Video of Maps app in "follow mode" running on an iPhone 3GS while on a moving train. Using ios5

This is a quick simple video showing what the Maps app on an iPhone 3GS looks like in "follow mode" when you are on a moving train. I find it interesting how accurate it follows the railway tracks.
You can see the shadow cast by bridges in the home button on the right, as you can see it coincides with the bridges on the map.

We take this technology for granted, imagine going back to the 1980's and telling someone what you can do these days they would not believe you could have such power.


If you own a smartphone and use the built-in mapping application then you will probably be aware of what it can do. On my iPhone 3GS (still on ios5) the "Maps" application allows you to see Satellite imagery for your location by simply tapping once on the arrow button (bottom left of the Map screen) it will go into "locate" mode. Your current position on the Earth is marked by that blue dot with the white circle around it.
When you do this it uses the built-in GPS to find you and show the map.

If you tap the arrow again it goes into "Follow mode", this means it will move the map arround as you move around and keep it centered.

If I had not done this video in follow mode then the blue dot would have moved down to the bottom left and gone off screen.

If you tap the arrow for a third time then it puts it into "compass mode", this is the same as follow mode but now also orientates the map so the roads are exactly as you see them now. (assuming you are holding the phone the correct way around!).

As you probably know one of the biggest features that iOS 6 removed was the Google Maps App. This is the one reason I have not bothered to update my iPhone from ios v5.1.1

If your trying to work out where the train journey is, its near Stockport in Manchester, UK. The phone is running on ios 5.1.1, The network provider is o2 PAYG using their ALL ROUNDER WEB bolt On.

The blank squares at 2:24 are because it has not managed to download the data for those sections in time so they appear blank and then fill in as they move.

If you have updated to ios6 and miss the Google Maps app then you can now download it as a free app !
Google Maps App for iPhone ios6.

Its almost the same as the ios5 maps app but you have to get a google account and sign in if you want to save addressed etc.

Hope you found this of interest.

Thanks
Andy

Derby's new Wayfinding signs, Have you tried them on your smartphone yet?

The city's new Wayfinding system is the first of its kind in the country and is a technological breakthrough in location and direction signposting.
The state-of-the-art system combines basic sign boards with the latest technology to allow people to access additional information using smart phones.

Photograph of one Derby's new Wayfinding signs.
This sign is located on Corporation Street exactly where in THIS Google streetview there is a advert for an iPhone.

Notice the strange coloured square symbol below the map (pointed to with a red arrow)

Photograph of a tag on one of our signs.
This particular tag was on the sign on Derby Market Place.


iPhone Screengrab of the website that is launched by this tag.
As you can see it displays a smartphone optimised website with
information relating to this exact location.


iPhone Screengrab of Derby Quad's website as followed by "whats near me?":


This is very clever stuff.
Andy

How to install and use an EverMore USB GPS receiver with Autoroute 2010 on Windows 7.

This blogpost may be of use to some people. A few years a go I bought a cheap GPS Receiver off Ebay so I could use it on a laptop with AutoRoute.
Here are details on how to connect, install and get it running on Windows 7 with Microsoft Autoroute 2010.

Here is a photograph of the EverMore GM-R700 GPS Receiver, as you can see it consists of a small unit (4cm x 5cm) that houses the GPS receiver and an RS232 to USB convertor with a flying USB lead on it.

EverMore GM-R700 GPS Receiver.

When you plug in the USB connection from the EverMore GPS Receiver into a laptop running Windows7 it will show this error.

You need to get the correct driver for this so visit the Silicon Labs website and download the latest driver from their driver page here:

Silicon Labs UART Driver website

Click the link in the first section "XP/Server 2003/Vista/7" - VCP Driver Kit.

As I am using Windows7 I downloaded the file "CP210x_VCP_Win_XP_S2K3_Vista_7.exe"

Install this driver software and then you should get this message above the status bar :

Make a note of the COM port that has been allocated to the GPS, in this example its COM4

You can now Run Microsoft AutoRoute 2010.

Click on the "GPS Task Pane" icon at the top (the red compass)

On the GPS pane panel thats now appeared on the left side, click on the "Configure GPS..." button and select COM4 and click the OK button.

Now click the Green play button, If you have ticked the "Provide navigation" box then it will show a safety warning screen just click on "I agree".

In the bottom left of the AutoRoute screen it will show

"GPS [Status: Searching for satellites Sats:0]"

Allow a few minutes for the unit to update its Almanac and Ephemeris data.

After a while the number of Sats should increase. As you can see in my example below (marked with a big red arrow) I can see 8 Satellites parked up here on Vernon Street in Derby.

You need to be able to see 3 sats before it can locate your position..

Screengrab of AutoRoute 2010 in use with my GPS.

For comparison here is a screen grab of the location map app on my iPhone 3GS, as you can see it maches up with where AutoRoute thinks I am parked. Of course its nice on the iPhone as you get a real satellite image of where you are.

iPhone Mapping App location.

One point worth noting is that make sure you fully boot Windows7 before you connect the GPS to the laptop otherwise Windows will misidentify the GPS as a Mouse and install a mouse driver for it causing the mouse pointer to fly around the screen out of control!

Hope someone out there finds this blogpost of use.

For reference :

The EverMore GM-R700 is a 16 Channel GPS unit with Standard NMEA-0183 at 4800 baud.

Andy