My N95 GPS Killer Application

O.k., o.k., so the hype around the Nokia Open Studio in New York last week has calmed down a bit. However, I still keep thinking about all those new possibilites with the Nokia N95's built in GPS receiver module and navigation software will have. So here's my killer application for it:

Regularly, just like two days ago again, I am talking five minutes on the phone to tell people where I am at the moment and where they can find me. Sometimes it's complicated because I don't really know where I am exactly and sometimes the other person does not know his/her way around in the city. Three calls and half an hour later we usually meet. No more with the N95! To tell somebody where you are, you just need to enter the navigation application and send your current location via SMS to the other party who hopefully also has an N95 in his/her hand. The SMS is usually received instantly and the navigation application can take my coordinates right out of the SMS. Two or three clicks later and the software calculates the shortest way to me. It's already in the package. Take a look at this video which shows the mapping software on the N95.

There's one thing that is critical for the scenario above and I hope they've done it right:

• The startup time of the GPS module should be less than 20 seconds to the first fix.

Other potential killer applications which I would wish for:

• Put location data into taken images
• Plan a trip on the PC, download trip info to the N95 and then navigate with it
• Take a picture, geodate it, upload to Flickr or another site for others to see in their N95 mapping application.
• ... much more once I get such a phone into my hands to try it out for myself.

Comments

[Arjan Geven]

Most of those already exist :)

> * Put location data into taken images
Works. See e.g. Flickr ZoneMap

* Plan a trip on the PC, download trip info to the N95 and then navigate with it
Being worked on. An European Research project called "WalkOnWeb" does almost exactly that, except that it is made for planning hiking trips.

* Take a picture, geodate it, upload to Flickr or another site for others to see in their N95 mapping application.
See above, Flickr zonemap does just about that (or is being worked on).

* ... much more once I get such a phone into my hands to try it out for myself.
Definitely :-).

[Martin]

Hey Arjan, you are right, some of these things already exist in one form or another. I've bought an external GPS receiver a couple of months ago to test them and are thus convinced that these services will be the kicker once the GPS receiver integrated in the phone and the included applications (and external ones, too of course) make good use of it!

[Nish Vamadevan]

How many channels does thie GPS chip has? Is it A-GPS?

[Martin]

I haven't seen technical specs for the GPS receiver in the N95 yet. Let's hope it's one of the latest generation chips such as the SIRF III as the antenna can't be very big inside the device. I doubt it's A-GPS. Even if it is it will not help much as, maybe except for the US, not many mobile networks have A-GPS for the moment.

A-GPS is certainly an interesting topic worth for being investigated further here. Many questions, never enough time :-)

Cheers,
Martin

[sarah]

How many different antennas are in the Nokia N95?

[Martin]

Hello Sarah,

good question. I guess it depends on if an antenna can be used for several purposes at the same time (e.g. one antenna for GSM and UMTS for all frequency ranges, one for WLAN, one for Bluetooth, one for GPS, FM radio (uses the headset wire as antenna). So I'd say there should be at least 4.

[Erik]

Ever heard of Plazes. Take a look: http://beta.plazes.com/
Regards
Erik

[Sami]

For geotagging, see http://digitalurban.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-to-geotag-photographs-from-nokia.html

It's free and really easy to use. The only negative side is the unbelievably slow initialization of the built-in gps.

[Martin]

Hello Erik,

yes, heard of Plazes before. And it's getting better and better!

Cheers,
Martin

[Martin]

Hello Sami,

thanks for the comment and the link. It looks like I have to update my Shozu version on my N93 as it doesn't offer the GPS option.

Cheers,
Martin