Slashgeo

In press release by SkyHook Wireless they announced that they are powering the wifi based portion of the new iPhone software location awareness. From the release:

Apple is using Skyhook's Wi-Fi positioning software for the new Wi-Fi location positioning feature in its Maps application on both iPhone and iPod touch. Using WPS, iPhone and iPod touch users can now locate themselves in the popular Maps application with the tap of one button.

This is some nice news from skyhook and lends credence to their theory that wifi is a good method for geo-location determination.

The Google Earth blog has a video demonstrating a Virtual Globe (ala Google Earth) all done on the iPhone from the last Where 2.0 conference. From the articles summary : "One of the most interesting exhibits I saw was by a Boulder, Colorado company called earthscape. They showed a number of interesting things (see below), but what really impressed me was when their CEO Tom Churchill pulled out his iPhone to show me how they're working on a 3D Earth application for the iPhone."

Please visit the Google Earth blog to see the video and read the rest of the article.

The Map Room blog brings us some detail information about the new built in iPhone 3G gps functionality. I believe they're calling it AGPS, but here is an excerpt from their blog : "iPhone 3G uses signals from GPS satellites, Wi-Fi hot spots, and cellular towers to get the most accurate location fast. If GPS is available, iPhone displays a blue GPS indicator. But if you’re inside — without a clear line of sight to a GPS satellite — iPhone finds you via Wi-Fi. If you’re not in range of a Wi-Fi hot spot, iPhone finds you using cellular towers. And the size of a location circle tells you how accurately iPhone is able to calculate that location: The smaller the circle, the more accurate the location."

For more information as well as some sample links, please visit the blog link above.

The All Points Blog has a good roundup of iPhone reviews. Needless to say, it's getting a lot of negative review, but it's still somewhat first generation geotagging for the iPhone. Rather than duplicate the summary here, it's best you head on over there to read it.

APB links to a Forbes article on mobile phones and GPS integration. From the article: "As more people rely on their phones for mapping and driving directions, global positioning systems are fast becoming killer mobile applications. Spying an opportunity, Apple, Google and Nokia are priming sophisticated location-based services for launch. [...] The winner's circle shows just how serious Google is about mapping. Forty of the 50 finalist applications--including all 10 first-prize winners--integrate Google Maps and Android's other location-based tools. At least two finalists also make use of Android's compass sensor, which adjusts the phone's screen to reflect the direction the user is facing." See also related stories below.

Here's the recent iPhone related stories found on the geoblogs. There's Ogle Earth discussing the state of 3D on the iPhone. Note that the new Microsoft Virtual Earth 6.2 also support the iPhone. APB provides a link to a map coming from a Wired's survey, tracking iPhone 3G speed and data. The GEB tells us iPhone's Earthscape has new features. Spatially Adjusted informs us how to develop interactive mapping on the iPhone without Silverlight, Java or Flash support, with SVG (read the comments too). Also interesting is the /. discussion about the software development kit shoot out between Android vs iPhone. See also related stories below.

All Points Blog is reporting that the first iPhone GPS turn by turn application is available. Here is their summary : "It's from XRoad and covers only a few U.S. cities, but apparently G-Map (unfortunate name, I'll offer) is ok by Apple as it's said to be available via the AppStore. It's a large download (700 Mb free space needed) and apparently downloads all the data so there's no need for a connection to do a search or get directions."