GPS Tech Review

By JENNA WORTHAM – NYT July 28, 2009 — Google might power the world’s most popular search engine, but its clout goes only so far. When it comes to getting one of its applications onto the iPhone, it seems Google has to wait in line for Apple’s approval like everyone else — and face the risk of rejection. In recent weeks, Apple turned down two applications that Google had submitted for review in hopes that they would be added to the company’s App Store, highlighting the increasingly complex relationship between the two companies. NYT Complete Article>>

3G Smart Phones, APP Store, Mobile Phones July 30th, 2009

Apple is a company notoriously mindful of its high margins, so why doesn’t it care about making a lot of money with the App Store? Dan Frommer of Silicon Alley Insider  has this exactly right: it’s because the App Store is one of the, if not the, key driver of two products that are very high margin: The iPhone and the iPod touch. The App Store is based around the exact same model as its parent iTunes Store, which sells music at a very small markup in order to sell iPods. I don’t think I have to explain how well that has worked.

Another thing to think about is even with the success of the iPhone, Apple still has a very small percentage of the mobile market. Depending on the moves it makes over the next couple of years — namely getting into China and getting off of its exclusive AT&T deal in the U.S. — this percentage could grow by leaps and bounds. When that happens, App Store sales will continue to grow and thus, revenue from the App Store will continue to grow. Remember, the App Store is still not even a year old, and for much of that time, the number of iPhones and iPod touches in the market was nowhere near what it is today. The download pace is quickening, and the revenue pace should be as well.

Yet another variable is that Apple takes $99 a year from developers who develop for the App Store. There are tens of thousands of those. Again, not a huge chunk of money, but it all adds up.

But the biggest thing that these numbers draw attention away from is the true potential of the App Store. The reason for that is, it’s not here yet. When in-app payments launch with the iPhone 3.0 software this summer, the sky could literally be the limit in terms of how much both developers and Apple could make off of this. Yes, Apple will still take a 30% cut of these sales.

3G Smart Phones, APP Store July 27th, 2009

Marc Andreesen said something to the effect that every technological revolution always ends up being underestimated. Nobody expected in 1980 that thirty years later there would be a billion personal computers. And no one expected that 15 years after the invention of the browser there would be more than a billion internet users. Today, analysts are busy trying to determine how many millions of handsets Apple will sell in 2009. In all certainty, mobile computing will exceed the billion user mark by 2020. With a billion devices connected to a payment mechanism that links users to merchants via GPS, app development for personal location services will in less than a decade alter the way we do business. Ironically, it takes recessions such as these to force innovation and change. Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention.

APP Store July 26th, 2009

Aetrex Ambulator

Reaching a magnitude of 6 million people afflicted with the disease, Alzheimer’s poses serious lifestyle constrictions for seniors. Providing the means for caregivers to know their whereabouts returns their freedom and everyone’s piece of mind. Listen to Frank O’Connell, former CEO of Reebok, Mattel, HBO and Indian Motorcycle speak to the innovative applications of personal GPS technologies including the GPS Shoe. Hear more from Frank O’Connell

GPS Shoe, Interviews July 23rd, 2009

Published: 17 Jul 2009 02:02:01 PST

China Unicom and Apple have finalized details of an agreement, which will introduce the latter’s most popular gadget, the iPhone 3G into the China market, likely in September, according to the China Business Network (CBN). An iPhone 3G cellphone is undergoing testing in the China Telecommunication Technology Labs (CTTL), which confirms CBN’s report. CTTL was authorized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) to carry out mandatory tests on the cell phone before it goes into the market. The Wi-Fi function will be disabled on the Chinese version of the iPhone 3G to comply with the requirements of MIIT, but other features of the popular mobile device will remain, according to the CBN. The whole story

3G Smart Phones, APP Store July 21st, 2009

Personal Location Services represents one of the fastest-growing channels in mobile marketing – and a compelling way to connect a brand to an audience geographically proximate to the brick and mortar opportunity to make a purchase. According to the joint Mobile Advertising Report (MAR) released by Limbo and GfK Technology, text message usage is about 74% in India, 48% in the UK and 22% in the US. Projections predict in the near future mobile internet advertising will surpass text message advertising (FierceWireless). The predictions about the future revenues generated through mobile advertising are optimistic. Mobile advertisements are delivered to the customer no matter where they are or because they are in a specific location…a retailer’s coupon may be on your phone right now.

Global Positioning Systems July 16th, 2009

Skyhook monitors every single location-enabled application as they are released in the iPhone App Store and Android Challenge. The data Skyhook has gathered on location apps shows an emerging and thriving marketplace of revenue-generating location-aware applications.

Every day location-aware applications are added to the iPhone App Store. There are now over 2,800 location apps. Of these it’s about a 25 / 75 split between free and paid apps. There are a wide variety of location-based app types as well.
Like the iPhone, there are many different types of Personal Location Service applications, and paid apps were recently added. The most popular type is Travel, followed by Social Networking. The applications use a variety of positioning systems, including GPS, WPS and a Hybrid of both.

Android Location Apps Downloaded

There are also many applications added to the Android Marketplace every day. With over 4,000 applications available, 10% of these are location-aware.

Location Based Services July 13th, 2009

July 09, 2009, 11:58 am By Leila Noelliste for The Daily Journal
lnoelliste@daily-journal.com

Four people charged with violating orders of protection in Kankakee and Iroquois counties are now under satellite surveillance.

The use of Global Positioning Satellite surveillance began on May 18 by a judge’s order. GPS tracking became legal on Jan. 1 under the Cindy Bischof Law, named for a 43-year-old woman from Arlington Heights who was shot to death on March 7, 2008, by her ex-boyfriend, Michael Giroux, 60. He had violated an order of protection against him at least three times.

“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said Barb King, Iroquois County probation supervisor. “But every system has a flaw and this system’s not perfect yet either.”

Electronic monitoring is nothing new. It has been used for other reasons in Kankakee and Iroquois counties. Juveniles on home detention and low-risk prisoners in work-release programs have been placed on electronic monitoring. But the use of such surveillance for those who violate orders of protection is coming of age.

Location Based Services July 10th, 2009

Richard Wilson— Wednesday 8 July 2009

3G Networks for China

Ericsson has signed long term supply agreements worth $1.7bn for 2G/3G mobile network infrastructure and related services for 2009 with two Chinese telecom operators The operators, China Mobile and China Unicom have received 3G licences to offer mobile services based on two different network standards, TD-SCDMA and WCDMA respectively. Ericsson is providing infrastructure for both standards. Together the two operators are currently serving more than 620 million mobile subscribers in China.

Global Positioning Systems July 8th, 2009

“There are a growing number of seniors suffering from dementia and we know over 50% ‘wander’ without anyone’s knowledge of where they are and where they are heading,” said Chris Walsh, an ex Nike executive and current COO of GTX Corp. “The shoe we intend on developing with Aetrex should help authorized family members, friends, or caretakers reduce their stress and anguish by enabling them to locate their loved ones instantly with the click of mouse from any desktop computer or mobile phone with internet access.” Full Article>>

Global Positioning Systems July 5th, 2009