News tagged ‘Maps’

Google today announced the launch of its Nexus One smartphone. It is based on the Android 2.1 operating system and offers 800x480 screen, 5 megapixel camera with flash,  Qualcomm's 1 GHz Snapdragon processor. The Nexus One offers 512 MB of Flash and 512 MB of RAM, and ships with a 4 GB Micro SD card with support for cards up to 32 GB.

Nexus One is initially available from the Google web store in the US without service for $529 or starting at $179 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile USA. In the near future, Verizon Wireless in the US and Vodafone in Europe plan to offer similar service plans.

Here is the full list of hardware and software features:

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This is the first video hands-on of Nexus One, best known as the first Google Phone to be released in early 2010. In the movie we can see the Android Market, the speed of the processor, quite functional browser, the ability to open documents, and even Google Maps Widget.

Here are some characteristics of the device:

• OLED display with capacitive touchscreen
• Home Screen renovated with the possibility of using an animated background
• Two microphones to reduce background noise during a conversation
• The new version 2.1 operating system,
• Snapdragon processor
• Supports GSM networks
• WiFi
• Great camera
• Virtual keyboard on the screen, but there is ability to use voice to dictate the words

Here is a side-by-side photo of Nexus One and iPhone:

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MacWorld compared nine different iPhone GPS Navigation applications:

• AT&T Navigator
• CoPilot Live N.A.
• GoKivo GPS Navigator
• iGo My way 2009 (N.A.)
• Magellan RoadMate 2010 N.A. Ed.
• MobileNavigator N.A.
• MotionX GPS Drive
• Sygic Mobile Maps U.S.
• TomTom U.S. & Canada

Prices ranged from $4/month to $100 to own. Overall the AT&T Navigator ($10/month) and MobileNavigator ($90) received the best ratings.

Here are some results in tables:

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Microsoft just released an official application of its search engine "Bing". The app looks really good and is well done. It allows you to find websites, images, videos, maps, shopping, news and offers step by step directions to navigate from one point to another! There is even a voice search, a business directory, ability to add pushpins and save locations.

Bing app is avaliable for free via AppStore (link).

MacRumors has found a new Apple job listing seeking an iPhone Software Engineer to join the iPhone and iPod Touch Maps team with the goal of taking the iPhone's built-in Maps App to "the next level":

The iPhone has revolutionized the mobile industry and has changed people’s lives and we want to continue to do so. We want to take Maps to the next level, rethink how users use Maps and change the way people find things. We want to do this in a seamless, highly interactive and enjoyable way. We’ve only just started.

Apple and Google have increasingly become competitors in the mobile space while Google's mapping data remains an integral part of the iPhone's Maps application. Add this job listing to previous news that Apple quietly acquired Placebase, a would-be Google Maps competitor, back in July, and it certainly looks like Apple is planning something interesting (and less dependent on Google) for future Maps.app updates. Rumors say this new app will have navigation functionality.

TomTom navigation application updated to version 1.2. Added features include updates to maps and IQ Routes, advanced lane guidance, text-to-speech, integrated iPod player support and support for the iPod Touch and first-generation iPhone 2G.

To use the app on iPod Touch and iPhone 2G, TomTom's car kit is required. This is due to the fact that both devices lack an integrated GPS receiver. TomTom's car kit is a cradle which contains a GPS module, integrated speaker, charger, and line out. It is not required when the TomTom app is paired with the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The cost for the kit without the app is $119.95.

Full list of what's new in 1.2:

• Improved search and route summary screens
• Updated map from v8.30 to v8.35
• Updated points of interest database
• Updated IQ Routes database with millions of new measurements
• Added Advanced Lane Guidance in both portrait and landscape mode
• Added Text-to-speech in English US, English UK, English Australia, French Canada, Spanish Latin America
• Added Help Me! emergency menu
• Added iPod player support
• Added support for original iPhone and iPod touch (all models)

The TomTom app is available in App Store for $49.99-$139.99 (link). Price depends on the map coverage. The highest price is for TomTom Western Europe. US & Canada costs $99.99. The cheapest version is for Hong-Kong - just $49.99.

Google today announced that it has issued an update to Google Earth the companion iPhone and iPod touch application to the company's desktop application offering virtual globe and other geographic information.

Among the biggest changes in Version 2.0 of Google Earth is the ability to view custom maps stored in the "My Maps" section of users' Google Maps accounts:

By logging in directly to your Google Maps account, you can view the same maps that you or others have created, using the My Maps interface.

What's new:

• Take your maps with you wherever you go. View Google Maps created on your desktop computer on your iPhone.
• Visual feedback when you select photos, businesses, and other icons. It's now much easier to browse.
• Improved performance
• Available in many new languages and countries

The app is free and avaliable in AppStore (link).

Google created a new application called Google Maps Navigator. This is a full and free navigation software supported by advertising. The app will have turn-by-turn navigation, traffic information, POI, voice search, sattelite, 3D and street views. There is only an app for the Android platfom, but an iPhone version will be released soon. Hopefully Apple will not reject it. Let's watch the video:

It looks like Google and Apple have been steadily moving from friends to enemies. Google created Android and CloudOS, Apple rejected Google Voice and Google Latitude, Google’s CEO left Apple.

So Back in July Apple stealthily acquired Placebase, a mapping company that provides a service similar to Google Maps, but with more robust customizations and set of APIs, called Pushpin.

The obvious interest Apple would have in the company would be the mapping content and expertise that they are currently relying on Google for in their iPhone maps application. Placebase, however, also offered additional functionality that is not currently available in Google's offerings that Apple could theoretically take advantage of.

Given that Apple wrote the iPhone Maps app themselves, and just used Google for the backend, a switch to Apple Maps might even be transparent to the end user.

Placebase CEO Jaron Waldman LinkedIn profile now listed his position as part of the "Geo Team" at Apple.

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Quantum Collapse is one of the best games RTS (Real Time Strategy) games for iPhone and iPod Touch. The game was released less than a month ago and has already been updated to version 1.1. Regular price is $3.99, but it is on sal enow for $0.99 (AppStore link). There is also a free lite version (AppStore link).

Features:

• 13 Campaign missions providing more than 8 hours of gameplay
• 11 Skirmish missions with 3 different AI Types.
• Amazing Particle Effects and Explosions
• 2 Completely different factions with unique designs and powers
• Voxel generated terrain (no repetitive tilemaps)
• Map Zoom.
• Each unit has a unique powerup. Some super units have up to 6 of them.
• Spell system enables you to take a huge part in the battle.

In next version developers will implement multiplayer with voice-chat. Note for iPhone 3GS users: the game has graphical glitches on the iPhone 3GS. Developers found the solution and the fix is on it's way.

Here is a demo video:

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Navigon has just released free version of their navigation application. Navigon MobileNavigator Lite includes the same range of functions as the full version, although no active route guidance with GPS support is available. In other words you have the maps and you can just browse without Turn-by-turn directions.

In US AppStore we were able to find and download Navigon MobileNavigator Lite North America. There are many different other apps in different AppStores. For example there is MobileNavigator British Isles in UK AppStore. Unfortunately there is no free Europe in one app.

Who still has not tested the Navigon can do it now. Good download.

The app is free, here are couple AppStore links:.

• MobileNavigator Lite North America link
• MobileNavigator British Isles Lite link

Here is a list of 113 new features in 3.0 firmware. The information is  from hackint0sh site forum:

1. Cut/Paste
2. Copy/Paste
3. Shake to undo/redo typing
4. Text selection for easy mass deletion
5. MMS
6. Landscape keyboard in Notes
7. Landscape keyboard in Mail
8. Landscape keyboard in Messages
9. Forward texts or picture messages
10. Delete individual texts or picture messages

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iBlogeek has released a Mac OX utility called BackToUp that will help everyone back up their device. The program is pretty good and make the backup of:

• Contacts
• Text Messages (SMS)
• Bookmarks and History of Safari
• Call History
• Calendar
• Notes
• Bookmarks and History of Maps
• General Preferences (ringtone, etc)

Also, BackToUp can:

• Create a backup
• Restore a device using a backup
• Erase backups
• Update a backup

You can download BackToUp here.

The mobile Yandex.Traffic Lite application allows monitor road traffic in real time for efficient route planning. The application shows traffic in four Russain cities: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Kiev. It is easy to use: just turn it on and choose the city. The application features scalable maps, and also shows the traffic congestion score and its tendency. The application requires active internet connection to function.

The app is free and avaliable via AppStore (link).

The new 1.2.5 xGPS version will appear in Cydia in a few hours. If you want to try it asap, you can manually download it here.

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