RSS Feed

rss subscribe

Search

 

GPS Navigation & Maps: The Best of Both Worlds

by Karoline on May 16, 2013

Sometimes things just align in perfect harmony: your favorite book and a cup of coffee, family and friends on your birthday…that moment you realize a powerhouse app that is the beautiful combination of mapping and navigation is available for your Android.

Yep, it’s true (so don’t pinch yourself). :)

Say hello to GPS Navigation & Maps, or as we’ve come to know it, “the perfect marriage of mapping and navigation.”

What is GPS Navigation & Maps?

Have you ever wanted an orientation solution where the possibilities are nearly endless? Well so have we, which is why we came up with idea of combining all of the unique benefits of modern orientation into one big ball of mapping and navigation awesomeness (technical term) that simply can’t be matched.

Meaning if you need a spiffy, lag-less map with turn-by-turn navigation (online or offline) or a map to help you avoid the various perils of your commute (with the help of OpenStreetMap’s constantly evolving data), you got it. Not to mention, given that GPS Navigation & Maps is just $1.00 (USD) – with one free offline map included, and free map updates are provided for life – it has never been easier to build a fully-functional online-offline map of that country you’ve been meaning to backpack through. :)

Furthermore, if you’re a new user who has yet to tame the unknown with the power skobbler’s navigation services, you can also try out GPS Navigation & Maps’ free app with unlimited online functionality and a 14-day navigation trial.

Pretty cool, right?

Now, let’s face it, a map is not just a map anymore. It is, or at least should be, a living, breathing source of information capable of providing you with the most up-to-date data from your surroundings.  GPS Navigation & Maps truly embodies this fact to the fullest extent by providing you with everything you need, anywhere in the world – regardless of connectivity and how you are making your way through it (that means you, you rebellious walkers and bikers).

Simply put, GPS Navigation & Maps is the big kid (and philosopher) on the Android mapping playground.

So there you have it, the key to Android mapping Shangri La. And lastly and most importantly, we hope you enjoy GPS Navigation & Maps as much as we do. :)

01_Android_GPSNM_4inch_us 02_Android_GPSNM_4inch_us 03_Android_GPSNM_4inch_us 04_Android_GPSNM_4inch_us 05_Android_GPSNM_4inch_us 06_Android_GPSNM_4inch_us 07_Android_GPSNM_4inch_us 08_Android_GPSNM_4inch_us

{ 0 comments }

Welcome to iOS, ForeverMap 2

by Karoline on May 2, 2013

You’re a tourist. You’re hungry, you can’t figure out where to go next, and worst of all – your Apple device doesn’t have service.

Sound familiar?

Well with great pleasure iOS users, we are happy to announce that this unfortunate set circumstances (and all of you subsequent Android map jealousy) are now a thing of the past, as ForeverMap 2 is now available on your iPhone and iPad.

As you know, we like maps that work and give you everything you need, and ForeverMap 2 does this both online and offline through our incredibly spiffy “hybrid” functionality and spot-on resolution powered by our unique NGx map engine (or the best thing that has ever happened to maps). With the NGx, ForeverMap 2 provides you with exactly what you are looking for, when you want it – no lag or annoying buffering grids, just a good old fashioned map with full search and routing, online or offline.

After all when you want to walk your dog, you want to walk your dog, and how dare maps delay you. :)

Additionally, know that moment when you wish one full-size, worldwide, ready-to-go map would come and save you from having to search through (and wait for) thousands of individualized city-by-city maps to get some simple map information?

We do too, which is why ForeverMap 2, both online and offline, gives you the whole world right at your fingertips – through downloadable continent and city maps that store locally and are supported by a seamless one-map-of-the -world interface that is fast-loading and easy to use. Let’s face it just because you’re in New York now, doesn’t mean you’re going to be in New York in an hour. So why have a map that only gives you a static look of the present, when you could have a dynamic look (thanks to OpenStreetMap) into the future?

Furthermore, given that things are constantly changing in the world around us, with ForeverMap 2’s frequent updates, again from OpenStreetMap, we can all rest assured that when we make our way down the street we won’t fall into an unlabeled pothole.

Getting out and about always has the potential to become unnerving. However, with ForeverMap 2, you may just find that the most unnerving thing about making your way through the world is that you’re having too much fun.  So stay vigilant iOS, stay very vigilant. ;)

Click to enlarge

{ 0 comments }

skobbler’s IT Best Sellers

by Karoline on April 29, 2013

Everyone knows that we are map nerds. But very few may actually be aware of our book worm alter-egos.

Now sure, we know what you’re going to say: “I bet this has something to do with Sci-Fi and tech.”

You’re right. :)

However, while we enjoy the classics (ala Brave New World, 1984, and of course because of its travel aspects The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and would love to spend days discussing each of them, for this blog post we just want to get right down to (technical) business.

The Phoenix Project

The beginning is always the best place to start. And for you developers out there, there literally isn’t a better place to start than by reading The Phoenix Project: A Novel About IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win. Granted, The Phoenix Project may not be for individuals who crave deep plot twists and character development. However, for those looking for a great base in “how tech things work,” look no further.

The New Digital Age

Ever wonder what it will be like in the future? Well then The New Digital Age is for you. Penned by two Googlers, Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen, The New Digital Age takes an in-depth look into how tech will shape everything in the future, including  how driverless cars will soon rule the road, and how smartphones will be used by remote fisherman to prevent overfishing. So basically the best book ever. :)

Taming the Big Data Tidal Wave

Big data is big. Yet, while it is becoming more and more prevalent each day, its nuances are still being further defined and in many cases have yet to be understood. Taming the Big Data Tidal Wave: Finding Opportunities in Huge Data Streams with Advanced Analytics does great job of not only defining what big data is and where it fits in today’s modern world, but also gives insight into how it can be put to better and where it could take us in the future.

So there you have it, skobbler’s IT Best Sellers (way more prestigious than The New York Times).

{ 0 comments }

Coming soon in the App Store…

by Karoline on April 23, 2013

{ 0 comments }

Mapping Change

by Karoline on April 23, 2013

There is no way around the fact that mapping has become an epidemic, in a good way; a central part of modern life in the digital age.

And why shouldn’t it be given people are as inquisitive and busy as ever?

Yet, beyond just saving innocent users from the clutches of a wrong turn, or the distaste of having to settle for pizza when you really want a burger (terrible, we know), mapping’s utility has branched out past the realm of consumer interest and directional assistance, becoming a central cog in helping society’s problem solving machine figure out the bigger, more important “stuff.” Here are some of our favorite examples.

Healthcare

As we all know finding what you’re looking for can be more difficult than initially expected. And making sense of the world around you, especially when you are new to it or viewing it from a far, can be even more difficult.

This is why World Vision, one of the world’s leading nonprofits on poverty and justice, has recruited mapping to help it both connect the dots and inform others about healthcare conditions from around the world. For example, by utilizing mapping data and crowdsourced information about area medical clinics, World Vision has been able to provide not only insight into where facilities are located, but the level of care provided, and which areas are in need of further medical resources.

Re-Greening

Getting out and about is fun…or so it should be which is why students at Stanford are trying to bring people back to the outdoors, and the outdoors back to people.

Through an ongoing data mine of urban green space and audit of surrounding demographic information, Stanford’s City Nature project has created a map resource that not online details where people can go to take in nature in their city, but also which cities and populations need greater access to it.

Safety

Maps have always provided some element of safety. However, digital maps and their quick response time are being put to greater and greater use in hopes of keeping people safe in modern times.

For example, OpenStreetMap, has its own set of safety related stories to tell, and more recently, crowdsourced map safety has gone more mainstream as the Israeli police endorsed and encouraged people to utilize crowdsourced resources such as Waze, as a way to provide assistance to authorities during U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent visit to the country (aka CrowdSource One).

In the end the cliché is true: the world is changing every day. But isn’t it better when you have maps right by your side? :)

{ 0 comments }

Mapping: The New Social Media?

by Karoline on April 15, 2013

People are always wondering what the next big thing in social media will be. A Super-duper Tweet? A fully optimized Facebook phone?

But what if the next biggest thing in social media has already arrived: maps?

As we all know, the institution of mapping has been around slightly longer than Twitter and Facebook. ;) Yet, despite being the ripe old age of infinity, mapping has continued to be just as pertinent to people’s lives as it was when Columbus made his way across the Atlantic, or when the Roman’s laid out their iconic network of roads.

Now sure, paper maps, at least from a utility standpoint, were put to bed a long time ago. However, mapping, now in a digital form, remains an integral part of life, and nowhere is that more apparent than in social media.

Think about it for a moment—would social media be the same without mapping and navigation elements? From a technical and end-user perspective, of course not.

Sure, people would still have friends to follow or add. But we want to know what our friends and colleagues like to do and, central to that, where they like to go. And services such as foursquare and Facebook have not only made this cool and socially expected, they’ve also made it the norm (even if you’re not checking in, you’re broadcasting your location somehow). Remember—any type of location-based tech, like these services and like most social media networks today, requires a map. So, mapping is at the center of social media. It powers your favorite app. It’s social.

And mapping’s sphere of social media influence doesn’t just stop there. Beyond being a critical component to social, mapping has also been improved by it. Yes, the maps themselves have become social.

Take Waze – the oft-rumored Apple acquisition target, that offers “social navigation,” or even our beloved OpenStreetMap (crowdsourcing and social are inherently linked) – as examples of how mapping isn’t just something we want to power an app’s features. Instead, mapping itself has become a social platform.

That mapping has become core to social and itself social shouldn’t be a surprise given the nature of it as an ever-changing and evolving medium. It’s a marriage that makes all the sense in the world.

Perhaps, then, we should stop looking for the next big thing in social. Rather, we should realize, it’s already here. It’s mapping.

{ 0 comments }

Mapping Out Our Favorites From April Fools’ Day

by Karoline on April 9, 2013

It’s been labeled cruel, sad and unnecessary, but one thing is for sure about April Fools’ Day: it always provides us with some intriguing talking points.

Now granted, a good April Fools’ joke can be spawned with any budget given the prank comes from a slightly dark (but safe), off-kilter place in one’s imagination. However, with that said, there is just a certain something magical when the tomfoolery of April Fools’ Day combines with the madness of tech.

Google’s Treasure Map

Remember when Google stumbled upon Captain Kidd’s long lost treasure maps late last year, during a deep sea StreetView expedition off the coast of Madagascar? Of course not, because it never happened.

This year Google set out to get all mappers, by calling on users to bind together to connect the secretive, symbolic dots embedded into Captain Kidd’s precious maps. A rather sick joke for some geo-maniacs, Google’s “treasure map” clues could only be revealed by exposing your maps to light, heights and fire. Definitely not cool, Google. ;)

Nokia Microwave

Apparently, we’re not the only ones who want access to live tiles while we prepare our microwave burritos. And thanks to Nokia’s 5AM-TH1N6 Constellation touch screen microwave, us and the rest of the 3 minute or less delicacy fans, are one small step closer to having all of our culinary and technology needs met in one fell April Fool’s Day swoop.

Geek-dom in 3D

ThinkGeek may have gone too far this year, by leading all of our inner geeks to believe that some of our favorite childhood toys and iconic movies characters and landmarks have become readily available on the shelves. A fully functioning Eye of Sauron Desk Lamp and a 3D printer that works with Play-Doh? Cold, ThinkGeek, too cold.

{ 0 comments }

Indoor Maps: The New Frontier

by Karoline on April 3, 2013

A lot has been said about Apple’s acquisition of WiFiSlam.

Yet, while this acquisition has been covered extensively from an Apple business perspective, one angle that has been widely ignored is how this maneuver underscores the importance of indoor mapping in today’s mobile landscape.

Indoor Functionality

As we’ve said time and time again, people just want to know how to get where they want to go, when they want to, and this includes when they access their mapping resource while inside. Moreover, no one likes sluggish functionality, so simply providing a mapping resource that functions outside will simply not get the job done from a vendor standpoint. Taking it to the next level is key.

By acquiring an indoor centric, WiFi based service, Apple is investing in an application that can potentially provide great results whenever and wherever — which is critical to creating a successful, long-term orientation solution.

Mapping In the Future

Each day thousands of “new frontiers” are realized and further explored in the field of tech. And indoor mapping is one of these in the mobile navigation space that’s ripe with opportunity.

Know that awkward moment where you’re looking for peanut butter, only to realize it’s been in front of you the whole time? Or those wasted trips to the store to get a product they no longer carry? With a fully realized indoor mapping resource, these unfortunate consumer experiences will all lessen, as both retailers and brands will be able to show you exactly where a product is located, and how much it costs.

Mapping Nirvana

Mapping is already one of the most rapidly growing digital resources today. Yet, by incorporating indoor capabilities, mapping stands to become one of the most comprehensive resources available to users. By further developing indoor mapping, users will finally be able to find everything they need right at their fingertips, moving mapping one step further to mapping nirvana, or the full realization of what a map can be. :)

{ 0 comments }

skobbler’s Favorite SXSW Moments

by Karoline on March 18, 2013

SXSW is a huge event every year and, every year, we see some great announcements, parties, and startup success stories. This year was no different, of course—and while we didn’t make our way to Austin in 2013, we see some things that we thought were great for whatever reason. With that in mind, here’s a look at our top SXSW 2013 moments.

Fast Company & Target

It’s no surprise that brands have taken to SXSW. They love it. It makes them seem cool and they get to develop some authentic cred with promising startups and tech companies. Look at Target, for instance. One of the leading retailers in the US, Target, surprisingly, had no previous SXSW presence, but went all in this year. They partnered with the always great Fast Company to launch a “retail accelerator” while also sponsoring the FC Grill.

Now, the “retail accelerator” isn’t an actual accelerator. Instead, it’s more of an appathon, with developers asked to create a new mobile experience for Target. Grand prize winner gets $75,000 and their app made. That’s a great opportunity for developers interested in working with a great brand and vice versa. How can we not include it in our list?

Foursquare’s Party

This was the talk of the town at SXSW. Sure, we weren’t down there ourselves, but we didn’t need to be to know what was happening on-the-ground. Everyone – or at least those with invites – was tweeting about Foursquare’s exclusive event last Sunday, or they were (of course) checking into the venue, Instagramming, etc. In fact, we saw more tweets about the Foursquare party than we did about the Twitter party, which was happening at the same time. That says something, right? Talk about competition.

With so many parties and events, Foursquare managed to cut through the clutter with an exclusive RSVP list, some real mystique, great promo and genuine anticipation.

Grumpy Cat

The undisputed winner of this year’s SXSW wasn’t a startup. Far from it. Instead, the winner was a meme, with the reluctant Grumpy Cat being the most sought out attraction. Hundreds of folks were actually lining up to see the Internet’s most beloved malcontent at the Mashable tent. Many people were actually interested in seeing Tardar Sauce (his actual name), but missed out because of the long lines.  Who knew?

Did you go to SXSW? What were some of your favorite moments from Austin?

There Are Startups, and Then There Are (Mapping) Startups

by Karoline on March 12, 2013

From gaming to weather, the difficulties of being a start-up have been well documented. Of course some make it look easy (that means you Google), but the plight of the startup is far more intricate and challenging than it may seem.

With that in mind, here are few obstacles mapping startups face in today’s saturated tech landscape.

The Investment

Like with any business, cash is a necessity. And while the garage maybe the perfect launch pad for some startups (everyone knows about Facebook and Apple), creating a map of the world that fits perfectly in anyone’s pocket takes a little bit more than a few desktops, a lack of sleep and take-out (although the last two can be seen in startups of all shapes and sizes, especially the take-out part); it takes a huge flow of both financial and manpower resources. For example, Google hits the street with futuristic cameras (among other things), while Nokia relies on laser wielding cars to gather the most pertinent, up-to-date mapping data (both of which are definitely more expensive and time intensive from a manpower perspective, than acquiring a mini-fridge for the garage office). And OpenStreetMap? Well the millions of contributions from mapping do-gooders speak to the mechanical efforts invested on our part. :)

Acquiring the Mapping Goods

Beyond the financial commitment of just manpower, acquiring mapping data requires a large monetary investment as well. Furthermore, given that licensing such data comes at a price – and going out and acquiring it via the Google and Nokia route provides companies with much more creative flexibility – sourcing data for just basic mapping capabilities, let alone for features such as street view and GPS routing (which have become second nature in modern navigation), is a huge obstacle that mapping startups can run up against (at least initially).

Cutting Edge Quality

Providing a quality service that meets the technological demands of the day is central to almost any entity, and nowhere is this more prevalent than in the world of modern mapping. From developers to the idea itself, startups (and any business for that matter) require constant maintenance, and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Users want a product that not only works but gives them exactly what they need. Thus, mapping services must feature constantly dynamic content that addresses user needs. This of course requires vast research, support and a dedicated workforce that keeps things together – all of which come at a cost.

So there you have it, a snap shot of what it takes to make a modern map. Definitely makes you think about not taking good directions for granted. ;)

← Previous Entries

google_analytics_code