8Motions blog

One of the most interesting feature of 8Motions, is the ability to view a KML file on mobile. Here is a step by step to help you to do so.

Here is how.

So, lest use this KML sample, created using MyMaps from Google:

(you can see this page using this direct link ).
The KML link is link under the “show in google earh” button

You have two options:

First option:

You just want to see one single track, and are ready to type this URL on your mobile. Then start 8Motions (you can download it at http://www.8motions.com or directly from your mobile at http://www.8motions.com/m ) and go to “track” -> options -> import -> from internet and then put the URL of the KML file you want to import.

Here is the result on 8Motions:

 Note that if you use GoogleMyMaps, the URL can be sometime very long, like this: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=fr&msa=0&output=nl&msid=100794107530973749779.000434a046c54077b3580 and hard to type. You can use a service like tinyurl ( http://tinyurl.com ) to transform it into a shorter link, this one in that case: http://tinyurl.com/34k738

Other option, if you want ot manage several track: put then as “Mapz” in your account:

First, go to 8motions and create your account (http://www.8motions.com).
Go to “Mapz”, then, “create a new mapz”,

Then, put the name of your maps, like “My first KML file ” and in the field “url if it’s a KML file” just put the URL of the KML file and press apply once it’s ok. You can eventually add extra info, like a specific icon to be displayed on mobile or to setup a public/private flag. A public mapz will be visible by everybody (but can not be changed by them) while a private will be only visible by you.

Then, if you go to the “Mapz” menu of your 8Motion mobile client, you will see the newly created mapz.

You can create as many mapz as you want…

Note: do not forget to set up your username/password on mobile if you want to be synched with your web account.

A few bug have been recently corrected on the web site. Let me know if you encounter any issue….

Let me introduce today one of the coolest thing, both from the technical point of view and end user point of view of the new 8Motions client: the “Mapz”.
What is a mapz?

It’s to map what widget is to the web…A small map oriented application, focused on doing one task, but doing it well. User can select one or more mapz to be downloaded on his phone.

Example of mapz:

• Google “MyMap” published on a mobile
• a traffic overlay (Mapz)
• The list of flickr pictures near you, or Fon hotspots…
• A new map provider: OpenStreeMap for instance
• “Velib” map. Show available velib (bicycle stations in Paris), and ask to the server the remaining bicycle on selected stations….
• Interconnection with a collaborative Geolocalized Wiki: TellMeWhere ( Mapz)

Mapz creator: everybody!

A mapz can be created by many people, no needs to be a developer (but of course, as a developer, you have more possibilities!)

• it can be a simple KML file! Now, so many contents are available as a KML file, that putting a KML link to create a new mapz is a matter of seconds. A cool way to publish content on mobile.
• it can save user preference
• it can contains some intelligent behavior
• Mapz can contain some scripting code, JavaScript based. For instance, you can create a function called when you click on a point. This function could for instance do a request on the server to fetch more detailed information.
• it can save user preference
• All your mapz and mapz data are synced with the server. If you use the same username/password on a different mobile, you’ll find all your mapz and preference

Current status: Mapz is still early and in development, API is not yet documented, but we are workig on this.
But if you are interested, drop me a line, or use the discussion forum.

Identificateurs Technorati : widgets, mobile, maps

8Motions is a revolutionnary new mobile map client, full featured.

With 8Motions, you can do the following things:

• Browse maps on your mobile. You can choose your map provider, between Google Map, Microsoft Live, Yahoo!Maps and ask.com
• See map or satellite picture
• Search for location, commerce
• Connect a GPS (internal or external through bluetooth) to get your current location
• Download “Maps” created by yourslef or other users
• Download KML files, GPX, or GeoRSS file
• Create and record tracks, that can be later uploaded to the web.
• Take geolocalized picture
• You can expend it and add more “layers”
• OpenStreetMap
• Traffic
• use predefined extension:
• Flickr search
• Wikimapia
• “Velib” tools
• Can be linked directly to your Google “MyMaps” created maps.

Other features:
Multilanguage supported, French, English and Russia for now (translator needed!)
Ultra speed tile download

Companion WebSite, to create your own map, setup your settings: www.8motions.com

Note:

• this program make use of your data connection, so ensure that you have the right data plan to use it.
• It was based and it’s the evolution of “J2memap“

Want to download it? Press this button 

8Motions is proud to have been invited as a speakrer at the Location Based Services 2007 hapenning in Madrid, from Monday the 8th to Thursday the 11 of October.
I will talk about “How geotagging can drive LBS usage through mobile social network and user generated content”. If you want to speak about business opportunities, or just chatting, lets meet there.

Identificateurs Technorati : 8motions, lbs, lbs2007, madrid

Big news: 8Motions (the J2memap successor) support now translation. For new, english, french and russian are supported.

First, thanks to Andrew Petrov who made the Russian traduction of the client. So we are looking for more translator. The process is fairly easy: just download this CSV file, and use a plain text editor, or eventually excel or open office to edit it and add a new column with your language, and send me back the result at 8motions@gmail.com

The translation file for the monbile is here: http://www.8motions.com/res/lang.csv
while the one for the web is here, but just started: http://www.8motions.com/res/languageWeb.csv

And don’t be shy, put your name in the “trans_author” line to be added into the credit list!

Update:

Thanks to Wilfred Chan and “king midi” for their help in the chineese traduction, both on the handset and the web site. I did not experimented yet with Chineese, so I am not sure that the web site will switch automatically in Chineese, I will add soon a popup to select the lange directly from the web site.

The j2memap forum moved to my new hosting, and is now under phpBB3. Hopefully, there is not anymore manual confirmation, the new default phpBB3 capcha, so I hope that this will be enough to stop spammers….