As a developer, I was interested to know the new features and design that Apple had in store and how we could maximize the CoPilot experience in iOS7. It was really cool to learn about the changes firsthand, like the automatic App updates to keep the latest version of CoPilot on your device. Of course, we will continue to provide What’s New information on our blogs and social media for our users to see new features and updates.

Here at CoPilot , we’re excited to dive into all the new APIs available in order to give our iOS users a great experience while using our apps. iOS 7 will be available  in the fall and we can’t wait to see how awesome CoPilot can function within it.

- Alex Weisberger, Software Engineer Extraordinaire

Check out more photos from Alex’s WWDC trip here

Did you attend WWDC? Tell us about your trip in the comments!

How to download your quarterly map update:

1) Download the latest free app update from iTunes, Google Play,  Windows Phone Store  or the CoPilot Web Store

2) Connect to WiFi

3) Inside your CoPilot app, go to MyCoPilot and select My Maps

4) Select North America.

5) A pop-up will appear asking you if you would like to install your map update. Tap Continue and your map download will immediately begin.

6)  The North America region will automatically start downloading. If you would prefer to only download a sub-region (and save space on your device) just pause the North America region and tap the sub-region you wish to download.

7) Enjoy your updated maps!

Got a question? Please leave us a comment on our blog or contact CoPilot support.

This Father’s Day, give the man in your life the gift of carefree driving. CoPilot’s expert navigation and route planning will help Dads keep their eyes on the road and their minds available to play all your favorite road trip games.

Dads will love features like Alternate Routes and ActiveTraffic™  which are perfect for getting the whole clan to your destination.

After all, we know how much he loves to ask for directions.

Happy Father’s Day!

Love,

The CoPilot Team

By Rob Irving, Senior Software Developer

For the past 5+ years as an ALK developer I’ve watched the smartphone ecosystem change at an incredible pace. CoPilot first began over 10 years ago on the Pocket PC/Windows Mobile platforms. Years later we were able to move to iOS and Android as those platforms expanded the Smartphone consumer market. The release of Windows Phone 7 really excited me, but limitations of the SDK prevented ALK from being able to develop a CoPilot application for the platform. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to support the platform, but we wanted to make sure we would have been able to create an experience worthy of the CoPilot name.

That’s why I was so excited when Microsoft announced the Windows Phone 8 SDK that would allow native app development. From that moment forward, we began initial plans to bring CoPilot to the Windows Phone 8 platform.

Microsoft publicly released the Windows Phone 8 SDK at their Build 2012 conference last October – right around the same time that the east coast had been hit by hurricane Sandy. My community didn’t suffer as much as many others did in New Jersey, only experiencing a few downed trees during the storm. Unfortunately, ALK’s HQ in Princeton was badly affected and many of us had to work remotely for a few days. This actually gave me the chance to devote time to install the Windows Phone developer tools and study the SDK documentation in detail. I started working to bring CoPilot to life on this exciting new platform for us.

Now after 6+ months of late nights coding, and extensive testing on some great Windows Phones such as the Lumia 920, I and the rest of the ALK dev team are pleased and proud to see CoPilot become available to all Windows Phone 8 users on the Windows Phone store.

So what’s next?

The CoPilot development team are extremely passionate about the products we work on, and we always take note of the feedback we receive from our customers through the app stores, social networks and of course our support forum. Now that we are up and running on WP8 rest assured that we will work continuously to improve the app, so if you have any suggestions or comments please let us know.

I hope you enjoy CoPilot on Windows Phone 8. I certainly enjoyed the challenge of supporting this new OS for CoPilot.

The CoPilot support forum is found at: http://forum.copilotlive.com/copilotlive.

CoPilot® GPS Navigation Arrives on Windows Phone 8

Popular free mapping, trip planning, and car navigation app is now available for Windows Phone 8

Princeton, N.J. – June 13, 2013 – ALK Technologies Inc., a leading provider of navigation and GeoLogistics™ software, is pleased to announce its free CoPilot® mobile navigation app is now available for Windows Phone 8 smartphones.

CoPilot GPS brings easy-to-navigate offline maps, powerful route planning tools, and local exploring to Windows Phone 8 devices such as the Lumia 920, HTC Windows Phone 8X, and Samsung Ativ S – at no cost to the user. Detailed street maps and Points of Interest (POIs) of an entire country are stored on the phone, allowing users to calculate routes and get driving or walking directions even when there’s no mobile network coverage.

“People depend on their phones for maps and guidance. Yet online mapping apps can be unreliable, especially in places where there’s limited or no mobile service,” said David Quin, head of consumer applications at ALK Technologies. “CoPilot is designed for use offline, providing guidance even when there’s no mobile connection. It’s been incredibly popular on Android and iOS and we are delighted to extend this experience to Windows Phone 8 users.”

The free CoPilot GPS app includes 14-days use of full voice-guided 3D car navigation features and CoPilot’s real-time traffic service, ActiveTraffic™. After 14 days, users can continue to enjoy free and unlimited access to offline maps and route planning, or upgrade to unlimited turn-by-turn navigation via an in-app purchase.

Free features in CoPilot GPS for Windows Phone 8 include:

-          Premium quality street maps stored on your smartphone for offline use.

-          Millions of Points of Interest (POIs) built-in.

-          Powerful trip planning with a choice of 3 routes and drag-and-drop route editing.

-          Unique CoPilot itinerary optimizer to calculate the best way around multiple stops.

-          Walking mode to explore unfamiliar cities on foot.

-          Comprehensive local search with integrated Yelp, Google, and Wikipedia.

-          Global map regions available to purchase and store on your device for data-free roaming abroad.

CoPilot GPS launched on iOS and Android in April 2012. It has been downloaded over 4.5 million times in its first year.

More information and images available here

About ALK Technologies, Inc.
ALK Technologies, a global leader in GeoLogistics™ and navigation software, is focused on developing innovative solutions for transportation, logistics, mobile workforces and consumers. For 30 years, ALK has led the transportation industry with high-quality routing, mileage and mapping solutions. Product lines include award-winning CoPilot Live, the GPS navigation software of choice for fleets, mobile operators, hardware OEMs, systems integrators, professional drivers and consumers.  Our newest product, ALK Maps is a development platform designed for the transportation industry and provides commercial routing, geocoding and mapping visualization for enterprise applications.

For more information on ALK Technologies, visit: www.alk.com or follow us at: www.twitter.com/ALKTech.

CoPilot Live Media Contact:

Adam Curtis

Abel Communications

adam@abelcommunications.com

(401) 843-3822

Here’s a comprehensive roundup of all the great reactions CoPilot received this month. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to write about us, we appreciate your support!

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Hit the road with these 11 road trip apps for Android, iOS

“If you happen to find yourself off the grid, having a secondary offline navigation app like CoPilot GPS can be a lifesaver. Just be sure to download the free maps for the areas you plan to travel to before you hit the road; you’ll only have to sacrifice a few gigs of storage space.”

Read More

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CoPilot Live App Makes Travel Navigation Safer by Andy Robertson

Happily then, the CoPilot Live app (iPhone, Android, Windows Phone) has a neat way around this by downloading all the navigation data beforehand.

Read More

Inside the CoPilot app, you can go to Settings and choose Power Saving. Once there, choose a lower setting which will move the map display fewer times per second and help save your battery.

If you’re using CoPilot in the car, it’s best to keep a car charger handy too. Need more ways to save battery? Check out this video by MinuteHacks:

If you’re…A CAT LOVER

 You’ve Gato Call Phone Stand from ModCloth $21.99

This fancy feline will gladly hold your phone while you’re tending to other important matters.

If you’re…A TRENDSETTER

Smart Pebbles multifunctional cell phone holder by DesignMAX $10.40

 The heat-resistant, silicon based pebbles serve as a great laptop stand or device holder and come in many different colors.

If you’re…NOSTALGIC

Jonathan Adler Smartphone Holder by Jonathan Alder $48.00

Though the price tag may be hefty, this Jonathan Adler piece does allow for charging while the phone is in place. Simply plug the cord into the bottom of the stand!

If you’re…A BIG KID

Astronaut Smart Phone Holder $20

This useful action figure is also available as a soldier, polar bear or bell hop.

If you’re…INTO TRUCKS

Lori Load Stand by Monkey Business $23.99

For all you CoPilot Truckers, here’s a flatbed for your smartphone.

If you’re…A BEACH BUM

iBeach smartphone stand by treehouseoasis $36.00

These cute beach chairs will have your phone lounging in style. Available on Etsy.

Already have a great stand for your smartphone or tablet? Did you DIY your own device holder? Tell us all about it in the comments!

But the official reason for this holiday is to commemorate those that have fought valiantly for our country and there’s no more evidence of that than the monuments scattered around the USA. However, most of these beautiful works of art aren’t confined to Washington D.C. Behold, our list of majestic, lesser known memorials that are worth a visit.

Soldiers and Sailors Monument – Indianapolis, Indiana

  Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, this 242-foot high monument serves as a memorial to all of the Indianapolis natives who lost their lives in the American wars in the 18^th and 19^th century. The monument also serves as a Christmas tree for the city, a ceremony known as the Circle of Lights, during the holiday season with decorations beginning the day after Thanksgiving.

San Jacinto Memorial- La Porte, Texas

They say that everything is bigger in Texas, and this monument is no exception. Clocking in at 567 feet tall, it is the largest monumental column in the world! Commemorating the decisive battle for Texan independence, this monument is a popular tourist attraction located at the San Jacinto Battleground Historic Site near Houston.

World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument – Honolulu, Hawaii

This memorial actually spans three states – California, Alaska and Hawaii. The biggest site is in Hawaii which is the final resting place for the infamous USS Arizona and the USS Oklahoma Memorial, the USS Utah Memorial, and parts of Ford Island and Battleship Row.

Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Located in the historic Washington Square section of Philadelphia, this monument honors soldiers who gave their life for their country during the Revolutionary War. There’s a mass grave located behind the memorial for soldiers who, as the plaque reads, “died to give you liberty.”

Which monuments are the best kept secrets in your state? Let us know in the comments. Have a safe, happy Memorial Day!

Don’t miss out on our Memorial Day Sale and get 10% off CoPilot Live Premium USA  in the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.  Our millions of Points of Interest and search options from Google™, Wikipedia and Yelp can help you find some fun for MDW.

Still not sure what to do with an extra 24 hours? We’ve got some ideas for you!

Head to the beach!

The beach is a great place to relax and unwind with friends and family. If you’re not located near one of the coasts, head to the nearest lake or bay for some great water activities like kayaking, waterskiing or windsurfing!

Plan a BBQ!

A more low-key celebration that’s sure to bring all day fun! Grilling in the backyard with your family and friends is a great way to spend MDW. You’ll probably be able to play a few impromptu games of basketball or kickball, too!

Catch the parade!

Small towns and big cities across the US put on a great parade on Memorial Day that highlights community veterans and military personnel. Check your local government’s website, or maybe a neighboring town, to see the closest parade to you.

Take yourself out to the ball game!

Take the family to see America’s favorite pastime live. Baseball season is still going strong with many teams playing on Monday. If you’re favorite team is on the road, organize a game all your own in your town with a few neighbors.

Honor our armed forces!

There are plenty of ways to honor the great Americans who keep us and our constitutional rights safe. Check out a list of charities benefitting military families and veterans.

Where you decide to go, CoPilot can help you get there.

Have a safe and memorable Memorial Day!