Google announced late this morning that it has acquired Waze, the Israeli company behind the popular crowdsourced navigation/traffic app of the same name. Seen by many as a defensive move, Google’s main reason for the purchase may be to keep it out of the hands of Apple or Facebook, although there are other possible reasons as well.
Google acquires Waze
June 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment
iOS 7 to feature in-car integration
June 11, 2013 By 2 Comments
Apple Maps navigation on your car’s built-in screen
At Apple’s WWDC yesterday, the company unveiled iOS 7, which includes vehicular integration due to roll out to a dozen car manufacturers next year. Basically, this will connect your iPhone to your car’s built-in screen, transforming it into an infotainment center, complete with turn-by-turn (albeit Apple Maps-based) navigation. read more
Wallabee – A location-based collectibles game for iPhones
June 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment
It would seem typical that just as the weather turns into something approaching spring that I sustain a very serious leg injury that has meant I’ve been unable to geocache for a couple of months. Worse still, with it still heavily bandaged, locations that are muddy, wet or prone to having items that will whack me in the shins are off limits for the time being by doctor’s orders. read more
Garmin GLO review
April 11, 2013 By 50 Comments
Garmin GLO Bluetooth receiver
The Garmin GLO is a small GPS/GLONASS receiver that sends 10 position fixes per second to an external device such as a tablet, laptop or smartphone using wireless Bluetooth® technology. read more
California court: Don’t use maps on your phone while driving
April 8, 2013 By 2 Comments
Appeals Court rules hands-on use of smartphone maps illegal
A California appellate court has effectively extended the states’s texting while driving law to the use of maps on your phone. The statute in question says you can’t use your phone while driving unless you do it in hands free mode — don’t touch. read more
Garmin Smartphone Link comes to iOS for 2013 Bluetooth nuvis
March 20, 2013 By 11 Comments
Garmin StreetPilot comes to iOS devices
After a year’s wait, Garmin’s Smartphone Link app has finally come to iOS and iPhones. The big caveat — it only works with 2013 nuvi Bluetooth models. I’m betting that’s to help sell more new nuvis, and not due to technical issues, but that’s just speculation on my part. read more
TomTom for Android (brief) review
February 11, 2013 By 4 Comments
TomTom for Android map screen
The long-awaited TomTom navigation app finally came to Android in October, only to disappoint those of us with larger screen phones like my Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which weren’t compatible. Fortunately an early December update brought compatibility to a larger range of phones and I’ve been testing it on and off ever since. How did it do? Read on to find out… read more
Garmin’s Android strategy
January 17, 2013 By 18 Comments
Screenshots from Garmin Navigator for Australia
When Garmin and Asus ended their ill-fated nuvifone partnership, Garmin gave Asus an exclusive for any preloaded navigation apps through the end of 2012. Because of this, quite a few Garmin watchers expect an announcement of a Garmin navigation app for Android early this year. But that may not happen. read more
BluTracker – Bluetooth-based GPS tracking device
January 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment
BluTracker Bluetooth 4.0 GPS tracking app
This is interesting – a GPS tracking device that uses Bluetooth to report it’s location. Surprisingly, it’s got a 1/2 mile range! It uses Bluetooth 4.0 (AKA Bluetooth LE), so it may not be compatible with your current phone, but that’s okay because it isn’t out yet. Still, there’s enough of interest to warrant discussing it, and the company has a good track record of bringing products to market. read more
Google Maps comes to iPhone; Apple to acquire TomTom?
December 13, 2012 By 2 Comments
The Google Maps app is now available for the iPhone and other iOS devices
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that Apple ditching Google Maps in the iPhone 5 in favor of their own app was widely panned this year, with GPS World dubbing it the location story of the year. And the news continues to be bad for Apple. Earlier this week Australian police warned people about using Apple maps, although that debacle may not have been entirely their fault. So with that background, here are today’s related stories: read more
