It has been reported that Apple will be using Google Maps again in iOS 5. There have been a lot of rumours that Apple would be developing their own mapping software, however it seems like this is not going to be the case.
Expect Apple to release their own mapping service in the coming years, mainly due to their purchases of Placebase and Poly9. Im very much looking forward to a traffic service and GPS offering by Apple, but for the time being we will be sticking to Google Maps.
Prey Project it’s pretty cool software created for users who want an effective way to locate their devices in case they get stolen. Prey can be installed in Windows, Linux, Mac or any device with Android OS, including smartphones.
Prey can notify users about the device location sending a signal over the Internet, or SMS in case of Android phones. The program runs as an agent in background and is completely silent. Here are some of the specs:
Open Source and completely free.
100% geolocation aware. Prey uses either the device’s GPS or the nearest WiFi hotspots to triangulate and grab a fix on its location.
Know your enemy. Take a picture of the thief with your laptop’s webcam so you know what he looks like and where he’s hiding.
No unauthorized Access. Fully lock down your PC, making it unusable unless a specific password is entered.
Wifi auto connect. If enabled, Prey will attempt to hook onto to the nearest open WiFi hotspot when no Internet connection is found.
Watch their movements. Grab a screenshot of the active session.
Scan your hardware. Get a complete list of your PC’s CPU, motherboard, RAM, and BIOS information.
Light as a feather. Prey has very few dependencies and doesn’t even leave a memory footprint until activated.
Keep your data safe. Hide your Outlook or Thunderbird data and optionally remove your stored passwords, so no one will be able to look into your stuff.
Full auto updater. Prey can check its current version and automatically fetch and update itself, so you don’t need to manually reinstall each time.
How many times did we wondered about “Thelma & Louise” ending? Thinking: “What if these girls could use a smartphone and Bing?”… None? Ok, me neither. But apparently Microsoft does.
If we think about one of the most dramatic endings in a movie, “Thelma & Louise” finale should be in the top 5. But fortunately Bing created a new ending, and while they were at it, they mentioned Google’s “inefficient” way to find places.
Take a look to this publicity from Microsoft’s Bing:
After I saw the car flying in the air, I thought this is a terrible way to use a movie reference; but after seeing the car didn’t get smashed I think the publicity is not horrible, just lame
Apple introduced a new patent for what could be an upcoming product: The Smart Bike. This news appeared in “Patently Apple” site, where included also several screenshots about this new patent of a bicycle that could connect with several devices; plus some other benefits.
This smart bike will use and provide several features, take a quick look:
The system could include bicycle, sensors, display, and electronic device (iPod or iPhone).
Just as in the Nike + iPod program, the user will be able to map their own bike courses on a map or view bike courses of other riders if you’re looking for a particular path in respect to distance or difficulty.
The sensors, display and electronic device could communicate via communications network; which covers GPRS, CDMA, EV-DO, EDGE, 3GSM, DECT, IS-136/TDMA, iDen, LTE and/or others.
The sensors could detect any suitable metric related to the use of the bicycle including for example speed, pace, acceleration, distance, time, incline, decline, altitude, torque, power generated, cadence, gear and derailleur settings, heart rate, calories burned, weather, and temperature.
iPhone or iPod could be used to automatically or in response to a user instruction, record video, audio, or take photographs reflecting the course, and geo-tag the generated media for publishing.
The name iBike does not appear in the patent, but it sure sounds like a cool name.
I’m pretty sure that in Internet and geo-location history, Google Maps is an important milestone. Scribble Maps is a simple but quite useful web app: Using Google Maps lets you scribble down, draw circles, places markers and much more within maps.
Just use it in the same way you use Google maps, but you’ll find over the left top corner a bunch of tools to use for you to take full advantages of Google Maps.
GPS company Tom Tom probably does not come to mind when you think of companies celebrating Star Wars Day. While geeks the world over celebrate the day, and the battles of Star Wars vs Star Trek are put on hold, Tom Tom released a very cool feature for their GPS devices. Imagine getting directions from the Dark Lord of the Sith himself. Don’t want to go the way Lord Vader tells you? Well he “finds your lack of faith disturbing.”
Okay, all kidding aside, for $13, Tom Tom allows you download the voices which include Darth Vader, C-3PO, Yoda, and Han Solo. Yes, I said Yoda, you might get lost just trying to unravel his unique choice in subject verb agreements. Nevertheless, with these you can now travel in intergalactic style. With the download you also get wallpapers, sound effects, and map icons to keep you the kid in you happy.
My question is…can we get a little love for Admiral Ackbar? Just saying.
Sony Japan is about to release a new portable GPS and multi-use gadget (Japanese link). And the product is targeted to those sports and biking fans, which can use it directly on their bicycle.
The model’s name is NV-U35 and will also play audio and video. Here are some of the features included:
LCD multi-touch screen 3.5” and a 320×240 resolution.
8GB of internal flash memory.
Memory Stick Duo slot.
1W mono speaker.
USB port.
Water resistant (IPX5)
Battery life of 4 hours.
Weight 146grs.
Video support: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, MPE-G4 and WMV.
Audio support: MP3, AAC, WMA, etc.
GPS.
Pricing will be around U$S410, but at least for now, the device will only be available in Japan.
The release date is not official, but we are guessing around mid-march or april.
Football is one the most popular sport in the world, so in anticipation of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2010, design firm AGENT came up with a unique concept for the game’s ball equipment. The CTRUS concept ball would be embedded with GPS and RFID tracking, allowing game officials to more accurately judge games.
The most interesting part of the new tech-enhanced ball would be its transparent, somewhat skeletal looks.
You thought that these guys could never be together in one single place? You were wrong. Texas Instrument developed WiLink 7.0, a microchip that includes the possibilities to receive and transmit WLAN 802.11n, GPS, Bluetooth and FM.
This chip (65nm) seems like the perfect solution for notebooks, netbooks, cellphones and any other device that is intended to contain any of these features. The simplicity that can bring to these devices can be represented in numbers:
30% less in production costs.
50% space saving, considering that you will need separate chips for each technology.
Includes internal mechanisms that will prevent for the FM, or any other transmission, to be interfered by other hardware.
Includes Bluetooth Low-Energy support.
The product will be presented in the Mobile World Congress 2010 (Barcelona, Spain). And the company will have OEM devices built with this chip.
They are expecting to have implemented this chip in some market hardware by the end of the year.
I’m a big cinema goer. In fact I go at least twice a week. There’s nothing I love more than chilling with friends in a cool movie theatre as George Clooney works his magic. Checking times is something that always gets on my grapes though.
Now, for all Android users, you can download a free app called Fandango which enables you to do just that; check movie times at any cinema.
This is just a few weeks after they put out a Beta release before Christmas.
What I liked most about this app was how it integrates so well with Android phones such as the Nexus One. For example, it uses the phone’s GPS to find nearby movie theatres and automatically downloads their screening times.
Furthermore, you can also watch movie trailers, get reviews and even buy tickets at selected cinemas. The app also has a community whereby everyone is asked to rate a movie they’ve seen already to tell fellow users what’s how and what’s not.
Definitely a must have for hardcore movie buffs! You can find it here.
It has been reported that Apple will be using Google Maps again in iOS 5. There have been a lot of rumours that Apple would be developing their own mapping software, however it seems like this is not going to be the case.
The system could include bicycle, sensors, display, and electronic device (iPod or iPhone).
Draw circles, rectangles, shapes.
