Tag archive: mapping

In a partnership with the Sustainable Amazon Foundation, a team from Google has taken it upon themselves to map out the endangered South American rainforest as well as collect photo data of the communities of people that live there. To start, Google mounted the cameras on boats that travel the Rio Negro and Amazon rivers to create 360-degree panoramics of the waters and dense forest. On land, Google is using tricycles to navigate along dirt… Read More

No, these are not more satellite images of how our planet looks under the cover of darkness. Instead, they are visualizations of Twitter and Flickr use, created by map enthusiast Eric Fischer. The fascinating images give an indication as to the level of our social-networking obsession, with some parts of the world beaming brightly, while others stay lost in the shadows. Fischer used red dots to show geo-tagged Flickr pics, blue dots to show… Read More

GPS maker Garmin has announced it is acquiring rival firm Navigon. Although the consumer market for GPS systems continues to face serious challenges from smartphones and other connected devices, Garmin's interest in Navigon seems to be mainly for in-vehicle systems, particularly in the European market where Navigon has invested heavily and built relationships with a number of vehicle manufacturers. Under the deal, Navigon will become a… Read More

Apple has tons of cash in the bank, and has shown an increasing willingness to spend it to acquire companies like Quattro Wireless and Lala. Now the company has apparently plunked down an unknown amount to acquire Canadian online mapping company Poly9. Neither company has confirmed the deal, but a report at Cyberpress.ca (French) has the company shuttered as of the end of June, with most employees relocated to Apple's Cupertino campus.… Read More

Nokia has said it plans to add a mapping capability to its Ovi online service that will synchronize with Nokia smartphones. With the mapping service, users will be able to plan a route using the Web portal and have that route information automatically synced with their mobile phone when it connects to the Internet. The company also plans to introduce a 2.0 version of its Nokia Maps subscription service which will offer routing information… Read More

Yahoo has uupgraded is U.S.-based Yahoo Maps service to offer driving directions for 34 European countries, in a move which lets U.S. Yahoo Maps users plan routes overseas. The upgrade is a move to give Yahoo's mapping product traction against rival services from Google, Microsoft, and AOL's Mapquest (which have been major players in the online mapping marketplace) and increase the appeal of Yahoo's mapping services to… Read More

The world's largest maker of mobile phones, Nokia, has announced it is making its smart2go mapping service free to mobile users beginning February 10. Users of selected Nokia S60 and Windows Mobile 5 devices will be able to download the smart2go application and start planning their trips right away; the company plans to roll out support for other mobile OS platforms over time, including the Nokia S60 and Series 40 devices, along with… Read More