Wednesday, July 1. 2009

Waze: Dash Reincarnate for Android?

Update: Now it's in open beta for Android across the U.S.

- SV/SJ Business Journal

Tuesday, June 30. 2009

NAVTEQ's Mobile Traffic App Update

You may have missed yesterday's press release from NAVTEQ noting an update to its traffic information app for mobile phones (any with a browser) for free. There are, per C|net some unobtrusive ads, and the navigation is "interesting." The "east" and "west" links to slide the map one way or the other, are not in their typical orientation.

It's hard to imagine that users really want one app for finding directions or local services and another for traffic information. I'm hopeful this is simply a way to get the word out that this sort of functionality (and detail) should be embedded in other apps, a la "Intel Inside," though NAVTEQ uses "NAVTEQ onboard."

Tuesday, June 23. 2009

Podcast: Why not code the real world?

While much money is spent noting attributes of physical objects on paper maps or in electronic files, only for them to be of limited use in the field, why do we not simply code more real world object with key information? In Akron fire hydrants are coded with their water pressure by their colored domes. Even as we put all this information into databases, should we also think more about simply it putting it right where it's needed?


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Friday, June 5. 2009

Research In Motion acquires Dash Navigation

I first saw the report of the acquisition on GPS Business News (subscription required, but I want to give them credit!); now it's well confirmed. No terms of the deal were shared.

TechCrunch reports "RIM refused to comment on how Dash will be incorporated into its business but it’s safe to assume that the company will use Dash’s technology to upgrade the GPS in their devices in some capacity." The article goes on to report that RIM might be able to do good things with the platform, considering how many people currently carry Blackberries.

Twice notes some other entries into the "traffic probe" space: Waze and Aha Mobile.

Many, including this InformationWeek blog are suggesting the acquisition is like that of NAVTEQ by Nokia. While I agree it'll help in the nav space, it's really not the same sort of acquisition at all in my book.

Thursday, May 7. 2009

MSN Direct Service Under Review

On Tuesday Microsoft let go 3,000 employees, the second wave of a promised 5000 person cut announced earlier this year. While no products were removed from the product line, one with implications for location-based services is under review: MSN Direct. That's an FM data service used to send traffic, weather and other real time data to GPS receivers (from many vendors) and the less-than-successful SmartWatch.

The official statement on MSN Direct:

While the group was impacted by yesterday's job eliminations, they will continue to maintain the current MSN Direct service and invest in developing a low cost receiver for multiple devices.

Tuesday, April 7. 2009

Podcast: Any Game Changers in LBS Yet?

Many announcements related to location-based services came out of the CTIA show last week, including winners of the NAVTEQ LBS Challenge. Were any truly game changing? Our editors look at the current state of LBS and what may be ahead.


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