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Navdroyd: Navigation with on-Board OSM Maps

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:56:00 +0200

German LBS engineering boutique OneStepAhead has released a few weeks ago Navdroyd, a €4.99 Android-based navigation system with on-board maps from Openstreetmap. Navdroyd is based on the MicroMap storage format for vector-based maps created by the company as well as the experience gained on navigation software developments for companies such as iPublish (Merian Scout PND) and MyGuide.

Navdroyd offers to download maps per country or per region and OneStepAhead will compile a new version of the maps every month to take advantage of the progresses made by mapping volunteers. The software then warns users about the availability of a new map version.

Navdroyd is still “work in progress”, acknowledges Nihat Kücük, founder and CEO at OneStepAhead. “OSM is trickier to handle than commercial datasets because of its nature: an ongoing process operated by volunteers,” he said. But he expects to release frequent software updates to provide a robust navigation experience on the OSM map data. “We have been receiving tons of emails from our first 1,000 users and they show they are pretty satisfied by what they get for this low price.”

“Our key differentiator is obviously on-board maps”, he added. “Everybody loves off-line navigation because no one can afford roaming cost when travelling from one country to another.”

“We are also working on advanced features such as 3D buildings that we take from OSM as well as elevation with data provided by the NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and a pedestrian navigation version which requires different map matching techniques,” he added.

Navdroyd: Navigation with on-Board OSM Maps
White label solution
Obviously his navigation system is as good as the OSM data is. In Germany, where OneStepAhead is based, the data is pretty solid, but it is far to be the case in Southern Europe for example. “The OSM data is improving gradually, but what I believe is still missing is some sort of tool for quality control. If the community can provide that then it is going to be a big step forward. The recent move of MapQuest towards OSM is also going to help a lot”.

The Navdroyd engine is also available as a customized, white label solution. “Besides OSM, we can also compile commercial map data such as Tele Atlas and NAVTEQ, according to our customer requests,” said Kücük.

After Android, OneStepAhead is also looking at porting its software to other platforms. “Windows CE is something we are seriously considering because we have customers interested”, he said. “iPhone is obviously of interest too, but it is going to be an important job to completely rebuild the user interface to fit within the Apple guidelines. Meego is also very interesting, much closer to our Linux philosophy”.

In parallel software development contract with third parties, the Navdroyd venture is likely to keep busy the 11 engineers on staff at the Stuttgart company.

NavDroyd für Android: Für 5 Euro alles an Bord

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0200

Mit NavDroyd 1.1.2 steht eine weitere Navigations-Anwendung im Android Market zum Download zur Verfügung. Das günstige 5-Euro-App von OneStepAhead aus Stuttgart verstaut sowohl die Software (3,2 MByte) als auch das Kartenmaterial direkt im Handy (Onboard). Online-Abfragen für Routenabfragen wie bei den Gratis-Programmen skobbler und Google Maps Navigation sind hier kein Thema. Die System-Mindestanforderung der App an das kompatible GPS-Handy ist das Android OS Version 1.6.

Das weltweite Kartenmaterial wird gesamt oder als begrenzte Region über den NavDroyd Map Manger auf das Android-Handy geladen und basiert - wie bei der skobbler-App - auf Infos des Community-Projekts OpenStreetMap. Neben der Auto- und Fußgänger-Navigation zählen zu den wesentlichen Features des Navi-Tools laut Entwickler auch die Auswahl zwischen schneller oder kurze Route, die Kartendarstellung in 2D und 2,5D, die zusätzliche Ansage von Straßennamen, die Streckeninterpolation bei GPS-Ausfall in Tunneln sowie die Routensimulation.

Hinweis: Wer direkt zum Nav-Droyd steuern will, muss nur den im Bild eingepflegten QR-Barcode mit der Handy-Kamera abfotografieren. Das klappt aber nur, wenn Sie bereits den kostenlosen ‚Barcode Scanner’ installiert und das Programm gestartet haben. (wh)

chip.de

Google Android Marketplace

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:15:00 +0200

After being only two weeks in Google's Android Market NavDroyd has been selected as one of the top ranked paid applications in the category travel: