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‘PND’ Stories

1.4m Nokia Ovi Maps downloads: people like free stuff

Chris Davies, Feb 3rd 2010 Discuss [1]

Nokia have announced that, in just under two weeks, its free Ovi Maps Navigation app has been downloaded 1.4m times. In fact, the company broke the 1m barrier at the end of last week. Unveiled in its new, subscription-free form on January 21st, this latest version of Ovi Maps includes spoken turn-by-turn directions together with formerly-premium content such as Lonely Planet guides. Read The Full Story

Nav4All shuttered as NAVTEQ withhold licence; Nokia blamed

Chris Davies, Jan 29th 2010 Discuss [1]

Nokia's decision to push Ovi Maps into the limelight looks like it could have had a nasty knock-on effect, at least if you're a Nav4All user. The multi-platform navigation company has announced that it is being forced to go offline by the end of the month, after mapping data provider NAVTEQ declined to extend their licence agreement. While no reason was given for the decision, Nav4All do discretely point out Nokia's 100-percent ownership of NAVTEQ. Read The Full Story

Nokia Ovi Maps now free: turn-by-turn, offline access & travel guides [Updated with Video]

Chris Davies, Jan 21st 2010 Discuss [4]

Nokia have announced free Ovi Maps worldwide walk and drive navigation for S60 handsets, complete with turn-by-turn spoken directions, traffic information in 10 countries and both online and offline functionality. The new software - which will initially be available on ten S60 devices, including the Nokia E72 and N97 mini; full list after the cut - differs from existing smartphone PND apps by using vector rather than bitmap graphics; while that might not ostensibly mean much to most users, it results in increased Ovi Maps speed, less than one-tenth the data traffic and reduced battery consumption. Meanwhile there'll also be premium-style content included for free, such as Michelin and Lonely Planet travel guides, Time Out and wcities, and close integration with Facebook. Updated with video demo after the cut Read The Full Story

Cydle T43H HD Radio/Traffic PND and M7 MID tipped for CES

Satsuki Then, Dec 23rd 2009 Discuss [0]

Having announced a PND with integrated HD Radio last January, Cydle is following up this coming CES with a new version that throws "HD Traffic" status updates into the mixture. The Cydle T43H is one of a number of new portable devices the company are planning, including the Cydle M7 MID and two PND/PMP combo devices, the T70 and T50. Read The Full Story

Google Maps Navigation hacked again: partial functionality restored

Chris Davies, Dec 14th 2009 Discuss [0]

If we know anything about Android developers, it's that international users don't like to be told by Google that a feature is US-only. Having cracked the Google Maps Navigation beta for use outside of the US once, only to see Google block the hack last week, the brave and devious souls over at xda-developers have cracked it open again. Read The Full Story

Google Maps Navigation hack blocked outside of US

Chris Davies, Dec 8th 2009 Discuss [0]

Google appear to have closed off the loophole that allowed users of Android smartphones to access the Google Maps Navigation beta outside of the US. Tutorials explaining how to unlock the software - which was announced back in October - appeared in late November, and showed how workarounds for Google's location limitations could enable the turn-by-turn navigation for users in the rest of the world. Unfortunately a software update for Google Maps on Android this weekend appears to have cut off those workarounds. Read The Full Story

Android 1.6 phones get Google Maps Navigation beta

Chris Davies, Nov 24th 2009 Discuss [1]

Google has obviously tired of waiting for handset manufacturers to push out Android 2.0 to existing handsets before users can play with the Google Maps Navigation beta, and as such has released the turn-by-turn software for Android 1.6 devices. Available now in the Android Market, Google Maps Navigation for Android 1.6 delivers the same topographical layers, voice guidance and automatic rerouting as we found so useful on the Motorola DROID. Read The Full Story

ArcherMind Android-based in-dash PND system unveiled

Chris Davies, Nov 23rd 2009 Discuss [0]

Given how often we hear about manufacturers using Android for their mobile devices, it's a surprise dedicated sat-nav units don't feature more highly. Chinese firm ArcherMind Technology have been showing off what they're saying is the world's first embedded Android-based navigation system, complete with 7-inch touchscreen display and integrated 3G. Read The Full Story

Standalone PNDs to peak in 2012; 88% to be wirelessly-connected by 2015 say analysts

Chris Davies, Nov 20th 2009 Discuss [0]

The arrival of Google Maps Navigation was enough justification for many to declare that standalone PNDs were dead and buried, but according to Berg Insight there's still some way to go before the devices peak. The research firm estimate that dedicated PNDs will peak in 2012, with sales around the 50m units per year mark, after which they'll decline. They also suggest that connected PNDs will have a slightly longer grasp on the market. Read The Full Story

GSM Motorola MILESTONE lacks turn-by-turn in Android 2.0 Maps [Update: Confirmed]

Chris Davies, Nov 2nd 2009 Discuss [0]

US would-be DROID buyers now livid by the European version of the smartphone's multitouch support can take heart in the fact that while the Motorola MILESTONE gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. Mobile-Review's Eldar Murtazin has revealed that - on his pre-release Euro model at least - Android 2.0 lacks turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps Navigation. Update: A Google spokesperson has told us that the reason turn-by-turn is absent from the MILESTONE is because currently the beta is US-only. Read The Full Story

Google “doing exactly what Microsoft did” says angry GPS app dev

Chris Davies, Oct 30th 2009 Discuss [6]

With Google Maps Navigation causing ripples not only among Android users but in the share prices of Garmin, TomTom and other mapping providers, it seems some location-based services providers are coming out fighting. LaptopMag have been talking to Networks in Motion's (NIM) Steve Andler, VP of marketing at the company responsible for Verizon's VZ Navigator and the Gokivo iPhone app, and he's pulling no punches about his opinion of Google. Andler describes the idea of Android as being open as "a bunch of hooey", and even goes so far as to suggest that "Google is doing exactly what Microsoft did, which is, they integrate stuff into the core, leaving no room for anyone to innovate." Of course, it's not surprising that Andler - and NIM - are frustrated, given the particular corner of software development they chose to carve out. Andler's core argument about PND software is that it requires more than a few voice prompts on top of a map. Read The Full Story

Google Maps Navigation beta for Android 2.0: turn-by-turn, Car UI, more [Video]

Chris Davies, Oct 28th 2009 Discuss [0]

Google have announced the latest evolution of Google Maps for mobile, and life for standalone PND apps just got a whole lot harder. Android 2.0 devices - such as the Verizon Droid by Motorola - now have access to Google Maps Navigation Beta, a turn-by-turn navigation application that supports voice guidance, search-by-voice and automatic re-routing complete with traffic information. Video demo after the cut Read The Full Story