SkyHook announces WiFi-enabled GPS for Barnes & Noble NOOK

SkyHook has announced a partnership with Barnes & Noble that will bring GPS capabilities to the NOOK series. SkyHook’s technology utilizes the information about the many WiFi hotspots in your area to give you a decent location-based experience without needing dedicated GPS hardware.

While SkyHook’s solution is no doubt playing second fiddle to a dedicated radio, you can’t help that Barnes & Noble wants to keep costs down. Users shouldn’t detest the move as they won’t be able to get a GPS radio into their devices themselves, so SkyHook’s providing a nice little bridge so that you’re not limited to the amount of stuff you can do with your NOOK.

ForeverMap 2 will be the first official application to take advantage of SkyHook, and we’ll be eager to see who else is lined up as time goes on. ForeverMap 2 is a maps application, and while it’s no Google Maps it definitely should be on your radar if you’ve been dying to get a maps experience on the NOOK. A free version of the app can be had, and a PRO version adds unlimited offline maps for the low cost of $5. Read on for full press details.