Jul 10
The first-class Maps app from Google has gotten better. Too bad you need Google+ to enjoy all the new features.
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Jul 10
Google has officially released a new version of Google Maps for Android and, soon, iPhone and iPad, complete with a new design and the retirement of Latitude among other changes. The new app, which already began rolling out as v.7 to Android users a few hours ago, includes dedicated tablet designs for Android and iPad for the first time, but users may end up confused by the missing “offline maps” feature which is now no longer accessed in the same way.
Instead, to access maps offline, users must enter “OK Maps” into the search box when the area they wish to later see without a data connection is on-screen. It’s an odd decision for the company, and arguably will see offline use decline. My Maps support is also missing from the new apps, though Google says it will be added in later.
Meanwhile, Latitude and check-ins have been retired from the app, and Google says they’ll disappear from older versions on August 9. Location sharing will instead be handled through Google+, though currently only the Android version supports that.
It’s the new navigation features that many users will be pleased to see, however. The Google Maps app can now show not only current traffic conditions, but pull up exact incident details; during navigation, Google will also notify users if there’s a faster route available, and refresh the directions accordingly. Again, it’s an Android-only feature to begin with, though iOS will get it in time.
Explore has been boosted in the new app, too, with search results in Google Now-style cards as you type. Locations for food, hotels, and shopping will all pop up, Google says, and there’s a new rating system that works alongside the Zagat reviews. Offers, from stores like Macy’s and Toys “R” Us, are also embedded straight into the maps too.
Google Maps for Android is already out, working with Ice Cream Sandwich and above. Google Maps for iPhone and iPad will require iOS 6 or above when it’s released.
New Google Maps official: Dedicated tablet UI, traffic details, more is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Jul 08
Garmin Rolls With The Punches Of Changing Navigation Game With Smartphone HUD For Cars
Posted in: Today's Chili
Garmin built its empire on dedicated GPS devices, but those are obviously facing extinction in the face of smartphones that can replicate their function without requiring an expensive secondary hardware purchase. Today, Garmin announced a device that could help it capitalize on its changing role in the navigation ecosystem, while still allowing it to sell hardware to consumers.
The Garmin HUD is just that, a heads-up-display that sits on your dash and projects a simple set of basic navigation data onto a transparent film affixed to your windshield. This replicates some features found in very expensive and well-appointed luxury cars, and it’s relatively inexpensive at $129.99.
Information displayed on the readout includes current speed, speed limit, an indicator to show when you turn next and the distance to said turn, as well as estimated arrival time. There’s no detailed map or points of interest, which is actually very good in that it will help keep drivers more focused on the road. It also shows yo upcoming traffic delays and traffic camera locations, and auto-adjusts for night and day. The smartphone HUD will work with any Bluetooth-capable smartphone running Android, iOS or Windows Phone 8 that can run Garmin’s StreetPilot and Navigon applications, and will arrive this summer for $129.99.
Garmin and others who make third-party smartphone apps that offer navigation services face an increasingly challenging market: Apple and Google both offer free software that does turn-by-turn navigation on mobile devices, either built-in or free, and offerings like Waze (which Google just acquired) really does a fantastic job of giving you all the bells and whistles for free, with a system that’s intelligent and adapts to changing traffic and road conditions in real time.
How do you differentiate as a dedicated navigation company? Offering your own accessory hardware is one very good way. The HUD from Garmin provides a real, tangible advantage to using Garmin’s paid apps over the free and easy competition. Until HUD projection becomes a built-in feature of every smartphone or in-car infotainment system, at least.
Jul 02
Last night, India successfully sent the satellite IRNSS-1A into space on one of its own rockets, making it the first of seven that will provide the country with a GPS-like navigation system. The rocket – called the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C22 – was sent into space from the Satish Dhawan Space Center a little before
Jul 02
India will soon have a positioning system of its own. Much like our own GPS, the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is scheduled to provide location information to civilians and government users alike, with a position accuracy of 20 meters or better. Seven satellites will make up IRNSS, including three in geostationary orbit and four in inclined geosynchronous orbit, which will rotate with the Earth. GPS currently covers the Indian subcontinent, as it does the rest of the world — like GLONASS in Russia and BeiDou in China, IRNSS will provide additional utility to users within 1,500 kilometers of the Indian mainland. It’s expected to come online by 2016.
Filed under: GPS
Via: PCWorld
Source: Hindustan Times
Jul 02
We’ve all been there: finding yourself in a new place—or even one you’ve visited but never lived in—there’s always bound to be the occasional wrong turn. So what tech do you use to make sure you find your way?
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Jun 25
Nokia is calling out Google Maps over indoor mapping, claiming that its HERE Venue Maps cover more areas and with more accuracy than any rival can muster. The software – which is available on Nokia Windows Phones and in Bing – integrates floor plans for inside stadiums, theme parks, golf clubs, and shopping malls with
Jun 24
This technically isn’t Garmin’s first foray into Android territory, but it could prove to be one of the most successful. The navigation company’s just introduced Monterra, a dedicated handheld GPS running a TBA version of Android. Basic specs are in line with what you’d expect from a mid-range smartphone, including a 4-inch touchscreen, an 8-megapixel camera with flash and geotag support, 1080p video capture, 6GB of internal storage and microSD expansion. Naturally, the display is optimized for outdoor use — it’s transflective, so you only need to use the LED backlight in low light, letting you conserve power during daytime river treks and sunlit hikes.
The device is ruggedized, with an IPX7 waterproof rating, and can run on either a rechargeable battery pack (included) or AA batteries. It includes WiFi, ANT+, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, a built-in FM radio with NOAA weather and SAME alerts, dual-band GPS and GLONASS receiver, a 3-axis compass with accelerometer and gyro, a UV sensor for monitoring the sun’s intensity and a barometric altimeter, which can report altitude and predict weather based on pressure shifts. There’s also a handful of preinstalled apps designed to take advantage of this plethora of connectivity, including Europe PeakFinder, or you can download favorites from Google Play — anything from farming aids to efficiency trackers can utilize many of Monterra’s bundled sensors. The device is expected to ship in Q3, and should run you about $650 in the US or £600 in the UK.
Filed under: GPS
Source: Garmin
Jun 20
Adafruit smart helmet guides bike riders with Arduino-based light shows (video)
Posted in: Today's Chili
Bike sharing systems like New York’s Citi Bike may be taking off, but it’s doubtful that many participants can find every station without checking a map. Thankfully, Adafruit has unveiled a smart helmet project that could help at least a few of those riders get to their destinations while keeping their eyes on the road. The DIY effort feeds locations to an Arduino-based Flora board and its positioning add-ons, which in turn use a string of NeoPixel LEDs on the helmet as turn indicators. Commuters just have to watch for blinking lights to know where to go next. While the system isn’t easy to set up when cyclists have to manually enter coordinates, it is flexible: the open-source code lets it adapt to most any bike sharing system or headpiece. As long as you can get over looking like a Christmas tree on wheels while you navigate, you can build a smart helmet of your own using the instructions at the source link.
Filed under: GPS, Transportation, Alt
Source: Adafruit
Jun 14
Magellan SmartGPS review: further proof your phone is the only navigator you need
Posted in: Today's Chili
When speaking with executives from the Google Maps team earlier this year at I/O, I was reminded that Maps wasn’t even a product in 2004. In less than a decade, one of Google’s bright ideas has completely and unabashedly transformed the entire routing industry. (Avid readers will no doubt recall this graph, depicting real moves in the stock market moments after Google Maps Navigation was first introduced.) That development, coupled with the explosion in smartphone adoption across emerged markets, has left players like Magellan in quite the predicament. It wasn’t that long ago that dedicated PNDs (personal navigation devices) were the gift to get for the holiday season. And indeed, many units from Garmin in particular delighted me plenty over the years.
But the reality today is that PND makers have found themselves redundant. A few have resorted to innovating on the software side and nailing down partnerships with automakers and fleet-management firms in order to keep revenue rolling in, while Magellan has opted to create a new piece of hardware. That hardware, of course, is the SmartGPS. Rather than being a standalone PND suitable for mounting on one’s dash or window, the device works best when used in concert with an accompanying iPhone or Android app (sorry, Windows Phone and BlackBerry users). In essence, the company is hoping that by creating a product that extends the functionality of your smartphone, you’ll be inclined to hand over $250. After a week of road tripping through the US southwest, however, I’m inclined to believe differently.
Gallery: Magellan SmartGPS review
Filed under: GPS, Transportation
Source: Magellan SmartGPS product page
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