Posts Tagged ‘iphone’
Google Maps’ Traffic Reports Protect Privacy
Monday, September 14th, 2009
Google Maps has a new feature that utilizes the functionality of GPS-enabled smart phones to measure traffic conditions on major US highways and arterials. The traffic stats are compiled from whatever data is available at the time based on the speed and direction that users are traveling. The more people using the service at a given time, the more accurate the reports become.
The service is provided entirely free of charge with Google Maps, but some consumers are concerned that the information being used to track their cars could be used for other purposes. Google has added a host of privacy features to the application to assuage these fears; data is combined from multiple phones before reaching Google, making it hard to identify any one phone from another, and all of the information is anonymous in nature. In addition, users are easily able to opt out of sending their location data to Google. As a final security measure, Google’s software determines the start and end points of every trip it tracks and deletes them, so that nobody can track where a vehicle came from or where it ended up. After deletion, not even Google will have the data.
Several phones come with Google Maps pre-installed such as the Palm Pre, MyTouch 3G, and Apple’s iPhone. With such a large user base, the traffic monitoring software should quickly become a central feature of Google Maps.
Photo courtesy of dannysullivan under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: Apple, Google, Google Maps, GPS, iphone, Maps, MyTouch 3G, Palm Pre
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TomTom Releases iPhone GPS Navigation App
Thursday, August 20th, 2009
New app proves useful for fleet drivers
TomTom has announced that its portable navigation application for the iPhone will be available for purchase in the iTunes App Store as of this week.
“With TomTom for iPhone, millions of iPhone users can now benefit from the same easy-to-use and intuitive interface, turn-by-turn spoken navigation and unique routing technology that our 30 million portable navigation device users rely on every day,” said Corinne Vigreux, managing director of TomTom. The routing technology mentioned actually uses the driving experiences of other TomTom users to determine the fastest route from one place to another, rather than making assumptions about travel times based on distance and speed limits.
The TomTom application provides a portable solution to drivers who are already equipped with an iPhone without having to purchase additional GPS equipment. Combined with the phone’s other business functions, it makes the iPhone an extremely useful device for fleet drivers and managers.
Other features of the TomTom app include:
- Navigation software including fast route planning and clear voice instructions
- Automatic re-routing if a turn is missed
- Route demo or map of route when trip planning
- Latest Tele Atlas maps of the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Tags: GPS equipment, iphone, itunes, iTunes App Store, Navigation software, routing technology, Tele Atlas, TomTom
Posted in Industry News | 3 Comments »
AT&T Navigator iPhone App
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
Last week, AT&T released its voice-guided turn-by-turn GPS iPhone app, AT&T Navigator, specifically for the iPhone 3GS and earlier iPhone models with the OS 3.0 software update.
In addition to being able to display daily gas prices and one-touch rerouting, some fleet-friendly features include:
• Voice and On-Screen Turn-By-Turn Directions: Real-time voice and visual guidance, including street names, automatic re-routes, ETA, total mileage updates and multiple route options.
• Speech Recognition: Touch and talk capability for instant turn-by-turn directions to destination.
• Traffic Alerts: Real-time route monitoring and proactive searches every five minutes for traffic congestion or incident.
• 3D Maps: Full-color 3D moving maps provide details on current location, plus streets and interstates within driving distance.
• Business Listings: One-touch access to more than 10 million business listings from YELLOWPAGES.COM. Plus, access to business ratings, phone numbers and one-touch dialing.
• In-Route Customization: Find convenient rest stops for gas, food and other needs along their current route – saving both time and mileage.
The app is yours for $9.99 a month from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch.
So what do you think: a helpful high-tech tool that creates fleet efficiencies? Or another driver distraction?
Tags: Apple App store, AT&T, AT&T Navigator, iphone, iPhone3GS, iPod touch, itunes, yellowpages.com
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Fleets 2.0
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
Keeping your business connected.
Some of the smartest small businesses out there today stay ahead by keeping up with the latest technology. We’ve rounded up a short list of mobile phone applications that we love for fleet businesses on the move:
- Cheap Gas (Free, iPhone): Just like the name says, this application will help you find the cheapest gas nearest to your current location. Powered by our friends at GasBuddy.com, the app will also map the shortest route to the station from your current location.
- FYI Mileage ($4.99, iPhone): Track your business and personal mileage quickly and easily. Application supports multiple drivers and vehicles, and data can be exported to a .CSV or HTML format. Of course, we strongly recommend using the reporting that your fleet card provides to track mileage.
- iXpenseIt ($4.99, iPhone): Simplify daily expense tracking for easy reimbursement of travel expenses. IXpenseIt will store photo receipts, itemize expenses and track them against your allotted budget.
- Rest Area (.99, iPhone): This application will retrieve the closest rest area to your current location, as well as provide detailed information about the area’s facilities.
- Take Me to My Car (Free, iPhone): Like the name says, if you often forget where you parked your big-rig (and who doesn’t?), this application will remember for you. Before you get out of your vehicle, tap to save your current location. Then when you’re ready to leave, start the application for turn-by-turn (with compass!) direction back to your ride. We predict this will be a life-saver at the holiday season.
- TeleNav GPS Navigator (monthly subscription, Blackberry): Turn your Blackberry into a full-fledged GPS, complete with turn-by-turn directions, 3-D maps, and a directory full of information by category.
- WeatherBug (monthly subscription, Blackberry): Check the conditions of the road before you hit it with WeatherBug mobile. Similar to the web version, you can get live, local weather updates and detailed forecasts of what’s to come.
These are just a few of the applications out there that can help you run your business more efficiently. What applications would you recommend adding to this list?
Photo copyright of Johan Larsson under the Creative Commons License
Tags: blackberry, cheap gas, expense tracking, gps navigation, iphone, technology, weather
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