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Cape Canaveral, Florida — Dec 17, `07 — The fifth in a series of eight modernized Global Positioning System Block IIR (GPS IIR-M) satellites built by Lockheed Martin for the US Air Force is ready for launch aboard a Delta II rocket on Dec 20, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

The spacecraft, designated GPS IIR-18M, is a modernized version of the Block IIR series designed to enhance the GPS constellation for military and civilian GPS users around the globe. The modernized series delivers increased signal power to receivers on the ground, two new military signals for improved accuracy, enhanced encryption and anti-jamming capabilities for the military, and a second civil signal to provide users with an open access signal on a different frequency.

The GPS constellation provides critical situational awareness and precision weapon guidance for the military and supports a wide range of civil, scientific and commercial functions – from air traffic control to the Internet – with precision location and timing information.

The Global Positioning System enables properly equipped users to determine precise time and velocity and worldwide latitude, longitude and altitude to within a few meters. Air Force Space Command’s 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS), based at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., manages and operates the GPS constellation for both civil and military users. More at Lockheed Martin.

Chicago, IL – NAVTEQ on Wednesday, Dec 12, announced that its stockholders have approved the previously announced merger agreement entered into with Nokia at the special meeting of stockholders held earlier today.

Over 75% of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock eligible to vote, representing over 99% of the total votes cast at the special meeting, were voted in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement.

Adoption of the merger agreement by NAVTEQ stockholders satisfies one of the conditions to completion of the merger between NAVTEQ and Nokia. Completion of the merger is also subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of the other closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement. More at Navteq.

LONDON — Dec 12, ‘07 — Microsoft has acquired Multimap, one of the United Kingdom’s top 100 technology companies and one of the leading online mapping services in the world.

The acquisition gives Microsoft a powerful new location and mapping technology to complement existing offerings such as Virtual Earth, Live Search, Windows Live services, MSN and the aQuantive advertising platform, with future integration potential for a range of other Microsoft products and platforms. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Multimap will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft, as part of the Virtual Earth and Search teams in the Online Services Group. The acquisition is the latest in a series of moves as Microsoft seeks to expand its online services to deliver software, services, and premium content and applications to consumers and businesses.More at Microsoft.

Dec 05, ‘07 — Today, Google announced the release of a new iPhone application that integrates its multiple services into a single interface, making it easy for iPhone users to find, use and switch between Google search, Gmail, Calendar, Reader, and more.

To use the application, iPhone users simply point their web browser to Google.com.

To accomplish this, Google is taking advantage of browser technologies (like AJAX) that made Gmail and Google Maps possible on the desktop. In supporting these advances in web technology, the iPhone’s Safari browser not only delivers an excellent mobile Internet experience; it enabled our product and engineering teams to create an optimal Google experience on a mobile device.

Google’s overall goal is to provide users with access to information, wherever they are. This commitment is device-independent, and we are working to develop new mobile technologies that are faster, easier to use, and available on more devices.

A recent example is My Location, a Google Maps for mobile feature that shows users their location directly on the map with or without GPS. To see the full range of mobile products and services available from Google, visit mobile.google.com.

More at Google, Google Mobile.

Amsterdam — December 05, ‘07 — Today, TomTom, the world’s largest navigation solutions provider, announced it is teaming up with Google Maps so users can search for and send business addresses directly from the Google Maps’ website to TomTom devices. This results in a richer and more personalised navigation experience.

“The ability to search, find and send information from the web to a TomTom is something we have been investing in for some time now. We are pleased to work together with Google Maps on this personalization functionality,” says Eric Pité, Vice President Product Management at TomTom.

How does it work?

Google Maps local search pages have expanded their ‘Send to’ feature with the option ‘Send to GPS’. With just one mouse click TomTom users can instantly benefit from this service without needing to download complicated zip files.

Google Maps allows TomTom users to search for business addresses and transfer them from the Google Maps website to their TomTom device by clicking on the ‘Send to GPS’ button.

The selected information is transferred to the TomTom device when the device is connected to the Internet via TomTom HOME, the free software application TomTom offers its customers. Drivers can then navigate to their new destination, as well as view the location on the map of the TomTom device or save it as a ‘favorite’ on the device for later use.

The tie-up would for instance allow TomTom users to plan a city trip by searching for accommodation, restaurants or museums using Google Maps on their computer and then transfer the places they want to visit to their TomTom device.

TomTom’s devices do include so-called “points of interest” — such as restaurants, petrol stations and parking garages — but if a user has not regularly bought map upgrades, such data can become out of date.

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Nov 30, ‘07 — EU governments agreed Friday to jointly complete the development of the much-delayed Galileo satellite navigation project after mollifying Spain, which had demanded a bigger stake in the venture, the AP reported.

Spain was the lone holdout in a 26-1 vote at an EU meeting on moving ahead with the $5 billion undertaking.

In seeking unanimity, the EU later won Spain’s approval with a deal that said a secondary ground station - planned for Spain to monitor emergency services on Galileo channels - may one day be a full-blown ground control station if Spain pays for that upgrade.

The European Commission set a Dec. 31 deadline for final approval of the satellite program. When completed, by 2013, it is expected to rival the American global positioning system, which also is satellite-based.

On Nov 23, EU governments agreed to a taxpayer bailout for the project, several months after a consortium of private companies walked away from it in a financing dispute. Most of the €2.4 billion ($3.56 billion) needed to complete the project will come from unspent funds originally earmarked for agriculture

Brussels — Nov 28, ‘07 — The European Commission has opened a detailed investigation under the EU merger regulation into TomTom’s proposed acquisition of Tele Atlas, both of The Netherlands.

TomTom produces portable navigation devices (PNDs) and Tele Atlas is one of two producers of navigable digital maps, a crucial input for PND manufacturers.

The Commission’s initial market investigation has indicated that the proposed merger raises serious doubts with regards to vertical competition concerns. A decision to open an in-depth inquiry does not prejudge the final result of the investigation. The Commission now has until 17 April 2008 to take a final decision on whether the proposed transaction would significantly impede effective competition within the European Economic Area (EEA) or a significant part of it.

Tom Tom is active in navigation software and manufacturing of PNDs and is the market leader in the EEA. Tele Atlas is one of only two producers of navigable digital maps offering a complete coverage of Europe and North America (the other being U.S firm Navteq).

After a preliminary review, the Commission has identified serious doubts that the acquisition by TomTom of Tele Atlas might, in the light of the duopoly market for navigable digital maps and TomTom’s strong position on the market for PNDs, lead to a significant impediment of effective competition within the EEA.

Navigable digital maps are essential inputs for producers of PNDs. The proposed acquisition raises vertical competition concerns because TomTom acquires one of the current two map suppliers that provide maps for the whole of Europe. The Commission’s in-depth investigation will focus, inter alia, on assessing whether the transaction would increase the costs of other PND manufacturers for navigable digital map or limit their access to these maps, and as a consequence harm consumers. More at European Commission.

     Google Maps with My Location (Beta)

See your location on the map, with or without GPS. Save time and tedious keystrokes finding where you are, what’s around you, and how to get there. Watch the video on the right to see how it works.

Press “0″ and look for the blue dot: or 

San Francisco, CA — Nov 28, ‘07 — Google is testing technology that will find the location of people using its mobile mapping service, even if the phone making the connection isn’t equipped with a GPS receiver.

The search giant said on Wednesday it is introducing a novel mapping system that uses cell phone towers to let mobile phone users locate nearby services without typing in addresses.

Google Maps for Mobile with My Location automatically informs mobile phone users where they are on a map. Users simply type the number “0″ on their phone to move the map to their approximate location.

Google is offering the service for free, direct to U.S. consumers, and is expected to eventually introduce local advertising that takes advantage of the location-aware service. The company has created the service independent of carriers.

Unlike GPS, Google’s tracking feature works while handsets are indoors. “My Location” also drains less power from a phone’s battery than a GPS receiver does.

The tracking system isn’t set up to collect a user’s phone number or any other personal information that would reveal a person’s identity, said Steve Lee, product manager for Google’s mobile maps. As a safeguard, the feature can be turned off at any time by simply clicking on a link in the help menu.

On the downside, Google’s service isn’t as precise as GPS. In most instances, Google hopes to get within one-quarter to three miles of a user’s location - close enough to provide helpful “neighborhood-level” information, Lee said.

By knowing more about a mobile phone’s location, Google conceivably could make more money displaying ads from nearby businesses hoping to lure in more customers. The Mountain View-based company currently doesn’t plan to show ads on mobile maps but may in the future, Lee said.

Already the owner of the most lucrative advertising network on the Internet, Google eventually hopes to do a better job of mining profits from the mobile Web.

To help realize that goal, Google plans to introduce a new mobile software package called Android next year in an attempt to make its online services more accessible to people while they’re away from computers at home or the office.

Get Google Maps with My Location (Beta)

Nov 27, ‘07 — Naomi Kim of Reuters bring us the Brookstone story, which adds 3rd dimension to the online shopping.

“Consumers looking to avoid crowded malls and the tedium of online shopping can now shop in a virtual 3-dimensional store.

Specialty retailer Brookstone Inc. opened the virtual doors to its 3-dimensional store, which combines a Second Life-like visual experience with real merchandise customers can buy.

The virtual store replicates the look and layout of a real store. Customers can move through the aisles and browse and zoom on products using a mouse and keyboard. Detailed information is available by stopping in front of an item.

“We think it really appeals to a younger audience for us, a demographic probably 25 to 40… because of the almost gaming nature of it,” said Sweeney. Brookstone.com will still offer its wares in the conventional way, but offers the 3-D store as an alternative”. More at Reuters.

Brookstone 3D Online Store (Warning: On the next screen, you have to install -never heard before- Kinset shopping browser in order to browse the 3D store).

Related Story: EveryScape Will Show You the Real World, Online!

Worlds are not born, they are created. This is just the beginning of ours. And yours. Welcome to EveryScape beta — where together the real world is being created, online. Says EveryScape.com

Nov 26, ‘07 — Anne Eisenberg of International Herald Tribune writes an in-depth article on EveryScape,  a website that provides 3-D-like tours.

Three-dimensional mapping programs like Google Earth let people fly over the rooftops of virtual cities, and other online services lead them down individual streets.

She further writes, “Now, one company is planning 3-D-like tours of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and other cities that not only venture down streets, but also inside some businesses. Tourists to this virtual Cambridge will be able to click their way along a Brattle Street rendered in realistic detail and move through the computer-generated interiors of dozens of nearby shops and institutions.

EveryScape in Waltham, Massachusetts, will start virtual tours of streets and businesses in Cambridge and Lexington, Massachusetts, in December, said Mok Oh, founder and chief technology officer of EveryScape.

So far, a limited number of street tours in Boston, New York, Miami Beach and Aspen, Colorado, can be seen on a beta version of EveryScape’s Web site.

EveryScape’s service may be attractive to companies that want to expand their online presence beyond a standard Web listing, said Denise Jillson, executive director of the Harvard Square Business Association.

Online visitors will be able to take the tour when they go to the Harvard Square Business Association site, www.harvardsquare.com. A preliminary version of the tour, already posted, lets visitors navigate local streets, but not the interiors of businesses.

The Harvard Square site is popular, Jillson said. It gets about 2 million hits a month, about 37,000 of them first-time visitors, up from about 1.3 million and 30,000 new visitors a year ago.” More at IHT.

Helsinki, Finland - Fancy a dose of culture in the Finnish city of Oulu? All you need is a mobile phone. Says Reuters.

Get theatre tickets digitally, download a smart video trailer of how the play was directed, order and pay for snacks for the interval and, after a culture-packed night, order a taxi home — all by just swiping a cellphone over smart tags placed on the menus or around the foyer of the theatre.

The Oulu City Theatre in northern Finland, 373 miles (600 kilometers) north of Helsinki, says it is the world’s first cultural institution to use the hippest handset technology, expected to turn mobile phones into wallets.

NFC (near-field communication) technology is activated by waving phones over wireless readers, or smart tags, and is widely used in public transport access cards.

The theatre is running a pilot, involving technology from Finnish mobile phone-maker Nokia and telecommunications operator TeliaSonera, until the year-end and will extend its usage more widely if it proves successful. More at Reuters.

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Nov 23, ‘07 — The European Union’s troubled Galileo satellite navigation system will be financed from leftover EU funds, EU ministers decided Friday, after Germany and three other countries that had opposed the arrangement relented.

Most of the €2.4 billion ($3.56 billion) the EU says is needed to complete the project will come from unspent funds originally earmarked for agriculture, officials said. Some €300 million (US$445 million) was also earmarked to launch the EU’s new technology and innovation institute, meant to rival the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The decision means Galileo — which nearly folded after a consortium of private companies tasked with developing it failed to make progress — will be completed. It is to give Europe its own satellite navigation, ending its dependency on the U.S.-run Global Positioning System.

Germany got on board after the EU’s executive Commission proposed new tender rules meant to ensure the multibillion-euro project is not dominated by a single company.

In Berlin, a German Transport Ministry spokesman welcomed the Commission proposal, saying it would secure competition and could lead to benefits for German companies.

A source close to EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot said the project segments would include satellites, launchers, ground mission infrastructure and control, system software, and other tasks.

There would be the possibility of two tenders to build 26 satellites that make up the system, which is expected to have 30 satellites in total. “The bidder will have to put an offer for all 26, but then we will contract only for a first batch of 10, for example,” the source said.

AMSTERDAM, Netherland – Nov 18, ’07 – Two days after Garmin dropped its effort to buy Tele Atlas NV, TomTom NV said it would begin an offer of $43.88 a share for the digital-mapping company.

The other global map maker, Navteq, has agreed to be acquired by cell phone manufacturer Nokia Oyj for $8.1 billion.

The period in which Tele Atlas shareholders can tender their shares will begin on Nov. 19 and end on Dec. 18, the companies said in a joint statement on Sunday.

Tele Atlas will hold an extraordinary shareholders meeting on Dec. 7 to discuss the offer.

TomTom Press Release:

“With reference to the press release of 7 November 2007, TomTom NV and Tele Atlas NV hereby jointly announce that TomTom is making a recommended public cash offer for all of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares with a nominal value of EUR 0.10 each in the capital of Tele Atlas.

Highlights
- The Offer is a cash offer for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Tele Atlas of EUR 30.00 per Share.
- The acceptance period commences at 9:00 hours, Amsterdam time (3:00 hours New York time) on 19 November 2007 and will end at 15:00 hours Amsterdam time (9:00 hours New York time) on 18 December 2007, unless extended.
- Tele Atlas will convene an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to be held on 7 December 2007 during which the Offer will be discussed.
- The Boards fully support the Offer and recommend the Offer to all Shareholders for acceptance.
- A condition to the Offer is that the number of Shares tendered for acceptance under the Offer, together with the Shares that are held at that time by the Offeror, represents at least 80 per cent. of all issued and outstanding Shares as set out in the Offer Memorandum.

The Offer
TomTom is making the Offer, subject to the terms and restrictions contained in the offer memorandum dated 18 November 2007.

Shareholders tendering their Shares under the Offer will be paid, under the terms and subject to the conditions and restrictions contained in the Offer Memorandum, in consideration of each Share validly tendered and delivered (geleverd) a cash amount of EUR 30.00.”

More at TomTom, Tele Atlas.

There is something inherently exciting about globes. It’s not just the wonderfully strange names of far off places, but there’s also nothing quite like spinning a globe and then jabbing a finger at it, imagining that one day you’ll go there - unless of course you happen to hit Dagenham.

Dream travelling aside, this beautifully detailed globe has a fabulous trick up its sleeve.

When it gets dark, a light sensor transforms the globe from a map of the world to a magical and brightly illuminated map of the night sky. It shows 88 constellations all with their common names (far easier to remember), so not only is it fascinating and educational, it also makes a great nightlight. Beautiful by day and magical by night, the Glowing Globe is the neatest globe we’ve ever seen.

Features
- This is two globes in one
- By day it reveals the world’s capitals, cities, political boundaries and natural features at a scale of 1:60,000,000
- By night it reveals 88 constellations with their common names
- A light sensor
- Size: 33 x 19 x 19cm

Get yours for $90 at iWantOneofThose.com

Cayman Islands — PR Newswire — Nov 16, ‘07 — Garmin Ltd. announced today that its subsidiaries, Garmin International Inc and Garmin Corporation, have signed a six-year extension to their agreement with NAVTEQ, a leading provider of digital map data for location based solutions and vehicle navigation.

The agreement allows Garmin to continue using NAVTEQ data through 2015, with an option to renew for an additional four-year period. In addition, the parties have agreed to pursue expanded points of cooperation that will result in improved mapping quality and coverage worldwide, and will drive further device innovation into the future. The parties did not disclose specific details of the agreement.

“Garmin has partnered with NAVTEQ for many years. We utilize their map data in the majority of our products and we have always appreciated their commitment to the market,” said Garmin CEO Dr. Min Kao. “Extending our agreement with NAVTEQ ensures the availability of quality mapping data for our customers, and provides a basis for enhanced cooperation which is a win-win for both Garmin and NAVTEQ. We believe the outcome creates the best value for Garmin, our customers, and stakeholders.”

In addition and with reference to the press release dated October 31, 2007, Garmin also announced today that in light of these developments it does not intend to pursue its offer for Tele Atlas N.V.

Garmin is a leading, worldwide provider of navigation, communications and information devices with subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Brazil and Singapore with pending acquisitions in Denmark, Italy and Spain. More at Garmin.

Garmin and TomTom have settled their intellectual property suits that were pending in the U.S., UK and the Netherlands. The settlement may enable both firms to divert more resources and attention on another battle: fighting for the right to acquire Tele Atlas, a digital map publisher.

CAYMAN ISLANDS/November 15, 2007/PR Newswire - Garmin Ltd. announces today a confidential global settlement of all of its intellectual property litigation with TomTom.  The settlement resolves all of the pending intellectual property litigation including cases in the UK, Netherlands, Wisconsin, and Texas. The parties did not disclose details of their agreement.

Garmin, based in the Cayman Islands but with operational headquarters in Olathe, Kan., makes products that use global positioning system data and leads the market for navigation devices in the U.S.

TomTom, based in Amsterdam, is the European leader in similar devices.

Garmin sued TomTom in federal courts in Wisconsin and Texas, claiming it infringed on Garmin patents. And Garmin asked courts in the Netherlands and United Kingdom to invalidate registered designs and patents claimed by TomTom.

TomTom countersued in Wisconsin, claiming Garmin infringed on three patents TomTom bought from Horizon Navigation Inc., based in Santa Clara, Calif., which makes in-vehicle navigation devices.

A year ago, Garmin won the first round when a court in The Hague, Netherlands, refused TomTom’s request for a preliminary injunction against Garmin for allegedly copying a European registered design it owned.

The lawsuits were seen as an ill-time distraction for both companies. They come at a time when the GPS market is growing rapidly and reaching critical mass in many developed markets.

Earlier this year, Garmin overtook TomTom for the global market share lead in delivering GPS systems, shipping 1.85 million units in the second quarter, a 25 percent global market share, according to research firm Canalys.

TomTom was close behind, with 1.81 million GPS systems shipped, a market share of 24 percent. Those two were far ahead of the rest of the pack, with the top five rounded out by Mio Technology, Magellan and Navman. In Europe, TomTom has 30 percent of the market and Garmin about 17 percent. Garmin has long led in the U.S. with more than 50 percent market share.

Tele Atlas is the last remaining independent publisher of the digital maps that power GPS systems following Nokia’s purchase last month of Navteq in a deal worth $8.1 billion. More at Garmin.

AMSTERDAM, Nov o7, ‘07 – TomTom, the world’s biggest maker of navigation devices, raised its offer for TeleAtlas, the mapping company, by 41 per cent on Wednesday and bought 28 per cent of the target’s shares in a bid to see off a challenge from US rival Garmin.

Garmin sparked a bidding war for Tele Atlas last week with an unsolicited €2.1bn bid that trumped TomTom’s initial offer. The Dutch company raised its cash offer for TeleAtlas to €30 a share, valuing TomTom at about €2.9bn.

“We are now well positioned to buy Tele Atlas”, said Harold Goddijn, chief executive of TomTom. “We are now their biggest customer and their biggest shareholder.”

The bidding war for Tele Atlas comes at a time of consolidation in the digital mapping industry. Tele Atlas, like TomTom based in the Netherlands, is one of only two large global providers of digital maps. Navteq, its competitor, was bought by Nokia for $8.1bn in September.

Tele Atlas shares rose 18 per cent to €31.80, above the offer price, signalling investors believed Garmin may raise its offer. TomTom shares fell 1 per cent to €56.

Garmin and TomTom both want to own a mapping company to keep down the cost of maps and develop new products. Sales of navigation devices are set to double this year from 16m in 2006.

“The whole navigation and mapping industry is still relatively young.” Mr Goddijn said. “This is not the endgame but I think it’s an important transition phase in the industry.”

San Francisco, CA — Nov 07, ‘07 — Lost drivers soon will be able to use “Applause” for help at the pump. As part of a partnership to be announced Wednesday, Google will dispense driving directions at thousands of Gilbarco gas pumps across the US beginning early next month.

The pumps, made by Gilbarco Veeder-Root, include an Internet connection and will display Google’s mapping service in color on a small screen. The service is dubbed “Applause Media System“. Motorists will be able to scroll through several categories to find local landmarks, hotels, restaurants and hospitals selected by the gas station’s owner.

After the driver selects a destination, the pump will print out directions. Eventually, Gilbarco Veeder-Root hopes to enable motorists to type in a specific address and get directions. “We think the service will create more customer loyalty for retailers,” said Gilbarco Veeder-Root spokeswoman Lucy Sackett.

Greensboro, N.C.-based Gilbarco Veeder-Root will initially offer the service in about 3,500 gas pumps and expand based on retailer demand.

Unlike most of Google’s services, this one won’t include ads bringing the company income. But participating retailers will be able to make extra money from other merchants that offer coupons on the service. Making maps available at gas pumps appealed to Google because the Mountain View-based company wants to make its services available whenever and wherever people need them, said Karen Roter Davis, a principal business development manager for Google.

Calling up a map at a gas pump should be particularly popular among motorists who are too stubborn or embarrassed to pull over and ask someone for help, Roter Davis said. “This will be sort of a Googley, more stealthy way of getting directions.” More at Gilbarco.