This is kind of interesting. The folks over at Gnip and MapBox have teamed up with ex-Google data guru Eric Fischer to create a series of interactive heat maps that show the usage of iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices around the world.
The data consists of some three billion global, geotagged tweets that have been collected since September of 2011. And the team has converted all of this data into navigable maps in an attempt to illustrate patterns in language and device use...
It's official: Google has just bought Waze, a social mapping and location startup, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition strengthens Google's already leading Maps solution and related location services on the web and mobile devices. The deal follows months of speculation, with stories earlier this year predicting Apple would acquire the Israeli startup in order to improve own data in iOS Maps...
During the OS X Mavericks segment here at WWDC 2013, Apple's OS X head Craig Federighi announced a new native Maps app for the Mac. The standalone program takes advantage of core system enhancements in OS X Mavericks. The resulting experince is much more fluid, pleasing and responsive compared to what you had in Safari. One of the interesting features is the ability to send any location or route right from the Maps Mac app right to your iDevice’s Lock screen...
An Israeli newspaper is reporting today that Google has won the bidding war for the popular crowd-sourced navigation app Waze. The two companies are in the process of finalizing an acquisition deal said to be worth $1.3 billion.
The report comes after several months of speculation that Waze was in buyout talks with a number of tech giants including Apple, and more recently Facebook—all with price tags in the neighborhood of a billion dollars...
With Apple replacing Google Maps with its own in-house solution last fall, it essentially left the folks who use public transit services in the dark. Among its many flaws, Apple's Maps app doesn't feature any kind of transit data or directions.
So those who required this information were forced to seek out third party solutions. And today one of the more popular ones, The Transit App, received a major update. It now features real-time vehicle locations and, oh yeah, it's now free!
Apple billed 3D Flyover as one of the headlining features of its Maps app, when it replaced Google Maps in iOS last fall with its own in-house software. Unfortunately, at the time, the feature was only available for a handful of cities.
But the Maps team has been awfully busy in recent months, adding Flyover support to a number of new areas. Earlier this month, it expanded Flyover coverage in Paris, France, and this week it's bolstered support in greater California...
3D Flyover, a headline feature of Apple's in-house mapping service available on compatible iOS 6 devices, initially included only a handful of U.S. cities. The last major expansion was in March, when Apple added 3D Flyovers in twelve new cities - including such venues as Tokyo Station, Japan Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower - and expanded Flyover coverage in more than a dozen U.S. cities.
Today, the company added 3D buildings for Paris, France and surrounding areas. I have a feeling iDB's own Sebastien Page will have lots of fun playing with Maps on his iPad...
Waze must be doing something right. Earlier this year, the popular crowdsourced GPS application was reportedly being courted by Apple for a possible buyout. And today comes a rumor that Facebook is also interested in an acquisition.
How interested? Well according to a new report this morning, the deal could be worth in upwards of $1 Billion. Apparently, the two companies have been in negotiations for the last six months, and are now in advanced due diligence...
With Google Maps launching as a standalone app last fall, and Apple's own Maps app getting progressively better, you probably aren't in the market for an alternative GPS application. But we're going to tell you about one anyway.
ForeverMap2, a maps app that uses OpenStreetMaps tech, has finally landed on iOS. Its claim to fame is its advanced compression technology, which allows it to serve up offline maps without taking up much space on your device...
Hot on the heels of a pair of yesterday's reports which asserted that Apple's upcoming iOS 7 will have a "very flat" user interface akin to Windows Phone's 'Metro' visual style - along with Mac OS X 10.9 borrowing core multitasking features from iOS 7 - 9to5Mac writer Mark Gurman is back at it again with another exclusive. Today's story details an alleged integration of Apple's Siri digital personal assistant and in-house built Maps service in iOS 7 with your car's dashboard...
Waze, a free social GPS application developed by the Israeli start-up Waze Mobile, at point was supposedly going to be acquired by Apple in order to improve iOS 6 Maps data, though later reports dismissed the rumor as wishful thinking.
Its CEO Noam Bardin was interviewed at AllThingsD's Dive Into Mobile conference yesterday.
Among the topics discussed, Barding shared his observations concerning Apple's Maps service which debuted as part of iOS 6 in September 2012, here's what he said...
Is Apple preparing to take another chunk out of Google's mapping franchise? A patent filed in 2011 and entitled "3D Position Tracking for Panoramic Navigation," discovered Thursday, suggests the iPhone maker is considering adding street level navigation to its own iOS 6 Maps technology.
By virtue of the description, the invention suggests using movement sensors built into the iPhone and iPad to make it easier for mobile users to move within virtual maps. Currently, Google's Street View feature makes use of mouse movements and touchscreen input for navigation. A key difference between Apple Maps and Google Maps may also include the ability to navigate within structures...