Jobo photoGPS is a small and lightweight Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver that fits directly on any digital camera’s hot shoe, just as if it were a regular flash unit, without the need for extra cables. Through an innovative new capture and process technology, this affordable new device allows automatic geo-tagging by capturing raw GPS data and time which enables new and more efficient ways to organize, search, visualize, and share photo collections.
“In response to today’s mobile lifestyles, geo-tagging of photographs is becoming an increasingly popular technology for today’s picture-taking consumers,” said Johannes Bockemuehl-Simon, Jobo’s CEO. “Jobo’s new photoGPS has been designed to be easy-to-use and extremely compact allowing it to be a travel-friendly accessory for people wanting to share the joy of their adventurous lifestyle with others. Other mostly organizer-based geo-tagging solutions can be both expensive and/or cumbersome. Our goal at Jobo was to automate this process, which we have accomplished with our breakthrough new photoGPS and capture and process technology enabling photographers to find specific images that they want to share within seconds.”
Each time a photographer’s digital camera takes a picture with the photoGPS attached to the camera’s hot shoe, Jobo’s photoGPS automatically captures raw GPS data too and stores this information in its own internal memory. When the photographer has finished taking photographs, they unload their photos onto their PC in their normal way and transfer the companion raw GPS data information onto the PC with the included Jobo photoGPS software. Matching times and locations is quick and easy, since the photos and raw GPS data were captured simultaneously.
Next, the Jobo photoGPS server (accessible via the Internet) provides historic GPS satellite information corresponding to the times the raw GPS data was recorded. This is used by JOBO’s PC software to calculate the locations, reverse geocodes them, and geotags the photos with the resulting location information such as Country name, Region and District, City, Postal code, Street name, and nearby points of interest (POIs) such as tourist attractions, beaches, mountain peaks, museums, opera or theatre houses, concert halls, sport stadiums, parks, etc. In addition, Latitude, Longitude and Altitude are also available. And the Jobo photoGPS consumes very little power. One capture just needs 18 Megajoule (MJ). It is the camera’s flash synchronization connection that instantly awakens photoGPS.
The JOBO photoGPS includes USB cable, user’s manual, PC compatible CD-ROM featuring photoGPS matching software for Geocoding and Reverse Geocoding, iTag Photo-Organizer by IPTC Data, and Irfan View, a powerful Image viewer with EXIF / IPTC function. The Jobo photoGPS is expected to be available for Windows operating systems in October 2008. Mac OS versions will be released by the end of 2008. Suggested retail price for the Jobo photoGPS is € 159,00.
April 2010 Update - Improvements to photoGPS Reverse Geocoding Service in two categories:
1) Improved results specifically for Japan due to incorporation of additional data sources. The algorithms have been modified in order to generate results which better fit the expectations of Japanese users.
2) Improved coverage. Using the latest updates from Open Street Map increases photoGPS’ database coverage. Specifically:
- Number of streets up 23%
- Number of municipalities up 42% to 800.000
- Number of POIs up 27%
Users do not need to do anything to take advantage of these improvements. The photoGPS software will automatically make use of the improved Reverse Geocoding Service.
Photos (c) Jobo AG - All rights reserved
