Posts Tagged ‘Ö-Navi’
Das Örtliche: iPhone App Now With Integrated Navigation
With the new 3.0 version of the mobile iPhone application from Das Örtliche, users can not only find business and private contacts in their vicinity or the place of their choice, but can also use a new navigation function to reach their destination.
According to the company, Das Örtliche’s app is the only directory search with a navigation system directly integrated into the app. Users don’t need to download any additional software to use the navigation, but can load it directly through the application, be it through an individual search result or direct on the main menu. As in the previous versions of the app, users can enjoy many additional features, from a vicinity search to the free-call function. Read the rest of this entry »
Ö-Navi is Back
One of our favorites is back: Ö-Navi, the cellular navigation system from Das Örtliche will be celebrating its relaunch soon. The last year’s wait is finally over, with an array of technical problems that hindered the program.
The news that the program would no longer be offered in July of last year came as quite a shock for fans of the free software. The reason for the sudden termination was that the previous service provider was not able to continue operating the offboard-system. Read the rest of this entry »
Falk Maps: Routen planen ohne GPS
29 Jul. 2009 | Author: AWo |
Ähnlich wie das Ö-Navi (wir berichteten) bietet nun auch die neue Version der Handy-Software Falk Maps einen Routenplaner.
Wie es in einer Pressemitteilung heißt, berechnet dieser europaweit Strecken und stellt diese in übersichtlicher Listenform dar – auf Wunsch auch ohne Autobahnen oder Fähren. Im Gegensatz zur Navigationsfunktion sei hierfür kein GPS-Empfänger erforderlich.
Neu sei überdies die Funkzellenortung, mit welcher der ungefähre Standort des Nutzers auch ohne GPS-Empfang bestimmt werden könne. Dies geschehe anhand der Mobilfunkzelle, in der sich das Handy gerade befinde. Praktisch sei dies vor allem dann, wenn gerade kein GPS-Signal vorliege – wie etwa in Tiefgaragen oder Gebäuden oder wenn kein GPS-Empfänger zur Verfügung stehe. Derzeit könne man die Funkzellenortung jedoch nur für die Funktionen “lokale Suche”, “DasÖrtliche” und “Clever Tanken” nutzen.
Die neue Version kann man sich unter www.falkmaps.com kostenlos herunterladen. Derzeit werden laut Betreiberangaben 65 Handymodelle unterstützt.
Ö-Navi2.1 – Routenplanung ohne GPS
13 Jul. 2009 | Author: AWo |
Kürzlich ist die kostenlose Handynavigation Ö-Navi von DasÖrtliche in einer neuen Version erschienen. Sie bietet neben den bewährten Funktionen des Vorgängers (wir berichteten) auch ein paar neue Features.
So können mit Ö-Navi2.1 nun auch Besitzer von Mobiltelefonen ohne GPS-Empfänger Strecken unterwegs planen. Das ersetzt quasi die klassische Routenplanung am PC vor der Fahrt sowie das Hantieren mit Ausdrucken während der Reise. Wie der Betreiber mitteilt, wird nach der Eingabe von Start und Ziel die vorgeschlagene Strecke auf dem Handydisplay dargestellt. So sehe der Nutzer, an welchen Punkten er die Richtung ändern müsse. Ö-Navi zeige dabei auch die Fahrtzeit und die Entfernung für die gesamte Strecke sowie für einzelne Abschnitte an. Überdies ist laut der Pressemitteilung mit der neuen Version auch das Kartenmaterial für viele europäische Länder aktualisiert worden. Damit habe der Nutzer automatisch Zugriff auf die neuesten Daten, ohne auf teure Updates zurückgreifen zu müssen.
Local Search 2009. Where next?
At the start of each year, it is usual to read prognoses of trends for the coming months – so also in the Local Search sphere. The outlook indicates many developments especially in the mobile sector.
At least, that’s what Greg Sterling of Screenwerk sees in his crystal ball. His view is based on the theory that large areas of the internet, such as social networking, will in the future be available for mobile use, as users increasingly buy and use laptops, netbooks and other mobile devices. Michael Boland of Localsearchnews also shares this opinion. In his eyes, the iPhone is playing a pivotal rôle in the development of the mobile internet, with local search coming out the big winner. He sees a clear connection between local search and mobile applications.
Alongside the mobile development of the internet, Sterling also sees the geolocation of PCs also being of growing significance. And in the marketing zone, current development continues to expand: small and medium sized companies are increasingly using new advertising methods such as video and online marketing. This trend is having a detrimental effect on the print media, especially newspapers and printed directories.
Most local search services are already equipping themselves for the future, implementing not only the static internet, but for quite a while have also targeted the mobile area. Many firms already offer mobile applications (such as DasTelefonbuch, GoYellow, Qype, 11880.com). And with Ö-Navi, DasÖrtliche has been a pioneer in ad-financed, gratis-use for mobile navigation.
amAze: LocatioNet Systems and Telegate cooperate
The Israeli company LocatioNet Systems and Telegate AG have joined forces., to jointly present amAze – a free offboard navigation software providing local search for mobile phones.
In a press release, LocatioNet gave notice of the collaboration. The service provided is based on the existing mobile phone navigation service amAze (launched in 2007) and will retain its original name. In Germany, the software is presented in collaboration with the online branch directory 11880.com, run by Telegate AG. Users can therefore search Telegate’s databases for companies in Germany and generate directions straight to these undertakings. Of course amAze also provides directions to other locations, using speech instructions or visual routing per map. In order to use the service, one requires a GPS-ready device- either built-in or connected externally via Bluetooth. Alongside with the navigation feature, users can also access detailed map views, high resolution satellite images and weather reports.
Similar to comparable services such as Skobbler (see our post) or Ö-Navi (another post), amAze is also free of charge and is financed through advertising. Costs to the user are incurred as always according to their telephone and data packages from the mobile phone service providers. amAze is also accessible on the mobile internet page directly on a mobile web browser.
skobbler – cell phone navigation and Local Search with User Generated Content
As of the end of September, skobbler has been in ‘public beta’ status and as such is available o the general public.
Developed originally by the Hamburg navigation provider Navigon, skobbler was rounded out in September and now run by skobbler GmbH in Hamburg. The name ’skobbler’, according to Oliver Kühn, a member of the management team, in an entry in the company’s blog, is derived from the Latin word “copula” – meaning tie, cable or connection. By their own statement, skobbler wants to bring people together.
skobbler has two strengths. One is the so-called off board navigation system for cell phones, where the required data is only sent upon request from the server to the end device, incurring costs to the user for data, calculated according to the providers and contracts involved. Otherwise skobbler is free. To use the system for navigation, the user needs a GPS-enabled device or external add-on, plus the “skobbler mobil” software, which is available on the website. There, users can also check on compatibility with mobile devices.
The offering above doesn’t differ much from other similar alternative competitor solutions such as Ö-Navi (see our post), however one specialty of skobbler is that alongside a route planner option for motorists using distances under 5 km, a special pedestrian navigation option is available.
The other strength of skobbler is their locality-specific search and ratings platform with ‘community-character’ on the Internet. There, registered users can perform a local search, for cafés or hairdressers in a particular location, and also rate them and upload appropriate photos. In an interview with Locale Suche Blog, Oliver Kühn detailed how the service uses data from providers including Navteq and Mecomo, as well as User generated Content (UGC). Also really neat is the SMS-function – search result addresses discovered through the local search option, can also be sent to the user via free SMS. The extensive contents of the website is also accessible per mobile devices using local search.
Posted in Web Communities, Local Search per PC, Local Search on the go, Local Search per Mobile phone, Local Search, Localization technology, News, Practical features | 
Tags: Auskunftsportal, Bewertungsportal, Community, Fußgänger, google maps, Handy, Handy-Navi, lokale Informationen, Mecomo, Mobiltelefon, Navigationsystem, Navigon, Navteq, Netzwerk, Ö-Navi, Oliver Kühn, skobbler, UGC, User Generated Content, web2.0, Wegbeschreibung | 
1 Comment »
Ö-Navi – Mark 2
As early as mid-2007, DasÖrtliche posted a free software program Ö-Navi, to enable cell phones to function as navigation instruments. A new update of this program has been realeased, including several new features up its sleeve.
Actually Ö-Navi 2 is still in Beta-testing (as of mid-August), however its only recently made its official debut in a press release.
To use Ö-Navi, one requires a GPS-capable cell phone, or have the ability to connect to an external GPS device. As in the earlier versions, the software is financed through on-screen advertising, allowing its cost to the customer to be ‘free’. As Ö-Navi 2 is a so-called ‘offboard’ navigation system – using data not installed on the cell phone itself, but rather using data transfer bandwidth for every route enquiry accessed through the software – costs are incurred for data used. These costs are billed by the network provider.
Ö-Navi 2 delivers not only route descriptions, but also for example offers access to the entire databank of the online-directory of DasÖrtliche. Thereby, one can search for private or commercial addresses and receive directions. This was already possible with the first version- new in v.2 is that one can call many of the firms represented there for free from the application.
Another new feature are the so-called Zenlets. According to the operators, these are individual add-on modules, based on new technologies and easily integrated; one can check weather at the destination or look for the closest cash machine. Zenlets can also be developed by uers, and the uses for ‘label’ companies make them well suited for tailer-made applications.
Visually, there have also been changes – Ö-Navi2 presents an easier overview, and the new vector maps allow for reduced load times and improved display.
At present this new edition is still only available for a few select cell phones, but this will change. DasÖrtliche telss that by the end of 2008, it is hoped to have Ö-navi 2 available for all current mobile phones, using a Java-based platform, after which the first edition will be phased out.
To check which current models can use Ö-Navi, check here – one can also download the new Cell phone navigation software, assuming the user has a compatible phone.
Media Directory Association awards “Branch Oscars”
The Association of German Information and Directory Media (VDAV) recently presented the German Directory Media Prize 2008.
As reported by the VDAV, the winner was announced during the VDAV-BranchMeet, a congress of the German directory media industry, which took place from 18 -20 June 2008 in Bremen. The ‘Branch Oscars’ were assigned in three categories for especially innovative products and applications.
In the ‘Electronic Directory Media’, the victor was the free mobile phone navigation Ö-Navi, a product of DasÖrtliche. This free software has been on offer by the telecommunications directory portal since mid-2007, with which one can effectively convert a mobile phone into a navigation device. Financed entirely through adverts, the user receives not only a route description, but also has access to the entire online-database of DasÖrtliche, therewith all private and business addresses and is able to connect this data to the navigation interface.
The decision of the award for second place was deemed problematic by the 6-person jury, resulting in a tie for 2nd place. The first of the ’silver’ prizes went to the mobile version of meinestadt.de. The mobile version of the town-portal was praised by VDAV, according to its operators Allesklar.com AG, especially for its wide-spectrum offering of local information, including their mobile ’situations vacant’ section and the ability to receive job training classifieds, via free SMS.
The 2nd ‘Silver’ trophy went to the online-cooperation between the association “gesundheitstadt berlin” (en=’health city berlin’) and the branch portal “gewusst wo” (en=’knowing where’). The operators of gewusst-wo.de, the publications group Beleke, announced this in a press release.
Alongside the digital sphere, prizes were also awarded to print media and marketing-events. All prize winners can be found on the VDAV website.
Posted in Local Search on the go, Local Search per Mobile phone, Local Search, News, Practical features |
Tags: dasoertliche, DeTeMedien, Handy, Handynavigation, lokale Informationen, meinestadt, meinestadt.de, mobile lokale Suche, Navigation, Navigationsgerät, Ö-Navi, Städteportal, VDAV, VDAV-Branchentreff, Verzeichnisdienst, VerzeichnismedienPreis |
No Comments »
