NEWSBRIEFS –LBS

SLA and MapKing launch free mobile StreetMap

Singapore Land Authority and MapKing (Singapore) Pte Ltd have jointly launched StreetMap@Singapore. It can be viewed on PDAs, PDA phones, and smart phones. Named as `SLA StreetMap Mobile’ it can be downloaded for free onto any mobile device running on Windows Mobile Operating System.

SLA StreetMap Mobile has similar functions with its online StreetMap@ Singapore at www.map.gov.sg. Anyone with a compatible mobile device can search for location maps using address, road name, postal code, building or development name on the move. Containing about 2,000 buildings, 4,200 named roads, and some 120,000 updated address points, it is driven by the MapKing engine. www.sla.gov.sg

MapmyIndia expands navigable map to 174 cities

MapmyIndia, has announced addition of detailed maps to its PND, MapmyIndia Navigator, now in version 2.0. Two hardware models of MapmyIndia Navigator are available: AMAX 06GP5A and Delphi NAV 200. The navigation software used has been developed by Horizon Navigation.

Nokia finalizes NAVTEQ acquisition

Nokia has completed its acquisition of NAVTEQ for $8.1 billion. At this stage no specific plans for future products resulting of the merger have been announced yet, however Nokia and Navteq are working together since last summer on a solution using Nokia handsets as probe to gather traffic data. The ramping up of India’s digital map is also something that has been mentioned in the first announcement of the acquisition.

Garmin’s Nuvifone to get social networking app from Gypsii

The mobile social networking provider GyPSii, signed a multi-year worldwide agreement with Garmin. It incorporates a wide range of location specific functions and mobile lifestyle services, including mobile search, user generated content-sharing and social networking. www.gpsbusinessnews.com

Lenovo launches GPS-enabled laptops for SMB market

Lenovo has introduced a new range of laptops which features a GPS embedded into a broadband connectivity module from Ericsson. In the United States these notebooks are shipped with an AT&T broadband trial SIM card.

Vodafone UK Find & Go: web maps, local search, mobile satnav

Vodafone UK and Telmap have teamed up with Multimap, to introduce Find & Go. This service links a web mapping portal with local search and navigation on a mobile phone. Vodafone customers can now search on their PCs on the Multimap website and send the result to their mobile phone. Find & Go’s maps, local search, and driving directions are free of charge.

Intrinsyc signs multi-year agreement with Navteq

Destinator navigation software Intrinsyc Software has announced a nonexclusive multi-year agreement with Navteq for the supply of map data. NAVTEQ map content will be bundled with Intrinsyc navigation software.

Skyhook expands to Europe, signs up LBS startups

Skyhook Wireless, provider of a Wi-Fi and hybrid positioning system, has announced its formal launch in Europe. “Skyhook has already mapped over 16 million Wi- Fi access points in Europe. Its fleet of 200 European data collection specialists has driven over 750,000 kilometers to date and continues to expand coverage every day.

Appello brings satnav to leading Norwegian mapping portal

Off-board navigation provider Appello Systems, and Eniro Norway have established a partnership around mobile mapping, local search and GPS navigation. Eniro is launching this week Gule Sider 1880 Navigation, a new mobile service based on Appello’s GPS navigation platform Wisepilot.

Mexens Technology receives patent for GPS/Wireless positioning

Mexens Technology, has received a patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office for its “System and Method for Enabling Continuous Geographic Location Estimation for Wireless Computing Devices” .It consists of a system combining GPS and Wireless signals (Wi-Fi and/or cellular) to determine a position. When GPS signal is not available then the system uses Wi- Fi or cellular triangulation.

Verizon launched the Motorola Adventure V750

Verizon has announced the Motorola Adventure V750 smartphone. It has support for EVDO Rev. A and the Push to talk service. It offers a 2 inch QVGA internal display, GPS support with VZ Navigator, support for Field Force Manager and a 2.0 megapixels camera with video recorder. www.mobilewhack.com

Samsung to launch its new business phone SGH-i780 in India

Samsung soon will introduce its new business phone, the Samsung SGHi780, in the Indian market. It is a sleek Windows Mobile 6.0 device, which comes with a full touch-screen, optical mouse, stylus and full QWERTY keyboard. It also includes Integrated GPS and Google Maps. www.topnews.in

Caring & Sharing GPS Phone by Nokia The Nokia

6220 classic comes with a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and Carl Zeiss optics as well as A-GPS with geotagging. Location information can be automatically attached to photos and videos and easily uploaded to web and personal blogs, viewed on a television screen or simply shared from phone to phone. www.smartofficenews.com.au

LBS Platforms and Infrastructure Licensing Revenues to reach $2.2 b

Strong growth in LBS represents an important opportunity for LBS platforms and infrastructure vendors. While until recently the LBS infrastructure market was mainly driven by the E911 emergency call requirements in the US, the expected global deployment of commercial LBS applications by carriers will grow LBS infrastructure licensing revenue from $111 million in 2008 to $2.2 billion in 2013. The market is currently dominated by Ericsson, Telecommunications Systems and Nokia Siemens Networks with respective market shares of 31%, 24% and 18%. Smaller independent MLC vendors such as Redknee are also making inroads into the market. Business models are reflected in a range of flexible payment options based on volume, flat fees, outright purchase, and even advertising-subsidized schemes with price levels dependent on the size of the carrier, the functionality, and the solution type. www.abiresearch.com

Mobile maps increasingly popular said comScore

Market Research firm comScore today reported that the use of mobile maps is increasingly popular in the USA and Europe, with 8 percent of American mobile subscribers and 3 percent of European subscribers accessing maps from the mobile phone in the threemonth period ending May 2008. This represents a growth rate of 82 percent and 49 percent in the number of users, respectively. www.comscore.com

Government of Canada Funds Natural Resources Projects

The Government of Canada has announced $674,911 in funding for a variety of projects in B.C. that rely on location-based, or geospatial, information. The nine projects, totalling $2.1 million, are supported through GeoConnections, a national partnership program led by NRCan.

Location context to 3G iPhone

The iPhone App Store has just gone live and one of the apps getting early attention is Loopt, a location aware mobile social network startup. Loopt enables users to broadcast their status to a broad set of services and find interesting locations and reviews nearby. Their latest release for the iPhone integrates microblogging and reviews from Yelp into its interface. According to founder Sam Altman, Loopt is using the iPhone’s rich media platform to pilot new features and services before they filter their way into other mobile phones. Loopt aggregates local content to provide a map view of great places and star ratings. http://www.readwriteweb.com