TeleNav® Blog – Navigating Life
Candid conversations about using GPS and wireless technology for work and fun.
OnMyWay Fix: Now Supports Droid 2 & Droid X
Sep 1st
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Wow. What a crazy week!
Wow. What a crazy week!
Here at TeleNav, things have been really busy as we continue to bring you, our customers, new and innovative products, the most recent of which has been OnMyWay for Android devices & iPhones!
And while we’ve been ecstatic about launching OnMyWay on these new devices, we know that some of you experienced issues with OnMyWay on certain devices. And when OnMyWay didn’t operate the way you wanted it to, you let us know and as always, we welcome and appreciate all of your feedback.
We listened to what all of you had to say and today, I’m extremely happy to let you know that OnMyWay now supports the Motorola Droid 2 and Droid X! (Download via QR Code)
Does commenting & reviewing REALLY matter?
I often ask myself this question when I’m thinking of posting my opinions online, whether it be about a product I’ve used, a restaurant I’ve recently eaten at, or a service I’ve tried out – if I post my thoughts about them, does it ACTUALLY matter? Does it make an impact? Who will actually read it? And it’s because of these reasons, unless I’m particularly swayed about the item I’m writing about, I often don’t.
Why bring this up?
As I mentioned above, when our users responded to issues they experienced with OnMyWay on the Droid 2 and Droid X devices, we received instant feedback on an issue we needed to address. These comments don’t go unnoticed; they get read, by me, our product teams, and our company.
You see, when you say something about us, our navigation products or applications, we hear it, whether it be within the comments section of our blog, reviews within the Android Market or Apple App Store, on our Facebook Page, or on Twitter. Your comments don’t go unheard. In fact, it’s quite the opposite – we make sure these comments are all taken into consideration and are addressed. What you say matters and gets heard.
Why?
Because at the end of the day, it’s all about you – our customers, and if you’re experiencing issues with a product, it’s our job to address them.
With that said, we invite you to continue letting us know how we’re doing by leaving comments on our blog, on our Facebook Page, on Twitter, or in the reviews section of the Android Market or Apple App Store.
OnMyWay on the iPhone?
We’re aware that some iPhone users have experienced issues with OnMWay and our team is currently working to address them. As soon as these are resolved, I will let you all know right here on our blog!
Have you tried OnMyWay? What do you think of it? What does it do well? What could it do better?
Is Your Commute Better Than It Was Last Year?
Aug 30th
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Think back upon your commute this time last year.
Think back upon your commute this time last year.
Is it better today than it was back then? According to a new study, two-thirds of you don’t think it is.
Recently, Hartford released it’s 2010 Drivability Survey (conducted by GfK Roper) where it surveyed drivers about the current state of the road, their commute, and how it affects them.
The survey found some very interesting findings including:
- The average American commute is almost 26 minutes (one-way) which equals over 56 hours per year lost in traffic.
- 86% of drivers admit to performing at least one other activity while behind the wheel – including eating, drinking, talking on their cell phones, or text messaging.
- American drivers generally have a positive attitude about driving and believe most other drivers are courteous.
- Most people don’t believe the roads in their area were designed for the current amount of traffic.
Other surprising findings are:
- Only one in 10 American commuters would be willing to commute as long as necessary to accept a new job they found very interesting.
- Oprah Winfrey would be the most popular celebrity carpool companion. Others included President Obama, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Kathy Griffin, and Beyonce Knowles.
- 39% of drivers believe being driven by a chauffeur would make their commute more pleasant.
- Bad roads are surprisingly less popular than heavy traffic: 75% of drivers would prefer to sit in stop-and-go traffic on a well-paved road than having a road full of potholes to themselves.
Want more on the 2010 Hartford Drivability Study? Check it out here.
What jumped out at you about this study?
Photo Credit: Burning Image (Flickr)
How to: Win an iTunes Gift Card & More with Jungle!
Aug 27th
TweetWhat’s playing on YOUR iPhone, TeleNav Nation?
What’s playing on YOUR iPhone, TeleNav Nation? 
Want to add something new to your playlists or rotation?
Then stick with me.
Recently, as you may know, we launched a new free app called Jungle! As a quick recap, Jungle! is an online marketplace app (available for the iPhone and iPod Touch) that allows you to buy, sell, and search for items or services right from your phone. It’s different than most online marketplaces because it uses GPS to help you sort through relevant search results. For example, if you’re searching for a textbook, Jungle! will find the most relevant results and sort them by distance (in miles) based on your location. We think this is extremely useful because for most of us, when we’re in the market for a product, weigh value against cost and distance. As an item’s cost or distance increases, it becomes less likely we’ll want to buy that product, right? We think so anyways. ;)
But a recap of Jungle! is not what you’re interested in right now. What you want to know is…
… How do I win iTunes Gift Cards with Jungle!?
It’s simple. Just do the following:
1. Download Jungle! to your iPhone or iPod Touch
2. Register your email address (if we cannot contact you, it’s hard to give you a prize!).
3. There is no 3rd step!
Every 100th person who downloads Jungle! and registers their email address within the app will win one of fifty (50) $20 iTunes Gift Cards!
But there’s one more way to win!
We wanted to make things just a little bit more interesting and upped the stakes.
For every 50th item posted for sale within Jungle!, we will buy it for double the listed price (for up to $100.00)!
Want more information? The Official Jungle! Contest Rules can be found HERE.
You can also download Jungle! on the Apple App Store HERE.
So here’s the question, TeleNav Nation: If you won an iTunes Gift Card, what’s album would you buy?
OnMyWay Now Available For iPhone & Android Users
Aug 26th
TweetBig news everyone!
Big news everyone!
I’m happy to announce OnMyWay is now available on the iPhone & Android devices!
Not sure what OnMyWay is?
OnMyWay is one of our FREE mobile apps that automatically keeps your friends, family or colleagues up-to-date on how far away you are from a meeting location without you having to take your hands off the wheel. OnMyWay is easy to use and lets you:
- Alert your friends, family, or colleagues of your ETA when heading to a meeting place, whether that be a restaurant, park, or a coffee shop.
- OnMyWay automatically sends out new alerts based on changes to your ETA without you having to pick up your phone.
- Sends an alert at the start of your trip to let others know you’ve left and an alert when you’re close to arriving so they know you’ve made it.
- OnMyWay integrates with contact information already stored in your phone so it’s easy to select who you want to send the OnMyWay alerts to.
- And your privacy is secure – OnMyWay does not share your location with the recipients, only how much time it will take you to arrive.
How does OnMyWay work?
Imagine this. You have plans to see your friend tonight at Tutta Bella Italian Restaurant in Seattle at 7pm. Usually, whether you’re running late, early, or otherwise, it’s hard, and unsafe, to communicate with your friend regarding how far away you are while on your way to the restaurant, right? Traditionally, you’d have to call your friend while you’re driving (with a Bluetooth enabled headset, of course) and let them know if you’re running late. OnMyWay makes this simple and automatic.
With an OnMyWay alert set up, as you drive to your destination, alerts will be sent to your friend (via SMS or e-mail), informing them of your ETA and trip status. At the start of your trip, an initial alert will be sent to to the receiver letting them know that you’re on your way to the meeting place. From there, depending on changes to your ETA due to any number of factors, additional alerts may be automatically sent to your friend to make them aware your arrival time has changed.
The best part? OnMyWay is completely FREE to download.
Where can you download OnMyWay?
For Android users, OnMyWay is available in the Android Market on your phone or from the QR code to the right.
For iPhone users, you can find it on the Apple App Store HERE.
Have any questions about OnMyWay? Feel free to ask them in the comments section below! I’ll get to them as soon as I can. :)
Want to check out a quick demo of OnMyWay in action?
4 Tips For Navigating in the Big City
Aug 25th
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You’ve just entered a new city.
You’ve just entered a new city.
We’ve all been there. You land in a new city and quickly become overwhelmed by the prospect of getting to your next destination. It’s totally understandable, especially when you consider all the chaos around you – the people, the cyclists, the vehicles, and that’s before we’ve even mentioned the skaters.
Seem kinda crazy? What do you do to help alleviate some of the pressure and get you on your way?
Follow these four simple steps for navigating the big city streets.
People, Bicycles, & Skaters – OH MY!
For some of us, green means go, red means stop, and unfortunately, yellow means speed up. While I recommend you truly stick to the “yellow means be prepared to stop,” I can’t emphasize this statement enough while in the city (x100).
While driving in the city, it’s important to realize that many driving variables become condensed; pedestrians, vehicles, cyclists, skaters, etc. and because of these factors, it’s important you become a much more defensive driver and increase your awareness of your surroundings. To start, here are few tips:
- Don’t speed up to intersections.
- Before turning, look for approaching pedestrians.
- Be aware of cyclists coming in-between lanes and in designated bike lanes.
- Be aware of your blind spots.
- Don’t rush or make last second driving reactions.
Know the Driving Culture
While, for the most part, driving rules across the country are the same, knowing the local driving culture can be the key to your driving happiness. An example of this? In Seattle (where I live), motorcycles have to obey the same laws that drivers do (with the exception of being able to ride in the H.O.V. lanes). In California where our headquarters are located, however, it’s commonplace for motorcyclists to do one thing that other vehicles don’t; lane-splitting. What is lane-splitting? Lane-splitting is when a motorcycle drives in-between two lanes (automobiles) which are moving the same direction as traffic. While there is no law explicitly prohibiting lane-splitting in California, it is understood that, when done “safely,” it is legal.
Now, only imagine if you showed up to California, driving without knowing that lane-splitting is common practice. Do you think this could be potentially disastrous?
Do a little bit of research ahead of time to know the roads before you drive them.
Don’t Leave Valuable Items Visible
Okay, read the subtitle again. Did you hear your mom’s voice in your head? Yes, I know it’s naggy and annoying, but let’s be honest – if people can’t see you have valuable stuff in your car, they’ll be less likely to want to break in.
So what should you do if you have coolest thing on the block riding in your car?
- TAKE IT OUT.
- Put in in the trunk.
- If you can’t take it out, cover it up with a a coat, blanket.
- If all else fails, leave a guard tiger or walking-pirahna with lasers near the item in your car. This is a surprisingly affective prowler deterrent.
Come Prepared
“Well, duhh,” I know you’re thinking and while I don’t believe that you’re unaware that you should be coming prepared, it’s HOW ready you are that is the question. When it comes to driving in the city, there’s a lot to consider and being unaware of some of the variables that may affect your driving happiness can be the difference between heaven and hell. Some questions you should ask yourself before you hit the road are:
- What time of year will I be in the city?
- What will the weather be like? Sunny & hot or cold & snowy?
- Are there events happening in the city I should be aware of?
- Are there city tolls I need to pay? Do I have cash on hand?
- What will I do if I get a flat or if my car breaks down?
These are just a few of the questions you should be asking yourself before you hit the road and how you answer them will determine how you should prepare for driving the big city.
Being in an unfamiliar city can be a very stressful situation for most of us. With all of the noise, the people, the cars, and lack of familiarity with the area, it can be downright overwhelming. Hopefully some of this stress can be alleviated by following these four quick tips. And of course, one other thing that would definitely help you in a big unknown city, is that TeleNav GPS Navigator. (shameless plug, I know). ;)
Happy Navigating!
Did we miss something on this list? Have a comment to add? Please leave it in the comment section below?
Photo Credit: OmniNate
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