This via the Google mobile blog (http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/)… Google Voice now available for mobile users (and iPhone)… One of the great benefits of web applications is that you don’t need to download and install an app on your phone. Instead, simply point your mobile browser to m.google.com/voice and sign in to your Google Voice account. visit m.google.com/voice or take a look at the Google Mobile Help Center. Please note, the web app is compatible with all versions of Palm WebOS and iPhone OS 3.0 and higher.
Archives for January 26, 2010
A Popular Techie and Social Media User Pulls The Plug on Location Services
The issue of privacy and security has long been a huge concern in the LBS space although it seems to come and go in debate. I was interested to notice recently that a Twitter contact of mine has decided to hit the eject button and bail out of using social location aware services like foursquare, GoWalla, and the like.
I have to admit, Andrew has some great points and it does make you sit back and wonder why the hell am I doing this? I’ve noticed recently that the social-location services, which are just now attempting to go mainstream, have been typically adopted at an early stage by techno geeks and the social media savvy. It’s also interesting to note that it seems many of the long-time “power” users (myself included, are now bailing out of checkin in from their favorite places and sharing everything they do with their Twitter stream and facebook status. The main reason seems to be lack of reward or benefit, I mean after-all, what real benefit is there in crowd-sourcing all that great information without any real tangible benefit? Why are we all giving foursquare, Yelp, Loopt, GoWalla and others all that great data? We QC crappy data, often quickly supplied by someone when they check-in, without little care for accuracy.
But Andrew brings up the safety and privacy issue which I think many of us (me included) have dismissed. What value is there in the whole world knowing where and when I go for coffee or to the gym? Even worse, as many of us likely neglect to disable geolocation provisioning from our twitter clients, we are likely also sharing details of where we live and work – often without meaning to provide that information. I’m sure I have shared media showing exactly where I live, work and play and Andrew reminds me that indeed this may not be a good idea. I’m not losing sleep at the moment, however, as a precaution just remember, if you decide to stalk me I may have a golf club or a baseball bay handy! See Andrew’s Interesting Post Here
Gone Out – iPhone app for Teens and kids to Communicate with parents
From LBS Wireless (Australia), Gone Out enables the user to record where they are going, when they are leaving and returning, who they are going with, how they are getting to where they are going and what they are taking with them. The application provides the user with the option of sending an email containing their plans and location details, to their parents, guardian, other family members or friends. See more details here
AND Automotive Navigation Data Makes Available Haiti GIS dataset and iPhone App
AND (AND Automotive Navigation Data) has recently released a Shape dataset of Haiti, available to users free of charge. The company informs us they will make this map available to everyone in order to geo-enable everybody in the aid efforts in the earthquake-devastated nation. The shape file will be
available via the AND website HERE.
Besides the shape file, the company has also included the map in our on-line editable map – See HERE.
finally, AND has also developed an iPhone app (available soon) – iMaps Haiti – iMaps Haiti for the iPhone was developed order to assist the workers on the ground. With iMaps Haiti users can:
– Find your location via GPS
– Plan your route
– Find a location via search
iMaps Haiti is free and will be available in iTunes soon
Android Mobile OS Expected to Reach #2
Industry think tank IDC is predicting that the Android OS will continue with its momentum, eroding marketshare from Symbian and secure the #2 spot in the mobile OS arena within a couple of years. Key findings from a new IDC market outlook include the following:
– Symbian will retain its leadership position worldwide throughout the forecast period. Due primarily to the strength of Nokia in markets outside of the United States, Symbian continues to lead all other mobile operating systems.
– Android will experience the fastest growth of any mobile operating system. Starting from a very small base of just 690,000 units in 2008, total Android-powered shipments will reach 68.0 million units by 2013, making for a CAGR of 150.4%. Android will benefit from having a growing footprint of handset vendors supporting it and will finish second to Symbian in shipments by 2013.
– Linux and webOS shipments will struggle throughout the forecast period. Shipments of Linux-powered devices will trend down due to greater emphasis on the Android platform but will not disappear entirely as some vendors will continue to support it. Palm’s webOS, despite growing steadily, will capture limited market share due to limited deployment and availability of devices across multiple carriers.