Free Google Maps Navigation App Coming to iPhone

Google working on bringing free nav app to other platforms than Android

Smartphones are highly converged devices that offer users the ability to surf the web, talk, text, and take pictures. One of the more popular uses for smartphones today is as GPS navigation devices. Most platforms have GPS applications that require the user to purchase the app or pay a monthly fee.

Google unveiled a free GPS navigation platform for its Android devices in October of 2009 that provided free GPS navigation services in America. The platform recently landed in Europe for free as well. Along with the move into Europe, Google has announced that it intends to extend its free Google Maps Navigation service to other platforms.

Those other platforms include the iPhone. Getting its free GPS navigation platform onto the iPhone would be huge for users. TomTom, Navigon, and other providers on the iPhone right now charge $60 or more for GPS applications and some like AT&T charge a monthly fee for GPS navigation.

The launch of Google Maps Navigation in Europe is a big deal; Europe was left out of the launch last year. UK users can get Google Maps Navigation on their Android device as a free update to Google Maps.

“Google Maps pre-caches the entire route,” said Mobile Maps product manager, Steve Lee. “It needs a data connection when you ask for navigation. But while driving to your destination, if you intermittently lose the connection, it will still carry on. As long as you stay on the route.”

The free GPS service will undoubtedly hurt paid offerings from companies like Garmin and TomTom in the UK. Google simply says that other providers had become stale and its offering will force them to innovate in the GPS market.

[via Daily Tech]

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Another Budget-Friendly HD Camcorder From Exemode

Another Budget-Friendly HD Camcorder From Exemode

Exemode has come out with another budget-friendly HD camcorder known as the DV330. Powered by three AAA batteries, the device boasts a 3.3-megapixel 1/4-inch CMOS image sensor, a 1.5-inch TFT LCD monitor, a 16MB of internal memory, an SD/SDHC card slot (up to 16GB), a USB 1.1 interface and a TV-out port. In terms of performance, it’s capable of capturing both 1280 x 720 HD video at 20fps as well as 5-megapixel digital still images. The Exemode DV330 is sold for 5,980 Yen (about $64). [Exemode]

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iPhone OS 4.0 Will Bring Multitasking, iAd, Social Gaming Network This Summer

Third-party multitasking finally makes an appearance on the iPhone

It's been just over a year since Apple last held an event touting the latest and greatest version of its iPhone OS. In March 2009, the big features that Apple brought to the table with iPhone OS 3.0 included copy/paste, push notifications, and push notifications (to make up for the lack of third-party multitasking).

Today, Apple is back at it again with iPhone OS 4.0. As has been widely speculated for the quite some time now, Apple is finally enabling third-party multitasking on the iPhone OS (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad). As the rumors suggested, double tapping the home button now brings up a “multitasking dock” which shows up to four programs running at once (here's a video of multitasking in action). The user then selects the application they want and "boom", you're there. As you would expect, the current application state is saved as you're double tapping in and out of apps.

For a demo, Apple's Scott Forstall showed off an app that has probably been the poster child for the multitasking movement on the iPhone: Pandora. Previously, if you wanted to listen to streaming music in Pandora while performing another task, it wasn't possible (without jailbreaking). The new multitasking APIs of iPhone OS 4.0 now make what seems like a no-brainer feature possible. As an added bonus, Pandora can now be controlled from the lock screen.

[via Daily Tech]

Get a Free iPhone 3GS! Yes, that is correct! Why pay for one when CNN, BBC, NBC, and other news sites have proven this system LEGIT. Get it the simple way .... straight to your doorstep! Not interested? Then maybe get a Free PS3!

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Opera Mini Approved for iPhone! Yes, That is Right!

Apple does the unthinkable and approves Opera Mini for the iPhone, iPod touch

In what must be one of the most shocking developments in the whole Apple App Store versus the third-party app market comes news that Opera Mini has been approved by Apple for the iPhone and iPod touch. When Opera Software submitted the apps for Apple's prying eyes back in March, no one really took them seriously and thought that they were just showing off to drum up some press.

Well, Apple has shown Opera some leniency and Opera Mini will be available to U.S. iPhone and iPod touch users shortly. Here's the Opera press release in its entirety:

Opera today announced its popular mobile browser, Opera Mini has been approved for iPhone and iPod touch on the App Store. Opera Mini will be available as a free download within 24 hours, depending on market.

Opera Mini, with more than 50 million users worldwide, enables fast mobile Web browsing by compressing data by up to 90 percent before sending content to the device, resulting in significantly improved page loading. Users of the app will notice an uptake in speed, especially on slower networks such as the 2G Edge network. Surfing the Web with the Opera Mini App on iPhone and iPod touch will also help users save money because of its data compression capabilities. This will hold especially true while the user is incurring roaming charges.

"We are delighted to offer iPhone and iPod touch users a great browsing experience with the Opera Mini App," said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. "This app is another step toward Opera's goal of bringing the Web to more people in more places."

The Opera Mini App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore

Could the walls be crumbling in Apple's heavy-handed approach to App Store acceptance/rejection? Maybe Opera just caught Steve Jobs on a good day. Who knows, but this is at least a good step forward for Apple.

[via Daily Tech]

Get a Free iPhone 3GS! Yes, that is correct! Why pay for one when CNN, BBC, NBC, and other news sites have proven this system LEGIT. Get it the simple way .... straight to your doorstep! Not interested? Then maybe get a Free PS3!

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Sanyo Releases DMX-CG100 And DMX-GH1 Camcorders

Sanyo Releases DMX-CG100 And DMX-GH1 Camcorders

Sanyo today introduced two new members from its Xacti camcorder series. Dubbed as the DMX-CG100 and DMX-GH1, both video cameras can record Full HD video with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and take still pictures with a 14-megapixel sensor. Available in silver, pink, and blue, these camcorders also has a 2.7-inch LCD screen, a 5x optical zoom, and a 50MB of internal memory, which is upgradable via a memory card (SD/SDHC cards up to 32B and SDXC cards up to 64GB). The Sanyo Xacti DMX-CG100 and DMX-GH1 video cameras will be released on April 16th, 2010. [ApertureDaily]

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Olympus TOUGH-8010 Rugged Camera Released In Korea

Olympus TOUGH-8010 Rugged Camera Released In Korea

Olympus’ latest rugged digital camera ‘TOUGH-8010′ has finally been released in Korea. In case you didn’t know, this compact camera is waterproof (up to 10m), shockproof (from 2m) and freezeproof (down to -10°C). In terms of specs, it offers a 14-megapixel image sensor, a 5x wide optical zoom lens, a 2.7-inch HyperCrystal III LCD display, a 2GB of internal memory, an SD card slot, an HDMI interface and HD movie recording. The Olympus TOUGH-8010 is sold for about $611.

[AVING]

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JVC Everio GZ-HM1 Camcorder Available Now

JVC Everio GZ-HM1 Camcorder Available Now

JVC’s latest Full HD camcorder ‘Everio GZ-HM1‘ has finally arrived in stores. You’ll be able to pick one up via Amazon for $1,076. To remind you, the GZ-HM1 sports a 10.62-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, a 10x optical zoom lens, a 64GB of internal memory, an SD/SDHC card slot, Advanced Image Stabilizer, ISO up to 6400, an HDMI output and the ability to capture both 1920 x 1080 Full HD video as well as 10-megapixel digital still images.

(Via The Digital Camera Blog.)

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JVC GY-HM790 ProHD Camcorder

JVC GY-HM790 ProHD Camcorder

Here’s the latest addition to JVC ProHD camcorder line-up, the GY-HM790. This high-performance camcorder boasts three 1.3-inch CCDs capable of shooting in 1080p, 1080i, 720p or 480i formats, a 4.3-inch LCD preview display, a 1.2-megapixel LCOS viewfinder, dual SDHC Class 6/10 memory card slots, two XLR audio inputs and has the ability to record in native Apple Final Cut .mov format. The GY-HM790 ProHD will start shipping this Summer for an MSRP of $11,995, including the Canon 14x HD ENG lens. [SlashGear]

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Kodak Slice Touchscreen Digital Camera Now Available

Kodak Slice Touchscreen Digital Camera Now Available

The much awaited Kodak Slice touchscreen digital camera is now available for purchase via Kodak’s online store for $349.95. To refresh your memory, the Slice offers a 14-megapixel CCD sensor, a 5x Schneider-Kreuznach optical zoom lens, a 3.5-inch touchscreen display, a 2GB of internal memory, a microSD/SDHC card slot, a built-in optical image stabilization, Face Recognition, 720p video recording and a Share Button for uploading pictures to popular sharing sites including Facebook, Kodak Gallery, Flickr and YouTube. [Kodak]

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