Maps Booster enhances GPS performance in urban areas
Published by Steve Litchfield at 10:12 UTC, November 13th 2009
Skyhook has launched a plug-in for the Positioning system in S60 phones, dubbed Maps Booster and illustrated/reviewed below. Essentially, Maps Booster hooks into the Location sub-system in Symbian OS and adds WiFi-based location services, especially useful in urban areas, where GPS struggles on account of tall buildings and lack of sky coverage. Read on for more.
Skyhook has been around for a while, I interviewed them a couple of years ago, for AAS. Essentially, they maintain a (somewhat) self-healing up to date database of Wi-Fi access points across parts of the developed world, which they then make available to mapping software on various platforms. Try to get a mapping fix on an Apple iPod Touch and you're using Skyhook's system, for example.
They've now made this system available to S60 phone owners, via Maps Booster (support web site here), now available for selected devices (listed below) in the Nokia Ovi Store. The unique selling point is that the Skyhook system excels in dense urban environments, where GPS systems struggle to get a fix - the two location technologies thus complement each other well.
I live in a suburban area, but decided to give Maps Booster a try anyway:
After installation, confirmation that Maps Booster is installed and working
Within the standalone Maps Booster config utility - confirming accuracy (left), quite impressive and GPS comparable in a middle class UK suburban street with about 10 WiFi access points, and 'About' (right)
On the left, Google Maps with just Maps Booster enabled; on the right, with just GPS/Assisted-GPS enabled
You can see that, in suburbia anyway, the GPS fix is generally more accurate than the Skyhook/Maps Booster fix, in which case, the mapping software (Ovi Maps/Google Maps/anything else) will use the more accurate of the two. In covered areas (e.g. malls) and in dense areas (e.g. city centres), I'd expect Maps Booster to be much more reliable, and it's great to see it integrated so tightly into the Symbian Location system.
It's also worth noting that the Skyhook system doesn't work as well as GPS once you're moving (since the WiFi-scanning operation takes a finite number of seconds) and so is better suited to pedestrian use or in slow-moving urban traffic.
There are also caveats in terms of device support (see FAQ below) and database coverage (ditto, see the link), but Maps Booster is certainly something I'm going to keep loaded for those trips into The Big Smoke.....
From the Maps Booster FAQ:
Coverage and phones
- Q:
- Where will Maps Booster work?
- A:
-
Maps Booster will automatically be utilized in areas that have Skyhook Wireless coverage. In general, you will see the biggest improvement when you are in cities and urban locations. Maps Booster also works when you are indoors where your GPS normally struggles. Check out the Maps Booster/Skyhook coverage map for more information.
- Q:
- What phones is Maps Booster available for?
- A:
-
Maps Booster is currently available for the following Nokia phone models: Nokia E71x, Nokia 5730 XpressMusic, Nokia N79, Nokia E55, Nokia N95, Nokia N86 8MP, Nokia N85, Nokia E52, Nokia E63, Nokia N96, Nokia 6710 Navigator, Nokia E66, Nokia N78, Nokia E72, Nokia E71, Nokia E75, Nokia N82, Nokia N81 8GB, Nokia N81, Nokia E51, Nokia N95 8GB, and Nokia 5630 XpressMusic.
We are currently waiting for Ovi store approval for the following S60 5th edition phones: Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia N97, Nokia 5530 XpressMusic, Nokia X6, and Nokia N97 mini. These five phones should be added within a week or two.
Categories: Software, Links of Interest
Platforms: S60 3rd Edition, S60 5th Edition
News Discussion
:) Regards jApi NL
www.bigredzebra.com
:) Regards jApi NL
We just updated our FAQ to clarify further for what models Maps Booster is available [http://skyhookwireless.com/mapsbooster/faq/]. We are currently shepherding the S60 5th edition support through the Ovi approval process, and the Ovi team has been very responsive. Hopefully it is only a matter of days. I am sure that Steve can attest that our software works well on his N97 phone :)
In the meantime, here is a list of phones that we do currently support through the Ovi store:
Nokia E71x, Nokia 5730 XpressMusic, Nokia N79, Nokia E55, Nokia N95, Nokia N86 8MP, Nokia N85, Nokia E52, Nokia E63, Nokia N96, Nokia 6710 Navigator, Nokia E66, Nokia N78, Nokia E72, Nokia E71, Nokia E75, Nokia N82, Nokia N81 8GB, Nokia N81, Nokia E51, Nokia N95 8GB, and Nokia 5630 XpressMusic.
Thanks for everyone's interest. Especially to the people who took the time to email us.
Reinhard
Even a GPS-less iPod Touch 1st Gen can give you an estimation of where you are to begin with!
Where the problem came was...it didn't work. My N95 8GB without it found a location in a few seconds from power up using Ovi Maps but with it...10 minutes later, even on a window ledge, nothing. Couldn't find a position. From Google Maps, I kept getting "Weak GPS signal".
So, I uninstalled it and voila, all working again - Google Maps found a location in seconds. I'll be asking for my £3 back 'cos it was worthless!
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Originally Posted by Unregistered
For example, here is an application that uses Cell ID positioning
www.bigredzebra.com |
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Originally Posted by bchliu
Yaaaahh... Nice,, they have finally caught up with Apple on this one (who has been using this technology for ages)
Even a GPS-less iPod Touch 1st Gen can give you an estimation of where you are to begin with! |
Apple tried to sell it as a USP in the lack of proper GPS - typical of the company, putting a positive spin on what was a major weakness.
Guest @ 12:28 PM: feel free to contact our support at mapsbooster@skyhookwireless.com. We are always here to help.
Best regards,
Reinhard
I downloaded and used Maps Booster when it was first launched on the Ovi Store and it has proved to be very useful.
However, I was forced to do a hard reset on my phone and had to reinstall Maps Booster from the Ovi Store. When I came to open it I was informed that it had to be enabled in Positioning Methods. The only problem is that it is no longer shown in Position Methods.
I have tried rebooting the phone. Uninstalling and reinstalling Maps Booster, but all to no avail.
I have been in contact with Skyhook over this for about a week and whilst their customer services are aware of it and have kept me informed it would seem that they are nowhere near finding an answer and have offered me my money back.
This problem could affect a lot of users of Maps Booster as the N97 is due new firmware upgrade which may mean that a lot of owners will lose this app.
As you point out some time around Jan 28th most N97 owners are going to be doing a reset of one form or another following release of new firmware (hopefully) although Nokia do dispute the necessity of this.
Any cause obvious for the hard reset? I assume nothing to do with Maps Booster itself?
I chose to do a hard reset, my first since v20, as, like a lot of people on here, I install app's just to test them out and see what they're like.
In the majority of cases, I then uninstall them. However, this can leave behind all sorts of files, folders and general crud, so I thought that prior to the release of v21, whenever that may be, I would do a bit of spring cleaning.
Maps Booster worked fine originally but after the reset I went back to Ovi Store and redownloaded it but when I came to open it I received the message to enable it in Positioning Methods. Unfortunately when I open Positioning Methods, Maps Booster is not shown as an option and thus cannot be enabled.
I contacted Skyhook who are aware of this problem and say they are working with Nokia to rectify it.
Will post an update when I know more.