Spot Guides - from EarthComber

[Barry]

A new era for print products was launched with the debut of “Spot Guides – the first books made for mobile devices that combine mapping and personalization. Earthcomber created the free technology that incorporates maps and personal favorites with traditional travel, reference and other mainstream publications. Among the first offerings are city guides from Mobil Travel Guide and Avalon Publishing's Moon Metro series.

Spot Guides run on Palm OS phones and PDAs, and provide location sensing and area searching with or without GPS. Versions for Windows Mobile, cell phones and BlackBerry devices are in production. Earthcomber Spot Guides present users with their favorite kinds of information as they come upon the actual places where it is most useful. Multiple Spot Guides, unabridged and with photos, can fit onto a single, stamp-sized memory card.

Spot Guides are a “plug-in” to Earthcomber's basic free mobile software and built-in digital maps. The patent-pending technology maintains individual privacy while constantly combing the area each person travels for unlimited numbers of personal interests -- anything from an ATM to a waterfall, cup of coffee, museum, bistro, school, golf course, bar or even local events.

Unlike books in print, Spot Guides give a person the option of exploring the electronic guide through hot-linked pages, special icons, photos and searches – all within the context of a book title. As the reader considers any place mentioned, Earthcomber displays the distance to that spot. As the person moves, distances are updated.

The Spot Guide format is appealing for a wide variety of books. Many publishers find Earthcomber attractive as a new vehicle for putting out mobile products, and organizations also are turning to Earthcomber to publish guides that are location-aware and ultra-portable.
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