Real estate search and resource service Trulia has a new tool built by the guys at Stamen Design called Snapshot. It's built off of Microsoft Virtual Earth and shows off little clusters of homes all over a 2D map. It's been pitched as an "alternate" view of the Trulia real estate listings, but a better way to describe it is pure, unadulterated eye candy.
That's not to say it's without use though. You can sort out houses in your area by price tag, or simply when they were listed. Each house has a little photo thumbnail, and you can click on any item to take you right to its Trulia page. You can also just sit back and watch the tool scroll through houses automatically, which pop up and give you bits of information.
While I don't think this system will ever replace an advanced search that can narrow down homes you're looking for by how many bathrooms and closets each house has, Snapshot is a great way to re-create the feeling of exploration you can get by driving around neighborhoods and looking at what's for sale.
Stamen Design's previous project with Trulia was HindSight, a tool that shows you what's happened to certain areas of the world historically. While neat to look at, unless you lived in one of the places that was coded in, it wasn't very useful. This new tool is far better for people who want to use their eyes to look for a new place to live.
Check out housing listings in a really slick timeline of money and availability.
(Credit: CNET Networks)
When Google launched its MyMaps feature last year I was pretty excited about the potential for creating things with it. Growing up in a house that required giving very complex directions because Mapquest would deliver people to the other end of our neighborhood I looked forward to making simple, personalized maps that could be shared easily. While the big G has done a great job adding a directory of special layers, the tools for creating your own maps have not seen that same advancement.
To answer that call Quikmaps, a third party tool that plugs into the same Google Maps data, is a far simpler solution letting you simply doodle on the map. In some cases this can be far more useful than Google's straight line tool like when you're creating turns and arcs (not all streets are straight). The best part is that the results will scale when you zoom in and out. Still included is a straight line tool, but between the two Google actually has a stronger effort since it shows the distance between each segment.
Map creations can be embedded, which I've done after the break. You can also share them via e-mail or with a simple URL.
[via Lifehacker]
Quikmaps" width="540" height="376">Draw on your maps with doodles and more using Quikmaps.
Google on Monday unveiled a new Web-based tool, Map Maker, that lets people add roads, lakes, businesses, and other features to unmapped regions of Google Maps.
Google Map Maker lets people add details to maps in some countries.
With the tool, people can using tracing tools to build maps in Cyprus, Iceland, Pakistan, and Vietnam, according to the Google LatLong blog. Also open for cartographic contributions are several Caribbean nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Jamaica, Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.It's great that this kind of activity can be crowd-sourced the community can contribute to a project that reduces the amount of digitally uncharted terrain. Google has given us a way to help make a difference that, while small, could collectively become quite large.
The Android launch seems on track and its likely to see light of day by the end of the year ! Will mark a very interesting, core and strategic foray by Google into the mobility segment.
It would be interesting to see how open and free it really is though the developer community around it seems to be building strongly. If it is as open and free as it is proclaimed to be, without any fine print, it could be a game changing proposition for the mobile phone industry.
LBS related applications seem to be be garnering undue attention be it with respect to applications showcased at this forum or in the Android challenge shortlist.
Does Google have bigger context plans in the mobility segment too. I would assume so with Google Maps and Search (with advertising weaved in) forming the core of the same and 3rd party apps coming in as mash-ups.
How advertising plays in totality with respect to the Android remains to be seen but I am sure Google has a googly up their sleeve !
Would be interesting to see how Symian and in particular Apple respond to this now particularly in view of the latter's recently launched revamped UI and Apps store on iTunes.
Google unveils its Android
17/06/2008 - by Martyn Warwick & Commsday
Cookie-monster Google has taken the wraps off a working prototype of its Android operating system and has previewed a series of applications, (most of which are still under active development), that, the company claims, will "revolutionise" the future of mobile comms technology.
Speaking as CommunicAsia begins in Singapore, Andy Rubin, Google’s Senior Director of Mobile Platforms and the father of Android, told our sister publication, CommsDay, that the new operating system will force down mobile prices and foster an "eruption of innovation". Mr. Rubin also says that the prototype Android demonstrated will evolve into a commercial offering that will be on the market by the end of this year.
Warming to his theme, Andy Rubin said that while the number of mobiles globally now exceeds the number of cars, TVs, PCs, and internet connections on the planet, the development of the full potential of mobile technology has been hampered by fragmented operating systems. He said, "It’s like how the PC industry was back in 1984. The sector only boomed once all players came to a agree on single standard. We’re kind of seeing a repeat of that now in the mobile industry."
Rubin also said that the days of the "traditionally' high cost of software development for mobiles are numbered and believes that once Android hits the market the costs of such developments will fall dramatically. He said, "We think about 20 per cent of a mobile’s cost is software, and because Android is free and open, that means close to zero cost on the software side."
Andy Rubin also expects Android to be extensively customised, with operators, developers and even end-users tinkering with the OS to create a myriad of iterations and applications.
He said, "Android has come into existence as a direct result of the freedom conferred by web development. It’s taking a lot of the concepts that were formed on the Internet and bringing them to mobile, and the chief architectural concept is the notion of mash-ups." In the demonstration, Google showcased a number of applications that were run live on an Android OS handset – and they were imnpressive.
The handset (from an as-yet unknown manufacturer) utilises both a touchscreen and trackball, with the touchscreen operation being remarkably similar to that of the Apple iPhone.
Rubin used screen touches, or what he calls "gestures" to "flick" through three desktops, and to add icons, such as contacts, picture frames, and widgets to each of them.
For example, on opening the Google Maps application, Mr. Rubin activated Street View functionality streaming over a 3G network. With this, and by using the handset’s in-built accelerometer and compass, a user can take a "look" around a street or location simply by holding up and moving the device around, pretty much as one would do with the viewfinder of a digital camera.
Another innovative application (although this was not displayed live) comes from Enkin and uses a device’s camera, GPS, motion sensors and numerous web services to lay and display location services over live imagery. For example, Google says that by pointing a camera at a building a user will also be presented with the building’s name/location, and distance from the user.
Meanwhile, when invoked in a vehicle, the application allows users to "see" buildings ahead, even through other vehicles. "It’s like having x-ray vision," said Rubin.
Other Android application on show included social networking/maps mashups (by the hundreds), and games – including golf played on virtual reproductions of real golf courses – courtesy of the satellite views provided by Google Maps.
Other applications on demonstration included weather and temperature overlays for maps, with Andy Rubin noting that if mobiles were provided with in-built thermometers, Android could effectively create a global weather monitoring system. yes, but whatever the technology, we in Britain know that it will still be raining in Manchester.
From the battle of the sexy sliders has it now shifted to the battle of the Megapix cameras. Honestly, anything beyond 5 MPx has marginal utility. Is this therefore another sign of the beginning of the commodisation of the industry ?
Sony Ericsson's 8.1MP cameraphone flagship leaked
electronista, 06/11/2008, June 11th
Sony Ericsson is nearing the launch of a new cameraphone that will sit at the top of its Cyber-shot line, according to a new leak by SE-NSE. Codenamed the "Shiho," the C905 will not only have a sharper 8.1-megapixel camera sensor but also a brighter xenon flash and several image quality features that aren't present in earlier phones, including a rare image stabilization feature as well as smart contrast adjustment; video also receives the same treatment.
A GPS receiver with data assist support will both help with navigation as well as let users geotag their photos.
The slider phone will also compete with recent software updates for Nokia's Nseries phones and add media sharing through built-in Wi-Fi; any device on a local network that supports the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) standard can share media with the C905, turning the Sony Ericsson device into a media server.
Talk time is reportedly rated at 9 hours for normal GSM and 4 hours when the phone has to use 3G for calls.
Nearly all launch details have reportedly been made public with the leak, which would have the phone appear in early fall bundled with a 2GB Memory Stick Micro and shipping in black, gold, and silver versions. The phone is expected to reach North America with full HSDPA-based 3G data (likely in a C905a version) as well as two versions for other areas; history would suggest a C905i for most carriers and a C905c for Chinese users
While the price points are aggressive, vendors like Nokia have for some time offered most of the features/services which Apple is now bringing to the table. Hats off again to the Apple hype machine - But for the odd app and the touch, there is nothing that isn't already on offer by the other vendors be it mail, GPS, blogging, location tagging, etc.
Even the app store (via iTunes) is a subset of what vendors like Nokia have now on offer via their Ovi services and akin to what the Sony Ericsson's have experimented with in the past.
The iPhone 3G Unveiled
Apple's new mobile device features improvements galore, not the least of which is a more attractive price tag that will likely ignite demand
by Arik Hesseldahl, Businessweek
Almost a year after upending the mobile-phone world with its first wireless handset, the iPhone, Apple unveiled a souped-up second version of the device, the iPhone 3G.
Introduced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a June 9 keynote address in San Francisco, the iPhone 3G will sell for $199 for an 8GB version and $299 for a 16GB version. The new prices represent a departure from a year ago when the first devices sold for $599 on the upper end. The iPhone 3G will be available in 22 countries beginning July 11, and will eventually be sold in 70 countries in all.
The new phone derives its name from the faster Internet downloads available on advanced, or third-generation (3G), wireless networks. Jobs told the audience the new iPhone downloads Web pages as much as 36% faster than comparable phones from Nokia and Palm. The new phone also sports a feature that lets users know their location using GPS satellites. Phones that run GPS technology are able to access an array of location-aware applications, including mapping within address books. Other improvements over the original device include improved audio quality on phone calls.
Juicing Demand
Improvements to the first version of the iPhone—the lower price in particular—will likely generate greater demand for one of Apple's most successful products to date. "If anyone needed proof that Apple was ready, willing, and able to go after lots of mobile-phone users, they got it today," says Gartner analyst Mike McGuire. "Apple is showing itself to be really serious about the phone market." Apple has sold 6 million units since the iPhone was introduced at the end of June, 2007. "More people desired to buy it, but they couldn't afford it," Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook says.
Demand for the iPhone also stands to benefit the wireless carriers on whose networks the device runs—although Cook says the lower price reflects a subsidy that will be absorbed by the service providers. The official iPhone provider in the U.S. is AT&T (T). "The launch of 3G iPhone will be another opportunity for [Apple's] exclusive providers to boost [revenue per user] and market share gains, continuing what 2G iPhone started," UBS analyst John Hodulik wrote in a research report.
Apple also added features designed to make this version of the iPhone more attractive to business users. These include the ability to read documents from Microsoft Office, including documents in Word, spreadsheets in Excel, and PowerPoint presentations. "We sort of checked the boxes on everything the enterprise wanted," Cook says.
Several New Features
Another new feature is a service called MobileMe, an expansion of Apple's existing .Mac Web service, which offers hosted e-mail, online storage, and other services for users of Apple's Macintosh computers. During the presentation, Apple Senior Vice-President Phil Schiller described the service as "Exchange for the rest of us," referring to Microsoft's widely used corporate e-mail, calendar, and contact-list tools.
E-mail messages, calendar updates, and contacts are updated live via a wireless Internet connection, and data are synchronized between the iPhone and a Macintosh or Windows PC.
Google's map application has been integrated into contact lists. The service also lets users update their online photo albums directly from iPhones. Users will also be able to store up to 20GB of data from both their computers or their iPhones via an application called iDisk. The service will be available for $99 a year, and also available for a free 60-day trial starting in July.
Apple also introduced several new software applications created by third-party developers. Earlier this year, Apple made available a kit that makes it easier for software writers to create applications for the iPhone.
New applications include an auction program from eBay, a series of games from Sega and Pangea Software, a friend locator from wireless startup Loopt, and a pair of medical programs from Modality. The Associated Press, the global news organization, also demonstrated a service called the Mobile News Network, which gathers news content based on the phone's location, but also gives iPhone owners the ability to send photos and text to the AP when they see news happening. The blogging service TypePad also debuted an application for blogging directly from the iPhone.
Widespread Apps
Jobs said applications will be available from Apple's iTunes store and will be available in 62 countries. Small applications that require 10MB of memory or less will be downloadable over the air, while larger ones will require either a Wi-Fi connection or installation directly from iTunes. Developers who sell their software through iTunes will set the prices and will be allowed to keep 70% of the revenue from sales.
Corporate customers will be able to distribute applications to employees. Corporate technology managers will have the ability to authorize phones on their networks, and then create an approved list of applications that can run on those phones.
Another one bites the dust ? They all follow the same cycle. OEM/ODM -> also mive into operator branded handsets -> attempt to launch their own brand -> sale/withdraw from handset business.
Would this result in the emergence of a strong and even more innovative Sony Ericsson ?
Rumours of a Possible Sony Ericsson Purchase of Taiwan's HTC
Cellular News
There are a series of unconfirmed reports that Sony Ericsson may be about to announce the purchase of Taiwan based smartphone manufacturer, High Tech Computer - or HTC. The reports are selective, ranging from a short article in a Swedish newspaper, Elektronik Tidningen to various reports of meetings with HTC being cancelled at short notice and without explanation, and although business meeting cancellations are not uncommon an excuse is usually provided.
HTC is best known for its range of smartphones and being an early developer of Windows based smartphones, although the history of how it leapt into that market is controversial. The company, which initially focused on operator branded handsets has been building up its own profile recently and started selling phones directly under the HTC brand name. The company is also reportedly working on an Android-based phone, dubbed the Dream, that will be on the market by the end of 2008.
HTC has denied the rumours, saying that they "have no truth". However, early last year, Peter Chou the company CEO did say that he thought that Sony Ericsson would make for a good partner should an acquisition occur.
Sony Ericsson's Xperia X1 will be manufactured by HTC - and will be the company's first Windows Mobile smartphone. The company has traditionally stuck with Symbian based smartphones.
Interesting but nothing really spectacular or very new.
Very little disclosure of Android plans on the context/LBS and advertising front. Would have thought that's where the most action would have been. But its very clear that advertising would play a key role in the monetization of the Android platform and that honestly is a smart move.
How open Android would be is still open to debate.
Google shows off 'Android' software for mobile phones
Google shows off 'Android' software for mobile phones as work on project nears completion
Michael Liedtke, AP News
May 28, 2008
Google Inc. showed off its nearly completed mobile software system to about 3,000 computer programmers Wednesday, hoping to cultivate more services and advertising for people on the go.
Although brief, the demonstration at the Internet search leader's annual developer conference in San Francisco represented the most extensive public look so far at "Android" — an open-source platform being designed for "smart" phones and other mobile devices that surf the Web. Android was first announced nearly seven months ago.
The bells and whistles unveiled Wednesday included: a way to unlock phones by drawing a specific shape on the touchscreen instead of entering a password; bookmarks for favorite Web sites on the device's home page; a "compass" tool that automatically roams with the phone while a user looks at photographic images of a city map; a magnifying tool to zoom in on Web content; and a mobile version of the video game "Pac Man."
The demonstration relied on touchscreen technology similar to Apple Inc.'s iPhone, but Android can also be tailored to work with a tracking ball, said Andy Rubin, who is overseeing the project.
While acknowledging the work on Android is nearly done, Rubin deflected a question about how much longer consumers will have to wait for a phone powered by the new software. Sticking to the timetable Google has used throughout the project, Rubin said Android will hit the market some time during the final six months of this year.
Several handset makers, including Samsung Electronics Co., HTC and LG Electronics Inc., are among the 34 partners that Google has recruited to help launch Android.
Google also hopes programmers will create a wide variety of products that will run on Android. That's one of the reasons the Mountain View-based company chose to flaunt the free software at the developers' conference.
By making it easier and more appealing for people to access the Internet on their cell phones, Google believes it eventually will make more money from the ads it shows next to search results and other Web content. The company also is starting to show more video advertising on its YouTube subsidiary, which already is a staple on the iPhone and received a special button in Wednesday's demonstration of Android.
Google is expected to generate more than $20 billion in advertising revenue this year, but most of that money will come from ads viewed on personal computers.
With about 3 billion mobile phones already on the market, some analysts believe Google could pull in nearly $5 billion annually from the mobile market within five years.
Google is also trying to boost its profits by selling more software services over Internet connections to businesses, universities and government agencies.
The company also wants to make it easier for outside developers to create applications on the Web. Even if those applications aren't on Google's Web site, the company figures it is bound to get more search requests — and more advertising opportunities — if people are doing more things online.
In April, Google handled nearly 62 percent of the search requests in the United States, according to comScore Inc.
Google's success so far is the primary reason Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, spent several months trying to buy Yahoo Inc. before withdrawing its oral offer of $47.5 billion 3 1/2 weeks ago when the two sides couldn't agree on a price.
Microsoft currently is discussing a smaller deal with Yahoo but hasn't ruled out the possibility of renewing its takeover attempt.
To help developers introduce more online products, Google last month began offering free computing power and storage on a limited basis under a service called "App Engine."
Google opened App Engine to all comers Wednesday and disclosed plans to begin offering extra capacity, for a fee, later this year. The service will remain free for up to 500 megabytes of storage and enough computing capacity to support 5 million monthly views of a site's Web pages.
Each additional gigabyte will cost 15 cents to 18 cents per month. Google estimated a user would pay $40 to $50 per month for enough capacity to support up to 10 million page views per month.
