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‘maps’ Stories

TomTom takes shot at OpenStreetMap

Ben Kersey, May 29th 2012 Discuss [0]

OpenStreetMap has seen some press lately thanks to the inclusion of its maps in iPhoto for iOS. Google has also pioneered free turn-by-turn navigation software on smartphones, a functional that was once dominated by expensive TomTom and Garmin units. Now TomTom has taken to its website to highlight the dangers of open source maps, and the community behind OpenStreetMap is crying foul. Read The Full Story

Nokia adds live traffic and geocoding to Microsoft Bing maps

Shane McGlaun, May 25th 2012 Discuss [0]

Nokia and Microsoft have been partnered closely on Windows Phone smartphones for a while now. The two companies partner on more than smartphones alone. Those other partnerships include working together to bring improved location-based services and apps to Microsoft users. Microsoft and Nokia have announced improvements for Bing Maps. Read The Full Story

Apple iCloud beta website shows iOS 6

Chris Burns, May 11th 2012 Discuss [0]

This week some intrepid iOS developers have discovered a new portal coming your way soon: Apple's iCloud beta, complete with code references to the new iOS 6 mobile operating system. This climpse has not yet shown just one whole heck of a lot of information about what we're in for in the future for Apple's mobile devices, but we can see that we're in for some more cloud integration of services soon. Included in this beta portal are references and images of both Apple's Notes and Reminders, both of them set for iOS on the iPhone, for example, coming to the iCloud soon we must expect. Read The Full Story

Apple’s iPhone 5 maps app technology previewed by C3

Chris Burns, May 11th 2012 Discuss [0]

This week Apple has been tipped to be releasing a non-Google maps iteration on their iPhone 5 once the device has been prepared for a third-quarter announcement, this mapping technology bringing "next-level" realness and fabulous technological breakthroughs galore. What you're about to see is a hands-on video from NetBookNews which shows off the technology that has been created by C3 Technologies, a company that Apple purchased back in 2011. What we can expect from Apple in the very near future is a set of mapping apps that utilize the technology you see in this video without hesitation and on a giant scale. Read The Full Story

iOS 6 will feature Apple’s custom Map app

Ben Kersey, May 11th 2012 Discuss [9]

We’ve seen numerous hints that Apple has been working on its own in-house maps solution with the purchase of several mapping companies and the unusual switch to OpenStreetMaps in iPhoto for iOS. Now 9to5Mac has heard from trusted sources the Apple’s own mapping solution will be unveiled as part of iOS 6 when it’s announced in the coming months. Read The Full Story

Nokia City Lens drive suite hands-on (with bonus My Commute preview)

Chris Burns, May 10th 2012 Discuss [5]

This week we spoke with the VP of Nokia’s map platform for location and commerce Christof Hellmis who has given us a full tour of what Windows Phone-laden Nokia devices have to offer the world in the maps environment. What he showed us during CTIA 2012 was several hands-on demonstrations of each of the apps that make Nokia’s Windows Phone smartphones unique, starting with Nokia Maps, Nokia Transport, and Nokia Drive and moving on to the newest application to hit Nokia devices worldwide: Nokia City Lens.

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RIM partners with TomTom for HD Traffic

Ben Kersey, May 8th 2012 Discuss [0]

RIM was at BlackBerry World last week trying to impress the world with the upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS, and its not sitting still even coming off of that event. TomTom has announced a partnership with RIM that will see the Canadian company making use of the HD maps in BlackBerry Traffic, giving users access to accurate maps and precise traffic information. Read The Full Story

Apple confirms OpenStreetMaps usage in iPhoto

Ben Kersey, May 4th 2012 Discuss [7]

Apple introduced iPhoto for iOS along with the new iPad, and while Cupertino has relied solely on Google Maps for many of its services, iPhoto featured OpenStreetMap images instead. Apple has remained silent on the issue over the past two months, but OpenStreetMap has found Apple’s acknowledgement within the iPhoto settings. OpenStreetMap says that after making “informal contact” with Apple staff, the credit was eventually added. Read The Full Story

Microsoft Research deblurring tech now used in Bing aerial images

Rue Liu, Apr 30th 2012 Discuss [0]

The Microsoft Research team had developed a sensor-based photo deblurring method back in 2010, which was designed to use the hardware motion sensors attached to a camera to help remove any motion blur from pictures. Originally meant for consumer photography, that technology is now being applied to deblur much larger photos for Bing's aerial imagery. Read The Full Story

Google’s Floor Plan Marker app to crowdsource indoor mapping data

Rue Liu, Apr 6th 2012 Discuss [1]

Google has released a new app for Android users called Floor Plan Marker that will help improve the accuracy of its indoor maps. The company had launched its indoor mapping initiative last November with Google Maps 6.0 that provided indoor maps and navigation for major shopping centers and airports in the US and Japan. Read The Full Story

Microsoft backs OpenStreetMap to compete with Google Maps

Rue Liu, Mar 27th 2012 Discuss [3]

Google Maps may be the dominant player in the mapping business still, but there's a rising star in an open-source competitor called OpenStreetMap that's been heavily backed by Microsoft. Due to the high fees of using Google Maps, some major services, including FourSquare and Apple's iPhoto app, have already defected to using OpenStreetMap instead. Read The Full Story