IranMap

Intermap Technologies this week announced the expansion of their AccuTerra GPS maps product line into Western Europe. AccuTerra is derived from elevation data collected as part of the Company’s NEXTMap Europe digital mapping program which delivers a uniform 3D digital elevation model with a 1-meter vertical accuracy for 2.4 million km2 of terrain across Western Europe.

“AccuTerra Europe GPS maps will be pre-loaded on several GPS devices as well as made available for download or purchase via SD card for a manufacturer’s line of soon to be announced select devices”, said Intermap. Products are expected to be on the shelf in the spring of 2009.
This unidentified manufacturer is likely to be either Magellan or Bushnell which are already using AccuTerra’s North American maps. This new line of product will probably be announced at the CES trade show in Las Vegas next month.

Location-based social networking application Loopt is launching today to consumers through the Android Market, Google’s new mobile application store. Users of the T-Mobile G1, the first Android phone, will be able to download it immediately and use it for free.

“The Loopt experience in the Android Market offers all the core Loopt features including background location updating which enables users to receive alerts when a friend is nearby. Users can also switch between map modes for a satellite view of their friend map or to monitor traffic delays”, announced Loopt in a press release.
In the United States Loopt users can share their location between carrier networks with their friends on AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, Boost, MetroPCS and T-Mobile.

The Open Handset Alliance, the organization formed by Google to deploy handsets and services using the Android platform, announced yesterday 14 new members, including GPS manufacturer Garmin.
Other new members are: AKM Semiconductor Inc., ARM, ASUSTek Computer Inc., Atheros Communications, Borqs, Ericsson, Huawei Technologies, Omron Software Co. Ltd, Softbank Mobile Corporation, Sony Ericsson, Teleca AB, Toshiba Corporation and Vodafone.

Garmin did not provide clues about its intention towards the Android operating system; however, it is public knowledge that its upcoming Nuvifone is based on some form of open source Linux operating system.