All Things iPhone

NAVIGON Adds Google Local Search to iPhone Navigation App and Reduces Price to $59.99 for Limited Time
NAVIGON App First On-Board Solution for iPhone to Include Google Local Search, Free Update Delivers 13 New Features and Enhancements

—NAVIGON AG, the leading innovator in the navigation market, today announced the availability of the fourth free update (1.4.0) for its successful iPhone navigation App, MobileNavigator. The comprehensive update focuses on streamlining and accelerating navigation on the iPhone offering key components such as the integration of online Google Local Search into the application, an industry first among on-board navigation Apps for the iPhone. The update includes many new functions such as an enhanced pedestrian navigation, an audiobook mode, and directions in a turn-by-turn list format, an Emergency Help function, geographic Coordinate Input and more. In order to introduce this major update to the market, NAVIGON reduces the price of the App from $89.99 to $59.99 until January 11, 2010.

The latest version makes use of the iPhone connectivity capabilities, enhancing the navigation experience with Internet connected services such as recently launched Traffic Live, and now the integration of Google Local Search. Users have instant access to the most up to date point of interest (POI) search results. Simply entering, “steak” for example, provides a comprehensive list of steak restaurants nearby. It is also possible to search for places in a certain area by just adding, for example, the name of the city to the search.

“This comprehensive update once again provides many sought-after features to our customers,” said Gerhard Mayr, NAVIGON vice-president worldwide mobile phones & new markets. “It shows that we are committed to providing our customers the best navigation experience available for the iPhone.” According to the latest market data from Canalys, NAVIGON is the industry leader of on-board/perpetual navigation solutions for mobile phones in the U.S. with a market share of 23 percent.

Version 1.4.0 further extends the efficiency and precision of the iPhone built in capabilities with additional enhancements such as a versatile pedestrian mode transforming the iPhone into a device not only excellent for navigating by car, but also on foot. Pedestrian mode is equipped with the iPhone compass, with in the application and an option for a 3D map with automatic orientation in the direction the walker is headed (3G S only), so users can at a glance know which direction they are moving. Rounding out pedestrian mode includes instant re-route and aerial direction display is only a tap away.

Features and Enhancements of Version 1.4.0:

• • Google Local Search
• • Enhanced pedestrian mode
• • Turn-by-Turn Route List Provides a detailed list of directions, which update automatically during navigation; eliminating each maneuvers in real-time.
• • Audiobook Mode Drivers can now enjoy even more of their iPod while in-route music and audiobooks without missing MobileNavigator’s clear text-to-speech navigation announcements. In music mode the volume is automatically reduced during the voice announcement. Now while listening to audiobooks and navigation, playback is automatically paused and rewound for one second while directions are given, and resumes playing when the directions stop.
• • Coordinate Input Employ longitude and latitude coordinates as a destination as an alternative to traditional input like an address or POI by name. Email geographical coordinates for precise location identification.
• • Emergency Help Tapping one of the predefined categories such as Police, Hospital, Pharmacy or Gas Station provides detailed textual description of current position sorted by distance. Includes list with the street name, zip, city, distance to next big intersection, and geographic location. Emergency Help tells you exactly where you are, so you can tell other how to get to you.
• • Favorites displayed in map Destinations marked as favorites by the user are now displayed on the map in a named flag icon.
• • Swipe Screen integration for Traffic Messages Users can browse Traffic Live messages with the flick of a finger.
• • Contacts as interim destinations One-tap sets contacts as an interim destination. Using contact groups in the phonebook as interim destinations is now also possible.
• • GPS display enhancements If the iPhone GPS signal becomes too weak during navigation, indicated by a red bar on the top of the display; MobileNavigator now calculates the approximate position and shows the estimated position in the map (grey positioning indicator) to provide better orientation. Active route guidance remains switched off but continues normal navigation until a valid signal is available.
• • 3D map zooming As they navigate, users can now zoom in on the map section both in the 2D and 3D display using the iPhone’s intuitive fingertip control.
• • Country Info When the user crosses a country border, pointing out the country’s most important traffic regulations – such as the maximum permissible speeds or alcohol limits.
• • Faster start-up

Availability:
The NAVIGON solution is available in the Apple App Store and is equipped with maps of North America (USA, Canada, Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands) from NAVTEQ®. Besides being available for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, the NAVIGON App also runs on first-generation iPhone or an iPod Touch. Additional accessories are required for GPS navigation on these devices.

For more information, please visit: www.navigon.com/iphone.

Find NAVIGON on:
Twitter: www.navigon.com/twitter_US
Facebook: www.navigon.com/facebook
Flickr: www.navigon.com/flickr
Youtube: www.navigon.com/youtube

About NAVIGON:
NAVIGON AG is a world-leading manufacturer of navigation systems. With its own portable navigation systems, and thanks to its partnership with reputable consumer electronics manufacturers, NAVIGON stands for high-quality GPS navigation on PNDs and mobile phones. NAVIGON also provides professional navigation solutions such as driver-assistance features for the automotive OEM market. NAVIGON was founded in 1991, and employs over 400 workers in locations in Asia, Europe and North America. – NAVIGON. And the world is yours.

“The app is pretty much done – we’re just working on translating it into a bunch of languages,” Facebook developer Joe Hewitt wrote tonight on Twitter.

That means that shortly, we’ll have access to the much-improved app which is scheduled to have features such as a News Feed that is more like the one on Facebook’s site, the ability to “like” items and a new customizable home screen. More importantly, it will also have video support for the iPhone 3GS, something which Hewitt threw-in at the last second, unexpectedly. And perhaps best of all, the app will have the ability to manage events, finally.

[via Washington Post]

Namco Bandai is making a push to capitalize on the iPhone gaming “gold rush,” as evidenced by the recent opening of its new Apple Games division. In an interview with Kotaku, Apple Games’ recently ordained manager, Jonathan Kromrey, explained exactly how the company was going to win over the mobile gaming crowd — by bringing arcade heavyweights “like Pac-Man, Galaga, Soulcalibur and Tekken” to Apple’s handheld device.

[via JoyStiq]

NetFlix on iPhone

Apparently a Netflix executive, is saying that Neflix will soon stream to the Wii and to iPhones, albeit over Wi-Fi for the latter. The service will cement Netflix’s position as probably the best streaming video service in the whole wide world

Not much more to say about the news but it seems that the Play Now service will work on iPhones and iPod Touches through a standalone app. You can currently modify your Netflix queue using apps like PhoneFlix and this adds the final piece of the puzzle.

Microsoft’s top devices exec says the upcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 OS will provide a better web browsing experience than iPhone.

The new version of Microsoft’s mobile operating system is due to launch this Autumn, and is likely to co-incide with a rebranding to Windows Phone.

“You will have a very rich browsing experience on 6.5 devices that will give you access to more websites than you will be able to get to on an iPhone that will work actively and work well,” says Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division.

“It really is a much better experience.” He was speaking at Microsoft’s annual financial analyst meeting late last week.

[via Mobile Ent]

The new 1GHz chip co-developed by Austin, Texas-based Intrinsity and Samsung is similar to the processor that currently powers the iPhone 3GS: a 600MHz Samsung processor based on the ARM Cortex A8 design. U.K.-based ARM licenses its low-power chip designs to many of the world’s largest chip suppliers including Samsung, Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, and, more recently, Nvidia.

The new Samsung-Intrinsity chip, code-named “Hummingbird,” could be bound for a future iPhone or like device. “Yes, I think it’s possible,” said Tom R. Halfhill, senior analyst at the Microprocessor Report.

“Samsung could drop Hummingbird into the existing S5PC100 design with few or no changes,” Halfhill said in response to an e-mail query, referring to the S5PC100 processor now used in the iPhone 3GS. “Bingo! A next-gen iPhone that could run at speeds up to 1.0GHz,”

he said.

[via CNET]

Techcrunch reports sources claiming Verizon is racing to get 20-40 markets up and running on their 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) network by Q1 2010 to coincide with an iPhone and iTablet launch.

Verizon is getting 60Mbps in 4G tests which is admittedly ZOMG fast, and since they’re going with LTE, this network will be theoretically compatible with AT&T and other GSM carriers also moving to the same technology.

[via The iPhone Blog]

O2’s exclusivity ends in September 2009

Apple’s iPhone 3G has recently been rumored to be heading towards UK, on Orange and T-Mobile’s airwaves, as O2 has exclusivity on the new iPhone 3GS and is getting close to the end term of the exclusivity period for the older device. According to the latest news on the Internet, the availability of the iPhone 3G with more carriers in the country is something that it almost certain.

Given the fact that the exclusive deal between Apple and O2 for the selling of the iPhone 3G in the country will come to an end in September, both Orange and T-Mobile are reportedly seeking ways of getting the device for their customers too. Moreover, it seems that the handset’s maker is also taking into consideration the idea of opening the device for more carriers, in a move that would certainly increase sales.

While both Orange and T-Mobile are already selling the device in other countries, no official word on them inking a deal for the UK market has surfaced until now. Even so, it seems that T-Mobile has already informed some of its customers that the handset will come to its offering, which suggests that the talks with Apple are getting closer to the final end.

In addition, Telegraph.co.uk has reported that T-Mobile is also considering the possibility of selling in the UK SIM-free iPhones imported from abroad. In case this proves true, the company will probably spend a lot of money to make the move, yet it will certainly manage to keep some of its flying customers. No official word on this has been said until now.

For what it’s worth, the availability of the iPhone 3G with more carriers in the UK will certainly challenge O2’s prices and tariffs. At the same time, this would also offer a lot of users the possibility to enjoy the high-end Apple device, as not all of them are happy with O2’s pricing, and some of them turned their back on the device because of that.

[via Softpedia]

PocketGamer got word earlier today that a group of very industrious developers have been taking on the monumental task of porting none other than Valve Software’s Portal to the iPhone using the Unity Engine. They even included a video of an iPhone running the game. Click through for multi-dimensional brain-twisting goodness.

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YouTube Direkt

An anonymous source has told NetEase that Foxconn is already mass producing a special version of the iPhone 3G for use on Chinese networks. The device is allegedly code-named “90″ by the supplier, while the standard 3G model is known as “82″ and the new 3GS handset is named “88.”

The device has retained 3G and Bluetooth connectivity, while the Wi-Fi standard was allegedly omitted to comply with local government regulations. A report early in the year suggested China Unicom also saw the App Store as a threat to its control of the mobile Internet, although the terms of a resolution remain unknown.

Apple is expected to finalize a deal with China Unicom sometime in the next few weeks. Several analysts, however, believe Apple may also be involved in talks with the alternative carrier in the region, China Mobile.