I haven’t used a XP or Windows Mobile device with Skyhook’s WiFi positioning service, but the idea is definitely intriguing. Using WiFi and a database of wireless networks, Skyhook can determine a device’s location without GPS. Of course, a service like this is only as good as the devices it supports and the sheer size of the database, both of which just received a major boost.
Skyhook’s SDK expanded last month to work with Mac OS X, Symbian, Linux and Windows Vista. On top of that, the amount of wireless network info in their database is massively updated: in 2005, they covered 25 major metro areas in the U.S. They now cover 19 million access points and up to 70% of the populated areas in the U.S., Canada and Australia. Europeans are in the mix too: by the end of the year, coverage will blanket the majority of Europe as well. Has anyone used Skyhook for location-based services yet?
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