Skyhook, Navteq team up

Skyhook Wireless and Navteq Corp. said today that they are teaming up to provide "location awareness" for portable devices.

Skyhook Wireless of Boston provides a software-only positioning system that uses Wi-Fi access points to calculate the location of Wi-Fi enabled devices; Navteq of Chicago provides navigable data bases that can be incorporated into route-guidance products.

Under the agreement disclosed today, Navteq said it will resell Skyhook Wireless' Wi-Fi Positioning System in conjunction with its map products across Navteq's key focus areas.

"This agreement will help drive a whole new category of Wi-Fi enable mobile devices that will have location-aware capability," Skyhook vice president Michael Shean said in a statement.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)