Photo: Lance ConzettLet’s not beat around the bush. Freakin’ Weekend VIII — the last hurrah for local blog and label Nashville’s Dead’s annual pre-SXSW celebration of parochial punk gone national — was pretty weird. And that had a lot more to do with a situation that brewed outside The End (which hosted FW shows Thursday and Friday) and Exit/In (which hosted Saturday night’s closer) in the days running up to the three-night mini-fest than it did with what went down on either club’s stages.
Here’s what we know. In recent weeks, rumors started circulating in whispers, and eventually on social media, that somebody had leveled a serious accusation against Freakin’ Weekend co-founder Cy Barkley. The rumors dogged the festival in its final days. And that’s all we know. We don’t know any details of the allegation. We don’t know when the allegation was lodged. We don’t even know if an allegation actually has been lodged. Everything we know is second-, third- or fourth-hand, from people close to the festival. And none of them seem to know any more than we do. We’re not saying nothing happened. We’re saying that our best efforts to find a legitimate source for the allegation have thus far been fruitless. Combine this with a social-media backlash against the festival for its white-male-dominated lineups, and the heat got to be too much for some bands. On the eve of the festival, Freakin’ big draws like Mom and Dad and Pujol, the latter of which was due to headline Friday, were dropping off the bill.
That sent organizers into triage mode. On Wednesday, Nashville’s Dead posted a statement stressing the festival’s dedication to fostering a safe, inclusive environment. The statement also mentioned that ND had “seen some changes in our organization,” noting that “Cy Barkley is no longer associated with the Freakin’ Weekend and Nashville’s Dead.” Oof. Reached by the Scene, Barkley and a rep for Nashville’s Dead both declined further comment. The missive begged more questions than it answered, and more internet drama ensued. By Thursday, enough bands had pulled out that the two day shows — a hallmark of previous Freakin’ Weekends — planned for Fort Houston had been scrapped.
Music BandPhoto: Lance Conzett
For years, Freakin’ Weekend was a festival that brimmed with wide-eyed joy over local kids coming of age amid the power of uninhibited rock ’n’ roll. It was where bands that formed in high school got out the basements and onto actual club stages. It was the brainchild of Nashville’s Dead co-founder Ben Todd, a local musician, advocate and tastemaker who was the linchpin for all things Freakin’ Weekend, until he took his life in 2013. He was 24. Todd lived for being the ringleader at great rock shows where everybody was always stoked, and he asked little of people in return. We all thought that’s because he was just a nice guy, and he was. A month after Todd’s death, JEFF the Brotherhood closed Freakin’ Weekend IV surrounded by dozens of kids in their early 20s, banging their heads and crying their eyes out, making for a moment on the Exit/In stage that was worthy of the Ryman. The festival, the scene, had lost its leader, but not its spirit.
But by 2017, that had changed.
Photo: Lance Conzett
As a heavy storm rolled in on Thursday evening, so did more cancelations. By showtime, the lineup was down to a regular ol' three-band bill, and that's exactly what it felt like — no different from any other Thursday night at The End, with a good touring band and a couple of popular locals. There was no handmade festival banner strung up behind the stage. There was no hipster king emceeing festivities in jest. The room was full (at the beginning of the night, at least), but certainly nowhere near the elbow-to-elbow, at-or-maybe-exceeding-capacity crowd that's come out for Freakin' Weekend in the past. Overall, the vibe was decidedly businesslike, a far cry from the giddy excitement, that “Is this really happening?” glee that we've come to associate with this fest.
That didn't stop the bands from playing their hearts out. Still riding the rush from releasing their new album Chew in February, a deluxe edition of The Paperhead (augmented by a sax player and Skyway Man's James Wallace on keys) kicked things off around 10 p.m. The fuzzy, spacey feel of glam has crept into their concoction of psych and folk. The disjointed “Love You to Death” near the end of the set dissolved into a jazzy, discordant jam that went on maybe a hair too long, but was fun nonetheless.
Savoy Motel played next, and they tilted toward the bristly, snotty side of their knowingly hip funk-punk balance — perhaps juiced by a brush with Death a few weeks back. With her bell-bottoms rolled up to the knee on her kick drum leg, Jessica McFarland attacked the kit and her mic with a snarling fury we haven't seen since her old band Heavy Cream, and guitarist (and Nashville's Dead co-founder Dillon Watson) channeled his inner Robert Fripp with white-hot lead lines fused together by effects pedals.
Some mid-set banter was the only real acknowledgement of the diminished bill — at first they tried to play it off in character as flippant punks, but then they just thanked everyone for coming out and sticking around. In lieu of the honorary emcee, the King of Freakin' Weekend, who usually gets crowned on opening night, a pal came up to the mic and introduced the last band.
Ranch GhostPhoto: Lance Conzett
Miami's Jacuzzi Boys, veterans of multiple Freakin' Weekends all the way back to FWII in 2011, emerged from a cloud of fog to cap the first night of the final fest. They went on shortly before midnight, and laid out a buffet of raucous, poppy, surf-tinged riffage (plus a gnarly cover of Nick Lowe's “Heart of the City”) for the remaining 50 or so patrons, who finally started dancing a little (and even moshed a bit during “Glazin'”). The band dedicated “Planet of the Dreamers” to Ben Todd.
Friday night at The End kicked off with Ranch Ghost guitarist Andy Ferro, who played a solo set of story-song psych folk. Accompanied by Mitch Jones on organ and adorned in a sparkling silver space poncho, Ferro issued some pretty solid, mellow, Barrett-y tunes. The first stage-diving and crowd-surfing of weekend was inspired by the raw uptempo tunes of Music Band, who started their set with a pair of 'old ones' from last year's Wake Up Laughing. They followed those with five brand-new songs (admittedly bumpy in places) that sounded like Seger and The Boss run through a nervy pop-punk filter. Set-closer 'Celebration' saw a pair of fake house plants — which, apparently, Music Band had brought with them — take a crowd-surfing journey through the venue.
For many of the kids who were at The End on Friday night, Freakin' Weekend represents their coming of age. When Todd started Freakin' Weekend in the basement of a weird house he rented in 2009, some of these kids hadn't even graduated to double digits. A set from reunited-for-just-one-show teenage punks Jawws felt both like a cathartic moment — the ceremonious final show, which brought Conner Sullivan back into the fold after he left the band prior to their breakup — and a frustrated rebellion against the 'uninclusive boys’ club' accusations lodged against the festival.
JawwsPhoto: Lance Conzett
Those accusations clearly were interpreted as threats to a monolithic figure in some of these young peoples' lives. One girl, who thrashed against the foot of the stage throughout the show, wore a 'Don't Fuck With My Weekend' T-shirt. People raged and crowd-surfed in a fierce flurry that cried out against the suggestion that this festival that had been so important to their growth as teenagers was actually problematic. And just as people wept over the loss of Todd when JEFF closed Freakin' Weekend IV, when Jawws ended their set, people wept over the symbolic end of their childhood.
Providing sonic contrast to the Black Flaggy, Circle Jerky noise of Jawws, Silk and Suede delivered the night's first and only dose of synth pop. More Cure than Clash, more Depeche Mode than Danzig, more INXS than Nuggets, the duo delivered slick, hooky ’80s grooves that made absolutely zero sense on a bill after Jawws. It was somewhat interesting, honestly, but the band’s technical difficulties and New Wave vibes cleared the room within a few songs. By the time Ranch Ghost laid into their hazy, stoney, summery psych jams, the crowd had dissipated a bit from the critical mass that had seethed and surfed along to Jawws. Even so, they sounded practiced and tight, riffing through a swirl of ’60s sounds that ended an at-times wild and raucous night on a pleasantly lysergic note.
JawwsPhoto: Lance Conzett
As The Spin rolled up to Exit/In for the final night of the final Freakin' Weekend, it almost felt fitting that this was one of the few shows we walked through snow to get to this winter. Three days in and the vibe was still chilly as we entered to the sound of Daddy Issues kicking off a set of two-chord Bratmobile homages about weirdos in lust and misfits in love. 'So much has happened and changed, I don't if we're supposed to be here,' frontwoman Jenna Moynihan bantered. 'Of course you are!' shouted a voice from the crowd. Once again, it felt more like a normal Saturday night out at Exit/In than a FW show, let alone the last FW show. And it was a show Daddy Issues considered canceling.
'This was not a decision we made easily,' the band wrote on its Facebook page, 'but as the only women on Saturday's bill, we think we can do more good for the Nashville scene by performing, sharing our songs with the community and hopefully serving as a reminder of the inexhaustible power of women than we can by not performing at all.'
Daddy Issues — who donated their take from the show to RAINN, a charity that works on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse — dedicated a song to said survivors, along with a denouncement of racism and sexism.
By the time Atlanta power trio Omni was onstage — delivering a set of catchy, jangly tunes with hooks betraying a record collection full of top-notch Midwestern '80s college-rock LPs and vocals reminding of the the undying influence of The Fall's Mark E. Smith — it was starting to feel like the FW was getting back to one of its main missions: exposing us to regional ass-kickers we haven't heard of yet.
Photo: Lance Conzett
As Freakin' Weekend VIII reached its 11th hour, Diarrhea Planet, Nashville's all-time most aggressively positive punk outfit, not to mention a nationally known presence that opened early Freakin' Weekends in their earlier days, felt like the only band that could restore seven years worth of good vibes and great memories before kissing the festival goodbye on a positive note. And they did, closing a cathartic set of their own oldies with a cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Born To Run,' lead vocals courtesy of Music Band's Harry Kagan. It was a call back to Freakin' Weekend IV, when the band covered the Boss classic as a tribute to Todd. The song served the same function this time around, not only ending the festival with six minutes that felt like full-on classic Freakin' Weekend, but reminding the FW family of fans and bands that sometimes we've gotta get out while we're still young.
UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: Portions of this post have been edited.
HERE Global B.V. | |
Formerly | Karlin & Collins, Inc. (1985–87) Navigation Technologies Corporation (1987–2004) Navteq (2004–11) Nokia Here (2011–15) |
---|---|
Besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid | |
Industry | Mapping data GPS navigation software |
Founded | 1985; 34 years ago |
Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Edzard Overbeek (CEO) Peter Meier (CFO) Angel L. Mendez (COO) | |
Owners | Navteq (1985–2007) Nokia (2007–15) Audi (2015–present) BMW (2015–present) Daimler (2015–present) Intel (2017-present) |
Number of employees | 6500 (2016) |
Website | here.com |
HERE Technologies is a company that provides mapping and location data and related services to individuals and companies. It is majority-owned by a consortium of German automotive companies (namely Audi, BMW, and Daimler), whilst other companies also own minority stakes. Its roots date back to U.S.-based Navteq in 1985, which was acquired by Finland-based Nokia in 2007. HERE is currently based in Amsterdam.
HERE captures location content such as road networks, buildings, parks and traffic patterns. It then sells or licenses that mapping content, along with navigation services and location solutions to other businesses such as Alpine, Garmin, BMW, Oracle and Amazon.com. In addition, HERE provides platform services to smartphones.[1][2] It provides location services through its own HERE applications, and also for GIS and government clients and other providers, such as Bing, Facebook and Yahoo! Maps.[3][4] HERE has maps in nearly 200 countries, offers voice guided navigation in 94 countries, provides live traffic information in 33 countries and has indoor maps available for about 49,000 unique buildings in 45 countries.[5] The company is also working on self-driving technology.[6]
HERE has built its mapping and location business by acquiring location technology and know-how: the company is a combination of what was formerly Navteq and Nokia Maps.
Navteq (styled 'NAVTEQ'), was an American company founded in 1985 as Karlin & Collins, Inc., later known as Navigation Technologies Corporation and eventually as Navteq. At the time of its acquisition by Nokia, Navteq was the largest maker of automotive grade map data used in car navigation equipment.[7][8][9][10]
Nokia Maps began in 2001 as Smart2Go, a generic 3D-map interface for access to tourist information on mobile terminals. It was developed by an EU consortium named TellMaris.[11] Nokia gained the rights to the software when it acquired Berlin-based route planning software company Gate 5 in August 2006, which has become the cornerstone for the company's mapping business.[12] It then made the Smart2Go application free to download.[13][14][15][16][17]
In October 2007, Nokia acquired the Chicago-based company Navteq, which brought 25 years of experience in creating automotive grade map content, and a deep footprint in the automotive industry.[7] Nokia ran Navteq's business along with their own Nokia Maps (later known as Ovi Maps, then again as Nokia Maps from 2011). The two divisions remained as separate entities of Nokia Corporation until Navteq was amalgamated into the core Nokia operations in 2011. The service was rebranded as HERE in 2012, bringing together mapping, location businesses, satellite navigation and other services under one brand.[18][19][20]
In 2008, Nokia picked up geo social networking site Plazes and the following year it bought mobile applications developer Bit-Side, social location pioneer Plum, and social travel service Dopplr. In 2010, it acquired MetaCarta a leading enterprise local search service used by security and military.
In April 2011, Nokia released a beta version of 3D maps that covered 20 cities in the world. By August 2011, the coverage has expanded to 23 cities, and in 2012, Nokia bought EarthMine, which specialises in street level 3D image capture.[21]
In May 2011, Ovi Maps was renamed to Nokia Maps when Nokia streamlined its services offering.[22]
In October 2011, Maps & Drive for Windows Phone 7 (Mango) was announced, which was available on Nokia Lumia phones (710, 800 and in 2012, the 900). However, major features such as off-line routing and text-to-speech navigation of street names, compared to the Symbian version, were absent.[23] These features were eventually brought over to the Windows Phone platform in 2012.
On 13 November 2012, Nokia announced that it would rebrand its location offering as HERE to highlight its vision for the future of location-based services and its belief in the importance of mapping.[24][25][26]
In June 2014, HERE announced that it had acquired Medio[27] a Seattle-based start-up that specialized in predictive analytics.
In 2014, Windows Phone's low market share, as well as the end of Nokia's partnership with Microsoft, led to the company prioritizing Android and iOS development.[28]
HERE launched the HERE beta app for Samsung Galaxy smartphones in August 2014.[29] Later in October the app became available on all Android devices running on 4.1 Jelly Bean or higher.[30]
The HERE app was re-launched for iOS 8 platform on 11 March 2015.[31]
On 3 August 2015, HERE was sold to a consortium of German car makers Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. On 4 December 2015, the consortium completed the acquisition for 2.8 billion euros (2.9 billion US dollars).[32][33] As of December 2015 the company had 6500 employees.[34]
In December 2016, Navinfo, Tencent and GIC Private Limited (the Singapore sovereign wealth fund) agreed to buy a 10% stake in HERE.[35] But in September 2017, the offer of the three companies failed, as US authorities did not authorize the transaction.[36]
In January 2017 it was reported that Intel was taking a 15% stake in the firm.[33] In September 2017, HERE and Pioneer Corporation have reached an agreement in which HERE would acquire approximately 3% of Pioneer’s stock at a value of €17.3 million. In parallel, at the same cost, Pioneer would acquire less than 1% of HERE.[37]
In January 2018, Continental and Bosch acquired a 5% stake in HERE.[38]
In November 2017, HERE announced it would acquire Advanced Telematic Systems for an undisclosed amount.[39]
The German consortium together hold a 74% stake in the company.[40]
The 2016 Jaguar Cars XF and XJ models incorporate HERE drive guidance in their in-car infotainment systems. All of the features of the HERE suite are available to the driver, including maps, navigation, and social sharing using Glympse. This is all available on either eight, ten or 12.3-inch display screens within the car itself (screen size dependent on model). A hallmark feature of HERE Auto is the ability to plan the journey right from the Android or iOS app before entering the car, and seamless guidance to the final destination after parking the car. What sets HERE Auto apart from competitors such as Android Auto and CarPlay is its nature of being contextually aware, rather than just a screen mirroring solution. Country and region maps are also able to be downloaded directly to the flash-based storage of the HERE Auto system itself, much like the ability to store offline maps on devices using the Android/iOS HERE apps.[41][42]
HERE MapCare was first implemented with Volvo vehicles in 2009, and has since spread to at least 23 other manufacturers (such as Hyundai, Mazda and Mitsubishi) utilising HERE maps data in their infotainment systems. HERE map data is updated for around a period of three years from the date of purchase of the vehicle, and is performed at the time of service from the car dealer. There is also the option of updating maps data via USB memory stick or memory card.[43]
HERE maps data and technologies are also integrated in the technologies of other car and company companies. Some prominent examples are listed below:
Garmin has been using HERE for its mapping system since the days it has been branded as NAVTEQ. With its recent models of Garmin GPS navigation units, HERE has facilitated and used DAB to broadcast live traffic information free to users. This is done through the power cable of the GPS unit acting as an antenna, and provides enough data with low latency, allowing data to be updated in very fast intervals. This is in comparison to data charges stemming from using devices with a SIM card to provide this same level of detailed traffic information.[44]
MyFord Mobile from the Ford Motor Company has its location services powered by HERE mapping data, allowing users to find their parked cars remotely from the relevant iOS or Android app. Routes for driving are also able to be planned on the phone itself and sent to the car ready to be enacted. Charging station locations for electric vehicles already inherent in the HERE mapping database are also included in the calculation of routes to be driven.[45]
HERE also has a presence at major motor trade shows around the globe. For example, at the Mondial de l'Automobile 2014 show in Paris, HERE had its maps in 50 of the 62 cars on show. HERE also attends other major trade shows such as CES in Las Vegas.[46]
HERE also conducts work on various new technologies to improve traffic, mapping and the experience of driving. Listed below are recent prominent examples of these:
In August 2015, HERE introduced a new traffic-jam warning system called Traffic Safety Warning. The system works in alerting the driver with a suitable time period to react to the fact that there is a traffic jam up ahead. Data is updated every minute and is yet another way in which data collected is used to the benefit and safety of drivers.[47]
In June 2015, HERE published an interface specification named the Sensor Ingestion Interface Specification. This standard defines how sensor data gathered by vehicles on the road can be sent to the cloud to update maps on the fly. The premise of the technology is to allow for the collection of data to alert other cars on the road to traffic obstacles or accidents in the vicinity.[48] HERE has called for leading car manufacturers from across the world to promote its specification and call for a standardised data format, thereby leading to all consumers receiving the same traffic data reporting.[49]
HERE also works in the field of automated vehicles, with the recent provision of its HD Map data for manufacturers in testing their vehicles. The highly accurate mapped data of private test tracks provides these cars with a highly accurate navigation system to complement data collected from on-board sensors. Much like existing map data is collected for consumer driving, the same LiDAR technology is used to map these private test tracks along with the roads that are used for public testing.[50] HD Map data is also highly accurate, with accuracy to a level of 10 to 20 centimetres, and the collection of lane geometry is also part of the data collection task. HERE makes approximately 2.7 million changes to its global map database every day.[51]
Also part of the field of autonomous vehicles and automated driving is the Live Roads technology. HERE is currently developing such a technology that will be able to alert drivers of conditions such as weather to alert other drivers of possible hazards, or to avoid a particular area whilst driving. An example is the aggregation of data from windshield wipers and slipping tyres to notify other drivers to avoid an ice-filled area. The company is also investigating Humanised Driving where data is collected on driving habits on roads, and provisioning this data to allow automated cars to follow how drivers behave (speed, traffic lights etc.) when driving on certain roads.[52]
HERE has also worked with SWARCO Group [de](in German) in developing new technologies for intelligent speed guidance. Through the smart provision of traffic lights and management, traffic congestion and vehicle efficiency will be able to be improved.[53]
HERE WeGo, formerly Nokia Maps and HERE Maps, is a consumer mapping application that works on smartphones or through a web browser. It is currently available in 196 countries and its features include turn-by-turn walking navigation, offline availability, 3D landmarks and indoor Venue Maps for 100,000+ unique buildings in 87 countries. A favourite's list shows the top 25 most popular places in the vicinity looking at positive reviews, search queries and other user data. The application is also integrated with an augmented reality technology called LiveSight that lets users hold up their phone to reveal information about the buildings including contact information, hours and reviews in their line of sight from the phone camera display.[54]
In November 2012, HERE announced the decision to open up its location platform to all operating systems so that anyone with any kind of device could access it. With an open platform HERE broadens its reach and acquires more users, which in turn generates more data for its location cloud.[55][56] HERE developed a HERE Maps API for Android which is available to partners. Apps built with the HERE Android API will be able to interact with extruded 3D buildings, search for specific buildings and preview their routes in detail.
In November 2012, HERE created an HTML5-based web service for iOS. The free app provides iPhone users with maps in almost 200 countries as well as public transit, walking and driving directions. Voice guided navigation is available for walking directions. It also provides multiple map views including a satellite view, public transportation view and live traffic view. HERE Maps on iOS received lukewarm praise mostly because it was a web application and not a native one.[citation needed] HERE Maps for iOS got multiple bad reviews from the start stating it was 'a mess', 'a wreck', 'unfinished', 'buggy'[57] and 'rushed out HTML5-powered turkey'.[58] It was pulled from the App Store in December 2013, after having not been updated for 10 months.[59] The HERE web site was offered as replacement, however as of December 2014, HERE noted that they plan to 'officially launch HERE for iOS in early 2015.'[60] HERE was re-launched as a true app designed for iOS application on 11 March 2015.[61]
HERE makes its location-based assets, such as offline maps, available for the Microsoft Windows platform through a dedicated Windows SDK.[62]
Because the suite runs on Windows, users can save their favourite destinations as live tiles to their start screen and the app will calculate routes based on current location. The suite is integrated so that users can access individual functions going from one app to the next without going back to the home screen. Favourites are saved to the cloud so that they can be accessed on all of the different applications.
In February 2013, Nokia announced that HERE Maps, HERE Drive and HERE Transit would be available on all Windows devices at the Windows Store.[63]
HERE Drive provides navigation designed for in car driving in 94 countries. Its features include visual and audio speed limit warnings, voice guided turn-by-turn navigation with spoken street names (optional) in more than 60 countries in 50 different languages and offline availability. The user interface is designed for drivers and map data includes 260 attributes such as turn restrictions, physical barriers and one-way streets. HERE Drive and HERE Drive+ have optional live traffic information where available, but both lack dynamic rerouting, which is restricted to everyday commuting in a few countries only and then does not come with voice guidance.
HERE Transit has public transportation information for more than 700 cities in 50 countries. It combines bus, train, ferry, tram and walking information in one application.
HERE City Lens is augmented reality (AR) software that gives dynamic information, through the phone’s camera display, about users' surroundings[64] such as shops, restaurants, and points of interest, shown as virtual signs overlaid on or above buildings. A commercial Beta version was released in 2013.[65]
It also has free of charge turn-by-turn voice guided navigation, HERE Drive 3.0 (earlier Nokia Drive), which can also be used without internet connection using preloaded maps.[66] It is also possible to de-clutter the surroundings: version 1.5 has a 'Sightline' feature where users can narrow their view to just what is in the direct line of sight, making it easier to spot interesting places.
HERE City Lens is powered by Bing Maps, and Nokia introduced HERE Prime Place for listing.[67] The newest release has 3D icons and the ability to disable places which are not within the camera's line of sight.[68]
On 15 March 2016, HERE announced that it would discontinue support for its app for Windows 10 Mobile on 29 March 2016 due to its use of 'a workaround that will no longer be effective after June 30, 2016', and that the existing Windows Phone 8 app will only receive critical updates after this date and no longer be actively developed.[69]
HERE was available on Symbian platform under the previous names of Nokia Maps, and Ovi Maps. The latest, and the last, version 3.09 included:
Nokia stated that the Nokia 808 from 2012, would be the last Symbian phone.[73] Symbian development has halted, therefore no new features for Nokia Maps are to be expected. Accenture is responsible for maintenance of Symbian and Nokia Maps until 2016.[72]
The supported phones are:
Maps for the Series 40 platform (such as early phones from the Nokia Asha series) were limited compared to other platforms. The maps were streamed online into the device or pre-downloaded with Nokia Suite. In some markets, the phones came with a SD card with preloaded local maps. They mostly did not have turn-by-turn navigation, and pedestrian routes were limited to 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) length. As none of the Asha series phones had GPS, positioning was done by Cell ID of the cellular network or by using the Wi-Fi positioning system. An exception was the Nokia 2710 Navigation Edition, which was an S40 phone with GPS and full turn by turn voice navigation.
HERE is the default map software on Ubuntu Touch,[74]Sailfish OS,[75]Fire OS and Tizen.[76]It is available on Firefox OS.
HERE Map Creator (http://mapcreator.here.com) is a service launched in November 2012 to allow users to update the HERE map. The service is available for more than 100 countries and in 47 languages. It can be accessed from their website mapcreator.here.com and dedicated HERE Map Creator Android and iPhone apps.
Users are able to add new roads (trails are included here), edit a road or remove it, add a new place, edit a place or remove it and finally add a house number, edit or remove it. In addition, users can edit road details such as speed limits, number of lanes, 1 or 2 way, type 'open road', 'tunnel' or 'bridge', pavement type, etc. and also add local shops and businesses into various categories such as a grocery store, clothing store, types of restaurants (including cuisine and name of food joint), sports equipment store among several other categories and sub categories. and give various details about them including photos, contact nos., addresses, hours and days of operations in a week, payment info in the shops (whether they accept cash, cards, discount coupons or not). Users can also report map changes. Tutorial videos and instructions to carrying out the editing operations are available on their website.
HERE provides mapping data and assistance to many customers in the enterprise sector. One of these services powered by HERE mapping data and geocoding is the FC.frameLOGIC fuel control system by frameLOGIC, which uses fuel probes installed in the vehicle fuel tank to detect discrepancies and ultimately from three to ten percent on their fuel expenditures.[77] Another company making use of HERE data is MapMechanics, whose Truckstops VRS solution engages HERE real-time traffic and historical data patterns to plan ahead and factor in events such as transit strikes, to in turn re-route drivers.[78] Sygic is another truck company that uses HERE map data for its Truck Navigation software, depending on its accuracy and reliability.[79] Other pertinent examples of companies using HERE for their services are Aramex,[80] TimoCom,[81] we-do-IT,[82] Amadeus,[83] Maps4News[84] and Baidu.[85]
In July 2015, HERE launched HERE Traffic Analytics, which helps companies to plan for the effects of traffic on projects such as road construction. With the giant silo of data available, HERE has made current and retrospective data available for business customers to be constructed, tailored and extracted to the customers' requirements. Giving such granular control over the data allows for customers to use this data for the purposes they require, and the amount of detail and control needed for projects.[86]
The HERE Mobile SDK was launched in February 2014, and in the time since has expanded to add more functionality for developers. There are many customers using HERE mapping data as the backbone for their mobile apps, and the SDK provides access to information such as average road speeds, traffic build-up, and maximum loads that can be transported on a particular road.[87] There have been even more features and access added in each iteration of the SDK, with the latest 3.0 version launching in mid-2015. In the HERE Mobile SDK Starter Edition 3.0, there are native Android and iOS APIs for raster tile map display, online points of interest search, geocoding/reverse geocoding and online pedestrian/car route calculation. HERE Mobile SDK Premium Edition 3.0 extends the functionality to include vector maps, turn-by-turn guidance, truck routing, 3D venue maps and augmented reality. Offline Enterprise Maps (for truck attributes and congestion zones) and LiveSight pedestrian guidance are also provided in this latest version of the SDK.[88] HERE Data Lens is another service launched by HERE whereby customers can visualise their usage of data on a map in a visual form. This pictorial representation provides for extended analysis of datasets and how they are being used.[89]
HERE draws on more than 80,000 data sources including a vehicle fleet, which collects data through panoramic cameras, position sensors and laser technology for 3D footprints. The cars have an array of cameras, which capture 360-degree street views and LIDAR sensors, which capture 1.3 billion data points every minute. Another bank of high-resolution cameras capture signs such as speed limits and street names.[90] In November 2012, Nokia acquired Berkeley based company Earthmine to further bolster its 3D street level imagery processing capabilities.[91] In addition, HERE relies on local source data and input from map users to generate constant daily map updates, such as real time traffic, turn by turn directions, public transportation routes and information about local business and attractions.
By 2013, four out of five cars globally with fully integrated in-dash navigation systems used HERE data. HERE supplies map content for Alpine, BMW, Mercedes, Garmin, Hyundai, Pioneer, Volkswagen and Toyota among other car companies and enterprises.[92]
HERE also provides mapping data for popular apps to find and order taxis. Some of these apps are Easy Taxi, MetroView and Grab Taxi.[93]
HERE licenses its location platform to other major companies including Amazon, Bing, Yahoo!, Flickr, SAP and Oracle. Each partner uses the HERE location platform, which is available to any business or screen, to optimise experiences for its own users depending on the particular context. Amazon, for example, uses the HERE platform for maps and geocoding, in Amazon Maps. In 2012 the platform computed 11 billion traffic probes a month, 80 million geocoding requests daily, 24 million route requests a day and more than 1 billion search queries in a year.[94]
Nokia threatened legal action against a small UK technology firm over its use of the word 'Here'. Lowdownapp, a digital personal assistant allows users to tell friends they have arrived at a location by pressing the 'Here' button. In a letter seen by the BBC, Nokia gave London-based Lowdownapp a deadline of 10 February 2015, to rebrand the 'Here' function of the apps. 'Our client has invested heavily in building and promoting the HERE brand since launch,'. The firm said it had registered trademarks for the word when it related to computer software, such as apps. David Senior, chief executive of Lowdownapp, described the threat as a real-life David versus Goliath.[95]
Getting around town is easier and more personal with HERE WeGo. Use offline maps to navigate without an internet connection. Get directions and other info you need to go from A to B your way, including transit ticket and carsharing prices, departure times and more.
MORE OPTIONS, LESS HASSLE
Take your car, your bike or public transit. If you’re in a hurry, call a taxi or find carsharing nearby. HERE WeGo shows you all the ways to get around, so you can compare them easily and pick what’s best for you.
KNOW HOW IT’LL GO, BEFORE YOU GO
HERE WeGo tells you about your route before you head out: subway and bus ticket prices, taxi fares, whether traffic will slow you down — even how flat or hilly your bike ride will be.
GUIDANCE THAT TAKES YOU ALL THE WAY THERE
Use the reliable GPS navigation with voice guidance in your car for an easier drive. Walk guidance takes you every step of the way, and you’ll never miss a transfer when you take public transit.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO KEEP ON MOVING
When delays hit, you can find faster travel alternatives with HERE WeGo. Real-time traffic and transit info keep you in the know, so you can adjust in time to stay on time. Even without a cell signal, HERE WeGo keeps working, thanks to free offline maps.
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WE’VE GOT YOU (AND MOST OF THE WORLD) COVERED
HERE WeGo has public transit info for 1,300 cities including, New York City (NYC Subway, NYC Bus), San Francisco (BART), Chicago (CTA), Boston (MBTA), London (TfL), Berlin (BVG), Munich, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Milan, Vancouver, Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne and many more. Go where and when you want on the underground, bus, bike, train, tram or ferry.
THE INTERNET? HOW “90s”.
Offline maps of the US, the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Canada, Australia and more than 100 other countries can be downloaded safely and for free, right to your phone, and used without internet. Offline navigation is the perfect solution for international travel and limited cellular data plans.
SO, WHERE TO?
That’s all up to you. Whatever your destination, however you're going, HERE WeGo is how you get there.
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