Garmin has announced the launch of the Garmin Developer Website dedicated to providing software tools and information for website developers who wand to make their website, application and data content compatible with Garmin navigation devices and systems. The website provides both free and licensed Garmin resources and a library of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), toolkits and web services offering six core products: Garmin Communicator Plugin, MotionBased Web Services, Content Toolkit, Garmin PeerPoint Messaging System, Garmin LBS Toolkit and Fleet Management Interface.

Garmin has also announced the MotionBased Web Services API providing developers access to the same GPS content that MotionBased.com customers enjoy. It will enable third-party websites to store, manipulate and display Garmin GPS data with minimal or no development. The API will be available for testing in the summer of 2007 and will compliment the Communicator Plugin API.

• Garmin Communicator Plugin API - browser plugin and JavaScript support code that allows developers to transfer location data - such as waypoints, track logs, maps and points of interest (POIs) - to and from a website and Garmin device.
• Garmin Communicator Plugin API - facilitates the transfer cache listings to a Garmin device directly from a web page
• Content Toolkit - supports compilation of secure POIs for Garmin GPS devices. Future versions are expected to include routes and travel guide information.
• PeerPoint Messaging System - provides access to Garmin’s location message format for sending precise latitude and longitude information to phones running the Garmin Mobile XT application.
• Garmin Mobile Smartphone Software Development Kit (SDK) - provides mobile applications running on Windows Mobile or Palm OS devices with access to GPS information, interactive maps and intelligent routing including live traffic conditions.
• Garmin Location-Based Services (LBS) Toolkit - for adding location-based services to any Java-based mobile phone application.
• Garmin Fleet Management Interface - enables fleet tracking, messaging, dispatch and navigation directly on Garmin’s portable navigation devices, such as the StreetPilot, nüvi and zÅ«mo series.

The new developer website is an astute move by Garmin which will provide an enabling stimulus for developers wishing to develop inovative software packages which can interface reliably with Garmin systems.

Custom Search