Localization

Nextel De Mexico Strengthens Its iFOLLOW® & iLOCATOR Location Services With Openwave

admin — Thu, 03 May 2007 12:29:04 +0000

Keeping their customer's needs in mind, Nextel de Mexico continues to innovate and continuously offer solutions that provide increased efficiency and productivity. Consistent with this approach, Nextel has introduced iLocator and iFollow location-based services, which automatically provide a GPS location, through integration of the Openwave® Location Manager Commercial Edition (LM-CE) solution and an integrated GPS chipset available on most Nextel handsets.

Now, business users can automatically and accurately determine the location of Nextel users:

Exact position: Utilizing the assisted GPS platform with a Nextel GPS-enabled handset when the subscriber has proper coverage and signal.

Approximate position: Utilizing the Nextel Network location system when the subscriber is indoors or unable to obtain a proper GPS determination.

In order to provide assisted GPS functionality in the iLocator & iFollow services, as well as new location-based services in the near future, NII Holdings is working with Openwave Systems to manage and control a robust GPS-based location service platform across several of its Latin America properties, including Nextel de Mexico. » read more »

Sprint Customers Get GPS Navigation Bundled In Data Packs

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:48:36 +0000

Sprint announced its customers will soon have the power of a new robust GPS-enabled navigation service included at no additional charge in select Sprint data packs. Sprint Navigation powered by TeleNav will give customers the power of a full-featured GPS navigation device right on select Sprint phones, and unlimited use of Sprint Navigation will be included in the new Sprint Power Vision(SM) Navigation Pack, along with two other existing data packs. In addition, Sprint customers who subscribe to other Sprint data packs will have access to Sprint Navigation for just $2.99 per day.

Whether a customer is a frequent traveler needing directions, likes to explore local restaurants and shops, or is looking for the lowest gas prices, Sprint Navigation will give customers the power to do all of these things in the palm of their hands. Sprint Navigation will include the following features:

* Voice-guided and on-screen turn-by-turn GPS-enabled driving directions, which speaks street names for each turn
* 3-D moving maps similar to an in-car navigation system or personal navigation device
* Real-time intelligent traffic alerts and one-click rerouting » read more »

Mobile Streams Plans to Kick-start LBS

admin — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 10:35:06 +0000

Start-up Connectid is so keen to get location-based content services moving that it’s going to make its own handsets to ‘front load’ the market.

The New York-based company, run by content giant Mobile Streams, will launch in August with the aim of transforming the part played by location in mobile entertainment.

It claims to have created a chip that can improve the LBS capabilities of GSM devices, using Assisted GPS (AGPS). But rather than wait for the major manufacturers to engage, it will make its own handsets and sell them direct to operators. The company will also make single-purpose location-aware devices such as pet collars.

“The big vendors always start with high-end handsets, but we want to create services that everyone can use,” said Simon Buckingham, CEO of Mobile Streams and Connectid. “If we build these location-based applications into our own devices, we can make them genuinely tangible for people.”

These services could include: location-sensitive ads; social networking that lets users tell friends that they’re nearby; location-aware gaming; city guides and maps; localised search; pet tagging and more. » read more »