Changes to the pronunciation used during turn-by-turn navigation were made. The updated app also alerts drivers to toll roads and has improved labels for points of interest. Labels for other important locations such as subways, freeways, and hospitals were also improved.

Reports indicate that some important locations within Japan were upgraded with 3-D building renderings, such as landmarks like Tokyo station and Tokyo Tower. Freeways are now also marked in green making them stand out from other roadways. Apple has made a particularly big deal about the updates to its map service.

However, Apple’s maps service has been harshly criticized by users all around the world with some, the maps outright dangerous. Maps launch on Apple devices along with iOS 6 back in September. Early on Apple Maps were so bad that many users opted for alternatives such as the new Google Maps app.

[via CNET]

Now it would seem that Nokia is a bit more comfortable with where the app is at, opening the floodgates to Windows Phone 8 users in those three countries listed above. Keep in mind, though, that Nokia Drive+ is still in beta, so therefore might be a little rough around the edges in some places. Just as well, Microsoft and Nokia would like feedback on the app as development continues, and users can share their thoughts by tapping the in-app feedback tab.

In addition to turn-by-turn navigation, Nokia Drive+ offers offline maps and speed limit warnings. The app will still alert you with those speed limit warnings even when you aren’t using it for turn-by-turn navigation, which is quite handy indeed. You’ll be able to tell Nokia Drive+ to avoid things like dirt and toll roads if you wish, with the app switching to night mode automatically and thus making it easier to see the screen at all times.

There’s no word yet on when Nokia Drive+ will roll out of beta, or if the beta will become accessible to users in other countries. In any case, if you’ve got a Windows Phone 8 device and you’re living in the US, Canada, or the UK, you can grab the app from the Windows Phone 8 Store today. Keep it tuned here to SlashGear for more information on Nokia Drive+!

[via ZDNet]

The three navigation systems specifically feature iPhone 5 compatibility and high resolution touch screen displays ranging from 6.1 to 7-inches in size. Other features of the navigation systems include a new mapping interface with integrated real-time traffic information available. The navigation receivers also have a new graphical user interface, AppRadio Mode, integrated Bluetooth, and are SiriusXM ready.

The receivers also support HD Radio and DVD/CD/MP3 playback along with USB connectivity. The iPhone 5 connectivity for the navigation products does require the optional Pioneer CD-IH202 kit that sells for $50 and two Apple accessories including the Lightning to USB cable and the Lightning digital AV Adapter is required for the AVIC-Z150BH and AVIC-X950BH.

The AVIC-X850BT requires the optional CD-IV202NAVI kit that retails for $100, the Lightning to USB cable, and the Lightning to VGA adapter. With these accessories, the user will be able to select control iPhone 5 apps via the in-dash touchscreen display. Drivers will also be able to play and control music and video stored on the iPhone 5 on the larger Pioneer tuner screen. The AVIC-X850BT, AVIC-X950BH and AVIC-Z150BH will be available in late March with suggested retail prices of $800, $950 and $1200, respectively.

The black box feature of the application is like a virtual driving log that creates an archive of your driving history. The idea is in the event of an accident information can be used to re-create what led up to the accident. The app also uses the iPhone camera and onboard sensors to detect lanes and vehicles in front of the driver.

With the ability to detect other vehicles and lanes, the app is able to alert drivers when they’re in danger, such as when driving too close to the car in front or when straying outside of their lane. The app also offers a feature that can estimate gas prices and offers feedback on how safe and green the driver is being during the trip.

The augmented reality navigation is particularly interesting since the app lays driving directions over the top of what you’re actually seeing in front of you. The range of functionality for the app includes augmented driving, collision warning, speed and alerts, and safety scoring. iOnRoad is available right now for $1.99.

Initially, the rumors stated simply that Apple was in talks with Waze, with neither company offering any comment on the claims. Soon after, however, a new source appeared stating that negotiations are revolving around price, with Waze asking for $750 million, and Apple trying to talk it down to $400 million with an addition $100 million in incentives. Waze’s revenue primarily comes via advertisements, and fell short of the $1 million mark last year.

One of Waze’s biggest advantages is that the data is gathered via actual vehicles navigating the roads. Thus far, Apple Maps has proven to be a large failure, with the platform sending drivers to incorrect locations, including bodies of water and the sides of buildings. In its worst mistake to date, the system was sending drivers into the middle of a desert-like national park, stranding them in conditions that can be fatal.

The fiasco was compounded by the elimination of Google Maps from iOS 6, something that has since been remedied by the release of the Google Maps for iOS app in late 2012. For now, the negotiation remain in the realm of speculation, but the move wouldn’t be surprising. Given the details that have surfaced, however, the back and forth between Apple and Waze might not come to an end any time soon.

Update: New sources “close to the situation” have stepped up to say that the deal is not taking place, though information beyond that is scant. Were Waze and Apple ever in talks? Nobody knows. With neither company willing to comment on the speculation, this one gets filed away into the Rumors folder.

[via Tech Crunch]

As StreetPilot Onboard and NAVIGON team up with Glypse, you’ll have a brand new set of navigation features. This update brings on the Glympse icon to your standard toolbar and allows you to instantly share you location with a select number of friends for either a short or a long period of time. Recipients of the messages you send with Glympse shows a link to a Glympse tracking map complete with location, arrival time, and speed (where applicable.)

In a rather similar sort of integration, Foursquare now appears in the two Garamin apps for check-ins galore. WIth just a click or two you’ll be linking in to your Foursquare account and checking into venues and making new locations on the fly – you’ll also get personalized POI suggestions based on your check-ins left and right.

With Apple devices you’ll be rolling out with iCloud support on the fly as well. You’ll be able to get your favorite destinations across multiple iOS devices with sync-tastic accuracy. And boy, are you lucky: starting today and lasting until the 7th of January, 2013. These apps provide a premium experience (with a one-time cost, forever, no subscription cost) for the following cash discounts:

StreetPilot Onboard iPhone USA: $39.99 instead of $49.99
StreetPilot Onboard iPhone North America: $44.99 instead of $59.99
NAVIGON iOS USA: $39.99 instead of $49.99
NAVIGON iOS North America: $44.99 instead of $59.99
NAVIGON iOS MyRegion: $22.99 instead of $29.99
NAVIGON Android USA: $39.95 instead of $49.95
NAVIGON Android North America: $44.95 instead of $59.95

In addition to adding compatibility with some the newest Android devices out there, the new app also brings other improvements. TomTom promises that the download manager has been improved and maps are now stored on the phone’s SD card if available. The updated version of the app also adds updated Driving View making information more clear and easy to read while driving.

The updated app version 1.1 also has a more flexible postcode entry allowing the app to find locations from the phone address book more reliably. Version 1.1 of the app is available for download now from Google Play. The price for the app is $37.99 and Android users who have already purchased get the update free.

The improved navigation to contacts feature is available in the US only. Other features of the application include full off-line map navigation and free lifetime map updates. The app also supports IQ Routes to provide the fastest routes at all times of day. The HD Traffic live traffic updates service is available as in app purchase as well as the location of Speed Cameras. The app also now offers spoken street names.

Mexico is one of many countries that have been added to the service in the recent past, joining the likes of France, Germany, Denmark, Hong Kong, and dozens of other locations. The app is currently in beta, something it will remind you of frequently when you go to use it. As many users can attest to, however, it works exceptionally well.

Navigation can be launched by tapping the blue triangle icon, at which point one will be presented with a few different options, including viewing starred locations and adding directions. Directions can be either typed or spoken, something more convenient for those times you need last minute help while behind the driver’s wheel.

The app can be toggled between driving and walking, allowing users to utilize it in a variety of situations. Certain requirements can be specified when getting directions, such as only routes that avoid toll roads or highways. Navigation can also be used to view a map with one’s present location, which is tracked with a blue dot as the user moves around.

[via Android Community]

“Due to the discontinuation of the Google Local Search service, TomTom has decided to remove the feature” the company said of the update. “You can still search for locations using TomTom Places. Alternatively you can search Google in your browser and use the Copied Address feature to plan routes to these locations.”

TomTom Places is the company’s own driving-centric database of search results, bringing up POIs including gas stations, markets, restaurants, and more. It’s included in the app, along with live traffic updates and lifetime map updates.

The app is priced at $59.99 for the US and Canada version [iTunes link], while the UK and Ireland version is £39.99. TomTom recommends using iTunes to install the update, as there’s the possibility that you could lose your settings and saved locations otherwise.

Also reported today was a note that Cue was continuing to work with the maps company that’s responsible for much of the inner workings of the GPS information in Apple’s current Maps app, TomTom NV. Cue previously took over the now-defunct MobileMe program at Apple and is also reportedly working with Apple to improve the Apple TV ecosystem.

Recently there’s also been word that the Apple Maps system as well as the iPhone superstar Siri will be moving forward to the OS X desktop environment. This move would have a MapKit framework pushed to developers so that they might embed the workings of it into their everyday mapping apps from top to bottom. Siri similarly would be expanded to all manner of cross-platform apps and apps that would be greatly improved by talk.

Meanwhile the iPhone 5 has been reported to be the hottest selling phone in the USA over a period of 12 weeks leading up to October 28th, this according to analyst group Kantar. Chevrolet continues to show their support for Apple with next-generation MyLink with Siri in their next-generation vehicles, and the iPhone 5 is replacing BlackBerry left and right.

The full apology can be found in our other post from earlier today called “Apple CEO Tim Cook apologizes for Apple Maps fiasco”, but the most important bit can be found here. In one line, Cook takes iOS 6 users down a road containing maps from all of Apple’s new Maps’ main competitors. He even tells users to use Google Maps in a browser.

“While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.” – Tim Cook

It’s absolutely unimportant at this very moment if any other company would have done the same or even if Apple would have done the same in the past. Apple has right this moment entered a new age in which they don’t just create products that compete only with their past products – notice their advertisements that don’t mention the competition – they’ve officially encouraged their competitors to make products that will help them move into the future.

Of course if you think Apple made it this far on it’s own, you’re sorely mistaken. Apple has always relied on their friends AND their competitors to create an ecosystem in which they’ll thrive. I leave you with this undeniably awesome, lighthearted vision from all the way back in 1983 – the Apple Software Dating Game. See what you make of it!

The deal uses the same Nokia Transit and Pedestrian Content (TaP) as has been so well received on previous Nokia devices, but brings it to iOS and Android as a local app for the first time. There’s data on walkways, bridges, tunnels, crossings, passages, and stairs, as well as an understanding that pedestrians can cross over squares, parks, and other open spaces rather than being limited to regular sidewalks.

As for mass transit support, there’s guidance for railways, tram and bus lines, stops, stations, and access points. In short, everything Apple is missing from its first-gen iOS 6 Maps app, which relies on third-party provisions for public transportation and pedestrian guidance.

Pricing for the in-app Urban Guidance purchases is $3.99 on Android and iOS, with the new packs available now. The financial terms of Nokia’s deal with Garmin have not been revealed.

As any iPhone or iPad user may know, Google Maps for iOS did not come with turn-by-turn navigation unlike the Android version. Google was adamant about keeping turn-by-turn an exclusive feature on Android. Somehow, Apple was okay with that and they signed the contract that would allow a modified version of Google Maps to be used on iOS.

However, Apple slowly started to realize that they needed built-in turn-by-turn navigation on iOS that was free, but their contract with Google (which still had a year left) still wouldn’t allow that. In order to compete with Android, Apple’s only choice at that point was to build their own solution that came with turn-by-turn navigation.

So, Apple began to quietly and quickly develop an in-house maps app that had voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation built in, with the goal of having it ready for iOS 6. Once they knew that it would be ready for iOS 6, the company decided to announce their new maps app at WWDC back in June and ditch Google Maps once and for all.

The transition isn’t going so well for Apple, since their new Maps app is getting a lot of flack for being extremely buggy and pretty inaccurate. Then again, this is Apple’s first time doing this, and even know we’re talking about a great company like Apple, no one does something great on the first try. They even said it themselves.

[via AllThingsD]

Apple’s argument is that it can keep tweaking Maps on its servers, with users invisibly getting an improved experience as the service develops. ”As Maps is a cloud-based solution, the more people use it, the better it will get” Muller explains. “We’re also working with developers to integrate some of the amazing transit apps in the App Store into iOS Maps. We appreciate all of the customer feedback and are working hard to make the customer experience even better.”

Although iOS 6 Maps has met with praise for its bundled turn-by-turn navigation, something Google never enabled for Google Maps on iOS before, as well as the visually pleasing “flyover” 3D view option, it’s more fundamental issues that are causing headaches. Some of Apple’s data appears to be out-of-date, meaning businesses now closed or moved are incorrectly included, while satellite data lacks the close-up detail of Google’s service.

Potentially more dangerous are incorrect driving directions, which could lead drivers to attempt the wrong turns or even try to travel the wrong way down a one-way street. It’s possible to report an error in a point-of-interest on the map to Apple from within the Maps app itself.

Apple has not said when users can next expect a significant improvement to the service, though with the iPhone 5 freshly on sale in stores today, we’d guess the company is working fast to polish off the most obvious rough edges.

To be fair, the benchmarks include Google Maps along with Apple’s new Maps app, but this post is clearly capitalizing on the unrest surrounding Apple Maps. “Unlike our competitors, which are financing their location assets with advertising or licensing mapping content from third parties, we completely own, build and distribute mapping content, platform and apps,” Bonetti writes. “In other words, we truly understand that maps and location-based apps must be accurate, provide the best quality and be accessible basically anywhere. That’s been standard practice at Nokia for the past six years, and we also understand that ‘pretty’ isn’t enough. You expect excellence in your smartphone mapping experience.”

That’s some big talk, but Nokia’s benchmarks seem to back it up. In most cases, Nokia’s Maps suite comes out on top when compared to Google Maps and Apple’s new effort. There are a few instances where Google Maps matches Nokia’s Location Platform, but in almost all of the comparisons, Apple comes in last. Click the thumbnail below to see the full results of Nokia’s benchmark tests.

In this case, we have to say that Nokia has a right to brag. Nokia’s Location Platform is loved by users, and it’s easy to tell that a lot of work went into making it a solid set of apps. Google Maps may be the more popular navigation service (and admittedly it’s pretty good to boot), but the big G certainly has a worthy challenger in Nokia. What do you think of Nokia’s Location Platform? Do you prefer it over Google Maps?

Meanwhile, there’s also a Last Mile function which will remember the location of a parked car and help a driver return to it later on, useful if you’re easily confused by extensive parking lots. StreetPilot Onboard also adds Google Maps Street View data, which was previously accessible on the iPhone and iPad via Google Maps but, as of iOS 6, is no longer available.

However, some of the selling points Garmin’s software had previously – namely turn-by-turn navigation – now runs the risk of being eclipsed by Maps’ native guidance abilities, also freshly added in iOS 6. It’s also worth noting that the Urban Guidance system is a paid add-on through in-app purchase – priced at $2.99 – though it does include transit line information and integrate with Apple’s transit system within Maps.

Garmin is unlikely to be the only company keen to occupy the space vacated by Google Maps, though whether the company’s $44.99 price tag for Garmin StreetPilot Onboard USA or $39.99 for Navigon will be forced down in the process remains to be seen. Meanwhile, web-based alternatives are already available, such as Nokia Maps, which also include turn-by-turn guidance, public transportation, traffic monitoring, and more.

[via The Verge]

The mounting tensions between Apple and Google are believed to be the root cause of Google Maps’ being replaced, with Apple looking to control its own navigation experience instead of preloading its rival’s software. TomTom and OpenStreetMap have provided the underlying data on top of which Apple built its own interface. However, the usefulness of that data is in question today.

Much of the frustration appears to have come from international users, rather than those in the US, with Apple’s mapping data and satellite imagery for locations outside of the US coming in for criticism. The software suffers from out-of-date points of interest, the BBC reports, with some towns in the wrong position geographically or missing altogether, and search results prompting unlikely suggestions for straightforward queries.

TomTom has denied culpability, pointing out that it’s up to vendors like Apple who license its data to add “additional features to the map application such as visual imagery” and describing its mapping content as only the “foundation” of any service. Google has invested significantly into collecting its own location data, for instance dispatching Street View vehicles around cities to gather street-level photography.

Although there’s no way to avoid installing Apple Maps as part of iOS 6, and no option to reinstall Google Mpas from iOS 5, there are several third-party alternatives on offer. Some are available via the App Store, with ZDNet flagging up a soon-expiring deal of a year’s free Telenav premium service (the offer runs out by the end of the week), while others can be accessed via the browser.

Google Maps itself can of course be found at google.com/maps, but another solid option is Nokia Maps, which was launched as an HTML5 option for iOS and Android users earlier this year. Accessed at m.maps.nokia.com, it includes turn-by-turn navigation for cars, mass transit, and pedestrians, including optional audio guidance, satellite view, live traffic data, and more.

If you’re determined to stick with iOS 6 Maps, however – which also includes turn-by-turn navigation, for the first time in the native iOS mapping app –  it’s worth remembering that you can report incorrect locations via the map itself and help Apple refine its data that way. Apple told SlashGear after the iPhone 5 launch last week that it expects third-party vendors to deliver mass transit guidance for users, at least initially.

Unhappy with Apple’s own Maps app? Happy with iOS 6 in general? Or holding off from upgrading until any early bugs have been ironed out? Let us know in the poll below, and then head over to our iPhone 5 review for more details.

That time is apparently now, as the update to Google Maps for Android has gone live on the Google Play Store. One of the big features in this update is that Google Maps will now sync your search queries and previous maps over multiple devices. This means that when you search for a location on your Android phone, Google will suggest locations and direction data that you’ve previously searched for, allowing you to pull up maps and get directions quickly. Of course, for this syncing to work, you’ll need to be logged into your Google account while searching and have web history enabled, but those are kind of no-brainers in this case.

Users can also access their map and directions history by going into the “Search” or “Directions” tabs in My Places. In addition to giving you the ability to quickly pull up your map history on mobile devices, this Google Maps update also brings a new way to zoom with one hand: just double tap the screen, hold your finger down, and then slide it across the screen to zoom.

In the grand scheme, these features aren’t groundbreaking, but they will certainly have their uses. Making it easier to bring up previous maps and direction data will be considered a godsend by those who hate typing on a small smartphone screen, and these new features complement the “always moving” society we live in nicely. Expect to hear more about Google Maps soon, because with new competition on the scene, you can bet that Google wants to make Maps the best app it possibly can.

[via Google Maps Blog]

This software is made for hands-free action as well, made available to owners of the Galaxy S III in 21 countries straight through their Samsung Apps portal on the phone. Drive Link makes simple the three most popular smartphone-based in-car activities: listening to music, talking hands-free, and driving to a destination with GPS-based mapping. This whole app conforms to a collection of safety certification standards, one of which is the standard set of the Japanese Automotive Manufacturers Association – Samsung assures us that this is one of the “world’s strictest driver’s safety regulation standards.”

As Dr. Won-Pyo Hong, Executive Vice President of Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics notes:

“Samsung is dedicated to providing our customers with the optimal Smartphone user experience in any environment. For many, driving is an integral part of their lives and Drive Link allows us to provide a considered solution for those wishing to use their Smartphone in car. With this application we ensure users can retain the core functionality of their smartphone while making sure their experience is as safe as possible.” – Hong

The first screen you’ll see is a welcome with time and weather information based on your current location. Included in the app is a set of appointments based on your entries with S Calendar. Address and contact information contained therein links you to associated apps when you need them. With the app’s connection to your other GPS navigation mapping apps you’re able to select from a collection of recent or favorite destinations or find a brand new location to navigate too.

If you get a text while the app is open, one tap will have your Galaxy S III reading the text aloud to you. This app is able to work with your car’s In-Vehicle Infotainment system in a collection of cars using MirrorLink. The Car Connectivity Consortium is currently holding MirrorLink as their standard for connectivity between head units and smartphones in next-generation cars. According to Samsung: “Current working head units include JVC’s KW-NSX11), Alpine’s ICS-X8, and Sony’s XAV-701BT, XAV-741 and XAV-601BT.2). Additional compatible head units will be announced in the near future.”

This app works with music files stored on your device physically and works with TuneIn version 6.2 or higher – that’s internet radio for those of you that’ve never tried it out before. Samsung also lets us know that further compatible internet-reliant apps will be made available to this interface very soon. This app also works with Text-To-Speech in English(U.S./U.K) French, Italian, German, and Spanish. With TTS you’ll be able to have not just your texts read aloud to you, but all messages, emails, and updates from social media websites as well.

This app also connects to your personal contacts saved in your phone so you can call directly with just the keypad in-app. The Drive Link interface is available via your Samsung Apps app on your Galaxy S III right now in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine, and United Kingdom. The app will also be reaching other countries and smartphones running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the near future – grab it when you can!

This service allows developers to push free, voice-guided, turn by turn, GPS navigation directly from their app or their website, making full use of the Telenav database with ease. Just as easy as it is to embed a video into your website, you’ll be working with Telenav’s Scout mapping without sacrificing your own brand – the app or website can keep their own brand name on everything throughout the whole navigation session.

This Scout for Apps environment and service is available for developers on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone starting immediately, and Telenav has also brought on a companion for the web as well. Telenav is bringing on a website widget for Scout called the Scout Drive Button, made for small businesses that want to make it super easy for people anywhere in a web browser to find their physical location. Your mobile browser will be able to initiate turn-by-turn directions now with a single tap!

Developers will be able to access the Scout Drive Button for websites as well as the Scout for Apps environment immediately, for all three major mobile platforms! Have a peek below at our other recent encounters with Telenav and Scout, and get to navigating!

That means if your Google Maps directions send you to a subway to get to your destination, and the particular subway platform suggested has some sort of service alert, those alerts will be offered right in the app or on the driving directions page. That means you’ll no longer show up at a platform only to discover that the train is skipping your platform for some reason on that particular day.

Google says the relevant subway alerts will be integrated directly into the step-by-step directions offered to get you to your location. The new service covers any of the 468 New York City subway stations labeled on Google Maps. Subway station alerts are available online via maps.google.com and on the Google Maps for Mobile Android application.

The alerts will allow the user to adjust their travel by choosing another suggested route or changing the departure time. This update should prove very useful for many people during the summertime travel season. Google says that it will continue to roll out new features and to add new cities to Google Maps globally.

Among the features of the new hands-free car kit for smartphones are new mounting options to make the use of the system safer and more convenient. The new smartphone kit has an adjustable grip that will fit any smartphone with or without a case or cover, and the new kit has an extendable microphone. That extendable microphone can be clipped to the sun visor for clear audio.

The new car kit can be paired to two mobile devices at the same time via Bluetooth. Voice-recognition functionality can be activated so the driver can navigate and dial their phone without taking hands off the wheel. The system has an integrated 2-watt speaker for clear voice calls and navigation instructions. The kit also promises to fast charge the phone on the go.

The dual mount mounting system of the new car kit allows the driver to mount the device to the dashboard or the windshield. When mounting to the dashboard the driver uses a self-adhesive disc that is included with the kit. The car kit also has easy to reach answer and reject buttons for voice calls. The iPhone or smartphones version of the new hands-free car kit are available for €99.95. TomTom also offers a kit for the iPhone that includes a Western Europe navigation app for €149.95.

Built-in phone technology as well as data connectivity is at the center of this concept as well – as Nokia sees the future, anyway. They’ve presented a video showing off some concepts as they sit inside the concept known as the Ford Evos. This vehicle is a blue beast, with no less than cloud services and APIs, search technology, mobile connectivity, and build-in communication technology as well. Have a peek at this concept video and see what the future holds.

Nokia is announcing this week via their Conversations by Nokia blog – or perhaps re-announcing for those of you that’ve followed along with the Evos rather closely- that they’re working with Ford as one of its main integrators of futuristic tech. This partnership will use Nokia’s own Location Platform to support the vehicle’s in-car location-based set of systems. This vehicle will, thanks you Nokia, not only know where you are and what businesses and places of interest are near to you at any given point, it’ll know which kinds of music you like to listen to on certain commutes.

You’ll also be working with Satnav maps to bring on your ability to avoid locations in your city (or wherever you’re driving) with heavy pollution. With detectors and reporting devices such as what we’re seeing here with this vehicle and its connected services alone, we’re hoping for a completely world-environment-aware vehicle in the very, very near future.

Have a peek at our hands-on look at some Nokia Windows Phone mapping technology that we saw back at CTIA earlier this year as well to get deeper into Nokia’s love for knowing where you are at any time – and what’s around you as well.

First have a peek at Nokia Drive and Nokia Transport:

Then get in deep with Nokia Maps, the center of the whole Nokia GPS universe:

Finally check out Nokia City Lens – an amazing next-generation vision on Nokia Windows Phone devices which will allow you to see tags on every business and building of interest around you – it’s fabulous!

Stay tuned for more awesome Nokia location-aware technology, and get ready for awesome Nokia-embedded vehicles as well!

The use of Street View is the major new feature. It allows users to keep an eye on the street level images just in case they’re having difficulty finding the right building, and Street View will automatically pop up as users approach their destination. Drivers will also be able to jump into a full-screen 360 degree view if they want to scope out the surrounding area.

Cockpit displays various stats about your travel, such as gForce, speed, horizontal and vertical position relative to the ground, plus adjustable speeds and altitude graphs. On top of that, there’s compass and altitude options for off-road drivers.

Finally, manual route blocking allows drivers to look at their current routes and tell the navigation software to ignore certain paths using a simple tap. The app then programs an alternative route automatically. In addition to all of that, Navigon says that the startup time and map rendering of the app should be much faster.

The updated app is available today, and Navigon is also running some discounts until July 16th. Navigon North America will cost $39.99, down from $59.99, and Cockpit will see a reduction to $3.99. Other in-app purchases will also see discounts.

[via Engadget]

Currently, Google Maps does not list waterways is active routes that people can use to move around nearby cities. The charity in charge of the UK waterways will work with Google to identify all access points to waterways and to identify bridges and tunnels. The goal is to allow people who live near canals and waterways to be able to access them as travel locations via Google Maps.

This is a big deal for many who live in the UK near canals because by having canals Google is opening up a new, and potentially traffic free, way to get around town. I’m going to assume what Google is going for here is offering a full list of walking paths that follow alongside rivers and canals that have previously been ignored. Our resident Brits tell me water taxis in areas like London aren’t available.

“Say, I’m by a canal in Paddington and I want to go to Camden, and I put this information into Google Maps as a walking route – it wouldn’t send me to the canal, even though it’s a nice green route to get there, it would send me by road,” the Trust’s spokesman Jonathan Ludford told the BBC.

[via BBC]

TechCrunch notes that Waze is listed under Apple’s legal notices among with many other mapping companies. Waze is credited as providing only “Map data”, but that could extend to the crowd sourced reports that Apple alluded to during Monday’s keynote. Other companies listed include Getchee, Localeze, Urban Mapping, DMTI, MapData Sciences, and TomTom.

Waze currently has apps available on iOS and Android, treating the driving experience like a social game of sorts. It offers free turn-by-turn navigation, and allows users to report any incidents, accidents, or traffic jams that they spot along their route. All the alerts are provided by the community, with Apple outlining a similar approach for its own solution. At the keynote, Apple detailed how anonymous data would be sent from iOS devices on the move that detect traffic jams and any incidents in the area.

Apple will be completely overhauling the Maps app for iOS 6, removing support for Google Maps in favor of its own cartography solution. In addition to the crowd sourced data and turn-by-turn navigation, the new Maps will feature a 3D vector mode, giving an accurate outline of the cityscape while on the move, plus Flyover. That allows you to jump into a fully 3D photographed environment, with landmarks, cities, and landscapes able to be manipulated for the best view.

TomTom details how open source map alternatives aren’t quite as reliable as paid offerings, saying that they have “a third less residential road coverage and 16% less basic map attributes such as street names.” Not only that, but maps are vulnerable to attack, with TomTom citing the case where Google contractors were found to tamper with OpenStreetMap data. The company goes on to say that such errors in maps are potentially dangerous for drivers, especially when it comes to one-way streets.

The community, meanwhile, isn’t swayed by any of the arguments. One user has taken to a blog to scrutinize TomTom’s claims, saying that the company’s citation of “100,000 individual attacks” is “plain wrong”, detailing that only a couple of dozen of hits were considered to be malicious, promptly fixed by the OpenStreetMap community.

In regards to map coverage, it’s true that OpenStreetMap doesn’t quite have the far reaching coverage expected from a professional service, but the writer notes that the mapping project is growing every day and that TomTom has stretched the truth somewhat to support its claims. Head on over to both websites if you want to read both sides of the argument.

[via Slashdot]

Google indoor maps rolled out back at CES 2012 in January, with broader support following shortly after. Google then offered businesses and venues the tools to create their own floorplan files, and it’s the data from Google Floor Plan Maker that is now being integrated into the Android app. “This will help you get directions not only to a building’s front door,” the company explains, “but also through those doors to the places where you want to go inside.”

As for business photos, locations which have uploaded 360-degree panoramic interior images can share those via their profile pages, allowing curious would-be visitors to get a better perspective of what they’ll find inside. Compatible profiles have a new “See Inside” option alongside Street View.

Currently indoor walking directions are limited to the US and Japan. Google Maps v6.7 for Android is a free download from the Play Market.

SuperTooth is touting this in-car speakerphone as a simple to use, zero installation device that will enhance your driving experience, and keep your hands safely on the wheel. Simply attach it to the sun visor or where you’d like and you’re ready for hands-free calling while on the go. It’s that simple. Check out the hands-on video

The SuperTooth Crystal supports Bluetooth A2DP so users with capable devices can stream music when they’d like or when not driving, and it also supports full turn by turn navigation commands for capable A2DP devices. The new SuperTooth Crystal is available starting today at SuperToothStore.com for the low price of $70 and is also available at many popular online retailers. Be sure to check out everything SuoerTooth has to offer from our various reviews via the links below and stay tuned to our CTIA 2012 Portal for all things mobile.

Calling the Clarion Next Gate an iPhone companion is pretty accurate. The system is pretty much inactive until it’s connected to an iPhone and then it comes to life. Once connected it uses iOS apps and programs to bring you all the entertainment you’d like — all while being safe of course. Once connected the iPhone becomes useless, as a cautionary measure, and everything is handled on the Clarion Next Gate and its smart access system.

With a 7-inch Capacitive touch display users can control everything with the touchscreen, although it’s recommended to use voice actions such as Apple’s Siri. You can launch Pandora Radio, make a call, or speak with Siri all with the touch of a button, but obviously you’ll want to use voice-actions as much as possible for your safety as well as other drivers.

The display is only 480×800 in resolution so this isn’t a retina quality display, but it does convert all your favorite iOS apps to a convenient and easy to use car-friendly user interface. Obviously Clarion doesn’t want you playing Angry Birds on the go, but the Next Gate currently has around 15 or so applications such as Pandora Radio, Odyssey Navigation, Facebook4car (FB4Car) and Vlingo. Clarion expects more to be available when the product launches in early June for $269. For now this is a windshield mounted device but Clarion has multiple in-dash devices in the pipeline coming soon — including Android options. For $269 would you get the Next Gate, or just opt to use your iPhone manually?

Broadcom has recently released a new chip, the BCM4752, that will support IPS systems. The importance of the Broadcom chip lies in its ability to support different IPS implementations via WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC. The chip would also tap into a smartphones other sensors, such a the compass and accelerometer, to be able to track your movements after taking the initial GPS data.

For example, Google Maps on Android already has a similar feature with 2D maps of retail stores and airports, but it tracks you via WiFi, which can only roughly work out your positioning depending on the number of hotspots within the building. Nokia meanwhile thinks Bluetooth is the solution, which would also calculate your position via triangulation with the benefit of being higher resolution, but it would require lots of Bluetooth beacons scattered around buildings to work effectively.

Indoor Positioning Systems are expected to see further development in the near future. Once companies do find a solution to the issue, expect to see IPS making its way to heavily populated areas sooner rather than later.

[via Extremetech]

TomTom apologized for the glitch today, which it attributed to a leap year bug in the GPS receiver software from a third-party supplier. Customers from the UK, Australia, Denmark, and Switzerland were among the first to experience the glitch. Most users were unable to receive any GPS signal, while other had intermittent access.

The company hasn’t directly specified which sat-nav units have been affected, but instructions for the software update have been posted for the Start 20/25, Via 110/120/125, the Via Live 120/125, the Go Live 820/825, and the Go Live 1000/1005/1005 World. You can check out the support page here.

Previously, Google had introduced a similar feature that could estimate travel time, but that was based on historic rather than real-time traffic data. It also provided two scenarios, but the traffic data was based on average conditions for an area instead of the actual conditions at the time of your travel.

The new feature utilizes data gathered from Android users that enable the My Location feature through Google Maps on their devices. The more Android users that participate the more traffic data Google Maps is able to collect in order to provide the real-time estimates. So it’s possible that you may not see current traffic information for a certain route because no data has been collected from any Android users on that route.

[via Google Blog]

The guidelines say the quasi-static maps are acceptable, but continuously moving maps are not recommended. A quasi-static map according to the NHTSA is one that is updated as often as every few seconds but doesn’t continuously move. How exactly a map with a delay of a few seconds is construed as safer than one that moves all the time is beyond me.

The guidelines also recommend the elimination of automatically scrolling text. The guidelines say that an acceptable alternative would be limited amounts of static quasi-static text. Most GPS systems in vehicles have text that scrolls to identify exits and long street names. I don’t like the idea of this at all, but at least these recommendations are not requirements. I hope these changes aren’t implemented broadly because I don’t think the suggestions of the NHTSA will be any more effective at keeping morons from being distracted than what we have now.

[via GPS Tracklog]

This system has just been launched this past week with real-time local information as well as integration with your contacts, music, and all of it from the one “My Dashboard” page. You’ll be able to connect with iPhone as well, it having an initial offer of Scout.me integration, the site offering you the ability to plan with friends via Facebook and Twitter and organize and save your favorite spots for later viewing. All of this is then synced to your device where your in-car display will be able to access it whenever you’re plugged in to the system.

Telenav announced that their initial partnership will be with Ford for its SYNC system, and as you’ll be able to see in the hands-on video, the whole system is already working quite slick. Voice guidance is also offered through your stereo, and text prompts are there too if you’re not a fan of being told where to go. All of this is available on the mobile end this week, but as for how soon we’ll see it in cars, there’s no solid date as of yet – soon though!

Grab the phone-based application from the iTunes App Store for your iPhone, check out http://www.scout.me/ as it enters its Beta stages, and grab the Android app in the near future!

Also new is their extremely detailed 3D rendered building view. Taking two fingers and expanding them across the screen will zoom you in far enough to take advantage of it. It is also possible to pan 360 degrees around the 3D buildings by touching the screen simultaneously with two fingers, and turning them at the same time. The same features are included in Google Maps, but again – the Garmin doesn’t need the internet to render a single thing.

Like other LMT models, the 3590 is Bluetooth hands-free calling compatible, and compatible with their Smartphone Link application for Android. This isn’t new, but Smartphone Link gives users access to Garmin Live Services. This can help display live traffic, the weather, SMS messages, fuel prices, and even alert you when you’re approaching a red-light (Europe only).

That will mean users may be able to find pedestrian-level indoor mapping data for their location, with Google suggesting malls, airports, museums and educational institutions across the US will be catered for. Other tweaks to the app include better power management for Latitude users, reducing the demands on battery life, along with the ability to use vehicle speed to guesstimate position if a GPS fix is lost while using the Public Transit Navigation beta.

Finally, there will be more public transport route options shown by default after searches, increased from three to four. Locations of friends also using Latitude is described as “fresher” too.

As for the game, there’s a video preview of a new Google Maps for Google+ app – shown below – which uses WebGL and apparently user-location to collect points as you travel around floorplan maps. Full details haven’t been shared, but the game will apparently arrive in February.

Google Maps is a free download for Android devices.

[via Android Community]

There’s also an integrated 4x45W MOSFET amp, hands-free calling and a pair of line-out connections, along with an included remote control.

The Parrot Asteroid Nav has a larger, 5-inch touchscreen and comes preloaded with navigation software, real-time map updates and various geo-location services and apps. There’s also hands-free calling, the same connectivity options for music sources as the Asteroid CK, voice navifation and automatic phonebook sync. USB or Bluetooth tethering can get the Asteroid Nav online, or alternatively there’s WiFi. A steering wheel mounted remote is included.

Finally, the Parrot Asteroid 2DIN has a 6.2-inch TFT multitouch touchscreen and does all of what the Asteroid Nav can, adding in reverse camera support, the ability to broadcast video to separate rear-seat displays, and packs more choice for inputs and outputs. There’s a video output and a video input, twin audio outputs and a subwoofer output, a line-in and two line-out, along with a remote control.

Parrot is yet to confirm pricing and availability.

The official CES showroom floor has all been indexed by Google Maps and can easily be pulled up and even saved to cache. No more mapping for the closest Hollister inside Mall of America instead get turn by turn directions to Samsung, NOKIA, and all the other booths at this years CES.

Check out a few of our screenshots below for an example. From the entire showroom floor to each individual booth. They are all nicely mapped out thanks to Google Maps. If you haven’t updated in a few months I’d be checking the Android Market right about now and updating — especially for all you CES goers.

Ran Cheng of CASTC made a formal commitment this week that Beidou service would be free and remain free to all through the future. Chinese workers are currently seeing to the fact that this system must be operable with the US GPS system in the future as well as the forthcoming EU Galileo network and Russia’s already in-place GLONASS. This first service is currently working for the area inside 84 degrees to 160 degrees east longitude, 55 degrees south latitude to 55 degrees north latitude: greater China.

Meanwhile it’s been reported that “excitable” members of the Pentagon have decried the creation of a satellite network by China, saying that if there were a war that China could destroy the USA’s GPS network with minimal effort. The Register is also reporting the the USA also has plans for satellites to monitor orbital war, this certain to clash with China’s ability to do the same. Time for Star Wars, anyone?

[via The Register]