SKIDATA announces the launch of the iSkiPass application allowing users to quickly and securely buy a ski pass from their iPhone. This solution is the first ski pass reservation application for iPhones. It is immediately available on the App Store – under “iSkiPass” – and will soon be accessible on other mobile platforms.

Thanks to the very latest online reservation technologies from SKIDATA, skiers can now buy their ski pass from their iPhone, load it onto an RFID card – a Keycard or a Swatch Snowpass – and use this card to directly access all ski lifts. This process – which is highly convenient when on the go – helps avoid waiting in line at ticketing offices and is the perfect complement to online reservations.

First phase in the Swiss Alps
During this first phase and until the end of the season, several leading ski resorts in the Swiss Alps are selling ski passes (valid up to 3 days) on the new iSkiPass selling application. To take advantage of this, skiers simply need to download the iSkiPass application and enter their personal data along with the number of cards needed. Buying one or several ski passes takes only a few seconds. As soon as the application delivers the confirmation number, access to the ski resort lifts is authorized.

This solution will be available worldwide starting with the 2010-2011 winter season.

With BirdsEye Satellite Imagery, the user can load highly-detailed aerial and satellite images to compatible Garmin handheld devices. The geo-referenced images result in real-life photos of buildings, roads, trails, mountains and other land features: a true representation of the surroundings as the user explores. Imagery resolution starts at 0.5-meter-per-pixel in detailed areas, and zoom levels from 12 miles to 20 feet. DigitalGlobe continuously expands the coverage areas and imagery quality, which is automatically available to the user during the subscription period. The user can also overlay vector maps, such as TOPO products or POI content, on compatible handheld devices for a better understanding of terrain contours and other topographic or geographic features.

Before the BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription can be used, the user must have Garmin’s free BaseCamp software installed on the computer. To download BaseCamp visit the site.  A myGarmin account is also needed to register the GPS device in order to activate the subscription. An account can be created during the purchase process.

Compatible Devices:      Dakota™ 10, 20, Colorado® 300, 400i, 400c, 400t, Oregon® 200, 300, 400t, 400i, 400c, 450, 450t, 550, 550t.

According to the analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of mobile M2M connections will grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 25% to reach 187 million connections by 2014. The majority of this growth will come from areas within automotive, utility and health sectors where applications are often business, or even life, critical. The reliability of connectivity is imperative for services such as eCall, where vehicles automatically alert local emergency operators in case of an accident. Remote health monitoring and alarm solutions are other examples depending on reliable and real-time wireless data connectivity. Solutions for monitoring and managing remote equipment such as wind mills, water pumps and industrial machinery are equally depending connectivity to secure optimized operations. The connectivity of these devices needs to be built on secure platforms with reliable and redundant technology in order to operate in a secure and stabile way over many years.

Telenor Connexion customers have real-time access to monitor operational status and manage all their devices via an online Service Portal or an API solution directly integrated into the customers monitoring or operations systems. In addition to that, the customers solutions are monitored 24/7/365 by dedicated technical support expertise with tailored routines and processes to secure business critical applications. The platform is fully redundant and providing access to +400 mobile networks around the world.

In addition to the new technical platform, Telenor Connexion has developed a chip-based eSIM solution to be integrated in industrial environments such as machines and vehicles to further secure and enhance connectivity.

Option offers a free software application, the Option GPS Control Panel, that leverages location-enabled sites such as Yahoo! Maps and Bing for directions and local points of interest. Option GPS Control Panel is available for download on the Option support web page. Additionally, through TeleNav Track LITE and Xora GPS Locator from AT&T, enterprise customers can add tracking and location awareness, improving response time by locating the closest worker to a service call, AT&T said.

The device features an integrated micro SD-card slot, making it a portable storage device that allows users to carry the data and files they need.

Blue&Me–TomTom is a fully integrated infotainment system that lets you manage telephone, navigation and information functions on a practical colour touch-screen. The system developed for the Alfa Romeo range will feature TomTom’s world class navigation technology.  The seamless integration has been supported by Magneti Marelli.

As a result of this partnership customers can enjoy a beautifully ergonomically designed in dash system, backed up by TomTom’s navigation technology.  This also ensures a safe driving experience. The display unit of the system is located in the centre of the dashboard making it easy to reach and to see.  Additionally, all system functions can be accessed using either steering wheel controls or voice commands.  The great flexibility of the system, the ease with which it can be updated and the many ways in which the TomTom HOME* for Alfa Romeo application can be personalised, provide conclusive proof of the advanced technology that has gone into providing a brand new user experience.

In addition to all the standard navigation functions, the Blue&Me–TomTom system for the Alfa Romeo MiTo displays and manages vehicle information. A “Fuel Efficiency” function monitors driving style in real time in order to optimise fuel consumption. The system displays all trip information, including average speed, fuel consumption and mileage driven.  Additionally, it shows the nearest fuel/LPG filling station and the nearest Alfa Romeo service centre. In addition, the new system includes the latest TomTom functions including “IQ Routes”, a function that lets you find the fastest route for your journey based on date and time of travel, calculated using a database of trillions of speed measurements.

Besides GPS location, the Transcend goggles feature vertical odometer technologies and provide real-time access to performance statistics including speed, altitude, temperature, and time. Data tracking software will also be available allowing users to record statistics and share information with others.

Designed for use in fast-paced alpine environments, minimum interaction is required during use and the graphics are unobtrusive for front and peripheral vision, Zeal Optics said.

“This isn’t a trendy tech-toy, it is a valid piece of training and safety equipment, wrapped up in a sexy design which is incredibly fun and easy to use,” said Michael Jackson, co-founder of Zeal Optics.

The Transcend model is helmet-compatible and will be available in two choices of high-performance lens.

The glove with outdoor computer is delivered in classy packaging that includes a USB stick, USB cable and integrated lithium ion batteries.® makes for dry, warm hands and the highest breathability. The name says it all: FLUFFY.GTX is available in many colors.

Want to purchase these gloves, go to the site of Zanier.

Traceability is defined as the tracking and tracing of product and information related to it at each stage of a chain of production, processing, distribution, and selling. The development of radio frequency identification (RFID), including peripheral devices and their applications, is indispensable for increasing the safety and reliability of products for consumers.

ISO 17367:2009, Supply chain applications of RFID – Product tagging, defines the basic features of RFID for use in the supply chain when applied to product tagging. In particular it makes recommendations for:

* Encoded identification of the product
* Additional information about the product for inclusion on the RFID tag
* Semantics and data syntax
* The data protocol to be used to interface with business applications and the RFID system
* The air interface standards between the RFID interrogator and RFID tag.

Craig K. Harmon, Chair of TC 122/WG 10 comments: “ISO 17367:2009 will provide higher level security of products worldwide using RFID technology. It will enable easy and efficient exchange of commodities in international trade and logistics. ”

Read more on the ISO site.

As part of the cooperation, Telmap will introduce social networking and user-generated content, to the Telmap5 Mobile Location Companion using GyPSii’s Open API, OpenExperience. Telmap5 will offer users access
to all their networks of friends across social networks including Facebook and Twitter. The integration with GyPSii’s Open API empowers Telmap5 mobile users to access and contribute location-aware content by sharing locations; reading and posting recommendations, videos, and pictures; finding friends, events, and places; and geo-blogging.

Telmap5 offers mobile operators an opportunity to introduce a richer location-enabled solution to their subscribers, as today’s end users are hungry for social technologies and are active on multiple social networks, Telmap said. GyPSii’s Open API, OpenExperience offers Telmap transparent
integration of its patented technologies in mobile user-generated content creation, friend-finding, and a robust suite of development toolkits that support rapid development, fast-track product enhancements, and easy app localization, Telmap said. OpenExperience also delivers a contextual advertising solution for ultra-targeted commercial messages including advertisements and coupons with a high value to the end user.

Appello introduces Wisepilot Maploader, enabling end-users to pre-load high quality maps directly to their mobile phone in batches of country by country. The Wisepilot platform is already recognized to be the most data efficient online navigation solution with 3-4 times less data than competitive solutions. By introducing the Maploader functionality with its additional 75% reduction of data download volume; we will also address end-users who perceive that pure online navigation solutions lead to high data consumption and costs. Wisepilot Maploader also offers consumers to use normal mapping and panning in maps without GPS connection. Wisepilot Maploader will offer pre-loading of maps through OTA (over-the-air) and Wi-Fi directly from the application within the new “My Maps” function. Initially 60 countries will be offered.

Wisepilot Maploader is utilizing components from Idevio AB, specializing in map compression and streaming.