Will the iPhone Change the Smartphone Market?
location based services
Europe UK : Estimates of iPhone shipment volumes in the first weekend they were available have ranged from 140 thousand units to 500 thousand units depending upon who was asked. Meanwhile, ABI Research forecasts that the smartphone market segment will grow from 218 million units in 2007 to 426 million units in 2012.
Now that we have a little distance from the launch, it’s time to ask: “Will the iPhone change the smartphone market?”
According to Stuart Carlaw, wireless research director at ABI Research, the answer is a qualified “yes.”
“The iPhone will not revolutionize the smartphone market,” he says, “but it is a significant evolutionary step forward. As was pointed out once its specifications were made public, the iPhone is not cutting-edge telecommunications. Where it is radical – in its user-interface and functionality – it will certainly change forever the way handset manufacturers think about their design philosophies. And from the commercial point of view, it is significant in the way it assembles its offerings in a completely integrated, brand-heavy package.”
Certain technologies critical to the interface are likely to receive greater attention as a result of the iPhone, particularly touch-screens, which will become more sensitive, and accelerometers, which the iPhone uses to orient its displays and active/deactivate controls depending on how the handset is held.
Carlaw adds that, “The iPhone’s effect on the market will be similar to that of Motorola’s RAZR It will spawn a number of look-and-feel-alikes and will be seen as a benchmark for future design. One thing for certain is that the product is not intended to be an enterprise device, so its impact will be most keenly felt in the high-tier feature phone market and in the emerging prosumer market segment.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Google Maps Mashups 2.0
Wednesday, July 11, 2007 at 5:58 AM Posted by Thai Tran, Product ManagerWhen we were building the original Google Maps site, we envisioned that it would eventually become a platform for navigating all kinds of location-based information, such as home listings and travel information. Within weeks of the launch of Google Maps, we were pleasantly surprised that an independent developer named Paul Rademacher released HousingMaps.com, a site that displayed housing listings from Craigslist on top of our interactive maps -- what is now known as a "mashup" -- without needing help from anyone at Google. Hoping to encourage even more of this type of innovation, we released the official Google Maps API in June 2005, and since then, developers have created over 50,000 Google Maps mashups.However, we noticed many of these mashups simply displayed a static set of places on a map, such as the best bars in San Francisco, yet the authors had to set up a website and write Javascript code to generate the map, which is not something that we could expect the average person to do. We also noticed that much of this great content was not getting discovered, even though millions of users were coming to Google Maps every day and searching for [bars] and [homes for sale].To address these issues, we started two major projects:In April, we released the first version of "My Maps," which empowers anyone to create a personal map simply by dropping placemarks onto the map. These maps are hosted on Google Maps and can be shared with friends and family. When marked as "public," these maps are automatically included into the Google Maps search index so that other users can find them. Since the launch of the "My Maps" tab, over 4 million maps have been created.While this drag-and-drop editor is a great tool, we still needed a solution to help with mashups that have dynamic content such as real-time weather conditions. Thus, we created the Google Mapplets platform, which enables any developer to create mini applications that overlay their content and services onto Google Maps. We announced a preview version of Mapplets in May, and over 100 developers submitted Mapplets within the first month.Today, we've brought these two features together under the "My Maps" tab on Google Maps. You can now layer information from multiple sources on the same map as well as save content that's relevant to you into a personal map. For example, if you're looking for a home in Chicago, you can add Mapplets that display real estate listings and Chicago Transit Authority train lines so that you can find out which homes are near public transit. To get an even richer sense of the surroundings, you could also layer in photos of the neighborhood and local events (from Zvents). When you find a home that you're interested in, simply click on "Save to My Maps" in the home's info bubble and save a copy of it to your personal map.To get started, check out this demo video and then head over to the "My Maps" tab to find great maps and tools you can add from the Google Maps Directory.
location based services
Wednesday, July 11, 2007 at 5:58 AM Posted by Thai Tran, Product ManagerWhen we were building the original Google Maps site, we envisioned that it would eventually become a platform for navigating all kinds of location-based information, such as home listings and travel information. Within weeks of the launch of Google Maps, we were pleasantly surprised that an independent developer named Paul Rademacher released HousingMaps.com, a site that displayed housing listings from Craigslist on top of our interactive maps -- what is now known as a "mashup" -- without needing help from anyone at Google. Hoping to encourage even more of this type of innovation, we released the official Google Maps API in June 2005, and since then, developers have created over 50,000 Google Maps mashups.However, we noticed many of these mashups simply displayed a static set of places on a map, such as the best bars in San Francisco, yet the authors had to set up a website and write Javascript code to generate the map, which is not something that we could expect the average person to do. We also noticed that much of this great content was not getting discovered, even though millions of users were coming to Google Maps every day and searching for [bars] and [homes for sale].To address these issues, we started two major projects:In April, we released the first version of "My Maps," which empowers anyone to create a personal map simply by dropping placemarks onto the map. These maps are hosted on Google Maps and can be shared with friends and family. When marked as "public," these maps are automatically included into the Google Maps search index so that other users can find them. Since the launch of the "My Maps" tab, over 4 million maps have been created.While this drag-and-drop editor is a great tool, we still needed a solution to help with mashups that have dynamic content such as real-time weather conditions. Thus, we created the Google Mapplets platform, which enables any developer to create mini applications that overlay their content and services onto Google Maps. We announced a preview version of Mapplets in May, and over 100 developers submitted Mapplets within the first month.Today, we've brought these two features together under the "My Maps" tab on Google Maps. You can now layer information from multiple sources on the same map as well as save content that's relevant to you into a personal map. For example, if you're looking for a home in Chicago, you can add Mapplets that display real estate listings and Chicago Transit Authority train lines so that you can find out which homes are near public transit. To get an even richer sense of the surroundings, you could also layer in photos of the neighborhood and local events (from Zvents). When you find a home that you're interested in, simply click on "Save to My Maps" in the home's info bubble and save a copy of it to your personal map.To get started, check out this demo video and then head over to the "My Maps" tab to find great maps and tools you can add from the Google Maps Directory.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Kongress: Advanced Navigation,
location based services
12. bis 14. November 2007, Berlin
Overview "Advanced Navigation"
The market for navigation systems is booming! According to forecasts, in 2007, 3.2 million mobile navigation systems will be sold in Germany, after 2 million PNDs in 2006.
With new portable devices such as PNDs or mobile phones enabling navigation, new players are emerging. Navigation is becoming a “commodity” today, innovative systems have to go further and integrate new features and content such as location-based services.
Crucial points and key questions have to be taken into consideration to succeed in this growing market: Which value-added services are consumers looking for and what are they willing to pay for? How can portable devices be successfully integrated into the vehicles interface?
Maximise your knowledge of the latest innovations in the booming navigation market:
Learn how to smoothly integrate portable navigation devices into the vehicle
Evaluate innovative content such as travel-guide information to add value by offering more than just guidance
Learn how to link the navigation system with advanced driver assistance systems to assure enhanced safety
Secure your place in the expanding aftermarket by offering navigation over consumer electronic devices
Assess which features and functionalities will drive market demand and attract new customers
Hear how to successfully integrate dynamic information such as traffic congestion or parking information into the navigation system data base
Master the challenge of increased system complexity by improving HMI to decrease drivers distraction
Infos und Anmeldung unter Advanced Navigation
location based services
12. bis 14. November 2007, Berlin
Overview "Advanced Navigation"
The market for navigation systems is booming! According to forecasts, in 2007, 3.2 million mobile navigation systems will be sold in Germany, after 2 million PNDs in 2006.
With new portable devices such as PNDs or mobile phones enabling navigation, new players are emerging. Navigation is becoming a “commodity” today, innovative systems have to go further and integrate new features and content such as location-based services.
Crucial points and key questions have to be taken into consideration to succeed in this growing market: Which value-added services are consumers looking for and what are they willing to pay for? How can portable devices be successfully integrated into the vehicles interface?
Maximise your knowledge of the latest innovations in the booming navigation market:
Learn how to smoothly integrate portable navigation devices into the vehicle
Evaluate innovative content such as travel-guide information to add value by offering more than just guidance
Learn how to link the navigation system with advanced driver assistance systems to assure enhanced safety
Secure your place in the expanding aftermarket by offering navigation over consumer electronic devices
Assess which features and functionalities will drive market demand and attract new customers
Hear how to successfully integrate dynamic information such as traffic congestion or parking information into the navigation system data base
Master the challenge of increased system complexity by improving HMI to decrease drivers distraction
Infos und Anmeldung unter Advanced Navigation
N95 A-GPS the mystery solved
location based services
95, LBS Add comments
A while ago I speculated that the Nokia N95, might be using a A-GPS solution, now with the V12 firmware release available for unlocked phones from Nokia A-GPS really is supported and it does seem to make a difference.
There is a lot of confusion on the blogs and discussion groups as to what A-GPS, assisted GPS is, and how it works. This is a technology that is indepedent of network operators and does not use the location of Cell towers.
A-GPS works by supplementing the performance of the “not very good” GPS chipset on the N95 with an assistance server operated by Nokia. The assistance server knows the up to date ephemeris data of the GPS constellation and can help process whatever weak signal the phone is picking up and pass a possible location back to the phone.
This in theory and to some extent in practice means that the time to first location is reduced and you can expect to get a location in some areas where without A-GPS it would not be possible.
So how do you set it up and how can you tell it’s working… This is more informed speculation… some definitive information from Nokia would be good !!!
First you need to be brave and upgrade you firmware, after backing up everything on your N95, I still find this a little scary - a bit like a heart transplant operation for your phone..
With the V12 firmware you will find you have a new menu at - Tools>Settings>General>Positioning.
Here there are two sub-menus, Positioning Methods with the new option on Assisted GPS, which you need to enable and a sub menu called Positioning Server which contains the details for the assistance server. Here you will find the Nokia server already listed as supl.nokia.com , but you will need to manually enter an existing network access point to allow network access to the server, for me I used the Vodafone WAP APN on which I get vodafone’s new “unlimited” data tariff. You will need to enter your networks own APN here, I guess a Wifi access point should work just as well, but I have not tried.
Go to the Maps application or GPS Data tool and select the View Satellite Status menu, you should now more quickly than in the past see the familiar list of GPS satellite numbers and the open estimated signal strength bars - this is now coming from the assistance server and within a minute at least three of these will turn solid and you will have a location.
This has just worked for me on the window sill of a hotel room in the centre of Manchester giving a location in around 50 seconds !!!
I have been wrong about this in the past, but this seems to be progress !!
Written and submitted from the Novotel Manchester, using the Orange 802.11 network.
location based services
95, LBS Add comments
A while ago I speculated that the Nokia N95, might be using a A-GPS solution, now with the V12 firmware release available for unlocked phones from Nokia A-GPS really is supported and it does seem to make a difference.
There is a lot of confusion on the blogs and discussion groups as to what A-GPS, assisted GPS is, and how it works. This is a technology that is indepedent of network operators and does not use the location of Cell towers.
A-GPS works by supplementing the performance of the “not very good” GPS chipset on the N95 with an assistance server operated by Nokia. The assistance server knows the up to date ephemeris data of the GPS constellation and can help process whatever weak signal the phone is picking up and pass a possible location back to the phone.
This in theory and to some extent in practice means that the time to first location is reduced and you can expect to get a location in some areas where without A-GPS it would not be possible.
So how do you set it up and how can you tell it’s working… This is more informed speculation… some definitive information from Nokia would be good !!!
First you need to be brave and upgrade you firmware, after backing up everything on your N95, I still find this a little scary - a bit like a heart transplant operation for your phone..
With the V12 firmware you will find you have a new menu at - Tools>Settings>General>Positioning.
Here there are two sub-menus, Positioning Methods with the new option on Assisted GPS, which you need to enable and a sub menu called Positioning Server which contains the details for the assistance server. Here you will find the Nokia server already listed as supl.nokia.com , but you will need to manually enter an existing network access point to allow network access to the server, for me I used the Vodafone WAP APN on which I get vodafone’s new “unlimited” data tariff. You will need to enter your networks own APN here, I guess a Wifi access point should work just as well, but I have not tried.
Go to the Maps application or GPS Data tool and select the View Satellite Status menu, you should now more quickly than in the past see the familiar list of GPS satellite numbers and the open estimated signal strength bars - this is now coming from the assistance server and within a minute at least three of these will turn solid and you will have a location.
This has just worked for me on the window sill of a hotel room in the centre of Manchester giving a location in around 50 seconds !!!
I have been wrong about this in the past, but this seems to be progress !!
Written and submitted from the Novotel Manchester, using the Orange 802.11 network.
LBS: No Longer Just For The Enterprise
Posted by Eric Zeman, Aug 7, 2007 12:28 PM
The enterprise benefits of location-based services are clear when you consider things like recovery of stolen vehicles. But enterprises aren't the only ones interested in knowing where things are. More and more parents are ready to turn on LBS in their kids' cell phones. And 20-somethings want LBS-enabled social networking apps.
That's the word from JupiterResearch, anyway. In its latest report, it details how carriers can take advantage of the relatively untapped LBS potential. While GPS and LBS have been a boon to enterprises, turns out only about 3% of cell phone users have actually made regular use of mobile phone-based mapping and direction services. Given that many phones are capable of using these services, that's pretty low.
There is interest, though. Parents of kids younger than 13 think child-tracking services are a good idea, and 42% would be willing to pay to keep tabs on their kids. Forgetting the Big Brother implications, a few dollars a month can ease parents' peace of mind, as well as provide a a valuable service for finding children who become lost or abducted. Police already are making use of cell phone signatures to track missing peoples' whereabouts. Adding LBS can speed up the process and possibly help save lives. Most of the carriers already offer these family finder applications. Getting parents to sign up seems to be the tricky part.
"Regardless of the fact that a small number of children under the age of 13 actually have mobile phones, the number of parents who are willing to pay for tracking services is significant," said Julie Ask, VP and research director at JupiterResearch in a prepared statement. "It provides a prime opportunity for mobile service providers to perfect the service, prompting parents to add their children to existing plans."
Parents aren't the only ones interested in finding things. Turns out the MySpace generation (26% of 18- to 24-year-olds) wants to be able to use cell phones to find their friends via social networking applications. Just two weeks ago, Sprint launched a new service that allows subscribers to do just that.
If the interest is there, what is preventing more people from signing up? I think it's the cost. While $1.99 or $2.99 a month may seem like a nominal fee for most of these services, all those nominal fees add up. Depending on which services you lump together (friend finder, music services, data plans, etc), all those extra monthly charges can become not so nominal anymore.
« If You Want To Go Green, You Gotta Show Them The Green Main iPhone Hacked To Run Nintendo
Posted by Eric Zeman, Aug 7, 2007 12:28 PM
The enterprise benefits of location-based services are clear when you consider things like recovery of stolen vehicles. But enterprises aren't the only ones interested in knowing where things are. More and more parents are ready to turn on LBS in their kids' cell phones. And 20-somethings want LBS-enabled social networking apps.
That's the word from JupiterResearch, anyway. In its latest report, it details how carriers can take advantage of the relatively untapped LBS potential. While GPS and LBS have been a boon to enterprises, turns out only about 3% of cell phone users have actually made regular use of mobile phone-based mapping and direction services. Given that many phones are capable of using these services, that's pretty low.
There is interest, though. Parents of kids younger than 13 think child-tracking services are a good idea, and 42% would be willing to pay to keep tabs on their kids. Forgetting the Big Brother implications, a few dollars a month can ease parents' peace of mind, as well as provide a a valuable service for finding children who become lost or abducted. Police already are making use of cell phone signatures to track missing peoples' whereabouts. Adding LBS can speed up the process and possibly help save lives. Most of the carriers already offer these family finder applications. Getting parents to sign up seems to be the tricky part.
"Regardless of the fact that a small number of children under the age of 13 actually have mobile phones, the number of parents who are willing to pay for tracking services is significant," said Julie Ask, VP and research director at JupiterResearch in a prepared statement. "It provides a prime opportunity for mobile service providers to perfect the service, prompting parents to add their children to existing plans."
Parents aren't the only ones interested in finding things. Turns out the MySpace generation (26% of 18- to 24-year-olds) wants to be able to use cell phones to find their friends via social networking applications. Just two weeks ago, Sprint launched a new service that allows subscribers to do just that.
If the interest is there, what is preventing more people from signing up? I think it's the cost. While $1.99 or $2.99 a month may seem like a nominal fee for most of these services, all those nominal fees add up. Depending on which services you lump together (friend finder, music services, data plans, etc), all those extra monthly charges can become not so nominal anymore.
« If You Want To Go Green, You Gotta Show Them The Green Main iPhone Hacked To Run Nintendo
Monday, August 06, 2007
Google Pushes Tailored PhonesTo Win Lucrative Ad Market
By AMOL SHARMA and KEVIN J. DELANEYAugust 2, 2007; Page A1
Google Inc. is searching for growth in cellphones.
The company, which has made billions of dollars in Web advertising on computers, is courting wireless operators to carry handsets customized to Google products, including its search engine, email and a new mobile Web browser, say people familiar with the plans. It wants to capture a big chunk of the fast-growing market for ads on cellphones.
Google has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the cellphone project, say people who have been briefed on it. It has developed prototype handsets, made overtures to operators such as T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, and talked over technical specifications with phone manufacturers. It hopes multiple manufacturers will make devices based on its specs and multiple carriers will offer them.
For wireless operators, the plans are a double-edged sword. Google's powerful brand and its popular Web services could help operators sign up more subscribers to data packages, on which they increasingly rely as voice revenue declines. However, operators have been wary about losing control over the mobile-ad market.
The long-rumored Google phones are still in the planning stages, and wouldn't be available to consumers until next year at the earliest, say people familiar with the idea. Some details are likely to shift as the plans develop.
The Mountain View, Calif., company has made clear it is serious about developing advanced software and services for cellphones. "What's interesting about the ads in the mobile phone is that they are twice as profitable or more than the nonmobile phone ads because they're more personal," said Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt at the D: All Things Digital conference in May.
A Google spokesman yesterday declined to comment on a Google phone project, but noted: "We are partnering with almost all of the carriers and manufacturers to get Google search and other Google applications onto their devices and networks."
The Google phone project goes far beyond Google's existing deals to include its search engine or applications such as Maps on select handsets, say the people familiar with the matter.
The company's past efforts to get its software on cellphones have raised some concerns in the industry. Verizon Wireless Chief Executive Lowell McAdam said the carrier has chosen not to integrate Google's Web search engine tightly into its phones because of Google's demands to get a large share of search-based ad revenue.
"What this really boils down to is a battle for the mobile ad dollar," Mr. McAdam said in a recent interview. "They want a disproportionate share of the revenue." Mr. McAdam declined to comment specifically on any Google phones.
Google has announced that it may bid for wireless-spectrum licenses at a coming government auction. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday approved rules addressing some of Google's concerns about the sale.
If it owned spectrum, Google might turn into a phone operator itself. However, such a project would take years to come to fruition and cost billions of dollars. For now, Google has to work with existing cellphone operators to get its mobile products to consumers.
In recent months Google has rolled out mobile versions of products such as the YouTube video-sharing site. It has made deals to include its search engine or applications such as Google Maps and Gmail on select handsets. But the company has sometimes been frustrated at the limited distribution it has achieved. In some cases, Google has managed to get around operators. Its 411 location search service can be accessed by dialing an 800 number from any handset.
Now it is drafting specifications for phones that can display all of Google's mobile applications at their best, and it is developing new software to run on them. The company is conducting much of the development work at a facility in Boston, and is working on a sophisticated new Web browser for cellphones, people familiar with the plans say.
The prize for Google: the potential to broker ads on the mobile phones, complementing the huge ad business it has built online. Google even envisions a phone service one day that is free of monthly subscription charges and supported entirely through ad revenue, people familiar with the matter say.
Last year, global spending on mobile-phone advertising, including placement of ads in text messages, Web pages, video and all other content, was only $1.5 billion, according to eMarketer. But that figure is projected to grow to nearly $14 billion by 2011, the market research firm says.
The proposed Google phone, Apple Inc.'s iPhone and efforts by other technology companies are aimed at making Web and computer functions easier for consumers to use on cellphones. Today, surfing the Web, listening to music and watching video on cellphones are often clunky experiences.
Unlike Apple, whose cellphone is available exclusively through AT&T, Google is hoping that multiple operators will offer its phone. And Google is ready to relinquish some control over design, allowing manufacturers to create devices based on a common set of specifications.
Google has approached several wireless operators in the U.S. and Europe in recent months, including AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group PLC, people familiar with the situation say. T-Mobile USA, a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG, appears to be the furthest along in considering it, these people say. Andy Rubin, who helped design T-Mobile's popular Sidekick phone, now works at Google and is involved in its handset project.
Google recently struck a deal with Sprint Nextel Corp. to have a wide array of its services bundled into devices for that carrier's high-speed wireless network based on the nascent WiMax technology. Both companies declined to comment on whether that relationship would extend to offering Google-customized phones on Sprint's existing cellular network.
The specifications Google has laid out for devices suggest that manufacturers include cameras for photo and video, and built-in Wi-Fi technology to access the Web at hot spots such as airports, coffee shops and hotels. It also is recommending that the phones be designed to work on carriers' fastest networks, known as 3G, to ensure that Web pages can be downloaded quickly. Google suggests the phones could include Global Positioning System technology that identifies where people are.
People who have seen Google's prototype devices say they aren't as revolutionary as the iPhone. One was likened to a slim Nokia Corp. phone with a keyboard that slides out. Another phone format presented by Google looked more like a Treo or a BlackBerry. It's not clear which manufacturers might build Google wireless devices, though people familiar with the project say LG Electronics Co. of South Korea is one company that has held talks with Google. Google has already lined up a series of hardware component and software partners and signaled to carriers that it's open to various degrees of cooperation on their part, the people say.
Google doesn't plan to charge a licensing fee to hardware makers or operators, people familiar with the matter say. The company has suggested the phones could carry the Google brand alongside the brand of the operator, or they could be distributed without the Google name. The Google brand has yet to appear on a significant piece of consumer hardware.
Some executives at cellphone operators were skeptical about Google's efforts. They noted the case of Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN, which introduced a sports-centric handset but was forced to shut down the venture last year amid soft demand.
Apple's iPhone could be a formidable competitor among consumers -- and also present strategic complications. Four of Apple's eight directors also serve as directors or advisers to Google. Mr. Schmidt, the Google CEO, is on Apple's board. Those with ties to both companies might find it difficult to avoid conflicts of interest.
Google has generally had better luck in Europe than in the U.S. in getting its software on cellphones. It has forged a relationship with the United Kingdom's Vodafone Group PLC to provide the search bar on the carrier's branded Internet homepage, with results customized for cellphone users. T-Mobile in Europe integrates Google's search bar into its welcome screen for users who have a data plan designed for heavy Web browsing. It's unclear which carriers in Europe Google is working with on its handset plans.
location based services
personal navigation devices
By AMOL SHARMA and KEVIN J. DELANEYAugust 2, 2007; Page A1
Google Inc. is searching for growth in cellphones.
The company, which has made billions of dollars in Web advertising on computers, is courting wireless operators to carry handsets customized to Google products, including its search engine, email and a new mobile Web browser, say people familiar with the plans. It wants to capture a big chunk of the fast-growing market for ads on cellphones.
Google has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the cellphone project, say people who have been briefed on it. It has developed prototype handsets, made overtures to operators such as T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, and talked over technical specifications with phone manufacturers. It hopes multiple manufacturers will make devices based on its specs and multiple carriers will offer them.
For wireless operators, the plans are a double-edged sword. Google's powerful brand and its popular Web services could help operators sign up more subscribers to data packages, on which they increasingly rely as voice revenue declines. However, operators have been wary about losing control over the mobile-ad market.
The long-rumored Google phones are still in the planning stages, and wouldn't be available to consumers until next year at the earliest, say people familiar with the idea. Some details are likely to shift as the plans develop.
The Mountain View, Calif., company has made clear it is serious about developing advanced software and services for cellphones. "What's interesting about the ads in the mobile phone is that they are twice as profitable or more than the nonmobile phone ads because they're more personal," said Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt at the D: All Things Digital conference in May.
A Google spokesman yesterday declined to comment on a Google phone project, but noted: "We are partnering with almost all of the carriers and manufacturers to get Google search and other Google applications onto their devices and networks."
The Google phone project goes far beyond Google's existing deals to include its search engine or applications such as Maps on select handsets, say the people familiar with the matter.
The company's past efforts to get its software on cellphones have raised some concerns in the industry. Verizon Wireless Chief Executive Lowell McAdam said the carrier has chosen not to integrate Google's Web search engine tightly into its phones because of Google's demands to get a large share of search-based ad revenue.
"What this really boils down to is a battle for the mobile ad dollar," Mr. McAdam said in a recent interview. "They want a disproportionate share of the revenue." Mr. McAdam declined to comment specifically on any Google phones.
Google has announced that it may bid for wireless-spectrum licenses at a coming government auction. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday approved rules addressing some of Google's concerns about the sale.
If it owned spectrum, Google might turn into a phone operator itself. However, such a project would take years to come to fruition and cost billions of dollars. For now, Google has to work with existing cellphone operators to get its mobile products to consumers.
In recent months Google has rolled out mobile versions of products such as the YouTube video-sharing site. It has made deals to include its search engine or applications such as Google Maps and Gmail on select handsets. But the company has sometimes been frustrated at the limited distribution it has achieved. In some cases, Google has managed to get around operators. Its 411 location search service can be accessed by dialing an 800 number from any handset.
Now it is drafting specifications for phones that can display all of Google's mobile applications at their best, and it is developing new software to run on them. The company is conducting much of the development work at a facility in Boston, and is working on a sophisticated new Web browser for cellphones, people familiar with the plans say.
The prize for Google: the potential to broker ads on the mobile phones, complementing the huge ad business it has built online. Google even envisions a phone service one day that is free of monthly subscription charges and supported entirely through ad revenue, people familiar with the matter say.
Last year, global spending on mobile-phone advertising, including placement of ads in text messages, Web pages, video and all other content, was only $1.5 billion, according to eMarketer. But that figure is projected to grow to nearly $14 billion by 2011, the market research firm says.
The proposed Google phone, Apple Inc.'s iPhone and efforts by other technology companies are aimed at making Web and computer functions easier for consumers to use on cellphones. Today, surfing the Web, listening to music and watching video on cellphones are often clunky experiences.
Unlike Apple, whose cellphone is available exclusively through AT&T, Google is hoping that multiple operators will offer its phone. And Google is ready to relinquish some control over design, allowing manufacturers to create devices based on a common set of specifications.
Google has approached several wireless operators in the U.S. and Europe in recent months, including AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group PLC, people familiar with the situation say. T-Mobile USA, a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG, appears to be the furthest along in considering it, these people say. Andy Rubin, who helped design T-Mobile's popular Sidekick phone, now works at Google and is involved in its handset project.
Google recently struck a deal with Sprint Nextel Corp. to have a wide array of its services bundled into devices for that carrier's high-speed wireless network based on the nascent WiMax technology. Both companies declined to comment on whether that relationship would extend to offering Google-customized phones on Sprint's existing cellular network.
The specifications Google has laid out for devices suggest that manufacturers include cameras for photo and video, and built-in Wi-Fi technology to access the Web at hot spots such as airports, coffee shops and hotels. It also is recommending that the phones be designed to work on carriers' fastest networks, known as 3G, to ensure that Web pages can be downloaded quickly. Google suggests the phones could include Global Positioning System technology that identifies where people are.
People who have seen Google's prototype devices say they aren't as revolutionary as the iPhone. One was likened to a slim Nokia Corp. phone with a keyboard that slides out. Another phone format presented by Google looked more like a Treo or a BlackBerry. It's not clear which manufacturers might build Google wireless devices, though people familiar with the project say LG Electronics Co. of South Korea is one company that has held talks with Google. Google has already lined up a series of hardware component and software partners and signaled to carriers that it's open to various degrees of cooperation on their part, the people say.
Google doesn't plan to charge a licensing fee to hardware makers or operators, people familiar with the matter say. The company has suggested the phones could carry the Google brand alongside the brand of the operator, or they could be distributed without the Google name. The Google brand has yet to appear on a significant piece of consumer hardware.
Some executives at cellphone operators were skeptical about Google's efforts. They noted the case of Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN, which introduced a sports-centric handset but was forced to shut down the venture last year amid soft demand.
Apple's iPhone could be a formidable competitor among consumers -- and also present strategic complications. Four of Apple's eight directors also serve as directors or advisers to Google. Mr. Schmidt, the Google CEO, is on Apple's board. Those with ties to both companies might find it difficult to avoid conflicts of interest.
Google has generally had better luck in Europe than in the U.S. in getting its software on cellphones. It has forged a relationship with the United Kingdom's Vodafone Group PLC to provide the search bar on the carrier's branded Internet homepage, with results customized for cellphone users. T-Mobile in Europe integrates Google's search bar into its welcome screen for users who have a data plan designed for heavy Web browsing. It's unclear which carriers in Europe Google is working with on its handset plans.
AA Launches Smart TravelGuides for 3G Mobiles
location based services
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7th August , 2007
Europe UK : AA Smart TravelGuide, unveiled by the AA, delivers rich travel guide information designed to help tourists and travellers make the most of their trip.
Above shows a screenshot whilst using the AA Smart TravelGuide.AA Smart TravelGuide provides the user with detailed full-colour street mapping and a wealth of useful travel information compiled by the AA’s travel experts. It includes “must see” sights, easy-to-follow walking tours, what to do, restaurants, entertainment, and places to stay, plus colour photos, and live phone and web links to featured sights. AA hotel and restaurant ratings are included to keep the traveller fully informed. AA Smart TravelGuide comes pre-installed on a memory card for quick and simple insertion into a compatible mobile phone. Compatible phones include S60 smartphones from Nokia, Samsung, LG and Panasonic – such as Nokia’s market-leading N-series handsets. GPS-ready – via a Bluetooth GPS receiver or via handsets such as the Nokia N95 that include an integrated GPS receiver - AA Smart TravelGuide can be used to automatically locate the user’s position on the map, navigate scenic walking routes, and even track pace and distance when jogging or cycling. For the ultimate travel memento you can even create your own personal travel guide/diary by uploading your trip record and any photographs over-the-air to an online server. To enhance the Smart Travel Guide further, additional traveller information and photographs are available via internet download. AA Smart TravelGuide is based on Augmentra’s DataRanger mapping, navigation and information mobile technology platform. Using the same technical platform, ViewRanger, Augmentra’s smartphone-based off-road sat-nav application for outdoor activity enthusiasts, was selected as Best Location-Aware Service & Application by Nokia in their S60 Global Challenge to find the best smartphone applications. Craig Wareham, Director at Augmentra, said, “We are delighted to be working with the AA. This exciting project opens up new ways for travellers to benefit from the rich quality and large quantity of tourist and travel information held by the AA.” Simon Davies, General Manager, AA Publishing, commented "AA Publishing is very pleased to be moving into the realm of electronic publishing with the launch of Smart TravelGuide, and we believe Augmentra are the perfect partner to work with us on such an exciting new project".
LBS: 'clear opportunity' for US carriers said JupiterResearch
Market research firm JupiterResearch today announced a new report “Location-Based Services: Where Are You?,” that details strong opportunities for tracking applications among two distinct segments of mobile phone users. According to this report: 42 percent of parents with children under age 13 are especially interested and willing to pay for services that allow them to track their child's location. And 26 percent of cell phone owners between the ages of 18 to 24 want mobile social networking applications based on their friends' locations. In contrast, "use of available mobile applications to aid in more traditional navigation remains low, with less than three percent of cell phone users reporting routine use of maps or turn-by-turn directions in their travels", said the report. “Regardless of the fact that a small number of children under the age of 13 actually have mobile phones, the number of parents who are willing to pay for tracking services is significant,” explained Julie Ask, Vice President and Research Director at JupiterResearch. “It provides a prime opportunity for mobile service providers to perfect the service, prompting parents to add their children to existing plans.” In a recent interview with GPS Business News, Tasso Roumeliotis, CEO at Wavemarket, was estimating the potential child tracking market between 10 to 30 million subscribers in the US (read the full interview here).
location based services
Market research firm JupiterResearch today announced a new report “Location-Based Services: Where Are You?,” that details strong opportunities for tracking applications among two distinct segments of mobile phone users. According to this report: 42 percent of parents with children under age 13 are especially interested and willing to pay for services that allow them to track their child's location. And 26 percent of cell phone owners between the ages of 18 to 24 want mobile social networking applications based on their friends' locations. In contrast, "use of available mobile applications to aid in more traditional navigation remains low, with less than three percent of cell phone users reporting routine use of maps or turn-by-turn directions in their travels", said the report. “Regardless of the fact that a small number of children under the age of 13 actually have mobile phones, the number of parents who are willing to pay for tracking services is significant,” explained Julie Ask, Vice President and Research Director at JupiterResearch. “It provides a prime opportunity for mobile service providers to perfect the service, prompting parents to add their children to existing plans.” In a recent interview with GPS Business News, Tasso Roumeliotis, CEO at Wavemarket, was estimating the potential child tracking market between 10 to 30 million subscribers in the US (read the full interview here).
Sprint Location Based Services – Online GPS
location based services
Published by Palan on August 5, 2007 08:35 pm under GPS
I have been using EvDO for a while and the Rev.A speeds rock putting most EDGE/GPRS networks to shame. Recently came across the GPS feature in the EvDO-S720 card, a new software/firmware update makes the GPS function more easier to access. On older Sprint connection manager software you had to be disconnected from the network and type ##GPS over the Go button to bring the hidden GPS window. With the new connection manager for S720 it is all right there in the menu.
Location Based Search(LBS) enables you to do queries against google maps, yahoo maps, live maps and mapquest for places/businesses near your current location. There seems to be two modes for the LBS operation:1. Using triangulation from Sprint towers; this mode works even when indoors, something most GPS’s cant do.2. Using the built in GPS in S720.
Real time GPS: Triangulation using Sprint towers is restricted to 30 minute intervals, however the realtime GPS updates (NMEA protocol) can be used with any real time mapping software like MS Streets and Trips, Tom Tom or better yet using realtime server based direction from google earth (need the $20 pro version). The GPS operation works simultaneously as live map data is being downloaded over EvDO network.
Forget map updates, TMC traffic over FM —- Welcome online GPS!!To use the real time GPS, find the GPS port# from the GPS menu and use that as your COM port in the GPS software that is, it is that simple!!
No Comment
location based services
Published by Palan on August 5, 2007 08:35 pm under GPS
I have been using EvDO for a while and the Rev.A speeds rock putting most EDGE/GPRS networks to shame. Recently came across the GPS feature in the EvDO-S720 card, a new software/firmware update makes the GPS function more easier to access. On older Sprint connection manager software you had to be disconnected from the network and type ##GPS over the Go button to bring the hidden GPS window. With the new connection manager for S720 it is all right there in the menu.
Location Based Search(LBS) enables you to do queries against google maps, yahoo maps, live maps and mapquest for places/businesses near your current location. There seems to be two modes for the LBS operation:1. Using triangulation from Sprint towers; this mode works even when indoors, something most GPS’s cant do.2. Using the built in GPS in S720.
Real time GPS: Triangulation using Sprint towers is restricted to 30 minute intervals, however the realtime GPS updates (NMEA protocol) can be used with any real time mapping software like MS Streets and Trips, Tom Tom or better yet using realtime server based direction from google earth (need the $20 pro version). The GPS operation works simultaneously as live map data is being downloaded over EvDO network.
Forget map updates, TMC traffic over FM —- Welcome online GPS!!To use the real time GPS, find the GPS port# from the GPS menu and use that as your COM port in the GPS software that is, it is that simple!!
No Comment
China will use GPS to track Olympic food
location based services
By AUDRA ANG, Associated Press Writer Mon Aug 6, 3:01 PM ET
BEIJING - China said Monday it will use global positioning satellites to ensure food safety at the Beijing Olympics as it steps up efforts to blacklist manufacturers who violate safety regulations.
;
Wang Wei, an executive vice president of the Beijing Olympic Committee, said the high-tech system will monitor food production, processing factories and food hygiene during the games to make sure healthy food is delivered to the 10,500 athletes residing in the Olympic Village.
Food products will be affixed with an "Olympic food safety logistics code" and transportation vehicles will be tracked using global positioning satellites, Wang said. He did not provide further details of either plan.
"The whole process will be monitored from the start of production through transportation to the end users," Wang said. "We are very confident about ensuring food safety in Beijing."
Wang said extra measures would also be taken to ensure food safety for the general public.
"During the games some special monitoring mechanisms will also be applied to monitor restaurants and public food sellers to let people know how they can buy safe food," he said.
The Beijing Olympics, which begin Aug. 8, 2008, are a huge source of pride for China.
In a separate announcement, Beijing-based Qianxihe Food Group, an Olympic sponsor, said it had begun selling a hormone-free line of pork for the games, a company official said.
The company's pigs have been fed food without hormones and are part of the "Olympics Special Supply Pork" range, which will be consumed by athletes and can be bought in supermarkets by ordinary citizens, said the official, who would give only her surname Tong.
Questions over the safety of Chinese products arose earlier this year when a Chinese-made pet food ingredient was linked to the deaths of cats and dogs in North America. Since then, Chinese goods ranging from toothpaste to tires have been banned or recalled in numerous countries.
The U.S. also has blocked imports of five types of farmed seafood from China that were found to contain unapproved drugs.
Wang's comments came after Vice Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng announced that 429 exporters have been blacklisted and punished for producing dangerously substandard products. The companies include two whose products were implicated in the pet deaths in North America.
Chinese authorities, while initially unwilling to address the problem, have in recent weeks released details on their efforts almost daily and announced aggressive campaigns to crack down on makers of shoddy products, both for domestic consumption and for export.
The state-run Beijing News said five brands of dried fish snacks have been pulled off shelves in Beijing because they contained formaldehyde, a preservative and an embalming fluid that has been linked to cancer in humans.
In a recent inspection, the Commerce Ministry said it found that 21 percent of soft drinks produced in 13 provinces and municipalities were unfit for consumption because they were filled with bacteria and high levels of artificial sweeteners and preservatives.
Last month, the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, a product safety watchdog, said it had shut the offices of the two companies and revoked their licenses.
location based services
By AUDRA ANG, Associated Press Writer Mon Aug 6, 3:01 PM ET
BEIJING - China said Monday it will use global positioning satellites to ensure food safety at the Beijing Olympics as it steps up efforts to blacklist manufacturers who violate safety regulations.
;
Wang Wei, an executive vice president of the Beijing Olympic Committee, said the high-tech system will monitor food production, processing factories and food hygiene during the games to make sure healthy food is delivered to the 10,500 athletes residing in the Olympic Village.
Food products will be affixed with an "Olympic food safety logistics code" and transportation vehicles will be tracked using global positioning satellites, Wang said. He did not provide further details of either plan.
"The whole process will be monitored from the start of production through transportation to the end users," Wang said. "We are very confident about ensuring food safety in Beijing."
Wang said extra measures would also be taken to ensure food safety for the general public.
"During the games some special monitoring mechanisms will also be applied to monitor restaurants and public food sellers to let people know how they can buy safe food," he said.
The Beijing Olympics, which begin Aug. 8, 2008, are a huge source of pride for China.
In a separate announcement, Beijing-based Qianxihe Food Group, an Olympic sponsor, said it had begun selling a hormone-free line of pork for the games, a company official said.
The company's pigs have been fed food without hormones and are part of the "Olympics Special Supply Pork" range, which will be consumed by athletes and can be bought in supermarkets by ordinary citizens, said the official, who would give only her surname Tong.
Questions over the safety of Chinese products arose earlier this year when a Chinese-made pet food ingredient was linked to the deaths of cats and dogs in North America. Since then, Chinese goods ranging from toothpaste to tires have been banned or recalled in numerous countries.
The U.S. also has blocked imports of five types of farmed seafood from China that were found to contain unapproved drugs.
Wang's comments came after Vice Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng announced that 429 exporters have been blacklisted and punished for producing dangerously substandard products. The companies include two whose products were implicated in the pet deaths in North America.
Chinese authorities, while initially unwilling to address the problem, have in recent weeks released details on their efforts almost daily and announced aggressive campaigns to crack down on makers of shoddy products, both for domestic consumption and for export.
The state-run Beijing News said five brands of dried fish snacks have been pulled off shelves in Beijing because they contained formaldehyde, a preservative and an embalming fluid that has been linked to cancer in humans.
In a recent inspection, the Commerce Ministry said it found that 21 percent of soft drinks produced in 13 provinces and municipalities were unfit for consumption because they were filled with bacteria and high levels of artificial sweeteners and preservatives.
Last month, the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, a product safety watchdog, said it had shut the offices of the two companies and revoked their licenses.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Car satellite navigation systems can be steered the wrong way
location based services
A South Korean model displays a new navigation system. Satellite navigation systems in cars can be hijacked remotely with relative ease, allowing hackers to feed drivers bogus directions, two experts told a major security conference here. Satellite navigation systems in cars can be hijacked remotely with relative ease, allowing hackers to feed drivers bogus directions, two experts told a major security conference here.
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Radio Modems-Datalinks - Up to 60 mile range, RS 232/485, IP Top Performing, GPS optional www.intuicom.com
Technology for Motorhomes - GPS navigation, OziExplorer mobile satellite TV and RV stuff. www.surge.com.au
Andrea Barisani and Daniele Bianco from the website Inverse Path demonstrated Thursday how antennas and a patchwork of commonly available electronics can be employed to replace the legitimate traffic information radioed to the systems with false instructions.
document.write('');
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GPS Car Navigation CHOICE test & compare GPS navigation systems. See the resultswww.choice.com.au
GPS Navigation Top Brands Navman, TomTom, Asus, Mitac, i-mate CoPilot, Dopod & HP. Great prices.www.kalkonline.com.au
GPS Navigation Systems Browse through Australia's top GPS Navigation websites fast.www.ansearch.com.au
The hacker tool works on in-car Radio Data System "SatNav" devices standard in Europe, which are becoming increasingly common in North America and are due to debut this year in Australia, Barisani told security professionals meeting in Las Vegas for the Black Hat digital self-defense conference. "If we can make it, anyone can make it," Barisani said as he and Bianco assembled their hacking masterpiece for their seminar. "We type on keyboards all day and aren't very mechanical." While navigation systems plot routes using stored maps and satellites, the systems receive perpetual updates about traffic accidents, road closures or other conditions that sometimes call for setting new courses. The updated information is sent in packets of computer code on FM radio frequencies, sometimes sharing wavelengths with radio programs. The hacking device can "sniff out" and replace legitimate traffic data on existing channels or create fake broadcasts on unused frequencies, according to Barisani. Its signal can easily be boosted to a 16 kilometer (10 miles) radius, he said. In-car navigation systems continually scan for data channels, downloading information about traffic, weather, and road problems. "We can see what is going on and change the destination," Barisani said. "We can create bad weather, fresh snow, full car parks, accidents...close bridges, roads or tunnels, and the SatNav will pop-up a detour." Barisani referred to re-routing GPS-dependent drivers as the "keep your parents from getting home attack." The two Italian experts said they discovered mischief-inspiring pre-programmed alerts they could trigger, among them the messages "air raid," "bomb," "bull fight," and "boxing match." "You can mine all the highway, sending alerts for bombs, air crashes and terrorist incidents without end -- World War III on your highway," Barisani said. "The boxing match makes sense, because after an accident in Italy you get boxing on the highway." The results of hacks were sent to the Traffic Message Channel in Europe that handles the sending of updates and alerts to in-car devices. TMC wrote back that "pirate radio" stations are illegal and it is confident protections are built into devices, according to letters posted at the website of Inverse Path, where Barisani is chief security officer. "The problem is people implicitly trust these things," Barisani said of in-car navigation systems. "You worry about viruses in your computer at home but not in your car. This is an open door to software running your car."
location based services
A South Korean model displays a new navigation system. Satellite navigation systems in cars can be hijacked remotely with relative ease, allowing hackers to feed drivers bogus directions, two experts told a major security conference here. Satellite navigation systems in cars can be hijacked remotely with relative ease, allowing hackers to feed drivers bogus directions, two experts told a major security conference here.
Sponsored Links (Ads by Google)
Ethical Hacking - Fully qualified security experts. Informed assessment & advice. www.ClassicBlue.com.au
Radio Modems-Datalinks - Up to 60 mile range, RS 232/485, IP Top Performing, GPS optional www.intuicom.com
Technology for Motorhomes - GPS navigation, OziExplorer mobile satellite TV and RV stuff. www.surge.com.au
Andrea Barisani and Daniele Bianco from the website Inverse Path demonstrated Thursday how antennas and a patchwork of commonly available electronics can be employed to replace the legitimate traffic information radioed to the systems with false instructions.
document.write('');
Sponsored Links (Ads by Google)
GPS Car Navigation CHOICE test & compare GPS navigation systems. See the resultswww.choice.com.au
GPS Navigation Top Brands Navman, TomTom, Asus, Mitac, i-mate CoPilot, Dopod & HP. Great prices.www.kalkonline.com.au
GPS Navigation Systems Browse through Australia's top GPS Navigation websites fast.www.ansearch.com.au
The hacker tool works on in-car Radio Data System "SatNav" devices standard in Europe, which are becoming increasingly common in North America and are due to debut this year in Australia, Barisani told security professionals meeting in Las Vegas for the Black Hat digital self-defense conference. "If we can make it, anyone can make it," Barisani said as he and Bianco assembled their hacking masterpiece for their seminar. "We type on keyboards all day and aren't very mechanical." While navigation systems plot routes using stored maps and satellites, the systems receive perpetual updates about traffic accidents, road closures or other conditions that sometimes call for setting new courses. The updated information is sent in packets of computer code on FM radio frequencies, sometimes sharing wavelengths with radio programs. The hacking device can "sniff out" and replace legitimate traffic data on existing channels or create fake broadcasts on unused frequencies, according to Barisani. Its signal can easily be boosted to a 16 kilometer (10 miles) radius, he said. In-car navigation systems continually scan for data channels, downloading information about traffic, weather, and road problems. "We can see what is going on and change the destination," Barisani said. "We can create bad weather, fresh snow, full car parks, accidents...close bridges, roads or tunnels, and the SatNav will pop-up a detour." Barisani referred to re-routing GPS-dependent drivers as the "keep your parents from getting home attack." The two Italian experts said they discovered mischief-inspiring pre-programmed alerts they could trigger, among them the messages "air raid," "bomb," "bull fight," and "boxing match." "You can mine all the highway, sending alerts for bombs, air crashes and terrorist incidents without end -- World War III on your highway," Barisani said. "The boxing match makes sense, because after an accident in Italy you get boxing on the highway." The results of hacks were sent to the Traffic Message Channel in Europe that handles the sending of updates and alerts to in-car devices. TMC wrote back that "pirate radio" stations are illegal and it is confident protections are built into devices, according to letters posted at the website of Inverse Path, where Barisani is chief security officer. "The problem is people implicitly trust these things," Barisani said of in-car navigation systems. "You worry about viruses in your computer at home but not in your car. This is an open door to software running your car."
The Gphone and Mobile Local Search
location based services
Internet, General News Add comments
The Wall Street Journal reports today that we could be getting closer to the realization of the long-rumored Google phone. This could happen in one (or both) of two ways for Google: partner or build.
Partnering has been Google’s angle into mobile search and services thus far, but it has only allowed it to push through watered down versions of its products such as Gmail for mobile and Maps for mobile. Having its own device would allow it to position itself more predominantly on the home screen, and build applications that are more compelling than carriers have been willing or able to do themselves.
Even if it has its own device however, partnering would require the perennial challenge of working with carriers who are famously unwilling to cede control over every facet of their network and every device that runs on it. Talks so far have only resulted in Verizon scoffing at the search revenue share that Google is asking for in prospective mobile search advertising. Gphone and iPhone: Catalysts for Change?
This defeatist position on the part of U.S. carriers has been the number one detriment to mobile local search innovation and application development. But the web browsing capabilities of the iPhone could finally be the avenue by which search application developers can sidestep the carrier control over the home screens of devices that run on their networks.
A phone from Google could do the same, if the company pushes its weight around enough, to appeal to carriers with an enticement of brand appeal and revenue boosting possibilities for data consumption, amidst hyper competition and falling revenues in the mobile voice arena. This is similar to how Apple got in bed with AT&T.
The iPhone will soon become compelling enough that other carriers will have to adopt (post-AT&T 2 year contract), despite worries over enabling a device that has wi-fi capability, an elegant browsing experience and other things that could allow consumers to sidestep consumption of carrier voice packets (wi-fi enabled VoIP is one concern here).
The same thing will happen with a prospective Google phone; carriers will come around out of necessity to compete. Give it time.
Go it Alone?
Google’s other possible direction is to go out and buy it’s own wireless spectrum - something it has indicated it would like to do at an upcoming government auction for a swath of open spectrum. This would take years to build and cost billions (I heard Google has some money though); and could land Google in a position, like the carriers, where it is forced to protect a massive investment.
On the bright side, this would essentially make Google its own carrier, with a direct channel to offer consumers all of the things that it has wanted to for years. In the meantime, partnering with carriers is still possible. Carriers will try, unsuccessfully, to block Google’s overall forays into the mobile environment, but it will eventually enable it by partnering with the company out of short term competitive necessity.
Either way, we can finally expect to see meaningful innovation in the mobile local search arena. The Gphone itself is rumored to be free to consumers and completely ad supported, which could invoke a welcome sea change in the mobile telecom world.
Combine this with the iPhone’s effect on stimulating mobile local search innovation and application development; and pervasive mobile local search and location based services could be here before we know it.
location based services
Internet, General News Add comments
The Wall Street Journal reports today that we could be getting closer to the realization of the long-rumored Google phone. This could happen in one (or both) of two ways for Google: partner or build.
Partnering has been Google’s angle into mobile search and services thus far, but it has only allowed it to push through watered down versions of its products such as Gmail for mobile and Maps for mobile. Having its own device would allow it to position itself more predominantly on the home screen, and build applications that are more compelling than carriers have been willing or able to do themselves.
Even if it has its own device however, partnering would require the perennial challenge of working with carriers who are famously unwilling to cede control over every facet of their network and every device that runs on it. Talks so far have only resulted in Verizon scoffing at the search revenue share that Google is asking for in prospective mobile search advertising. Gphone and iPhone: Catalysts for Change?
This defeatist position on the part of U.S. carriers has been the number one detriment to mobile local search innovation and application development. But the web browsing capabilities of the iPhone could finally be the avenue by which search application developers can sidestep the carrier control over the home screens of devices that run on their networks.
A phone from Google could do the same, if the company pushes its weight around enough, to appeal to carriers with an enticement of brand appeal and revenue boosting possibilities for data consumption, amidst hyper competition and falling revenues in the mobile voice arena. This is similar to how Apple got in bed with AT&T.
The iPhone will soon become compelling enough that other carriers will have to adopt (post-AT&T 2 year contract), despite worries over enabling a device that has wi-fi capability, an elegant browsing experience and other things that could allow consumers to sidestep consumption of carrier voice packets (wi-fi enabled VoIP is one concern here).
The same thing will happen with a prospective Google phone; carriers will come around out of necessity to compete. Give it time.
Go it Alone?
Google’s other possible direction is to go out and buy it’s own wireless spectrum - something it has indicated it would like to do at an upcoming government auction for a swath of open spectrum. This would take years to build and cost billions (I heard Google has some money though); and could land Google in a position, like the carriers, where it is forced to protect a massive investment.
On the bright side, this would essentially make Google its own carrier, with a direct channel to offer consumers all of the things that it has wanted to for years. In the meantime, partnering with carriers is still possible. Carriers will try, unsuccessfully, to block Google’s overall forays into the mobile environment, but it will eventually enable it by partnering with the company out of short term competitive necessity.
Either way, we can finally expect to see meaningful innovation in the mobile local search arena. The Gphone itself is rumored to be free to consumers and completely ad supported, which could invoke a welcome sea change in the mobile telecom world.
Combine this with the iPhone’s effect on stimulating mobile local search innovation and application development; and pervasive mobile local search and location based services could be here before we know it.
SiRF and Intel Sign a Collaboration Agreement
location based services
SAN JOSE, Calif., -- SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. , a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, SiRF Technology, Inc., has signed a license and joint development agreement with Intel Corporation on certain future product platforms to help location and wireless connectivity become more mainstream in next generation mobile devices. As part of this agreement the two companies have agreed to cooperate in the marketing and selling of these future products to customers developing a wide range of mobile devices worldwide. This agreement supports SiRF's long term strategy for growth and is designed to strengthen its position in mobile devices."SiRF has a vision to bring the benefits of location enabled content and applications to the mainstream mobile consumer and enterprise markets," said Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "We look forward to working with Intel to develop innovative new products to realize the promise of location and wireless connectivity in future mobile devices."As part of this agreement, SiRF has licensed certain technologies to Intel and will help co-develop certain future products that will be available for incorporation into Intel mobile platforms. The companies have agreed to jointly market and sell these products globally for use in a wide range of devices, such as mobile internet devices, mobile phones and handheld consumer devices."Synergy between wireless internet connectivity and location based services are integral part of our vision for the future of mobile internet devices and notebooks," said Raviv Melamed, General Manager of the Mobile Wireless Group at Intel. "Our collaboration with SiRF will enable us to bring highly integrated solutions combining industry leading WiMAX/WiFi connectivity and location capability to mobile internet device and notebook customers worldwide."About SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc.SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. develops and markets semiconductor and software products that are designed to enable location-awareness utilizing GPS and other location technologies, enhanced by wireless connectivity capabilities such as Bluetooth, for high-volume mobile consumer devices and commercial applications. SiRF's technology has been integrated into mobile consumer devices such as automobile navigation systems, mobile phones, PDAs, GPS-based peripherals and handheld GPS navigation devices, and into commercial applications such as location servers, asset tracking devices and fleet management systems. SiRF markets and sells its products in three target platforms: wireless handheld devices, such as mobile phones; automotive electronics systems, including navigation and telematics systems; and consumer and compute devices, including personal digital assistants, notebook computers, recreational GPS handhelds, mobile gaming machines, digital cameras and watches. Founded in 1995, SiRF is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and has sales offices, design centers and research facilities around the world. The company trades on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange under the symbol SIRF. Additional information about SiRF and its location technology solutions can be found at www.sirf.com.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Place and Location Services Growth Fuels Navteq
location based services
Thursday, August 2, 2007 Related Content Share/Send No comments
If you're ever stuck in a big US city in never-ending traffic – which is perfectly commonplace these days – trying to figure out how soon you can reach your client’s office downtown, trust Navteq’s (NYSE: NVT) GPS maps to effortlessly guide you to your destination.
Sounds too simple? The truth is it is. If you have Navteq-on-board navigation system fitted in your car, all you need is to hit the virtual keyboard to find the best possible way to reach your destination, guided all the while by an updated roadmap and voice transmission.
To be honest, Navteq's utility is not only to help you avoid the summer traffic rush on road, but also to locate your destination on laptops (or desktops) should you be using such web-based navigation applications as Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, Local Live or MapQuest. All of them use Navteq’s data.
How does Navteq do that? Well, its geographic analysts fan out to far-flung areas traveling millions of kilometers collecting data of precise positions of points of interest that are later converged into maps you cannot do without.
With such a utility in its arsenal, there is no surprise that Navteq is considered as having the de facto monopoly of GPS and Location-Based Services (LBS) businesses. It's one and only real competitor is TeleAtlas. So, to be fair, the LBS data business is a duopoly.
GPS technology has very high entry barrier, and being a first-mover, Navteq is involved in collecting detailed data for large metropolitan city areas for many years, thus making it a formidable service provider in its area of business.
Interestingly, GPS receiver chip, the hardware, makes up 70% of the total cost of a GPS device needed to run Navteq's service. But fierce competition among chipmakers and relatively low entry barrier into their technology together have rendered them powerless in the negotiation with GPS gear makers. And these have worked to Navteq’s advantage.
Navteq is uniquely positioned to reap the benefit of its strong position in GPS business. As evidenced in its first quarter result this year (03/07), its return on average equity and net profit margin have both hovered around a handsome 20%.
However its just-announced second quarter results (06/07) have been singularly impressive. The Y-o-Y quarterly revenue has seen an emphatic rise by 49% to $202.3 million, while operating and net income are respectively $54 million and $40.9 million. For the fiscal 2007, Navteq expects revenue of $780 to $795 million, which is about 37% higher than that in the last fiscal year (2006).
Not surprisingly, almost all the street analysts have hung a buy signal on Navteq, which is why the stock has recorded a 52-week high of 65.99 in today's trade. Here’s a prior analysis on the future of Navteq’s market opportunity. Also, International is an entirely underserved growth area, that Navteq should get into.
As I have said before, if managed well, this company should have plenty of growth ahead. The Local and PlaceSmart search bonanza is also blowing the wind on Navteq’s sails.
Tags: GIS,
Google Spending Hundreds Of Millions On Mobile
location based services
Google has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in its cell phone project and is courting U.S. and European mobile operators, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
By Reuters InformationWeek August 2, 2007 07:54 PM
NEW YORK - Google Inc has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in its cell phone project and is courting U.S. and European mobile operators, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Anian, a Reuters company that tracks industry trends for institutional investors, reported last month that Google had engaged Taiwan's High Tech Computer Corp to design a Linux software-based phone for launch in the first quarter of 2008.
The Anian report cited industry sources as saying T-Mobile, owned by Deutsche Telekom, would likely be Google's U.S. partner with France Telecom's Orange selling the phones in other markets.
The Journal said on Thursday Google had also approached the two biggest U.S. wireless services, AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless, in recent months to ask them to sell phones with Google service.
It cited a Verizon Wireless executive saying the company had decided not to integrate Google's Web search tightly into its phones because of Google's advertising revenue-sharing demands. The newspaper said the executive had not commented on a Google phone.
A person familiar with the situation told Reuters that talks between Verizon Wireless, owned by Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc, and Google have ended without resulting in an agreement.
Representatives for Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and AT&T declined to comment.
T-Mobile and Vodafone already incorporate Google search in their mobile
location based services
Google has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in its cell phone project and is courting U.S. and European mobile operators, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
By Reuters InformationWeek August 2, 2007 07:54 PM
NEW YORK - Google Inc has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in its cell phone project and is courting U.S. and European mobile operators, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Anian, a Reuters company that tracks industry trends for institutional investors, reported last month that Google had engaged Taiwan's High Tech Computer Corp to design a Linux software-based phone for launch in the first quarter of 2008.
The Anian report cited industry sources as saying T-Mobile, owned by Deutsche Telekom, would likely be Google's U.S. partner with France Telecom's Orange selling the phones in other markets.
The Journal said on Thursday Google had also approached the two biggest U.S. wireless services, AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless, in recent months to ask them to sell phones with Google service.
It cited a Verizon Wireless executive saying the company had decided not to integrate Google's Web search tightly into its phones because of Google's advertising revenue-sharing demands. The newspaper said the executive had not commented on a Google phone.
A person familiar with the situation told Reuters that talks between Verizon Wireless, owned by Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc, and Google have ended without resulting in an agreement.
Representatives for Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and AT&T declined to comment.
T-Mobile and Vodafone already incorporate Google search in their mobile
Satnav makes car trips shorter and safer
location based services
Cynics often dismiss in-car satellite navigation (satnav) systems as an expensive luxury bought by people with no sense of direction.
But new research suggests that drivers using in-car satnav systems not only take less time to reach their destination, they may drive more safely, too.
Engineers Wen-Chen Lee and Bor-Wen Cheng of the National Yunlin University of Science & Technology in Taiwan paid 16 drivers to use in-car satellite navigation systems in order to reach a variety of urban and rural destinations they had never travelled to before. They hired another 16 motorists who were asked to use paper maps to reach a similar set of mysterious destinations.
The team found that the satnav-assisted journeys were around 7% shorter in towns than map-guided ones, and 2% shorter on rural runs.
"Using a navigation system saves time and gasoline when driving in unfamiliar regions, especially in an urban environment," Lee says in a paper to be published in a forthcoming edition of the road safety journal Accident Analysis and Prevention.
Superior handling
There was a further finding of significance. The researchers attached sensors to each car to log how often a driver made a course correction. In other words, when they drove one way and then turned back on themselves after realising they had made a mistake.
They found that map users changed course more times per journey than satnav users. This leads them to conclude that satnavs "lead to superior car handling and so may be safer," because frequent course changes are regarded as a sign of driver frustration, which can lead to attention deficit, aggressive driving and accidents.
Lee says a satnav system's ability to relieve the driver's mental workload is important: "Satnav users could take to the road immediately without any additional mental workload other than initially loading the destination into the device."
'Read the signs'
Map users, by contrast, have to study the street plan before driving off. "And their mental workload continues throughout the journey," he notes.
"Used sensibly, satnavs are a positive development that makes it easier for drivers to navigate correctly" says Roger Vincent of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, based in Birmingham, UK.
"But there are risks that drivers using them need to be aware of," Vincent adds. "Satnavs don't necessarily have the correct information, and that's a risk when people rely on them too much. People have taken turns onto railway lines, for instance, or driven wide trucks down
location based services
Cynics often dismiss in-car satellite navigation (satnav) systems as an expensive luxury bought by people with no sense of direction.
But new research suggests that drivers using in-car satnav systems not only take less time to reach their destination, they may drive more safely, too.
Engineers Wen-Chen Lee and Bor-Wen Cheng of the National Yunlin University of Science & Technology in Taiwan paid 16 drivers to use in-car satellite navigation systems in order to reach a variety of urban and rural destinations they had never travelled to before. They hired another 16 motorists who were asked to use paper maps to reach a similar set of mysterious destinations.
The team found that the satnav-assisted journeys were around 7% shorter in towns than map-guided ones, and 2% shorter on rural runs.
"Using a navigation system saves time and gasoline when driving in unfamiliar regions, especially in an urban environment," Lee says in a paper to be published in a forthcoming edition of the road safety journal Accident Analysis and Prevention.
Superior handling
There was a further finding of significance. The researchers attached sensors to each car to log how often a driver made a course correction. In other words, when they drove one way and then turned back on themselves after realising they had made a mistake.
They found that map users changed course more times per journey than satnav users. This leads them to conclude that satnavs "lead to superior car handling and so may be safer," because frequent course changes are regarded as a sign of driver frustration, which can lead to attention deficit, aggressive driving and accidents.
Lee says a satnav system's ability to relieve the driver's mental workload is important: "Satnav users could take to the road immediately without any additional mental workload other than initially loading the destination into the device."
'Read the signs'
Map users, by contrast, have to study the street plan before driving off. "And their mental workload continues throughout the journey," he notes.
"Used sensibly, satnavs are a positive development that makes it easier for drivers to navigate correctly" says Roger Vincent of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, based in Birmingham, UK.
"But there are risks that drivers using them need to be aware of," Vincent adds. "Satnavs don't necessarily have the correct information, and that's a risk when people rely on them too much. People have taken turns onto railway lines, for instance, or driven wide trucks down
Rugged GPS-equipped PDA sports full VGA LCD
location based services
Jul. 17, 2007Trimble has introduced a new GPS-equipped handheld PDA series running Windows Mobile embedded software. The Nomad comes standard with Windows Mobile 6 Classic Edition and a full VGA-resolution display, plus options for built-in GPS, barcode scanner, digital camera, and 802.11g WiFi, according to the company.(Click here for larger image)Touted as the company's "most versatile and feature-packed rugged mobile devices to date," the Nomad is based on an 806 MHz Marvel PXA320 XScale processor, and includes 128 MB of SDRAM and either 512 MB or 1 GB of flash memory. Other standard features include a touchscreen, integrated speaker and microphone, Bluetooth 2.0, USB host and client ports, and an audio jack. Expansion features include both a Type II CompactFlash slot and an SDIO slot.Trimble says the following options are available for the Nomad:
802.11b/g WiFi
SiRFStar III GPS receiver, WAAS capable
9-pin RS-232 serial connector
PDA or numeric style keypad
2 Mpixel color digital camera
1D laser barcode scannerThe Nomad series meets the MIL-STD-810F standard for drops, vibration and temperature extremes, according to Trimble. It also has an IP67 rating, meaning it is completely sealed against dust and can survive immersion in up to a meter of water for approximately 30 minutes.Two versions of the Nomad are available now: a entry-level version that is equipped with 512 MB of flash, and a higher-end version that includes 1 GB of flash along with GPS and WiFi. Other versions are expected in August, Trimble said. Suggested retail prices range from $1,699 to $2,499.
location based services
Jul. 17, 2007Trimble has introduced a new GPS-equipped handheld PDA series running Windows Mobile embedded software. The Nomad comes standard with Windows Mobile 6 Classic Edition and a full VGA-resolution display, plus options for built-in GPS, barcode scanner, digital camera, and 802.11g WiFi, according to the company.(Click here for larger image)Touted as the company's "most versatile and feature-packed rugged mobile devices to date," the Nomad is based on an 806 MHz Marvel PXA320 XScale processor, and includes 128 MB of SDRAM and either 512 MB or 1 GB of flash memory. Other standard features include a touchscreen, integrated speaker and microphone, Bluetooth 2.0, USB host and client ports, and an audio jack. Expansion features include both a Type II CompactFlash slot and an SDIO slot.Trimble says the following options are available for the Nomad:
802.11b/g WiFi
SiRFStar III GPS receiver, WAAS capable
9-pin RS-232 serial connector
PDA or numeric style keypad
2 Mpixel color digital camera
1D laser barcode scannerThe Nomad series meets the MIL-STD-810F standard for drops, vibration and temperature extremes, according to Trimble. It also has an IP67 rating, meaning it is completely sealed against dust and can survive immersion in up to a meter of water for approximately 30 minutes.Two versions of the Nomad are available now: a entry-level version that is equipped with 512 MB of flash, and a higher-end version that includes 1 GB of flash along with GPS and WiFi. Other versions are expected in August, Trimble said. Suggested retail prices range from $1,699 to $2,499.
Windows CE GPS gadgets do more than navigate
location based services
Jul. 18, 2007Netropa has announced a pair of portable navigation devices (PND) said to offer "exclusive safety and convenience features" going beyond basic navigation. The Intellinav 2 and Intellinav 3 run Windows CE 5 and include preloaded maps of the US, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.(Click here for larger image)The Intellinav devices are powered by a 266 MHz Samsung 2412A processor, and are equipped with 64 MB each of SDRAM and NAND flash memory. The QVGA touchscreen TFT LCD measures 3.5 inches. The Intellinav 2 comes with maps stored on a 1 GB SD card, whereas the Intellinav 3, due out this fall, will feature a 2 GB SD card that adds maps of Canada and has space available for storing music and photos, Netropa said.Other features common to both models include:
Text to speech in six languages
SiRF Star III GPS receiver
Precise routing with detour and avoid-road
Points of interest database:
Intellinav 2 -- 1.2 million POI
Intellinav 3 -- 6 million POI in over 100 sub categories
1-watt built-in speaker
Stereo headphone jack
MP3 player
Photo viewerNetropa claims unique convenience features that include Traffic Pattern, Live Traffic, Parked-car Locator, and Pedestrian Mode. Special safety functions include Fatigue Alarm, Fog Assist, School Zone, and Speed Alert.The Intellinav 2 is currently available from on-line retailers such as buy GPS now, newegg.com, and iGuidance for around $300. Netropa says the Intellinav 3 should be available in September. The company is also working on the Intellinav 4 and 5 that will feature 4.3-inch-wide displays.
location based services
Jul. 18, 2007Netropa has announced a pair of portable navigation devices (PND) said to offer "exclusive safety and convenience features" going beyond basic navigation. The Intellinav 2 and Intellinav 3 run Windows CE 5 and include preloaded maps of the US, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.(Click here for larger image)The Intellinav devices are powered by a 266 MHz Samsung 2412A processor, and are equipped with 64 MB each of SDRAM and NAND flash memory. The QVGA touchscreen TFT LCD measures 3.5 inches. The Intellinav 2 comes with maps stored on a 1 GB SD card, whereas the Intellinav 3, due out this fall, will feature a 2 GB SD card that adds maps of Canada and has space available for storing music and photos, Netropa said.Other features common to both models include:
Text to speech in six languages
SiRF Star III GPS receiver
Precise routing with detour and avoid-road
Points of interest database:
Intellinav 2 -- 1.2 million POI
Intellinav 3 -- 6 million POI in over 100 sub categories
1-watt built-in speaker
Stereo headphone jack
MP3 player
Photo viewerNetropa claims unique convenience features that include Traffic Pattern, Live Traffic, Parked-car Locator, and Pedestrian Mode. Special safety functions include Fatigue Alarm, Fog Assist, School Zone, and Speed Alert.The Intellinav 2 is currently available from on-line retailers such as buy GPS now, newegg.com, and iGuidance for around $300. Netropa says the Intellinav 3 should be available in September. The company is also working on the Intellinav 4 and 5 that will feature 4.3-inch-wide displays.
Windows CE device merges GPS, TV, karaoke
location based services
Jul. 23, 2007The Korean firm Thinkware has released a GPS system with a built-in TV receiver and integrated karaoke functionality. Running Windows CE 5.0, the iNavi G-1 plays a wide variety of audio and video formats, and even includes several built-in games.(Click here for larger view of the iNavi G-1)The iNavi G-1 reportedly employs the T-DMB (Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) standard for TV reception. It incorporates PIP (picture in picture) and NIP (navigation in picture), allowing users to watch TV and navigate simultaneously.Thinkware says "Geomatic sensor" technology allows users to keep getting directions even in no-signal areas such as long tunnels or between highrise buildings. Additionally, the unit can receive travel data in TPEG (Transport Protocol Experts Group) format.
The iNavi G-1's GPS in action(Source: Thinkware)The iNavi G-1 is claimed to support a wide variety of file formats for multimedia playback. These include: MP3, OGG Vorbis and WMA for audio; JPEG and BMP for still image; and DivX, Xvid, MPEG1, MPEG4, and WMV9 for video.Other specifications include:
Processor -- RMI Alchemy Au1200, clocked at 500MHz
Memory -- 128MB DDR RAM; 64MB NAND flash
Display -- 7-inch, 800 x 480 pixel TFT display
Expansion -- SD/MMC card interface
Audio -- 2 speakers (3W total), mic and line inputs
I/O ports -- USB 2.0 (client and host)
Dimensions -- 7.6 x 4.7 x .82 inches (119 x 119 x 21 mm)
Weight -- 15.6 ouncesThe Alchemy Au1200 SoC (system-on-chip) processor, announced by AMD in 2005 and later acquired by RMI, features an integrated graphics controller along with multimedia hardware acceleration. It reportedly saves power by eliminating the need for DSP-based graphics co-processors.The iNavi appears to be available now, for prices approximately equivalent to $600 (2GB version) or $650 (4GB version).
location based services
Jul. 23, 2007The Korean firm Thinkware has released a GPS system with a built-in TV receiver and integrated karaoke functionality. Running Windows CE 5.0, the iNavi G-1 plays a wide variety of audio and video formats, and even includes several built-in games.(Click here for larger view of the iNavi G-1)The iNavi G-1 reportedly employs the T-DMB (Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) standard for TV reception. It incorporates PIP (picture in picture) and NIP (navigation in picture), allowing users to watch TV and navigate simultaneously.Thinkware says "Geomatic sensor" technology allows users to keep getting directions even in no-signal areas such as long tunnels or between highrise buildings. Additionally, the unit can receive travel data in TPEG (Transport Protocol Experts Group) format.
The iNavi G-1's GPS in action(Source: Thinkware)The iNavi G-1 is claimed to support a wide variety of file formats for multimedia playback. These include: MP3, OGG Vorbis and WMA for audio; JPEG and BMP for still image; and DivX, Xvid, MPEG1, MPEG4, and WMV9 for video.Other specifications include:
Processor -- RMI Alchemy Au1200, clocked at 500MHz
Memory -- 128MB DDR RAM; 64MB NAND flash
Display -- 7-inch, 800 x 480 pixel TFT display
Expansion -- SD/MMC card interface
Audio -- 2 speakers (3W total), mic and line inputs
I/O ports -- USB 2.0 (client and host)
Dimensions -- 7.6 x 4.7 x .82 inches (119 x 119 x 21 mm)
Weight -- 15.6 ouncesThe Alchemy Au1200 SoC (system-on-chip) processor, announced by AMD in 2005 and later acquired by RMI, features an integrated graphics controller along with multimedia hardware acceleration. It reportedly saves power by eliminating the need for DSP-based graphics co-processors.The iNavi appears to be available now, for prices approximately equivalent to $600 (2GB version) or $650 (4GB version).
PNDs Cut into Car Navigation Market
location based services
Nikkei Electronics Asia -- August 2007
The huge increase in sales of portable navigation devices (PND) has made an impact on the car navigation market, which now looks set to split into two areas: low-priced PNDs, and high-function HDD-based systems.
"PNDs just swiped the market right out from under us," complained a management-level source at one Japanese car navigation system manufacturer. It would be no exaggeration to say that in Europe, "car navigation" means PNDs. Equipped with a 5-inch or smaller liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and Flash memory holding map data, these simple car navigation systems provide guidance via map displays.
As of 2004, the total worldwide sales of PNDs reached only several hundred thousand units annually. This jumped to over five million in 2005, and again to over 10 million the following year, surpassing the installed car navigation market in which the Japanese car navigation system manufacturers had been doing so well.
The PND market is presently driven by TomTom NV of the Netherlands, Garmin International Inc of the US and MiTac International Corp of Taiwan. Of these, the first two firms command 60% or more of the market, and together with MiTac International hold about 80% (Fig 1). PND demand shows no signs of slacking off and, one PND manufacturer said, "There are signs that it's going to be a big hit in the US in 2007, following its success in Europe."
According to Fuji Chimera Research Institute Inc of Japan, the PND market will grow to close to 20 million units a year by 2010 (Fig 2). Annual worldwide automobile production is about 65 million units, and if only about 30% of these adopt PNDs it would mean over 20 million units/year. And when you stop to consider that there are over 800 million cars on the road around the world that do not have car navigation systems, it seems clear that there is plenty of room for growth in the PND market.
The situation is beginning to change in Japan, too, where until now consumers have only bought installed car navigation systems displaying high-resolution maps on large screens, such as digital videodisc (DVD) or hard disk drive (HDD) systems. From about 2005, manufacturers not involved in car navigation systems - such as Edia Co Ltd, Original Kohgei Co Ltd and MiTAC Japan Corp, all of Japan - began marketing PNDs in Japan, attaining annual sales of tens of thousands of units annually. With their success, car navigation system manufacturers like Sanyo Electric Co Ltd, Sony Corp and Clarion Co Ltd, all of Japan, released PNDs from the end of 2006. The Japan market is beginning to take off, and is sure to hit at least 500,000 units a year in 2007.
Polarizing MarketWith the appearance of PNDs, the car navigation market seems likely to split into two camps: high-priced HDD-based systems and low-priced PNDs. Systems based on compact disc (CD) media are already effectively extinct in Japan (Fig 3), and several sources in the industry advise, "It's only a matter of time until DVD systems vanish, too." As the price of Flash memory continues to plunge, it seems reasonable to assume that DVD-based systems will be replaced by PNDs from the viewpoint of storage capacity as well.
That is not to say, however, that all car navigation systems will be replaced by PNDs. The ratio of new cars that come with factory-installed HDD systems is rising every year, creating a sizeable market centered on high-grade cars. In this particular sector, the interrelationship between car navigation systems and automobile control systems is deepening.
Car navigation systems will almost certainly meld with wireless-based safety systems (the ITS, or Intelligent Transport System, concept), such as shift control linked to the car navigation system or checks for obstacles behind the vehicle. As a result, there is a good chance that there will be a global shift toward a polarization worldwide: multi-function HDD-based systems integrated with the vehicles and promoted by the automobile manufacturers on the one hand, and inexpensive, high-growth PNDs on the other.
How the Japanese car navigation system manufacturers respond will be crucial. Will they keep on supplying the merchandise market with high-grade systems designed for installation in vehicles and providing multi-function systems to the automobile manufacturers under original equipment manufacturer (OEM) contracts, or will they take an active role in the rapidly-growing PND market?
Car navigation system manufacturers including Alpine Electronics Inc of Japan, Clarion, Sanyo Electric, Sony and Pioneer Corp of Japan already sell PNDs in markets outside Japan, but different firms seem to have different feelings about the product sector.
While some companies in the field position PNDs as entry-level devices destined to be replaced by installed models at the next upgrade, and therefore are not too excited about the rapid growth in the European market, other companies (like Sony, for example) take a different view. "The PND market only took off two or three years ago, and there is still an excellent opportunity for us to expand our market share." In industrializing nations there is already a move to make PNDs available as options, offered by the automobile vendors, and a number of car navigation system manufacturers are actively developing the market. Generally speaking, it looks like car navigation system manufacturers with small shares of the installed system market, including OEM supply to automobile manufacturers, are aggressive in the PND market, while manufacturers with large shares of the installed system market are less so.
PND Born from PDAOne of the reasons for the spectacular success of the PND in Europe has been the price, which has fallen to 500 euros or less. There are two reasons for the price drop, the first of which is that the PND has the same specifications as the personal digital assistant (PDA). Most of the PNDs available now have pretty much the same hardware and software as PDAs running the Windows CE operating system from Microsoft Corp of the US, with the exception of the case. This means that the core parts of the PND can be purchased inexpensively from electronic manufacturing services (EMS) and other subcontractors now manufacturing notebook personal computers and PDAs in Taiwan or Korea, for example.
The other reason is that PNDs only store the absolute minimum map data, car navigation application, etc. Map data is stored to a 512MB Flash memory, capacity smaller than that offered by a CD-read only memory (CD-ROM) disc, and detailed street maps are omitted. This approach makes it a lot less expensive to create the map data.
These inexpensive PNDs began to sell well in Europe, and established a positive feedback loop... volume production scale effects dropped the costs of terminals, key components, etc, leading to some PND devices at street prices of under 400 euros, while other models kept the price but began to offer enhanced map data, traffic information updates and other functions to stand out from the competition. The entire PDA market has become quite a bit more active as a result.
Japanese car navigation system manufacturers have made efforts to expand sales, but the systems they offer are quite expensive - 2,000 euros or more.
Defining a Niche The increase in the number of companies in the sector is rapidly intensifying the competition to define or grab product niches. As a result, PNDs are evolving with a speed significantly faster than that of conventional car navigation systems.
As the price of Flash memories has been dropping, storage capacity has risen from about 512MB a year ago to 2GB, representing an almost four-fold increase for more map, search and other data. PNDs are highly mobile, and because most of them run Windows CE, Linux or other OS, they mesh wonderfully with the network environment. This networking performance is leading a whole new set of functions for map update, real-time information reception, etc.
TomTom offers the TomTom PLUS information provision service for a fee, implemented through mobile phones and other devices. Among other things, it includes weather reports, real-time traffic information and map data updates. Driving information will be acquired via the mobile phone and processed for dissemination as real-time traffic information in a new "probe information" service announced in October 2006. Similar functions are offered in Japan only by top-of-the-line installed systems, but the PND already has it.
TomTom is also to implement these advanced functions because it holds a large share of the PND market. TomTom, Garmin International and others have performance of three million or more systems a year, and that constitutes a major weapon all in itself. Volume production scale can be leveraged for advantages in price-cutting competition, and it is possible that large sales of PNDs with probe information, for example, could end up as part of the driving architecture.
High PrecisionThe only way that Japanese car navigation system manufacturers can hope to compete in the world market is to fully utilize the advanced car navigation technologies they have developed for Japan.
Alpine Electronics and Fujitsu Ten Ltd of Japan are trying to find effective ways of melding the PND with the audio-visual (AV) unit in the car, hoping to leverage their strengths. Both firms offer AV units with high-precision vehicle positioning functions, implemented by adding a GPS receiver and detecting the vehicle's acceleration pulses to boost position precision above what can be achieved by the PND alone.
Their ideas on how to integrate the PND and the AV unit, however, are quite different. Alpine Electronics mounts the PND inside the AV unit, while Fujitsu Ten purchases PNDs from TomTom and uses the AV unit's display.
Alpine Electronics began selling its Blackbird PND in the US in spring 2006. The latest model, the PMD-B200, was released in May 2007 together with the IVA-W205 AV unit (Fig 4).
Pressure SensorsAlpine Electronics and Fujitsu Ten are utilizing the high-precision positioning technologies gained through installed car navigation systems in their AV units in combination with PNDs, hoping to carve out product niches, but Sony is instead enhancing the positioning precision of the PND itself. As part of its corporate restructuring effort it halted production and sales of automotive equipment in Japan in March 2006, but figuring that it could leverage its unique characteristics in the PND, the firm released the nav-u NV-U1 PND (Fig5) to the Japan market in March 2007.
Sony's PND is unique in that it has the "Position plus" positioning function, with precision enhanced through atmospheric pressure and acceleration sensors. In addition to standard GPS measurement, Position plus also uses the atmospheric pressure sensor to determine vehicle elevation and the acceleration sensor to determine direction of travel to correct the route display in places where GPS reception is unstable, such as in tunnels or building shadows.
Single-Seg BroadcastingSanyo Electric has introduced single-segment broadcasting reception as a means of making its PNDs stand out in the market. Sanyo Electric was the first Japanese car navigation system manufacturer to release a PND to the domestic market, in November 2006. Its decision to implement a single-segment broadcasting reception tuner from the start paid off, with a delivery performance of 70,000 units in only a little over four months, as of the end of March 2007. Determined to play their initial success into a leadership role, the company released two new PND models with added functions in April 2007, only five months later. The new designs also stress single-segment program viewing, but have doubled Flash memory capacity for map data to 2GB. This has made it possible to boost the quantity of stored addresses from about 1.8 million to about 30 million, achieving a "searchable address count equivalent to that offered by a DVD-based car navigation system," said a source at the firm.
The top-of-the-line NV-SB250DT is the firm's first PND to come with Li-ion rechargeable batteries (Fig 6). Until now, an external battery unit has been needed to drive single-segment program viewing.
Price a Constant IssueOne strategy in PND development as functions improve is to maintain price while improving the variety and ability of implemented functions, as evidenced by the success of Clarion (Table 1). The firm released the DrivTrax DTR-P5 PND to the Japan market in April 2007, featuring 2GBs of map data with a street price of only about Yen50,000.
Clarion believes that low-priced PNDs will drive the market in Japan as well. Japanese automobile sales volume is shifting toward compact and small models, and president Tatsuhiko Izumi of the company believes they will eventually account for over half the new car market. If that does indeed happen, there will be strong growth in low-priced PNDs. In addition, only about 35% of Japanese households currently have car navigation systems, and (according to Clarion's Izumi) there is no low-priced car navigation system to address that demand. He hopes to push his low-priced solution to consumers who feel existing systems are too expensive.
Clarion is using non-Japanese EMS manufacturing instead of handling it in-house to keep costs down. The company will commonalize new PNDs and terminals sold in the US and Europe in 2007, aiming to further cut costs through production scale effects.
MiTAC Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of MiTAC, which owns the third-largest piece of the global pie, is supremely confident in its low-cost strategy in PNDs. It began selling PNDs in Japan in June 2006, and in April 2007 released the Mio DigiWalker C323 especially designed for automotive use. As with the PND designed by Clarion for the Japan market, it uses car navigation applications and map data from Increment P Corp of Japan.
by Kouji Kariatsumari
Websites:Alpine Electronics: www.alpine.comClarion: www.clarion.com/jp/enFuji Chimera Research Institute: www.fcr.co.jp/enFujitsu Ten: www.fujitsu-ten.co.jp/englishGarmin International: www.garmin.comIncrement P: www.incrementp.co.jp/englishMicrosoft: www.microsoft.comMiTAC International: mitac.mic.com.twPioneer: pioneer.jp/index-e.htmlSanyo Electric: www.sanyo.comSony: www.sony.comTomTom: www.tomtom.com
location based services
Nikkei Electronics Asia -- August 2007
The huge increase in sales of portable navigation devices (PND) has made an impact on the car navigation market, which now looks set to split into two areas: low-priced PNDs, and high-function HDD-based systems.
"PNDs just swiped the market right out from under us," complained a management-level source at one Japanese car navigation system manufacturer. It would be no exaggeration to say that in Europe, "car navigation" means PNDs. Equipped with a 5-inch or smaller liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and Flash memory holding map data, these simple car navigation systems provide guidance via map displays.
As of 2004, the total worldwide sales of PNDs reached only several hundred thousand units annually. This jumped to over five million in 2005, and again to over 10 million the following year, surpassing the installed car navigation market in which the Japanese car navigation system manufacturers had been doing so well.
The PND market is presently driven by TomTom NV of the Netherlands, Garmin International Inc of the US and MiTac International Corp of Taiwan. Of these, the first two firms command 60% or more of the market, and together with MiTac International hold about 80% (Fig 1). PND demand shows no signs of slacking off and, one PND manufacturer said, "There are signs that it's going to be a big hit in the US in 2007, following its success in Europe."
According to Fuji Chimera Research Institute Inc of Japan, the PND market will grow to close to 20 million units a year by 2010 (Fig 2). Annual worldwide automobile production is about 65 million units, and if only about 30% of these adopt PNDs it would mean over 20 million units/year. And when you stop to consider that there are over 800 million cars on the road around the world that do not have car navigation systems, it seems clear that there is plenty of room for growth in the PND market.
The situation is beginning to change in Japan, too, where until now consumers have only bought installed car navigation systems displaying high-resolution maps on large screens, such as digital videodisc (DVD) or hard disk drive (HDD) systems. From about 2005, manufacturers not involved in car navigation systems - such as Edia Co Ltd, Original Kohgei Co Ltd and MiTAC Japan Corp, all of Japan - began marketing PNDs in Japan, attaining annual sales of tens of thousands of units annually. With their success, car navigation system manufacturers like Sanyo Electric Co Ltd, Sony Corp and Clarion Co Ltd, all of Japan, released PNDs from the end of 2006. The Japan market is beginning to take off, and is sure to hit at least 500,000 units a year in 2007.
Polarizing MarketWith the appearance of PNDs, the car navigation market seems likely to split into two camps: high-priced HDD-based systems and low-priced PNDs. Systems based on compact disc (CD) media are already effectively extinct in Japan (Fig 3), and several sources in the industry advise, "It's only a matter of time until DVD systems vanish, too." As the price of Flash memory continues to plunge, it seems reasonable to assume that DVD-based systems will be replaced by PNDs from the viewpoint of storage capacity as well.
That is not to say, however, that all car navigation systems will be replaced by PNDs. The ratio of new cars that come with factory-installed HDD systems is rising every year, creating a sizeable market centered on high-grade cars. In this particular sector, the interrelationship between car navigation systems and automobile control systems is deepening.
Car navigation systems will almost certainly meld with wireless-based safety systems (the ITS, or Intelligent Transport System, concept), such as shift control linked to the car navigation system or checks for obstacles behind the vehicle. As a result, there is a good chance that there will be a global shift toward a polarization worldwide: multi-function HDD-based systems integrated with the vehicles and promoted by the automobile manufacturers on the one hand, and inexpensive, high-growth PNDs on the other.
How the Japanese car navigation system manufacturers respond will be crucial. Will they keep on supplying the merchandise market with high-grade systems designed for installation in vehicles and providing multi-function systems to the automobile manufacturers under original equipment manufacturer (OEM) contracts, or will they take an active role in the rapidly-growing PND market?
Car navigation system manufacturers including Alpine Electronics Inc of Japan, Clarion, Sanyo Electric, Sony and Pioneer Corp of Japan already sell PNDs in markets outside Japan, but different firms seem to have different feelings about the product sector.
While some companies in the field position PNDs as entry-level devices destined to be replaced by installed models at the next upgrade, and therefore are not too excited about the rapid growth in the European market, other companies (like Sony, for example) take a different view. "The PND market only took off two or three years ago, and there is still an excellent opportunity for us to expand our market share." In industrializing nations there is already a move to make PNDs available as options, offered by the automobile vendors, and a number of car navigation system manufacturers are actively developing the market. Generally speaking, it looks like car navigation system manufacturers with small shares of the installed system market, including OEM supply to automobile manufacturers, are aggressive in the PND market, while manufacturers with large shares of the installed system market are less so.
PND Born from PDAOne of the reasons for the spectacular success of the PND in Europe has been the price, which has fallen to 500 euros or less. There are two reasons for the price drop, the first of which is that the PND has the same specifications as the personal digital assistant (PDA). Most of the PNDs available now have pretty much the same hardware and software as PDAs running the Windows CE operating system from Microsoft Corp of the US, with the exception of the case. This means that the core parts of the PND can be purchased inexpensively from electronic manufacturing services (EMS) and other subcontractors now manufacturing notebook personal computers and PDAs in Taiwan or Korea, for example.
The other reason is that PNDs only store the absolute minimum map data, car navigation application, etc. Map data is stored to a 512MB Flash memory, capacity smaller than that offered by a CD-read only memory (CD-ROM) disc, and detailed street maps are omitted. This approach makes it a lot less expensive to create the map data.
These inexpensive PNDs began to sell well in Europe, and established a positive feedback loop... volume production scale effects dropped the costs of terminals, key components, etc, leading to some PND devices at street prices of under 400 euros, while other models kept the price but began to offer enhanced map data, traffic information updates and other functions to stand out from the competition. The entire PDA market has become quite a bit more active as a result.
Japanese car navigation system manufacturers have made efforts to expand sales, but the systems they offer are quite expensive - 2,000 euros or more.
Defining a Niche The increase in the number of companies in the sector is rapidly intensifying the competition to define or grab product niches. As a result, PNDs are evolving with a speed significantly faster than that of conventional car navigation systems.
As the price of Flash memories has been dropping, storage capacity has risen from about 512MB a year ago to 2GB, representing an almost four-fold increase for more map, search and other data. PNDs are highly mobile, and because most of them run Windows CE, Linux or other OS, they mesh wonderfully with the network environment. This networking performance is leading a whole new set of functions for map update, real-time information reception, etc.
TomTom offers the TomTom PLUS information provision service for a fee, implemented through mobile phones and other devices. Among other things, it includes weather reports, real-time traffic information and map data updates. Driving information will be acquired via the mobile phone and processed for dissemination as real-time traffic information in a new "probe information" service announced in October 2006. Similar functions are offered in Japan only by top-of-the-line installed systems, but the PND already has it.
TomTom is also to implement these advanced functions because it holds a large share of the PND market. TomTom, Garmin International and others have performance of three million or more systems a year, and that constitutes a major weapon all in itself. Volume production scale can be leveraged for advantages in price-cutting competition, and it is possible that large sales of PNDs with probe information, for example, could end up as part of the driving architecture.
High PrecisionThe only way that Japanese car navigation system manufacturers can hope to compete in the world market is to fully utilize the advanced car navigation technologies they have developed for Japan.
Alpine Electronics and Fujitsu Ten Ltd of Japan are trying to find effective ways of melding the PND with the audio-visual (AV) unit in the car, hoping to leverage their strengths. Both firms offer AV units with high-precision vehicle positioning functions, implemented by adding a GPS receiver and detecting the vehicle's acceleration pulses to boost position precision above what can be achieved by the PND alone.
Their ideas on how to integrate the PND and the AV unit, however, are quite different. Alpine Electronics mounts the PND inside the AV unit, while Fujitsu Ten purchases PNDs from TomTom and uses the AV unit's display.
Alpine Electronics began selling its Blackbird PND in the US in spring 2006. The latest model, the PMD-B200, was released in May 2007 together with the IVA-W205 AV unit (Fig 4).
Pressure SensorsAlpine Electronics and Fujitsu Ten are utilizing the high-precision positioning technologies gained through installed car navigation systems in their AV units in combination with PNDs, hoping to carve out product niches, but Sony is instead enhancing the positioning precision of the PND itself. As part of its corporate restructuring effort it halted production and sales of automotive equipment in Japan in March 2006, but figuring that it could leverage its unique characteristics in the PND, the firm released the nav-u NV-U1 PND (Fig5) to the Japan market in March 2007.
Sony's PND is unique in that it has the "Position plus" positioning function, with precision enhanced through atmospheric pressure and acceleration sensors. In addition to standard GPS measurement, Position plus also uses the atmospheric pressure sensor to determine vehicle elevation and the acceleration sensor to determine direction of travel to correct the route display in places where GPS reception is unstable, such as in tunnels or building shadows.
Single-Seg BroadcastingSanyo Electric has introduced single-segment broadcasting reception as a means of making its PNDs stand out in the market. Sanyo Electric was the first Japanese car navigation system manufacturer to release a PND to the domestic market, in November 2006. Its decision to implement a single-segment broadcasting reception tuner from the start paid off, with a delivery performance of 70,000 units in only a little over four months, as of the end of March 2007. Determined to play their initial success into a leadership role, the company released two new PND models with added functions in April 2007, only five months later. The new designs also stress single-segment program viewing, but have doubled Flash memory capacity for map data to 2GB. This has made it possible to boost the quantity of stored addresses from about 1.8 million to about 30 million, achieving a "searchable address count equivalent to that offered by a DVD-based car navigation system," said a source at the firm.
The top-of-the-line NV-SB250DT is the firm's first PND to come with Li-ion rechargeable batteries (Fig 6). Until now, an external battery unit has been needed to drive single-segment program viewing.
Price a Constant IssueOne strategy in PND development as functions improve is to maintain price while improving the variety and ability of implemented functions, as evidenced by the success of Clarion (Table 1). The firm released the DrivTrax DTR-P5 PND to the Japan market in April 2007, featuring 2GBs of map data with a street price of only about Yen50,000.
Clarion believes that low-priced PNDs will drive the market in Japan as well. Japanese automobile sales volume is shifting toward compact and small models, and president Tatsuhiko Izumi of the company believes they will eventually account for over half the new car market. If that does indeed happen, there will be strong growth in low-priced PNDs. In addition, only about 35% of Japanese households currently have car navigation systems, and (according to Clarion's Izumi) there is no low-priced car navigation system to address that demand. He hopes to push his low-priced solution to consumers who feel existing systems are too expensive.
Clarion is using non-Japanese EMS manufacturing instead of handling it in-house to keep costs down. The company will commonalize new PNDs and terminals sold in the US and Europe in 2007, aiming to further cut costs through production scale effects.
MiTAC Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of MiTAC, which owns the third-largest piece of the global pie, is supremely confident in its low-cost strategy in PNDs. It began selling PNDs in Japan in June 2006, and in April 2007 released the Mio DigiWalker C323 especially designed for automotive use. As with the PND designed by Clarion for the Japan market, it uses car navigation applications and map data from Increment P Corp of Japan.
by Kouji Kariatsumari
Websites:Alpine Electronics: www.alpine.comClarion: www.clarion.com/jp/enFuji Chimera Research Institute: www.fcr.co.jp/enFujitsu Ten: www.fujitsu-ten.co.jp/englishGarmin International: www.garmin.comIncrement P: www.incrementp.co.jp/englishMicrosoft: www.microsoft.comMiTAC International: mitac.mic.com.twPioneer: pioneer.jp/index-e.htmlSanyo Electric: www.sanyo.comSony: www.sony.comTomTom: www.tomtom.com
In-Car and Standalone Navigation Devices Are a Dead End for Consumers
location based services
PSunnyvale, Calif. - July 31, 2007 - Consumers should be wary of in-car and standalone GPS navigation systems, according to the results of a recent TeleNav Web poll. Approximately 50 percent of respondents with personal navigation devices (PNDs) stated that their navigation systems have provided them with incorrect directions or outdated maps. This is likely due to the fact that unlike GPS applications on mobile phones and smartphones, handheld navigation systems are not updated on a regular basis, leading to increased misdirections and frustrations. Today, mobile phone navigation is more advanced than PNDs and in-car navigation systems. As mobile phones are connected to a wireless network, GPS applications on these phones receive ongoing updates and can provide a number of features that PNDs and in-car systems are unable to offer, such as one-touch traffic rerouting and location-based social-networking. Wireless connectivity also allows mobile phone navigation to provide larger, more detailed and more current business listings for places like ATMs, gas stations and movie theaters. These updates are also provided at no additional cost to customers, whereas a payment is often required to update maps and other content with standalone devices. Despite the ability to update the content, nearly half of the PND owners surveyed by TeleNav indicated that their systems do not always provide them with correct addresses and directions to business listings like restaurants and hotels. In-Stat recently reported that the navigation market, which is currently dominated by expensive standalone devices, has the potential to be offset by handset-based applications. The analyst firm predicts that the total number of mapping and navigation mobile phone subscribers could exceed 70 million worldwide by 2012.(1) In addition, a recent study by the Consumer Electronics Association shows that 33 percent of future GPS buyers are interested in owning a cell phone that has GPS / navigation capabilities.(2) "The benefits of mobile phone-based GPS navigation versus a standalone service are immeasurable," said HP Jin, TeleNav president, CEO and co-founder. "We can provide more content, more features and more capabilities - all at less cost. Above and beyond the cost of the hardware, the amount a customer pays to upgrade maps and business listings on a standalone or in-car system alone would probably pay for a year's worth of mobile phone navigation service."As more than 240 million Americans are wireless subscribers (3), customers can conveniently access their GPS service on a device they already carry with them and receive information in real-time based on their current location, which is far beyond what traditional navigation products are capable of. TeleNav offers TeleNav GPS Navigator(tm), a mobile device-based navigation service that provides voice and on-screen turn-by-turn directions. The most recent version introduced includes new social-networking features such as location sharing. To learn more about TeleNav GPS Navigator, please visit www.telenav.com. About TeleNav Inc. TeleNav, Inc., headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, was the first company to launch a GPS navigation system on mobile phones in the United States. TeleNav is a global leader in wireless location-based services (LBS), including GPS navigation, Mobile Resource Management (MRM), asset GPS tracking (AVL) and local search. The company's flagship product, TeleNav GPS Navigator(tm), is comparable to in-car systems found in luxury vehicles, but offers a superior experience with functionality such as automatically updated maps and business locations, full color 3D moving maps, traffic alerts and one-click rerouting, speech recognition, Wi-Fi hotspot finder, lowest price fuel finder and more. TeleNav offers its services internationally through leading wireless carriers including Sprint Nextel, AT&T, T-Mobile USA, Alltel, Boost Mobile, Qwest, SouthernLINC Wireless, Rogers, Bell Mobility, China Mobile, Vivo Brazil and T-Mobile Austria. TeleNav GPS Navigator is also available in 15 European countries. TeleNav partners include Research In Motion (RIM), Motorola, Samsung, Sanyo, LG, Palm, HTC, Hewlett Packard, Nokia, NAVTEQ, Tele Atlas, deCarta, Qualcomm and SiRF Technology Holdings.
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