Public GeoData Organisation petition

The petition states:

We the undersigned, ask Members of the European Parliament to adequately amend or, failing that, to reject the current draft of the INSPIRE Directive on European Spatial Data Infrastructure because it:

* Does not guarantee that European citizens and businesses can download and freely re-use Geographic Information collected by government.
* Instead it entrenches a policy of charging citizens for information they have already paid to collect, enforced by state copyright over geographic information.

Given that:

* Public Geographic Information is the bedrock of how civil society is managed in the information age.
* Free map data could enable a new generation of location-based technologies with enormous economic and social potential.
* Open access to geodata is the best way to ensure co-operation between Europe's government agencies on environmental and census data, and in other important fields.

The INSPIRE Directive in its current form risks holding back the economic and social potential in maps and location-based technology in Europe by many years.

7200 signatures and counting. What is the deal with GeoData collected in Australia, anyone know? (What is Inspire?)

Technorati Tags: LBS, location based services, geodata, petition, public geodata, inspire, spatial, australia, europe, gps, global, positioning

GSMLoc project

From Christopher Schmidt, Web Developer and GSM/LBS enthusiast - his GSMLOC project.

Ever wanted to know where you were, but didn't have a GPS handy? Wondered about ways to use that cell phone sitting in your pocket to find out where you are?

These are things that the network providers want to offer to you -- at high cost, either to you or a partner that would charge the cost back to you.

As a broke college student, I asked myself these things. Then I got a GPS, and realized that there *is* another way around it. With some Python code and a lot of free time, I wandered around town, recording GPS traces and associating them with cell towers.

This project was born of that. I've loaded my data in, and I'm working with other people around the country (US) and the world to collect data in every city, town, country. Want to help? Grab a program, grab a GPS, and upload some data. Don't have a GPS? Use the simple form to enter your location and cell ID.

Wired had something to say about it too:

Schmidt spends his time wandering around his hometown of Cambridge, Massachusetts, using his custom cell-phone software to unmask the ID numbers on each GSM cell tower he passes. Then he associates that tower ID with a GPS-defined location, and uploads it to his website.

When his electronic surveying is complete, Schmidt will have a system that can tell him where he is at all times -- without GPS -- by triangulating the signals from the newly mapped cell towers.

Calling himself a "neogeographer," Schmidt is part of a generation of coders whose work is inspired by easily obtained map data, as well as the mashups made possible by Google Maps and Microsoft's Virtual Earth.

The Geowanking project sounds coooool.
I've long been a fan of such projects as platial - I was speaking last year about how these mashups will change the face of GSM and LBS. Bring it on!

Technorati Tags: LBS, GPS, Location Based Services, GSM, triangulation, Christopher Schmidt, GSMLoc, Wired, GeoWank, platial

Europe and LBS

Business Week (Online) has an article Europe in CEO's Guide to Technology by Kate Norton

Europe Takes to Location-Based Cell Service
Services that give cell-phone users place-based info fast are finally taking hold in Europe—and are welcomed by revenue-hungry providers. Five years ago, mobile-phone makers and wireless operators waxed poetic about the prospects for technology that would offer consumers maps, traffic reports, and localized search from the palm of their hands. But the march toward so-called location-based services was impeded by primitive phones, pokey connections, and a dearth of enticing applications. "Uptake was a catastrophe," bluntly declares Ralph Eric Kunz, vice-president of multimedia experiences for handset giant Nokia.

Now, thanks to higher-resolution color screens, faster wireless data links, and the arrival of browser-enabled handsets, the picture is finally beginning to brighten. Sales of software and services that let consumers find a nearby post office or the fastest route to a destination are finally starting to take off. And mobile operators burned by the previous wave of hype are dipping their toes back into the business. Swedish-Finnish operator TeliaSonera, for instance, now offers 10 location-based services, including Yellow Pages, weather information, route displays with voice prompts, and a "friend-finder" capability.

I give it 5 more years before it hits Australia. "...impeded by primitive phones, pokey connections, and a dearth of enticing applications." Yep, 2011.

Technorati Tags: location based services, LBS, Business Week Online, Kate Norton, Europe, Australia

2400 Hotspots in Singapore

I used to live in Kim Yam Rd, Singapore. I still miss it... Anyway, ITWire has this

SingTel is planning to install 2400 hotspots across Northern Singapore by May 2007 through which it will offer free Internet access and unlimited VoIP calls for a fixed monthly fee as well as TV over broadband and location based and other services.

In addition to free basic Internet services such as surfing and emailing at these wireless hotspots, SingTel says that customers "can expect to enjoy new value-added services that are timely, innovative and personalised to meet their lifestyle needs and location."

These services include Broadband TV on the move, SingTel’s eConcierge smart location-based services, WhizGuide and BuddyWRU (Buddy Where Are You), as well as unlimited mobile VoIP calls at a fixed monthly fee.

I loved the infrastructure there. *looks at Sol Trujillo* :(

Technorati Tags: Location based services, lbs, singapore, ITWire

(LBS) Subs Will Total 315 Million in Five Years

From our fave magazine, Directions:

Company: ABI Research
Industry: Telecommunications, Wireless / Navigation, Location-based Services (LBS)
Location: New York, NY, United States of America
In 2011, the total population of GPS-enabled location-based services (LBS) subscribers will reach 315 million, up from 12 million in 2006, according to a new study from ABI Research. Put another way, that represents a rise from less than 0.5% of total wireless subscribers today to more than 9% worldwide at the end of the study's 5-year forecast period.

Not if they don't get a move on (with development), they won't. Full article.

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS,

Medical emergencies: Football games, concerts

Telenav press release:

Carilion Clinic Cuts Down Emergency Medical Response Times with TeleNav Track(TM); Replaces Radio-Based GPS Tracking System with Enhanced Web-Based Service

In an emergency situation, every second counts for first response medical teams. An essential part of Virginia-based Carilion Clinic's success is due to finding and implementing the latest proven technologies that improve healthcare. That is why Carilion Clinic and TeleNav Inc. today announced the implementation of TeleNav's TeleNav Track(TM) GPS solution over mobile phones, to assist Carilion with the location and deployment of ambulances and emergency medical teams during local organized events. The Carilion Clinic is western Virginia's leading healthcare partner.
Carilion Patient Transportation Services was recently tasked with providing medical response teams for events that take place at the Martinsville Speedway, which often attracts thousands of people.

"Large events, such as an auto race, football game or concert, are very difficult environments for emergency medical response teams to easily work in. The number of people can be overwhelming, making it vital to implement a system that will help us send teams to an area within minutes of any reported incident," said Allan Belcher, operations manager, Carilion Patient Transportation Services. "The mobility of TeleNav Track allows us to locate the closest available resources, send them to the location of the emergency while simultaneously watching the status of the call directly from anywhere in the world."

TeleNav Track is a fully hosted, 100 percent Web-based service available at http://www.telenavtrack.com/. The price per phone/device starts with the TeleNav Track Basic plan at $9.99 per month, plus a one-time $19.99 activation fee. The basic service includes GPS tracking, timesheets and location reporting. The TeleNav Track Plus plan is priced at $12.99 per month, which adds two-way messaging. The $15.99 per month TeleNav Track Enhanced plan adds barcode scanning, wireless forms and job dispatching and scheduling capabilities. TeleNav Track Premium is priced at $21.99 per month and includes turn-by-turn voice and visual navigation.

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, teleNav, medical

AirIQ Named 15th Fastest Growing Technology Company in Canada

AirIQ Named 15th Fastest Growing Technology Company in Canada

2006 Deloitte Fast 50 Ranking measures % revenue growth over 5 years

"AirIQ is a leader in the telematics service industry, using wireless communications to send and receive location-based information and control messages to and from vehicles and vessels. AirIQ's increase in revenues of 2,438% from 2001 to 2005 resulted in a 15th ranking overall in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50. "

Rest of press release here at Marketwire.com.
Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, marketwire, AirIQ

MAST patent

Press Release from Marketwire:

TCS Receives Cornerstone Location and Presence Patent -- Enables Delivery of Wireless Device Information to Authorized Sources

The MAST invention allows presence information and location information regarding a particular wireless device, which is contained in the Home Location Register (HLR) of a wireless carrier, to be made available to any authorized outside entity or application. This invention enables authorized sources to use location and presence information for specialized services such as location-based advertising and couponing, mapping, mobile instant messaging, traffic alerts and geo-fencing.

Head here for more info.

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, Mobile Activity Status Tracker, MAST

NEC and Qualcomm

IT News from Italy has this press release (via Presswire I think):

NEC COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL A-GPS INTEROPERABILITY TESTING WITH QUALCOMM USING A "SUPL VERSION 1.0 STANDARD LOCATION PROTOCOL"

...announced the successful completion of assisted-GPS (A-GPS) interoperability testing (IOT) on a commercial GPRS/WCDMA network in Japan and London.

NEC and QUALCOMM support the standard to meet the rapidly accelerating demand for higher-accuracy location-based services in Europe, North and South America and Asia."NEC is committed to the global success of location-based information services.

In 2001, our technology enabled the first commercial user-plane location information system built in Japan," said Ruth Brannvall, Head of Value Added Services, NEC Europe Ltd. "Today, the success of our IOT with QUALCOMM ensures the user-plane A-GPS location-information system is no longer dependent upon operators' control plane networks, providing continual improvements to mobile operators' location-based information services."

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, NEC, Qualcomm, Brannvall

Blackberry and GPS

From a Press Release (techwhacks):

RESTON, Va., and WATERLOO, ON. - Sept. 20, 2006 - Sprint (NYSE: S) and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today introduced the BlackBerryÒ 8703e from Sprint with updated features, including EV-DO support and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) capability in a sleek and light design.

The BlackBerry 8703e includes integrated GPS (assisted-GPS) enabled through Sprint to deliver support for popular location-based services to mobile users, such as turn-by-turn driving directions to any address, anywhere on the Nationwide Sprint PCS Network.

Technorati Tags Location based services, lbs, techwhack.com, Sprint, BlackBerry 8703e

Cornershop in India

Indian Television has this:

MUMBAI: Cornershop Entertainment has launched an SMS based information service called Info on the Go. Ask 757577 is a service that works on any mobile phone with a text messaging facility.

It claims to be simple and user-friendly, as one can SMS questions to 757577. This service helps extend the virtual boundaries of knowledge and is available to all pre-paid and post-paid mobile users, informs an official release.

Ask757577 is a service that delivers Info on the go. You can now get quick and easy access to restaurants, weather, movie timenigs, emergency services, sports scores, directions, and more. At Ask757577 we are singularly focused on helping users find what they need through ever-changing mobile technologies. Ask757577 promises to be committed to meeting the search challenge of users.

"Innovation in services is key to reaching out to people, we believe in innovating against demand, and there is a strong demand for accurate info based services in the wireless market place" said CornerShop director Chirag Shah. One of the best ways to accomplish this is through the delivery of highly personalized location based services.

CornerShop claims to be the first to launch SMS voting/polling on reality TV in India for shows like Sa Re Ga Ma, Business Baazigar, Zee Cine Awards. The company also powers India's first 24 hour live interactive gaming channel 'PlayTV'.

Is SMS info LBS? I guess you SMS "where is the nearest MacDonalds" and it does a location check on your phone and sends back an answer? Much better than an "always on" push solution, I reckon.

They have a 24 hour live interactive gaming channel PlayTV? o.O Is that online gambling or quiz shows or tetris or what?

Technorati Tags lbs, indian television, Location Based Services, Cornershop,

Rescue me: SMS from kidnapped 14-year-old

Jim Davenport in South Carolina as reported in the Sydney Morning Herald:

POLICE have arrested the man they believe is responsible for kidnapping a 14-year-old girl who sent a text message to her mother that led to her rescue from a booby-trapped bunker.

The sheriff said the text message the girl sent to her mother came from Filyaw's mobile phone. Investigators used telecommunications towers to determine the general location of the phone used to send the message.

Soon, triangulation (iffy at best) will be a thing of the past.

Technorati Tags LBS, Elizabeth Shoaf,Sydney Morning Herald, kidnap, mobile phone

Dude, where's my coffee?

From the Taipei Times:

Tim Hibbard wants you to see where he is. On his Web site, timhibbard.com/wherestim, Hibbard uses GPS technology to plot his location on a map of Lawrence, Kansas, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A GPS phone in his car feeds information into a Google Map, and a small icon represents Tim Hibbard, Web site architect and self- confessed geek. If you zoom in on the location, you can see the roof of the building he's in. If you were familiar with Lawrence, you could suggest things for Hibbard to do.

"One guy sent me a text message which said: `Hey dude! Get some coffee!' I was actually already on my way to get coffee," he recalls.
It won't be long before Hibbard's isn't the only pin on such maps.

The article is actually from The Guardian (Ronan Fitzgerald) but few traditional media outlets link to original articles. Unlike bloggers. From Tim's website:

Jeff Julian and John Alexander were nice enough to interview me on PodcastStudio.net; We talked about Where's Tim, GPS, consumer trust and all kinds of fun stuff. The podcast is here, and the podcast feed is here...check them out.

I'll have a latte, thnx.

Technorati Tags Online Communities, Tim Hibbard, Taipei Times, Ronan Fitzgerald, Guardian, LBS

Update on LBS

Funny, LBS articles seem to be focussing on privacy and fear issues at the moment. We're not blogging much because most of the information is same-old, same-old. Meaning; new children's phones or tracking of packages/personnel and that's it.

Anyway here's some stuff:
MobHappy - Sexual Predator Zones

I was reading about a YAKTA (Yet Another Kid Tracking Application) this morning and one sentence leapt out at me as being different. After the normal blurb about tracking loved ones’ movements in real time, it says that the service
even alerts them [parents] when their child is in a sexual predator zone.
I was intrigued by the Sexual Predator Zone angle and while I couldn’t find any more information about this aspect of the product, I did come across this hack of Google maps - Florida Sexual Predator.
Essentially, you can enter your Florida zip code and a Google map shows you the home addresses, crime history and mug shots of all convicted sexual predators in your area, from information provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

IMS meets telematics - Pimp My Ride:

Telcordia (http://www.telcordia.com/) and Ford have revealed a completely wireless-enabled Ford Five Hundred sedan, brining IMS into the world of telematics.
The Five Hundred showcases a seamless transition between car, MP3 player, GPS and location-based services. Specific features incorporated into the Ford Five Hundred include remote monitoring and control, diagnostics and troubleshooting, infotainment, and location-based roadside assistance. The car can be monitored over the Internet, tracking speed and location. Users can check service needs, such as the time for an oil change or why a check engine light is on. They can also directly and seamlessly download audio content into the vehicle. Finally, there's a quick and easy way to directly request assistance

Sounds like the Batmobile.

Technorati Tags: LBS, iKids, Telcordia, MobHappy

Wherify and Siemens

From yet another Wherify press release:

Wherify Announces Global Reseller Agreement With Siemens Communications; Siemens Communications and Affiliates to Market and Distribute Wherifone GPS Locator Terminal and Services Worldwide REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2006--Wherify Wireless,Inc. (OTCBB:WFYW), a leading developer of patented wireless location solutions and services for family safety and communications, today announced a global reseller agreement with Siemens(R) (NYSE:SI) to market and distribute the award-winning Wherifone GSM/GPS locator terminal and personal location and communications services on a worldwide basis. Under the agreement, Siemens and its affiliates have agreed to market and distribute Wherify's Wherifone GSM/GPS locator terminal and location services as a combined turn-key solution. Wherify will provide technical support and provide its customizable carrier-class Global Location Services Center as a core location management and mapping solution for location-enabled communications and GPS location/safety services.

Wherifone is still not available in the US or here DownUnder. Annual report due June '06 - should be interesting. Ah well, such 'deals' drives up the share price for both parties. Can anyone spell B.U.B.B.L.E. ? heh.

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, Wherify, Wherifone, Siemens

Putting the Boot In

Don't you just love that ad? I noticed it on Directions Magazine while I was checking out the Multimap/Boots.com connection (Boots are a large pharmacy retailing chain in the U.K). Google doesn't allow that sort of cross-advertising - putting in one name and getting the competitor dissing them. Ah well, Microsoft never did play nicely with the new kids on the block. At least we know LBS and mapping is important!

The Press Release:

Multimap, Europe’s leading online mapping provider, today announced the implementation of its Storefinder ‘where’s-my-nearest’ search facility on http://www.boots.com/. The new service enables customers of the UK’s leading health & beauty retailer to search for nearby stores by both location and services provided, and to access comprehensive street-level maps showing their exact locations, in a few simple steps.

Actually it would be cross-cross advertising. Microsoft usurping MapQuest on a Multimap press release. Confused? Read it again... sloooowly. :P

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, MultiMap, MapQuest, Microsoft Virtual Earth, Boots

Speeding around

This article by HOWARD WOLINSKY in the Chicago Suntimes has information on Clarity's Whereabouts, which does a lot more than geo-fencing on kids' phones.

GPS chips in cell phones can do a heck of a lot more than help 911 workers locate you in an emergency, as Jim Fuentes' son Eric discovered while zooming down a highway at 85 mph. The elder Fuentes received an SMS "speed alert" on his phone telling him his son was booking it. The same alert was available via an e-mail or on a Web site, And there's more to this system, known as "Whereabouts, Family Tracking and Navigation" developed by Aurora-based Clarity Communication Systems Inc., a start-up founded by Fuentes and seven other former Lucent wireless software engineers in 1998.

The article brought to my attention way-to-go which I hadn't heard of before. "Welcome to Way-To-Go Central! The place to find really cool GPS applications for your mobile phone" I haven't played with it yet, but will let you know what I think.

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, Clarity, Whereabouts, Way-to-go

Herald Sun artice on i-Kids

Dave Bullard of the Herald Sun in Melbourne has been testing the iKids GPS handset from Mobiles2Go.

SLAVING away at my desk one afternoon, my mind worlds away from my family, my concentration was broken by a message alert from my mobile phone. The SMS said my daughter had left the area between school and home, though she was supposed to go straight home. I went on to the web and saw on a global-positioning system (GPS) map that she was heading south on Melbourne's Nepean Highway.

In this case, Dave's wife had picked up the munchkin and was taking her shopping. It'll be interesting to see if people buy the phone purely for peace of mind or if communicating with the little ones (missed my flight, go wait in the library until your mum/stepdad/stepmum picks you up) becomes a priority in this communication age. Do schools even take messages like that anymore?

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, i-Kids, Mobiles2Go, Herald Sun, Dave Bullard

Another Kids safety phone

How cute!

Whether at work, home or traveling, simply use the Internet or any phone with SMS capabilities to quickly identify the location of the device within 300+ feet, in approximately 1 minute. The ChitterChatter Phone allows kids to stay in touch with close family and friends, or send their location by pressing the one-touch star button -- while letting parents manage costs. The ChitterChatter Phone is the world’s smallest GSM / Enhanced Location-Based-Services(LBS) Locator Phone and provides a totally unique and affordable way for families with pre-teens, seniors, or those with special medical needs, to stay connected and in contact with each other. In addition to LBS, the phone features a speaker function for ease of use. The slim, small and lightweight ChitterChatter Phone can fit almost anywhere…from a backpack, purse, pocket, around your neck or even wear it on your wrist like a watch.

I want one. Now. Please. The phone comes packaged in a "fun reuseable lunch box". I wonder how it compares to iKids?

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, Hop-On, ChitterChatter, iKids

LBS Report

Businesswire.com told me that there's a new LBS report out:

Learn more about companies that are actually leveraging mobile positioning such as A-GPS and TDOA to offer location-based services (LBS). This report is part of a series with an exclusive focus on companies in the wireless location space - location-based services, E911, location-enabled Wi-Fi, and (selected) RFID companies.
Get an insider perspective, yet on a completely independent basis from LBS industry analyst and consultant, David Williams. With platforms and applications designed to meet the needs of both consumers and enterprise customers, WaveMarket Inc. considers itself a pioneer in location-based solutions. Delivering location-based services to mobile handset users, their peers, or groups, they enable location-based blogging and tagging to enterprise asset tracking. This report provides an evaluation of company strategy, products, and business relative to the LBS value chain.
Dimensions covered include:
-- Business Strategy Assessment
-- Technology Strategy Assessment
-- Products and Services Strengths and Weakness
-- Market Position and Direction
-- Competitive Position and Defensibility
-- Growth Prospects
-- Business and Technology Risk
-- Patent Portfolio
-- Report Card

I'm assuming that this David Williams is the same as David Hilliard Williams.

David Hilliard Williams is an internationally-known expert in the wireless/mobile communications field. His particular specialty is in Wireless Location, including Wireless 911 (E911), Location-Based Services, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and location-related Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi). He has developed industry-leading business and technology strategies and implementation approaches in these areas and provides consulting services to some of the leading enterprises in the U.S., South America, and Europe. Mr. Williams has been published and quoted by some of the leading magazines and newspapers in the country, including The Boston Globe, Computerworld, MissionCritical Communications, and RFID Journal. He is a member of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officers (APCO) and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).
In addition to authoring The Definitive Guide to GPS, RFID, Wi-Fi, and Other Wireless Location-Based Services, Mr. Williams is the Author of The Definitive Guide To Wireless E911, and The Definitive Guide To Mobile Positioning and Location Management.

You can find out more about David at his website.

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, Businesswire.com, David Williams, Research and Markets

TruePosition (Liberty Media) sues Andrew Corporation

Uhoh. TruePosition (a subsidiary of Liberty Media) have moved on Andrew Corporation to protect their patent dealing with the location of cellular phones using the wireless network control channel, which is particularly important for safety and security applications.

TruePosition previously sued Andrew Corporation for infringing different patents and in a 2004 settlement Andrew agreed to pay TruePosition $35 million and to provide warrants to purchase one million shares of Andrew's common stock. In 2001, TruePosition also prevailed in a suit against SigmaOne Communications Corp. for infringing several patents, including the one at issue in the current suit against the Andrew Corporation.

Talking of Andrew Corporation; they have just openened up a new Centre in Wollongong, Australia (read the press release at Telematics).

Andrew Corporation's newly expanded Wollongong, Australia, research center, already a global technical leader in the development of location technology, is growing to play a crucial role in the company's support for the expanding global market for mobile location services.

Terry Garner, group president, Network Solutions, Andrew Corporation, Asia-Pacific directors David Evans and Martin Dawson, and centre staff were joined at the ribbon-cutting ceremony by The Hon. David Campbell, MP minister for Water Utilities, Small Business, Regional Business, and the Illawarra, and Professor Margaret Sheil, acting vice chancellor, University of Wollongong.

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, TruePosition, Liberty Media, Andrew Corporation, Wollongong, Australia, Patent, Telematics

LBS for education - iPointer

Intelligent Spatial Technologies have a pointer that works with LBS:

iST’s iPointer system empowers users to explore a defined area, pointing and learning at will. Users point iPointer’s hand-held device at an item of interest and press a button. Informed of the user’s position through a combination of GPS and digital compass information, iST’s geospatial database identifies the target and sends information over a wireless network to be displayed in text, visuals and audio for the user. The iPointer technology has the potential to be embedded into a number of pervasive computing devices, such as cell phones and PDAs.

Read more in the Press Release at Directions Magazine.

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, IST, iPointer, Directions Magazine

Teydo and GSM refinement of LBS

Teydo just opened up their new US headquarters. This is an interesting company - FleetOnline, MobiSpot etc are their products. Teydo's work in GSM will assist the refinement of LBS with GSM.

All GSM operators are installing Location Based Services due to the E112 regulation that requires positioning from Mobile Phones. Depending on the exact technology implemented by your operator the accuracy of the position varies. Since most technologies are based on Cell-id the quality is best in cities (50-100 m) and less accurate in rural areas (>100 m).

• Positioning works with every GSM mobile phone
• Switching your phone off disables positioning
• Positioning works inside buildings
• Only opt-in services are supported by Teydo
• International roaming is currently not possible

Next to the existing Cell-ID based positioning Teydo is involved in projects testing A-GPS based handsets and GPS/GPRS enabled handsets in order to increase positioning accuracy and reduce positioning costs. Since we connect to all LBS enabled European GSM Operators we understand the possibilities and hurdles of LBS extremely well which enables us to assist third parties in their development and launch of position oriented services.

The MobiSPOT™ aggregator platform of Teydo enables third parties to enhance their applications and services with positioning, messaging and billing functionality.

Read more on their website.

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, Teydo, GSM

IMS Research: "Push To" Services Take the Lead

IMS Research report on WirelessDevNetwork:

It has been estimated that over 400 million people will regularly use SIP-based services across IP multimedia-enabled networks by the end of the decade. IMS Research has conducted an assessment of the trends affecting service uptake, including the timeline for IMS deployment. It concluded that, after initially slow uptake, the most popular service will be push to talk, followed by picture and video sharing, also know as a “push to” service.

Services included in the assessment were conferencing, instant messaging, interactive gaming, location-based services and mapping, mo-blogging and voice over WLAN amongst others. Total revenues for these services, on cellular networks enabled with IP multimedia subsystems, were estimated by IMS Research to ramp up from 2008, exceeding $50 billion by 2010.

More here. I have my doubts - not that Push To won't be big, but exactly what services and when are still not clear - not while there is no proper enablement layer on mobiles. Haven't Telstra and Optus talked about canning their Push-To-Talk service?

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, WirelessDevNet, IMS Research

Verizon Wireless Unveils Small Business Tool

Susan Rush's article at WirelessWeek :

In the name of streamlined field operations, Verizon Wireless is rolling out Field Force Manager, a mobile resource management tool designed to improve information and process flow between field workers and the office, according to the carrier.
The Web-based application gives offices the ability to map the location of field workers, jobs and other activities in near real-time, as well as schedule and dispatch jobs and receive fleet, job and worker reports. From a field worker standpoint, Field Force Manager enables timecards and customer/ job data to be submitted back to the office using a wireless device.

If anyone has an article on how the Unions are responding to this, please let me know? Thanks!

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, Verizon, Susan Rush, WirelessWeek, VZ Navigator, Field Force Manager, Union

GPS To Figure Increasingly In E911 (Emergency)

From David Sims, TMCnet Contributing Editor comes this article:

Global Positioning System receivers are poised to play a "critical role" in wireless communications as a result of the United States Federal Communications Commission's E911 directive, and location based services are expected to follow on the heels of the mandate, according to tech research firm Frost & Sullivan.

The prolific analyst firm finds that successful E911/LBS products and services will "require products with features that can implement GPS in mobile telephones."
Frost & Sullivan's report, "Strategic Analysis of GPS Chipset Market," concludes that the market earned revenue of $207 million in 2004, and estimates it will reach $589.1 million in 2008.

Read more here.

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, E911, David Sims, TMCNet,

Where the Bloody Hell Are You?

WantedSmiling are behind some groovy LBS services.

Wanted Smiling is about moving social networks from the desktop to the mobile phone. Wanted Smiling solutions extend the existing on-line communities and Social networks from Virtuality to Reality. Wanted Smiling has developed a LBS MOSOSO* peer-to-peer technology for communities and social networks. Our peer-to-peer platform allows communities and social networks to expand and extend their services to the mobile phone.

MOSOSO is Mobile Social Sofware. Cute huh?
They are the people who bring us AreYouHere.

Are You Here alerts your mobile when your friends are nearby. Create your profile, Use your mobile to know who is around, Meet friends and friends of friends!

I see this as being useful for teenagers - to meet cute guys and gals, to avoid high school nemesis, to duck and hide when the parents come into view!

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, AreYouHere, WantedSmiling, MoSoSo

Wherify and Argentina

Another TMCNet article:

Wherify and SEAC today announced an agreement that would position the two firms as key players in the Argentinean Location-Based Services market. Under the agreement, SEAC has committed to an initial purchase of 15,000 Wherifone G550(R) GSM/GPS Locator Phones over a twelve month period. Wherify's Global Location Services Center will provide the core location management and mapping support for location-enabled communications and GPS location/safety services.

SEAC provide GPS based fleet management and logistics in Argentina.

When I reported on Wherify last month they had just secured 35 million in funding and launched a Hong Kong centre. This month they terminated that agreement with Dutchess Private equities, opting for 45 million from Cornell instead. And now the Argentinian distribution agreement. There's no stopping them. Go Wherify!

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, Wherify, SEAC, Argentina

AMBER Alert and Missing Children

Qualcomm have a press release on PRNewsWire:

QUALCOMM is proud to use our satellite-based mobile communications and location-based services to work with NCMEC, trucking companies and their drivers across the country to help locate abducted children.

Secondary methods of distribution such as QUALCOMM's initiative, which delivers Alerts through the OmniTRACS(R) mobile communications solution, assist in achieving the overall goal of the AMBER Alert program -- to notify as many people as possible about a recent child abduction, and provide information that can help in the search for the abducted child, suspected abductor, and/or suspected vehicle and in the safer return of the child.

With initiatives like this and iKids, we may be moving back to redress the balance forsaken when social structures such as neighbourhood and village were lost. Anything similar in Australia?

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, AMBER Alert, iKids, Qualcomm

Microsoft's ultramobile devices - Origami

This week at CeBIT in Germany, Microsoft revealed it's foray into handheld devices with LBS capabilities:

The company said devices, powered by processors from Intel Corp., would be available starting in the second quarter from hardware makers like Korea's Samsung Electronics Co.
Models from other hardware manufacturers are also expected, with devices ranging in price from $599 to $999, according to Microsoft.
While versions of the device will vary by manufacturer, the ultramobile PCs are expected to weigh less than two pounds. They will come with a 7-inch touch screen that offers several methods of inputting information like enhanced touch-screen software and a stylus-type pen, as well as keyboard interfaces.

"The extremely mobile nature of these devices, together with the richness of Windows PC technology, combine to create a powerful platform for mobile communications, entertainment, gaming and new scenarios such as location-based services," said Bill Mitchell, vice president of Microsoft's Windows Mobile Platforms business.

Read more at this article on SciTech Today.

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, CeBIT, Microsoft, Origami, SciTech Today

Benefon TWIG GPS/GSM LBS phone

From Benefon Press Release:

Telcontar, the leading supplier of software platforms and services for the Location-Based Services (LBS) industry, has announced that its Rich Map Engine (RME) software is being used by Benefon to location-enable the company's newly introduced TWIG Discovery GPS/GSM handset. Launched at 3GSM World Congress, in Barcelona, Spain, the TWIG Discovery combines GPS-enabled navigation with GSM telephony. The TWIG Discovery provides a wide range of location-based and navigation applications that include routing with voice prompted turn-by-turn instructions and points of interest, which can be updated on-the-fly. It also includes current speed, SMS messaging, family & friends finding and tracking, real-time traffic reports, speed/safety camera positions and SOS messages.

How well does TWIG work with GSM? Can you get within a stones throw of the mobile? This will be available in the UK in 2006 distributed by 20:20 Distribution.

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, Benefon, Telcontar, GSM, TWIG

Don't get caught...

Long Island Press Technofile has an article about infidelity and LBS mobiles.

But it's given rise to numerous location-based services for mobiles that have privacy advocates concerned. Log on to the tracking service website and enter a mobile number. A text message is sent to the mobile. If you can get your hands on it (your partner's mobile) and send a text message back to the service, that phone is authorized to be tracked, and the online service will display a map that shows everywhere that phone has been throughout the day. Call her, ask where she is—if she claims to be downtown shopping and you see a blip on your computer screen that she's at the Hilton by the airport, you've got a pretty good indicator of infidelity

Don't even think of doing that to me! &^%^$%$$!!!

Technorati Tags LBS, Location Based Services, Long Island Press, Privacy, Lazlow

Emergency Messaging (SquareLoop) for Disaster Evacuations

Patrick Barnard, Associate Editor at TMCNet has an article on SquareLoop's LBS cellular messaging system:

Virginia based SquareLoop recently made news here at TMCnet when it announced that it was testing a location-based cellular messaging system which can deliver emergency messages to users’ cell phones in the event of a disaster requiring evacuation.
The company claims that with its new technology, municipalities can deliver critical - perhaps even life-saving - messages to citizens in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. The messages, which can be differentiated based on geographic location, can tell people where to go and what to do while they are in the process of evacuating an area.

Testing of the software began last month in the city of Manassas, Va. - with the blessing of Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner.The testing, which will run through March, consists of delivering test LBS alerts to volunteer emergency responders from the City of Manassas. The system will be used to deliver AMBER alerts, evacuation messages and traffic congestion information to emergency responders’ standard wireless phones (which, in this case, consist of Motorola and RIM Blackberry phones on the Sprint iDEN network). The messages will be beamed to specific geographic locations within Manassas city limits. (more and interview)

I wonder how they set up the profiles? For example, if I don't drive and I don't leave the house, do I need to know that there is a 4 hour delay on a bridge? Oh and one of the responses from Joe Walsh, SquareLoop’s vice president of operations, was:

A: There are a lot of instances where this is useful and one of the biggest is to alert people when NOT to evacuate.

I hope a big red DON'T PANIC lights up your mobiles screen. heh.

Check out SquareLoop's website -
SquareLoop provides a unique location-based services (LBS) platform for the distribution of emergency alerts, premium content, and marketing messages to mobile devices.

SquareLoop provides the only method for Location Based Messaging (LBM) that maintains subscriber location privacy.

Really? The only one? Let me know if you know of another...

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, SquareLoop, Joe Walsh, Emergency, Evacuation, Patrick Barnard, TMCNet

More on Earthcomber

Here's another article (by Elena Malykhina of InformationWeek ) on the newly-free Earthcomber:
Get Me Out Of Here
Squinty-eyed cell-phone users have a new way to get around town. Earthcomber has debuted a free service that provides maps and directions on Windows Mobile-based PDAs and smart phones.

The Earthcomber service, already available on Palm devices, is built from GPS-enabled maps. Travel directions from the service are available via Wi-Fi hot-spots or a cellular network.
Earthcomber also sells "spot guides," online guidebooks that can be customized.

They might alert you, for example, when you're near a favorite retail chain in an unfamiliar city.

Location-based services for mobile devices are growing in popularity, with Google, Microsoft MSN, and Yahoo providing APIs to their Web-based maps. The result is free wireless services from companies such as Mobile GMaps and KMaps.

Wireless carriers are driving much of the activity. The merger of Sprint and Nextel has resulted in a large portfolio of map-related services and devices that use GPS.

Vendors are pushing the concept further. Earthcomber offers a feature that lets people join or create interest groups for sharing information on things such as historic sites or art galleries.

Squinty eyed? o.O My original post is here and it links to Elena Malykhina's original article.

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, Elena Malykhina, Information Week, Earthcomber

MapGuide Open Competition

I love competitions. This one might net you a Nav system, or iPod goodies.Autodesk (makers of MapGuide) in conjunction with Directions Magazine have announced a competition for developers.

The MapGuide Open is a web mapping contest open to users of MapGuide Open Source who develop and submit a web site using the new software. Entries can be submitted and prizes will be awarded in three categories: Business, Government, and Miscellaneous.

Good luck!

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, MapGuide, AutoDesk, Directions Magazine, Competition

Careers: LBS Job in California

GeoCommunities has an ad for for a Spatial Component Sales Representative with Telogis:

This position entails selling LBS (Location Based Services) software components to other software companies. The candidate should be someone with a technical background and prefers to do sales as opposed to a salesman that has sold technical products. The candidate should be familiar with modern programming concepts: system architecture, object oriented programming, compiled v. run-time environments. They should be able to leverage this knowledge to articulate a value proposition to both a technical and non-technical audience. Understanding and experience in wireless is a plus. The candidate can prospect VP or C-level executives and be able to field basic questions from developers. (more)

Tell them I sent you.

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, GeoCommunity, Job, Telogis

3G and beyond article

Dave Bullard and Tina Giannoukos report on the Herald Sun:

Yau says it's mostly the youth market -- 15 to 35 years old, interested in services such as music downloads and dating services -- that has been eager to go to 3G.
But he says the 40-plus market is keen on location-based services, and mapping and directory services.

Interesting, that puts LBS attraction squarely in the Gen X/Baby Boomer demographic, not Gen Y. The article is very light (it is the Herald Sun after all) but I'd love to find out more from IDC analyst Yau about his market research...

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS,Dave Bullard ,Tina Giannoukos,Herald Sun, Australia, Jerson Yau, IDC

Car Nav with Mobiles

From the Press Release on how to get arrested while being driving around lost with a mobile to your ear:
...today announced Garmin Mobile(TM) 20 -- an automotive navigation system that delivers Garmin's voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions using Bluetooth wireless technology on Nokia, Windows Mobile and Treo 650 Smartphones.

Ok, I was being funny, the mobile phone nav system comes with handsfree, which doesn't actually help your driving any, but makes the local police feel better.

Garmin Mobile 20 provides both data connectivity as well as hands-free capability and is packaged with the GPS 20SM(TM), a new mobile phone mount with a built-in, highly sensitive GPS receiver and Bluetooth-enabled speaker and microphone.

If only they would connect it to the memo function then we would hear "take the next left turn, stop at shop, buy milk and bread, continue for 1.2 kms." Now that would be useful. Oh and a GPS map of where you parked the thing - all red cars look the same.

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, Garmin, Navigation

Trimble and u-Nav Offer High Performance, Low Power GPS Chipset Solutions

From the Press Release:
u-Nav's all CMOS semiconductor platform permits an extremely small, low- power and low-cost GPS architecture with outstanding performance. u-Nav's uN9018 and new single monolithic GPS IC target cellular handsets, PDAs, watches and other portable consumer and enterprise electronics products. The u-Nav GPS ICs and reference designs require very little space. Consuming less than 60mW in a continuous GPS tracking mode, TrimCore NEu and the u-Nav silicon enable a new generation of battery-powered GPS products.

CeBit is on in Hanover starting now... wish I was there.

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, GPS, Trimble, u-Nav

Slashdot and LBS phones

Slashdot has a thread on cell phones and LBS:

Cell Phone Tracking In the UK
Posted by Zonk on Sunday February 26, @02:21PMfrom
the beep-beep-beep dept.

jvlb writes "The BBC reports on cell phone tracking systems now available in Britain. The correspondent addresses the privacy and security issues that ensue." From the article: "With more and more children owning mobile phones, special attention needs to be given to who can track them. If you are not a genuine parent or guardian, the code requires location services to check that both the tracker and the person being tracked can prove they are consenting adults. Mr Macleod says: 'The person that is to be located has to demonstrate to the service provider they are at least 16 years old.'"

Head over there to add to the comments (139 and climbing). Dialogue is important on these services. Anyone attempting to build an Locaton Based Service without entering into discussion with users via Online Communities is courting disaster, I reckon.

I wonder if the beep-beep-beep department sits near the ring-ring-ring section? Must be as noisy as ...

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, UK, BBC,

Gotcha! (part 2)

I suspect I will have a lot of Gotcha!s in connection with LBS, but, for the moment, these articles are still amusing me. Such as the one by Christopher Jensen in today's Sydney Morning Herald about LA police harpoon fleeing cars. Something very cave man about it all, in spite of the high-tech.

The harpoon contains a device with a small global positioning system transmitter that will give the vehicle's location.
The department is looking at ways of reducing the number of dangerous, high-speed chases its officers are involved in. Last year there were 602 pursuits.
At a news conference announcing the tests, which will begin later this year, the LAPD police chief was asked whether Los Angeles had so many chases because of the large number of freeways and vehicles in California. No, he promptly, answered, it is because there were "so many nuts".

*puts hand on heart* I do solemnly swear to never ever speed again ... in LA anyway.

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, Christopher Jensen, Sydney Morning Herald, Los Angeles, LAPD

Gotcha! (part 1)

Hwang Si-young of The Korea Herald has written a nice article (today) on LBS being used to crack down on sex crimes:

With the nation seeking ways to crack down on sex crimes, wireless operators could reap the benefits by offering location-based services. These services are being touted as possibly one of the best preventive measures against sex offenders repeating their crime after release from prison.

The article then segues into a look at the numbers:

The country's largest wireless operator SK Telecom Co. has seen the subscription of its safety-related services rise from 2.45 million last December to 2.61 million last February, SK Telecom said.
It means that 152,000 new customers have joined the service during the last two months.
Subscribers of the second-largest operator KTF Co.'s "mobile police" service also increased 23 percent during the same period, from 85,000 to 105,000, the company said.
The smallest carrier LG Telecom Ltd. also added 30,000 new subscribers to its "friend-search" service during the same period.
Thanks to the widespread use of location-based technologies, like the global positioning system, mobile-phone users are able to get accurate information on the whereabouts of loved ones.

I'm assuming that whereabouts of loved ones does NOT equal preventive measures against sex offenders the mind boggles ...

The article then outlines iKids and similar services

There are even ways to use these services for free.
SK Telecom's "emergency call" service, for instance, enables a user to simultaneously call four persons, who are listed as their "protectors in emergency," by simply pressing a hot-key on his mobile handset.
Automatically, information on his whereabouts and an electronic map appear in the window of the four receiving handsets.
To use the service, the subscriber needs a handset equipped with GPS functions.
Also, the carrier's "i-Kids" service enables parents to keep track of their children using their cell phones, the internet and GPS satellite technology.

Before finishing on a note that seems to imply to me a privately funded police force?
By aligning with personal security firm CAPS, SK Telecom and KTF offer the so-called mobile police services, which enable a customer to call security guards by pressing a hot-key. KTF charges a monthly fixed fee of 3,500 won for the service.

Hint: Always watch Korea and what they are doing in LBS.

Technorati Tags Location Based Services, LBS, Korea, Korea Herald, iKids, Hwang Si-young