Mojeo - LBS on any phone
location based services
saw Mojeo presented at the Mobile 2.0 Event in San Francisco Monday as part of a Launchpad presentation spotlighting new services. I wasn't too impressed with the presentation which was brief and lacking in details, but I did jot down "mojeo.mobi, location based search - any phone, add mashups". Today I took a look at Mojeo.mobi which is the mobile site and the PC site, www.mojeo.mobi. I found a clever and useful but definitely beta service that has the potential to be that killer application for the mobile web that we all dream of.
The premise of Mojeo is simple, it's a mobile portal that keeps track of your current location. When you click on one of the links on the portal - which include Google Local, Yahoo Local, Fandango, Upcoming, Weather.com and Yelp to name most of them - Mojeo passes your location to the target site which uses it deliver location aware information. So without having to reenter your location information, Fandago shows what's at theaters near you, Weather.com presents a forecast for your city, etc. Mojeo has a simple REST API that lets any site receive location information as either an address or latitude and longitude.So how does Mojeo find your location. According to the FAQ,
"Ideally, we use GPS built into your mobile phone to figure out your exact location. But sometimes the phone does not have GPS, or you have not enabled that feature on your phone. In these situations we try to guess your location by asking the Internet where it thinks you are using a map of Internet addresses. This Internet lookup can be very accurate, or very far off."
The part about GPS is a bit of a fantasy, I'm not aware of any carrier outside of Japan that will share location information with an unaffiliated web site. In the US, no carrier shares location data with any site, not even their closest partners.
So for now, Mojeo uses IP address lookups as mentioned in the FAQ entry, they also use the area-code of the phone number that you give them as part of the (optional) sign up process and finally they let you enter your zip code at anytime to change your location.
So how does it work in practice? Pretty well once you convince Mojeo where you are. I first tried Mojeo without registering. When I used my phone's built in browser, Mojeo though I was in Kansas (I'm actually in San Francisco). Apparently my phone's IP address is registered at Sprint/Nextel's home office in Kansas. Using Opera Mini, Mojeo said I was in Oslo! Once I entered my zip code though, Mojeo had no trouble passing my location to Fandango, Yelp, Google Mobile etc.
I also tried registering, first from the phone and then from my PC. When I registered from the phone, Mojeo sent me a text message with a numberic pin which I then had to enter into a form on Mojeo. Once I did that, Mojeo knew I was in San Francisco. Registering with the PC was potentially even easier as the SMS contained the Mojeo url with my phone number and password embedded in the query string. Unfortunately, the SMS was not in a format that was clickable. There is apparently a trick to sending a URL in a text message to a Nextel customer. Some sites like Google, Microsoft, 411Sync and Flurry know how to send the clickable sort of SMS but Ask, Treemo and Mojeo don't.
It turns out that no matter whether you register or not Mojeo will revert your location back to the IP based one (Kansas or Oslo in my case) the next time you visit the site. Mojeo really needs to remember your last location and not override it unless you tell it to. Other than that I found Mojeo stable and usable. As it works now I don't see any advantage to registering, however.Warts aside, this idea of the portal as location broker is a great concept. When the carriers finally loosen up and let users opt in to passing their location in http headers this will be huge.In the meantime, Mojeo should embrace the idea that the most accurate location information they can get will be what users enter. There are several things Mojeo can do to make this work even better. First would be to keep track of recent locations that a user has entered and let the user pick their current location from a list like Mapquest and Yahoo Maps do. I'd also like to see other ways of entering location information. Zip codes cover too broad an area. Phone numbers, especially listed business numbers are a great way to geo-locate. If you have the business card of your hotel or a club or restaurant you're at it would be great to enter that number and have Mojeo do a reverse directory lookup to locate you to a specific address. I'd like to be able to enter street addresses too, particularly from the PC site.
Direct entry of latitude and longitude is another admittedly geeky possibility. Nextel allows users to grant access to location data to Java midlets, even unsigned ones. I have several Java applications on my phone that can tell me my latitude and longitude and even pinpoint my location on a street map. I bet there would be times when I would want to enter those GPS coordinates into Mojeo.
I have this dream of Opera creating a version of Opera Mini that can read the GPS information and pass it to sites like Mojeo - now that would be something! It probably won't happen, though - Opera needs to sell to carriers and doing this sort of end run around them won't help.
Location Based Services (LBS), is quickly becoming the next mobile buzz word and for good reason. A recent survey (via MobHappy) found users wanted location aware applications on their phones much more than they wanted mobile video! Today, Helio, a US MVNO joint venture by Earthlink and Korea's SK Telecom announced that their latest phone and all future phones would be bundled with a GPS application. The new Helio Phone, the Samsung Drift, comes with a custom version of the Google's Maps Java application that's GPS enabled. This NewsFactor article has the details but dismisses Helio's GPS app nothing new as all the US carriers offer similar Java or Brew apps. While this is true, I think Helio's move is significant because
The app comes pre-installed - all the other carriers require the user to download and install the application - a significant barrier to adoption.
It's free other than data charges ($2/MB or $25/month for unlimited data including unlimited SMS and MMS).
This is a first - a carrier offering a GPS service as an incentive for signing up rather than as a $6-10/month add-on. To me, this the start of LBS becoming a standard feature that users will come to expect on their phones. I think we may soon see a competitor offering mobile web based location services. If Mojeo plays its cards right, it could be the pre-eminent web based LBS site that an upstart carrier (Amp'd?, STI?, T-Mobile) partners with.
I've added Mojeo to Yeswap.com under Search/Local Search.
Mojeo xhtml-mp
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Convergence in Mobile Devices Drives Travel Technology Adoption and Innovation
location based services
Convergence in Mobile Devices Drives Travel Technology Adoption and Innovation
Consumer Electronics Evolve to Meet Needs for Portability and Relevant Real-Time Information for Travelers
As consumer behavior has evolved into a mobile lifestyle, the face of consumer electronics has shifted. Adapting to a wireless world has led the industry to Innovations that cater to the needs for compact and portable products, but also to the convergence of multiple technologies to address society's on-the-go demands. Access to relevant and mobile real-time information and transportability has impacted the evolution of design and the degree of product appropriateness, benefiting today's traveler in business and in leisure.
Norman L. Rose, President of Travel Tech Consulting and Analyst for Phocuswright, a travel research firm explains, "The new world of the always-connected mobile traveler is arriving faster than the industry can adapt. New applications such as location based services (LBS) will become a key differentiator for the frequent traveler and should be considered enhancements to existing customer service initiatives. We are moving away from the view of mobile technology as the next "cool" thing to an understanding that wireless communication is an essential part of the new travel process."
Real-Time Information and Communication: Global Positioning Systems (GPS) has become a feature in demand by travelers that through recent Innovations has become a mainstream reality. Jim Schwabe, General Manager of Accessories for Palm (NASDAQ: PALM) explains, "One of the biggest changes that has happened in the past couple of years is the ability to implement formally complex solutions like GPS on a handheld or smartphone. We offer a GPS kit for our Treo smartphones that gives you all the maps of the United States and Canada, and turns your phone or handheld into a complete navigation solution. What is driving the success at this point is that it has reached critical mass in a more easy to use solution. The most important aspect is the ease of use for the person who needs to get from place to place."
Taking the need for real-time information further, Palm also offers a software application Traffic for Treo? smartphones that utilizes the road sensors and shows the speed that the traffic is moving on the major highways. "You can bookmark regular intersections and this will tell you how fast traffic is flowing and it also reports all incidents, collisions and construction along roads," describes Schwabe.
Focused on improving the ease-of-use and reliability of GPS is Garmin International's (NASDAQ: GRMN) n?vi product, which provides users with a new highly sensitive GPS receiver that is capable of picking up a signal in areas where they may be obstructions such as tree coverage or skyscrapers, with an assortment of additional travel features. The n?vi also combines their turn-by-turn, voice-prompted GPS offering with a real-time traffic interface, language translator, travel books, MP3 player, an audio book player, a photo viewer and a National GEO-coded coupon book. Driving the popularity of this device is not only the functionality, but also the desirable size of the product as Jessica Myers, Senior Media Relations Specialist for Garmin explains, "The n?vi's size is one of the many reasons consumers find it appealing. It's comparable to a deck of cards -- very compact and easy to carry."
AskMeNow (OTCBB: OWHC) looks to answer the needs of the traveler for on-the-go information by enabling subscribers to simply call or text message any question from a mobile telephone or handheld device to receive the information requested in moments. Basic questions are answered for free, while free form AskMeAnything questions are answered for a small automated fee of .49 cents, which is billed to their monthly cellular bill.
Darryl Cohen, CEO of AskMeNow describes, "I think that our service is extremely relevant to the traveler as we are unique in our ability to offer users the AskMeAnything feature, which opens things up to a diverse range of questions providing our customers with access to more information to help them on their way. You can feel a comfort level with us that when we give you information we are using good sources and when you are asking for distinctive information such as places for cheap gas, parking garage locations or even where an affordable family restaurant may be, that we can actually get that information for you. It goes beyond providing the standard options to obtain generic information, we allow travelers to ask unique and specific questions relevant to their personal travel needs."
Real-time video communication has grown in popularity through companies such as Logitech International (NASDAQ: LOGI), through innovative and portable web cam products. The Company's new Quickcam? for Notebooks Pro, which has a 1.3 mega pixel sensor, has technology and bundled software that helps to provide higher quality images in low light conditions such as hotel rooms. The camera comes equipped with a built in microphone with echo cancellation.
The growth of video communication is attributed in large part to the popularity and improvements surrounding MSN Messenger and Skype that have consumers comfortable with voice and video calling through simple to use software. Complementing this is the widespread availability of High Speed Internet in the home and on the road, which has made this a viable option for communication.
Karen Hoskins, a company spokesperson explains, "MSN came out with Video Conversation recently, which is synchronized audio and video calling software built into their latest MSN Messenger client. Logitech provides the technology that synchronizes the audio and video streams and operates the servers that support Video Conversation. It really makes it easy for people who are already using MSN Messenger to now do video calling.
"In addition, Skype recently put video into their client. We are seeing more and more of this happening. And with the onset of broadband in more homes it has become a more viable solution for people to use voice and video when they are doing their calling. Because they are putting the video into something that people are already comfortable with, it makes it a lot easier for consumers. Video calling then becomes a simple extension from what they are already confident in using."
A common theme driving adoption across a variety of product types is ease of use and relevance to traveler's needs. According to Norman Rose, "To be effective, the platform must use personalization techniques and rich user interfaces to simplify the process and provide added value to the user. Information must be relevant to users based on their specific needs at the time and at their specific location. The key to making this information more situation appropriate is to also combine the location and personal preferences of users to filter the information based on their specific situational and personal requirements."
Portable Entertainment: As digital entertainment has become an important part of normal life, when consumers travel this demand for stimulation does not appear to subside. Sling Media's Slingbox? can be connected to whatever TV service you have in your home, whether that be digital cable, regular cable, rabbit ear antenna setup, DVD changer, TIVO etc., and allows for remote viewing access. Jeremy Toeman VP of Market Development Management explains, "The Slingbox stays at home, it is always on and it is always delivering you your live TV feed to wherever you are anywhere in the world, accessed remotely through any device with Internet connection whether that is a laptop or a handheld device such as a phone or PDA. Business travelers, who find themselves in unfamiliar environments for extended periods of time, welcome the opportunity to tap into a bit of home through the Slingbox."
Driving the popularity for this type of product according to Toeman is the large percentage of homes with access to High Speed Internet creating the necessary network, in addition to laptops outselling desktops supporting the movement by consumers to a mobile lifestyle. "Internet connections are more available and accessible, combined with Microsoft and other companies leading the charge of making video compression technologies work such that you can stream at low enough bandwidth effectively," adds Toeman.
Moving from in-the-vehicle to on-the-person are XM2go radios (NASDAQ: XMSR), which are the first and only portable satellite radios that capable of live reception. These devices provide access to XM's 160 channels live, with approximately 5 hours of programming; helpful in areas where radio reception is not available. These portable radios also have a built in FM transmitter that can beam the XM radio content to an FM frequency allowing travelers to use even their hotel clock radio to listen. This month, the Company unveiled the next-generation XM2go radios, which play MP3 music files in addition to live XM.
The timing appears right for the XM2go devices according to XM Radio spokesman David Butler who states, "The popularity of XM radio is a combination of high-quality programming and technological Innovation. XM offers more entertainment than has ever been made available before on radio. When you combine this variety of programming with the cutting edge technology that XM offers and the desire among consumers for portable convenient products, it is easy to see why XM is one of the fastest growing audio products available."
Coby Electronics Corporation, a manufacturer of portable DVDs, innovates for different lifestyles with slim, sleek, colorful models, and compact sizes. Robert Gee, Vice President of Marketing, describes the applicability of Coby's products, "Consumers are always on the go and products that can fit that dynamic will make a lot of sense to travelers, families etc. For example, these products make a lot of sense for families traveling with kids as a portable means of keeping them entertained."
Convergence of Technology: As consumer demands for mobility increase, the drive for convergence of technology has escalated to suit this trend towards portability. Companies, through Innovation, have created products suited for travel that eliminate the need to carry multiple devices by providing all-in-one solutions.
"The n?vi combines combines several different technologies into one device. It helps simplify travel by eliminating the need to carry maps, travel books, coupons, etc. Now a traveler has everything they need in one slim, sleek device that they can easily carry in their pocket," states Myers.
As described by Darryl Cohen, "Due to the convergence of technology, cell phones and portable devices have become much more functional and easier to use. At AskMeNow because people have become adept at using small non-qwerty keyboards through the popularity of text messaging and SMS, there is a simple transition to utilizing our service to obtain relevant answers to specific questions."
Companies continue to evolve their products through convergence to meet the growing consumer and traveler expectations. David Butler explains, "We are introducing the next generation of XM to go radios this spring. These will have the added feature of being able to store and play MP3 music files and will have the capability of storing up to 50 hours of XM content verses the 5 hours that the current models allow. Also when you hear a song that you like on XM you can bookmark it and hook the device up to your computer and it will find that song in the Napster library for you to download a permanent copy of the song. So there is a new convergence; not only does it allow you to combine XM with MP3, but it also allows you to buy the songs you hear on XM seamlessly from Napster."
"At Coby, we are trying to address consumer needs through our features as users are looking for multi-purpose products that converge technologies into one unit that is easy to use and fit into their environment," stated Gee.
As the consumer electronics industry continues to evolve and converge technology to meet the demands of travelers and consumers, it appears that Innovation will progressively lead to smaller, more powerful and more functional devices and applications to satisfy user needs while away from home and work.
Ann-Marie Fleming Ann-Marie Fleming completed her MBA in the United States, where she attended Webster University. She also holds an Honors B.A from the University of Toronto. She has over fifteen years of experience within the financial industry to include retail banking and brokerage, investment banking, and mortgage brokerage within the United States and Canada, with a firm background in corporate research. Disclaimer: www.InvestorIdeas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp,
About the Author
Ann-Marie Fleming completed her MBA in the United States, where she attended Webster University. She also holds an Honors B.A from the University of Toronto. She has over fifteen years of experience within the financial industry to include retail banking and brokerage, investment banking, and mortgage brokerage within the United States and Canada, with a firm background in corporate research.
location based services
Convergence in Mobile Devices Drives Travel Technology Adoption and Innovation
Consumer Electronics Evolve to Meet Needs for Portability and Relevant Real-Time Information for Travelers
As consumer behavior has evolved into a mobile lifestyle, the face of consumer electronics has shifted. Adapting to a wireless world has led the industry to Innovations that cater to the needs for compact and portable products, but also to the convergence of multiple technologies to address society's on-the-go demands. Access to relevant and mobile real-time information and transportability has impacted the evolution of design and the degree of product appropriateness, benefiting today's traveler in business and in leisure.
Norman L. Rose, President of Travel Tech Consulting and Analyst for Phocuswright, a travel research firm explains, "The new world of the always-connected mobile traveler is arriving faster than the industry can adapt. New applications such as location based services (LBS) will become a key differentiator for the frequent traveler and should be considered enhancements to existing customer service initiatives. We are moving away from the view of mobile technology as the next "cool" thing to an understanding that wireless communication is an essential part of the new travel process."
Real-Time Information and Communication: Global Positioning Systems (GPS) has become a feature in demand by travelers that through recent Innovations has become a mainstream reality. Jim Schwabe, General Manager of Accessories for Palm (NASDAQ: PALM) explains, "One of the biggest changes that has happened in the past couple of years is the ability to implement formally complex solutions like GPS on a handheld or smartphone. We offer a GPS kit for our Treo smartphones that gives you all the maps of the United States and Canada, and turns your phone or handheld into a complete navigation solution. What is driving the success at this point is that it has reached critical mass in a more easy to use solution. The most important aspect is the ease of use for the person who needs to get from place to place."
Taking the need for real-time information further, Palm also offers a software application Traffic for Treo? smartphones that utilizes the road sensors and shows the speed that the traffic is moving on the major highways. "You can bookmark regular intersections and this will tell you how fast traffic is flowing and it also reports all incidents, collisions and construction along roads," describes Schwabe.
Focused on improving the ease-of-use and reliability of GPS is Garmin International's (NASDAQ: GRMN) n?vi product, which provides users with a new highly sensitive GPS receiver that is capable of picking up a signal in areas where they may be obstructions such as tree coverage or skyscrapers, with an assortment of additional travel features. The n?vi also combines their turn-by-turn, voice-prompted GPS offering with a real-time traffic interface, language translator, travel books, MP3 player, an audio book player, a photo viewer and a National GEO-coded coupon book. Driving the popularity of this device is not only the functionality, but also the desirable size of the product as Jessica Myers, Senior Media Relations Specialist for Garmin explains, "The n?vi's size is one of the many reasons consumers find it appealing. It's comparable to a deck of cards -- very compact and easy to carry."
AskMeNow (OTCBB: OWHC) looks to answer the needs of the traveler for on-the-go information by enabling subscribers to simply call or text message any question from a mobile telephone or handheld device to receive the information requested in moments. Basic questions are answered for free, while free form AskMeAnything questions are answered for a small automated fee of .49 cents, which is billed to their monthly cellular bill.
Darryl Cohen, CEO of AskMeNow describes, "I think that our service is extremely relevant to the traveler as we are unique in our ability to offer users the AskMeAnything feature, which opens things up to a diverse range of questions providing our customers with access to more information to help them on their way. You can feel a comfort level with us that when we give you information we are using good sources and when you are asking for distinctive information such as places for cheap gas, parking garage locations or even where an affordable family restaurant may be, that we can actually get that information for you. It goes beyond providing the standard options to obtain generic information, we allow travelers to ask unique and specific questions relevant to their personal travel needs."
Real-time video communication has grown in popularity through companies such as Logitech International (NASDAQ: LOGI), through innovative and portable web cam products. The Company's new Quickcam? for Notebooks Pro, which has a 1.3 mega pixel sensor, has technology and bundled software that helps to provide higher quality images in low light conditions such as hotel rooms. The camera comes equipped with a built in microphone with echo cancellation.
The growth of video communication is attributed in large part to the popularity and improvements surrounding MSN Messenger and Skype that have consumers comfortable with voice and video calling through simple to use software. Complementing this is the widespread availability of High Speed Internet in the home and on the road, which has made this a viable option for communication.
Karen Hoskins, a company spokesperson explains, "MSN came out with Video Conversation recently, which is synchronized audio and video calling software built into their latest MSN Messenger client. Logitech provides the technology that synchronizes the audio and video streams and operates the servers that support Video Conversation. It really makes it easy for people who are already using MSN Messenger to now do video calling.
"In addition, Skype recently put video into their client. We are seeing more and more of this happening. And with the onset of broadband in more homes it has become a more viable solution for people to use voice and video when they are doing their calling. Because they are putting the video into something that people are already comfortable with, it makes it a lot easier for consumers. Video calling then becomes a simple extension from what they are already confident in using."
A common theme driving adoption across a variety of product types is ease of use and relevance to traveler's needs. According to Norman Rose, "To be effective, the platform must use personalization techniques and rich user interfaces to simplify the process and provide added value to the user. Information must be relevant to users based on their specific needs at the time and at their specific location. The key to making this information more situation appropriate is to also combine the location and personal preferences of users to filter the information based on their specific situational and personal requirements."
Portable Entertainment: As digital entertainment has become an important part of normal life, when consumers travel this demand for stimulation does not appear to subside. Sling Media's Slingbox? can be connected to whatever TV service you have in your home, whether that be digital cable, regular cable, rabbit ear antenna setup, DVD changer, TIVO etc., and allows for remote viewing access. Jeremy Toeman VP of Market Development Management explains, "The Slingbox stays at home, it is always on and it is always delivering you your live TV feed to wherever you are anywhere in the world, accessed remotely through any device with Internet connection whether that is a laptop or a handheld device such as a phone or PDA. Business travelers, who find themselves in unfamiliar environments for extended periods of time, welcome the opportunity to tap into a bit of home through the Slingbox."
Driving the popularity for this type of product according to Toeman is the large percentage of homes with access to High Speed Internet creating the necessary network, in addition to laptops outselling desktops supporting the movement by consumers to a mobile lifestyle. "Internet connections are more available and accessible, combined with Microsoft and other companies leading the charge of making video compression technologies work such that you can stream at low enough bandwidth effectively," adds Toeman.
Moving from in-the-vehicle to on-the-person are XM2go radios (NASDAQ: XMSR), which are the first and only portable satellite radios that capable of live reception. These devices provide access to XM's 160 channels live, with approximately 5 hours of programming; helpful in areas where radio reception is not available. These portable radios also have a built in FM transmitter that can beam the XM radio content to an FM frequency allowing travelers to use even their hotel clock radio to listen. This month, the Company unveiled the next-generation XM2go radios, which play MP3 music files in addition to live XM.
The timing appears right for the XM2go devices according to XM Radio spokesman David Butler who states, "The popularity of XM radio is a combination of high-quality programming and technological Innovation. XM offers more entertainment than has ever been made available before on radio. When you combine this variety of programming with the cutting edge technology that XM offers and the desire among consumers for portable convenient products, it is easy to see why XM is one of the fastest growing audio products available."
Coby Electronics Corporation, a manufacturer of portable DVDs, innovates for different lifestyles with slim, sleek, colorful models, and compact sizes. Robert Gee, Vice President of Marketing, describes the applicability of Coby's products, "Consumers are always on the go and products that can fit that dynamic will make a lot of sense to travelers, families etc. For example, these products make a lot of sense for families traveling with kids as a portable means of keeping them entertained."
Convergence of Technology: As consumer demands for mobility increase, the drive for convergence of technology has escalated to suit this trend towards portability. Companies, through Innovation, have created products suited for travel that eliminate the need to carry multiple devices by providing all-in-one solutions.
"The n?vi combines combines several different technologies into one device. It helps simplify travel by eliminating the need to carry maps, travel books, coupons, etc. Now a traveler has everything they need in one slim, sleek device that they can easily carry in their pocket," states Myers.
As described by Darryl Cohen, "Due to the convergence of technology, cell phones and portable devices have become much more functional and easier to use. At AskMeNow because people have become adept at using small non-qwerty keyboards through the popularity of text messaging and SMS, there is a simple transition to utilizing our service to obtain relevant answers to specific questions."
Companies continue to evolve their products through convergence to meet the growing consumer and traveler expectations. David Butler explains, "We are introducing the next generation of XM to go radios this spring. These will have the added feature of being able to store and play MP3 music files and will have the capability of storing up to 50 hours of XM content verses the 5 hours that the current models allow. Also when you hear a song that you like on XM you can bookmark it and hook the device up to your computer and it will find that song in the Napster library for you to download a permanent copy of the song. So there is a new convergence; not only does it allow you to combine XM with MP3, but it also allows you to buy the songs you hear on XM seamlessly from Napster."
"At Coby, we are trying to address consumer needs through our features as users are looking for multi-purpose products that converge technologies into one unit that is easy to use and fit into their environment," stated Gee.
As the consumer electronics industry continues to evolve and converge technology to meet the demands of travelers and consumers, it appears that Innovation will progressively lead to smaller, more powerful and more functional devices and applications to satisfy user needs while away from home and work.
Ann-Marie Fleming Ann-Marie Fleming completed her MBA in the United States, where she attended Webster University. She also holds an Honors B.A from the University of Toronto. She has over fifteen years of experience within the financial industry to include retail banking and brokerage, investment banking, and mortgage brokerage within the United States and Canada, with a firm background in corporate research. Disclaimer: www.InvestorIdeas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp,
About the Author
Ann-Marie Fleming completed her MBA in the United States, where she attended Webster University. She also holds an Honors B.A from the University of Toronto. She has over fifteen years of experience within the financial industry to include retail banking and brokerage, investment banking, and mortgage brokerage within the United States and Canada, with a firm background in corporate research.
Report: New Handheld Devices Needed To Stem Shipment Drop
location based services
The handheld device market, which once seemed like it would grow forever, recorded a drop in third quarter unit sales with similar declines expected in the next quarter, according to a market research report released Thursday.
IDC's Worldwide Handheld Qview reported that shipments of handheld devices dropped to 1.1 million units in the third quarter from the second quarter. The figure was down 31.3 percent from the year-earlier quarter.
Ramon Llamas, IDC Mobile Markets research analyst, attributed much of the decline to a lack of new devices coming on the market. "Vendors continue to rely on models that have been on the market anywhere between two and four quarters," he said in a statement. "Without many new devices on the market in the third quarter, it brings into question how shipments will total during the fourth quarter."
With market pacesetter Palm logging an 8.2 percent drop in shipments and number two supplier HP down 40 percent, IDC noted that the market needs new devices to regain its former growth rates. The major bright spot in the report was recorded by Taiwan's Mio, which had a 5 percent gain in shipments.
Iranians outraged as Google redraws map
location based services
Video places ancient city in Azerbaijan republic · Users urged to blitz search engine over 'insult' Robert Tait in TehranMonday November 13, 2006The Guardian
Google has provoked the wrath of Iran's notoriously suspicious authorities by appearing to question the country's sovereignty over the province of Azerbaijan in an entry on its Google Video website.
In a move tailor-made to wound Iranian patriotic pride and arouse a blizzard of protest, the Azeri provincial capital, Tabriz, is located "in southern Azerbaijan, currently in the territory of Iran". To add insult to injury, the ancient city is listed as being in Azerbaijan, rather than Iran. Tabriz and southern Azerbaijan have belonged to Iran for more than 4,000 years.
The text of a tourist film on the site has drawn accusations that the US-owned search engine is deliberately trying to undermine Iran's territorial integrity by fomenting separatist sentiment in the mainly Turkish-speaking province.
Valiallah Azarvash, an Iranian MP, said: "An Iranian never accepts such slights. Since the second millennium BC, eastern Azerbaijan and Tabriz have never been separated from the body of Iran. How can they now belong somewhere else?"
The information technology ministry has branded the entry an attempt to intervene in Iran's internal affairs and has urged Iranians to flood Google with emails.
"This act is a typical example of interference in the affairs of another country," said Samad Mohmen Bela, the IT ministry's representative in parliament. "The simplest, most effective response is for all Iranian users to reflect their objection to Google's management."
The reformist Etemad newspaper accused the company of a "strange, suspicious and dubious act" in apparently trying to relocate Tabriz - one of the major flashpoints of the 1979 Islamic revolution - to the independent former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, to the north of Iran.
The republic consists of territory annexed from Iran by Russia in 1813. Joseph Stalin tried to seize the rest of Azerbaijan after the second world war but was rebuffed by US and British opposition.
Tabriz and other cities in the province witnessed violent protests earlier this year after the publication of a cartoon in a Farsi-language newspaper depicting a cockroach speaking in the local Azeri tongue.
Iran's Islamic authorities have shown little tolerance towards regional autonomous movements and have accused the US and Britain of trying to stir secessionist sympathies in different provinces, including Kurdistan and Khuzestan.
The row echoes a controversy two years ago when National Geographic magazine was swamped by protests after labelling the sea between southern Iran and neighbouring Arab states as the Arabian not the Persian Gulf. The magazine was banned in Iran and its reporters were barred from the country. Web surfers launched "Google bombs", causing searches for "Arabian Gulf" to produce a site announcing: "The gulf you are looking for does not exist, try Persian Gulf
location based services
Video places ancient city in Azerbaijan republic · Users urged to blitz search engine over 'insult' Robert Tait in TehranMonday November 13, 2006The Guardian
Google has provoked the wrath of Iran's notoriously suspicious authorities by appearing to question the country's sovereignty over the province of Azerbaijan in an entry on its Google Video website.
In a move tailor-made to wound Iranian patriotic pride and arouse a blizzard of protest, the Azeri provincial capital, Tabriz, is located "in southern Azerbaijan, currently in the territory of Iran". To add insult to injury, the ancient city is listed as being in Azerbaijan, rather than Iran. Tabriz and southern Azerbaijan have belonged to Iran for more than 4,000 years.
The text of a tourist film on the site has drawn accusations that the US-owned search engine is deliberately trying to undermine Iran's territorial integrity by fomenting separatist sentiment in the mainly Turkish-speaking province.
Valiallah Azarvash, an Iranian MP, said: "An Iranian never accepts such slights. Since the second millennium BC, eastern Azerbaijan and Tabriz have never been separated from the body of Iran. How can they now belong somewhere else?"
The information technology ministry has branded the entry an attempt to intervene in Iran's internal affairs and has urged Iranians to flood Google with emails.
"This act is a typical example of interference in the affairs of another country," said Samad Mohmen Bela, the IT ministry's representative in parliament. "The simplest, most effective response is for all Iranian users to reflect their objection to Google's management."
The reformist Etemad newspaper accused the company of a "strange, suspicious and dubious act" in apparently trying to relocate Tabriz - one of the major flashpoints of the 1979 Islamic revolution - to the independent former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, to the north of Iran.
The republic consists of territory annexed from Iran by Russia in 1813. Joseph Stalin tried to seize the rest of Azerbaijan after the second world war but was rebuffed by US and British opposition.
Tabriz and other cities in the province witnessed violent protests earlier this year after the publication of a cartoon in a Farsi-language newspaper depicting a cockroach speaking in the local Azeri tongue.
Iran's Islamic authorities have shown little tolerance towards regional autonomous movements and have accused the US and Britain of trying to stir secessionist sympathies in different provinces, including Kurdistan and Khuzestan.
The row echoes a controversy two years ago when National Geographic magazine was swamped by protests after labelling the sea between southern Iran and neighbouring Arab states as the Arabian not the Persian Gulf. The magazine was banned in Iran and its reporters were barred from the country. Web surfers launched "Google bombs", causing searches for "Arabian Gulf" to produce a site announcing: "The gulf you are looking for does not exist, try Persian Gulf
Thursday, November 09, 2006
GPS Tracking Device From Guardian Nabs Thieves
location based services
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Guardian Mobile Monitoring Systems, Inc. (Guardian), announced that their GPS tracking system enabled the recovery of over $25,000 in stolen oil field equipment in October. Acadian On Watch, one of Guardian's key reseller partners, provided the GPS equipment and monitoring services for the investigation conducted by the Vermillion Parish Sheriff's Office (VPSO), resulting in three arrests and the break-up of a theft ring that had been in operation since 2005.
The oil field equipment, known as chart recorders, was being stolen in batches from production sites every month for the past year. While each chart recorder is worth under $5,000, the ultimate cost of the theft can be many times that amount due to the productivity lost while the recorders were out of commission. Acadian worked closely with the VPSO to install Trimble GPS devices on several "bait" chart recorders used in the field, and provided 24/7 monitoring services using the Guardian system. Acadian staff also configured Guardian's software to automatically alert officers assigned to the case via email and cell phone alerts.
"We are proud to have assisted in the arrest and recovery of this equipment," stated John Tedesco, President of Guardian. "Equipment and cargo theft losses exceed $30 billion per year, and our system is designed exactly to combat this type of problem. This device is the first of a number of GPS devices that we will be integrating into our system for asset-tracking applications, and the results speak for themselves."
On October 10th, one of the bait chart recorders was stolen, and the built-in motion detector on the GPS device alerted Acadian monitoring staff and guided the VPSO with updated location information directed to their cell phones during the recovery process. The stolen equipment was tracked to the thief's location where the VPSO made the initial arrests. Additional arrests were made several days later, ultimately breaking up the theft ring.
"On behalf of the team here at Acadian, and particularly our Mobile Monitoring division, we congratulate the VPSO in their success at cracking this case," said Blane Comeaux, Vice President of Monitoring Services for Acadian on Watch. "We look forward to continuing our support of the local police efforts, and we are excited about the possibilities of continuing to use GPS technology to reduce losses from crime."
The GPS device used for the recovery was a Trimble TrimTrac(R) locator. The TrimTrac is the world's first affordable, fully integrated vehicle tracking, security and recovery device for applications requiring periodic autonomous position reporting and/or real-time on-demand polling, and cost- effective wireless communications.
About Trimble
Trimble 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, Calif., Trimble has more than 2,400 employees in more than 18 countries worldwide.
About Mobile Monitoring, Inc.
Mobile Monitoring is a service of Acadian On Watch Monitoring Center, a division of Acadian Ambulance. Acadian is an Employee-Owned company and is the nation's largest private ambulance service with headquarters in Lafayette, LA. Acadian's monitoring center provides alarm monitoring service to security, fire, and medical alarm dealers nationwide. Acadian was named the Guardian Partner of the Year for 2005 for innovation and service quality. For more information, please visit our website: www.acadian.com
About Guardian Mobile Monitoring Systems
Guardian Mobile Monitoring Systems, Inc. is the leading provider of GPS- based, mobile security solutions for the security alarm monitoring industry. Guardian's patent-pending system enables security companies to expand from monitoring stationary items such as buildings and homes to monitoring mobile items of value -- vehicles, assets and people. Guardian is a privately held corporation headquartered in Santa Monica, California with offices in Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information, please visit www.guardianmms.com.
Web site: http://www.guardianmms.com/
Euro Operator Orders Privacy Manager
location based services
Redknee says that an unnamed, top tier Western European wireless carrier has selected its Unified Profile Server (UPS) to provide user privacy and preference management capabilities to its mobile and broadband subscribers. Redknee UPS enables subscribers to control what information third-party applications or other subscribers are able to query or view.
Preference management is an essential capability necessary for user confidence when adopting privacy-sensitive services such as advertising, Location-Based Services (LBS) and personalized broadband services. The Redknee UPS provides complete opt-in and opt-out capabilities as well as a comprehensive set of group management functionalities. The Redknee UPS solution integrates into the carrier?s existing Service Delivery Platform (SDP) to provide a common privacy management functionality for Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC).
"We are pleased that a leading carrier in Western Europe has chosen the Redknee Unified Profile Server to address their subscriber privacy requirements," said Lucas Skoczkowski, CEO of Redknee. "This contract demonstrates Redknee?s leadership in delivering increasingly personalized service delivery in convergent networks."
location based services
Redknee says that an unnamed, top tier Western European wireless carrier has selected its Unified Profile Server (UPS) to provide user privacy and preference management capabilities to its mobile and broadband subscribers. Redknee UPS enables subscribers to control what information third-party applications or other subscribers are able to query or view.
Preference management is an essential capability necessary for user confidence when adopting privacy-sensitive services such as advertising, Location-Based Services (LBS) and personalized broadband services. The Redknee UPS provides complete opt-in and opt-out capabilities as well as a comprehensive set of group management functionalities. The Redknee UPS solution integrates into the carrier?s existing Service Delivery Platform (SDP) to provide a common privacy management functionality for Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC).
"We are pleased that a leading carrier in Western Europe has chosen the Redknee Unified Profile Server to address their subscriber privacy requirements," said Lucas Skoczkowski, CEO of Redknee. "This contract demonstrates Redknee?s leadership in delivering increasingly personalized service delivery in convergent networks."
Who Owns Your Location Information?
location based services
Location-based services have long been a hot topic in wireless, even if they've largely failed to live up to the ridiculous level of hype thus far. However, even though relatively few handsets currently have the ability to pinpoint users' locations with the accuracy of GPS, operators do keep less detailed location information, such as the towers from which calls are made or messages sent. This information is used for different reasons, such as billing, and is more commonly being used by law enforcement as forensic evidence. One researcher who was called as an expert witness in a trial recently to help explain such evidence is now wondering just who owns that location information. Obviously in criminal cases, it must be subpoenaed from an operator, but the researcher says his operator won't even provide him with the location info they have regarding his own calls. It's also unclear what operators' policies are with this information. Some operators are already delivering aggregated location information to companies that use it to determine how road traffic is moving. While this is anonymous, general data, what if operators decided they could start a nice new revenue line by selling individual information to anybody who wanted it? As location-based services proliferate, these sorts of questions are bound to pop up more frequently. While the services do have the potential to be very useful, they'll also need to come with safeguards that allow people to control who can see their location data and how it can be used.
location based services
Location-based services have long been a hot topic in wireless, even if they've largely failed to live up to the ridiculous level of hype thus far. However, even though relatively few handsets currently have the ability to pinpoint users' locations with the accuracy of GPS, operators do keep less detailed location information, such as the towers from which calls are made or messages sent. This information is used for different reasons, such as billing, and is more commonly being used by law enforcement as forensic evidence. One researcher who was called as an expert witness in a trial recently to help explain such evidence is now wondering just who owns that location information. Obviously in criminal cases, it must be subpoenaed from an operator, but the researcher says his operator won't even provide him with the location info they have regarding his own calls. It's also unclear what operators' policies are with this information. Some operators are already delivering aggregated location information to companies that use it to determine how road traffic is moving. While this is anonymous, general data, what if operators decided they could start a nice new revenue line by selling individual information to anybody who wanted it? As location-based services proliferate, these sorts of questions are bound to pop up more frequently. While the services do have the potential to be very useful, they'll also need to come with safeguards that allow people to control who can see their location data and how it can be used.
First Look: Low-Cost GPS Devices Pack Plenty of Features
location based services
The ideal digital travel companion would make sure you're on the right track to your destination while also keeping you entertained, without weighing you down. Both the DigiWalker H610 from Mio Technology and Delphi's NAV200 qualify on all three counts--and they're also relatively affordable. Of the two devices, I prefer the $449 DigiWalker for its compactness and portability, even though the $380 NAV200 is a top-notch GPS at a bargain price.
Technology and Media Blog
From TiVo to YouTube, iPods to ID theft, The Post's tech staff reports from the crossroads of technology and culture. • A Field Guide To Digital TV • Rummy On Technology. Sort Of. • Windows Up On Ray Ozzie • Tech Blog: More Posts Sign Up for RSS Feed
Latest Stories From PCWorld.com: • Yahoo, Linksys Unveil VOIP Cordless Phone• Microsoft to Release Six Windows Security Updates• Microsoft Releases Sony Rootkit Hunter's Tools• Music Publisher to Profit from Zune Sales
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I tested a preproduction version of the DigiWalker and a shipping version of the NAV200. Both products come with maps of all 50 states and Canada preloaded, as well as points-of-interest databases with millions of entries. Both also have an SD Card slot for loading audio, video, and image files.
The first time you use the DigiWalker's MioMap program to show your location or navigate to an address, the device establishes a GPS link in about 1 minute, and subsequently plots your position in just seconds. The NAV200 took slightly longer to grab onto its initial GPS signals, but it kept up with my driving very well afterwards. The cradle included with each product for attaching it to the car's windshield held the units in place over some pretty rough roads. The DigiWalker slips in and out of its cradle with ease, but the NAV200 requires that you reach behind the device and pinch two buttons on the cradle to insert and remove it.
Both units are small enough to fit comfortably in your pocket, but the NAV200 is noticeably larger than the DigiWalker: the former measures about 4.5 by 3.3 by 1.3 inches (with the retractable GPS antenna down); and the latter is only 3.5 by 2.3 by 0.8 inches (its GPS antenna is built in). The DigiWalker's 2.8-inch display is slightly smaller than the NAV200's 3.5-inch screen, but the driving directions are easy to spot on both (some of the other GPS information is too small to see at a glance, however). Likewise, the voice instructions from both products come in loud and clear over road and radio noise.
Despite the convenience of letting you play MP3 and WAV audio files, and view standard image and AVI video files, neither product offers the playback and management features of a stand-alone media player. For example, the DigiWalker has no external volume control, so you have to use the touch-screen controls in its MioPlayer Pro application to adjust the volume. The DigiWalker ships with a pair of earbuds whose wire has volume controls and last-track/next-track buttons, but the NAV200 requires that you plug in your own headphones. And while the external speakers on both devices are sufficient to hear spoken driving directions, they sound like 1960s-vintage portable transistor radios when playing music.
The DigiWalker's small size makes it useful when you are navigating on foot or using other conveyance besides your car. For many people, that one feature will be worth the $120 premium over the cost of the NAV200. Still, if you're looking for an accurate and portable in-car GPS device, it'll be tough to find a better bargain than the Delphi product.
location based services
The ideal digital travel companion would make sure you're on the right track to your destination while also keeping you entertained, without weighing you down. Both the DigiWalker H610 from Mio Technology and Delphi's NAV200 qualify on all three counts--and they're also relatively affordable. Of the two devices, I prefer the $449 DigiWalker for its compactness and portability, even though the $380 NAV200 is a top-notch GPS at a bargain price.
Technology and Media Blog
From TiVo to YouTube, iPods to ID theft, The Post's tech staff reports from the crossroads of technology and culture. • A Field Guide To Digital TV • Rummy On Technology. Sort Of. • Windows Up On Ray Ozzie • Tech Blog: More Posts Sign Up for RSS Feed
Latest Stories From PCWorld.com: • Yahoo, Linksys Unveil VOIP Cordless Phone• Microsoft to Release Six Windows Security Updates• Microsoft Releases Sony Rootkit Hunter's Tools• Music Publisher to Profit from Zune Sales
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I tested a preproduction version of the DigiWalker and a shipping version of the NAV200. Both products come with maps of all 50 states and Canada preloaded, as well as points-of-interest databases with millions of entries. Both also have an SD Card slot for loading audio, video, and image files.
The first time you use the DigiWalker's MioMap program to show your location or navigate to an address, the device establishes a GPS link in about 1 minute, and subsequently plots your position in just seconds. The NAV200 took slightly longer to grab onto its initial GPS signals, but it kept up with my driving very well afterwards. The cradle included with each product for attaching it to the car's windshield held the units in place over some pretty rough roads. The DigiWalker slips in and out of its cradle with ease, but the NAV200 requires that you reach behind the device and pinch two buttons on the cradle to insert and remove it.
Both units are small enough to fit comfortably in your pocket, but the NAV200 is noticeably larger than the DigiWalker: the former measures about 4.5 by 3.3 by 1.3 inches (with the retractable GPS antenna down); and the latter is only 3.5 by 2.3 by 0.8 inches (its GPS antenna is built in). The DigiWalker's 2.8-inch display is slightly smaller than the NAV200's 3.5-inch screen, but the driving directions are easy to spot on both (some of the other GPS information is too small to see at a glance, however). Likewise, the voice instructions from both products come in loud and clear over road and radio noise.
Despite the convenience of letting you play MP3 and WAV audio files, and view standard image and AVI video files, neither product offers the playback and management features of a stand-alone media player. For example, the DigiWalker has no external volume control, so you have to use the touch-screen controls in its MioPlayer Pro application to adjust the volume. The DigiWalker ships with a pair of earbuds whose wire has volume controls and last-track/next-track buttons, but the NAV200 requires that you plug in your own headphones. And while the external speakers on both devices are sufficient to hear spoken driving directions, they sound like 1960s-vintage portable transistor radios when playing music.
The DigiWalker's small size makes it useful when you are navigating on foot or using other conveyance besides your car. For many people, that one feature will be worth the $120 premium over the cost of the NAV200. Still, if you're looking for an accurate and portable in-car GPS device, it'll be tough to find a better bargain than the Delphi product.
Ekahau Launches Next-Generation Software Engine for Real-Time Location Tracking
location based services
EPE 4.0 Features Improved Accuracy and Scalability, Ease of Deployment and Integrated Tag Management Capabilities.
Saratoga, CA – November 9, 2006 – Ekahau Inc., a leading provider of Wi-Fi-based Real Time Location Systems (RTLS), today introduced the Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE) 4.0, a major upgrade of Ekahau’s server software that features faster and more accurate location tracking capabilities than its predecessor. As the key component of Ekahau’s turn-key RTLS solution, the EPE 4.0 significantly eases the deployment and management of a real-time location solution, while providing the ability to track more than 10,000 objects."Since our first positioning engine was introduced in 2002, we have been working with our customers on ways to improve the functionality of RTLS and simplify its use," said Lare Lekman, chief technology officer at Ekahau. "Ekahau’s extensive research and development efforts, coupled with customer feedback, have resulted in a product set that is unrivaled in its capabilities. The launch of this next-generation server software seals Ekahau’s position as an innovator with the best-in-class solutions for the RTLS industry." The EPE 4.0 includes a number of new features that improve the performance of Ekahau’s turn-key RTLS solution. These features include:• Improved Accuracy and Scalability: New, patent-pending probabilistic algorithms in the EPE 4.0 deliver a higher percentage of accuracy in locating tracked items or people to within up to one to two meters. The software is capable of tracking more than a total of 10,000 objects and can complete 600 location transactions per second. • Simplified Set-Up and Monitoring: The EPE 4.0 includes a new web-based administrator interface and a new deployment tool, the Ekahau Location Survey, for pre-survey and site calibration that cuts deployment time of Wi-Fi-based RTLS in half compared to the previous version. The new EPE also supports the site survey data collected with Ekahau Site Survey (ESS) 2.2, enabling end-to-end process from Wi-Fi planning and surveys to RTLS deployment. • Rapid Application Development and Integration: The EPE 4.0 features a new HTTP-XML application programming interface (API) that speeds application development and integration with third-party systems. The 4.0 version also enables tighter integration of EPE to support different Wi-Fi vendors’ network architecture, and enhanced support to Wi-Fi based client devices. • Remote Tag Management: The EPE 4.0 includes integrated tag management tools that enable users to monitor battery level, control LED and buzzers, and reconfigure and update firmware over the air.The EPE 4.0 has undergone extensive beta testing with a number of Fortune 1000 companies. It also is being integrated with the middleware applications available from Ekahau partners, including Sybase iAnywhere."Our strong partner relationship has resulted in tight integration with the EPE 4.0 right from the start," said Martyn Mallick, director of RFID and Mobile Solutions at Sybase iAnywhere. "By combining the EPE 4.0 with Sybase’s RFID Anywhere solution, our customers are able to easily extend Ekahau’s RTLS capabilities, along with other sensory data, into their applications."The EPE 4.0 powers the Ekahau RTLS solution. Ekahau has deployed its RTLS system worldwide in hospitals, manufacturing facilities, mines, museums and on military bases. The applications of Ekahau RTLS allow these industries to track people and assets in real time, as well as improve efficiency, safety and security. The EPE 4.0 will be generally available in November 30th, 2006. Free evaluation software is now available. For more information, please visit www.ekahau.com/eval. About Ekahau Inc.Ekahau Inc. is the industry leader in providing Wi-Fi based RTLS solutions. Ekahau's customers, including several Fortune 500 companies worldwide, are realizing the benefits of Wi-Fi based location services and innovative Wi-Fi network planning and optimization tools. Ekahau partners include wireless software developers, leading system integrators, and international OEM partners, who develop and market wireless enterprise applications. Ekahau is a U.S. based corporation, with offices in Saratoga, CA; Reston, VA; Helsinki, Finland; and Hong Kong, China. For more information about Ekahau, please visit at www.ekahau.com.
location based services
EPE 4.0 Features Improved Accuracy and Scalability, Ease of Deployment and Integrated Tag Management Capabilities.
Saratoga, CA – November 9, 2006 – Ekahau Inc., a leading provider of Wi-Fi-based Real Time Location Systems (RTLS), today introduced the Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE) 4.0, a major upgrade of Ekahau’s server software that features faster and more accurate location tracking capabilities than its predecessor. As the key component of Ekahau’s turn-key RTLS solution, the EPE 4.0 significantly eases the deployment and management of a real-time location solution, while providing the ability to track more than 10,000 objects."Since our first positioning engine was introduced in 2002, we have been working with our customers on ways to improve the functionality of RTLS and simplify its use," said Lare Lekman, chief technology officer at Ekahau. "Ekahau’s extensive research and development efforts, coupled with customer feedback, have resulted in a product set that is unrivaled in its capabilities. The launch of this next-generation server software seals Ekahau’s position as an innovator with the best-in-class solutions for the RTLS industry." The EPE 4.0 includes a number of new features that improve the performance of Ekahau’s turn-key RTLS solution. These features include:• Improved Accuracy and Scalability: New, patent-pending probabilistic algorithms in the EPE 4.0 deliver a higher percentage of accuracy in locating tracked items or people to within up to one to two meters. The software is capable of tracking more than a total of 10,000 objects and can complete 600 location transactions per second. • Simplified Set-Up and Monitoring: The EPE 4.0 includes a new web-based administrator interface and a new deployment tool, the Ekahau Location Survey, for pre-survey and site calibration that cuts deployment time of Wi-Fi-based RTLS in half compared to the previous version. The new EPE also supports the site survey data collected with Ekahau Site Survey (ESS) 2.2, enabling end-to-end process from Wi-Fi planning and surveys to RTLS deployment. • Rapid Application Development and Integration: The EPE 4.0 features a new HTTP-XML application programming interface (API) that speeds application development and integration with third-party systems. The 4.0 version also enables tighter integration of EPE to support different Wi-Fi vendors’ network architecture, and enhanced support to Wi-Fi based client devices. • Remote Tag Management: The EPE 4.0 includes integrated tag management tools that enable users to monitor battery level, control LED and buzzers, and reconfigure and update firmware over the air.The EPE 4.0 has undergone extensive beta testing with a number of Fortune 1000 companies. It also is being integrated with the middleware applications available from Ekahau partners, including Sybase iAnywhere."Our strong partner relationship has resulted in tight integration with the EPE 4.0 right from the start," said Martyn Mallick, director of RFID and Mobile Solutions at Sybase iAnywhere. "By combining the EPE 4.0 with Sybase’s RFID Anywhere solution, our customers are able to easily extend Ekahau’s RTLS capabilities, along with other sensory data, into their applications."The EPE 4.0 powers the Ekahau RTLS solution. Ekahau has deployed its RTLS system worldwide in hospitals, manufacturing facilities, mines, museums and on military bases. The applications of Ekahau RTLS allow these industries to track people and assets in real time, as well as improve efficiency, safety and security. The EPE 4.0 will be generally available in November 30th, 2006. Free evaluation software is now available. For more information, please visit www.ekahau.com/eval. About Ekahau Inc.Ekahau Inc. is the industry leader in providing Wi-Fi based RTLS solutions. Ekahau's customers, including several Fortune 500 companies worldwide, are realizing the benefits of Wi-Fi based location services and innovative Wi-Fi network planning and optimization tools. Ekahau partners include wireless software developers, leading system integrators, and international OEM partners, who develop and market wireless enterprise applications. Ekahau is a U.S. based corporation, with offices in Saratoga, CA; Reston, VA; Helsinki, Finland; and Hong Kong, China. For more information about Ekahau, please visit at www.ekahau.com.
W3C announced the Mobile Web Best Practices 1.0 as Proposed Recommendation:
location based services
Written for designers of Web sites and content management systems, these guidelines describe how to author Web content that works well on mobile devices. Thirty organizations participating in the Mobile Web Initiative achieved consensus and encourage adoption and implementation of these guidelines to improve user experience and to achieve the goal of "one Web." Read about the Mobile Web Initiative.
That's actually a very interesting document. It's definitely a must for anybody targeting Mobile Web, which is a very different from the Web we know and it's not only because of limitations:
Mobile users typically have different interests to users of fixed or desktop devices. They are likely to have more immediate and goal-directed intentions than desktop Web users. Their intentions are often to find out specific pieces of information that are relevant to their context. An example of such a goal-directed application might be the user requiring specific information about schedules for a journey they are currently undertaking.
Equally, mobile users are typically less interested in lengthy documents or in browsing. The ergonomics of the device are frequently unsuitable for reading lengthy documents, and users will often only access such information from mobile devices as a last resort, because more convenient access is not available.
Still there is dream about "One Web":
The recommendations in this document are intended to improve the experience of the Web on mobile devices. While the recommendations are not specifically addressed at the desktop browsing experience, it must be understood that they are made in the context of wishing to work towards "One Web".
As discussed in the Scope document [Scope], One Web means making, as far as is reasonable, the same information and services available to users irrespective of the device they are using. However, it does not mean that exactly the same information is available in exactly the same representation across all devices. The context of mobile use, device capability variations, bandwidth issues and mobile network capabilities all affect the representation. Furthermore, some services and information are more suitable for and targeted at particular user contexts (see 5.1.1 Thematic Consistency of Resource Identified by a URI).
Some services have a primarily mobile appeal (location based services, for example). Some have a primarily mobile appeal but have a complementary desktop aspect (for instance for complex configuration tasks). Still others have a primarily desktop appeal but a complementary mobile aspect (possibly for alerting). Finally there will remain some Web applications that have a primarily desktop appeal (lengthy reference material, rich images, for example).
It is likely that application designers and service providers will wish to provide the best possible experience in the context in which their service has the most appeal. However, while services may be most appropriately experienced in one context or another, it is considered best practice to provide as reasonable experience as is possible given device limitations and not to exclude access from any particular class of device, except where this is necessary because of device limitations.
From the perspective of this document this means that services should be available as some variant of HTML over HTTP.
What about "Web 2.0"? Well,
No support for client side scripting.
I recently got Motorola RAZR V3X - cool 3G phone (btw 3G really rocks) and all of a sudden I'm all about Mobile Web. This is fascinating technology with huge future. I've got lots of plans that gonna make me millions... if I only had some more spare time :(
location based services
Written for designers of Web sites and content management systems, these guidelines describe how to author Web content that works well on mobile devices. Thirty organizations participating in the Mobile Web Initiative achieved consensus and encourage adoption and implementation of these guidelines to improve user experience and to achieve the goal of "one Web." Read about the Mobile Web Initiative.
That's actually a very interesting document. It's definitely a must for anybody targeting Mobile Web, which is a very different from the Web we know and it's not only because of limitations:
Mobile users typically have different interests to users of fixed or desktop devices. They are likely to have more immediate and goal-directed intentions than desktop Web users. Their intentions are often to find out specific pieces of information that are relevant to their context. An example of such a goal-directed application might be the user requiring specific information about schedules for a journey they are currently undertaking.
Equally, mobile users are typically less interested in lengthy documents or in browsing. The ergonomics of the device are frequently unsuitable for reading lengthy documents, and users will often only access such information from mobile devices as a last resort, because more convenient access is not available.
Still there is dream about "One Web":
The recommendations in this document are intended to improve the experience of the Web on mobile devices. While the recommendations are not specifically addressed at the desktop browsing experience, it must be understood that they are made in the context of wishing to work towards "One Web".
As discussed in the Scope document [Scope], One Web means making, as far as is reasonable, the same information and services available to users irrespective of the device they are using. However, it does not mean that exactly the same information is available in exactly the same representation across all devices. The context of mobile use, device capability variations, bandwidth issues and mobile network capabilities all affect the representation. Furthermore, some services and information are more suitable for and targeted at particular user contexts (see 5.1.1 Thematic Consistency of Resource Identified by a URI).
Some services have a primarily mobile appeal (location based services, for example). Some have a primarily mobile appeal but have a complementary desktop aspect (for instance for complex configuration tasks). Still others have a primarily desktop appeal but a complementary mobile aspect (possibly for alerting). Finally there will remain some Web applications that have a primarily desktop appeal (lengthy reference material, rich images, for example).
It is likely that application designers and service providers will wish to provide the best possible experience in the context in which their service has the most appeal. However, while services may be most appropriately experienced in one context or another, it is considered best practice to provide as reasonable experience as is possible given device limitations and not to exclude access from any particular class of device, except where this is necessary because of device limitations.
From the perspective of this document this means that services should be available as some variant of HTML over HTTP.
What about "Web 2.0"? Well,
No support for client side scripting.
I recently got Motorola RAZR V3X - cool 3G phone (btw 3G really rocks) and all of a sudden I'm all about Mobile Web. This is fascinating technology with huge future. I've got lots of plans that gonna make me millions... if I only had some more spare time :(
You’re Where? Keep Track With Samsung Drift From Helio
location based services
Helio goes out of its way to differentiate itself from other wireless carriers - with unique pricing plans, its mobile partnership with MySpace.
Helio’s newest handset is also out of the ordinary. The Drift from Samsung is a slick, slinky slider with a QVGA screen, stereo Bluetooth, 2 MP camera - plus a whole package of location based services.
There’s turn by turn GPS using Google maps with the latest traffic updates. There’s also Buddy Beacon, which works when you and your buddy both have capable phones and service. When your “buddy” turns it on, you can see on the map where your buddy is.
Comes in black or white - $225.
location based services
Helio goes out of its way to differentiate itself from other wireless carriers - with unique pricing plans, its mobile partnership with MySpace.
Helio’s newest handset is also out of the ordinary. The Drift from Samsung is a slick, slinky slider with a QVGA screen, stereo Bluetooth, 2 MP camera - plus a whole package of location based services.
There’s turn by turn GPS using Google maps with the latest traffic updates. There’s also Buddy Beacon, which works when you and your buddy both have capable phones and service. When your “buddy” turns it on, you can see on the map where your buddy is.
Comes in black or white - $225.
China's satellite navigation plans threaten Galileo
location based services
China's decision to expand the functionality of its satellite navigation network could undermine the economics of Europe's nascent Galileo system, according to sources close to the project.
Until now, experts believed that China's "Beidou" navigation system – a 35-satellite constellation – would only be used by its armed forces. This explained China's decision to invest €200 million in Europe's €2.5 billion Galileo programme.
But things appear to have changed in Beijing. On 2 November, the country's official news agency Xinhua reported that Beidou would, from 2008, begin providing an "open" level of service, with 10-metre accuracy, in addition to its "authorised", encrypted military service.
Precisely how open this 10-metre service will be, remains unclear, but the Xinhua report implied that it would be available free to all Chinese citizens and to other countries whose governments strike a deal to use the signal in satellite navigation devices.
Commercial plans
If this is true, it could be a big problem for the Galileo consortium, which had hoped to recoup part of its €2.5 billion investment in Galileo by selling receivers and commercial signal subscriptions in China.
"But if Beidou offers a free non-military service inside China then that idea goes out of the window," says a source close to the Galileo project, who spoke on condition of anonymity, due to the geopolitical sensitivity of the issue.
It is not clear whether there are sufficient frequencies for Beidou to be used globally. But new agreements may be needed to ensure receivers are compatible with all three navigation standards: Galileo, the US-run Global Positioning System, and Beidou. "We would have to have a complete reworking of the cooperative agreements that the Galileo consortium has struck with China," the source adds.
Government pressure
It does not look good for Galileo. Analysts in the US think Beidou’s first two geostationary satellites may already be used for commercial purposes. “The People’s Liberation Army is using the system, but there have been some interesting local press reports out of China recently saying that some private companies have been pressured into using Beidou too,” says Dean Cheng of the CNA Corporation, a think tank in Alexandria, Virginia, US.
“The government is trying to work out how to make money from the system," he told New Scientist. "So a freight firm, for instance, might be persuaded to use Beidou if it wants a trucking contract, say.”
Cheng believes a number of factors are fuelling China’s move to a domestic satellite navigation network – its waning influence as Galileo moves into a commercial deployment phase, worries about how much say China will have on the way the Galileo signal is coded, and ‘workshare’ issues: emerging Sino-European arguments over, for instance, satellite launch contracts.
National initiatives
Officially, however, the European Commission (EC) says it does not expect China's plan to impact on Galileo. "The EU's initiative on Galileo has spurred many nations to consider new satellite navigation initiatives," says Michele Cercone, EC spokesperson for satellite navigation issues. "In the developing global satellite navigation market there will be place for all these initiatives. We are confident that Galileo will be able to win its rightful place."
But the irony in China's move was not lost on Michael Shaw, from the US government's National Space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Coordination Office in Washington DC. "Frankly, China's behaviour towards Europe is not so different to how Europe behaved with us when GPS was the only game in town a decade ago," Shaw says.
location based services
China's decision to expand the functionality of its satellite navigation network could undermine the economics of Europe's nascent Galileo system, according to sources close to the project.
Until now, experts believed that China's "Beidou" navigation system – a 35-satellite constellation – would only be used by its armed forces. This explained China's decision to invest €200 million in Europe's €2.5 billion Galileo programme.
But things appear to have changed in Beijing. On 2 November, the country's official news agency Xinhua reported that Beidou would, from 2008, begin providing an "open" level of service, with 10-metre accuracy, in addition to its "authorised", encrypted military service.
Precisely how open this 10-metre service will be, remains unclear, but the Xinhua report implied that it would be available free to all Chinese citizens and to other countries whose governments strike a deal to use the signal in satellite navigation devices.
Commercial plans
If this is true, it could be a big problem for the Galileo consortium, which had hoped to recoup part of its €2.5 billion investment in Galileo by selling receivers and commercial signal subscriptions in China.
"But if Beidou offers a free non-military service inside China then that idea goes out of the window," says a source close to the Galileo project, who spoke on condition of anonymity, due to the geopolitical sensitivity of the issue.
It is not clear whether there are sufficient frequencies for Beidou to be used globally. But new agreements may be needed to ensure receivers are compatible with all three navigation standards: Galileo, the US-run Global Positioning System, and Beidou. "We would have to have a complete reworking of the cooperative agreements that the Galileo consortium has struck with China," the source adds.
Government pressure
It does not look good for Galileo. Analysts in the US think Beidou’s first two geostationary satellites may already be used for commercial purposes. “The People’s Liberation Army is using the system, but there have been some interesting local press reports out of China recently saying that some private companies have been pressured into using Beidou too,” says Dean Cheng of the CNA Corporation, a think tank in Alexandria, Virginia, US.
“The government is trying to work out how to make money from the system," he told New Scientist. "So a freight firm, for instance, might be persuaded to use Beidou if it wants a trucking contract, say.”
Cheng believes a number of factors are fuelling China’s move to a domestic satellite navigation network – its waning influence as Galileo moves into a commercial deployment phase, worries about how much say China will have on the way the Galileo signal is coded, and ‘workshare’ issues: emerging Sino-European arguments over, for instance, satellite launch contracts.
National initiatives
Officially, however, the European Commission (EC) says it does not expect China's plan to impact on Galileo. "The EU's initiative on Galileo has spurred many nations to consider new satellite navigation initiatives," says Michele Cercone, EC spokesperson for satellite navigation issues. "In the developing global satellite navigation market there will be place for all these initiatives. We are confident that Galileo will be able to win its rightful place."
But the irony in China's move was not lost on Michael Shaw, from the US government's National Space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Coordination Office in Washington DC. "Frankly, China's behaviour towards Europe is not so different to how Europe behaved with us when GPS was the only game in town a decade ago," Shaw says.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Cingular 8525 Hands On
location based services
If you read my 10 Things I Hate About Smartphones post last week, you’d discover that I hate Windows Mobile and that, even though they run Windows Mobile, I love HTC. So with that piece of cognitive dissonance in mind, I present my review of the Cingular 8525 aka the Hermes, a Windows Mobile Pocket PC smartphone with fold out QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen. It costs $399 with contract.The Dash vs. the 8525
Let’s begin at the beginning. HTC has been making PDAs and PDA-like phones for a number of years, both as an OEM for companies like HP as well as under carrier brands. The T-Mobile MDA and SDA, for example, are two phones from the HTC line up. The MDA and Cingular’s own 8125, in fact, are the direct progenitors of the 8525.
A smartphone with a touchscreen is inherently better. Although many OSes and applications work well with a keypad/directional key set-up, a touchscreen makes things so much easier to navigate. That is why I like the 8525, even for all its bulk.
Why is the 8525 so bulky? It contains multitudes: WiFi, Bluetooth, EDGE/GPRS, international 3G compatibility, and, get this, HSDPA. That means you can essentially get connected at high speeds anywhere in the world. Cingular offers a $45 data plan and surfing on this thing, especially with Opera Mini 2, is a dream. Messaging is even better because the 8525 has a huge keypad with ginormous, flat keys that are easy to press and are fairly intuitive. The OS itself, for all my hatred, is acceptable and there are a number of applications available for Pocket PC edition that won’t work on WinMo 5.0 Smartphone Edition. So there’s that.
It supports a number of mail formats including standard POP/IMAP connections to push email through Good. We got our unit directly from HTC so we didn’t get a Cingular high speed account to test HSDPA in New York, trust us, it’s in there and you can expect about 300Kbps on a good day.
The 8525 is quite compact and packed with power. It has a Samsung processor running at 400 MHz and 128MB of built-in storage. It also has a Micro SD card slot on the side and a 2-megapixel camera. A collapsable stylus hides in the lower right corner.
This phone is definitely snappier than the MDA and the 8125 — Blake has the 8125, which I told him to get, as I recall, and is complaining about application speed - so I can say that none of those problems appear in this beast.
With the improved keyboard, multitude to wireless connectivity options, and acceptable touchscreen, I can recommend the 8525 to anyone interested in a Windows smartphone that works well out of the box and, when Cingular rolls out its nationwide HSDPA network, can blow the pants off any other smartphone out there in terms of network speed. Do I still hate WinMo? Sure, but look at that fold-out keyboard! The high speed networking options! The Bluetooth 2.0! Mmmmm.
The 8525 will be available on November 16 nationwide.
Product Page [Cingular]
Categories: Cingular, HSDPA, 8525 Bookmark this post with del.icio.us
location based services
If you read my 10 Things I Hate About Smartphones post last week, you’d discover that I hate Windows Mobile and that, even though they run Windows Mobile, I love HTC. So with that piece of cognitive dissonance in mind, I present my review of the Cingular 8525 aka the Hermes, a Windows Mobile Pocket PC smartphone with fold out QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen. It costs $399 with contract.The Dash vs. the 8525
Let’s begin at the beginning. HTC has been making PDAs and PDA-like phones for a number of years, both as an OEM for companies like HP as well as under carrier brands. The T-Mobile MDA and SDA, for example, are two phones from the HTC line up. The MDA and Cingular’s own 8125, in fact, are the direct progenitors of the 8525.
A smartphone with a touchscreen is inherently better. Although many OSes and applications work well with a keypad/directional key set-up, a touchscreen makes things so much easier to navigate. That is why I like the 8525, even for all its bulk.
Why is the 8525 so bulky? It contains multitudes: WiFi, Bluetooth, EDGE/GPRS, international 3G compatibility, and, get this, HSDPA. That means you can essentially get connected at high speeds anywhere in the world. Cingular offers a $45 data plan and surfing on this thing, especially with Opera Mini 2, is a dream. Messaging is even better because the 8525 has a huge keypad with ginormous, flat keys that are easy to press and are fairly intuitive. The OS itself, for all my hatred, is acceptable and there are a number of applications available for Pocket PC edition that won’t work on WinMo 5.0 Smartphone Edition. So there’s that.
It supports a number of mail formats including standard POP/IMAP connections to push email through Good. We got our unit directly from HTC so we didn’t get a Cingular high speed account to test HSDPA in New York, trust us, it’s in there and you can expect about 300Kbps on a good day.
The 8525 is quite compact and packed with power. It has a Samsung processor running at 400 MHz and 128MB of built-in storage. It also has a Micro SD card slot on the side and a 2-megapixel camera. A collapsable stylus hides in the lower right corner.
This phone is definitely snappier than the MDA and the 8125 — Blake has the 8125, which I told him to get, as I recall, and is complaining about application speed - so I can say that none of those problems appear in this beast.
With the improved keyboard, multitude to wireless connectivity options, and acceptable touchscreen, I can recommend the 8525 to anyone interested in a Windows smartphone that works well out of the box and, when Cingular rolls out its nationwide HSDPA network, can blow the pants off any other smartphone out there in terms of network speed. Do I still hate WinMo? Sure, but look at that fold-out keyboard! The high speed networking options! The Bluetooth 2.0! Mmmmm.
The 8525 will be available on November 16 nationwide.
Product Page [Cingular]
Categories: Cingular, HSDPA, 8525 Bookmark this post with del.icio.us
First UMTS / HSDPA Enabled PDA in North America
location based services
Cingular Wireless business customers are now on the wireless fast track with today's introduction of the first UMTS/HSDPA-enabled PDA in North America -- the Cingular 8525 Pocket PC.
The Cingular 8525 gives customers access to a variety of corporate data and applications -- and personal e-mail and a wide range of entertainment capabilities -- at wireless broadband speeds on a popular form factor. Adding to the power of the Cingular 8525 is its operating system -- Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 with Direct Push Technology -- which allows users to retrieve their information in the familiar environment found on most desktop computers.
"The Cingular 8525 Pocket PC breaks new ground in wireless broadband connectivity in North America," said Kent Mathy, president Cingular Wireless' B2B organization, the Business Markets Group. "Not only is the Cingular 8525 the first UMTS/HSDPA-enabled PDA to launch on the continent, it is the only PDA or Smartphone on the American market today to give users wireless 3G capabilities both in the U.S. and in dozens of countries abroad. That translates into a tremendous advantage for the business customer in this global economy."
"Windows Mobile is about helping people navigate through work and life on the go in the same way they do at the office or at home," said Pieter Knook, senior vice president, Mobile and Embedded Devices Division, Microsoft Corp. "On Cingular's HSDPA network, the 8525 will empower people to use the key features of our platform simultaneously, like talking on the phone while at the same time downloading and reviewing documents, surfing the web or using one of thousands of applications available today."
Global Standard
Cingular's UMTS/HSDPA-enabled BroadbandConnect service is based on the global standard and natural 3G evolutionary path for GSM providers. BroadbandConnect is currently available in the U.S. in 134 markets (with populations of more than 100,000 surrounding more than 50 major metropolitan cities. The company said it will continue to expand coverage to additional markets in and around major metropolitan cities in the coming months. Internationally, there are currently 142 UMTS networks in 61 countries and 72 HSDPA networks.
BroadbandConnect provides average downlink data speeds between 400-700Kbps (kilobits per second) with bursts to more than a Mbps (megabit per second) and uplink speeds to 384Kbps. When traveling outside the BroadbandConnect coverage area, the Cingular 8525 seamlessly enables service on Cingular's EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) network, available in more than 13,000 cities and towns and in areas along more than 40,000 miles of highways.
Windows Mobile 5.0 Powered
Adding to the Cingular 8525's power is support of the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. This gives Cingular 8525 users access to mobile versions of many of the familiar Microsoft features found on their desktops, such as mobile versions of Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer and Outlook. Users can easily move through the Windows Mobile 5.0 environment thanks the Cingular 8525's multiple device navigation capabilities -- a new scroll-wheel feature, four-way navigation button and touch-screen stylus.
Additionally, the Cingular 8525 includes the Messaging and Security Feature Pack for Windows Mobile 5.0, providing users with the benefit of Direct Push Technology. This means that e-mail, calendar, tasks and contacts are always-up-to-date making it very easy for users to stay on top of their jobs and connected to the people they care about. The feature pack also provides advanced security features, including remote device wipe, remotely enforced IT policy and S/MIME support.
Complete Tool
Built by a leading manufacturer of Windows Mobile devices, HTC, the Cingular 8525 represents one of the most complete wireless communications tools available today. In addition to connectivity to Cingular's UMTS/HSDPA- based BroadbandConnect service, the Cingular 8525 provides users with seamless access to integrated Wi-Fi (802.11 b and g), Bluetooth 2.0, and infrared.
The Cingular 8525 Pocket PC is the perfect wireless device for the power business user both during work-time and downtime. Corporate users can have their company e-mail pushed to their Pocket PC in real-time with Microsoft Direct Push or Good Mobile Messaging wireless e-mail solutions. Thanks to the combination of BroadbandConnect and Windows Mobile 5.0, they can quickly open and edit large Word and Excel documents and view PowerPoint, PDF and photo attachments. People can also get their personal e-mail pushed to the device using the popular Cingular Xpress Mail service. The Cingular 8525's QWERTY, backlit "slider" keyboard makes creating or replying to a message an easy experience.
Supercharged Access
Beyond e-mail, the Cingular 8525 will allow companies to extend even more of their business processes into a mobile environment. The supercharged, 3G- based Pocket PC will give customers fast access to dozens of industry-specific applications, including those in the areas of field service, sales, financial services, government, real estate and healthcare, as well as several security- focused solutions. The Cingular 8525, with its Wi-Fi capabilities, will provide those in healthcare and pharmaceutical sales with a particular advantage because they can continue to have access to mission critical information in hospitals and medical clinics that have deployed wireless local area networks for their on-campus communications.
In addition, the Cingular 8525 will debut with the company's first generally available, location-based solution -- TeleNav GPS Navigator(TM) from TeleNav, Inc. With TeleNav GPS Navigator, Cingular 8525 users now can get turn-by-turn voice and on-screen directions directly on their device for use when driving or walking.*
Thanks to the Cingular 8525's UMTS/HSDPA backbone, Cingular business and consumer users have the ability to perform voice and data functions simultaneously when using the device. For example, Cingular customers can use the device as a wireless broadband modem tethered to their PC to download e- mail or other information, or surf the Web and simultaneously make or receive a mobile phone call. No other 3G wireless provider in the U.S. can provide that capability.
The Cingular 8525's value extends beyond work activities. During a break in the day or after business hours, users can relax by listening to their favorite music on Windows Media Player 10 Mobile using wired or Bluetooth- enabled stereo headsets, or enjoy video clips courtesy of MobiTV. The Cingular 8525 also comes equipped with a 2-megapixel digital camera and video recorder for sharper photos and video.** With an optional 1GB Micro-SD card, customers can store about 250 songs, more than 1,000 games or over 2,000 standard resolution photos.
Pricing and Availability
The Cingular 8525 Pocket PC will be available exclusively from Cingular for as low as $399.99 beginning
location based services
Cingular Wireless business customers are now on the wireless fast track with today's introduction of the first UMTS/HSDPA-enabled PDA in North America -- the Cingular 8525 Pocket PC.
The Cingular 8525 gives customers access to a variety of corporate data and applications -- and personal e-mail and a wide range of entertainment capabilities -- at wireless broadband speeds on a popular form factor. Adding to the power of the Cingular 8525 is its operating system -- Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 with Direct Push Technology -- which allows users to retrieve their information in the familiar environment found on most desktop computers.
"The Cingular 8525 Pocket PC breaks new ground in wireless broadband connectivity in North America," said Kent Mathy, president Cingular Wireless' B2B organization, the Business Markets Group. "Not only is the Cingular 8525 the first UMTS/HSDPA-enabled PDA to launch on the continent, it is the only PDA or Smartphone on the American market today to give users wireless 3G capabilities both in the U.S. and in dozens of countries abroad. That translates into a tremendous advantage for the business customer in this global economy."
"Windows Mobile is about helping people navigate through work and life on the go in the same way they do at the office or at home," said Pieter Knook, senior vice president, Mobile and Embedded Devices Division, Microsoft Corp. "On Cingular's HSDPA network, the 8525 will empower people to use the key features of our platform simultaneously, like talking on the phone while at the same time downloading and reviewing documents, surfing the web or using one of thousands of applications available today."
Global Standard
Cingular's UMTS/HSDPA-enabled BroadbandConnect service is based on the global standard and natural 3G evolutionary path for GSM providers. BroadbandConnect is currently available in the U.S. in 134 markets (with populations of more than 100,000 surrounding more than 50 major metropolitan cities. The company said it will continue to expand coverage to additional markets in and around major metropolitan cities in the coming months. Internationally, there are currently 142 UMTS networks in 61 countries and 72 HSDPA networks.
BroadbandConnect provides average downlink data speeds between 400-700Kbps (kilobits per second) with bursts to more than a Mbps (megabit per second) and uplink speeds to 384Kbps. When traveling outside the BroadbandConnect coverage area, the Cingular 8525 seamlessly enables service on Cingular's EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) network, available in more than 13,000 cities and towns and in areas along more than 40,000 miles of highways.
Windows Mobile 5.0 Powered
Adding to the Cingular 8525's power is support of the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. This gives Cingular 8525 users access to mobile versions of many of the familiar Microsoft features found on their desktops, such as mobile versions of Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer and Outlook. Users can easily move through the Windows Mobile 5.0 environment thanks the Cingular 8525's multiple device navigation capabilities -- a new scroll-wheel feature, four-way navigation button and touch-screen stylus.
Additionally, the Cingular 8525 includes the Messaging and Security Feature Pack for Windows Mobile 5.0, providing users with the benefit of Direct Push Technology. This means that e-mail, calendar, tasks and contacts are always-up-to-date making it very easy for users to stay on top of their jobs and connected to the people they care about. The feature pack also provides advanced security features, including remote device wipe, remotely enforced IT policy and S/MIME support.
Complete Tool
Built by a leading manufacturer of Windows Mobile devices, HTC, the Cingular 8525 represents one of the most complete wireless communications tools available today. In addition to connectivity to Cingular's UMTS/HSDPA- based BroadbandConnect service, the Cingular 8525 provides users with seamless access to integrated Wi-Fi (802.11 b and g), Bluetooth 2.0, and infrared.
The Cingular 8525 Pocket PC is the perfect wireless device for the power business user both during work-time and downtime. Corporate users can have their company e-mail pushed to their Pocket PC in real-time with Microsoft Direct Push or Good Mobile Messaging wireless e-mail solutions. Thanks to the combination of BroadbandConnect and Windows Mobile 5.0, they can quickly open and edit large Word and Excel documents and view PowerPoint, PDF and photo attachments. People can also get their personal e-mail pushed to the device using the popular Cingular Xpress Mail service. The Cingular 8525's QWERTY, backlit "slider" keyboard makes creating or replying to a message an easy experience.
Supercharged Access
Beyond e-mail, the Cingular 8525 will allow companies to extend even more of their business processes into a mobile environment. The supercharged, 3G- based Pocket PC will give customers fast access to dozens of industry-specific applications, including those in the areas of field service, sales, financial services, government, real estate and healthcare, as well as several security- focused solutions. The Cingular 8525, with its Wi-Fi capabilities, will provide those in healthcare and pharmaceutical sales with a particular advantage because they can continue to have access to mission critical information in hospitals and medical clinics that have deployed wireless local area networks for their on-campus communications.
In addition, the Cingular 8525 will debut with the company's first generally available, location-based solution -- TeleNav GPS Navigator(TM) from TeleNav, Inc. With TeleNav GPS Navigator, Cingular 8525 users now can get turn-by-turn voice and on-screen directions directly on their device for use when driving or walking.*
Thanks to the Cingular 8525's UMTS/HSDPA backbone, Cingular business and consumer users have the ability to perform voice and data functions simultaneously when using the device. For example, Cingular customers can use the device as a wireless broadband modem tethered to their PC to download e- mail or other information, or surf the Web and simultaneously make or receive a mobile phone call. No other 3G wireless provider in the U.S. can provide that capability.
The Cingular 8525's value extends beyond work activities. During a break in the day or after business hours, users can relax by listening to their favorite music on Windows Media Player 10 Mobile using wired or Bluetooth- enabled stereo headsets, or enjoy video clips courtesy of MobiTV. The Cingular 8525 also comes equipped with a 2-megapixel digital camera and video recorder for sharper photos and video.** With an optional 1GB Micro-SD card, customers can store about 250 songs, more than 1,000 games or over 2,000 standard resolution photos.
Pricing and Availability
The Cingular 8525 Pocket PC will be available exclusively from Cingular for as low as $399.99 beginning
Autodesk Location Services
location based services
provides platform software, applications frameworks and professional services—delivering location-smart services to wireless customers.
Developer ProgramJoin the program and get the same tools used by five world class carriers to build and deploy location-smart wireless services.
Technology and Wireless ServicesJoe Astroth’s vision for location-smart wireless services and the technology that will change the way we live, work, and play.
Watch a DemoLearn how you can locate, manage, and communicate with your mobile workforce.
Nextel® Mobile Locator™Nextel® uses Autodesk Location Services to help you save time and money.
location based services
provides platform software, applications frameworks and professional services—delivering location-smart services to wireless customers.
Developer ProgramJoin the program and get the same tools used by five world class carriers to build and deploy location-smart wireless services.
Technology and Wireless ServicesJoe Astroth’s vision for location-smart wireless services and the technology that will change the way we live, work, and play.
Watch a DemoLearn how you can locate, manage, and communicate with your mobile workforce.
Nextel® Mobile Locator™Nextel® uses Autodesk Location Services to help you save time and money.
3D maps let travellers take virtual city tours -
location based services
The latest online mapping tool lets users take a virtual wander through cities. The Virtual Earth mapping software from Microsoft has been updated to include photo-realistic three-dimensional models of real buildings and other structures.
Previously, the software contained only aerial photos. These were linked together so that viewers could explore an area from above. Now, for the first time, they can explore the landscape in 3D as well.
"This gives you a whole other perspective on what is there," says Virtual Earth chief architect Gur Kimchi, based in Washington State, US. "Suddenly I can see the front of a building. A lot of this was invisible before."
Kimchi adds that exploring an area in 3D, before visiting it for real could help minimise the chances of getting lost. "This is basically the end of the paper map," he claims.
Street images
The new 3D version of Virtual Earth is currently available for the following US cities: San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Denver, Detroit, San Jose, Phoenix and Houston. But Microsoft says it will expand to more than 100 cities internationally by the summer of 2007.
To build their 3D models, Microsoft researchers travelled around these cities in cars and planes capturing many images in rapid succession. These were automatically stamped with GPS co-ordinates. The images overlap by 90%, to ensure that each building is captured from multiple different angles. Each virtual cityscape requires approximately 10 million photos.
Software was then used to combine the images and GPS data to generate a 3D picture of each city, complete with real-life texture and colour. No matter where a user chooses to look, the landscape can be rendered for that viewpoint.
Grey boxes
Google offers a rival product, called Google Earth, which also provides 3D models of buildings, but these are smooth grey boxes that do not resemble real structures.
Alex Daley of the Virtual Earth business unit says 3D cities could hopefully open up new business opportunities. For example, the buildings could someday act as virtual real estate for advertisers, he suggests.
These virtual billboards could show different ads, depending on what the user is searching for and could even follow them around if they zoom past too quickly, Daley says.
location based services
The latest online mapping tool lets users take a virtual wander through cities. The Virtual Earth mapping software from Microsoft has been updated to include photo-realistic three-dimensional models of real buildings and other structures.
Previously, the software contained only aerial photos. These were linked together so that viewers could explore an area from above. Now, for the first time, they can explore the landscape in 3D as well.
"This gives you a whole other perspective on what is there," says Virtual Earth chief architect Gur Kimchi, based in Washington State, US. "Suddenly I can see the front of a building. A lot of this was invisible before."
Kimchi adds that exploring an area in 3D, before visiting it for real could help minimise the chances of getting lost. "This is basically the end of the paper map," he claims.
Street images
The new 3D version of Virtual Earth is currently available for the following US cities: San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Denver, Detroit, San Jose, Phoenix and Houston. But Microsoft says it will expand to more than 100 cities internationally by the summer of 2007.
To build their 3D models, Microsoft researchers travelled around these cities in cars and planes capturing many images in rapid succession. These were automatically stamped with GPS co-ordinates. The images overlap by 90%, to ensure that each building is captured from multiple different angles. Each virtual cityscape requires approximately 10 million photos.
Software was then used to combine the images and GPS data to generate a 3D picture of each city, complete with real-life texture and colour. No matter where a user chooses to look, the landscape can be rendered for that viewpoint.
Grey boxes
Google offers a rival product, called Google Earth, which also provides 3D models of buildings, but these are smooth grey boxes that do not resemble real structures.
Alex Daley of the Virtual Earth business unit says 3D cities could hopefully open up new business opportunities. For example, the buildings could someday act as virtual real estate for advertisers, he suggests.
These virtual billboards could show different ads, depending on what the user is searching for and could even follow them around if they zoom past too quickly, Daley says.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Tele Atlas Partners with MyGuide to Provide Superior Digital Map Data for Portable Navigation Devices
location based services
BOSTON and HAMBURG, Germany, Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Tele Atlas (FSE: TA6, EUNV: TA), a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location based solutions, and MyGuide Ltd., a navigation solutions provider, announced today an agreement to put highly accurate digital map and dynamic location content from Tele Atlas in the hands of MyGuide personal navigation (PNAV) device users. Through the agreement, MyGuide's PNAV devices featuring global positioning system (GPS) technology will leverage Tele Atlas' fresh, rich digital map content to provide users with highly accurate, turn-by-turn maps to help them easily find people, products, and points of interest and the best possible routes to them.
Featuring Tele Atlas digital map data, the MyGuide(R) 4300 personal navigation device was released today in the United States by MyGuide's sales and marketing partner Ares Digital, Inc. Embedded with a GPS antenna and SiRF III chip, the new device offers a user-friendly navigation experience with preinstalled detailed maps of the U.S., Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico and clear digital voice guidance that provides detailed door-to-door directions. The 4300 series also features a 4.3 inch screen, a powerful 400MHz processor, an MP3 player, picture viewer and built-in games.
"The demand for high-quality, dynamic navigation information for consumers via GPS is increasing rapidly," said Joy Morel, Tele Atlas' Director, Personal Navigation. "As we continue building our leadership in the PNAV arena, we are excited to work with MyGuide to further the adoption of this technology and look forward to helping expand their success in the consumer electronics market."
"As MyGuide expands its presence into new markets including the U.S. & Canada, it is imperative the devices feature the most current, precise, reliable navigation offerings," said Randolph Kemps, CEO of Ares Digital. "Through Tele Atlas' leadership in the PNAV arena and outstanding support for the retail channel, we are striving to make PNAV an affordable reality for today's consumer."
MyGuide currently offers several navigation devices in the U.S. market featuring Tele Atlas digital map data and content in addition to the 4300 series, including the entry-level 3000 series and the intermediate-level 3300 series
location based services
BOSTON and HAMBURG, Germany, Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Tele Atlas (FSE: TA6, EUNV: TA), a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location based solutions, and MyGuide Ltd., a navigation solutions provider, announced today an agreement to put highly accurate digital map and dynamic location content from Tele Atlas in the hands of MyGuide personal navigation (PNAV) device users. Through the agreement, MyGuide's PNAV devices featuring global positioning system (GPS) technology will leverage Tele Atlas' fresh, rich digital map content to provide users with highly accurate, turn-by-turn maps to help them easily find people, products, and points of interest and the best possible routes to them.
Featuring Tele Atlas digital map data, the MyGuide(R) 4300 personal navigation device was released today in the United States by MyGuide's sales and marketing partner Ares Digital, Inc. Embedded with a GPS antenna and SiRF III chip, the new device offers a user-friendly navigation experience with preinstalled detailed maps of the U.S., Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico and clear digital voice guidance that provides detailed door-to-door directions. The 4300 series also features a 4.3 inch screen, a powerful 400MHz processor, an MP3 player, picture viewer and built-in games.
"The demand for high-quality, dynamic navigation information for consumers via GPS is increasing rapidly," said Joy Morel, Tele Atlas' Director, Personal Navigation. "As we continue building our leadership in the PNAV arena, we are excited to work with MyGuide to further the adoption of this technology and look forward to helping expand their success in the consumer electronics market."
"As MyGuide expands its presence into new markets including the U.S. & Canada, it is imperative the devices feature the most current, precise, reliable navigation offerings," said Randolph Kemps, CEO of Ares Digital. "Through Tele Atlas' leadership in the PNAV arena and outstanding support for the retail channel, we are striving to make PNAV an affordable reality for today's consumer."
MyGuide currently offers several navigation devices in the U.S. market featuring Tele Atlas digital map data and content in addition to the 4300 series, including the entry-level 3000 series and the intermediate-level 3300 series
Cellular Handsets not Ready for Software GPS Revolution Just Yet
location based services
Despite software-based GPS performance improving significantly over the past two years, hardware implementations will dominate the cellular market until 2010, according to a new report from IMS Research. In the report, IMS Research provides market forecast on each type of GPS implementation for each major geographic region. Hardware GPS implementations are currently the technology of choice for cellular handsets. This is largely due to falling prices, high sensitivity, relatively good performance and ease of implementation.
Patrick Connolly, Senior GPS analyst at IMS Research said that companies such as NXP, RFMD and Nordnav have taken software GPS implementations to new levels of performance. Software GPS addresses two of major design barriers to large-scale uptake in handsets, namely size and cost. Not only is it possible to reduce the silicon footprint, the bill of materials (BOM) is greatly reduced to a level where GPS will proliferate in handsets.
However, software GPS implementations are not without their problems. GPS signal processing requires a high CPU load and interrupt rate, which is only exacerbated by the demand for faster TTFF with greater sensitivity. While processors in handsets are improving, they are still not powerful enough to execute GPS software efficiently. As a result, current solutions cannot approach the level of sensitivity, TTFF or power consumption that are associated with advanced hardware solutions.
Another major inhibitor is handset manufacturers' reluctance to add anything to the baseband processor, as it involves much longer development cycles and can result in interference with voice communications.
However, IMS Research believes that software GPS is not technology for technology's sake, there is a long term market there. Currently, the high processor specifications of laptops and dedicated sat-nav devices will overcome many of the problems currently associated with handset implementation. Furthermore, more and more high-end handsets will be designed with a dedicated applications processor that is free of the cellular protocol stack and runs off a non-RTOS. These processors will give handset manufacturers more confidence to implement software GPS away from the baseband processor. As a result, IMS Research has forecast that software GPS implementations will begin to significantly impact the cellular market from 2009 onwards.
location based services
Despite software-based GPS performance improving significantly over the past two years, hardware implementations will dominate the cellular market until 2010, according to a new report from IMS Research. In the report, IMS Research provides market forecast on each type of GPS implementation for each major geographic region. Hardware GPS implementations are currently the technology of choice for cellular handsets. This is largely due to falling prices, high sensitivity, relatively good performance and ease of implementation.
Patrick Connolly, Senior GPS analyst at IMS Research said that companies such as NXP, RFMD and Nordnav have taken software GPS implementations to new levels of performance. Software GPS addresses two of major design barriers to large-scale uptake in handsets, namely size and cost. Not only is it possible to reduce the silicon footprint, the bill of materials (BOM) is greatly reduced to a level where GPS will proliferate in handsets.
However, software GPS implementations are not without their problems. GPS signal processing requires a high CPU load and interrupt rate, which is only exacerbated by the demand for faster TTFF with greater sensitivity. While processors in handsets are improving, they are still not powerful enough to execute GPS software efficiently. As a result, current solutions cannot approach the level of sensitivity, TTFF or power consumption that are associated with advanced hardware solutions.
Another major inhibitor is handset manufacturers' reluctance to add anything to the baseband processor, as it involves much longer development cycles and can result in interference with voice communications.
However, IMS Research believes that software GPS is not technology for technology's sake, there is a long term market there. Currently, the high processor specifications of laptops and dedicated sat-nav devices will overcome many of the problems currently associated with handset implementation. Furthermore, more and more high-end handsets will be designed with a dedicated applications processor that is free of the cellular protocol stack and runs off a non-RTOS. These processors will give handset manufacturers more confidence to implement software GPS away from the baseband processor. As a result, IMS Research has forecast that software GPS implementations will begin to significantly impact the cellular market from 2009 onwards.
Location Based Services: Interfacing to a Mobile Positioning Center
Location Based Services for wireless devices, and particularly for WAP-enabled phones, are currently attracting the attention of the market. The possibilities and benefits of such services have received extensive media coverage in the past few months, but when the developer faces the development of software for these services, he may find out soon that there is no such extensive technical information about the basic building block to develop these services: the location information itself.
Simply stated, the real problem is how to get access to the location information describing the position of the target device, previously obtained by means of one of several physical positioning technologies (CGI+TA, E-OTD, UL-TOA, A-GPS...etc)
The logical reference model for LCS (LoCation Services), a widely accepted model, states that a LCS Client is enabled to request location information for one or more target Mobile Stations (MSs) from a LCS Server supported by a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN). The LCS Server, in turn, makes use of a physical positioning technology to obtain the location information and deliver the information to the LCS Client.
In this article, I'll be discussing the issue of interfacing to a particular LCS Server, the Ericcson's Mobile Positioning Center, one of the few fully working positioning solutions currently available. Later, I'll be presenting the Spatial Location Protocol (SLoP), one promising effort aiming for the standardization of the process of interchanging spatial location information.
Mobile Positioning Protocol
The Mobile Positioning Protocol (MPP), currently in version 1.1, is an Internet-based protocol used by location-dependent applications to interface a Mobile Positioning Server. Through this protocol it is possible to request the position of mobile terminals.
The Mobile Positioning System (MPS) is the particular Ericsson solution for providing Location-based Services (LCS) and, as part of this system, the Mobile Positioning Center (MPC) is the gateway between the mobile network and location-dependent applications, playing the role of the LCS Server component in the forementioned LCS Reference Model. As expected, the MPC calculates the position of a mobile terminal, based on information from the network and delivers it to the application. (See Figure 1)
The MPP offers a carefully designed generic interface towards the MPC, thus making the applications independent of the underlying physical positioning technology that is used when retrieving the position of a mobile terminal. So, when new positioning technologies are developed, the location-dependent applications will immediately take advantage of them (by now, the MPC makes use of Cell Identification and Time Advance technologies for positioning).
Also, the MPP is fully based on HTTP, thus making the MPC available from any platform with TCP/IP capabilities, for example, from a Java Servlet responsible for the dynamic generation of WAP contents, and running on an Origin Server.
Positioning requests in MPP
The Mobile Positioning Protocol defines an URL that location-dependent applications can use to request the position of a mobile station. As a response to the position request, the MPC delivers an answer telling the client positioning application the estimation of the mobile terminal location.
The MPP specifications define a set of parameters for a positioning request such as the MSISDN of the mobile phone to be positioned and an Username/Password pair used to log on to the MPS.
The MPP response to a position request describes an area in which the mobile terminal has been located. As an example, a response may describe an arc –one of the best types of results in MPP in precision terms- using the coordinates (latitude, longitude) of a reference point, an inner and outer radius, and start/stop angles.
And now, one practical question: How long does it take for the system to locate a phone?. Usually, the response time varies between 2 and 8 seconds, 5 seconds being the average time. Really, the time from sending a position request until an answer is received for an application is dependent of several parameters. For example, the current traffic load in the mobile network, the status of the mobile station, traffic load on the IP-network and the load on the MPC.
Another practical question: Do I need to know the inner details of the MPP in order to develop a LBS application?. The answers is NO. The MPS SDK offers a set of Java classes which provide a high-level abstraction of the Mobile Positioning Protocol, hiding the HTTP transmision of position requests sent and responses, and dealing with all necessary data parsing.
So, by the use of this class library (mppsdk package) it is possible to develop positioning applications with little or no knowledge about the Mobile Positioning Protocol. Also, as a value added, the use of these classes protects the applications from changes in the syntax of MPP requests and responses.
One final question, this time about privacy: Does Ericsson's MPS include any mechanism for subscriber's privacy protection? Of course, privacy concerns can't be obviated. In first place, a request to retrieve a user’s location information must be authorized, and permission can be restricted to certain mobile phones, or granted only to the emergency services. Second and even more important, mobile subscribers can choose not to be located.
Testing applications
For testing purposes, Ericsson offers access to a publicly available MPS located in Sweden, along with all the forementioned required data for locating a simulated moving target station (See Figure 2, that shows the results of a positioning request to locate this swedish target station).
Of course, there's no need to test the applications using this MPS and thus having always to deal with swedish Latitudes/Longitudes. Luckily, as part of the MPP SDK, Ericsson also offers two powerful tools for testing applications developed for the MPS.
The first one is the MPP Emulator1.0, which runs on a web server and makes it possible to test applications for the MPS with position answers from an area of developer's choice. It answers position requests and return a location based on a simulated GSM network created by the developer. So, access to a real mobile network is not needed to test the applications with the MPP emulator.
Within MPP Emulator, developers can create phone routes to simulate one or more moving phones. Also, it is possible to add/remove mobile station numbers, users and cells.
The second tool, Visual Net, is a part of the Mobile Positioning System (MPS) Developer Kit. It is used to create simulated mobile networks for use with the Protocol Emulator. Using this tool, the developer can load or scan a map with an area of his/her choice, define cities and roads and then Visual Net creates the mobile network needed to test and demonstrate the positioning application.
In search of a standard : SLoP
Recently -July 15th-, several IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) Drafts about a new protocol called SLoP (Spatial Location Protocol) were released for public review.
According to these papers, the purpose of SLoP is to have an standard way for an application to adquire the spatial location of an identifiable resource over or represented on the Internet, in a reliable, secure, and scalable manner.
In communication terms, this protocol will support UDP transport with retry timers for reliability, with TCP as an optional transport, along with RTP and/or SCTP. So, SLoP servers will be accesible from any platforms with TCP/IP capabilities
This protocol will specify an absolute location on the earth and will use WGS84 geodetic datum as default reference system. The format of this default scheme will especify the location in longitude, latitude and altitude parameters, where altitude may be an optional parameter.
Also, in the future SLoP should support other location representations than the default, including existing schemes and formats widely used in other contexts. These location representations may be absolute or descriptive.
In short, SLoP responses will ideally report the following data items (providing that the specified scheme and format have such capability):
Used location type (e.g absolute/descriptive location)
Framework (e.g. WGS84, UTM, etc)
Syntax/format (e.g. long, lat., alt. in degrees).
Geocentric Position
Accuracy
Time stamp (date, time, time zone)
Time-to-live
Others (Direction, Velocity, Orientation...etc)
With respect to privacy protection, SLoP will provide a mandatory-to-implement, optional-to-use authentication mechanism from client to server and from server to client. Of course, the specifications will specify how such a mechanism shall be used in the presence of firewalls and Network Address Translation (NAT) between client and server.
After reading the public IETF Drafts, I must say the work in progress is quite promising. There is still a long way before the release of the first usable implementations of SLoP, but this is definitely a work in the right direction.
About The Author
Sergio Ríos is working as a faculty professor at the Pontificia University of Salamanca in Madrid, Computer Science Engineering, where he teaches courses on Java and Advanced Internet Programming. He regularly writes columns and articles for several Java/Internet publications, has authored two books on Java and HTML, and also is a speaker at national & international conferences. He is now working extensively with WAP technology and Location Based Services.
Glossary
LCS Client: a software and/or hardware entity that interacts with a LCS Server for the purpose of obtaining location information for one or more Mobile Stations. LCS Clients subscribe to LCS in order to obtain location information. The LCS Client is responsible for formatting and presenting data and managing the user interface
LCS Server: a software and/or hardware entity offering LCS capabilities. The LCS Server accepts requests, services requests, and sends back responses to the received requests. The LCS server consists of LCS components which are distributed to one or more PLMN and/or service provider.
Target MS: The MS being positioned.
WAP Origin Server The origin server provides the location dependent service to its clients.
Location Based Services for wireless devices, and particularly for WAP-enabled phones, are currently attracting the attention of the market. The possibilities and benefits of such services have received extensive media coverage in the past few months, but when the developer faces the development of software for these services, he may find out soon that there is no such extensive technical information about the basic building block to develop these services: the location information itself.
Simply stated, the real problem is how to get access to the location information describing the position of the target device, previously obtained by means of one of several physical positioning technologies (CGI+TA, E-OTD, UL-TOA, A-GPS...etc)
The logical reference model for LCS (LoCation Services), a widely accepted model, states that a LCS Client is enabled to request location information for one or more target Mobile Stations (MSs) from a LCS Server supported by a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN). The LCS Server, in turn, makes use of a physical positioning technology to obtain the location information and deliver the information to the LCS Client.
In this article, I'll be discussing the issue of interfacing to a particular LCS Server, the Ericcson's Mobile Positioning Center, one of the few fully working positioning solutions currently available. Later, I'll be presenting the Spatial Location Protocol (SLoP), one promising effort aiming for the standardization of the process of interchanging spatial location information.
Mobile Positioning Protocol
The Mobile Positioning Protocol (MPP), currently in version 1.1, is an Internet-based protocol used by location-dependent applications to interface a Mobile Positioning Server. Through this protocol it is possible to request the position of mobile terminals.
The Mobile Positioning System (MPS) is the particular Ericsson solution for providing Location-based Services (LCS) and, as part of this system, the Mobile Positioning Center (MPC) is the gateway between the mobile network and location-dependent applications, playing the role of the LCS Server component in the forementioned LCS Reference Model. As expected, the MPC calculates the position of a mobile terminal, based on information from the network and delivers it to the application. (See Figure 1)
The MPP offers a carefully designed generic interface towards the MPC, thus making the applications independent of the underlying physical positioning technology that is used when retrieving the position of a mobile terminal. So, when new positioning technologies are developed, the location-dependent applications will immediately take advantage of them (by now, the MPC makes use of Cell Identification and Time Advance technologies for positioning).
Also, the MPP is fully based on HTTP, thus making the MPC available from any platform with TCP/IP capabilities, for example, from a Java Servlet responsible for the dynamic generation of WAP contents, and running on an Origin Server.
Positioning requests in MPP
The Mobile Positioning Protocol defines an URL that location-dependent applications can use to request the position of a mobile station. As a response to the position request, the MPC delivers an answer telling the client positioning application the estimation of the mobile terminal location.
The MPP specifications define a set of parameters for a positioning request such as the MSISDN of the mobile phone to be positioned and an Username/Password pair used to log on to the MPS.
The MPP response to a position request describes an area in which the mobile terminal has been located. As an example, a response may describe an arc –one of the best types of results in MPP in precision terms- using the coordinates (latitude, longitude) of a reference point, an inner and outer radius, and start/stop angles.
And now, one practical question: How long does it take for the system to locate a phone?. Usually, the response time varies between 2 and 8 seconds, 5 seconds being the average time. Really, the time from sending a position request until an answer is received for an application is dependent of several parameters. For example, the current traffic load in the mobile network, the status of the mobile station, traffic load on the IP-network and the load on the MPC.
Another practical question: Do I need to know the inner details of the MPP in order to develop a LBS application?. The answers is NO. The MPS SDK offers a set of Java classes which provide a high-level abstraction of the Mobile Positioning Protocol, hiding the HTTP transmision of position requests sent and responses, and dealing with all necessary data parsing.
So, by the use of this class library (mppsdk package) it is possible to develop positioning applications with little or no knowledge about the Mobile Positioning Protocol. Also, as a value added, the use of these classes protects the applications from changes in the syntax of MPP requests and responses.
One final question, this time about privacy: Does Ericsson's MPS include any mechanism for subscriber's privacy protection? Of course, privacy concerns can't be obviated. In first place, a request to retrieve a user’s location information must be authorized, and permission can be restricted to certain mobile phones, or granted only to the emergency services. Second and even more important, mobile subscribers can choose not to be located.
Testing applications
For testing purposes, Ericsson offers access to a publicly available MPS located in Sweden, along with all the forementioned required data for locating a simulated moving target station (See Figure 2, that shows the results of a positioning request to locate this swedish target station).
Of course, there's no need to test the applications using this MPS and thus having always to deal with swedish Latitudes/Longitudes. Luckily, as part of the MPP SDK, Ericsson also offers two powerful tools for testing applications developed for the MPS.
The first one is the MPP Emulator1.0, which runs on a web server and makes it possible to test applications for the MPS with position answers from an area of developer's choice. It answers position requests and return a location based on a simulated GSM network created by the developer. So, access to a real mobile network is not needed to test the applications with the MPP emulator.
Within MPP Emulator, developers can create phone routes to simulate one or more moving phones. Also, it is possible to add/remove mobile station numbers, users and cells.
The second tool, Visual Net, is a part of the Mobile Positioning System (MPS) Developer Kit. It is used to create simulated mobile networks for use with the Protocol Emulator. Using this tool, the developer can load or scan a map with an area of his/her choice, define cities and roads and then Visual Net creates the mobile network needed to test and demonstrate the positioning application.
In search of a standard : SLoP
Recently -July 15th-, several IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) Drafts about a new protocol called SLoP (Spatial Location Protocol) were released for public review.
According to these papers, the purpose of SLoP is to have an standard way for an application to adquire the spatial location of an identifiable resource over or represented on the Internet, in a reliable, secure, and scalable manner.
In communication terms, this protocol will support UDP transport with retry timers for reliability, with TCP as an optional transport, along with RTP and/or SCTP. So, SLoP servers will be accesible from any platforms with TCP/IP capabilities
This protocol will specify an absolute location on the earth and will use WGS84 geodetic datum as default reference system. The format of this default scheme will especify the location in longitude, latitude and altitude parameters, where altitude may be an optional parameter.
Also, in the future SLoP should support other location representations than the default, including existing schemes and formats widely used in other contexts. These location representations may be absolute or descriptive.
In short, SLoP responses will ideally report the following data items (providing that the specified scheme and format have such capability):
Used location type (e.g absolute/descriptive location)
Framework (e.g. WGS84, UTM, etc)
Syntax/format (e.g. long, lat., alt. in degrees).
Geocentric Position
Accuracy
Time stamp (date, time, time zone)
Time-to-live
Others (Direction, Velocity, Orientation...etc)
With respect to privacy protection, SLoP will provide a mandatory-to-implement, optional-to-use authentication mechanism from client to server and from server to client. Of course, the specifications will specify how such a mechanism shall be used in the presence of firewalls and Network Address Translation (NAT) between client and server.
After reading the public IETF Drafts, I must say the work in progress is quite promising. There is still a long way before the release of the first usable implementations of SLoP, but this is definitely a work in the right direction.
About The Author
Sergio Ríos is working as a faculty professor at the Pontificia University of Salamanca in Madrid, Computer Science Engineering, where he teaches courses on Java and Advanced Internet Programming. He regularly writes columns and articles for several Java/Internet publications, has authored two books on Java and HTML, and also is a speaker at national & international conferences. He is now working extensively with WAP technology and Location Based Services.
Glossary
LCS Client: a software and/or hardware entity that interacts with a LCS Server for the purpose of obtaining location information for one or more Mobile Stations. LCS Clients subscribe to LCS in order to obtain location information. The LCS Client is responsible for formatting and presenting data and managing the user interface
LCS Server: a software and/or hardware entity offering LCS capabilities. The LCS Server accepts requests, services requests, and sends back responses to the received requests. The LCS server consists of LCS components which are distributed to one or more PLMN and/or service provider.
Target MS: The MS being positioned.
WAP Origin Server The origin server provides the location dependent service to its clients.
SLAM - Mobile social networking from Microsoft Research
location based services
Microsoft Research’s Community Technologies Group is working on SLAM, which is a mobile based social networking application. Yesterday I had a talk with Scott Counts who is managing the SLAM project at Microsoft and quizzed him about the project’s direction and goals. According to him, they are building a social networking application that is focused on enhancing communication and coordination among users instead of being just a profile pinup. SLAM provides group messaging from mobile and web, and some interesting location based services.
From the user perspective, “Slam” means a group of people with whom you can share you exchange messages and share photos easily through your mobile phone. Slam works on group level, which means that any messages sent to a Slam gets delivered to all the members in the group. To use Slam you need to install the Slam application on your Windows Mobile based devices and need a unlimited data plan. So any messages sent from your smart phone will be over HTTP instead of using SMS. If you don’t have Windows based device, you can still communicate with your Slams through SMS, since each Slam has a different phone number to enable SMS delivery.
Slam delivers a pretty impressive feature set on the smart phones. Besides exchanging messages, users can view private and public Slams, create Slam, invite people to an existing Slam, join Slams, view Slam members, view and upload photos, manage their Slams, and view unread messages. While viewing a member profile Slam also indicates if you the user has any an intersecting Slam group with you.
One of the best features Slam team is working on is to provide location information of people in your Slam group. Once group members set their privacy level to allow appropriate Slam groups to view their location information, Slam maps the location information onto a Windows Live map on your mobile. This feature is more of a proof of concept and works only on few phone including Audiovox 5600, I-Mate Sp3 and i-Mate SP5 for some of the Seattle users of Cingular/AT&T and T-Mobile.
All the messages you send or receive or any other member information you access is also available on the Slam site, which is nice option for SMS users. Future plans for the service include enhancing the coverage area for the location based services, building the mobile application that goes beyond the Windows based devices, and implementing the service for international users(currently only for US and Canadian phone numbers).Since Slam is currently organized as an research project, i won’t be commenting on the UI aspects of either the Slam site or the Slam application. But from the application perspective, I think Microsoft team is following the the right approach. Since the number of mobile users with data plans is on the rise, and it is better to go the HTTP route instead of designing SMS based apps. Startups that build their apps today focused on SMS users might find themselves rebuilding it in another year to take advantage of 3G user base.
In a related Microsoft news, Soapbox mobile application will be releasing sometime this week. Using the installed application, users will be able to upload and view videos hosted on Soapbox, which is still in a invite only beta testing phase.
location based services
Microsoft Research’s Community Technologies Group is working on SLAM, which is a mobile based social networking application. Yesterday I had a talk with Scott Counts who is managing the SLAM project at Microsoft and quizzed him about the project’s direction and goals. According to him, they are building a social networking application that is focused on enhancing communication and coordination among users instead of being just a profile pinup. SLAM provides group messaging from mobile and web, and some interesting location based services.
From the user perspective, “Slam” means a group of people with whom you can share you exchange messages and share photos easily through your mobile phone. Slam works on group level, which means that any messages sent to a Slam gets delivered to all the members in the group. To use Slam you need to install the Slam application on your Windows Mobile based devices and need a unlimited data plan. So any messages sent from your smart phone will be over HTTP instead of using SMS. If you don’t have Windows based device, you can still communicate with your Slams through SMS, since each Slam has a different phone number to enable SMS delivery.
Slam delivers a pretty impressive feature set on the smart phones. Besides exchanging messages, users can view private and public Slams, create Slam, invite people to an existing Slam, join Slams, view Slam members, view and upload photos, manage their Slams, and view unread messages. While viewing a member profile Slam also indicates if you the user has any an intersecting Slam group with you.
One of the best features Slam team is working on is to provide location information of people in your Slam group. Once group members set their privacy level to allow appropriate Slam groups to view their location information, Slam maps the location information onto a Windows Live map on your mobile. This feature is more of a proof of concept and works only on few phone including Audiovox 5600, I-Mate Sp3 and i-Mate SP5 for some of the Seattle users of Cingular/AT&T and T-Mobile.
All the messages you send or receive or any other member information you access is also available on the Slam site, which is nice option for SMS users. Future plans for the service include enhancing the coverage area for the location based services, building the mobile application that goes beyond the Windows based devices, and implementing the service for international users(currently only for US and Canadian phone numbers).Since Slam is currently organized as an research project, i won’t be commenting on the UI aspects of either the Slam site or the Slam application. But from the application perspective, I think Microsoft team is following the the right approach. Since the number of mobile users with data plans is on the rise, and it is better to go the HTTP route instead of designing SMS based apps. Startups that build their apps today focused on SMS users might find themselves rebuilding it in another year to take advantage of 3G user base.
In a related Microsoft news, Soapbox mobile application will be releasing sometime this week. Using the installed application, users will be able to upload and view videos hosted on Soapbox, which is still in a invite only beta testing phase.
Location Matters
location based services
Over the past few years I’ve been following the LBS (location based services) industry. This all started when I was doing a little startup called Dashfly and we entered a contest sponsored by Nokia for LBS. The contest was simple, come up with a legitimate LBS idea and Nokia would provide the funding to get it implemented. We came up with a pretty elaborate idea, but I’ll leave that story for another day.
LBS has come a long way, but there’s still a lot of things that need to be figured out. I would say one of the biggest hurdles is the adoption of GPS in mobile devices. This is not only a hardware issue, but software as well. Carriers generally know a cell phone’s location based on a cell id, but this is generally not exposed to developers. I can understand this since consumers are concerned about “Big Brother” watching over them. Yet there are legitimate businesses and developers (like myself) that want to build truly useful and engaging applications centered around location.
Retrieving location from a mobile device comes in different flavors, but the approach can be considered very fragmented. This is something I struggled with in the past when writing mobile software. Here’s a brief list:
1. Java’s location API (JSR 179)2. Bluetooth GPS3. Assisted GPS (AGPS)4. Location based on cell id5. Location using WiFi and other beacons
I don’t have time to go into detail with each approach, but the issues to consider are availability, accuracy, time to fix, coverage, and cost. Needless to say this isn’t a simple problem to solve and hardware manufacturers, carriers, software companies, and developers are doing their best to come up with creative solutions.
At SensorLogic (where I’m currently employed) we’ve seen the value in location for businsess applications. This can consist of route optimization for fleets, knowing if mobile assets are in or out of a designated area, and much more. There’s virtually an unlimited number of uses for location, but the same problem still exists: the device. GPS is fairly common in a lot of devices we work with, but it’s by no means standard. The adoption rate of LBS in the enterprise market seems to be taking on quicker than at the business level. I think the main reason is that there’s less of a security risk in tracking your fleet versus tracking a child. At least that’s my perspective.
I still think there’s an opportunity (and I see quite a few companies onto it) to tie a user’s location to someting important to them. I would love to see where all my friends are right now or find great local mexican restaurants as recommended by my friends…..and do this from my mobile device.
With all this being said I’m going to start posting more about LBS and why “Location Matters” in the coming weeks. I want to cover some of the technology, applications, hardware, and see how we can dream up the next killer LBS idea.
location based services
Over the past few years I’ve been following the LBS (location based services) industry. This all started when I was doing a little startup called Dashfly and we entered a contest sponsored by Nokia for LBS. The contest was simple, come up with a legitimate LBS idea and Nokia would provide the funding to get it implemented. We came up with a pretty elaborate idea, but I’ll leave that story for another day.
LBS has come a long way, but there’s still a lot of things that need to be figured out. I would say one of the biggest hurdles is the adoption of GPS in mobile devices. This is not only a hardware issue, but software as well. Carriers generally know a cell phone’s location based on a cell id, but this is generally not exposed to developers. I can understand this since consumers are concerned about “Big Brother” watching over them. Yet there are legitimate businesses and developers (like myself) that want to build truly useful and engaging applications centered around location.
Retrieving location from a mobile device comes in different flavors, but the approach can be considered very fragmented. This is something I struggled with in the past when writing mobile software. Here’s a brief list:
1. Java’s location API (JSR 179)2. Bluetooth GPS3. Assisted GPS (AGPS)4. Location based on cell id5. Location using WiFi and other beacons
I don’t have time to go into detail with each approach, but the issues to consider are availability, accuracy, time to fix, coverage, and cost. Needless to say this isn’t a simple problem to solve and hardware manufacturers, carriers, software companies, and developers are doing their best to come up with creative solutions.
At SensorLogic (where I’m currently employed) we’ve seen the value in location for businsess applications. This can consist of route optimization for fleets, knowing if mobile assets are in or out of a designated area, and much more. There’s virtually an unlimited number of uses for location, but the same problem still exists: the device. GPS is fairly common in a lot of devices we work with, but it’s by no means standard. The adoption rate of LBS in the enterprise market seems to be taking on quicker than at the business level. I think the main reason is that there’s less of a security risk in tracking your fleet versus tracking a child. At least that’s my perspective.
I still think there’s an opportunity (and I see quite a few companies onto it) to tie a user’s location to someting important to them. I would love to see where all my friends are right now or find great local mexican restaurants as recommended by my friends…..and do this from my mobile device.
With all this being said I’m going to start posting more about LBS and why “Location Matters” in the coming weeks. I want to cover some of the technology, applications, hardware, and see how we can dream up the next killer LBS idea.
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