iPhoto 6.0.5 Hidden Google Maps Integration And Possible Apple GPS-enabled Device (Camera/iPod/PDA/Phone)?

[MacRumors]

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MacTelChat has found hidden references in iPhoto 6.0.5 that show Apple is preparing iPhoto for integration with Google Maps. It appears as though a hidden button in the interface would allow hidden GPS attributes about a photo to link with Google Maps and show where in the world a picture was taken.

This news comes as AppleInsider revisits a patent application discovered in September by MacNN for a "multi-functional handheld device." According to the patent, the device could contain a multitude of hardware features, including:

- Microphone
- Force Sensing
- Camera
- GPS
- Cellular radio

AppleInsider also notes that Apple may be behind a survey conducted in the spring, which asked users to "rate their preference of form factor designs for a next-generation Internet handheld device."

[aricher]

Looks like having a Google exec on the board is paying off. Googlemapping your photos is a fun diversion and makes for some great mash-ups. The handheld device sounds promising as well.

[QCassidy352]

whoa. Something very apple-like that I never would have thought of, but really like the sound of!

[4np]

Any clues as of when this multifunctional devices will be presented?

[woxel1]

Oh man, that multi-functional handheld device is so on now!

[spicyapple]

Introducing Apple Galileo™. All-in-one PDA, digital camera, phone and mp3 player.

[longofest]

gentle reminder of how many patents we have seen come and go without anything coming of it. However, we have quite a coincidence this time...

[mdntcallr]

Well, it looks like there will be alot of new features and devices soon from apple.

lets hope apple keeps up the good work, advancements in technology, software and hardware will continue making users lifes easier.

things like smart device/cell phones, itv media center hubs (also HDTV including Blu-Ray), continuing development of more software and making apple an all media type system where all aspects can work seamlessly.

looking forward to the new stuff apple comes with.

[G4scott]

iPhone, anyone?

[justflie]

WHEN WHEN WHEN?! lol, that is the question. This device would be so cool, i'm in the market for a new cell phone and this would fit the bill very nicely...
Probably have to wait til january though.

[Markleshark]

Heres to 2007... *Beer*

[Maestro64]

Using GSP and Iphoto only makes sense if the photo's have the GSP location information as part of the photo. So that mean that the Camera taking the picture has a GSP reciever in it, which is great outside, but GPS does not work indoors

[EGT]

Roll on proper GPS unit syncing with OS X.

[Clive At Five]

That has got to be one of the most irrelevant features I have ever heard of. If there is some sort of Multi-Function device Apple is working on, I sure hope there are more OS X integration instances than iPhoto / Google GPS syncing.

Interesting, yes. Neat, yes. Useful... not really. Apple does have a tendency to turn what we usually see as irrelevant into something we almost nearly rely on (I can't imagine a week at work without my iPod).

*shrugs*

-Clive

[notjustjay]

I picked up a SonyStyle catalog last week and I noticed that Sony is also announcing a GPS add-on for their cameras. Presumably it would do the same thing. I guess the idea being you can track the locations of your photographs as you travel on vacation.

To each his own, I guess, but I thought that seemed pretty silly when Sony was producing it, and I still think it's silly even with Apple at the helm. I mean, sure, it's cool, but would I pay a couple hundred bucks for that? No. Definitely an early adopter toy.

However, I do happen to be in the minority of folks that has a good GPS receiver (in my case for geocaching) so it might just be that since I already have invested good money into existing devices that provide me the means of doing the same thing, I'm reticent to spend more on the same thing. It would be neat to see more integration between, say, Bluetooth enabled GPS units (which exist) and digital cameras.

[Bonte]

Originally Posted by Maestro64

Using GSP and Iphoto only makes sense if the photo's have the GSP location information as part of the photo. So that mean that the Camera taking the picture has a GSP reciever in it, which is great outside, but GPS does not work indoors

Correct but the GPS can make an assumption based on time and movement of the user and even retroactively add the info to the photo's. Can the GSM signal be used to help find the location?

Oh man oh man, i want this. It sounds great to look at a picture and instantly be able to track the satellite view of the area.

[bokdol]

i guess i am the only one that finds this a bit wierd. and rubs me the wrong way. so somewhere in googles databases my life is recorded on where and when i was there? i bet the government would love to get a handle on that.


edit actually it does sound kinda neat. damn

[macam]

OMG! That would be awesome - a phone that's a GPS Navigation that you could load where you're going in the phone with relevant picture pointers 'you are now passing MacDonalds on your right handside' and picture flashes up on your phone of the location taken by another user of Googlemaps... while you're driving in the car...

That's way more than I thought the iPhone would be... if it is the iPhone.

If it is then Apple will have pulled another 'miracle of modern technologies' off!

I think this is good thing!

Macam

[Abstract]

Originally Posted by Maestro64

Using GSP and Iphoto only makes sense if the photo's have the GSP location information as part of the photo. So that mean that the Camera taking the picture has a GSP reciever in it, which is great outside, but GPS does not work indoors

Yeah, that, and this would work better for world travellers. Who wants to see a map where every photo points to the same house or area? In many ways it's a pointless feature, but in some cases it will be a lot of fun, such as vacation photos.

[andiwm2003]

Originally Posted by Clive At Five

That has got to be one of the most irrelevant features I have ever heard of. .......................

not irrelevant to many others. a lot of people use it for trips through the country where they take pics of buildings, scenery. there are even enough professional uses like scouting out the locations for a new golf course, new hotels, camp sites, movie set locations and many more.

there are already other solutions for it though.

you just have to have the time between your GPS device and your camera in sync. there are programs that map the automatically the pics to the gps location via the time when they where taken. sony has a dedicated gps but in priciple it works with all of them.

seems that technology is then just integrated in iphoto. sounds neat.

[bjdku]

Originally Posted by G4scott

iPhone, anyone?

Absolutely, that is exactly what this is!

[chicagdan]

Originally Posted by bokdol

i guess i am the only one that finds this a bit wierd. and rubs me the wrong way. so somewhere in googles databases my life is recorded on where and when i was there? i bet the government would love to get a handle on that.

Yep, I'm with you on that. It already bugs me that my Prius has a black box for accidents and a GPS built in (for the nav system.) Why do we *trust* this government to not ask companies to turn that information over (just like they asked for our phone records) and for these corporations getting billions in tax incentives to eagerly comply? Now if you carry a GPS, government will be able to know where you are at any moment. I'm not buying it unless Apple includes a pledge with the product that they will fight to protect my legal rights if any government agency asks for these records without probable cause.

[longofest]

Originally Posted by andiwm2003

not irrelevant to many others. a lot of people use it for trips through the country where they take pics of buildings, scenery. there are even enough professional uses like scouting out the locations for a new golf course, new hotels, camp sites, movie set locations and many more.

there are already other solutions for it though.

you just have to have the time between your GPS device and your camera in sync. there are programs that map the automatically the pics to the gps location via the time when they where taken. sony has a dedicated gps but in priciple it works with all of them.

seems that technology is then just integrated in iphoto. sounds neat.

What I'm thinking here is that the GPS is integrated into the camera. So when you take a pic, the GPS coordinates are recorded in the metadata so you know where it was taken.

[bjdku]

Originally Posted by macam

OMG! That would be awesome - a phone that's a GPS Navigation that you could load where you're going in the phone with relevant picture pointers 'you are now passing MacDonalds on your right handside' and picture flashes up on your phone of the location taken by another user of Googlemaps... while you're driving in the car...

That's way more than I thought the iPhone would be... if it is the iPhone.

If it is then Apple will have pulled another 'miracle of modern technologies' off!

I think this is good thing!

Macam

You are foaming at the mouth.

[mi5moav]

Yes, this would work well with Apple QuickCam video camera tag first/tag next/tag last approach. I would then be able to video tape my vacations import to iphoto/imovie and it would pop up and then allow others QuickCam users to see and interact ala youtube for Apple... very cool, nice find.