Home PageFacebookRSS News Feed
PocketGPS
Web
SatNav,GPS,Navigation
SurfShark Antivirus
Skobbler launches in UK - iPhone Navigation for £1.19



Article by: Darren Griffin
Date: 12 May 2010

pocketgpsworld.comSkobbler, the OpenSource navigation app, has launched in the UK Appstore.

Using OpenStreetMap data, Skobbler allows motorists and other users to easily report map errors and make corrections that are fed back to the OpenStreetMap community for the benefit of all users.

Map are delivered over the air (OTA) and so you benefit from constantly updated and improved map data as the user base grows. When launched in Germany, Skobbler quickly became the No1 selling navigation app for iPhone.

Although it has many rough edges, the fact that your corrections are incorporated back into the master OpenStreetMap data makes this unique amongst navigation apps. Instead of months or years before corrections are incorporated, OpenStreetMap reduces this to days. The more users submitting corrections, the better the data becomes.

We've reported on OpenStreetMap on many occasions and covered the unique benefits it brought to aid workers in Haiti. With hundreds of GPS equipped aid workers feeding back corrections the data rapidly improved. Where previously, only a very basic map existed, the map data is now the equivalent, if not of better than that available for European or US cities.

Skobbler offers turn-by-turn navigation, voice guidance, and of course, editable maps. It is available today in the Appstore at a launch price of £1.19 (normal price £2.39).

What are you waiting for!

For more information visit the Skobbler website at www.skobbler.co.uk.

 

Day View Night View Menu View

Click thumbnails for larger images

 

 

Comments
Posted by MaFt on Wed May 12, 2010 2:51 pm Reply with quote

i like how they use an image from google maps on the home page Wink

looking at the graphic for the 'next turn' i can't help thinking this is somehow related to Roadee (also started in Germany and uses OSM). similar price mark too...

however, a quick google (with translation on!) reveals they're not. just coincidence i guess!

is the app actually 'OpenSource'? i don't see any mention of this anywhere... if it IS then I might ask for the code so I can compile it and make my own for free Very Happy

MaFt


 
Posted by MaFt on Wed May 12, 2010 2:56 pm Reply with quote

furthermore... it looks like they've borriwed navigon's turn signals and countdown as well as copilots arrow-and-circle marker! as well as roadee's orange colour scheme Very Happy

still, worth a play though!


 
Posted by Darren on Wed May 12, 2010 9:08 pm Reply with quote

Indeed I thought it had a smattering of Navigon about it.

I suspect 'OpenSource' refers to the use of the OSM data but I have no info on that.

It's not half as bad as I'd feared and anything that encourages us all to add to OSM map data is to be welcomed with open arms in my opinion.


Darren Griffin

 
Posted by MaFt on Thu May 13, 2010 12:12 am Reply with quote

i like how it has the 'bug' icon for making on-the-go amendments. not had a full-on play with it yet but i recall you could correct things such as missing roads, wrong turn restrictions etc.

on my brief use tonight it seemed to lag a bit in updating the map - however i was using wifi tethering to my android phone to use it's data connection so it may have been a delay caused by that...!!

i'll have a proper play tomorrow. i know my area is fine as i've spent a lot of time mapping it - i've even gone as far as walking around the perimeter of playing fields and the local cricket club to add some green to the map... i'm going on a drive to the far side of keighley tomorrow so we'll see how it copes where i've not already mapped the place Wink

MaFt


 
Posted by magnetic on Fri May 14, 2010 7:31 am Reply with quote

The app is not Open Source, the article is misleading in that sense.


 
Posted by magnetic on Fri May 14, 2010 7:46 am Reply with quote

Darren Wrote:
Indeed I thought it had a smattering of Navigon about it.


That's interesting, as skobbler was founded in September 2008 as a management buy-out of Navigon.

Anyway, all turn signals look the same to me, that's not important Smile .


 
Posted by jkljkl6 on Fri May 14, 2010 8:24 am Reply with quote

Does anyone know if this works abroad? My (possibly naïve) assumption is OSM is open and global so theoretically this "should" work anywhere.

Admittedly I wouldn't want to use data roaming for any length of time but it could help out in a pickle or in countries where all the others seem to have forgotten. Until recently Google didn't seem to know that Cyprus even had roads where OSM still leads the way (literally).


 
Posted by MaFt on Fri May 14, 2010 8:58 am Reply with quote

jkljkl6 Wrote:
Does anyone know if this works abroad? My (possibly naïve) assumption is OSM is open and global so theoretically this "should" work anywhere.

Admittedly I wouldn't want to use data roaming for any length of time but it could help out in a pickle or in countries where all the others seem to have forgotten. Until recently Google didn't seem to know that Cyprus even had roads where OSM still leads the way (literally).


it would but roaming charges would be extortionate! on a relatively short journey yesterday, about 10 miles, it used just under 1mb of data. from memory O2 charge about £7 per mb...

MaFt


 
Posted by W6tty on Fri May 14, 2010 9:09 am Reply with quote

Can the speed camera database be used in this app?


 
Posted by Darren on Fri May 14, 2010 9:12 am Reply with quote

W6tty Wrote:
Can the speed camera database be used in this app?

Not as it stands currently, no.


Darren Griffin

 
Posted by Glyn on Fri May 14, 2010 9:57 am Reply with quote

I was going to buy this until I read the few reviews that have been written about it on iTunes.

One Star does not bode well for the first incarnation of this app.

Sounds good though...hopefully it will improve in time.


 
Click here to view more comments...
Reply to topic

CamerAlert Apps



iOS QR Code






Android QR Code







© Terms & Privacy

GPS Shopping