Free Turn-By-Turn Navigation Comes to Google Android G1! But ...

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: December 18, 2008 6:27:28 PM EST
To: dave () farber net
Cc: lauren () vortex com
Subject: Free Turn-By-Turn Navigation Comes to Google Android G1!   
But ...



      Free Turn-By-Turn Navigation Comes to Google Android G1!  But ...

              http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000482.html


Greetings.  Some of the most impenetrable complexities relating to
technology, computing and the Internet, are the maze of twisty little
passages comprising intellectual property licensing.  But open
development regimes often win out nonetheless.

A couple of months ago I discussed the controversy over the specific
prohibitions against turn-by-turn navigation systems imposed by the
Google Android SDK -- specifically relating to the Google Maps API
( http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000445.html ).  Similar restrictions
exist in the iPhone SDK, by the way.  I speculated at the time that
these prohibitions were related to underlying licensing restrictions
associated with the mapping data sources, and noted that I expected
definitive word on this from Google.

Unfortunately, I have (so far) been unable to get what I would
characterize as a "substantive" explanation from Google on this score.
The official word I've received is merely a restatement of the
prohibition that we already know about.  I won't speculate here on why
Google isn't more forthcoming about this matter, though I do have my
ideas.  It's likely an uncomfortable situation for Google, given their
very significant dedication to open source, not only in Android, but
in many other areas as well.

However, since the Android prohibition relates to use of *Google Map*
data for turn-by-turn systems, the door is still open for
Android applications that use other, unfettered mapping data.

And in fact, a turn-by-turn navigation program for Android has
appeared via this route (no pun intended, of course).

Specifically, we now have "AndNav2" -- which is currently available as
an Alpha release ( http://www.andnav.org ).  To avoid the licensing
entanglements described above, AndNav2 -- which looks like it will
ultimately be quite a feature-rich program indeed -- uses free mapping
data from OpenStreetMap -- a collaborative global mapping project
( http://www.openstreetmap.org ).

I noted that there was a "But ..." in all this, and here it comes.  As
you might expect at this relatively early stage, the breadth and depth
of "open source" mapping data is more limited in some respects
vis-a-vis commercial data -- though this is reportedly changing
rapidly.

Another issue is that while apparently U.S. mapping data has been
prepared, it won't be made available to AndNav2 users until the
authors (who are actively collecting donations to help support this
currently free program) have sufficient -- actually quite minimal it
appears -- funds to provide server capacity for the U.S.  Right now
only parts of Europe are fully served for street-level navigation
through the program.

How well AndNav2 will work in practice on a large scale remains to be
seen.  But if you're interested in Android G1 turn-by-turn navigation
(I certainly am) I urge you to take a look at the AndNav2 site
( http://www.andnav.org ) and give them a hand if you can.

I certainly support the rights of intellectual property holders to
protect their works.  But I also support the rights of the public to
collaborate and create open alternatives.  AndNav2 appears to be a
great example of the latter approach working creatively within the
Internet arena.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () vortex com or lauren () pfir org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
  - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, NNSquad
  - Network Neutrality Squad - http://www.nnsquad.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com





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