Photography
Related Entries
Geotagging Photos
location based services
Now that I have a GPS, I can have some fun with hiking and photography. The idea is to record my position on the GPS while hiking (i.e., the tracklog). This will provide me (and others) with a good record of different hikes. In addition, I can pinpoint the location where I took photographs and hence tag the photos with those coordinates (i.e., geotagging).
Here is the procedure I use for the purpose:
Set the GPS tracklog setting. My GPS allows time, distance and auto. Time and distance options are for specifying the time or distance respectively after which the GPS position should be recorded in the tracklog. Auto mode tries to determine the optimal interval automatically, though Garmin does not provide any information about how it determines the optimum interval. The preferable mode is specifying the time interval. If you are walking, then a time interval of 6 seconds should give you maximum accuracy and in my case the tracklog won’t fill up to its maximum of 10,000 points for about 17 hours. This just needs to be decided on once.
At the start of the hike, set the camera clock to the time from the GPS. You can either use UTC (popularly known as GMT) or your local time zone. I prefer to set the camera to UTC since then I don’t have to get into the hassle of changing camera time at the end of daylight savings or when I travel.
Sometimes, I also like to take a photograph of the GPS screen with the time showing so that I can later compare the difference in their clocks.
Reset the tracklog.
Mark waypoints on the hike for features, like parking, trailhead, scenic view, waterfall, etc. Write some shorthand in the waypoint name on the GPS to remember the reason later.
Take photographs whenever I feel like it.
Go home and upload the waypoints and tracklog from the GPS to my computer.
Upload the photographs from my camera.
Run RoboGEO to geotag the images and create a Google map.
Use GPS Visualizer to create an elevation profile for a hike.
Upload everything to my web server.
One thing I also want to do is to create a database of the tracklogs of trails which I hike. For this purpose, I will be providing you the GPX file for my hikes here. However, it would probably be a good idea to upload them to public repositories of trails. Does anyone know any such good sites?
Before using this technique on a hike, I decided to test it with a walk locally. I set my GPS tracklog setting to “auto”. With this setting the average time between tracklog points was 12 seconds but there was one interval of 2minutes and 57seconds, probably when I was sitting.
I tried several software solutions for geotagging and creating maps with the photos. Here is my review of them.
TopoFusion
Rich Owings told me about TopoFusion which is a great software with lots of features. But their PhotoFusion is not up to par. It is super-easy to use. All you do is load the tracklog either directly from your GPS or from a GPX file on your computer, point PhotoFusion to the folder where the photographs are and voila!
However, it does not output the coordinates of the photo locations in any form (EXIF data of the images or as waypoints in a GPX file). Hence, we are limited to its own output which shows the locations on USGS aerial and topographic maps with camera icons.
Another problem is that the camera icons do not stand out and can be difficult to spot in the web page output. We also have no options to set the size of the map image for the web output, so we have to set the size of the main TopoFusion window to whatever size we want the final map image to be.
if I provide an output folder in the options for PhotoFusion, thumbnails and all other files are created there. But the original photos are not copied. However the link to full photos in the web page is to the output directory, so those links don’t work without copying the original images yourself.
Also, thumbnails are created but you have to specify both width and height and so there might be a black band if the aspect ratio is not correct. You can see that in the one landspace format thumbnail in my test scenario.
Finally, the output of PhotoFusion is a static map image and the user cannot pan, zoom out or do other interesting things with the map like you can with Google Maps.
One good thing about it is that the output includes an elevation profile and other useful info (like distance travelled etc.)
Here is my test of TopoFusion.
WWMX and GPS Visualizer
Let’s now look at some free solutions. While there are several free solutions, none of them are as easy to use or as complete for this task. One has to use multiple software: one for geotagging the photos and another for creating maps.
The best solution for the map creation is GPS Visualizer, an online tool that does almost anything you could think of.
But before using that, I needed to geotag the photos using my tracklog. I checked two programs for that.
WWMX Location Stamper is a Windows-based application which is simple to use but does not have many features. For example, the camera must be set to the same time as your computer and you cannot specify any difference in the clocks of the GPS and your camera. It needs a GPX file with a tracklog as input unless you use WWMX TrackDownload which can get the tracklog directly from a GPS. It shows the track and photo locations on a map within the application (I think the map requires you to be connected to the Internet) and then stores the location info in the image EXIF.
Another program for geotagging is gpsPhoto.pl, a command-line Perl tool to extract location info from a tracklog and write to EXIF. It has a lot of options. However, it is command-line and requires Perl installation on your computer. Also, you can’t check the results in a map. One pro for this tool is that it is OS-independent.
Once I had the images with their coordinates in the EXIF info, I had to get it in a format that would be acceptable for GPS Visualizer. For the tracklog, I could use the GPX format, but for the photo information, I needed CSV as described here and here. I wrote a short Perl script to do that using Image::ExifTool.
Now comes the time to get GPS Visualizer’s Google Maps form to generate the map. If you are going to fill out the same form again and again, it helps to use the Firefox extension Form Saver to store the form data so you don’t have to select the same options every time.
And finally using the GPX file, I created an elevation profile of my walk.
Here is the page with all the results.
So you might be thinking why go through all this hassle. First, it is free. Second, GSP Visualizer has lots of options and can do almost anything: Google Maps, Google Earth, SVG or JPEG maps, topographic, aerial, street maps, all kinds of profile graphs, etc. And you can control the presentation in detail. Take a look at the map linked to above. In addition to the Google maps, it also has USGS topographic and aerial maps as well as some imagery from NASA.
The downside is the amount fo time/effort used to create a map every time. Also, I would be dependent on another website to create and display my maps.
I do plan to use GPS Visualizer to create elevation profiles and other special maps, but it is too much work for regular stuff.
RoboGEO
RoboGEO looks good and does lots of stuff related to geotagging. You can set the location of your photos manually using Google Earth, or set it using GPS waypoints or use the tracklog. It stores the location info in the EXIF fields or can even stamp the location on the image itself. The output can also be in several formats: Google Maps, Google Earth, GPX/CSV, Flickr, ESRI shapefiles, etc.
For Google maps, the output is in the form of a web page, but it also creates an XML file with all the data in case you want to use XSLT to create your own web page. There is also an option for string substitutions in the generated web files if you want to customize. These options are not as good as having a templating system for web page generation, but they do provide ways to customize the web page code.
I used the string substitution option to add USGS topographic and aerial maps to my map pages. I got the required code to do this from GPS Visualizer and Acme Mapper.
The demo version of RoboGEO is sort-of crippleware as it adds big random error to photo locations and tracklog points. However, I liked it enough after trying it out that I immediately bought it.
Another gripe I have with RoboGEO is that it stores output files in the Program Files folder.
One feature I would really like to see in RoboGEO is to be able to put the waypoints in my GPX files on the map as well. This would help by pointing out parking, trailhead, scenic view, waterfalls, or other features on a hike on the map. I emailed Tim Helton about this and he’s agreed to put it on his to-do list.
Before I show you the map from my test created using RoboGEO, if you are overwhelmed with signing up for a Google Maps API key etc., you can simply create a Google Earth KMZ file embedded with the photographs using RoboGEO and put it online (example). Then just enter the URL of this file in Google Maps like this and voila!
Map
Tags: exif, geotagging, google earth, google maps, gps, hiking, photography, review, software
Posted by Zack at September 30, 2006 12:30 AM in Hikes , Internet , Photography
Related Entries
Geotagging Photos
What is TMC Traffic?
location based services
The TMC stands for Traffic Message Service, and is a great way to get Traffic issues sent to your GPS via FM signals that can’t be picked up by a normal FM car stereo. TMC is a specific application of the RDS or Radio Data System for silently transmitting information like traffic and weather over FM signals. This data-only traffic signal is sent out via ClearChannel communications (in the US), with data provided by Inrix, a large aggregator of traffic information. This TMC signal gives you easy real-time warnings of tie-ups, accidents, slow traffic, and allows you and your GPS to avoid these messes, and is always on. The service is available in about 50 cities across the US. The ClearChannel System has an advantage over traffic.com based systems because it has a broader reach and can get you traffic information on more roads that the competition. Here’s why:
XM – Relies on road sensors that monitor vehicle speeds with an installed network of radar towers along the sides of the road. You’ve probably seen these skinny little towers about 60 feet high about every mile going down the highway near cities. Those towers monitor the flow of traffic and send it ultimately to your GPS.
ClearChannel and TMC – this data collection system is run by Inrix, and they too use installed road sensors. They also use a large network of fleet vehicles with on-board GPS units that transmit back their speed and route information. These fleet vehicles are delivery trucks, taxis and freight vehicles that already have the GPS on board and are now little traffic reporters wherever they go. This network of over 600,000 vehicles nationwide is called the “Dust Network”, and this network allows Inrix, and ClearChannel to get traffic flow data on roads that don’t have hard-wired sensors on them. A recent study showed that the Dust Network worked as well as a hard wired network for predicting travel time and telling traffic flow conditions. The study also confirmed that Inrix has much broader coverage. In some cities this meant twice as much coverage, in some cities this meant up to eight times as much coverage in terms of miles of road covered. Aside: TomTom uses a Bluetooth connection to your mobile phone to download traffic data from the Inrix database, so the data feed quality should be the same as TMC.
Why should you want TMC Traffic?Garmin’s use of it is a great way to illustrate how this works. If your unit is equipped with TMC traffic, a little icon will pop up in the corner of the screen if there is a traffic incident on your route that you are navigating. Tap on the icon and it brings you to an alert page where you can see how severe the incident is. The warning is color coded Yellow or Red to indicate the severity. Tap another button and the GPS can find a way around the traffic issue.
Cost of TMCMost companies in the US give a 3-month free trial of the TMC traffic service. After that, the fee is around $60 per year. If you live in a congested city, and commute through heavily traveled roads, the $60 fee will probably save you a few hours of time per year, easily, and is well worth it. The system is over a year old in most cities and is getting better all the time.
Garmin C550 and TMC TrafficI reviewed the Garmin StreetPilot C550 and thought that it was a great little GPS. What stood out was the TMC traffic receiver that was built right into the 12-volt power adapter, and was so seamlessly integrated into the software, it was easy and intuitive to use right away. I said that it was “Worth its weight in gold.” Read more at GPS Review: Garmin StreetPilot C550 Review by GPS Lodge
location based services
The TMC stands for Traffic Message Service, and is a great way to get Traffic issues sent to your GPS via FM signals that can’t be picked up by a normal FM car stereo. TMC is a specific application of the RDS or Radio Data System for silently transmitting information like traffic and weather over FM signals. This data-only traffic signal is sent out via ClearChannel communications (in the US), with data provided by Inrix, a large aggregator of traffic information. This TMC signal gives you easy real-time warnings of tie-ups, accidents, slow traffic, and allows you and your GPS to avoid these messes, and is always on. The service is available in about 50 cities across the US. The ClearChannel System has an advantage over traffic.com based systems because it has a broader reach and can get you traffic information on more roads that the competition. Here’s why:
XM – Relies on road sensors that monitor vehicle speeds with an installed network of radar towers along the sides of the road. You’ve probably seen these skinny little towers about 60 feet high about every mile going down the highway near cities. Those towers monitor the flow of traffic and send it ultimately to your GPS.
ClearChannel and TMC – this data collection system is run by Inrix, and they too use installed road sensors. They also use a large network of fleet vehicles with on-board GPS units that transmit back their speed and route information. These fleet vehicles are delivery trucks, taxis and freight vehicles that already have the GPS on board and are now little traffic reporters wherever they go. This network of over 600,000 vehicles nationwide is called the “Dust Network”, and this network allows Inrix, and ClearChannel to get traffic flow data on roads that don’t have hard-wired sensors on them. A recent study showed that the Dust Network worked as well as a hard wired network for predicting travel time and telling traffic flow conditions. The study also confirmed that Inrix has much broader coverage. In some cities this meant twice as much coverage, in some cities this meant up to eight times as much coverage in terms of miles of road covered. Aside: TomTom uses a Bluetooth connection to your mobile phone to download traffic data from the Inrix database, so the data feed quality should be the same as TMC.
Why should you want TMC Traffic?Garmin’s use of it is a great way to illustrate how this works. If your unit is equipped with TMC traffic, a little icon will pop up in the corner of the screen if there is a traffic incident on your route that you are navigating. Tap on the icon and it brings you to an alert page where you can see how severe the incident is. The warning is color coded Yellow or Red to indicate the severity. Tap another button and the GPS can find a way around the traffic issue.
Cost of TMCMost companies in the US give a 3-month free trial of the TMC traffic service. After that, the fee is around $60 per year. If you live in a congested city, and commute through heavily traveled roads, the $60 fee will probably save you a few hours of time per year, easily, and is well worth it. The system is over a year old in most cities and is getting better all the time.
Garmin C550 and TMC TrafficI reviewed the Garmin StreetPilot C550 and thought that it was a great little GPS. What stood out was the TMC traffic receiver that was built right into the 12-volt power adapter, and was so seamlessly integrated into the software, it was easy and intuitive to use right away. I said that it was “Worth its weight in gold.” Read more at GPS Review: Garmin StreetPilot C550 Review by GPS Lodge
Monday interview: mobile advertising expert Russell Buckley
location based services
Mobile advertising is going to be increasingly high-profile in the next few years. And I don't mean Crazy Frog or those baffling Phones 4 U TV commercials. Advertising on your mobile has so far been largely restricted to annoying spam text messages – the sort that often arrive at 3am. But that's going to change, with mobile operators and content companies keen to make extra revenue, and big brands eager to find a way of reaching the young consumes who've been deserting print and TV in their droves.
One company that's already doing rather well from mobile advertising – without a spam SMS in sight – is AdMob. The company places simple text adverts on WAP sites, and is picking up some big clients. The company recently appointed Russell Buckley to be its managing director in Europe.
Buckley is something of a mobile advertising expert, being one half of the team behind the respected MobHappy blog, which covers all aspects of mobile technology. I talked to him about the new job, and how he sees mobile advertising developing.
“I’ve been involved in mobile marketing for the last six years, but now’s an exciting time,” says Buckley. “It’s the first time we’ve seen something that really works. When we run an ad, people are clicking on it, with a response rate of up to seven or eight percent sometimes, and we’re driving sales directly off it.”
AdMob basically hooks up companies who want to advertise on mobile phones, with publishers of mobile Internet sites, and then arranges to place text-only adverts, with links, on the latter’s sites. The company has over 150 advertisers, and its network of publishers serves more than 300 million mobile page views a month, including sites from small WAP startups through to huge global brands like MTV.
“It’s great for targeting,” says Buckley. “For a start, the people who see these ads are already using WAP, so it’s not like people seeing an advert in The Sun saying ‘go to this WAP site’, but they haven’t got the right settings. And we can also target the ads by country, by operator, and by handset make and platform. So if you want to advertise to, say, all people with Symbian Nokia phones in the UK, we can do that.”
Isn't WAP old hat, though? It was hyped as being whizzier than it actually was, and then everyone lost interest. Buckley agrees, but crucially says this was just the short-term reaction. He cites a theory coined by analyst firm Gartner, called the Hype Cycle, which described what happens when a technology is launched, overhyped, becomes unfashionable, and then gradually becomes popular again as people actually start using it.
That's a simplification, mind – the actual theory uses high-falutin' analyst terms like 'Trough of Disillusionment', 'Slope of Enlightenment' and 'Plateau of Productivity'. Whatever you call it, it happened to WAP, which is now edging towards that plateau.
“It’s probably where we were with SMS in 1999,” says Buckley. “It’s under the radar, but an awful lot of people, and particularly kids, are using it.”
He also compares the current mobile internet to the early days of the Web, when people were looking for new sites to visit. Many of AdMob’s advertisers are themselves WAP publishers, so trying to attract people by advertising elsewhere. Handset manufacturers and mobile content firms are also advertising – Nokia is one of AdMob’s clients – but interestingly, Buckley says the most popular WAP sites right now aren’t always those run by the biggest brands.
“Some of the bigger names on our network haven’t got all that much traffic in comparison to these new upstarts,” he says. “It’s like when the Internet came along, and traditional publishers were very slow to catch on, so allowed big brands like Yahoo and Google to develop. It will be interesting to see if that pattern’s repeated on mobile. The upstart brands are already pulling in huge traffic, probably bigger than the Yahoos from the internet world. These companies could be the Googles and Yahoos of tomorrow.”
Most of AdMob’s traffic comes from Europe, which Buckley says has been quicker on the uptake for WAP than elsewhere. However, it’s not just about the UK by any means. AdMob’s five top markets are South Africa, India, the UK, the US and Israel, with South Africa by some way the biggest. Buckley thinks European mobile operators can learn from it, as data traffic is cheap there, which has spurred many more people to use their phones for browsing.
“If you make data a fixed-price and cheap, growth explodes,” he says. “It helps in some of these countries, like India, that the penetration of PCs isn’t as high, so people use their phones. And of course, people speak English there, and most of the big global WAP sites right now are in English.”
Right now, few people would complain about text adverts on a WAP page. But how will mobile advertising develop? Several companies are already looking at the next step, for example more graphically rich banner ads. Buckley says AdMob could do this now, but is waiting, as most mobile users aren’t on fixed-data plans. In other words, they pay for every kilobyte of data they use, which isn’t a problem for a couple of lines of text, but could be an issue once adverts become banners.
“The last thing we want in this marketplace is for someone to start pumping rich media down peoples’ phones in advertising form, and pumping up their phone bills as a result,” he says. “For now, we know that text links work, people are happy to click on them, and they get high responses. Why try to run marketing campaigns that are the equivalent of slapping them in the face with a wet fish? We shouldn’t be looking at the aggressive advertising techniques which became prevalent in the initial bubble of the internet.”
One way mobile advertising is developing fast is in the area of search, with mobile operators scrambling to sign deals with the likes of Google and Yahoo to incorporate web-like search on their phones. AdMob is working with Google on a contextual search service, so that its advertisers can include their ads for people searching for certain keywords through Google. But Buckley seems unconvinced in general.
“My personal view is that search seems to be seen by everybody as being as important on the mobile as it is on the Web,” he says. “I don’t actually think it will be. It’s still important and relevant, but not quite in the same way as the Web. You can’t just cram Web-based ideas onto mobile. It works sometimes, but more often needs radical rethinking, not just tweaking. You have to approach mobile with a blank sheet of paper.”
Having seen Nokia make a splash this week with its new N95 handset – the first mainstream phone to feature fully-fledged GPS integrated into the phone – does this offer opportunities for advertising? Location-based advertising has been an industry buzzword for a while now, without any clear signs of people making money from it.
Buckley thinks location is a huge opportunity on mobile, but thinks it’s in the middle of that cycle of disillusionment referred to earlier, particularly in the minds of the mobile operators.
“A lot of them have written it off, because all their trials have been engineering-led rather than usability-led,” he says. “If the application is ‘where’s my nearest cash machine?’, of course it won’t work. You can do that by walking 100 yards in any direction in a built-up area. ‘Find my nearest garage?’ Who cares?!”
Instead, Buckley’s more excited about some of the newer location-based mobile applications which blend elements of social networking. He cites Loopt, a company for whom he has consulted, as a good example, which enables you to see your friends’ physical locations on a map, and send them messages. He says that for kids in particular, it may even be a reason to change their operator, to ensure they’re not left out if a group of friends adopts it.
“Can that be overlaid by some form of advertising? Yes, but the complexities of doing it are a bit mind-boggling,” he says. “That doesn’t mean it can’t be done, but for a startup it’s challenging. Say you’re standing outside Charing Cross station. You might receive an advert for a nearby Internet cafe, but it’s difficult to scale. If you walk 300 yards down the road, you might not get any adverts.”
The thing that everybody forgets about location-based services, thinks Buckley, is time. That internet cafe may want to serve an advert up to you at 10am, when it’s quiet, but they probably wouldn’t want to in peak times like lunchtime.
“It adds complexity, as a lot of advertisers won’t want to advertise 100% of the time,” he says. “The time element is something people always forget. But I’m not saying it’s impossible to work these issues out.
Came straight to this page? Visit www.TechDigest.tv for all the latest news
location based services
Mobile advertising is going to be increasingly high-profile in the next few years. And I don't mean Crazy Frog or those baffling Phones 4 U TV commercials. Advertising on your mobile has so far been largely restricted to annoying spam text messages – the sort that often arrive at 3am. But that's going to change, with mobile operators and content companies keen to make extra revenue, and big brands eager to find a way of reaching the young consumes who've been deserting print and TV in their droves.
One company that's already doing rather well from mobile advertising – without a spam SMS in sight – is AdMob. The company places simple text adverts on WAP sites, and is picking up some big clients. The company recently appointed Russell Buckley to be its managing director in Europe.
Buckley is something of a mobile advertising expert, being one half of the team behind the respected MobHappy blog, which covers all aspects of mobile technology. I talked to him about the new job, and how he sees mobile advertising developing.
“I’ve been involved in mobile marketing for the last six years, but now’s an exciting time,” says Buckley. “It’s the first time we’ve seen something that really works. When we run an ad, people are clicking on it, with a response rate of up to seven or eight percent sometimes, and we’re driving sales directly off it.”
AdMob basically hooks up companies who want to advertise on mobile phones, with publishers of mobile Internet sites, and then arranges to place text-only adverts, with links, on the latter’s sites. The company has over 150 advertisers, and its network of publishers serves more than 300 million mobile page views a month, including sites from small WAP startups through to huge global brands like MTV.
“It’s great for targeting,” says Buckley. “For a start, the people who see these ads are already using WAP, so it’s not like people seeing an advert in The Sun saying ‘go to this WAP site’, but they haven’t got the right settings. And we can also target the ads by country, by operator, and by handset make and platform. So if you want to advertise to, say, all people with Symbian Nokia phones in the UK, we can do that.”
Isn't WAP old hat, though? It was hyped as being whizzier than it actually was, and then everyone lost interest. Buckley agrees, but crucially says this was just the short-term reaction. He cites a theory coined by analyst firm Gartner, called the Hype Cycle, which described what happens when a technology is launched, overhyped, becomes unfashionable, and then gradually becomes popular again as people actually start using it.
That's a simplification, mind – the actual theory uses high-falutin' analyst terms like 'Trough of Disillusionment', 'Slope of Enlightenment' and 'Plateau of Productivity'. Whatever you call it, it happened to WAP, which is now edging towards that plateau.
“It’s probably where we were with SMS in 1999,” says Buckley. “It’s under the radar, but an awful lot of people, and particularly kids, are using it.”
He also compares the current mobile internet to the early days of the Web, when people were looking for new sites to visit. Many of AdMob’s advertisers are themselves WAP publishers, so trying to attract people by advertising elsewhere. Handset manufacturers and mobile content firms are also advertising – Nokia is one of AdMob’s clients – but interestingly, Buckley says the most popular WAP sites right now aren’t always those run by the biggest brands.
“Some of the bigger names on our network haven’t got all that much traffic in comparison to these new upstarts,” he says. “It’s like when the Internet came along, and traditional publishers were very slow to catch on, so allowed big brands like Yahoo and Google to develop. It will be interesting to see if that pattern’s repeated on mobile. The upstart brands are already pulling in huge traffic, probably bigger than the Yahoos from the internet world. These companies could be the Googles and Yahoos of tomorrow.”
Most of AdMob’s traffic comes from Europe, which Buckley says has been quicker on the uptake for WAP than elsewhere. However, it’s not just about the UK by any means. AdMob’s five top markets are South Africa, India, the UK, the US and Israel, with South Africa by some way the biggest. Buckley thinks European mobile operators can learn from it, as data traffic is cheap there, which has spurred many more people to use their phones for browsing.
“If you make data a fixed-price and cheap, growth explodes,” he says. “It helps in some of these countries, like India, that the penetration of PCs isn’t as high, so people use their phones. And of course, people speak English there, and most of the big global WAP sites right now are in English.”
Right now, few people would complain about text adverts on a WAP page. But how will mobile advertising develop? Several companies are already looking at the next step, for example more graphically rich banner ads. Buckley says AdMob could do this now, but is waiting, as most mobile users aren’t on fixed-data plans. In other words, they pay for every kilobyte of data they use, which isn’t a problem for a couple of lines of text, but could be an issue once adverts become banners.
“The last thing we want in this marketplace is for someone to start pumping rich media down peoples’ phones in advertising form, and pumping up their phone bills as a result,” he says. “For now, we know that text links work, people are happy to click on them, and they get high responses. Why try to run marketing campaigns that are the equivalent of slapping them in the face with a wet fish? We shouldn’t be looking at the aggressive advertising techniques which became prevalent in the initial bubble of the internet.”
One way mobile advertising is developing fast is in the area of search, with mobile operators scrambling to sign deals with the likes of Google and Yahoo to incorporate web-like search on their phones. AdMob is working with Google on a contextual search service, so that its advertisers can include their ads for people searching for certain keywords through Google. But Buckley seems unconvinced in general.
“My personal view is that search seems to be seen by everybody as being as important on the mobile as it is on the Web,” he says. “I don’t actually think it will be. It’s still important and relevant, but not quite in the same way as the Web. You can’t just cram Web-based ideas onto mobile. It works sometimes, but more often needs radical rethinking, not just tweaking. You have to approach mobile with a blank sheet of paper.”
Having seen Nokia make a splash this week with its new N95 handset – the first mainstream phone to feature fully-fledged GPS integrated into the phone – does this offer opportunities for advertising? Location-based advertising has been an industry buzzword for a while now, without any clear signs of people making money from it.
Buckley thinks location is a huge opportunity on mobile, but thinks it’s in the middle of that cycle of disillusionment referred to earlier, particularly in the minds of the mobile operators.
“A lot of them have written it off, because all their trials have been engineering-led rather than usability-led,” he says. “If the application is ‘where’s my nearest cash machine?’, of course it won’t work. You can do that by walking 100 yards in any direction in a built-up area. ‘Find my nearest garage?’ Who cares?!”
Instead, Buckley’s more excited about some of the newer location-based mobile applications which blend elements of social networking. He cites Loopt, a company for whom he has consulted, as a good example, which enables you to see your friends’ physical locations on a map, and send them messages. He says that for kids in particular, it may even be a reason to change their operator, to ensure they’re not left out if a group of friends adopts it.
“Can that be overlaid by some form of advertising? Yes, but the complexities of doing it are a bit mind-boggling,” he says. “That doesn’t mean it can’t be done, but for a startup it’s challenging. Say you’re standing outside Charing Cross station. You might receive an advert for a nearby Internet cafe, but it’s difficult to scale. If you walk 300 yards down the road, you might not get any adverts.”
The thing that everybody forgets about location-based services, thinks Buckley, is time. That internet cafe may want to serve an advert up to you at 10am, when it’s quiet, but they probably wouldn’t want to in peak times like lunchtime.
“It adds complexity, as a lot of advertisers won’t want to advertise 100% of the time,” he says. “The time element is something people always forget. But I’m not saying it’s impossible to work these issues out.
Came straight to this page? Visit www.TechDigest.tv for all the latest news
GPS ready for its media closeup
location based services
GPS devices aren't just for helping you find your way through the woods anymore. Nowadays, they may also carry a tune.
Not all of them, to be sure. But like its traveling companion, the cell phone, the satellite navigation gadget is becoming a jack of all trades. More and more, makers of GPS gear are outfitting their handheld devices with entertainment capabilities such as playing MP3 music files and video downloads, and educational offerings like foreign language phrase books.
One company at the center of all this convergence activity is Sirf Technology, a maker of widely used GPS chip technology. Founded in 1995, Sirf had a notable IPO two and a half years ago as the stock market began to warm up to technology companies again after the dot-com collapse.
Since then, GPS systems--once limited to military use--have only become more woven into the fabric of everyday life, taking up residence in the family car, mobile phones and even the occasional bicycle helmet.
Kanwar Chadha, a co-founder of Sirf and now its vice president of marketing, stopped by CNET News.com's Cambridge, Mass., office last week with a carry-on case full of palm-size gadgets, and shared his thoughts on how personal navigation technology is ready for its breakthrough moment.
What's going on in GPS these days?Kanwar Chadha: Well, GPS is hitting mainstream consumers. You know, the last two, three years, we're seeing a significant penetration of GPS into the mainstream markets, especially driven by portable navigation devices. If you think about the history of navigation, you know, in-car navigation started in the early 1990s in Japan, and has never really taken off in the U.S., although some high-end cars have it. Japan and Europe have been the primary users of in-car navigation.
How big a presence do navigation systems have now? Chadha: It's a big penetration. (For in-car systems, the) U.S. market is the smallest, Japan and Europe are now almost equal. For portable navigation, Europe is No. 1, and the U.S. is No. 2, and I would say, if you look at 15 to 16 million, probably about 30 percent of that is in the U.S., so it's about 4 to 5 million units.
When you're talking about portable navigation, it's not just, say, OnStar devices that are mounted in cars, but also a Garmin device people might carry separately? Chadha: Portable navigation means it's not in-car. So, we don't include GM OnStar--that is what we call telematics, because it's really a response system rather than a navigation system. You can do navigation with that, but the primary purpose is roadside assistance, information about what's around you. So the navigation systems, we classify two categories: the in-car navigation systems, which come installed in the car dashboard, so those are systems from Alpine, Bosch and Becker--traditional OEM (original equipment manufacturer) suppliers into the cars.
The major players in portable navigation are actually not the traditional auto suppliers.
The portable nav systems are really aftermarket systems. These are the ones which users buy...at a dealer, but primarily at a consumer electronics channel. The major players in portable navigation are actually not the traditional auto suppliers. TomTom and Garmin dominate the branded market today, and Magellan is very popular in the U.S. Mio is quite popular in Asia, as well as in Europe, and just starting to ramp up with the U.S.
On the technical side, what happened when you went from SirfstarII to SirfstarIII (the company's second- and third-generation chip technology)?Chadha: SirfstarII was our first entry targeted at in-car navigation systems, with some penetration to portable nav, because the portable nav market didn't really exist till about two, three years ago. So, the main idea there was that if you put a system in the car, where you have a good antenna and all that, you can solve the traditional urban-canyon problem, which most of these navigational systems have--they will work very well outdoors, but when you enter an urban area or under foliage, the GPS will not work very well.
But as SirfstarII got implemented into the portable navigational systems, we found that user expectation was that as soon as you switch on the system--it doesn't matter whether it's where they were last time, or they've moved from there--that you get instant fixes, and also in the dense urban areas like New York and all that, lots of these systems had problems in acquiring the satellite. If you had acquired the satellite and then drove into the cities, you didn't have a problem, but if you switched off the system, and then four or five hours later tried to start it again in a dense urban canyon, people were having problems.
There were two issues we found causing this problem. One was, in an urban area, lots of buildings are blocking the satellite, so your satellite visibility was very poor, and the second thing was in many cases the signal itself was there, but was very weak. The searching capability of a GPS receiver is measured by how many correlaters (that is, processing engines) you have, because you are trying to do a blank search and correlate to the signal coming from the satellite.
The problem in urban areas is the satellite signals are coming and going, so if you don't have enough correlators, you may never find a match. In SirfstarII, we had 2,000 correlators. In SirfstarIII, we have 200,000 correlators. So our ability to do parallel search increased exponentially, and that's why what you are finding in SirfstarIII is that in almost any kind of urban environment, even indoors, we can actually find satellite signals.
So if I go into midtown Manhattan where the buildings are tallest and flip on a portable navigation device, what are my chances of getting a signal?Chadha: You'll get it. With a SirfstarIII system like the Garmin Nuvi or Garmin 550 series, or TomTom's 510 series, urban canyon is not a problem. Even indoors we can get those signals. The search range now is very, very wide.
How well-mapped is the world now for GPS systems?Chadha: The U.S. is very well-mapped. You know, even smaller cities are mapped--maybe not to the same level of detail as the larger cities, but almost all of the U.S. is mapped. Europe is very heavily mapped--Western Europe, all the countries are pretty well-mapped. Eastern Europe is starting to get mapped. Japan is mapped down to a 3D level, you know, you even can see the heights of the buildings as you drive. Japan is probably the most heavily mapped country in the world. Asia is getting mapped. China is getting mapped now--there are about eight companies doing navigation-level mapping for China--and India is getting mapped. So it's getting there.
CONTINUED
location based services
GPS devices aren't just for helping you find your way through the woods anymore. Nowadays, they may also carry a tune.
Not all of them, to be sure. But like its traveling companion, the cell phone, the satellite navigation gadget is becoming a jack of all trades. More and more, makers of GPS gear are outfitting their handheld devices with entertainment capabilities such as playing MP3 music files and video downloads, and educational offerings like foreign language phrase books.
One company at the center of all this convergence activity is Sirf Technology, a maker of widely used GPS chip technology. Founded in 1995, Sirf had a notable IPO two and a half years ago as the stock market began to warm up to technology companies again after the dot-com collapse.
Since then, GPS systems--once limited to military use--have only become more woven into the fabric of everyday life, taking up residence in the family car, mobile phones and even the occasional bicycle helmet.
Kanwar Chadha, a co-founder of Sirf and now its vice president of marketing, stopped by CNET News.com's Cambridge, Mass., office last week with a carry-on case full of palm-size gadgets, and shared his thoughts on how personal navigation technology is ready for its breakthrough moment.
What's going on in GPS these days?Kanwar Chadha: Well, GPS is hitting mainstream consumers. You know, the last two, three years, we're seeing a significant penetration of GPS into the mainstream markets, especially driven by portable navigation devices. If you think about the history of navigation, you know, in-car navigation started in the early 1990s in Japan, and has never really taken off in the U.S., although some high-end cars have it. Japan and Europe have been the primary users of in-car navigation.
How big a presence do navigation systems have now? Chadha: It's a big penetration. (For in-car systems, the) U.S. market is the smallest, Japan and Europe are now almost equal. For portable navigation, Europe is No. 1, and the U.S. is No. 2, and I would say, if you look at 15 to 16 million, probably about 30 percent of that is in the U.S., so it's about 4 to 5 million units.
When you're talking about portable navigation, it's not just, say, OnStar devices that are mounted in cars, but also a Garmin device people might carry separately? Chadha: Portable navigation means it's not in-car. So, we don't include GM OnStar--that is what we call telematics, because it's really a response system rather than a navigation system. You can do navigation with that, but the primary purpose is roadside assistance, information about what's around you. So the navigation systems, we classify two categories: the in-car navigation systems, which come installed in the car dashboard, so those are systems from Alpine, Bosch and Becker--traditional OEM (original equipment manufacturer) suppliers into the cars.
The major players in portable navigation are actually not the traditional auto suppliers.
The portable nav systems are really aftermarket systems. These are the ones which users buy...at a dealer, but primarily at a consumer electronics channel. The major players in portable navigation are actually not the traditional auto suppliers. TomTom and Garmin dominate the branded market today, and Magellan is very popular in the U.S. Mio is quite popular in Asia, as well as in Europe, and just starting to ramp up with the U.S.
On the technical side, what happened when you went from SirfstarII to SirfstarIII (the company's second- and third-generation chip technology)?Chadha: SirfstarII was our first entry targeted at in-car navigation systems, with some penetration to portable nav, because the portable nav market didn't really exist till about two, three years ago. So, the main idea there was that if you put a system in the car, where you have a good antenna and all that, you can solve the traditional urban-canyon problem, which most of these navigational systems have--they will work very well outdoors, but when you enter an urban area or under foliage, the GPS will not work very well.
But as SirfstarII got implemented into the portable navigational systems, we found that user expectation was that as soon as you switch on the system--it doesn't matter whether it's where they were last time, or they've moved from there--that you get instant fixes, and also in the dense urban areas like New York and all that, lots of these systems had problems in acquiring the satellite. If you had acquired the satellite and then drove into the cities, you didn't have a problem, but if you switched off the system, and then four or five hours later tried to start it again in a dense urban canyon, people were having problems.
There were two issues we found causing this problem. One was, in an urban area, lots of buildings are blocking the satellite, so your satellite visibility was very poor, and the second thing was in many cases the signal itself was there, but was very weak. The searching capability of a GPS receiver is measured by how many correlaters (that is, processing engines) you have, because you are trying to do a blank search and correlate to the signal coming from the satellite.
The problem in urban areas is the satellite signals are coming and going, so if you don't have enough correlators, you may never find a match. In SirfstarII, we had 2,000 correlators. In SirfstarIII, we have 200,000 correlators. So our ability to do parallel search increased exponentially, and that's why what you are finding in SirfstarIII is that in almost any kind of urban environment, even indoors, we can actually find satellite signals.
So if I go into midtown Manhattan where the buildings are tallest and flip on a portable navigation device, what are my chances of getting a signal?Chadha: You'll get it. With a SirfstarIII system like the Garmin Nuvi or Garmin 550 series, or TomTom's 510 series, urban canyon is not a problem. Even indoors we can get those signals. The search range now is very, very wide.
How well-mapped is the world now for GPS systems?Chadha: The U.S. is very well-mapped. You know, even smaller cities are mapped--maybe not to the same level of detail as the larger cities, but almost all of the U.S. is mapped. Europe is very heavily mapped--Western Europe, all the countries are pretty well-mapped. Eastern Europe is starting to get mapped. Japan is mapped down to a 3D level, you know, you even can see the heights of the buildings as you drive. Japan is probably the most heavily mapped country in the world. Asia is getting mapped. China is getting mapped now--there are about eight companies doing navigation-level mapping for China--and India is getting mapped. So it's getting there.
CONTINUED
Nokia Licenses Trimble Location-Based Patents
location-based services.
Nokia has signed a licensing deal with Trimble Navigation that gives the mobile phone maker access to hundreds of technology patents for providing
location-based services.
The deal could also strengthen Nokia’s hand in license negotiations with other companies.
The deal with Trimble, announced Monday, gives Nokia the rights to almost 700 Trimble technology patents for use in Nokia products, said Waldemar Sakalus, director of business development for Nokia’s mobile phone group. Nokia also gets the exclusive right to sublicense the patents to other companies in the wireless industry, he said.
In return, Trimble gets a nonexclusive license to use Nokia’s own location-based technology patents in its own commercial products.
Location-based services allow operators to pinpoint the location of a customer using GPS and other technologies, and then deliver services based on that information, such as finding a nearby hotel or providing driving directions.
"It’s a field we believe will become more and more important and which carries a lot of business opportunities," Sakalus said. Just last week Nokia announced its new N95 phone, which comes with integrated GPS capabilities, he noted.
Having the exclusive rights to sublicense Trimble’s patents could also strengthen Nokia’s hand when it comes to negotiating license deals with other companies, Sakalus acknowledged.
That could come in handy for Nokia as it tries to resolve a licensing dispute with Qualcomm over Nokia’s use of some key Qualcomm wireless technologies.
Nokia has complained that Qualcomm is demanding royalty payments for its technology that are too high, while Qualcomm has accused Nokia of patent infringement. Nokia’s current agreement to use Qualcomm’s patents expires in the first half of next year.
If the Trimble patents strengthen Nokia’s negotiating position with third parties, that would be a nice benefit, but that is not its main motivation for the deal with Trimble, according to Sakalus. He did not refer to Qualcomm specifically.
The objective’s main deal is to gain access to a broad set of patents in a field that Nokia sees as important and growing, he said. Most of Trimble’s customers are in industries such as agriculture and construction, and by sublicensing the patents, Nokia can make them more available to the mobile industry, he said.
The deal involved a financial payment along with the patent-sharing aspect, but the companies aren’t providing details. The terms will not materially affect the finances of either company, they said.
Trimble’s patents deal with location-based services based on GPS; assisted GPS, which uses additional servers to amplify GPS signals in urban areas; and Galileo, the European satellite navigation network.
Nokia is still deciding whether it will license them separately or as part of its general portfolio of Global System for Mobile Communications and code division multiple access patents, Sakalus said. He said he saw "no problem" with licensing the patents to rival phone makers.
Nokia has said that it currently pays more in technology licensing fees than it receives. It hopes to grow its patents portfolio and eventually make patent licensing a profitable part of its business.
-James Niccolai, IDG News Service (Paris Bureau)
location-based services.
Nokia has signed a licensing deal with Trimble Navigation that gives the mobile phone maker access to hundreds of technology patents for providing
location-based services.
The deal could also strengthen Nokia’s hand in license negotiations with other companies.
The deal with Trimble, announced Monday, gives Nokia the rights to almost 700 Trimble technology patents for use in Nokia products, said Waldemar Sakalus, director of business development for Nokia’s mobile phone group. Nokia also gets the exclusive right to sublicense the patents to other companies in the wireless industry, he said.
In return, Trimble gets a nonexclusive license to use Nokia’s own location-based technology patents in its own commercial products.
Location-based services allow operators to pinpoint the location of a customer using GPS and other technologies, and then deliver services based on that information, such as finding a nearby hotel or providing driving directions.
"It’s a field we believe will become more and more important and which carries a lot of business opportunities," Sakalus said. Just last week Nokia announced its new N95 phone, which comes with integrated GPS capabilities, he noted.
Having the exclusive rights to sublicense Trimble’s patents could also strengthen Nokia’s hand when it comes to negotiating license deals with other companies, Sakalus acknowledged.
That could come in handy for Nokia as it tries to resolve a licensing dispute with Qualcomm over Nokia’s use of some key Qualcomm wireless technologies.
Nokia has complained that Qualcomm is demanding royalty payments for its technology that are too high, while Qualcomm has accused Nokia of patent infringement. Nokia’s current agreement to use Qualcomm’s patents expires in the first half of next year.
If the Trimble patents strengthen Nokia’s negotiating position with third parties, that would be a nice benefit, but that is not its main motivation for the deal with Trimble, according to Sakalus. He did not refer to Qualcomm specifically.
The objective’s main deal is to gain access to a broad set of patents in a field that Nokia sees as important and growing, he said. Most of Trimble’s customers are in industries such as agriculture and construction, and by sublicensing the patents, Nokia can make them more available to the mobile industry, he said.
The deal involved a financial payment along with the patent-sharing aspect, but the companies aren’t providing details. The terms will not materially affect the finances of either company, they said.
Trimble’s patents deal with location-based services based on GPS; assisted GPS, which uses additional servers to amplify GPS signals in urban areas; and Galileo, the European satellite navigation network.
Nokia is still deciding whether it will license them separately or as part of its general portfolio of Global System for Mobile Communications and code division multiple access patents, Sakalus said. He said he saw "no problem" with licensing the patents to rival phone makers.
Nokia has said that it currently pays more in technology licensing fees than it receives. It hopes to grow its patents portfolio and eventually make patent licensing a profitable part of its business.
-James Niccolai, IDG News Service (Paris Bureau)
WAN Card connects to EV-DO Revision A networks
location based services
. October 2, 2006 - Capable of 3.1 Mbps on downlink and 1.8 Mbps on uplink when operating on Revision A networks, AirCard® 597E features Assisted GPS location based services, fixed antenna design, and external antenna jack for flexibility and optimized reception in fringe coverage areas or for specialized applications. ExpressCard 34 form factor compliant card is also compatible with ExpressCard 54 slots in notebook computers.
AirCard 597E brings new form factor and features to the company's flagship AirCard product line VANCOUVER, Aug. 28 // -- Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ:SWIR)(NASDAQ:- TSX:)(NASDAQ:SW) today announced the introduction of its ExpressCard product line, with the upcoming AirCard® 597E wireless wide area network card for EV-DO Revision A networks. Built for notebook computers with ExpressCard expansion slots, the AirCard 597E will be fully compliant with network operator requirements and will offer user-friendly features such as Assisted GPS (aGPS) location based services; a robust, fixed antenna design; and an external antenna jack for flexibility and improved reception in fringe coverage areas or for specialized applications. The AirCard 597E is expected to begin shipping in the first quarter of 2007. ExpressCard models for HSDPA networks are expected to follow later in the year.ABI research estimates that adoption of the ExpressCard standard for PC card slots will be significant in 2007, shipping in 45 percent of laptops sold, up from 10 percent in 2006(x). Sierra Wireless will also continue to produce AirCard products in the Type II PC Card form factor to serve the established base of notebook users with PC Card slots. For those with PC Card slots who wish to purchase an ExpressCard product in anticipation of an upcoming notebook upgrade, the company will offer an ExpressCard-to-PC Card adapter accessory."Notebook installations of ExpressCard slots are expected to move toward critical mass in 2007 - we are timing our ExpressCard products to match market adoption." said Trent Punnett, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Development for Sierra Wireless. "The AirCard 597E delivers a fresh new industrial design with a fixed antenna that is not compromised by the smaller form factor - our engineering team has designed the antenna to provide performance comparable to our new AirCard 595 PC Card. Having this level of internal expertise means the company is not reliant on off-the-shelf components, and that enables us to consistently deliver the durable, reliable products our customers expect from Sierra Wireless."The AirCard 597E wireless wide area network card is an ExpressCard 34 (ie. 34 mm wide) form factor compliant card, compatible with both ExpressCard 34 and ExpressCard 54 slots in newer notebook computers. For customers without an ExpressCard slot, an adapter will be available to allow the use of the card in Type II PCMCIA card slots.Designed for connectivity to EV-DO Revision A networks, the AirCard 597E is capable of peak data speeds of 3.1 Mbps on the downlink and 1.8 Mbps on the uplink when operating on a Revision A network. For use in areas where EV-DO Revision A is not yet available, the card is compatible with widely available EV-DO Release 0 and CDMA 1X networks.(x) Mobile Broadband to the Laptop: Cellular PC Cards and Embedded Modems, 2006-2011, ABI Research, April 2006.About Sierra WirelessSierra Wireless (NASDAQ:SWIR)(NASDAQ:-)(NASDAQ:TSX:)(NASDAQ:SW) develops and markets reliable, high quality wireless communications products that provide mobile professionals with data and voice access to wide area wireless networks. The Sierra Wireless product portfolio includes the award-winning AirCard(R) line of wireless PC cards, embedded modules for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and the MP line of rugged, vehicle-mounted wireless modems. Sierra Wireless also offers professional services to OEM customers during product development, leveraging the company's expertise in wireless design and integration to provide built-in wireless connectivity for notebook computers and other portable computing devices. Sierra Wireless is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, with additional offices in Carlsbad, California, London, and Hong Kong. For more information about Sierra Wireless, please visit http://www.sierrawireless.com/.CONTACT: Sharlene Myers, Sierra Wireless, Phone: (604) 232-1445, Email: smyers@sierrawireless.comSource: Sierra Wireless, Inc.
location based services
. October 2, 2006 - Capable of 3.1 Mbps on downlink and 1.8 Mbps on uplink when operating on Revision A networks, AirCard® 597E features Assisted GPS location based services, fixed antenna design, and external antenna jack for flexibility and optimized reception in fringe coverage areas or for specialized applications. ExpressCard 34 form factor compliant card is also compatible with ExpressCard 54 slots in notebook computers.
AirCard 597E brings new form factor and features to the company's flagship AirCard product line VANCOUVER, Aug. 28 // -- Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ:SWIR)(NASDAQ:- TSX:)(NASDAQ:SW) today announced the introduction of its ExpressCard product line, with the upcoming AirCard® 597E wireless wide area network card for EV-DO Revision A networks. Built for notebook computers with ExpressCard expansion slots, the AirCard 597E will be fully compliant with network operator requirements and will offer user-friendly features such as Assisted GPS (aGPS) location based services; a robust, fixed antenna design; and an external antenna jack for flexibility and improved reception in fringe coverage areas or for specialized applications. The AirCard 597E is expected to begin shipping in the first quarter of 2007. ExpressCard models for HSDPA networks are expected to follow later in the year.ABI research estimates that adoption of the ExpressCard standard for PC card slots will be significant in 2007, shipping in 45 percent of laptops sold, up from 10 percent in 2006(x). Sierra Wireless will also continue to produce AirCard products in the Type II PC Card form factor to serve the established base of notebook users with PC Card slots. For those with PC Card slots who wish to purchase an ExpressCard product in anticipation of an upcoming notebook upgrade, the company will offer an ExpressCard-to-PC Card adapter accessory."Notebook installations of ExpressCard slots are expected to move toward critical mass in 2007 - we are timing our ExpressCard products to match market adoption." said Trent Punnett, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Development for Sierra Wireless. "The AirCard 597E delivers a fresh new industrial design with a fixed antenna that is not compromised by the smaller form factor - our engineering team has designed the antenna to provide performance comparable to our new AirCard 595 PC Card. Having this level of internal expertise means the company is not reliant on off-the-shelf components, and that enables us to consistently deliver the durable, reliable products our customers expect from Sierra Wireless."The AirCard 597E wireless wide area network card is an ExpressCard 34 (ie. 34 mm wide) form factor compliant card, compatible with both ExpressCard 34 and ExpressCard 54 slots in newer notebook computers. For customers without an ExpressCard slot, an adapter will be available to allow the use of the card in Type II PCMCIA card slots.Designed for connectivity to EV-DO Revision A networks, the AirCard 597E is capable of peak data speeds of 3.1 Mbps on the downlink and 1.8 Mbps on the uplink when operating on a Revision A network. For use in areas where EV-DO Revision A is not yet available, the card is compatible with widely available EV-DO Release 0 and CDMA 1X networks.(x) Mobile Broadband to the Laptop: Cellular PC Cards and Embedded Modems, 2006-2011, ABI Research, April 2006.About Sierra WirelessSierra Wireless (NASDAQ:SWIR)(NASDAQ:-)(NASDAQ:TSX:)(NASDAQ:SW) develops and markets reliable, high quality wireless communications products that provide mobile professionals with data and voice access to wide area wireless networks. The Sierra Wireless product portfolio includes the award-winning AirCard(R) line of wireless PC cards, embedded modules for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and the MP line of rugged, vehicle-mounted wireless modems. Sierra Wireless also offers professional services to OEM customers during product development, leveraging the company's expertise in wireless design and integration to provide built-in wireless connectivity for notebook computers and other portable computing devices. Sierra Wireless is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, with additional offices in Carlsbad, California, London, and Hong Kong. For more information about Sierra Wireless, please visit http://www.sierrawireless.com/.CONTACT: Sharlene Myers, Sierra Wireless, Phone: (604) 232-1445, Email: smyers@sierrawireless.comSource: Sierra Wireless, Inc.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
SiRF GPS Guides HP iPAQ Travel Companion
location based services
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRF) , a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, today announced that its award winning SiRFstarIII(TM) architecture will provide GPS guidance for the new HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion. The single-chip SiRF GSC3f GPS receiver enables the HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion to incorporate real-time, high-performance location awareness and robust navigation capabilities into a feature-rich handheld device.
"HP's leadership position in providing technology solutions to both the consumer and enterprise space gives them a unique perspective into the needs of these diverse markets," said Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "We are excited by the launch of the HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion, as it is a powerful entrant into the personal navigation market, sure to drive location awareness further mainstream."
The HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion will offer SiRFstarIII-powered GPS location capabilities and additional pre-installed navigation software and maps to help keep travelers on track. Additionally, the HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth(1), digital entertainment capabilities, and full Windows Mobile functionality, all in a compact package that weighs less than six ounces.
"The HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion is a new class of mobile handheld that lets customers navigate, stay connected and be entertained when on the move," said David Risdal, iPAQ product manager, Worldwide, HP. "SiRF, with its leadership position in the GPS market, is a standout choice to help HP ease customers' travels and deliver great mobile experiences."
The SiRFstarIII architecture's extremely high sensitivity and robust navigation algorithms enable best-in-class GPS signal acquisition and processing, making real-time navigation practical even through the maze of complex urban canyons and under dense foliage. SiRFstarIII's industry-leading performance comes at a competitive price point for the high-volume consumer electronics marketplace, along with SiRF's ability to support the quick time to market and large manufacturing volume needs of this market.
Winner of PC Magazine's 2005 award for Technical Excellence, the SiRFstarIII architecture can track more than 20 GPS satellites, employs the equivalent of more than 200,000 correlators and sophisticated navigation algorithms, and is able to acquire signals down to -159 dBm, making real-time navigation practical in almost any environment. The GCS3f combines a complete GPS digital baseband processor, RF front end and stacked flash in a single, compact, 7-mm x 10-mm package to deliver unmatched time to first fix (TTFF) at the low signal levels.
About SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc.
SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. develops and markets semiconductor and software products that are designed to enable location-awareness utilizing GPS and other location technologies, enhanced by wireless connectivity capabilities such as Bluetooth, for high-volume mobile consumer devices and commercial applications. SiRF's technology has been integrated into mobile consumer devices such as automobile navigation systems, mobile phones, PDAs, GPS-based peripherals and handheld GPS navigation devices, and into commercial applications such as location servers, asset tracking devices and fleet management systems. SiRF markets and sells its products in three target platforms: wireless handheld devices, such as mobile phones; automotive electronics systems, including navigation and telematics systems; and consumer and compute devices, including personal digital assistants, notebook computers, recreational GPS handhelds, mobile gaming machines, digital cameras and watches. Founded in 1995, SiRF is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and has sales offices, design centers and research facilities around the world. The company trades on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange under the symbol SIRF. Additional information about SiRF and its location technology solutions can be found at http://sev.prnewswire.com/computer-electronics/20060928/SFTH08728092006-1.html# .
(1) A standard WLAN infrastructure, other Bluetooth-enabled devices, separately purchased equipment and a service contract with a wireless airtime provider may be required for applicable wireless communication. Wireless Internet use requires a separately purchased service contract. Check with service provider for availability and coverage in your area. Not all web content available.
Forward-Looking Statements
location based services
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRF) , a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, today announced that its award winning SiRFstarIII(TM) architecture will provide GPS guidance for the new HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion. The single-chip SiRF GSC3f GPS receiver enables the HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion to incorporate real-time, high-performance location awareness and robust navigation capabilities into a feature-rich handheld device.
"HP's leadership position in providing technology solutions to both the consumer and enterprise space gives them a unique perspective into the needs of these diverse markets," said Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "We are excited by the launch of the HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion, as it is a powerful entrant into the personal navigation market, sure to drive location awareness further mainstream."
The HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion will offer SiRFstarIII-powered GPS location capabilities and additional pre-installed navigation software and maps to help keep travelers on track. Additionally, the HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth(1), digital entertainment capabilities, and full Windows Mobile functionality, all in a compact package that weighs less than six ounces.
"The HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion is a new class of mobile handheld that lets customers navigate, stay connected and be entertained when on the move," said David Risdal, iPAQ product manager, Worldwide, HP. "SiRF, with its leadership position in the GPS market, is a standout choice to help HP ease customers' travels and deliver great mobile experiences."
The SiRFstarIII architecture's extremely high sensitivity and robust navigation algorithms enable best-in-class GPS signal acquisition and processing, making real-time navigation practical even through the maze of complex urban canyons and under dense foliage. SiRFstarIII's industry-leading performance comes at a competitive price point for the high-volume consumer electronics marketplace, along with SiRF's ability to support the quick time to market and large manufacturing volume needs of this market.
Winner of PC Magazine's 2005 award for Technical Excellence, the SiRFstarIII architecture can track more than 20 GPS satellites, employs the equivalent of more than 200,000 correlators and sophisticated navigation algorithms, and is able to acquire signals down to -159 dBm, making real-time navigation practical in almost any environment. The GCS3f combines a complete GPS digital baseband processor, RF front end and stacked flash in a single, compact, 7-mm x 10-mm package to deliver unmatched time to first fix (TTFF) at the low signal levels.
About SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc.
SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. develops and markets semiconductor and software products that are designed to enable location-awareness utilizing GPS and other location technologies, enhanced by wireless connectivity capabilities such as Bluetooth, for high-volume mobile consumer devices and commercial applications. SiRF's technology has been integrated into mobile consumer devices such as automobile navigation systems, mobile phones, PDAs, GPS-based peripherals and handheld GPS navigation devices, and into commercial applications such as location servers, asset tracking devices and fleet management systems. SiRF markets and sells its products in three target platforms: wireless handheld devices, such as mobile phones; automotive electronics systems, including navigation and telematics systems; and consumer and compute devices, including personal digital assistants, notebook computers, recreational GPS handhelds, mobile gaming machines, digital cameras and watches. Founded in 1995, SiRF is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and has sales offices, design centers and research facilities around the world. The company trades on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange under the symbol SIRF. Additional information about SiRF and its location technology solutions can be found at http://sev.prnewswire.com/computer-electronics/20060928/SFTH08728092006-1.html# .
(1) A standard WLAN infrastructure, other Bluetooth-enabled devices, separately purchased equipment and a service contract with a wireless airtime provider may be required for applicable wireless communication. Wireless Internet use requires a separately purchased service contract. Check with service provider for availability and coverage in your area. Not all web content available.
Forward-Looking Statements
Cheat Sheet: Mobile location-based services
They know where you live...
location based services
Aren't most services location-based? How can you use a service without using it in a location?Interesting point. However, location-based services or LBS, to keep it short, are all about using the power of mobile networks to locate a user and provide services specific to the location they're in at the time.
So my mobile - and my operator - knows where I am? How do they know? Sounds a little like witchcraft to me.Not so much witchcraft. Operators can find you judging how far away you are from each mobile base station (the masts that send and receive communications to your phones) and so get a decent idea where you are in the country. In future generations of mobiles, it's likely this method will be replaced by GPS, more traditionally associated with sat-nav devices used by motorists.
So what can they do now they know where I am?Well, imagine you're looking for a bar, restaurant, dry cleaner, whatever. With LBS, your phone can tell you which is nearest and even direct you there. Or, if you're lost, your mobile can tell you how to get home.
Is this all a bit futuristic, or is it actually happening? Can I get me some of those LBS right now?Good question. The ability to find yourself on a map using your mobile is already here - O2 offers users just such a service with Streetmap on its i-mode platform - but in general LBS aren't widespread.
Why's that then?Another good question. Mobile operators, pundits and other assorted industry watchers have been talking about LBS since the tail end of the last decade but have never really found a way to capitalise on them.
It's thought that the inclusion of GPS in mobile handsets could jump-start LBS. ABI Research predicts that by 2011, there will be 315 million GPS subscribers for location based services, up from a measly 12 million this year.
Of course, that necessitates the handset manufacturers actually including GPS in their devices. Nokia for one is starting to do just that, with its latest N-Series phone and, having recently bought mobile mapping company gate5, it's looking quite serious about LBS.
So, assuming this all kicks off as expected, what type of services will operators and that start peddling?Smart posters and shops, which send information or invites via Bluetooth were once thought of as the archetypal location-based services but never really took off - basically because users didn't like them. Now it seems the mobile industry is favouring a more 'stick to what you know' approach. The most likely applications are thought to be navigation - basically bringing the functionality of a car's GPS unit to a mobile.
Well, that's not very imaginative is it?Hold your horses - there's more. While directing shoppers who can't read a map into their nearest Starbucks might not be a huge challenge, there's a whole brave new world of navigation services and it's thought enterprises could lead the way.
Take Tesco, for example. It's using sat-nav PDAs in its delivery drivers' cabs and is exploring all sorts of new uses for the devices. Others are also using LBS for fleet management, although there are privacy issues to be dealt with with these services.
Any other good stuff?Not one for the UK yet but one that could be a winner is location-based billing - where users get preferential per-minute call rates depending on where they are. Some European operators are already doing this by giving customers cheap calls when they phone from inside their home.
They know where you live...
location based services
Aren't most services location-based? How can you use a service without using it in a location?Interesting point. However, location-based services or LBS, to keep it short, are all about using the power of mobile networks to locate a user and provide services specific to the location they're in at the time.
So my mobile - and my operator - knows where I am? How do they know? Sounds a little like witchcraft to me.Not so much witchcraft. Operators can find you judging how far away you are from each mobile base station (the masts that send and receive communications to your phones) and so get a decent idea where you are in the country. In future generations of mobiles, it's likely this method will be replaced by GPS, more traditionally associated with sat-nav devices used by motorists.
So what can they do now they know where I am?Well, imagine you're looking for a bar, restaurant, dry cleaner, whatever. With LBS, your phone can tell you which is nearest and even direct you there. Or, if you're lost, your mobile can tell you how to get home.
Is this all a bit futuristic, or is it actually happening? Can I get me some of those LBS right now?Good question. The ability to find yourself on a map using your mobile is already here - O2 offers users just such a service with Streetmap on its i-mode platform - but in general LBS aren't widespread.
Why's that then?Another good question. Mobile operators, pundits and other assorted industry watchers have been talking about LBS since the tail end of the last decade but have never really found a way to capitalise on them.
It's thought that the inclusion of GPS in mobile handsets could jump-start LBS. ABI Research predicts that by 2011, there will be 315 million GPS subscribers for location based services, up from a measly 12 million this year.
Of course, that necessitates the handset manufacturers actually including GPS in their devices. Nokia for one is starting to do just that, with its latest N-Series phone and, having recently bought mobile mapping company gate5, it's looking quite serious about LBS.
So, assuming this all kicks off as expected, what type of services will operators and that start peddling?Smart posters and shops, which send information or invites via Bluetooth were once thought of as the archetypal location-based services but never really took off - basically because users didn't like them. Now it seems the mobile industry is favouring a more 'stick to what you know' approach. The most likely applications are thought to be navigation - basically bringing the functionality of a car's GPS unit to a mobile.
Well, that's not very imaginative is it?Hold your horses - there's more. While directing shoppers who can't read a map into their nearest Starbucks might not be a huge challenge, there's a whole brave new world of navigation services and it's thought enterprises could lead the way.
Take Tesco, for example. It's using sat-nav PDAs in its delivery drivers' cabs and is exploring all sorts of new uses for the devices. Others are also using LBS for fleet management, although there are privacy issues to be dealt with with these services.
Any other good stuff?Not one for the UK yet but one that could be a winner is location-based billing - where users get preferential per-minute call rates depending on where they are. Some European operators are already doing this by giving customers cheap calls when they phone from inside their home.
RIM Navigates New Direction with BlackBerry Maps
location based services
With the introduction of BlackBerry Pearl by T-Mobile this month, Research In Motion's (RIM) first device with a camera for picture and video and an audio player, the leading enterprise mobile device and mob-e-mail vendor also unveiled a new mapping application, called, of all things, BlackBerry Maps. The company behind the mapping and location based services for the new feature, which is intended to become a standard part of the BlackBerry OS from now on, is a veteran in the field, Tele Atlas.
Leveraging Tele Atlas map data, BlackBerry Maps directs users and works together with other BlackBerry applications to enable them to send maps via e-mail and launch them from contacts in their address book, for example.
PDAStreet recently got a chance to speak with RIM senior product manager David Heit to learn more about BlackBerry Maps and the company's intentions for mapping integration moving forward.
Heit explained to PDASteet that RIM views mapping as a fundamental feature that many people now need to have access. It wanted to provide a mapping function that fit into its general theme of wireless efficiency and compression, however. This means, as with many other BlackBerry services, the data isn't stored on the device, but is downloaded as needed.
"It is very much pulling it down," Heit said. "We are not pre-storing the maps on the device." BlackBerry Maps works very similar to Google Local Mobile, but whereas that service downloads full bitmaps, BlackBerry Maps promises better performance by going with scalable vector images.
With a services that use bitmap images you are required to download additional bitmaps as you zoom in and out of different areas. BlackBerry Maps, on the other hand, converts the graphical information on a single scalable vector image already downloaded. You're using more mathematical equations and geometry to describe the map.
"That way in doing that kind of a technique, we're getting about a 10-1 kind of efficiency over a bitmap approach in terms of data transmission. So, if I have to download a megabyte of mapping data via a bitmap, I only need 100 kilobytes on the scalable vector graphics," Heit said.
If you pick a location and zoom in and out in the application, Heit said you will see a difference in how BlackBerry Maps behaves. "Like street labeling is dynamic. So when you scroll around, the names will scroll down the streets. You're not faced with things having to reload. It's all a little bit more immediate."
There's the icon on the main page to request the map to location with BlackBerry Maps. Or you can ask for static directions from point A to point B, which you either enter or point at.
Additional capabilities of the mapping application include, for example, item menus that enable you to get maps to locations listed within the address book.
RIM already has a couple models with integrated GPS, which would come in handy with an application like BlackBerry Maps. Most don't, however. All the current models do support Bluetooth and are compatible with an external GPS receiver Heit referred to as puck.
"I can GPS equip that map. I can be driving around and I'm getting a current map of where I'm located."
While BlackBerry Maps doesn't perform dynamic routing, Tele Atlas, for example, offers its own application with that capablity, for example, but it doesn't use RIM's raw scalable vector data.
RIM is delivering an API for BlackBerry Maps that will allow third party develops to take advantage of the raw data available, however. Heit said to PDAStreet that RIM is seeing strong demand for this, "It is very extensible for a third party."
RIM's goal is to have maps available for world wide usage. They currently have maps for the U.S. and Canada, with everything else a work in progress.
If you have a BlackBerry that runs RIM's BlackBerry OS 4.1 you'll eventually be able to download BlackBerry Maps as an add-on application. Also, devices like the 8700 series, which run OS 4.1, will be upgradeable to platform OS 4.2, the version with BlackBerry Maps that is on the BlackBerry Pearl.
"And in future releases, moving forward, it will always be part of the standard release," according to Heit. "The Pearl was just the entry point for this application."
"You'll see additional applications released over time that just make use of it: In some ways that we'll anticipate, and other ways that we never anticipate."
Positive EarningsRIM share’s surged after the company beat estimates and raised guidance. It revealed second quarter earnings of second-quarter at $140.8 million or 74 cents per share, up from $129.8 million or 68 cents per share from the year before. Revenues hit $658.5 million.
The company added 705,000 more subscribers, bringing its total to 6.2 million. It expects to add another 800,000 next quarter, and increase earnings to 88 to 95 cents per share or between $780 and $820 million.
Reaction to the Pearl has been extremely positive. "The response to the product has been exceptional," RIM Chairmon and co-CEO Jim Balsillie said during a conference call. "Net subscriber account additions at T-Mobile in the weeks following the launch were significantly higher than we'd been seeing prior to the Pearl launch."
“We believe we may have one of the most successful BlackBerry products ever on our hands,” he added. RIM’s other operator partner’s “"are all eager to move forward with launch plans for the Pearl."
location based services
With the introduction of BlackBerry Pearl by T-Mobile this month, Research In Motion's (RIM) first device with a camera for picture and video and an audio player, the leading enterprise mobile device and mob-e-mail vendor also unveiled a new mapping application, called, of all things, BlackBerry Maps. The company behind the mapping and location based services for the new feature, which is intended to become a standard part of the BlackBerry OS from now on, is a veteran in the field, Tele Atlas.
Leveraging Tele Atlas map data, BlackBerry Maps directs users and works together with other BlackBerry applications to enable them to send maps via e-mail and launch them from contacts in their address book, for example.
PDAStreet recently got a chance to speak with RIM senior product manager David Heit to learn more about BlackBerry Maps and the company's intentions for mapping integration moving forward.
Heit explained to PDASteet that RIM views mapping as a fundamental feature that many people now need to have access. It wanted to provide a mapping function that fit into its general theme of wireless efficiency and compression, however. This means, as with many other BlackBerry services, the data isn't stored on the device, but is downloaded as needed.
"It is very much pulling it down," Heit said. "We are not pre-storing the maps on the device." BlackBerry Maps works very similar to Google Local Mobile, but whereas that service downloads full bitmaps, BlackBerry Maps promises better performance by going with scalable vector images.
With a services that use bitmap images you are required to download additional bitmaps as you zoom in and out of different areas. BlackBerry Maps, on the other hand, converts the graphical information on a single scalable vector image already downloaded. You're using more mathematical equations and geometry to describe the map.
"That way in doing that kind of a technique, we're getting about a 10-1 kind of efficiency over a bitmap approach in terms of data transmission. So, if I have to download a megabyte of mapping data via a bitmap, I only need 100 kilobytes on the scalable vector graphics," Heit said.
If you pick a location and zoom in and out in the application, Heit said you will see a difference in how BlackBerry Maps behaves. "Like street labeling is dynamic. So when you scroll around, the names will scroll down the streets. You're not faced with things having to reload. It's all a little bit more immediate."
There's the icon on the main page to request the map to location with BlackBerry Maps. Or you can ask for static directions from point A to point B, which you either enter or point at.
Additional capabilities of the mapping application include, for example, item menus that enable you to get maps to locations listed within the address book.
RIM already has a couple models with integrated GPS, which would come in handy with an application like BlackBerry Maps. Most don't, however. All the current models do support Bluetooth and are compatible with an external GPS receiver Heit referred to as puck.
"I can GPS equip that map. I can be driving around and I'm getting a current map of where I'm located."
While BlackBerry Maps doesn't perform dynamic routing, Tele Atlas, for example, offers its own application with that capablity, for example, but it doesn't use RIM's raw scalable vector data.
RIM is delivering an API for BlackBerry Maps that will allow third party develops to take advantage of the raw data available, however. Heit said to PDAStreet that RIM is seeing strong demand for this, "It is very extensible for a third party."
RIM's goal is to have maps available for world wide usage. They currently have maps for the U.S. and Canada, with everything else a work in progress.
If you have a BlackBerry that runs RIM's BlackBerry OS 4.1 you'll eventually be able to download BlackBerry Maps as an add-on application. Also, devices like the 8700 series, which run OS 4.1, will be upgradeable to platform OS 4.2, the version with BlackBerry Maps that is on the BlackBerry Pearl.
"And in future releases, moving forward, it will always be part of the standard release," according to Heit. "The Pearl was just the entry point for this application."
"You'll see additional applications released over time that just make use of it: In some ways that we'll anticipate, and other ways that we never anticipate."
Positive EarningsRIM share’s surged after the company beat estimates and raised guidance. It revealed second quarter earnings of second-quarter at $140.8 million or 74 cents per share, up from $129.8 million or 68 cents per share from the year before. Revenues hit $658.5 million.
The company added 705,000 more subscribers, bringing its total to 6.2 million. It expects to add another 800,000 next quarter, and increase earnings to 88 to 95 cents per share or between $780 and $820 million.
Reaction to the Pearl has been extremely positive. "The response to the product has been exceptional," RIM Chairmon and co-CEO Jim Balsillie said during a conference call. "Net subscriber account additions at T-Mobile in the weeks following the launch were significantly higher than we'd been seeing prior to the Pearl launch."
“We believe we may have one of the most successful BlackBerry products ever on our hands,” he added. RIM’s other operator partner’s “"are all eager to move forward with launch plans for the Pearl."
Welcome to WikiLoc
location based services
Discover and share GPS tracks and waypoints on the web quickly and easily!
location based services
Discover and share GPS tracks and waypoints on the web quickly and easily!
Tele Atlas Adds Human Element To Updating Map Data
location based services
One way Tele Atlas is expanding how it updates geographic mapping data is by asking people to provide feedback online. By Laurie Sullivan TechWeb Sep 28, 2006 08:18 PM
Anyone who has hit a dead end or got lost on their way to a meeting after carefully printing driving directions from an online site may appreciate the difficulties in keeping track of changes to the world's roadways, toll ways and freeways.
Tele Atlas, a company that gathers raw data for use in navigation systems, and mobile and online maps, used by Google, MapQuest, Nokia and others, has expanded the way it updates geographic mapping data by asking people to provide feedback online.
When the site officially launches in October, it will allow users of Internet, personal navigation and wireless devices to report changes to roads. "We are trying to help customers report changes to the database because sometimes they're familiar changes we haven't encountered," said Kamron Barron, systems and training manager for Tele Atlas North America at Tele Atlas Inc.
The site will augment a fleet of 10 bright-orange vans equipped with cameras, servers, and computers running three software applications. Drivers cover every inch of U.S. highway digitally videoing roadways.
Analysts believe mapping data will increase in importance as more electronics rely on the information to support more emerging applications that integrate real time-and-location stamps, for example. "Mapping data is an enabling technology," said Marina Amoroso, senior analyst for U.S. wireless/mobile at Yankee Group. "There are many ways for location-based services to sit behind regular apps we use daily.
In the future, consumers could see location-based services embedded behind, cellular phone camera, instant message, and push-to-talk features on phones, Amoroso said.
At Tele Atlas, cameras capture digital images of speed limit and stop signs, number of lanes per highway, and other landmarks a driver sees on roadways. The collected video is analyzed and turned into raw data for use by government agencies, as well as public and private companies.
On the roof of each van sits a global positioning system (GPS) and four cameras. Two stereo cameras provide forward and intersecting pictures of the road to let Tele Atlas create three-dimensional digital video footage. Two fixed cameras collect data on road signs.
An inertial measurement unit and odometer sit on the van's breaking system, which records the distance traveled, accurate within 0.5 and 1 inch. The system maps every angle the vehicle turns.
The system stores data in two 250-GB location-based services (LBS) will account for 315 million, up from 12 million this year, estimates ABI Research
Earlier this week, Nokia said Tele Atlas will provide the digital map data and dynamic location content for the Nokia N95, a new multimedia device equipped with GPS functions launched. The handset maker calls the Nokia N95 a "multimedia computer" that offers consumers multiple ways to connect to information, entertainment and people. As part of the Nokia Nseries multimedia personal computers, the Nokia N95 features built-in global positioning system (GPS), WLAN, a 5 mega-pixel camera, HSDPA and dual mode menu.
The Nokia N95's navigation features will offer free, basic mapping and routing functions to initiate local searches for more than 100 countries, more than 15 million points of interest to help consumers easily find local attractions, and optional upgrades to full navigation features to let users quickly find routing information wherever they need to go.
Tele Atlas's 2,300 employees in 30 countries map out roads in 51 countries.
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