I love Google Earth on the iPhone but have to admit it is even more amazing on the Apple iPad.

The latest version of Google Earth update 3.1.0 has added support for Retina display. Also, it has added underwater bathymetry and ocean content layer.

If you haven’t tried Google Earth, you should try it on your iPhone. It really is a lot of fun.

iPhone Google Earth Adds Ocean Content Layer - Originally published in Top iPhone Resource on 2010/09/24 (RSS)

© shriya for Top iPhone Resource, 2010. | Permalink | Be the first to comment | Find us on Twitter - @TopiPhone and on Follow TiR in Facebook.

Recently, I came across an app called EveryTrail that I have fallen in love with.

EveryTrail is actually an iPhone app that works in conjunction with an online community of global travelers with the same name.

With this app you can create an interactive map of any trip while you walk, bike, run, hike, drive, sail, ski or travel by any means. The app will chart your tracks via GPS.

You can also add pictures at various points and add your own commentary to create a complete trip report.

You can share this report your created with your friends on Facebook or Twitter and also on EveryTrail website. You can also update your own personal blog or website with the map you make with this app.

Just go into the app, name your trip and click on start to start tracking. It is iOS 4 multitasking feature-compatible so you can continue using other apps on your iPhone as it tracks your trip. However, be mindful that continuously running GPS in the background runs the battery down. We both have iPhones so we use iPhone 4 for this which has a better battery life and save the 3GS battery for making calls.

As we hike, we like the stats we can see in this app like distance covered, the speed we are hiking at, elevation gained, etc.

Also, we can search from over 200,000 trips from EveryTrail.com to get ideas on new places we are going to by location, length, activity, etc. Another cool factor I like about this app is that I can track my own trip while following someone else’s trip. I can also save my own trip as well as someone else’s right on my iPhone for later access. The free version lets you sync unto 3 of your recent trips with the website. (thanks Paul)

EveryTrail is available as a ad-supported FREE version (reviewed) as well as a PRO version for $3.99.

You get offline use of maps, record your own Geotagged videos to trips, sync all your trips between app and EveryTrail.com. Plus, the PRO version is ad-free.

I am happy with just the free version of this app but features like adding videos or the ability to sync all your trips with the website are important factors, you might find that $3.99 is not a bad price for that comfort for an activity you love.

Note: For some reason EveryTrail has been crashing on my iPhone 4 since I jailbroke it. So, I am not able to grab screenshots from my own trip.

You may also want to check out another cool app in the Travel iPhone apps category – AccuTerra review.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Availability: App Store

Pricing: Free (ads) & $2.99 (PRO – ad-free)

EveryTrail – A Must Have App For Trail Lovers - Originally published in Top iPhone Resource on 2010/08/05 (RSS)

© karthik for Top iPhone Resource, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Find us on Twitter - @TopiPhone and on Follow TiR in Facebook.

I have had a handheld GPS unit for simple location, and navigation for years, but nothing that could really be updated with new maps. We had our GPS in the car, but what we really needed was something that could leverage the power of the iPhone with its integrated GPS, and data capabilities. That’s when I found AccuTerra.

At the time AccuTerra only came in one flavor, you get the app, then you purchase in-app map packs. You could get medium-resolution state/regions, or you could get HD versions of major National Parks, and a few other popular locations.  Now, with their newest 4.0 version, AccuTerra comes in two versions – free, that sets you up with a basic map, and the ability to purchase map segments on the fly to fill-in an area you need coverage for; and a paid version, AccuTerra – Unlimited, currently on sale for $2.99 through the end of July 2010. The Unlimited version represents an amazing deal as it provides free on-deman access to all the maps, regular and HD. Even better, in the few months since initially discovering AccuTerra, Intermap has expanded their HD offerings to cover most of the United States.

At the time we went on our trip, AccuTerra had our destination covered in HD, so I decided to give it a try, and see if the iPhone could become my new camping GPS. What I found was an application that just blew me, and my camp-mates away. We were able to plan our hikes on the map, which showed all the major trails in the parks, as well as access roads, trailheads, and virtually every major point of interest we would want to know about. We were able to keep track of our distance, take pictures that were geo-tagged to their location, and share our tracks via Facebook with family back home.  The maps were perfect for hike planning, and even helped us driving around the parks when looking for the trailheads.

AccuTerra is extremely easy to use, and the newest version only improves on my earlier experience by making navigation simpler, menus more straight-forward, adding the ability to download map grids on demand for a broad overview, and the ability to purchase (or aquire for free with the Unlimited version) higher resolution maps and HD maps. It seems like Intermap is trying to get everyone to switch to the AccuTerra-Unlimited because at the sale price of $2.99 you get full access to all the HD coverage maps and general maps, that would typically cost $0.99 to $1.99 depending on the map. Purchasing Unlimited would pay for itself in just a few map downloads.

New maps are fast and easy to download right to the iPhone, but you do need to be careful as they are not small. A general resolution map covering the 63,000 square miles of the state of Georgia, with a four-mile screen view weighs in at more than 500 MB. You could quickly fill up your iPhone if you start to download everything. The good news is that AccuTerra makes it easy to uninstall maps to free up space, so you can get more maps. Also, be aware, that the larger maps have to be downloaded over wifi, so plan ahead for your trips, and make sure you have the maps you need.

AccuTerra has a lot going for it. In the On-Demand map mode, you can get 50 square miles at a time, or choose from more than 350 pre-defined recreation areas. You can save an unlimited number of tracks, so you can review your trips later. You are only limited by your iPhone’s storage space for your geo-located images. AccuTerra tracks real-time elevations, and can even use a Google Maps layer for a different set of information, when you have a data connection. You can even share your tracks and geo-tagged photos through a Facebook or email link.

For all that’s good about the app, there are a few downsides. Currently, the app does not track while in the background. I am sure this will be fixed in a future update, but it is a limitation you should be aware of. Also, because its constantly using the GPS for location services, you will see a little higher hit on your battery life.

I was already a huge fan of their previous versions, and now with AccuTerra Unlimited, available for $2.99 through July, I am even more excited for my next hike.

Guest post by: E. Lee Cunningham, MBA, is a business technology consultant specializing in helping new businesses develop their online and traditional media marketing and business strategies, through his company ELC Innovations. (ELCInnovations.com)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Availability: App Store
Price: $2.99

AccuTerra iPhone App Review - Originally published in Top iPhone Resource on 2010/07/15 (RSS)

© smartpig for Top iPhone Resource, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Find us on Twitter - @TopiPhone and on Follow TiR in Facebook.

Google Earth iPad app is now available in the App Store.

Google Earth 3.0 for iOS is now fully iPad compatible. Plus, the iPad app sports an updated UI that lets you switch easily between the layers and select from your My Maps that you have saved in your Google account.

With the iPad’s large screen touching and tilting your way through Google Earth is very interesting to say the least. The new Road Layer for iPhone 3GS and iPad is pretty cool.

I will be spending many more hours on this app just like I did with StarWalk for iPad.

Google Earth Lands on the iPad - Originally published in Top iPhone Resource on 2010/06/15 (RSS)

© Karthik for Top iPhone Resource, 2010. | Permalink | Be the first to comment | Find us on Twitter - @TopiPhone and on Follow TiR in Facebook.

Trapster uses the location enabled iPhone’s GPS to learn where you are and alerts you in real time showing you where the traps may be in a map.

Trapster has almost 400,000 traps reported by fellow Trapster users. With over a million Trapster users (around 1/2 million of them being iPhone users), it uses traditional methods where other drivers flash headlights to oncoming traffic warning about police speed traps.

If you detect a speed trap, with a Trapster account you can report a trap right from your iPhone.

And as you approach a trap, a voice plays alerting you to the presense of a trap. The systems learns your credibility of your report as more users confirm the trap.

With iPhone OS 3.0, Trapster has gotten push notifications that starts the app via the Trapster real time live police report text messaging system.

To enable Push in Trapster, go to trapster.com/push in Safari and choose the type of alerts you want to receive – Live Poilice, Mobile Speed Camera, Checkpoint or Roadblock. You can also choose what days you want to be alerted on and the distance within which the alerts are sent.

Trapster also has a trip planner feature that lets you add photos, geotag, record your trip, see it on the iPhone or web, share your trip with a friend and let them see your progress real time in any computer or iPhone.

This could a great tool if you are sending your kid/spouse on a road trip and want to see the progress they are making.

Trapster is a great free tool for the road warriors or even those who commute to work everyday on highways. It may not be as effective as a radar but I see so many speed traps in my town already in Trapster database.

Status: Recommended

Availability: App Store

Price: Free

Trapster – Push Notifications on Police Speed Traps - Originally published in Top iPhone Resource on 2009/07/17 (RSS)

© karthik for Top iPhone Resource, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Find us on Twitter - @TopiPhone and on Follow TiR in Facebook.