Sony has teased an update for the PlayStation Vita that should significantly expand its features just a week before the North American launch. The 1.6 firmware patch will add a mapping tool with both driving and walking directions. Likely based on Google Maps, it has the options of satellite and traffic views as well as sending locations out on the Vita's own group messaging for a meetup.... Read more...
French court finds Google abused Google Maps dominance
France on Wednesday found that Google had allegedly abused the dominance of Google Maps to squeeze out regional competitors. The American company was asked to pay 500,000 euros ($657,350) in direct compensation as well as a 15,000-euro ($19,720) fine. Read more...
‘Samsunged’ Galaxy S II ad presages Super Bowl spot
Samsung has resumed its ads jabbing iPhone 4S waiters with a new spot as part of what should ultimately lead to a Super Bowl promo. The 30-second clip shows more iPhone queues, this time at night, and touts the Galaxy S II's advantage of having Google Maps Navigation. Read more...
Nokia: Google a ‘new kid’ in GPS, NFC on US Windows Phones
Google may have trouble competing with Nokia Drive once it rolls out to the broader market, Nokia's Executive VP of Location and Commerce, Michael Halbherr, told Electronista in an interview late Thursday. Despite Google Maps Navigation being a staple of Android, Google was a "new kid on the block." Nokia had the best map data and navigation in 90 countries, and automakers like BMW were relying on Nokia's platform.... Read more...
Google Maps gets WebGL for much faster 3D
Google has incorporated WebGL into Google Maps. The improved app, Google MapsGL, leverages computer-based hardware 3D graphic acceleration to provide richer visuals and animations. The functionality, availabile as a beta, initially will be supported on Chrome 14+ or Firefox Beta.... Read more...
Google employee proposes with Google Maps scavenger hunt (Digital Trends)
Digital Trends - Working at Google as a software engineer, Ari Gilder is no stranger to the Google Maps mobile app. In a recent post on the official Google blog, Gilder described in detail how he used technology from Google to ask his long-time girlfriend, Faigy, to marry him. Gilder constructed a map of seven places in New York City that had special significance to the couple such as the first date and memorable surprises. He then convince Faigy’s manager at hew workplace to give her a Nexus One preloaded with the Google Maps app. Read more...
Google employee proposes with Google Maps scavenger hunt (Digital Trends)
Digital Trends - Working at Google as a software engineer, Ari Gilder is no stranger to the Google Maps mobile app. In a recent post on the official Google blog, Gilder described in detail how he used technology from Google to ask his long-time girlfriend, Faigy, to marry him. Gilder constructed a map of seven places in New York City that had special significance to the couple such as the first date and memorable surprises. He then convince Faigy’s manager at hew workplace to give her a Nexus One preloaded with the Google Maps app.  She was also to be given a digital camera and instructions to reach the first location in the scavenger hunt. Read more...
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