You can now turn on a special layer in Bing Maps that displays maps from OpenStreetMap, Microsoft has announced.

OpenStreetMap is an open source mapping project that keeps an editable map of the entire globe. Anyone can make edits to the map — it’s been nicknamed the “Wikipedia of maps.” The open source model has proven especially effective in regions of the developing world where very little solid map data exists, and in areas where highly detailed, editable maps are critical for natural-disaster response efforts, like the recent Haiti earthquake.

Microsoft’s adoption of the open source mapping project follows a similar move by MapQuest, which began adding OSM layers last month.

To run layers in Bing Maps, you’ll need the latest version of Microsoft Silverlight and a supported browser. It doesn’t work properly in Google Chrome (at least on the Mac), but IE8, Firefox and Safari had no problems. If you’re using the Ajax controls to view Bing Maps (instead of Silverlight), then you won’t be able to see the OpenStreetMaps layer, but Microsoft says this is something that may make its way into the non-Silverlight version eventually.

Use the map view switcher at the bottom to change layers.

To add OpenStreetMaps to your Bing, go to the App Gallery. Look for the new OpenStreetMaps app in the gallery. Click on it, and your alternative OpenStreetMaps view should launch within Bing Maps.

You can switch back to any of the other standard views in Bing Maps by clicking on the layer control at the bottom of the map window. You’ll notice Bing Maps is using the Mapnik build of OpenStreetMaps for its map layer. You can switch back and forth between the OSM layer and any of the other standard Bing maps layers using the same control.

Microsoft has been quickly adding some innovative features to Bing, especially on its Maps website. In June, Bing Maps added the ability to browse parts of the world in 3-D, and in February it demonstrated indoor panorama views and location-specific videos that are accessible within Bing’s street-side imagery.

Microsoft also ran its King of Bing maps challenge for developers last month, asking them to create innovative apps for the mapping platform. For the contest, a developer named Ricky Brundritt built an app for Bing Maps that estimates your taxi fare within most major U.S. cities.

However, Bing’s reliance on Microsoft’s proprietary Silverlight technology to power these innovations is seen by some as an alienating factor — and an unnecessary one at that, since other mapping platforms like Google Maps accomplish much of the same functionality using JavaScript and other web standards. This is especially important on mobile devices, where the most popular browsers don’t allow for plug-ins like SIlverlight.

Still, it’s heartening to see Bing adding to the momentum OpenStreetMaps is currently enjoying. Anyone can edit the OSM maps, and now that the project is getting some attention — thanks mostly to its efforts in Haiti — edits are coming in more quickly.

According to the latest stats, the project has over a quarter of a million participants and over 1.8 billion uploaded GPS points. Dedicated users are getting creative and finding ways to add even more detail to the existing maps by doing offbeat things like tagging wheelchair ramps, mailboxes and trees in their neighborhoods.

Taxi Fare Calculator link courtesy Mashable

See Also:

• MapQuest U.K Teams Up With OpenStreetMap
• Google Maps Adds More Detail, Takes a Cue From OpenStreetMap
• Disaster Relief 2.0: Tech Tools Help Focus Haiti Resources
• Bing Maps Takes Panoramas Indoors

View full post on Webmonkey

Image: GamingPaper.com

I’m always on the lookout for something cool to bring to the gaming table. The one thing I’m never satisfied with? My battle map.

A few months back, I put the Battle Graph Dry Erase Boards to the test and they passed with flying colors. They remain a regular feature in my Game Master toolbox. But every session is different, and every craftsman knows that there’s a tool for every job.

Dry erase markers don’t hold up to the tests of time, so it’s hard–especially with a four year old in the house–to draw up an encounter in advance. By the time game day rolls around, the map is nigh unrecognizable. If I need to plan a session ahead of time, I don’t go for the Chessex mat or the Battle Graphs. I need something more permanent. And if I need to be in complete control of what’s on that map, I need a blank slate.

One option is to head to your local office supplies store and buy one of those huge gridded easel pads. They’ll run you about $15 a pad. Each pad has 50 27″x34″ pages, so you’re talking 30¢ per page. Each pad will net you about 320 square feet of surface area, in 6.375 square foot chunks. You can draw all over these with colored pencils, crayons, markers, paints, whatever you want. Then fold it up and hide it ’til it’s time to play. You’re good to go, for 4.7¢ per square foot.

But there is a better option.

Instead of coming in a pad, Gaming Paper, sold specifically as a gaming aid, comes in a 12′ roll of 30″ wide paper. That’s 30 square feet total, and they’re $4 a roll. That’s 13¢ per square foot. So Gaming Paper is three times more expensive than the easel pad, but it has its added benefits. There’s a coating of clay on one side that prevents bleed-through and somehow allows the roll to lie flat against the table surface.

Sharpies and wet-erase markers dry on the surface within ten seconds. It looks a lot better than white paper, too, almost like a browned and aged scroll. Even better, they have a version with hexes and even Gaming Paper Singles are in the works. Check out the Gaming Paper YouTube channel for a series of rather entertaining product demos.

What are the drawbacks of using paper-products at the table? If there are any potion/Mountain Dew spills, it will decimate the playing field. Then again, an iron apparently works quite well on drying out and de-wrinkling Gaming Paper, so you might be back up and running in no time. Also, keep that orange-fingered Cheeto away from either type of paper unless you want to employ a grease stain terrain hazard against your PCs. Gaming Paper is particularly prone to turning hideously translucent with the stuff.

Easel Pads

Wired: Cheap. Totally blank, so your imagination is the limit. Can come gridded with one inch squares, which works with most RPG combat systems.

Tired: No hexes. Limited to height and width of pages. Occasional bleed-through, which wastes paper and can mess up your furniture.

Gaming Paper

Wired: Blank, so you get full license to create the dungeon of your dreams/nightmares. One inch grids or hexes. Awesome clay coating means it lies flat and never bleeds through to the table. Super cheap at $4 a roll. Can have a larger continuous surface area than easel pad.

Tired: Three times as expensive as gridded easel pad. Greasy fingers will leave marks. And gamers tend to have greasy fingers.

Related Posts:

RPG Battle Maps Square Off: Battle Graph Dry Erase Boards
Store-Bought Supplements for your D&D Game
Fan Creations Enhance D&D 4th Edition

(Full Disclosure: I received two free rolls of Gaming Paper for review purposes.)

View full post on GeekDad

Google’s Send-To-Car is now available on more than 15 car brands with more partners expected to join soon.

Google’s Send-To-Car service lets you prepare your route at your desk, then send the destination to your car. Drivers can then use their car maker’s turn-by-turn navigation system to be guided to their selected destination. Google recently announced Audi’s connected car navigation system which includes Send-To-Car,

Check out this GM video to see the service in action:

Google’s Automotive team today announced the partner base now includes Ford and GM.

As of today, drivers of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles in the US enabled with Ford SYNC can now send business listings or addresses found on Google Maps directly to their cars.

In addition, millions of OnStar equipped GM vehicles can now make use of this innovative service. Works on a Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab or Saturn.

Drivers can now send destinations from Google Maps directly to their connected vehicles in 19 countries and more than 20 different brands, according to Google.

Related Dailywireless stories include; Multitasking Navigation Apps, Best iPad Maps, Data.gov: Map Mashups, Realtime Oil Spill Map, Open Transit Apps Compared, StreetMuseum: Historical Augmented Reality, Navizon Teams with Microsoft, T-Mobile’s Garmin Navigation Phone, Nokia + Yahoo

View full post on dailywireless.org

TabletPC Review picks their Best Navigation Apps for the iPad:

• Beat the Traffic (Free download)
  Designed to help you beat the crazy rush hour traffic, it will ask for permission to use your location. After that it will almost immediately show you a map of the general area, with local traffic information. Highways highlighted in green are generally free of accidents and delays, since the green color tells you traffic is moving at 50+ MPH. Orange signifies 25-50 MPH, while red ones are moving at 25 MOH or less. There’s also an iPhone version.
• Street Map ($2.99, download many other cities available)
  The built-in Maps app on the iPad doesn’t work if don’t have a network connection. The “Street Map” series of iPad apps is available for many cities across the US. They provide full offline access to maps for a particular area, including searchable points of interest. You can search for local points of interest, but the information is somewhat spotty and poorly organized.
• NYC Way (Free, download)
  Features 25 different icons, ranging from dining and nightlife to cabs and hotels, traffic cameras and parking info to transit maps and ATMs. A second page of icons covers dog parks, museums, post offices, shopping, pharmacies, gas stations, and much more. Just about anything you could possibly need or want while in NYC is at your fingertips. The Map Stack shows a small map with your current location marked. Icons along the bottom of the screen allow you to add your own points of interest, so whether you’re looking for a cup of coffee or the nearest restroom. Several cities have gotten the “Way” treatment, with iPhone apps available for Boston, Chicago, DC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, and London, England. Most of them are free, but Boston and DC are currently 99 cents and Las Vegas is $1.99.

• UpNext 3D Cities (Free, download)
  Gives you a birds-eye view of the city, with fully zoomable maps showing every building. Tap on a building to get the building directory. Tap the icons to search for bars and nightclubs, restaurants, shopping, massages to museums. You can filter by type, rating, and price.

  Has social networking features you can use with Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare. Additional cities are available for free download from within the app; the current choices are Austin, Boston, San Francisco, and Washington DC.

• Transit Maps (Free, download)
  The Transit Maps iPad app is a map viewer, but it can display any large format PDF, GIF, JPG, or PNG file. It offers infinite pinch and zoom control, so you can zoom out to view an entire city’s transit map or zoom in to the smallest level of detail. Even if you don’t use public transit, the free maps available from transit agencies offer a general overview of the area, including major points of interest such as schools, hospitals, and shopping malls. They may offer you enough to get around an unfamiliar town, so it’s not a bad idea to load up whatever you can find before you hit the road. Best of all, it’s free.
• Walt Disney World Maps ($2.99, download)
  Tap on any attraction’s name to get more details, including wait times and whether Fastpasses are offered. You can help improve the experience for others with the app by uploading your actual wait times, and you can also see recent wait times for each attraction. Similar information is offered for the other Disney parks in the area, including Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.
• Where to Go ($2.99, download)
  Like Where to Eat, the Where to Go iPad app is designed to help you find local points of interest such as stores, restaurants, government offices, medical services, and much more. Unfortunately the reviewer said the app crashes consistently every time it performed a search.

Go to TabletPC Review more more on their Best Navigation Apps for the iPad.

View full post on dailywireless.org

TabletPC Review picks their Best Navigation Apps for the iPad:

• Beat the Traffic (Free download)
  Designed to help you beat the crazy rush hour traffic, it will ask for permission to use your location. After that it will almost immediately show you a map of the general area, with local traffic information. Highways highlighted in green are generally free of accidents and delays, since the green color tells you traffic is moving at 50+ MPH. Orange signifies 25-50 MPH, while red ones are moving at 25 MOH or less. There’s also an iPhone version.
• Street Map ($2.99, download many other cities available)
  The built-in Maps app on the iPad doesn’t work if don’t have a network connection. The “Street Map” series of iPad apps is available for many cities across the US. They provide full offline access to maps for a particular area, including searchable points of interest. You can search for local points of interest, but the information is somewhat spotty and poorly organized.
• NYC Way (Free, download)
  Features 25 different icons, ranging from dining and nightlife to cabs and hotels, traffic cameras and parking info to transit maps and ATMs. A second page of icons covers dog parks, museums, post offices, shopping, pharmacies, gas stations, and much more. Just about anything you could possibly need or want while in NYC is at your fingertips. The Map Stack shows a small map with your current location marked. Icons along the bottom of the screen allow you to add your own points of interest, so whether you’re looking for a cup of coffee or the nearest restroom. Several cities have gotten the “Way” treatment, with iPhone apps available for Boston, Chicago, DC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, and London, England. Most of them are free, but Boston and DC are currently 99 cents and Las Vegas is $1.99.

• UpNext 3D Cities (Free, download)
  Gives you a birds-eye view of the city, with fully zoomable maps showing every building. Tap on a building to get the building directory. Tap the icons to search for bars and nightclubs, restaurants, shopping, massages to museums. You can filter by type, rating, and price.

  Has social networking features you can use with Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare. Additional cities are available for free download from within the app; the current choices are Austin, Boston, San Francisco, and Washington DC.

• Transit Maps (Free, download)
  The Transit Maps iPad app is a map viewer, but it can display any large format PDF, GIF, JPG, or PNG file. It offers infinite pinch and zoom control, so you can zoom out to view an entire city’s transit map or zoom in to the smallest level of detail. Even if you don’t use public transit, the free maps available from transit agencies offer a general overview of the area, including major points of interest such as schools, hospitals, and shopping malls. They may offer you enough to get around an unfamiliar town, so it’s not a bad idea to load up whatever you can find before you hit the road. Best of all, it’s free.
• Walt Disney World Maps ($2.99, download)
  Tap on any attraction’s name to get more details, including wait times and whether Fastpasses are offered. You can help improve the experience for others with the app by uploading your actual wait times, and you can also see recent wait times for each attraction. Similar information is offered for the other Disney parks in the area, including Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.
• Where to Go ($2.99, download)
  Like Where to Eat, the Where to Go iPad app is designed to help you find local points of interest such as stores, restaurants, government offices, medical services, and much more. Unfortunately the reviewer said the app crashes consistently every time it performed a search.

Go to TabletPC Review more more on their Best Navigation Apps for the iPad.

View full post on dailywireless.org

I know I have done this many times, and I am sure there are those of you who have done it, too. What am I talking about? How many times have been surfing around and found a site or link to something that you wanted to get onto your Android phone?Maybe it was a download for an app, or a mobile version of a site you want to follow. Before, you would have to turn on your phone, find the browser icon, type it in by hand into the browser and wait… until now.

If you are running Android 2.2 (no support for 2.1) on your phone, there is an extension for Google Chrome called “Chrome to Phone”. This app consists of an extension for your Chrome browser and a receiving application on your device.  Using Google’s cloud service, the extension sends the link or other information to the supporting application installed on your phone, and opens the information with the corresponding application. It does more than shoot links, too:

Features:

• Send links to browser
• Google Maps links launch the Google Maps app.
• Selecting phone numbers in Web pages, launches the dialer with the number pre-populated.
• Selected text populates the Android clipboard (long-press on text boxes to get paste option).

This little feature will save you time and, if you’re like me, your fingers (Which I run down enough with texting already). If you’re interested in giving it a trym and you are running Android OS 2.2 (Froyo), then head on over to Chrome to Phone to download the files and let me know what you think, because I am interested to see how many people find this gem helpful.

For more information on Android and the current Android mobile phones, check out our Android Guides

ChrometoPhone app sends URLs, Maps, Phone numbers, and more from your Desktop to your Android Phone!

View full post on Google Android News Android Forums

A new version of Google Maps has been release today.  Version 4.3 now has support for Place Pages, enhancements to Latitude and much more.  Here’s the post from the Google Blog:

Google Maps for Android Helps You Find the Right Place, Catch a Train, and Add Latitude Friends

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 | 10:55 AM

Hot off the presses, Google Maps for Android version 4.3 has added a couple new features to help you quickly choose the right place to grab dinner, catch the next train, and find friends to add in Latitude.

Have you ever had to make a split decision for dinner plans while on the go? Now, you can see a snapshot of what people are saying about places right on search result pages. Instead of poring through full reviews, you can start by looking at what the most frequently mentioned aspects about a place are, such as food, service, atmosphere, or anything else people keep mentioning. Just like on Place Pages for your computer, the color-coded bar gives an overview of how positively people are talking about any individual aspect. Tap one to see more details like the actual review snippets. Whether you’re looking for top-notch service or a vibrant ambiance, you can now pick just the right place to go.

You’ll also find a new addition to public transit station pages: upcoming schedules. Select any transit station icon directly from the map and open its page by tapping the window. You’ll find a handy list of the next departure times for any subways, trains, or buses that are leaving from that station where transit info is available.

In Google Latitude, we wanted to make it even easier for you to find friends and family with whom you’d like to share your location. Right at the bottom of your Latitude friend list, you’ll be able to quickly start sharing your location with long lost friends, loved ones, and others from your Google Contacts. Add any suggested friends by tapping the + icon and sending them a sharing request. Tap the x and they’ll be dropped from your suggested friends list. Don’t worry — you can always add them later by choosing “Add friends” from the Latitude menu.

Get the latest version of Maps by searching for Google Maps in Android Market from Android 1.6+ phones. If you’re reading this on your phone, just tap here. Version 4.3 is available in all the countries and languages where Maps is currently available.

Visit our Help Center to learn more, ask questions in our Help Forum, or give us suggestions and vote on other people’s on the Mobile Product Ideas page.

Posted by Andrew Oplinger, Software Engineer, Google Mobile Team

Head over to the Android Market and download your update now.  You can also use the QRCode below:

View full post on AndroidSPIN

Google has pushed out version 4.3 of the increasingly useful Google Maps application for Android handsets.  If you are running 1.6 or higher, you are advised to immediately download the latest release.  There are three  improvements/additions to the Maps you’ve grown to love over the last year and a half – Place pages, Transit, and Latitude.

Place Pages

Thinking of grabbing a bite to eat tonight but don’t know whether or not the restaurant is worth your time or money?  Why not check out often-mentioned aspects like food quality, service, and atmosphere in handy, color-coded bars>  Much like you can find on Place Pages on your desktop, it’s a breeze to skim through review blurbs and figure out if you need to look elsewhere for a burrito.

Google Maps 4.3 Places Ratings

Transit

Public transit stations, schedules, and more are now available at your fingertips.  Find out when the next subway is due or whether or not you have time to get to the bus station. 

Latitude

Google makes it easier than ever to stay in touch with close friends or rekindle a relationship with and old buddy.   Look to the bottom of Latitude friend list and you’ll see an option to share your location with friends as well as Google Contacts. There are also options to add friends from a list of suggestions in case they don’t immediately come to mind.

Look for Google Maps 4.3 in the Android Market today.  If you have a previous version installed, look for that update available icon in the notification bar.

View full post on AndroidGuys

Have you been kicked out of your favorite place to watch the World Cup for your unruly actions? Fear not my fellow soccer fútbol hooligans, Google Maps to the rescue.

Google has recently added a new feature to Google Maps that allows you to specifically locate all the local places that are showing the World Cup. If you already have Google Maps on your phone, you should have the update ready for you to download (I got the update yesterday). Once you have the update, simply open the Maps menu, then go to Layers ->More Layers -> “Watch the World Cup”

Once you do this, look for the little soccer balls on the map and once you get to your new location to watch the beautiful game, try and behave yourself

[via google]

For more information on Android and the current Android mobile phones, check out our Android Guides

Use Google Maps to find where to watch the World Cup

View full post on Google Android News Android Forums

Well, one of the biggest complaints of international Android users was the lack of Google Maps / Navigation, since their country wasn’t supported.

Well give Google your preferred international sign of affection, because Google has recently added the following 11 countries:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• the Netherlands
• Portugal
• Spain
• Switzerland

The only requirement shouldn’t be to much of an issue for Android users, as it requires you be running Android 1.6. So search for Google Maps in the Android Market and get going!

[via google blog]

For more information on Android and the current Android mobile phones, check out our Android Guides

Google Maps Launches in 11 More Countries

View full post on Google Android News Android Forums

Google added walking directions to their Maps application a while ago, but it’s rare that we hear about anybody using it. The story Gizmodo reported on earlier this past weekend, though, wasn’t as pleasant as some of the success stories that come out of driving directions users who don’t seem to have a good grasp on navigating.

Lauren Rosenburg was the unlucky user that followed Google’s directions turn-for-turn and ended up getting hit by a car. Maps told Lauren to walk onto a busy freeway to get to where she needed to go. The end result? A lawsuit delivered straight to the Googleplex asking them to pony up $100,000.

Whether or not you agree that she has cause to sue, Google reminds users of their navigation and direction features – which are still in beta – to use caution due to missing sidewalks and pedestrian pathways. I just can’t help but question why you would walk onto a busy highway just because Google Maps tells you it’s the best way to go. That’s almost as bad as jumping off of a bridge because you saw someone else do it.

Anyway, you should use caution when using GPS navigation of any kind – whether it be from Google, Garmin, TomTom, etc. – and it’ll go a long way in making sure you don’t walk blindly into 70 miles-per-hour of oncoming traffic.

[note]: Lauren was using Google Maps on her Blackberry, but the same caution applies no matter which platform you’re using Google maps on, including Android.

CNN via Gizmodo]

View full post on Android Phone Fans

Nokia to run Yahoo maps in global partnership, Yahoo to provide e-mail, chat on Nokia phones
NEW YORK – Nokia will run maps and navigation services for Yahoo on both phones and computers. The two companies announced a worldwide partnership Monday. Yahoo Inc. will provide e-mail and chat services on Nokia Corp. phones. The services will be co-branded.

Read more on Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

My wife sells Party Lite and is quite the saleswoman who earns all-expense paid vacations for us every May. This year we are heading out on a Mediterranean cruise to Spain, France, and Italy. In preparation for this European trip I made sure my Truphone Local Anywhere SIM was loaded up with credit to call home and check on the girls and that my Nokia N86 8MP and N97 mini were ready to go. Part of that preparation included updating Ovi Maps on both devices and also downloading maps for Spain, France, and Italy directly to the storage areas on each device. I love that Nokia now fully supports uploading maps to devices from a Mac too.

I have Android and Windows Mobile devices, the iPhone, and even a webOS device, but for travel outside the US nothing beats a Nokia device. You get the best RF reception of any platform, ability to easily manage what is syncing and connecting via data, the functionality to use a SIM like the Truphone one, and get FREE voice guided (including walking) maps and GPS navigation with NO data connection required. This is vital if you will be in areas you are unfamiliar with and want to explore the different ports of call.

Anyone else rely on free Ovi Maps for foreign travel?

View full post on Nokia Experts

Nokia and Yahoo in maps, e-mail deal
By Tarmo Virki, European Technology Correspondent

Read more on Reuters via Yahoo! Philippines News

Image: National Geographic

Summer is fast approaching, and it’s a great time for hiking. Whether it’s a quick trip of a few miles with your whole family (and peanut M&Ms, of course), a day trip with three square meals and plenty of water or a week-long backpacking trip across a mountain range, you need a really good map. In the days before GPS, a quality compass and an excellent waterproof topographic map were all you needed to find your way in the wilderness. If you don’t have an outdoorsy store near you, though, it may be tough to find a good map.

Image: National Geographic

The National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps are outdoor recreation maps, complete with topo lines and GPS information for certain locations. I’ve seen my share of hiking and topo maps for recreation use, but these have to be the nicest ones I have ever seen. They are full of easy-to-read information, yet they are still really nice to look at.

Printed on shiny, tear-resistant, waterproof paper, these maps are meant to be used over and over. They are based on the USGS topo maps and come complete with topo lines, major roads, ranger district borders, clearly marked trails and paths and a good map key. Also marked are wilderness and recreation areas, rivers, lakes and mountains. Foliage color is present but not distracting. Trails are all numbered and recreation symbols are clearly marked. Maps that include more populated areas also contain plenty of road information. They also give information on the direction of magnetic north. On the Grand Canyon maps, even a no flight zone is marked. All of these maps allow you to get a really close and in-depth look at the lands you want to explore.

One of the most interesting and useful parts of the maps is the additional information included around the edges. There is information about the various rules, permits and safety concerns for the area. There is contact information for National Parks, Forests and Recreation areas. In the case of Arizona, there is also tribal contact information. You can also learn about back country use, camping restrictions and how to Leave No Trace.

Image: National Geographic

I learned to read topo maps long, long ago (thanks to orienteering with my mom), and these maps will also help me teach my kids how to read them. Even better, the kids can compare the map to the real life features they see when we hike.

National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps are available for around the $10 mark, with prices varying by map. They are available on Amazon, in the National Geographic Store, at local REI branches and at plenty of other brick and mortar stores near you. There are maps available for about 35 states and territories, with 165 titles currently available. Maps for new areas continue to be released, however, including many new ones this year, such as the Prescott National Forest near my house! But even if you don’t find a map that covers your area, chances are there is one for somewhere nearby.

Wired: These maps are made of high quality paper with much detail and information. They are beautiful to look at and useful to have.

Tired: There are still a number of well-used recreation areas in our country that aren’t covered yet.

Note: I was furnished with several of the Arizona maps for review purposes.

View full post on GeekDad

Google has released a new version for Google Maps for Android bringing it to Version 4.2.0.  One of the Major new features is Bike Directions. Here’s the update information Google wrote on their Official Mobile Blog:

Biking directions
Since launching biking directions on desktop Google Maps, we’ve wanted to get you biking directions, lanes, and trails on your phone too. Just in time for National Bike Month, select the bike icon when getting directions to get an optimal bicycling route in the U.S. If you’re in the mood for a more scenic ride, you’ll also see the Bicycling layer on the map which shows dedicated bike-only trails (dark green), roads with bike lanes (light green), or roads that are good for biking but lack a dedicated lane (dashed green). You can always turn on this layer from the Layers menu to pick your own route. Add in the Labs’ Terrain layer, and you can decide to either climb or avoid that big hill on the way home!

Google Navigation shortcut
If you’re driving instead of riding, we wanted to make it easier and faster for you to get on the road with Google Maps Navigation as soon as you’re ready. With the new Navigation shortcut, you can pick a destination and be on your way with as little as 2 taps of your finger. Select the “Navigation” icon in your phone’s app launcher to get the new destination selection view. Then, speak or type your destination, pick one from your contacts, choose a starred place, or select a recent destination. Navigation will begin and you’re good to go. Make it even easier on yourself by adding the Navigation icon right on your Home screen.

Sharing
Once you figure out where you’re going, why not get some friends to meet you there? From any search results page, choose to “Share this place” to send that place’s info, such as its address and phone number, to whomever you like. If you want to meet someone on a street corner or gather friends at an outdoor concert, you can also send an exact location from the map — even a snapshot of your current location. Just use the share option after selecting a point on the map, your “My Location” blue dot, or yourself in Latitude if it’s enabled. Whether you’re sharing a place or a location, you’ll be able to send it to small groups via an email or text message or send it widely with apps like Google Buzz, Facebook, or Twitter.

Get these new features by searching for Google Maps in Android Market from Android 1.6+ phones (On your phone now? Tap here). Update Maps to version 4.2, available in all the countries and languages where Maps is currently available. Visit our Help Center to learn more, ask questions in our Help Forum, or give us suggestions and vote on other people’s on the Mobile Product Ideas page.

Posted by Michelle Chen, Software Engineer, Google Mobile Team

Head over to the Android Market and download the update now.

Source: Google Mobile Blog

View full post on AndroidSPIN | Your No.1 source for Android news.

Just in time for National Bike Month, Google has added biking directions to Google Maps. In addition, Google Maps for Android can now highlight dedicated bike-only trails, roads with bike lanes and roads that are good for biking but don’t have bike lanes.

Google’s desktop Maps has had biking direction since March, but biking information on phones hasn’t been available until now. With Google Maps 4.2 for Android you can get biking directions on the go, share places with friends, and more.

A new “share this place” feature allows users to share information about a place by email and on Buzz, Facebook and Twitter.

You can get these new features by searching for “Google Maps” in the Android Market from Android 1.6+ phones.

Why not add a 5″ Dell tablet on the handlebars. Xtify’s`geo targeted messages could note points of interest along your route.

Google Maps for Mobile now includes support for Street View, as well as walking directions and reviews of businesses.

Street View provides a ground-level, driver’s-eye view of the world. Now pedestrians and bikers can use it, too.

Denver is rolling out the nation’s most comprehensive bike-share program, notes the Denver Post. Denver’s launch with an expected 400 bikes will make it the first large- scale bike-sharing program in the nation, on par with Paris and Montreal.

Geo-targeted advertising might offset costs. A solar panel in the rear might power it. Multi-media tour guides would be the value added.

View full post on dailywireless.org

Is your wife jealous that you listen to a strange woman’s voice on your Nokia smartphone telling you where to turn, but you refuse to listen to anything she has to say? Now, thanks to the new Nokia Own Voice for Ovi Maps you can have your wife record her voice 53 times to generate a new voice pack for Ovi Maps navigation. The great thing is that all the recording occurs right on your device too with the free application from Nokia.

I doubt I would ever record my own voice and then want to listen to myself guide me when I drive, but you could have fun with this and record your kids voices or maybe your mother. Nokia is also allowing you to share your Own Voice pack with others via Facebook and Twitter so I am sure you will be able to find a voice you like to listen too. Maybe we will get some celebrities or other stars to record an Own Voice pack. There have been 10 million downloads of Ovi Maps so there should soon be a ton of voices to choose from and I think this is a great option provided by Nokia, don’t you? Whose voice do you plan to use for your navigation?

This app does a good job of giving you quick offline access to trail maps, though it lacks some features to make it a more well-rounded offering.

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My World Personalized Map. Photo: National Geographic

As someone who loves geography and particularly maps, I’ve had various maps on my walls for years, allowing for closer study and decoration that is both beautiful and educational. Some maps can be more utilitarian, giving you only the information you need for a certain task, but some can add extra details such as flags of the world. Some are raised relief maps that give you an easy view of landforms in an area. And maps can also be works of art, as beautiful to look at as they are interesting to study.

National Geographic wall maps fall into that last category. They are gorgeous, but also full of information. I recently had the opportunity to review two types of their wall maps: a paper state wall map, and a thick personalized world map where you can chronicle your travels.

State Maps and Other Wall Maps

Arizona wall map. Image: National Geographic

The paper state map is of my home state, Arizona, but they also offer maps for other states. These maps show major roads, landforms, towns and cities, national parks and monuments, bodies of water, borders and just enough color to impart information on foliage without being at all distracting or cluttered looking. Everything is incredibly clear and well marked. There is plenty of information on these maps to study. Many things are included that you’re not used to seeing on other maps, such as the names of plateaus, valleys and small mountain ranges. I’ve learned so much about my own state. Also, as I’ve found with most maps, the more you study this map, the more it reveals to you.

Colorado wall map. Image: National Geographic

The National Geographic state wall maps would be gorgeous on anyone’s wall and deserve framing. Plus the price on these wall maps is excellent at less than $20. Several state maps are available in National Geographic’s state wall map store, and many are available on Amazon as well. Dimensions vary by state; for example, the Washington state map is 31″ x 41″ and the California state map is 34″ x 41″. Scales also vary. Maps are also available in a laminated version, which would be a cheaper alternative to framing. National Geographic also has many other types of wall maps available, such as for countries, continents, the sea floor, National Parks, Mount Everest, bird migration, the Civil War, sunken ships off North Carolina, the moon, constellations, the universe and more.

Wired: The detail on the maps is wonderful and the quality is high. Gives you a fairly close study of your state.

Tired: Would cost a lot to frame properly.

My World Personalized Map

I know I’m not the only one out there who loves to travel and likes to relive memories from past trips. One fun way to do that is to mark your trips on a world map, so you can see everywhere you’ve been. National Geographic has a map designed for this purpose. The National Geographic My World Personalized Map (see above) is a decent sized map (38-1/2″ x 26-1/2″) that arrives mounted and framed, ready to hang on your wall. Then you can push the included push pins into the map to chronicle your adventures. There are 20 of each of five different colored pins, each for a different purpose: green for places you’ve been, yellow for planned trips, red for dream vacations, blue for family and friends and black for your genealogical roots. You can also personalize the bottom section of the map with up to 70 characters of text. The whole map has a brownish tint, giving it that classic, heirloom look.

The map is small enough to take in all at once, but large enough for you to have plenty of room to push in many pins. Most major cities are marked. And don’t feel bad about poking holes in this map. It’s designed for this purpose. And as time goes on and you fill in more of the map, you can be reminded of how small the world is and how much of it you have seen.

Since the map is designed for you to use the push pins, it’s much sturdier and thicker than your usual wall map. It isn’t big enough or detailed enough to chart travel itineraries in detail, but you can just pick one or two memorable spots on your journey to mark. And for you lucky few who have made the journey, most of the Antarctic coast is well labeled.

It would be easy to accidentally gouge the map, though, so take care with it and don’t display it in a high traffic area. The frame seems quite sturdy, but it is still light enough to easily hang on the wall. The National Geographic My World Personalized Map costs $149.

Wired: See the places that you’ve been to on the Earth all at one time. Plan trips together with your family. Map your family roots. It’s a fun map that you can use to detail your travels and celebrate everywhere you’ve been.

Tired: Price is a little high, but you get a lot for the price. Map is somewhat fragile.

Note: I received a copy to review of both the Arizona wall map and the My World Personalized Map.

View full post on GeekDad

Even though we now have free Ovi Maps navigation and mapping on many of our Nokia devices, I personally still jump onto Google Maps for quick navigation and searching for businesses and places. Yesterday, Google posted news that Google Maps 4.1 is now available for Symbian S60 phones. This latest update adds Search by Voice capability, which can be quite helpful if you are in a vehicle and should not be entering text while driving.

To get this new version, simply go to m.google.com/maps in your mobile browser to download the latest version. Thanks to the folks at All About Symbian for the heads-up.

UK Android phone owners will be pleased to learn that the Google Maps Navigation app is now up and running for all handsets powered by Android 1.6 and up.

Google Maps Navigation 4.1.1 Beta was sent out to UK devices late last night in a quiet update that extends the Google Maps application to include free navigation services.

Using both vector and StreetView mapping for easy navigation around the UK, the app also includes voice search along with searching the route ahead to let you know about local hotels, petrol stations or restaurants that you might encounter on your journey.

To activate the new software, you may need to restart your handset, but keep in mind the software is only compatible with Android phones running 1.6 and upwards – so if you own a HTC Magic you’re out of luck.

[via engadget.com]

For more information on Android and the current Android mobile phones, check out our Android Guides

Google Maps Navigation Now Available For UK Android Phones

View full post on Google Android News Android Forums

I was reading Jason Harris’ blog today and found the video embedded below that I just had to share with you all. If you ever needed an excuse to put Ovi Maps on your phone, then I think this video shows you a good reason. Enjoy.

View full post on Nokia Experts

It was big news in January when Nokia rolled out Ovi Maps for FREE for selected devices. There was some angst with owners of existing devices since Ovi Maps did not work with all devices. The great news posted yesterday is Ovi Maps for the E71 and E66 is now available. I no longer have an E71x to try out so I am not sure Ovi Maps will work with it.

I understand that Nokia had to create a special version to support these two devices and you will not get Michelin and Lonely Planet content. Nokia also stated these two devices will be the last of their S60 3.1 and older devices to sport this version of Ovi Maps. All upcoming Nokia GPS phones will get free walk and drive navigation.

View full post on Nokia Experts