Microsoft adds GPS support to MSN Direct
Microsoft has released an API that allows Web sites to send location information to GPS navigation devices as part of an expansion of its MSN Direct services.
The API (application programming interface) for the MSN Direct Send to GPS (Global Positioning System) feature of navigation devices allows Web sites to send local information to GPS units either wirelessly or through a USB connection, the company said in a press statement.
The API, which Microsoft unveiled at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in January, is free for developers. Instructions for how they can use it to MSN Direct-enable Web sites are available online.
MSN Direct is an FM-based digital service that allows portable devices -- including GPS devices, wristwatches and even household appliances -- to receive information from certain MSN services. The service also allows users to receive notifications on devices about new messages on Windows Live Messenger.
MSN Direct is part of a larger plan by Microsoft to add value to its MSN and Windows Live online services to spur online advertising and compete with Google in that market.
Specifically, the newly released API allows the sites to send addresses, business listings or other locations directly from the sites to a GPS unit. This eliminates the need for a user to re-enter or search for the same information on a device once they have retrieved a Web site, according to Microsoft.
For the information to be transferred, devices must be compatible with MSN Direct Send; GPS manufacturers Garmin and Alpine Electronics currently ship products with this feature. Devices also must be associated with a Windows Live ID. A list of compatible devices is available online.
IDG News Service
Symantec Backup Exec 12 and Backup Exec System Recovery 8 deliver industry leading Windows data protection and system recovery. Download this whitepaper to find out the top reasons to upgrade and how to get continuous data protection and complete system recovery.
Data and system loss — from a hard drive failure, malicious attack, natural disaster, or simple human error — can happen anytime. Don’t leave your business vulnerable. Make sure you have a secure recovery strategy in place. Symantec's latest backup and system recovery technology can efficiently restore critical applications, individual emails and documents and even restore your entire system in minutes in the event of a loss.
Businesses face a growing challenge to ensure that the IT environment is properly protected. Backup Exec 12 integrates with other applications in the Symantec family of products, to complement your current data protection strategy, keep your data securely backed up and make it recoverable when you need it most.
Enterprise 2.0 Implementation
By Aaron C. Newman, Jeremy Thomas
Published by McGraw-Hill
Learn more!
Deploying Cisco Wide Area Application Services
By Zach Seils, Joel Christner
Published by Cisco Press
Learn more!
