NaviGadget

GPS applications on HTC Dream

Sep 22, 2008 gps navigation, phones, software

A more accurate title would be: “Android applications that utilize GPS data”… But either we’re very excited about the location awareness of the Android platform. Even though we still can’t confirm an embedded GPS receiver for the HTC Dream which is supposed to be the first Android phone, we’re sure there will be others down the line which will come with such a chip.

Android is ready for different kinds of hardware and they already have developed various applications to make use of the GPS feature. One of those is Enkin which we already talked about. Another is called BreadCrumbz and allows you to navigate using pictures. Regular maps will still be available however using real life photos makes navigation a lot easier for cyclists and pedestrians.

You can also create custom routes that leads you to a specific door in a building. Even if GPS signals are lost BreadCrumbz can help you navigate relying on its special algorithms. BreadCrumbz was the winner of $100,000 prize at Android Developer Challenge where you can find many more location aware applications.

Another interesting one is Ecorio which analyzes the trips you take everyday and suggest you a mass transit route if available or it shows you others who are willing to car pool. Ecorio keeps track of how much carbon you prevent from reaching the atmosphere by taking its suggestions. Piggyback is kinda similar. It connects to drivers who are willing to share their vehicle to people who are looking for a ride.

A GPS-enabled phone is required for drivers, not for passengers, although it helps (a lot).

Another winner of Google ADC was cab4me. Hopefully it is obvious what this application does. OK, we’ll include an image to give you a hint:

And then there’s LifeAware, which lets you know who’s in your vicinity, establish safety zones for family members, and create location aware todo lists. And don’t forget Dyno:

Dyno uses the Android accelerometer to determine real-time horse power, energy consumption and is a better speedometer than the GPS alone can provide.

It still uses GPS in many ways though. Somewhat similar to Dyno is WiFi Army – in the form a game. When somebody from your contacts is about 300ft from you it alerts you and you start playing some sort of GPS laser tag using the on-board camera. The idea is great but this young “elite game designer” seems to be in trouble with the billing department of his host (his site WiFArmy.com is currently down)

Let’s just hope tomorrow, when the first Android based phone from T-Mobile: HTC Dream is announced, we see the embedded GPS feature there.