Tag: Navizon »

Well, this is certainly a neat idea. Navizon, a global positioning software development company, needs to gather data on WiFi access points and cell towers. Guess what? Plenty of iPhone users drive past such spots every day. And now Navizon has an iPhone app...as well as a rewards program.

Here's how it works: you open the iPhone app, and you get points for driving past WiFi access points and cell towers. Cell towers net you 15 or 2 points (you get more points if you're the first to discover them) and WiFi access points get you 3 or 1 point(s). Once you accumulate 10,000 points, Navizon pays you $15. Cyril Houri, CEO of Navizon Inc, claims that some of their users make as much as $15-$100 per week. Now, that's probably a little high for most of us, but for cab drivers, truck drivers, or those who simply have long commutes, it could be plausible.

There are a few downsides that become apparent when you dig a little deeper. For one, the app is free...sorta. The lite version only allows you to get one $15 reward, so for an "unlimited" number of rewards, you'll need to get the $10 app.

Also, the app needs to be running in order for you to earn points. That means leaving it open, constantly—so if you like to listen to Pandora or use a GPS app, well, tough luck. This isn't Navizon's fault, but just one irritating result of Apple's ban on background processes. Apparently jailbroken iPhones can download an app that runs in the background from Cydia, the so-called alternative app store.

Those few caveats aside, it's still an intriguing idea, especially if you spend a lot of your day in a car. 10,000 points is an awful lot, though, so don't expect to become rich off of this app. Let us know if you've tried it!