Scout navigation app for iPhone gains location sharing and ETA notifications (video)
Beyond its free price, users of Scout for the iPhone have an extra reason to smile today as the navigation app now supports location sharing. More specifically, users will be able to share their current location or future destination via either text message, email or Facebook. By leveraging Telenav's HTML5 navigation system, recipients can take advantage of the company's browser-based, turn-by-turn directions by merely clicking the sender's enclosed link. As another nice touch, Scout also now supports automated notifications, which allows users to provide estimated arrival times via text message to chosen contacts whenever they depart for a specific destination such as home or the office. For a peek at the new features, in addition to a quick introduction of the new Things To Do menu and revised My Dashboard, be sure to check out the video after the break.
Show full PR text
Scout for iPhone Now Includes More Options to Plan with Friends, Share Arrival Times and Discover Local Events
First Navigation App to Give Users the Ability to Discover, Share, and Drive to Local Events and Attractions
Sunnyvale, Calif. - February 21, 2013 - Telenav®, Inc. (NASDAQ: TNAV), the leader in personalized navigation, announced today an update to its free Scout™ for iPhone personalized GPS navigation app, making it easy for users to plan with friends by sharing locations and turn by turn navigation. With the touch of a button, users can easily share any address, place or local event with friends or family via text message, email or Facebook. Friends and family do not have to download the Scout for iPhone app or even have an iPhone to receive navigation to the event or location. The shared location will include a link to Scout's HTML5 browser-based, turn by turn navigation service that works on iPhone, Android and Windows Phones and offers a voice-guided navigation experience without a downloaded mobile app.
"We're always on the go – whether it's our morning drive to work, taking our kids on an adventure for the weekend, or going out with our friends," said Dariusz Paczuski, general manager of Scout at Telenav. "Being able to easily discover local bands and venues, share them with our friends, tell our friends that we're on our way, and know when they'll arrive, are great examples of how we're focused on making Scout even more helpful and more personal for each of our users."
Share Arrival Times with One Touch
The new version of Scout for iPhone gives users the ability to share their estimated time of arrival (ETA) via text message through the app when they launch a route. Users can share their ETA to home, work or any other location – such as the time they will arrive at the restaurant to meet friends or when they will be home from work. Scout calculates ETA based on real-time traffic, speed limits and other factors. In addition, users can activate automatic alerts so that any time they launch a route to home or work, Scout will share their ETA with designated recipients. Scout now makes it very easy for users to notify significant others or their childcare each day when they have left and when they should arrive.
"Coming soon, we will also make it possible for people to share their full route with friends and family as well as ongoing updates on their ETA," continued Paczuski. "This will be helpful if you're stuck in abnormally heavy traffic, for example."
Things to Do on the Go – Access to Local Events and Attractions
Scout for iPhone offers features and content to help people search and discover local events and attractions around them such as live music, sporting events, family and kids' events, and outdoor recreation. Users can browse popular categories to look for current or future events.
In addition, Telenav has updated the Scout.me home page, making it easier to discover, save and share local events, attractions, and places with friends. As users save favorites on Scout.me, these favorites will also be saved on their Scout for iPhone app to be accessed later, which eliminates unnecessary searching and typing from the app while on the go.
All of the new features and updates to Scout for iPhone are immediately available on the App Store for both the free and premium version of the app. A demo of the latest features is available here: http://youtu.be/zq41_wZDpis.
