You are here: silicon.com > Hardware > PDAs

PDAs

Nokia gets smart about mapping services

Sat-nav goes mobile

Tags: sat nav, lbs, nokia

By Tim Ferguson

Published: 8 February 2007 15:20 GMT

Nokia has launched a mapping, navigation and location-based services (LBS) system for use on its smart phones and PDAs, as well as devices made by other companies.

The smart2go system provides maps and routing covering more than 150 countries as well as turn-by-turn satellite navigation for more than 30 nations.

Users download mapping tiles, along with relevant content, onto their device which is then stored on its memory card. This removes the need to be connected to a mobile network, meaning users don't have to rely on connectivity and can operate even if they don't have a signal.

Ralph Eric Kunz, vice president of multimedia at Nokia, explained the reason for storing the maps in this way is users most often need them when they are lost, and often that means they are in a remote location where they are unable to get connectivity.

smart2go also offers various location-based services that allow users to pinpoint their location and find out which of more than 15 million points of interest are nearby.

Cheat Sheets

Mobile location-based services
FMC
3G

For navigation services in Western Europe users will be charged a subscription fee varying from €8.99 per week to €99.99 for three years.

The smart2go service will initially work on Nokia S60 and Windows Mobile 5.0 platforms but will be rolled out to other platforms too, including Linux.

Kunz said: "This is about aggregating as many consumers as we can on a very broad platform."

The Finnish company also plans to embed the system in all future N-series devices, on which it will go by the name Nokia Maps.

Research by Nokia has suggested 51 per cent of users want to use maps on their mobile devices, while 31 per cent are interested in using search functions.

smart2go will be available from 10 February.

  1. Zones
  2. Management
  3. Networks
  4. Software
  5. IT Services
  6. Hardware
  1. Verticals
  2. Public Sector
  3. Financial Services
  4. Retail & Leisure

  • Jobs
Algo trading Connectivity Developer: C++/Java

I have an immediate requirement with a leading investment bank for a highly skilled developer with experience developing for API's and connectivity ...

RIC Engineer - (Nokia Netact & Integration)

You must have Nokia Netact experience, WBTS/Node B, and BTS (2G,3G) integration experience. My Telecoms clinet is in need of 2 RIC Engineers. ...

SYSTEMS ANALYST, PROCESS MAPPING, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, WEST YORKS.

Mapping, Business Modelling and Streamlining will assist you in your role. As a Business Systems Analyst you will be committed to CIP (Continuous ...

CIO50 2008
The silicon.com CIO50 2008 profiles the most influential and innovative tech chiefs in the UK across all industries and organisation size, from the biggest FTSE100 companies to high growth dot-com start ups and the public sector. The list was voted on by the UK CIO community and a panel of experts. Find out more in our latest special report.





Quick Sitemap Links: