Nokia shows off traffic monitoring application

Paul Mah — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:05:00 -0500

Despite its recent announcement to lay off 600 employees, Nokia has been hard at work cooking up the next innovation. The world's largest mobile phone maker is working together with GPS map maker Navteq--which Nokia acquired last year--to help drivers get a more accurate picture of traffic information. The idea is that real-time data can be anonymously collected by handsets equipped with GPS in order to provide up-to-date traffic information. Currently, a pilot project involving more than 10,000 handsets has already been launched in the San Francisco Bay Area. Moving ahead, this technology could really shine if it is able to react to current traffic conditions to recommend the best route for any given destination.

To read more:
- check out this article from Ars Technica

Related Article:
Nokia to lay off 600 employees

Nokia acquisition of NAVTEQ cleared by EU

Paul Mah — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:32:55 -0400

The European Commission has OKed Nokia's proposed $8.1 billion acquisition of digital map maker NAVTEQ. In a written statement, an EU executive said, "The commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area, or any substantial part of it."

As Nokia looks for new sources of revenue from the maturing mobile phone industry, the NAVTEQ acquisition will give it a stronghold in the navigation business, considered to be one of the fastest-growing segments in the technology industry. With the EU approval under its belt, Nokia expects the deal to be closed within the "next five business days."

For more on Nokia's acquisition:
- check out this Guardian article