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The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) “Atlas of Our Changing World” was first published in hardback in June 2005; this year it’s online via Google Earth. And, the organization is happy with the results.
What’s next? Looking for partnerships with the likes of Microsoft, Oracle Corp., Cisco Systems and ESRI, thought it’s not clear they’ll be related to mapping.
- Reuters
The press release is here, but basically the app, smart2go, will be available on Feb 10 for some Nokia devices, then later it will come installed on Nokia devices and be available for PocketPC, Linux and other Windows Mobile devices. The technology is from Gate5, which Nokia purchased last year. The data is from Tele Altas and NAVTEQ. Maps are free, turn-by-turn navigation system will cost a bit.
Here’s the Inquirer’s take:
Paid-for mapping services must be choking at this announcement. Not only is Nokia giving the bulk of the software away free, but the company is also pre-installing the software on a plethora of Nokia devices and allowing it to be usable on the majority of popular platforms in the market.
It seems the navigation world may change substantially after this product has launched - expect more navigation and mapping services released free of charge, with companies making money from optional upgrades, the sale of ‘points-of-interest’ (we noted that Nokia mentioned McDonald’s as an example in the press release) and other marketing-on-mapping methods.
I doubt there is much choking as Nokia announced this last year. (Directions article, APB) Further, Nokia stated then, quite correctly, that if others offer it for free (think Google, MapQuest…) you can’t charge for that same stuff. But, you can charge for distinguishing services and data.
And, from the unidentified source department:
An unofficial source at Nokia has also told vnunet.com that all the company’s smartphones will have built-in GPS by the end of 2007.
Seventeen analysts follow Navteq, giving the Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendation nine buy ratings, seven holds, and a sell.
The big concern though is that the company bought wildly money losing Traffic.com:
That press release put the target’s 2005 revenue at $43.3 million. But because the firm is public, we also know (thank you, Capital IQ) that Traffic.com booked $49.4 million in the last four quarters, up from $43.5 million one year earlier. It is, however, wildly unprofitable, losing $27 million under GAAP accounting over the last four quarters, and burning $32.7 million in cash.
Needless to say, the Traffic.com acquisition will be dilutive to Navteq’s earnings (subtracting somewhere between $0.11 and $0.17 per share in 2007, the company says). The smaller TMN deal will also be “slightly dilutive to earnings per share in 2007.”
Posted today at Directions Magazine:
Composite Applications Take Enterprise Location Intelligence to Next Level
Demonstrating and Measuring GIS Benefits with an ROI-driven Framework
“Extra! Extra! Read (and see) all about it!”
SiRF and Skyhook to Offer Hybrid GPS/Wi-Fi Location Solution
Interested? We have a feed of articles from Directions Magazine or you can subscribe to e-mail newsletters.
This topic was on NPR recently, but another study was done in Chicago. It found food deserts, ares with convenience stores and fast food, but no big grocery stores, in the south and west sides of the city. A video travels with one woman who must hire a driver to drive to “real grocery.” That pulls money out of the neighborhood and limits the fresh food she eats. Grocery chains are growing - but morstly in the suburbs, so the city of Chicago is offering tax incentives and training to try to get more stores into these areas.
I lived on the south side for four years while I was at school. The first three years I ate mostly in the dorms, but senior year I had an appartment. And, one of my roommates had a car. Each month we’d drive to the suburbs for cheaper, fresher food.
- NBC 5, Chicago
