Mobility Digest » GPS

Mobility Digest Review: Bracketron Universal GPS Window Mount

Doug Smith — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:05:23 +0000

Smartphones these days are being used in a wide variety of ways other than just talking on the phone. Music playback with streaming services like Slacker and Pandora and GPS with free services like Google and Bing. If you are like me, you use both at the same time. So I have been looking for a convenient way to display my device where I can control music playback as well as view my GPS. I always hesitated to buy universal mounts because the window mounts never seemed to hold up very well and the device would end dropping down to the floor. Not only is this a pain in the rear end to reach down and grab and try to put back in place, but it could be a potential safety hazard as well. So when I saw the Bracketron Universal GPS Window Mount, I noticed that it had a very top end looking window mount so I thought I would give it a try and see if my device fumbling days could be over. So let’s check it out in another Mobility Digest Review!

Kicking things off, let’s take a look at the packaging and the contents. The clamshell packaging ensures a very difficult removal but does make sure that you know that no one else has been into your product. Inside you will find

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL NO: GWM-262-BL
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Universal GPS Window Mount
UPC NUMBER: 874688002621
MASTER PACK DIMENSIONS: 26” x 18.5” x 14.75”
MASTER PACK: 20/pc
MASTER WEIGHT: 12.5 lbs
INDIVIDUAL PACKAGED DIMENSIONS: 4.25” x 8” x 9.5”
INDIVIDUAL PACKAGED WEIGHT: 10 oz

After getting the contents unpackaged putting the 9” suction cup window mount together with the universal grip-it is quite easy and both pieces feel of very high quality material and workmanship.

Looking that the 9” bendable suction cup window mount first, the bottom suction cup is very large and will give you lots of area to grip the windshield with. It also has a small little tab on it so when it is time to remove it, you have something to grab on to instead of just yanking on the base and loosening the suction cup from the base. The suction is created by pulling down on the tab. It does not need to be pulled all the way down to the bottom like you might expect, but stops somewhere between and provides a lot of suction to secure the mount to the windshield. There is a button underneath the tab that releases the suction when removal is needed. Then, as mentioned above, grab the tab on the suction cup and remove. The 9 inch arm provides a lot of reach to bring your device forward on vehicles that have windshields that are on a steeper angle. The dashboards on these type of windshield cars make mounting devices to it tricky, but also take the device further out of range for easy viewing. The Bracketron Universal GPS Window Mount will allow you to bring your device forward on the most swept back windshield like the one in my wife’s Ford Freestar minivan. The 9 inch arm is very strong and when driving on bumpy roads only allows a small amount of bouncing. The device end of the window mount rotates 360 degrees so you will be able to rotate your device from portrait to landscape with no worries.

The Universal Grip-iT device holder is very well constructed and has an anti-skid surface to help keep your device to stay put when in the mount. On the bottom right hand side you will notice a button that opens the holder to accommodate a wide range of different devices from a GPS, smartphone, as well as a MP3 player. The jaws open up to amazing 4.25 inches! That should be good to hold just about any device you own. Even my huge 5 inch Garmin Nuvi GPS fit in it! On the bottom of the Grip-iT device holder are two rotatable feet that keep your device from sliding down when you have your device in portrait orientation. When in landscape, I found that I would not use the feet because the device would not center and stuck too far too one side. The Grip-iT mount when squeezed together holds the device in it very securely and I never experienced one coming out.

Putting the sections together is pretty easy to figure out and they clip together VERY securely. So securely in fact that it is very difficult to separate them should you need to. You have to get a small screwdriver and depress tab with a substantial amount of force to separate the two units from each other. Then it is difficult to remember which way to slide the Grip-iT unit back. The wrong way will result in breaking the tab off of the window mount that fits into the channel on the Grip-iT unit. It would have been handy for Bracketron to add an arrow to let you know what way to slide the Grip-iT unit to separate it from the Window Mount. The two sections fit very securely together as a result.

As you can see from the picture below, the Bracketron Universal GPS Window Mount looks really good and works even better. As I mentioned above, even though most swept back windshields will not stop the 9 inch Window Mount Arm from keeping your device in easy view and reach. It is also very strong and only suffers from a minimal amount of bouncing on the most bumpy of roads. Landscape and portrait orientations both look and work perfectly .

the Bracketron Universal GPS Window Mount is very recommended should you be in the market to buy one mount to handle all your device needs. It is very strong and is very well made. Unlike cheaper window mounts, the suction cup actually works and there is a very minimal amount of bouncing on the most bumpy of roads. Having the Bracketron Universal GPS Window Mount frees up your console area from having to keep your device and you will not have to look down to see who is calling you or change the song when using your device as a music player. The Bracketron Universal GPS Window Mount is sold on the Bracketron website for $29.99 but can easily be found for less than half that amount on Amazon.

PROS:

Very Strong
Inexpensive-good value
360 degree viewing
Great clamping force from suction cup/easy to release

Cons:

Hard to separate the Window Mount from the Grip-iT holder
Clamshell packaging is a pain in the rear to open!

Samsung and TomTom Join Forces

Kristofer Brozio — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:30:24 +0000

Apparently Samsung and TomTom have joined up to bring navigation right to your phone. No it’s not something new, we’ve seen it before. They’ve collaborated on a new phone actually called the Wave 3 that will bring quite a lot of TomTom services right to your phone at no additional costs it seems. Many of the premium services are added costs but it seems if you get the Wave 3 phone you’ll be getting these services included in the deal. I couldn’t find the Wave 3 on the Samsung website but I found a few details: Samsung Wave 3 carries a 4″ WVGA Super AMOLED display, a 5-megapixel camera at the back, Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, and a microSD memory card slot.

-TomTom has signed a strategic deal with Samsung whereby TomTom maps and location content will power the Wave3 smartphone. TomTom will provide information to support daily location needs of Wave3 users, from navigation to search and find.

‘Signing the deal with Samsung highlights TomTom’s ability to deliver the map and enhanced content needed to enable the location based services for wireless users’ said Charles Cautley, Managing Director TomTom Automotive and Licensing. ‘TomTom is excited to collaborate with the global leader in the smartphone market.’

‘As we strive to deliver innovations for the global smartphone market, location-enabled content and applications are increasingly important to our customers,’ said David Noh, Vice President & Head of Technology Alliance Group. ‘We needed a partner that could deliver to our strict requirements for quality and TomTom rose to the occasion.’

The agreement gives Samsung access to TomTom global maps and premium location content including:

Map coverage for over 200 countries globally, providing over 35 million kilometers of road network

Points of Interest providing information that enables users to find the people, places and services they need, wherever they are

3D City Maps and 3D Landmarks adding a dimension of clarity and reality to the map, enhancing recognition and providing a visual orientation aid

Enterprise Traffic delivering live road conditions, including the location and length of a traffic incident, helping drivers find the quickest route to their destination

Speed Cameras providing a location alert for safety related cameras to promote safe driving habits and optimize the navigation experience.

More information can be found at www.tomtom.com.

Garmin Pairs with Android and Gets Connected

Kristofer Brozio — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:01:55 +0000

I’ve never messed with nay Garmin products, I’ve had the chance to review several other GPS systems but never Garmin sadly. I’ve heard good things about it though. Anyway, Garmin has decided to pair up with Android to provide live services like traffic information, traffic camera images, weather and fuel prices to their navigation device, utilizing the smartphone’s mobile data plan. The Garmin app is free on the Android market so you can go grab it now and get connected.

Free connected services include live weather information and myGarmin™ messaging, which provides update notifications and special offers from Garmin. Premium Live Services include the following:

Live Traffic ($19.99 per year): Garmin Live Traffic provides the best-in-class real-time information to help users navigate in and around congestion. Live Traffic is updated every two minutes and receives more than 1,000 messages every update cycle, including details of traffic incidents, road conditions and delays. It covers major highways, interstates and main roads.

photoLive traffic cameras ($9.99 per year): This functionality is an addition to Garmin’s Live Traffic feature and provides drivers the ability to literally see traffic conditions ahead of time. It lets users easily look up real-time photos from traffic cameras to get a glance at traffic and weather conditions. Included are more than 10,000 traffic cameras across the U.S. and Canada that send images every couple of minutes.

Fuel Prices ($9.99 per year): Users can find the best prices for any grade of fuel in their area by tapping the screen and selecting a station.

Advanced Weather ($4.99 per year): Get current and 5-day forecasts tailored for major cities in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to what the free weather service provides, Advanced Weather also allows users to receive severe weather alerts and view animated radar images on a map. Colors distinguish types of precipitation such as rain, snow and ice, to help you avoid bad driving conditions.

In addition to using Garmin Live Services, Smartphone Link allows the Garmin GPS to share its favorite locations with the phone. And better yet, the app can help users find their way from a parking spot to their destination and back by displaying both on a map.

Garmin Smartphone Link works with all Bluetooth enabled 2012 Garmin PNDs, the nüvi 2475LT, 2495LMT, 2595LMT, 3490LMT and the all-new 3590LMT, the company’s most feature-packed 5” navigator. All of these models require a software update, except the nüvi 3590LMT. Garmin Smartphone Link is available from the Android Market at no cost. To learn more, go to http://sites.garmin.com/smartphonelink.

The new nüvi 3590LMT features pinch-to-zoom touchscreen interaction, automatic dual-screen orientation and Garmin’s most advanced ensemble of mapping and navigation features available: Guidance 3.0, free lifetime digital 3D traffic updates¹ from the HD Radio System, voice-activated navigation, free lifetime map updates², lane assist with photoReal junction view (a Garmin exclusive), Bird’s Eye junction view, 3-D landmarks and terrain views, and exit services, among many other functions. The premium PND is expected to be available in spring 2012. For more information about individual nüvi models, features and pricing, visit http://www.garmin.com/move.

Find details about Garmin’s other smartphone apps for a wide variety of activities at http://garmin.com/apps.

Are There Any Decent WinPho GPS Apps Yet? [Ask the Readers]

Doug Simmons — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:03:40 +0000

Surur of WMPoweruser just ran a review on another one of these Windows Phone GPS apps, GPS Tuner Turn by Turn Navigation USA and Canada (brilliant name…) for only $16.99. Looks okay I suppose, the usual features you’d expect from another one of these things, though apparently turn by turn does not mean 3D. I keep mixing that up.

It would get the job done based on his review, but it ain’t no Google Maps Navigation, that’s for sure.

I wanted to go on Surur’s article thread and ask about other GPS options for WinPho as that’s struck me as one thing really holding it back and how could they leave that out. And unlike with an iPhone, you can’t just download TomTom, that ain’t happening. Seems TomTom wasn’t interested in WinPho. The fools, right?

Anyway I can’t do that, go on a WMPU article and ask good questions, because Surur banned my ass a long time ago. Wouldn’t even tell me why. And I thought I was contributing, offering a contrarian perspective, refreshing or whatever. Sigh, I guess the man’s got his reasons… argh. Let me back!! You’re killing me with that hammer. Killing me. Yes there’s some rocky history between me and Surur but it’s old history. I’ve written the man an out-of-the-nowhere letter of general praise *before* this happened. I have no recollection of crossing the line in the time leading up to the ban.

What are the sorts of things I posted on WMPU precipitating my ban? Here’s an example. And look at what I wrote him (also pre-ban, and no, he never responded) for no other reason than pure respect. Read this. From the heart bro. Can’t believe I’m actually posting this, I just feel so pathetic and rudderless, you know?

Sidetracked, sorry.

Anyway, what was it.. ahh yes, so that y’all have the best information spread amongst yourselves (and to satisfy my own voyeuristic curiosity), what are all you WinPho users using for GPS driving navigation? And in what way is your WinPho better for driving than your old WinMo phone? Here’s the marketplace link to Surur’s reviewed app.

There are actually 110,000 pages on WMPU that include “turn by turn” and maybe you could sort them out. Hey Waze people, how about throwing these guys a bone already? Trapster? C’mon. Et tu, Google?

Cheers, Surur. Smart guy, can’t put it past him to ban me in order to get me to write about his site more and promote his promotional efforts. Genius.

Doug Simmons

GPS Bookmarker Comes to Android and iPhone

Kristofer Brozio — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:10:23 +0000

Hmm.. When I first read this I thought it was just an app to save GPS locations, but it’s much more than that. Once you save something you can actually have the app give you turn-by-turn directions to get to those bookmarked places. The app is $1.50, so that’s not too bad I guess.

This new iPhone App GPS Bookmarker is not a typical GPS location device. It allows users to save and personalize their favorite locations by adding details such as a name, a phone number, a photo or even a voice memo about the location.

Indeed, discovering a new location is one thing, finding the way back to that location is something else entirely. To help avoid that situation, Typhoon Apps announced the release of their new application called "GPS Bookmarker", made specifically for iPhone and Android users.

Ever been heading to an appointment and seen a great new store but just don’t have the time to stop and shop? With GPS Bookmarker simply save the location, add a picture and take a leisurely trip back to the store another time.

Ever been through the hassle of looking for a new home? With GPS Bookmarker users can photograph a dream home for sale, save the location, record voice comments about the neighborhood, and go as far as taking a picture of the real-estate yard sign.

What about those enormous parking lots at the mall? Ever gone shopping only to forget exactly where the car is parked? No more worries … with GPS Bookmarker users can mark the location, add a picture of the lot location, or add a note such as Lot C, Parking Space 89.

How about meeting a friend at a new restaurant only to have the friend call to say they are completely lost. No problem, with GPS Bookmarker users can simply email or SMS their location to friends.

Once users save a location on their iPhone, they can review the bookmark, check the address, or even ask GPS Bookmarker to navigate to that location using Turn-by-Turn directions. It’s that simple! With GPS Bookmarker iPhone users should now be able to find their way around. For more information go to http://www.gpsbookmarker.com.

TomTom App for iPhone 1.9 Now Available and Optimized For iPad

Kristofer Brozio — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:11:58 +0000

I can see a phone on your dashboard for navigation, it’s small and it just makes sense. What I can’t see in an iPad strapped to someone’s dashboard, it’s just too big for that kind of use I think. There are enough distractions for drivers without the iPad blocking their view. Still though I know people are going to do it and so does TomTom as they’ve just announced version 1.9 that is optimized for the iPad. Price is $49.99 but if you already own it on the iPhone you can get it for free on your iPad.

Now optimized for the iPad, the new TomTom App features a higher resolution for a sharper display and an enhanced user interface to fit the larger screen size. The new release of the App is also compatible with Apple’s brand new iOS5.

The TomTom App for iPhone/iPad, version 1.9, features a new map release – a benefit to users of both Apple devices – with updated roads and points of interest.

With this new release, TomTom has made use of the extra iPad screen size. The full-screen display shows both driving view and advanced lane guidance at the same time. Drivers can also switch to driving view with one touch from anywhere within the App, and can access guidance options in a tap.

Customers also get HD Traffic as via an added in-App purchase. For existing TomTom HD Traffic subscribers, drivers can switch subscriptions from their iPhones to their iPads, at no cost.

Availability and pricing

TomTom App for iPhone/iPad 1.9 for the US is available now for $49.99. Existing TomTom App for iPhone customers can download the new version of the App to their iPad for free.

Other key features of TomTom App for iPhone/iPad:

Access to TomTom HD Traffic – the quickest way through the traffic

The latest, most accurate TomTom maps available – with no need for a mobile signal or data plan

Correct your map and get others’ changes every day via Map Share

Arrival times you can rely on – at all times of day – with IQ Routes^TM

Seamless navigation while calling, thanks to iOS 5 multitasking support

Seamless integration with your iPhone contacts, photos, music, email and calendar

Homer Simpson, Darth Vader, Yoda, and C3PO navigation voices available as an in-app purchase.

For further information, please visit www.tomtom.com.

Free App: Trimble Outdoors Backpacker Map Maker App for iPad

Kristofer Brozio — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:49:00 +0000

Going on a hike anytime soon? Trimbleand Backpacker magazine today released Backpacker Map Maker, a mapping and trip planning app for the Apple iPad. Now, from the touch-screen of an iPad, hikers and backpackers can find wild places, plot GPS points and plan their next adventure over seamless topographical maps.

Backpacker Map Maker begins with best-in-class maps for hikers in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to aerial, hybrid, street and terrain maps, the app provides access to more than 68,000 USGS topo maps stitched together and enhanced by MyTopo. The app has a full-line of other features for the hiker, including:

Place search: Find popular peaks, campgrounds, trailheads, mountain passes, creeks, lakes and more from a list of more than 10 million places.

Dual maps: Turn on dual map mode and view two map types at once for more precise trip planning. For instance, view street maps to find access roads to the trailhead then fade to topo maps to check out the detailed topography.

Cloud-based trips: Save trips to a backpacker.com account and access them from anywhere with an Internet connection. Hikers can also plan trips in Map Maker and then open and navigate in the Backpacker GPS Trails app, an in-field navigation app for iPhone and Android.

Mark waypoints: Simply drag-and-drop GPS waypoints onto the map. Add notes too.

Ruler tool: Measure how far it is from the trailhead to your campsite to a mountain summit and beyond.

Digital compass: See a full-screen translucent compass overlaid on the maps.

GPS coordinates: Display latitude/longitude coordinates in three formats: DD, DDM and DMS. Or, view coordinates in UTM, the metric-based coordinate system preferred by the U.S. military and Backpacker editors. Backpacker publishes trail-based coordinates for nearly every destination article in the magazine.

Backpacker Map Maker for the Apple iPad and iPad2 is available for download now from the Apple App Store at: www.backpacker.com/mapmaker.

NAVIGON Launches First On-Board Navigation App for Windows Phone 7

Kristofer Brozio — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:07:28 +0000

I have Navigon for my Android and I love it, it works very well. Now it’s coming to WP7 for $49.99, but until November 15th the price will be $29.99! That’s a deal right there on some great GPS navigation software. There’s also another app call traffic4all that’s become available for free that helps you avoid traffic gridlock. it’s add supported, but for $1.49 you can turn the ads off. So try it for free and if you like it buy it!

NAVIGON AG, a leading provider of mobile phone on-board navigation, today announced the launch of the first on-board navigation app for Windows Phone 7 smartphones. NAVIGON’s app is available for Windows Phone 7.5 users and takes advantage of new features made available to developers with this new release such as the ability to save an address to the start screen. In addition, NAVIGON also launches a free traffic app for Windows Phone 7, traffic4all.

Similar to a standalone navigation device, NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 works in areas without a cell phone signal, so users can get directions and information anytime, anywhere. Other navigation apps for Windows Phone 7 are dependent on a cell phone connection to download map and routing data. Therefore, no cell signal can render navigation useless or interrupted until a connection is reestablished.

NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 includes spoken turn-by-turn directions, visual lane guidance, live traffic information and rerouting, among many other features. NAVIGON’s new app runs on Windows Phone 7.5 and also takes advantage of new features made available to developers with this new release. These features include the augmented reality function Reality Scanner, which provides an instant and effortless way of identifying nearby destinations while on foot; an option to select address information directly from the phone’s contact list; and the ability to save a favorite or home address as a shortcut on the start screen.

NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 features include:
· NAVIGON MyRoutes: The app includes routing technology built upon NAVIGON’s 20 years of experience in the navigation industry, so users get the most reliable routes available. The MyRoutes feature provides customized route suggestions with up to three different choices based on the user’s driving style.
· Reality View Pro and Lane Assistant Pro: Reality View Pro feature clearly displays photo-realistic views of actual highway/interstate signs, exits, and lane guide markers so users can see lane changes and exits in advance. Lane Assistant Pro prepares drivers to make an upcoming exit or turn with a lane map complete with arrows and actual road geometry.
· NAVTEQ® maps: NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 uses one of the most robust and accurate geographic databases in the world, providing the most accurate map data and points-of-interest information. The superiority of NAVTEQ® maps is defined by its verified accuracy, content richness, and its breadth of coverage data.
· Traffic Live: NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7–using real-time traffic information available from industry leader INRIX–alerts drivers to traffic problems and automatically calculates alternative routes so they can avoid congestion and save time.
· Reality Scanner: Reality Scanner is an augmented reality feature, providing an instant and effortless way of identifying nearby destinations. Users simply point their smartphone in any direction to see points-of-interest icons appear directly onto a live camera view, making it easy to find destinations on foot.
· NAVIGON Shortcut: Save any address as a shortcut to the Windows Phone 7 start screen. This allows users to start navigating, for example to their home address, with only one click.
· Speed Assistant: Drivers can potentially avoid costly tickets by receiving alerts when they’re speeding and getting notified of speed and red light cameras before they pass them.
Additional features include Google Local Search, which allows users to find local points-of-interest instantly; one-tap access to help users find critical services such as hospitals and police stations in case of an emergency; and the ability to select address information directly from the phone’s contact list.

NAVIGON traffic4all Windows 7 App
In addition to its turn-by-turn navigation app for Windows Phone 7, NAVIGON also announced a free traffic app: traffic4all helps drivers to avoid gridlock and save time by providing a clear overview of traffic conditions. NAVIGON developed an intuitive user interface that displays traffic incidents on a map with a single hit of a button. Colored road overlays indicate traffic flow, ranging from green for normal to red for traffic congestion or black/white for blocked roads. The app also allows users to plan ahead and look up traffic forecasts by entering a specific time and location.
traffic4all uses traffic information from NAVIGON’s partner INRIX. The leading traffic expert covers more roads than any other provider, delivering real-time traffic information that extends beyond major highways and interstates covering more than two million miles in North America and Europe.

Pricing and Availability
NAVIGON for Windows Phone 7 includes on-board NAVTEQ maps for the USA and is available for $49.99 in the Windows Marketplace. NAVIGON offers a special introductory price of $29.99 until November 15, 2011.
NAVIGON traffic4all is available at no cost in the Windows Phone Marketplace. An upgrade option for $1.49 turns off the integrated ads. For more information, please visit: www.navigon.com.

“Find My Phone” Found My Phone

Norcal Colby — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:01:44 +0000

I have not posted anything recently so it is about time I logged in and slapped a post up. Last night I lost my phone. Quite the scare actually. I carry my phone around and never let it out of my sight. I use it frequently and know its weight in my pocket. To lose my phone is not something that happens very often. The story of how it was lost and found follows.

I get off work semi-late at night. I am forced to park across a street and through another apartment complex because I do not have a parking permit for the apartment complex I live in, apparently they ran out and can not give anymore out due to “overcrowding”. So I usually just take my longboard with me to and from work so I can travel fast and light to and from my truck after and before my shifts.

Last night I knew for a fact that my phone was with me when I parked. I thought my phone was on me as I traveled from my truck to my apartment. I also could have sworn that I had my phone in my room. Once I noticed it was missing I immediately started tearing apart my room looking for it. I even backtracked all the way to my truck, which I also tore apart looking for it.

I nearly gave up hope until I was talking with a gentleman named Ramon on Facebook. He suggested I utilize the Find My Phone feature that the Windows Phone devices have. I remember reading about the Find My Phone feature when I first bought my Focus, but never needed to use it.

Turns out all I had to do was go to WindowsPhone.com, login with my Windows Live ID, click My Phone, then click Find My Phone! I was given a Bing map with the location of my phone. I analyzed the map and noticed that it was located in my truck.

Now that I knew my phone was actually in the truck I once again tore it apart looking for my Focus and there it was, under and behind the seats. Not quite sure how it ended up in that location, but I am just glad I found it.

Find My Phone works and is a great feature that microsoft included in these devices, no third party app involved. Just activate the setting under Settings > Find My Phone on your Windows Phone.

Anyone else have a Find My Phone experience?

Free App: Skobbler Navigation for iOS

Kristofer Brozio — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:49:53 +0000

So I’ve got a free app for you today called Skobbler which is a GPS navigation program so you can find you way. It’s for iOS devices like it says up there in the headline. There’s a catch though, it’s only for UK and Ireland, so this is one for our readers across the pond as it were… They’re going to be releasing version 2 of the app, so they decided to give away the current and premium version for free for a limited time. Rather nice of them I’d say…

Show Full Press Release
skobbler, specialist developer of map-based apps, will soon announce Navigation 2, a new generation sat nav app for the iPhone. Navigation 2 will replace the existing £1.49 premium suite, skobbler Navigation, and existing users will be provided with a free automatic upgrade upon release. In addition, skobbler has extended this offer to users of skobbler Lite and all new customers. So for a limited time, those running the free version of the software or who are new to the software can download the premium suite for free and still benefit from the upgrade to Navigation 2 in October. Navigation 2 will then be sold at its regular price in the Apple App Store thereafter. skobbler Lite customers should download the premium suite of skobbler Navigation for free before the launch of its successor Navigation 2, upon which skobbler Lite will be discontinued with immediate effect. Having switched to the premium suite, their app will be automatically upgraded to Navigation 2 following its release. Existing skobbler Navigation premium suite customers are not affected and will be automatically upgraded to Navigation 2 in October. New users can also benefit by downloading the premium suite of skobbler Navigation for free until the launch of Navigation 2, which they will then receive as a complimentary upgrade. Navigation 2 offers considerable improvements over the current premium suite, with its creation the result of collected customer and industry feedback. It addresses the top update suggestions made by customers and is set to revolutionise approaches to several key aspects of smartphone navigation. Customer feedback and results from a recent study of motorists clearly identified data connection loss as one of the biggest headaches associated with smartphone sat navs. Navigation 2 is a hybrid solution that addresses this issue by allowing users to choose which maps should be stored on a smartphone, enabling navigation offline as well as online. Thus users benefit from a perfect balance between service reliability and economic usage of limited storage capacity on mobile devices. “We would like to thank all of our customers for their valued support to our constantly evolving app and to the brilliant OpenStreetMap project – together they are helping us to create the future of sat nav,” says Marcus Thielking, co-founder of skobbler. “We hope our invitation to upgrade to skobbler premium navigation for free in preparation for our Navigation 2 app launch will be warmly received. The new app will provide our customers with a radically improved experience in almost every way, from exciting visuals to a series of sought-after features – including the choice between online and offline navigation, which has been our customers’ top requirement.” “Our on-going strategy is to be the leader in map-based app development and to provide the crème de la crème of OpenStreetMap-based mobile navigation,” continued Thielking. “With Navigation 2, we are really making our mission statement loud and clear. Our free app has been a phenomenal success, not only for introducing skobbler to the market but also in generating essential feedback which has been instrumental in the development of our new navigation solution. However, free apps are currently not commercially viable, if we are to reach our ultimate goal and sustain good service for our customers. So to move forward, we need to charge a small fee. But in return, we promise to deliver the very best in mobile navigation based on OpenStreetMap with free map updates for life,” concluded Thielking. skobbler sent shockwaves throughout the navigation industry in June last year with the launch of skobbler navigation and remains a leading provider and innovator in the field of navigation and map-based app development. skobbler is committed to developing navigation applications to be used with everyday mobile hardware, which it believes is the future of sat nav – a genuine alternative to costly and slow updating devices. Navigation 2 by skobbler intends to build on that reputation and skobbler will continue to deliver on its promise of listening to customer feedback and to providing fast updates based on those requests. For a limited time, skobbler Navigation is available for free from the App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/skobbler-uk-ireland-navigation/id329340711?mt=8. For further information on recent developments at skobbler, please visit http://blog.skobbler.com or http://fb.skobbler.com

Show Full Press Release

skobbler, specialist developer of map-based apps, will soon announce Navigation 2, a new generation sat nav app for the iPhone. Navigation 2 will replace the existing £1.49 premium suite, skobbler Navigation, and existing users will be provided with a free automatic upgrade upon release.

In addition, skobbler has extended this offer to users of skobbler Lite and all new customers. So for a limited time, those running the free version of the software or who are new to the software can download the premium suite for free and still benefit from the upgrade to Navigation 2 in October. Navigation 2 will then be sold at its regular price in the Apple App Store thereafter.

skobbler Lite customers should download the premium suite of skobbler Navigation for free before the launch of its successor Navigation 2, upon which skobbler Lite will be discontinued with immediate effect. Having switched to the premium suite, their app will be automatically upgraded to Navigation 2 following its release.
Existing skobbler Navigation premium suite customers are not affected and will be automatically upgraded to Navigation 2 in October.
New users can also benefit by downloading the premium suite of skobbler Navigation for free until the launch of Navigation 2, which they will then receive as a complimentary upgrade.

Navigation 2 offers considerable improvements over the current premium suite, with its creation the result of collected customer and industry feedback. It addresses the top update suggestions made by customers and is set to revolutionise approaches to several key aspects of smartphone navigation. Customer feedback and results from a recent study of motorists clearly identified data connection loss as one of the biggest headaches associated with smartphone sat navs. Navigation 2 is a hybrid solution that addresses this issue by allowing users to choose which maps should be stored on a smartphone, enabling navigation offline as well as online. Thus users benefit from a perfect balance between service reliability and economic usage of limited storage capacity on mobile devices.

“We would like to thank all of our customers for their valued support to our constantly evolving app and to the brilliant OpenStreetMap project – together they are helping us to create the future of sat nav,” says Marcus Thielking, co-founder of skobbler. “We hope our invitation to upgrade to skobbler premium navigation for free in preparation for our Navigation 2 app launch will be warmly received. The new app will provide our customers with a radically improved experience in almost every way, from exciting visuals to a series of sought-after features – including the choice between online and offline navigation, which has been our customers’ top requirement.”

“Our on-going strategy is to be the leader in map-based app development and to provide the crème de la crème of OpenStreetMap-based mobile navigation,” continued Thielking. “With Navigation 2, we are really making our mission statement loud and clear. Our free app has been a phenomenal success, not only for introducing skobbler to the market but also in generating essential feedback which has been instrumental in the development of our new navigation solution. However, free apps are currently not commercially viable, if we are to reach our ultimate goal and sustain good service for our customers. So to move forward, we need to charge a small fee. But in return, we promise to deliver the very best in mobile navigation based on OpenStreetMap with free map updates for life,” concluded Thielking.

skobbler sent shockwaves throughout the navigation industry in June last year with the launch of skobbler navigation and remains a leading provider and innovator in the field of navigation and map-based app development. skobbler is committed to developing navigation applications to be used with everyday mobile hardware, which it believes is the future of sat nav – a genuine alternative to costly and slow updating devices. Navigation 2 by skobbler intends to build on that reputation and skobbler will continue to deliver on its promise of listening to customer feedback and to providing fast updates based on those requests.

For a limited time, skobbler Navigation is available for free from the App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/skobbler-uk-ireland-navigation/id329340711?mt=8.

For further information on recent developments at skobbler, please visit http://blog.skobbler.com or http://fb.skobbler.com