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Poll: Are you interested in seeing a payed alternative to Wayfinder navigation for ITs
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Are you interested in seeing a payed alternative to Wayfinder navigation for ITs

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james415 is offline james415
2008-01-05 , 22:19
Posts: 57 | Thanked: 10 times | Joined on Jan 2008
#11
Originally Posted by tz1 View Post
A while ago I wrote a mapping application for the Zaurus for the USA using census databases and converting them into a very compact form (every line and polygon in just over 1Mb for all 50 states - I didn't get to text or POIs):

http://homepage.mac.com/tz1/.Public/zaurus/zmapper.tgz

(I've done a few bugfixes since, but haven't uploaded it, and there are new census databases so some URLs need changing).

Actually it is Qt(3), so will work on anything which has that installed - Linux, Mac (X - I need a real xor function to do the polygons), Cygwin. I've seen Qt for the Nokia, and was planning to give it a try.

I could port it to GTK. It isn't complete, but will show roads, lakes, rivers, cities, parks, etc. - every one in the census database and updates very fast and uses a very compact format. It saves the track and I used to wardrive with circles indicating the access points kismet for zaurus found. These are vector maps and no further downloads are required after the specific county is converted.

I may not have included the COPYING file, but it is under GPLv3.

Anyone want to help?

This sounds pretty cool. I am a Java developer by trade but I would love to try to help out with something like that.

cheers
 
iskarion is offline iskarion
2008-01-05 , 22:33
Posts: 161 | Thanked: 99 times | Joined on Jan 2008
#12
Originally Posted by james415 View Post
I wrote to wayfinder support and asked them why the standard cell phone product costs $99 for a lifetime license and the n810 product is $130 for a 3 year license. They said it is because the n810 has preinstalled maps. When I mentioned that preinstalled maps would lower their bandwidth costs (making the n810 version cheaper for them to support) they never returned my call.
I guess bandwith costs is not their main concern. Navicore is licensicing the maps used by Wayfinder from another company. Maybe they have to pay higher licencings fees when selling a product that has complete maps preinstalled, compared to a product that is only downloding small parts of the map on demand...


Overall Wayfinder is ok, but it has some annoying shortcomings. e.g. when deliberately leaving the planned route to take a shortcut, Wayfinder is sticking much longer to the old route than many other products like Tomtom. Also the user interface uhhm.. can only get better.

Maemo Mapper on the other hand has some unique and very nice features (aerial photos...). But without vector maps and due to the missing ability to do route planning/rerouting without an internet connection it can hardly be called a navigation software.

So I think there is definitely a market for a good and usable navigation software on the N8x0. Judging from the presentation on their webpage, this Sygic stuff looks quite promsing.
Last edited by iskarion; 2008-01-05 at 22:36.
 
james415 is offline james415
2008-01-05 , 22:46
Posts: 57 | Thanked: 10 times | Joined on Jan 2008
#13
Originally Posted by iskarion View Post
I guess bandwith costs is not their main concern. Navicore is licensicing the maps used by Wayfinder from another company. Maybe they have to pay higher licencings fees when selling a product that has complete maps preinstalled, compared to a product that is only downloding small parts of the map on demand...
I looked into it. They are the same maps. Not sure about the licensing costs but I suspect they are the same. I really think the just don't believe we are clever enough to figure out we are paying to be screwed.

Anyway, if you like the looks of that Sygic software, send them an email. Let's let them know we are an interested community. Even those who are not concerned with GPS should be trying to get companies to recognize the nokia I Tablets. Imagine all of the open source software currently being developed combined with all of the closed source options available to WM users, if you need them.
 
ag2 is offline ag2
2008-01-05 , 22:59
Posts: 164 | Thanked: 132 times | Joined on Dec 2007
#14
I also think the Wayfinder software is a joke. I'd pay good money for Garmin navigation software on N810. I'll go ahead and send an email to their customer support. Maybe they will be willing to port their mobile product.
 
iskarion is offline iskarion
2008-01-05 , 23:42
Posts: 161 | Thanked: 99 times | Joined on Jan 2008
#15
Originally Posted by james415 View Post
I looked into it. They are the same maps. Not sure about the licensing costs but I suspect they are the same.
Yes, for both products they are using Teleatlas maps (actually Teleatlas maps are also used for the Sygic products, so regarding data quality there shouldn't be any difference between Sygic and Wayfinder).

Teleatlas has a whole bunch of weird licensing schemes. They definitely distinguish whether you deliver complete maps to end customers or whether you setup an access on-demand service.


But who knows, maybe Nokia will come up with an own alternative to Wayfinder. After all Nokia has recently aquired Navteq, which is the main (only) competitor to Teleatlas.

Now that Navteq is part of the big Nokia family and Nokia therefore has own expertise, map data and solutions in the navigation area Navicore/Wayfinder doesn't fit into the picture anymore.
Last edited by iskarion; 2008-01-05 at 23:46.
 
Zuber is offline Zuber
2008-01-06 , 01:12
Posts: 130 | Thanked: 13 times | Joined on Dec 2007
#16
[QUOTE=iskarion;121588]But who knows, maybe Nokia will come up with an own alternative to Wayfinder. After all Nokia has recently aquired Navteq, which is the main (only) competitor to Teleatlas.QUOTE]

Problem with that is, I've seen the Navigation software they offer with the N95/E90.

Compared to that, Wayfinder is truely amazing

Zuber
 
james415 is offline james415
2008-01-06 , 07:21
Posts: 57 | Thanked: 10 times | Joined on Jan 2008
#17
I have to agree with Zuber. The map program on my n73 is almost unusable. It is interesting that Nokia is now in direct competition with the very product they pushed on us. Poetic.

I have calls and emails in to Sygic about the possiblity of an n8x0 port. I will post back if I here anything from them.

Cheers
 
jhoff80 is offline jhoff80
2008-01-06 , 18:52
Posts: 228 | Thanked: 20 times | Joined on Oct 2007
#18
Originally Posted by iskarion View Post
I guess bandwith costs is not their main concern. Navicore is licensicing the maps used by Wayfinder from another company. Maybe they have to pay higher licencings fees when selling a product that has complete maps preinstalled, compared to a product that is only downloding small parts of the map on demand...


Overall Wayfinder is ok, but it has some annoying shortcomings. e.g. when deliberately leaving the planned route to take a shortcut, Wayfinder is sticking much longer to the old route than many other products like Tomtom. Also the user interface uhhm.. can only get better.

Maemo Mapper on the other hand has some unique and very nice features (aerial photos...). But without vector maps and due to the missing ability to do route planning/rerouting without an internet connection it can hardly be called a navigation software.

So I think there is definitely a market for a good and usable navigation software on the N8x0. Judging from the presentation on their webpage, this Sygic stuff looks quite promsing.
And where does this leave the n800 users, who still have to download the maps from the internet and put them on their own card?
 
here.david is offline here.david
2008-01-06 , 19:45
Posts: 152 | Thanked: 32 times | Joined on Dec 2007 @ CA
#19
imho, any company that refuses to list the cost, makes you "jump thru hoops" and THEN states they will contact you...will never gain my trust nor business.

Poor customer focus...state upfront no downloads are allowed vs. download here, fill out information (for them to sell ??? use as they wish).
 
james415 is offline james415
2008-01-07 , 01:01
Posts: 57 | Thanked: 10 times | Joined on Jan 2008
#20
Originally Posted by here.david View Post
imho, any company that refuses to list the cost, makes you "jump thru hoops" and THEN states they will contact you...will never gain my trust nor business.

Poor customer focus...state upfront no downloads are allowed vs. download here, fill out information (for them to sell ??? use as they wish).
It appears Sygic is a new company that has not launched their product yet. The reason you don't see a cost is that they have not settled on an official pricing scheme. The download links are intended for journalists doing previews in blogs and magazines, hence the form to fill out. Does Apple let you download previews of OS X before MacWorld Expo?

I think you are mistaking poor customer service with a prelaunch product. They state on their website that they will be making some announcements at CES. I think that this is the ideal time to state our interest and get them to support the IT.

Cheers,
James
 
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