Candid conversations about using GPS and wireless technology for work and fun.
Archive for August, 2008
Finding a Free Wi-Fi Hot Spot
Aug 29th
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More and more people are working from home these days. A recent survey from WorldatWork shows that 42% of organizations in the U.S. say they offer some sort of telecommuting option to employees.
With an increasing number of coffee shops and restaurants offering Wi-Fi access, many telecommuters find that it’s a nice change of pace to set up shop at their local cafe for the day. This is also a great option if you are a frequent traveler and don’t want to work out of your hotel room.
But how do you know who has Wi-Fi and whether or not you’re going to have to pay for access?
TeleNav GPS Navigator offers an easy way to search for Wi-Fi hot spots around you. Launch the application, go to Business Finder and then click on the Wi-Fi hot spots category. You can search for spots in your nearby vicinity or you can even search near a different address. The latter is great if you are going out of town and want to plan ahead.
And now, we’ve added a new feature – TeleNav GPS Navigator will even tell you if the hot spot location is free or requires a fee.
Don’t forget that you can also preplan online through your My TeleNav account at www.telenav.com. Search for a Wi-Fi hotspot through the Business Finder online, save it to your Favorites and it’s sent directly to your phone!
Analyst Report: Geotagging to Soon Be Available on All Cameras
Aug 26th
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Author – Mary Beth Lowell – Communications Manager
Looks like our CTO knew what he was talking about when he blogged a few weeks ago about the increasing popularity of geotagging.
Wireless Week reported today on a study from IMS Research which states that the increasing usage of GPS chips in laptops and cameras is creating a new (albeit, smaller) industry for GPS services. The analyst quoted predicts a six-fold growth in the "non-cellular" GPS market (time frame not noted in the article).
Regarding geotagging specifically, the report includes a prediction that GPS will be adopted across the entire camera market, "from holiday makers to professionals." It also highlights online services like Panoramio which allows consumers to host their geotagged photos.
Not included in the article, but perhaps included in the report, is the convergence of mobile phones, GPS and image capabilities. For example, the new iPhone has geotagging capabilities. With the popularity of devices like the iPhone, it will be interesting to see if the analyst’s predictions pan out or if this just means additional growth for the cellular GPS market.
GPS-Equipped Turtle Helps Find Marijuana Farm in D.C.
Aug 25th
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Author – Mary Beth Lowell – Communications Manager
First cows, now turtles. Tracking animals using GPS is actually becoming quite common as researchers use location technology to answer questions about animal habitats and movements.
This turtle, however, went above and beyond the call of duty.
The National Park Service in Rock Creek Park (Wash D.C.) was monitoring the turtle (along with 135 others) to keep track of its movements around the 50 acres of the park.
At some point, the turtle wandered into an area with fallen trees and an unusual amount of bare soil. The researcher following the turtle discovered it had actually wandered into a large marijuana farm, which they later determined to be the handiwork of a local 19-year-old. Apparently he hadn’t anticipated a sleuthing turtle when he set up his operation (you can’t plan for everything, I guess).
Once again, GPS helps fight crime …
Are Americans’ Driving Habits Improving?
Aug 21st
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (part of the DOT) released a report this month that showed that traffic fatalities in the U.S. were down by 4% in 2007 compared with 2006. It also provides a breakdown state by state – South Dakota and Vermont had the largest decrease (23%) while Wash. D.C. had the largest increase (19%).
While a decrease is certainly good news, it’s interesting that this is the case considering one recent study shows that traffic congestion was actually up by 2% in 2007. So, maybe there is no correlation between the two or other factors (like drunk drivers) have a much larger impact. Either way, hopefully it means we are doing something right and will continue to see percentage decrease.
In my opinion, people’s driving skills only seem to be getting worse. Tailgators (sp?) and reckless drivers seem to be the norm rather than the exception. Ky Tang, one of our marketing directors, recently wrote a post on a book that shared research data on why there is so much traffic and why Americans drive the way we do. It’s really interesting and it’s made me take a second look at how I drive. For example, I’m much more aware of the space I leave between myself and other drivers.
With gas prices going up the way they are, maybe we’ll continue to see a decrease in car accidents because there will just be fewer and fewer people on the road.
What do you think?
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