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.

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

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….

This post will be both in French and English, as it’s “Paris Centric”

Pour demontrer certaines des capacités du moteur de “Mapz”, une petite extension Velib a été crée. Elle permet de voir les stations les plus proches de l’endroit ou vous trouvez, ainsi que le status (nombre de vélos libre) de cette station. La grande nouveauté est que cette extension peut utiliser le GPS interne ou externe (via Bluetooth) de votre téléphone si vous en disposez. Ceci devrait fonctionner parfaitement sur un Nokia N95 par exemple
De plus, elle affiche aussi la carte SUR le mobile, afin de mieux visualiser ou ce trouve cette sation.

Pour l’obtenir, clickez sur le lien ci-dessus, et télécharger le client sur mobile. Si l’affichage ne demarre pas tout seul, allez dans “Mapz” et choisissez “Velib”

To demonstrate the capacities of the “Mapz” engine, a small extension has been created this week end. It allows you to see the nearest Velib station. Velib is a smart system put in place in Paris (and some other cities) where you can reat a bike for some hour in a “station”. You can then give back the bike to another “station”. The issue, for Parisian, is to find the nearest station, and to know if there is a free bike available at the station.
Thanks to Velib map, they are now able to do this!

Identificateurs Technorati : n95, gps, mobile, velib, map

Some snapshot of one of the new effect to be introduced in the new client version: a cool “iTune” like effect. Will not be available on all browsers, but look quite cool….Hope to have a screen cast soon.

Identificateurs Technorati : j2memap, itune

Looking for beta testers of the new version ofJ2memap, named “8Motions”. Far from what will be the final release, but enough to play a little bit! So just go to http://www.8motions.com and let me know what happends with your phone.

This feature a great new Ruby On Rail server side, the ability to create your map (or import them) and download them on your mobile, and more to be discovered later on…..

Part of the server used to host J2memap dev tools and 8motions are migrating today. If you still encounter some issues let me know.

MGMaps, another provider of free mobile mapping software has been forced to remove the GoogleMap support of his software.

Sad news. For j2memap, I’ve been trying to contact GoogleMap and the Microsft several times, to get an agreement with them to use more “legally” their map. Only Microsoft answered, but the offering was at that point (beginning of this year) not really mature. Google never answered despite several letter to different people….

Note that if you use the “proxy mode”, the Google statellite tiles might not appear because their proxy is blocking a single platform (mine) to do too many request per day (too many does not seems to be very big, something like 1000 requests)….

Technorati Tags: mgmaps, google maps, mobile, maps