Map Snapper brings interactive maps to cellphones the hard way
Undeterred by newfangled, unproven technologies like GPS, a group of researchers at Southampton University in the UK have devised a new means of getting interactive maps on your cellphone: by snapping digital pics of readily available paper maps. Thankfully, there's actually quite a bit more to it than that (though we've seen worse ideas). Dubbed, Map Snapper, the app will take that fresh pic of a portion of your paper map, send it off to a central server for analyzing, and promptly send it back to you, complete with details on all nearby points of interest. Just rinse and repeat every couple of blocks. While the developers are quick to acknowledge reality and admit that their system is useless for anyone with a GPS-equipped cellphone, they're nevertheless looking for commercial partners to bundle Map Snapper with their handsets -- meaning, of course, you can't get it right now.[Via NewScientistTech]
Filed under: Cellphones
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jeremy @ Nov 1st 2006 8:12AM
Mobile appliations like google maps and windows live local also make this worthless to any phone that can access teh internets. And since internet access is apparently required to use this Map Snapper service, well, you get the picture. (I'm aware this is in the UK, but there have to be services like GMM and WLLM that function there)
MikeX @ Nov 1st 2006 8:35AM
Wow, this is the greatest gadget to come out of England since the Gizmondo. Those brits are jeniouses. Or is it jeniousai?
Mike @ Nov 1st 2006 8:37AM
Please wait whilst I list all the mobile phones currently available in the UK that have GPS built-in...
Ok, done. ;)
I guess this is aimed at the orienteering-types rather than Joe Average. However, if it's just nearly POIs you want, most providers support this via their WAP pages using current active cell location. Bit of an odd one, this app.
Mike
P.S. No, I don't count PDA-style "phones". If it breaks in your pocket when you sit down in the pub, it's not a proper phone in my opinion!
Wonderboy @ Nov 1st 2006 9:13AM
So you've got to have a map with you? Why not just get a decent map that has the points of interest already marked?
ecobore @ Nov 1st 2006 9:39AM
Well, I'm blown away - NOT! What exactly IS the point!!!! If you want this kind of dinkum you can buy a pretty good GPS with screen for less than 200 - give it up boys!
Dan Heath @ Nov 1st 2006 9:40AM
Woah! that's my home town! That's Salisbury in Wiltshire in the UK. Don't believe me? search up SP1 2EB, that's my old school just on the edge of the map.
awesome gadget
heath @ Nov 1st 2006 11:04AM
good for them... gps is a flash in the pan after all.. but when will rand-mcnally and other map companies go after them for copyright violations and then try to embed drm in paper maps... can of worms is now open... this will truly be the next electronic rights battleground...
Jo @ Nov 2nd 2006 7:16AM
Hi all!
See http://ifgi.uni-muenster.de/deutsch/downloads/agkrueger/TimmiMapInteraction.mov
for a demo of a real time mobile map application.
Or visit:
http://ifgi.uni-muenster.de/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=72
Cheers,
Jo