Car consortium buys Nokia's HERE mapping business for US $3.01 billion

A consortium made up of Audi, BMW and Daimler has agreed to purchase Nokia's mapping business for an approximate US $3.07 billion. This puts to rest a long standing bid to sell the business which Nokia has developed since it acquired NAVTEQ in 2007.

HERE Maps is ideal for motoring applications and it looks like while the big 3 carmakers have made the investment, the consortium of carmakers that can make use of the technology can only grow. Part of Here Maps' strength lies in consolidating real-time traffic information from vehicles. Uber was reportedly in talks with Nokia for the mapping business and had allegedly offered up to US $3 billion on the table.

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Windows 10 promises better mapping experience

Microsoft is looking to provide its users a better mapping option with Windows 10. The recent preview version of the operating system shows a better integration with Bing. Aside from getting photos, reviews, directions, and Here's in-car navigation, users will also find it easier to look for things to do. You can say you're looking for a place to eat at near your hotel and then book a reservation right on the spot. We can't wait to see once this is fully integrated.

Source: Engadget

Nokia buys Alcatel-Lucent, will sell HERE maps to Microsoft?

Nokia seems ready for a comeback of sorts. The company reportedly agreed to buy Alcatel-Lucent for US $16 billion and while the deal will be finalized in Q2 2016, it makes for some intriguing speculation on where Nokia might be going with its new acquisition. 

"The combined company will have unparalleled innovation capabilities, with Alcatel-Lucent's Bell Labs and Nokia's FutureWorks, as well as Nokia Technologies, which will stay as a separate entity with a clear focus on licensing and the incubation of new technologies," a press release by Nokia states.

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Waze now estimates how long you'll be in traffic

Waze now measures how long you're going to be stuck in traffic. The Traffic Bar feature first made available on Android now makes its way to iOS. It takes into account traffic jams and gives you an estimate of how long you'll be in the jam for. Remember that since it's an estimate, it isn't 100 percent accurate. 

The latest update also allows you to port your old account onto a new device once you decided to upgrade. This means your points get moved as well. 

Source: Waze | Via: Ubergizmo | Download: Apple iTunes App Store (Free) + Google Play Store (Free)