CloudMade receives $12.3 Million investment from Greylock Partners

CloudMade, a collaborative mapping startup firm, which provides collaborative platform to OEM developers for mapping and navigation applications, has received $12.3 million in series B funding from Greylock Partners. With existing investor, Sunstone Capital,  this brings the startup’s total funding to $15.7 million.

CloudMade’s collaborative mapping

CloudMade’s tools allows third-party developers to create applications with customized and stylized map tiles, that are fully featured with turn-by-turn navigation, in-app advertising, local search and data sets relevant to thousands of consumer activities.

CloudMade mainly distributes its collaborative platform to mobile app developers, OEM partners and network operators. Among more than 12,000 current collaborating developers that use CloudMade’s API are Geocaching,  OffMaps, Trails, Ride the City and Dopplr.

Google build  a “Social Parking Network” for Android users

The idea behind Google’s new Open Spot app for Android mobile devices is that when you’re leaving a city parking spot, you can use the app to record its location on a map and feature it as a vacant one. Other Open Spot users who is looking for parking can then look up recently vacated spaces in this area which show up as colored pins on app’s map interface. A spot that’s 10-20 minutes old will look yellow, and a spot marked within the last five minutes will be colored red.

Open Spot’s karma points

If you’re a frequent user of the application who’s paying-it-forward on a regular basis  Google parking network will reward you “karma points.” Currently, the app is available in the U.S., Canada, and Netherlands with devices that run Android 2.0 or higher.

Parking submissions are anonymous, however the Open Spot center monitor users to make sure they aren’t sharing incorrect parking information.

MapQuest Online Maps

MapQuest is an online map service which became increasingly popular during recent years. You just have to type in a destination you’d like to reach, the place you’re leaving from and Map Quest’s online route planner will provide receive driving directions that provide you with the quickest route to your destination. MapQuest exists since 1967 and was  founded as Cartographic Services company. In 1969, the company’s  main office moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1994, the company was renamed to GeoSystems Global Corporation and was acquired by America Online, Inc.  Since 2000 the company is officially MapQuest.

MapQuest and OnStar Partnership

Today, Map Quest allows its users to connect directly to a mapping software platform using a smartphone app. The company’s also partnering with General Motors’ OnStar division which allows  OnStar’s subscribers to access driving route information through the mapquest.com website and have it sent directly to their in-car navigation device. In 2007, when the partnership was announced this idea was ahead of its time and this solution attracted many new customers for both companies.

MapQuest Redesign

Recently MapQuest has redesigned its web mapping interface and introduced several new features. Among them is a local integration via  AOL-managed Patch.com news service and business directory.  The new interface is expected to help to regain the popularity of MapQuest online mapping service that has been lost due to similar, but more improved mapping solutions from Google.

70,000 downloads of the free Car Locator at Android Market

Around five months ago, an independent application developer Edward Kim started his initially side-project while vacationing with family. As for now this very basic, but incredibly useful Android app has 70,000 downloads of the free version and about 7,000 of the paid package. Originally Car Locator was priced it at $1.99 per download. Now you can get it for $3.99.

Android Car Locator

What is Android Car Locator?

The app saves the car location wherever you park it, and navigates you back using Google Maps which makes it very easy.

With a free trial version you also get:

• 15 times to use
• Using GPS & compass
• Radar-map-split view
• Parking timer
• Desktop widget for quick save
• Notes & Photos
• Location History
• Manual entry
• Sending coordinats to another Android device
• Sonar feature

Where to download Car Locator?

To download the free trial version of the app, go to Android Market with your phone or other Android device through this URL: market://search?q=pname:com.edwardkim.android.carlocatorfree

More about parking apps: Google Open Spot – parking Android app

Exploring the world with National Geographic’s World Atlas

We all love maps that help us to explore the world. Especially if they’re bundled with easy-to-use, feature rich applications. The recently launched National Geographic’s World Atlas app for iPhone and iPod Touch is definitely one of them. It contains seven different native cartographic levels, plus seven bonus levels provided by Microsoft Bing maps, as the application development partner. The MS Bing bonuses allow you to zoom in live objects to see them at the highest resolution level. No need to say that NG cartography itself provides you with the world’s detailed maps, that NG’s World Atlas app enables you to search and browse.

This is an atlas, not only maps

Using the app you can search and mark your favorite places, zoom in objects, and add your own photos. But it’s not all about the World Atlas – if you like traveling, you certainly will like a built-in place directory with the advanced search functions tools that contains more than 7 million entries. The Flags and Facts database of the application contains expertly researched up-to-date social, economic and geographic data on the most of countries. With your GPS-enabled Apple device you can easily turn the app into a friendly handy travel guide.

Where to buy National Geographic’s World Atlas

The app costs only $1.99 and is compatible with iPhone OS 2.0 (and later) and iPod Touch. You can buy it online at the Apple App Store, or at your local outdoor or computer software store.

Nokia free GPS launched

Nokia announced that a new, completely free, Ovi Maps software is now available for Nokia phones owners through the Nokia’s website. The new version of Ovi Maps includes turn-by-turn navigation for 74 countries, speaking 46 languages. Turn-by-turn navigation maps as well as basic GPS maps for 106 countries are also available to download to use offline later.

Ovi Maps features

Features of the Nokia’s Ovi Maps/Turn-By-Turn Navigation:

• GPS Maps are stored on the phone device to used offline later without needs to be continuously connected
• Traffic status information for 10 countries
• Lane assistance and speed trap warnings
• Pedestrian mode includes shortcuts only possible on foot
• Lonely Planet and Michelin travel guides for free use