Road Test: NAVFone Android for Samsung Galaxy S

Another AGIS road test on the NAVFone application, this time, for the Android OS, FREE for download on the Samsung Galaxy S. (Simply access Samsung Apps from your mobile phone)

Watch as the Product Team takes it for a quick spin from Ang Mo Kio Hub to Thomson Plaza. Look out for speed check area prompts and the text-to-speech capabilities of NAVFone in reading out road names. Enjoy!

New NAVFone (iOS) apps on the iTunes Appstore

The following apps have been approved and released today!

NAVFone East Malaysia + Brunei Street Directory

NAVFone Boracay Street Directory

NAVFone Visayas Street Directory

AGIS NAVFDrive in the news

Gleaming, shiny, intuitive and impressive. Kudos to our developers for a piece of engineering brilliance!

Why does the location keep jumping on NAVFone?

Recently, there has been 1-star reviews and feedback that the NAVFone apps for iPhone is lousy because the GPS is not working properly. So we investigated and tested and finally decided we better attempt to answer the question: Why does the location keep jumping on NAVFone?

GPS position is calculated based on signals from satellites in the sky. Generally 3-12 satellites can be visible by the GPS chip in the mobile devices. When the chip is receiving less than 4 signals, the GPS position becomes invalid or highly inaccurate.

Inaccuracy has also been experienced when there are many glass façade buildings in the vicinity. GPS signals get reflected off the glass panels and when received by the GPS receivers, produce inaccurate results. This can happen in areas with tall glass façade buildings.

Bad weather and thick tree cover also reduce the accuracy of the GPS signals, causing a delayed response on the navigation apps. Sometimes, the location is delayed up to 3 sec during rain storms.

Specifically for iPhone, the Location Service is provided by phone. It is very much beyond the control of the developers. Besides the limitation of the GPS position as highlighted above, when there is no GPS, the iPhone Location Service switches automatically to the AGPS position.

The AGPS position is normally the mobile or WiFi base station which the mobile phone is connected to. Hence whenever there is no GPS position, it bounces from building to building, or landmark to landmark. All apps utilising the Location Service face the same problems. When that happens, you can observe inaccuracy of up to several hundred metres from the actual location. This is commonly terms as a 'location jump'.
In our testing, we have experienced these occurrences when:
(1) Inside tunnel such as CTE and KPE
(2) Underground or covered carpark and driveways
(3) Along highly built up areas with tall buildings, such as the Shenton Way, Robinson Road, Cecil Street and the Raffles Place vicinity.

AGIS has tested the apps on several iPhone devices with the same result. We also tested the NAVFone with other navigational software and noticed the same location error.

Nonetheless, we are still looking into the issues and coming up with solutions that could filter or minimise the inaccuracy. Meanwhile, we hope to get the understanding and support of our users - we are working to improve our apps all the time.

At least for one thing, you can be assured NAVFone or NAVFDrive would bring you to your destination :)

Spyshots: NAVFone GPS Navigation on the iPad?

AGIS partners Foresight Technologies and Starhub to launch the iNO F12: SOS Phone for the Elderly

NAVFone makes the news!

NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation was featured in The Straits Times ROAM section on the 10th of August as being one of the most practical home-grown Singapore apps for the iPhone!

KPE: To SPEED or NOT to Speed!

I have been driving on the KPE regularly for the last one month.  It has been an interesting observation for me.  Having heard of the many drivers who were caught speeding after the tunnel was open, I noticed that the speed level has gone up from 70km/h to about 80km/h or more!

Not wanting to be caught on camera, I have been the law abiding citizen keeping to the speed limit.  However, I noticed other cars tailgating me, making me feel like a road hogger on the highway.  On top of that, being at the edge of the speed limit, I am unable to filter into lane 2 as everybody else is running at about the same speed. 

As to whether they are caught by the camera, I doubt so.  

Although there are many cameras in the tunnel, these drivers are aware of which cameras actually capture the speed.  They are able to take a higher speed, making feel like I am just holding them back if I were in Lane 1. 

There are certain sections of the Tunnel that gives the warning, “Speed Camera Ahead”.  I do see some braking at these sections, but how can we be sure which are the sections where I could take up a little more speed and filter into the next lane?

Thus, the question to Speed or Not on KPE will be best answered by those of you who have at least received a warning.

Dayal Krishnan

Chief Operating Officer (LBS)

NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation - Top Selling Navigation Apps in Singapore

Since its release on 14May, the NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation apps has moved up and stayed at the top of the Navigation chart in the Singapore Store. NAVFone is the most well-received product in the Navigation apps in the iTunes.

We have been receiving a stream of well-wishers and praises from friends, partners and users. We have made this apps so easy and user-friendly that within 3 steps, the apps is already navigating to your destination. What more, the database and map is being updated and validated for correctness and accuracy everyday. But it is just too disruptive to be updating the apps whenever the data is changed. So we make it a point to pan out an update whenever there are major changes to the landscape. The last 2 updates occur soon after the opening of major roads such as the Bartley East Viaduct and the opening of major facilities such as the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World at Sentosa.

Recently, we updated the apps to cater for iOS4. Many of our customers faced some issues after upgrade to iOS4.00 and 4.01. We read the feedback on our Feedback System and on the iTunes and received calls to our local customer support office about the issues faced. Immediately, we conducted extensive tests on the apps and in areas where our users encounter problems, on iOS3 and iOS4. Strangely, we did not encounter any issue during our testing. We advised our users to delete and download the apps again. It seems the issues are resolved after that. What you are assured, is that we are here in Singapore, so we are able to provide support to our users who face problems and resolve apps issues quickly.

We do know of GPS jump issue in the city area, such as Shenton Way, Robinson Road, Cecil Street and the Raffles Place vicinity. We did our tests with other friendly navigation apps and found the same outcome on the location. GPS and iPhone Location Service is a whole lot of academic stuffs, so let us explain that part in more detail in another blog.

It is a joy to us to have created this apps that is serving so many of you well today. We are working on new navigation apps with more features for the PRO users, while rolling out the navigation apps for the nearby countries. Currently we have the NAVFone Malaysia GPS Navigation which covers the entire West Malaysia on the AppStore. The same good features can guide you to your destination in your next road trip up to Johor, Melaka, KL, Ipoh or Penang. And if you can't find what you are looking for, tell us on our feedback system and we would work hard to get it fixed for the next update.

Meanwhile, happy travelling :)

More responses to our dear customers...

@ zippy79 - Just glad to be of service!

@ The Ace's -  Apologies but I believe you may have jumbled our navigation app with our OTHER hit app, the NAVFone Singapore Public Transport Planner & Map which was on a $2.99 promotion sometime back. Don't worry, it happens to the best of us. Thank you for your time nonetheless. :)

@12bro - Its a pity you found our app, for lack of a better word, "retarded". But we still thank you for taking precious time to drop your feedback. We can't quite make out what your real gripe is though. Perhaps you could drop us a line/mail to better communicate the issues you face since it seems to be your one and only review thus far. Looking forward to hearing from you!

For all our other NAVFone users, do take some time to make it a High-5-Star app. Cheers!

Reviews, reviews and more reviews: NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation

@superflydmw - Yes we do admit that the ability to resume your journey whenever the app re-launches post phone call or any other disruption is a God-send. Glad you like it. 

3D maps will be available in the next version of our apps, along with functionalities such as ERP cost estimations, LGI, Car park information and a host of other uniquely Singaporean features that other navigation apps can only dream of. Thanks for the review!

@slgan - (Insert shameless remark). True, the depth and content of our application is second to none. And glad you see the plus point of having everything onboard hence absolutely no worries regarding obscene data roaming charges! Try our range of street directory versions for all your data-charge free travel needs!

@Vinijune - Apologies for your inability to reap the benefits from our app. To troubleshoot, how about you check under "Settings > General > Location Services" to ensure that location services has been turned on for your iPhone, and also for our app. 

Do hit us up if you still face difficulties as its quite disturbing for us to find that a minority of our users cannot navigate hassle-free.

@qing.song - With the new functionality of the iOS 4.0, multi-tasking has been made a reality. This translates into the ability to do ANYTHING whilst something else is running. (See image below).

You simply need to double tap your 'Home' button, slide the pop-up screen to the left to reveal the above shortcut buttons to your iPod. You don't even have to exit the NAVFone app. Hope this helps!



For all other reviewers, do not hesitate to contact us here or through our support channels for assistance. If you like our app, feel free to rate it 5 STARS! Cheers!

The NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation app is available on the appstore. 
For more information, visit our product webpage at http://www.navfone.com 

AGIS at the CAR-nival, Singapore Expo, 11th July 2010

Last Sunday witnessed the massive CAR-nival organized by CATS Classified, featuring gadgets and gizmos a car-fanatic's wet dreams are made of...like an in-car GPS navigator powered by AGIS' NAVFDrive.

AGIS partnered with Autoform's booth at the above-mentioned event to rapturous response by the hordes of consumers thronging Singapore Expo seeking in-car GPS navigation devices amongst other ICE hardware.






The AGIS product design philosophy of an easy 3-step "Search, Select, GO" in all our NAVFDrive and NAVFone products was the evident game-changer in a market that's increasingly being filled with oddball GPS navigation applications that require a degree to simply turn on, and a PhD to navigate home.

Judging by the wonderful response to NAVFDrive's products at the event, strong selling points such as the following are still what customers really look for:-

•           3 easy steps for fast and accurate search.
•            Direct route to housing block/building/carpark/entrance
•           HDB Blk/ Building name search using 2 or 3 characters.
•            Postal code search.
•           Yellow Pages.
•           ERP/ Toll.
•           Latest maps data with Marina Bay Sands   and Resorts World Sentosa.
•           Car park Infomation.
•           After sales support (In house Map update and technical assistance) provided by AutoForm
•           50m, 200m, 500m and 1km voice prompt to provide safety driving.
•           Life time map data update for PND.

Til the next event, drive safe NAVFDrivers!

NAVFone Malaysia GPS Navigation: Locked and Loaded

New and noteworthy? Oh most definitely.

Download your copy, now.

The NAVFone Malaysia GPS Navigation app on iTunes retails at US$9.99.

NAVFDrive is LIVE

Win free promo codes for NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation app worth US$9.99!

We're giving away FREE promo codes for our absolute hit of an app through iMerlion. All you need to do is to email them at spam@imerlion.com (replace the word "spam" with "iphone") and tell them why you deserve a free promo code! The five best entries which are relevant and displays good humour will win!

For example,

Hi Mr. iMerlion,


I would like a free NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation promo code because my wife thinks i'm utterly hopeless with directions, when in fact, I know perfectly where I'm going 35.673% of the time, on a good day.


And besides, I'm your biggest fan, more so since your sister started performing National Service.


Yours Truly,
Mister Singapore


Its that easy! Go to it now!!!

Product Launch & Review: NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation

The much anticipated launch of the NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation app on the iPhone has arrived!

Watch the AGIS Road Test team as they tackle the route to Marina Bay Sands Singapore here, or below.



The video features Ben & myself, navigating from the AGIS HQ in Bishan to Singapore's newest attraction, the Marina Bay Sands. Look out for us driving past landmarks such as the Old Police Academy, Sim Lim Square, Raffles Hospital and the Singapore Flyer.

As with the product testing for all of our other navigation products, things we typically look out for include the accuracy of map data, acceptability of given routes and most importantly, overall consumer experience. (We're mere iffy marketing/product/business mortals after all).

I must say that the ability to get from anywhere to, well, anywhere in Singapore within 2-steps (Search & Go) is a tremendous benefit to any user. Given the density of our roads, as well as the probability that any journey shouldn't take you more than 20 minutes tops, any navigation application mustn't be Rocket Science to operate, with unnecessary frills and bow-ties on an otherwise hollow application developed in some far-out foreign land. With clear visual and voice guidance to your destination, I imagine this app reaching the level of indispensability for any driver.

Search for anything in Singapore, from iconic landmarks (Resorts World Sentosa), off the beaten track road names (Kelantan Lane), on top of your everyday postal codes! (because numbers like 730322, 577203, 760425 only makes sense to us anyway).

The first navigation app developed homegrown. Cos no one gets you the way we do.



Cheers,
Sophan
AGIS Product Development

The NAVFone Singapore GPS Navigation app is now on sale on the Apple Appstore for only $9.99

Smartphones versus Car GPS navigation devices

With the introduction of the NAVFone Navigation app on leading smartphones, voice guided turn-by-turn navigation is simply a download away from online app stores. As smartphones get better and better at doing navigation, does this mean the end of the road (no pun intended) for the dedicated car navigation device?

Coming from the mobile phone world, I’ve had a front row seat in seeing the introduction of the digital camera in phones some 10 years ago. Initially, the images captured on phones were blurry at best, but now clear images captured on phones are a given. Despite the proliferation of embedded digital cameras on phones, the dedicated digital camera market is very much alive and it isn’t going away. It’s a similar situation with digital music players. Although most mobile phones can play music, the dedicated music player market is still relevant.

This leads me to the conclusion that the dedicated navigation device will continue to be relevant with a strong following of users who understand that the dedicated car GPS device is engineered and optimized to perform navigation, and hence it is likely to perform its specific function better than a multi-function device.

One thing is for sure, the availability of smartphone apps like the NAVFone will result in an increase in the number of people experiencing the added convenience that navigation technology can bring to their lives. With the increase in people using digital maps and navigation, new opportunities abound for companies like Agis who are at the forefront of creating compelling navigation experiences and location based services on leading smartphones and dedicated car navigation devices.

NTU's 55th Anniversary: Run Round Singapore 2010 Success!

The above event went on pretty smoothly, with participants, organizers and the members of public being able to view the website for live information as to the location of the runners in the gruelling 218km race.

To mark AGIS' involvement in the event, Chief-Marketing-Officer (CMO) Carey presented a token of appreciation to our CEO, Fang Soong on behalf of the organizers, coinciding with our monthly monday lunchtime talks.

Carey then gave all staff a brief run through of what took place that day, everything from the challenges runners face, to the challenges AGIS faced in bringing such a value-added service to the masses.

One again, we'd like to congratulate all runners involved in the NTU Run Round Singapore 2010!

NTU's 55th Anniversary: Run Round Singapore 2010

Today marks the final day of preparations for AGIS's integral involvement in the NTU Run Round Singapore 2010 event. In a nutshell, AGIS will be providing location services for 9 of the athletes who will be running the entire 218km. (Yes, the entire 218km).

With partnerships from Starhub and Asiatracks, supporters would be able to enjoy features like:-

-Finding the location of any specific runner through SMS
-Receiving automatic alerts of any runner as they pass through various checkpoints around Singapore
-Visually determining the location/running history of the runners, LIVE on a map.

Click here for more information on SMS Tracking.
Click here for more information on Asiatracks.
Click here for to view the runners' location LIVE.

We at AGIS wish all the runners the very best and NTU a wonderful 55th Anniversary Celebration! Cheers!

AGIS CEO Interview Exclusive: Mr. Chou Fang Soong

The AGIS Products & Marketing Team recently had the privilege of interviewing our CEO, Mr. Chou Fang Soong who willingly agreed to contribute to The AGIS Blog. The following are the excerpts from that session:-

Q:You possess a wealth of knowledge in the engineering, innovation and business fields. Share with us a few of the lessons you’ve learnt when faced with past challenges.

In my previous organization, I had the privilege of leading a “start-up” operation with a small team and promoting a new technology that had yet to be adopted by the market. As a team, we were able to overcome market resistance and many other challenges to pioneer many world first applications. In time, the company grew to a strength of more than 1,000 staff, with presence across the region. We became a leading player in the Asian market.

There were many lessons learnt and I see the same parallel and opportunities at AGIS. Some key lessons are:

1. It is important for the team to work together, take challenges, and have an ability to innovate and a passion to succeed.

2. Be down to earth and maintain transparency and integrity in business dealings with both partners and customers.

3. A total solution approach with innovative ideas that allow our customers to find new market opportunities or business models.

4. Bringing new ideas/products to the market requires fast execution, understanding of the market, and flexibility in adapting our solution, to gain first mover advantage.

5. In order to overcome challenges like resistance to changes, impact of existing status quo or processes, or simply rejection of new ideas, we need perseverance, patience and commitment to pursue an idea until it bears result.

I hope with my past experiences, we can work together to help AGIS overcome our challenges and succeed in growing the company to the next phase.


Q: If you could sum up your management principles, what would it be?

One key management principle that I subscribe to strongly is to empower a team that is highly motivated and passionate about what they do, sharing a common vision and goal. The effectiveness of such a team is to be able to draw on the strength, ideas and expertise of each individual and facilitate them to work together in unity to achieve an outcome that is many times more than if they were to do it alone.

I place importance on innovation through ideas, participation and contribution of every member of the team. This is particularly important for an SME like AGIS where we can overcome our size with good team spirit where one plus one equals to three. We can thus enable everyone to achieve their fullest potential as individuals, as well as part of the AGIS team. I would liken this to the concept of an “A” Team where everyone has a sense of belonging and wants to be part of the team.


Q: Analysts predict that by 2012, there will be an estimated half a billion users of location-based services (LBS) worldwide.Would you agree to the general optimism regarding the potential of LBS? And how has AGIS positioned itself as the regional market leader in this industry?

I’ve been exposed to LBS business in my previous organization, and understand the challenges and opportunities in this market.

LBS has been around for quite some time, and it has been experiencing slow market adoption in the past due to privacy issues and the readiness of technology like the availability of GPS devices and limitation of location technology like the Cell ID. But the situation has changed in recent years with the increased penetration of smartphones with GPS capabilities among mobile users, and the pervasive use of personal navigation devices among motorists.

With the proliferation of location based service applications on smartphones, consumers are well educated on the benefits of such services without compromising their privacy. Today, the ability to provide specific information or services based on the location of mobile users has become a catalyst for many new applications, including some recent excitement in the industry by location based advertising.
What is unique is that AGIS has developed software only location based technology that is able to provide a location of the mobile user without GPS. As we can embed our technology on handsets or SIM cards, our technology is easily available for the mass market which do not have access to GPS phones.

Our optimism also stems from our recent success in securing five major LBS deals in the last 6 months with major telecom operators and enterprises, both locally and in the region. This is a clear reflection of our solution meeting market needs, with its growing adoption of LBS.

Our priority now is to focus on successfully executing these projects and helping our customers to deploy and grow their services. I believe we are well-positioned to be a leading player in this region.


Q: With regards to the navigation and mapping sector, how has Nokia’s recent offer of free OVI maps as well as Marbella’s free-map-of-the-world promotion changed the playing field?

The recent move by Nokia to provide free navigation and maps bundled with their phones, and the availability of free maps from Google may appear to have shaken the navigation and mapping industries.
However, we believe this has an overall positive impact as it now draws much consumer attention to the use of navigation software and maps. It makes the mobile industry sit up and re-look into whether navigation will become standard on a mobile phone, similar to when the camera function became a standard, must-have feature. We now see an increase in inquiries and opportunities with other mobile players to provide our solution on their handsets.

Global players may be able to provide maps around the world but our strength as a local company is our local knowledge. We pride ourselves for our map quality and our unique local ground knowledge. Together with our partners in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam, it allows us to provide competitive and quality maps for our navigation and LBS solution.


Q: Finally, what is your vision for AGIS beyond these present challenges?

AGIS has emerged as a regional provider of Navigation and LBS solution. I must congratulate the team for being able to develop such homegrown navigation & LBS solution that is innovative and on par with international players.

My vision is to help establish AGIS as a leading Navigation and LBS solution provider in the region and to differentiate our products/services by our innovation and intimate knowledge of our market. In the process, we look forward to scaling up our business through successful deployment of our products/services and through strategic partnership with both partners and customers.




Did you know?

On the 27th of July 2005, Mr. Chou Fang Soong was presented with the “Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Merite” medal from the French Government for his contribution and development of Smart Card Technology in Singapore and the Asian Region.

 He was also recognized by the industry with the “D’ucoty Business Leader of the Year 2005” award by Frost & Sullivan.

NAVFone (iPhone) MY Limited Promotion!

NAVFone MY (Onboard Malaysia Street Directory) on the Appstore

iPhone apps at AppStoreHQ

Sneak Preview: NAVFone SG Navigation

Since the launch of the NAVFone SG (Street Directory + Public Transport Planner), many users have left feedback on how they've found it uberly indispensible and wished there were a navigation version released as well.

This demand has perhaps been fuelled by the gripe they've experienced when using other "localized" navigation apps, from the poor map quality, poor driving instructions, to the lack of user friendliness that just doesn't feel, right. Thus a navigation app that has been locally developed, with locally created maps and a proven user interface would then be considered a God-send. . .

. . .I wonder then, would such an app look like this?

The NAVFone SG Navigation. Coming soon, very soon, to an appstore near you.

Monthly Mondays – The AGIS A3 Process

Today marked the launch of the AGIS A3 process, which is essentially a product proposal and development process within our company.

Earmarked by Ben Hong, marketing director, as a step forward to formally conceptualize how AGIS employees are able to step forth and provide greater value to the company, it hopes to cater greater involvement in the product development process amongst all bearing the company name.

Being a company that is primarily based on research & development, the untapped potential stemming from our wealth of programmers, developers, and all-in-all brilliant IT people should be harnessed to maximum effect. All these efforts would then culminate in the year-end AGIS Awards, where the most innovative products would be given recognition, on top of receiving a marvelous all expenses paid experience in Universal Studios Singapore! (Upon the mention of this, you could literally feel the massive amounts of creative juice churning)


Criterion for the winning products/teams would be their overall originality, best user experience, and potential in business value creation.

When all’s said and done, I feel that this ties in well with the close-knit atmosphere in the company and further dispels regressive bureaucracy within the ranks. Moving the organization forward needn’t only be the task of the top brass, but collectively as a unit. Now that’s a lesson in organizational behavior.



Regards,
Daniel,
AGIS Products & Development

Staff Product Review: AGIS NAVFone (iPhone) SG

As an iPhone user, I've come to realize that at the end of the day, there's only 2 kinds of apps that you really ever need:- (besides the sort that are meant to just clutter up your home screen)

1) Apps that are useful when you're really, supremely brain-dead. This includes the moments when you are on the train to and from work, while waiting for a friend who's punctually-challenged, in a lecture theatre listening to a dusty old man in a bow-tie recalling his tales from World War 1, in between taking breaks from work, and not forgetting the final few moments before you get some shut-eye every night.

2) Apps that genuinely contribute to your daily activities/routines/schedules. (This does not refer to your addiction to the app that requires you to shampoo/cut/dry/colour anyone's hair.)

With thousands of apps to choose from on the iPhone appstore, siphering between the uberly useful and the utterly useless can be quite a chore. But just to level the playing field for category 2 up there, here's a quick low-down on the in-my-honest-opinion, a true value added app, the AGIS NAVFone on the iPhone.

I was genuinely taken aback by the support received by this app. Perhaps it was more to do with our current promotional pricing of $0.99, but it goes without saying that most of our consumers only had positive things to say upon its usage.

You could always tell the success/hope level for an app by the reviews/comments. When you do find at least 50% of your customers providing input and suggestions as to further boosting the usefullness of the application, you know you're in a good place. Comes as no suprise then that the NAVFone SG found its way at number 2 in the overall paid apps category, second only to another outstanding app.

As someone who barely participates in the mass-movement-party everyday a.k.a taking the public transport, I too have found merits in this app. Its always comforting to know that upon the breakdown/inavailability of your vehicle, you can always find your way home, besides taking the 240 (taxis).

Besides the public transport planner capability, (insert shameless promotion) the NAVFone is also the only onboard Singapore street directory available on the iPhone. That means you can use it pretty much anytime, anywhere without being at the mercy of a Wifi/3G signal.

With such enthusiastic response to the public transport version of the NAVFone SG, and of course, responding to our dear customer's demands, the navigation version of the NAVFone SG will be launched pretty soon, which I believe is just music to the ears of every savvy driver on our roads, so watch out for it.


Regards,
Sophan,
AGIS Products & Development