Apple Acquires Mapping Company Poly9 [REPORT]

According to French-language newspaper Le Soleil, Apple has acquired Poly9, an online mapping company based in Quebec.
The translated article reports that since the acquisition, the majority of Poly9 employees have moved from Quebec to Apple’s offices in California. As Apple Insider notes, the Poly9 website is down, although parts of the Poly9 Globe site are still accessible.

The Poly9 Globe was described as “a cross-browser, cross-platform 3D globe which does not require any download.” Think of it as a JavaScript-based 3D globe that can be manipulated with your mouse to adjust its axis and rotation points. The software then offers users statistics on their virtual locations. Basically it’s Google Earth () in the browser.
While the product is now listed as “discontinued,” you can see it in action from some its partners like Skype () and ConduitLive.

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Second Mapping Acquisition for Apple

Send Destinations via Google Maps to Ford and GM Vehicles

Google’s “Send-To-Car” feature lets users send destinations from Google Maps directly to their vehicles. This feature previously worked with BMW and Audi vehicles, and now Google has extended its partner base for the program to Ford and GM.
Owners of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles enabled with Ford’s SYNC system, as well as Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC (), Hummer, Pontiac, Saab or Saturn vehicles via GM’s OnStar navigation, can now take advantage of the “Send-to-Car” function.
To try it out, type in a destination into Google Maps () search, click “Send,” choose “Car” and then type in your car’s details. You can then access the destination through your car’s navigation system. It may sound like extra work to seasoned in-car navigators, but once you get used to it, it probably beats fiddling with the navigation system in the car.
Check out a video preview of the feature coupled with GM’s OnStar below.