Archive for August, 2011

It’s hard to imagine anyone driving around with maps and hand-written directions anymore, all thanks to personal navigation devices like TomTom. But since personal navigation systems have been released, there hasn’t been many dramatic changes, that is until now: TomTom has announced that its Go Live 1535 M will be the first PNS offering apps like Twitter, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Expedia, in addition to the TomTom’s VIA connected services displaying fuel prices, weather, and Google’s local search. Read the rest of this entry »

The social network Facebook has been given a facelift in the past week: Almost one year after its release, Facebook announced early last week that its location-based service Facebook Places would be killed off. Later in the week, the network also announced that its online-coupon market, Deals, would also be killed off. But this doesn’t completely mean that Facebook is leaving the location-based market. The social network added that its check-in deal service will still be offered, albeit a bit different than previously. Read the rest of this entry »

Das Örtliche is making the search for telephone numbers and addresses for Mac users Germany-wide even easier. The new MacOS-App from Das Örtliche now allows its users to search locally directly from their desktop on Mac computers. The free Mac app is easy to operate and offers a clear search mask in the known Mac design. The most common search options like individual search or the backwards search can be conducted quickly and efficiently, without much effort. Mac users can also find private and business addresses and phone numbers with just a few clicks. The standard method of getting online and searching there falls away, as the MacOS app can be quickly started on the computer after installation. The download is available under www.dasoertliche.de/macos and in the Mac App Store. The app requires an internet conection and the Mac OS X operating system from version 10.6. Read the rest of this entry »

Being eco-friendly is certainly nothing new, but very few know just how much impact they really have, especially when it comes to travel. rome2rio, a search engine startup created by two ex-Microsoft engineers, hopes to change that through a new partnership with Offset Options, a company that describes itself as being “committed to environmental and social sustainability.” Now users can search for ways to travel all over the world (hence the name, Rome2Rio) and search for the most eco-friendly way to get from A to B. Read the rest of this entry »

The go-to for online shopping is expanding its marketing strategy: Amazon.com is furthering its offering of local deals through its new AmazonLocal, released in June of this year. Users can purchase deals in up to 30 cities within the US, including San Francisco, Charlotte, Austin, Orlando, and most recently New York. Read the rest of this entry »

We’re always on the lookout for new apps, and this one has definitely caught our attention: Alfred. This app, available for a free download in the iTunes App Store helps users discover new restaurants, cafés, bars, and even nightclubs, customized to the user’s personal taste. This is made possible using the Serendipity Engine from Clever Sense. Read the rest of this entry »

After a market study declared it the “strongest online brand for local search” in the German net, meinestadt.de is taking it to the next step: with about 19.5 million visits in July, the portal is now claiming the title of “leading local offering in the German internet” for itself. Read the rest of this entry »

Wohin?, the iPhone app from FutureTap was just selected as iPhone App of the Week by Apple in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The app has been able to sell over 300,000 licenses, making it the most successful local search app in the App-Store.
The app costs 2.37 Euro in the App Store. There is also a module that can pep up the service to operate in augmented reality, which is free for 30 days and 0.79 Euro after that on top of the regular app. Read the rest of this entry »

Shortly after the Gelben Seiten updated their iPhone app to have a full navigation system, the online directory has now released a special emergency app for the iPhone and the iPad. Emergency situations and everyday problems can be tended to quickly with just a click of the button.
The emergency app, which is available for free download in the App Store, covers all major branches, like healthcare, finance/law, home/vehicle, as well as advisement, according to a press release. The app can let users know who to go to, be it the pharmacist or dentist, in emergency situations. And the shortcut buttons alert the fire department, police, or the poison control centre know quickly. Users can also activate an SOS function that can alert pre-selected phone contacts to be alerted. The app can also assist those that tend to misplace their keys, or when the car won’t start, the user has a legal issue, or the computer had a complete meltdown. Read the rest of this entry »

The speculation has been going on for weeks – now it’s official: the check-in/geolocation service Foursquare, which just began expanding its coupon market with the integration of deal offerings from five new partners, has now caught the big fish, Groupon. Starting immediately, Foursquare offers its users offerings from Groupon Now!, the special platform that offers real-time coupons. Read the rest of this entry »