Apple continues to have a mess on its hands with Maps. In almost every way, it's a subpar product compared to Google Maps, and the kicker is that Apple booted Google from the default map position within iOS 6. When you make a change like that, the world expects whatever you toss in to be superior, and that obviously...Read more...
Apparently, Locationary wasn’t the only maps-related acquisition Apple is making these days; the Cupertino company also snapped up HopStop, which is a service that provides “door-to-door transit, walking, biking, and taxi directions in over 300 cities worldwide”. It would seem that HopStop’s...Read more...
While Yahoo! has become the undisputed king of start-up acquisitions over the past year or so, Apple has definitely been on a fairly steady buying spree as well. While Apple never makes public its acquisition targets, huge innovations in the company's portfolio have began as ideas that were born outside of Cupertino...Read more...
The latest in the Bond film series, "Skyfall," was certainly one to remember. And not all of those memories were pleasant. The head villain's island lair was a particularly spooky place, and sure enough, it's roots are grown from a real place. The decaying wasteland depicted in the film was a shadow of Hashima off the coast of Nagasaki Prefecture...Read more...
Hopefully Google didn't pop the top on expensive bottles of champagne celebrating the $1.1 billion acquisition of Waze, a popular GPS-based turn-by-turn navigational app for mobile that hard drawn interest from a number of suitors, including Facebook. The expensive acquisition has drawn the attention of antitrust...Read more...
For some, spending a billion bucks comes easy. Just this week, Yahoo closed its deal to acquire Tumblr with next to no fuss from regulators. But when it comes to Google, it seems that the feds are constantly casting glances. The company recently announced its intentions to acquire rival mapping firm Waze for over a billion dollars, but now...Read more...
One could easily argue that the company who manages to perfect human-to-computer voice communications will have the future at their fingertips. While talking to a computer (or your car, or Siri) isn't new, it's not exactly ironed-out. Many folks won't even use Siri because the results are so spotty. Not even Google has managed to nail it;...Read more...
Foxconn is Apple's major manufacturing partner, and has ridden Cupertino's coattails to excellent year-on-year profit growth, even as its employees opted to take flying leaps from its manufacturing centers. The two companies are intertwined to the point that Apple products now account for between 60-70 percent of...Read more...
Thinking about punching in updated directions on your smartphone while cruising in California? Think again. Over the years, states have been marching towards a highway system that's devoid of any texting, phone holding, etc. And that's a good thing, given that distracted driving can (and does) lead to far too many accidents. But if you're...Read more...
It wasn't all that long ago when iPhone users were lamenting the loss of Google Maps, especially when Apple's own mapping software was leading them astray. Not only is Google Maps back on iOS (provided you download it from iTunes), but it's receiving updates, the most recent of which introduces faster local search and contacts integration....Read more...
For companies like TomTom, it's a tough road ahead. Personal navigation devices have lost their luster as people move on to in-car systems and savvy smartphones, but the company is being quite smart about its future. Instead of banking on PND sales, TomTom has just landed a deal to provide the in-car navigation system...Read more...
Going skiing this winter? If so, be sure to bring Google up in the ski lift. The company has already accomplished some amazing things with Street View, but its latest achievement reaches beyond amazing and goes straight to useful. With timing that couldn't be more perfect, Google has added 38 run and lift maps for...Read more...
Google Maps has changed the way we navigate the world, whether it’s planning out a trip (or adjusting on the fly), using your smartphone to figure out where the dang ballet studio is, having a Street View look at the town you’re about to move to, and so on, and the service just keeps getting better. This...Read more...
In September, Apple ditched Google's mapping data in order to switch to its own maps app. The results were horrible, eventually causing CEO Tim Cook to issue a public apology for the maps fiasco. Apple's troubles didn't end there. Earlier this week, Australian authorities warned people against using Apple Maps and went so far as to call...Read more...
The inaccuracies in Apple's new mapping application have been well publicized. Apple has acknowledged issues, and CEO Tim Cook has even issued a public apology for the maps fiasco in iOS6. It's been a couple months since Apple replaced Google Maps with its own app and the company is still working to improve things...Read more...
The folks behind Bing Maps have been undeniably busy this past month: they've released 121 terabytes worth of satellite and Global Ortho imagery to its Windows 8 Maps app and Bing Maps, released a Hurricane Sandy-specific map app and have also launched a Facebook page where they'll show off some cool imagery each and...Read more...
Right around a year ago, Google introduced the first wave of indoor maps. Being able to locate yourself while trapped within concrete walls -- in places like concert halls, shopping malls, etc. -- has been a challenge for a long while, but leave it to a company like Google to figure out a workaround. Now, the company is bringing indoor maps...Read more...
Nokia's mapping system is right up there with Google's system in terms of depth, range, and reliability. But the company's hampered status in the U.S. has prevented many people from giving it a whirl. As it stands, the best offline mobile mapping solution on the market today resides on Lumia phones, but Nokia understands that not everyone...Read more...
According to 9to5Mac’s sources, the version of Mac OS X due next year will likely have Siri and Apple Maps integration. Specifically, the same essential Siri voice command software found in newer iOS devices is present in these early OS builds. If Siri indeed ends up as part of Mac OS X 10.9, it’s unclear...Read more...
Hurricane Sandy has forced hundreds of thousands of people living along the Eastern Seaboard out of their homes, stranding others who ignored the evacuation orders. According to reports, some 60 million people live in the path of the 900-mile storm, which has been pushing 85 MPH winds and waters up to 11 feet tall...Read more...
While Apple’s maps app came up far short with consumers, Google Maps maintains its popularity as the watermark to target, while competitors elbow for market share. Another serious, mostly unsung contend in the maps market, squarely aligned with the Windows Phone platform, is Nokia. Nokia, with its many recent...Read more...
Tim Cook is coming into his own as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Apple. After a little more than a year at the helm, he's managed to differentiate himself in a subtle, yet meaningful way from Steve Jobs, and he did it simply by apologizing for the situation with Maps in iOS 6. We'll give you a moment to pick your jaw up off the floor....Read more...