mobloc8

From CNET News.com.

Last Mile Communications has ideas about a range of services it could provide from wireless access points mounted on lampposts throughout the UK. Such services include wireless broadband access, location services, emergency services, and information services utilising data stored locally in each lamppost. It costs around £500 to hook up each lamppost.

Last Mile’s plan doesn’t involve any sort of interaction with the telephone network. That could be a good thing, as they aren’t reliant on cooperation from telcos, but it also means that their business will have trouble selling its services once mobile phone location technologies and 3G data services become more widespread.

The SMARTLocator.TAXI application from E-Taxis.com has been released in Beta form for testing. It uses GPS (free, if available) or ‘mobile triangulation’ (20 pence per request) to find the telephone number of the nearest taxi service to your current location. You can then call them and request a pick-up. It works anywhere in the UK, and runs on any Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 SmartPhone.

If you live in the UK, have an MS SmartPhone, and have tried out this application, please post your thoughts below in the comments. Did it work properly? How long does it take to give you the phone number? Would you pay for such an app?

From Netimperative.

Mapminder.co.uk has revamped the web site for its paid-for service in order to better compete with free rivals such as Multimap and Streetmap. Their services include weekly entertainment information, eating and drinking guides, a route finder, venue bookmarking, and (opt-in) mobile tracking of friends and family.

Are you a Mapminder user? How does it compare to Multimap and/or Streetmap? What do you think of the new and improved services? Please post your comments below!