GPS
Car crash warning system could prevent the accident waiting to happen
January 17 , 2008, According to the World Health Organization an estimated 1.2 million people lose their lives every year due to car accidents. With the hope of reducing that number, European researchers are developing a Collision Warning System (CWS) for cars, an early warning device which will warn drivers of dangers ahead and may give them enough time to avoid a crash. Read More
Zoombak Assisted GPS Locators hit the market
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December 23, 2007 Anyone who has used a GPS system in a foreign country will know how much this relatively low-cost device can make to one’s state-of-mind. Now a new Assisted GPS (A-GPS) device has hit the market which could make a huge difference in other ways. Zoombak’s advanced A-GPS system uses both GPS and mobile phone networks to track your pets, cars and other assets. You can locate your belongings in real time, set ‘safety zones’ around any location and be alerted of their whereabouts by email, SMS/text message or track them via the web. So now you can know where your cat, dog, child car are, for USD$10 a month. Read More
Pinpoint travel photos: Sony's GPS-CS1KA image tracker
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December 17, 2007 If you're the type of intrepid traveler that returns from a journey with a gigabytes of digital photographs but no idea where they were taken, this might prove a valuable addition to your kit. The Sony GPS-CS1KA image tracker records the time, date and - using satellite navigation - the location of every photo, and collates the information so that you can view your photographic history on an online map. Read More
A satellite-navigated history lesson
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December 7, 2007 Sick of leafing through travel guides planning your next tour? Now you can be informed about hundreds of historical sites without leaving the comfort of your car. Inspired by hand-held audio guides, the RoadTour SatNav application marries GPS functionality with a lesson in history, alerting drivers to places of historical interest as they motor through the countryside. Read More
World’s first fingerprint protected personal navigation device
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December 4, 2007 Theft of personal navigation devices (PNDs) is on the rise with several European and US cities reporting that GPS devices are the most commonly stolen items in cars today. To combat this, MEDION AG and AuthenTec have announced the launch of the world’s first personal navigation device to use a fingerprint sensor to enhance user security and deter device theft. Read More
Galileo signal reflections to monitor waves and weather at sea
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November 29, 2007 For the first time a signal from a Galileo satellite - the European alternative to GPS - has been captured after reflection off the ocean surface. The successful experiment carried out by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and the University of Surrey demonstrates the potential for determining the weather at sea with remote sensing satellites. The development offers the possibility of deploying a constellation of small satellites to take measurements over the oceans where there are large gaps in forecast knowledge at present. Such a system could be used to provide severe weather warnings to mariners, data for global climate change models and even the potential to detect tsunamis. Read More
Volvo cleans-up in car portable satellite navigation
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November 22, 2007 In an effort to introduce portable satellite navigation without the clutter of wires or the use of unsightly suction cups, Volvo has developed a new mounting bracket for Garmin’s latest satellite navigation unit that can be fitted to all new Volvo cars. Read More
New GPS satellite operational
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November 6, 2007 The fourth in a series of eight modernized Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites that will deliver new capabilities to military and civilian users has been declared fully operational. Launched from Cape Canaveral October 17 as part of the Global Positioning System Block IIR (GPS IIR-M), the new GPS IIR-17M satellite features increased signal power to receivers on the ground, two new military signals for improved accuracy, enhanced encryption and anti-jamming capabilities for the military, and a second signal that will provide civilian GPS users with an open access signal on a different frequency.
Sanyo's Gorilla: combined portable car navigation system and digital television
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October 26, 2007 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. is set to roll-out a new widescreen digital car navigation device that doubles as a portable digital television for use almost anywhere. Read More
petFINDER ID system improves on traditional tags
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October 19, 2007 Pet owners would appreciate the trauma associated with losing a four-legged member of your family. Standard ID tags can be unreliable and often contain outdated contact information, so petFINDER has developed a new ID system linked to a message service aimed at helping reunite U.S. pet owners with their lost animals much sooner.
Nokia adds N810 Internet tablet to Nseries range
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October 19, 2007 Nokia has introduced the latest addition to their Nseries - the new N810 Internet Tablet - at the the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. The pocket-sized, GPS enabled device allows users to connect to the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot or over their Bluetooth mobile phone to make internet calls; check email; watch videos on YouTube or update a blog using the device's slide-out keyboard and 4.13", 800x480 resolution touch screen. Read More
Solar GPS unit tracks your travel experience
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October 16, 2007 Here's a clever device for those who return home from holidays with gigabytes of photographs but no idea exactly where they were taken. The dual-powered Super 99 GPS "travel recorder" features the ability to log up to 200,000 waypoints on your journey and supports Geo Tagging of photos along with the ability to share your location with friends via Google Earth. The built-in solar panel also enables the device to operate for up to 48 hours when enough sunlight is available.
Meade mySKY: the personal, point-and-shoot, multimedia guide to the heavens
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June 5, 2007 The US$400 Meade mySKY is a remarkable mash up of technologies that creates a very cool educational toy and the first of a new breed of augmented reality informational products. It is NOT a telescope! mySKY is an interactive, hand-held, point-and-identify multimedia guide to the heavens. It locates, identifies, and describes 30,000 celestial objects in the night sky – every object visible to your unaided eye, as well as many you’ll need a separate telescope to see. If you like this new “browse function for the heavens” ability, it has the added ability to control a Meade computerized telescope. No knowledge is needed - just turn it on and mySKY does the rest. It incorporates full GPS Auto Alignment using a 12-channel GPS receiver which aligns itself on the sky without any input from you. Read More
GPS device provides continuous tracking from origination to destination
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October 2, 2007 Real-time GPS tracking device and service provider Anytrack has announced two new products for both business and consumer markets designed to keep track of everything from important cargo to vehicles, pets... even grandpa. Read More
Mainnav pairs GPS and Bluetooth in a watch
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September 17, 2007 Mainnav has released the Innovator MW-705 BT GPS watch - a timepiece that teams inbuilt Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality with a Bluetooth transmitter and also manages to pack-in a heart rate monitor, speed and distance sensor, temperature sensor, pedometer as well as the standard countdown timer and alarm.
ClearPoint predictive weather service
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September 11, 2007 A new offering from ClearPoint provides boat owners, sailing clubs, marinas and weather-watchers with a comprehensive high-resolution weather information service. Available via the Internet, ClearPoint Premium Edition tracks marine craft as they sail to show prevailing weather conditions at any location. Read More
Magellan releases next-generation GPS navigation systems
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September 6, 2007 In-car GPS navigation systems are marvellous pieces of technology, going far beyond the simple but fundamentally useful ability to give accurate directions to a destination. Magellan’s latest release units are designed to guide you safely around backed-up traffic and accident sites, tell you where the nearest coffee shop is, and even act as a Bluetooth hands-free kit for your mobile phone. Read More
PocketSurfer 2 - lightning fast web surfing device that fits in a pocket
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“If your PDA or Smartphone downloads web-pages faster than the PocketSurfer, you get a free PocketSurfer.” It's a brave challenge but one that the distributors of PocketSurfer 2 were happy to stand behind at the world’s largest consumer electronics trade show, Germany’s IFA 2007. We’re not aware of anyone who’s taken a prize home yet – please let us know if you saw any device beat this one for speed. The PocketSurfer 2 is tiny, fits in a shirt pocket and for the price (EUR 230 - US$310), you can overlook a few of the device's less than premium features such as the screen. Read More
Google Local Search now available in BMW navigation systems
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September 4, 2007 BMW has announced it’s enriching its ConnectedDrive in-car navigation system with a direct hookup to Google's Local Search. The console on your Beemer will soon be a virtual Yellow Pages that lets you search for businesses, restaurants and places of interest, then select one and have it automatically entered into your GPS nav system as a destination. Read More
Sanyo SCP-7050 mobile phone meets military standards for toughness
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September 4, 2007 Sanyo has added the rugged SCP-7050 to its range of mobile phones. Adhering to military standards for dust, shock and vibration, the clam-shell type phone features a durable rubber non slip exterior designed for use in physically demanding environments, full Bluetooth functionality, high quality display and built-in GPS capabilities. Read More
Quellan's QNx220 Noise Canceller boosts mobile signal strength
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September 3, 2007 Quellan has announced a new RF Noise Canceller that extends the advantages of the technology beyond the realm of purely audio applications to enhance signal strength and clarity for video reception. In a weak signal area such as underground roadways or in high rise environments, a cell phone using the QNx220 can recover several bars of lost signal strength and a GPS receiver can obtain a location lock in just seconds rather than minutes. Read More
Sony accelerates PS3 and PSP convergence with PVR and GPS accessories
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August 23, 2007 In an ironic twist on the convergence theme, Sony has made some significant announcements at the Games Convention in Leipzig moving the PS3 and PSP towards becoming general entertainment and convenience platforms. Announcements included a TV Tuner and PVR software for PS3, a Video Download Service for PSP in conjunction with BSkyB, a voice chat, video chat and instant messaging service for PSP, and a satellite navigation accessory for PSP. On top of the recent release of the EUR50 Go!Cam which turns a PSP into a video and still camera, the “c” word (convergence) is very relevant. Read More
GPS platform shoes feature hidden safety compartments
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August 23, 2007 These shoes are certainly not going to compete with the likes of Jimmy Choo or Manolo Blahnik in the fashion stakes, but could they be a safety boost for women? With an inbuilt GPS, an audible alarm system and storage for your valuables the Platform 001 sandals could definitely be beneficial in protecting against muggings or to locate ladies in the case of emergency. Read More
Magellan’s new Triton GPS includes a camera, compass, barometer and flashlight
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August 9, 2007 While we think Magellan’s hopes of making a GPS the central convergent device are folly in the longer run, the company’s new Triton series of portable handheld GPS receivers feature an interesting and useful range of functionality including a 2MPX camera, SD card slot, electronic compass and barometer, speaker/microphone and flashlight. Read More
ECLIPSE AVN2210p all-in-one navigation and sound solution
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June 6, 2007 ECLIPSE, designer and manufacturer of precision audio, video and navigation products, announced today it is shipping its award winning AVN2210p units to dealers across the United States. The newest product in ECLIPSE’s Audio Video Navigation (AVN) suite of products, the AVN2210p creates a new in-dash, portable navigation category that combines superior sound quality with TomTom’s premier portable navigation device offering an all-in-one solution for audiophile consumers. The AVN2210p has standard Bluetooth connectivity integrated in the unit requiring no other modules. It plays the most popular music program sources: iPod (utilizing a dedicated cable), CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA files and flash memory music utilizing a front access USB port.
ViewRanger: offroad GPS mapping and navigation for your Nokia N95
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June 2, 2007 We're starting to see some really exciting convergence in mobile devices; why carry around an MP3 player if your phonce already does the job - plus acts as a PDA and a digital camera? ViewRanger have just released a fantastic piece of software that takes advantage of the Nokia N95's inbuilt GPS system to provide a sophisticated, useful and immerseive offroad trail mapping, navigation and information service - including a nifty screen view that can tell you the names of geographic features in the direction you're looking. Read More
GPS mapping enriched with historical traffic speed data
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May 30, 2007 Satellite navigation can already tell you the shortest route from A to B, or the way that uses the most high-speed freeways - but on a gridlocked arterial freeway, speed limits are more of an insult than an indication of travel speed. That's why Tele Atlas have included new information in their latest U.S. mapping data so your SatNav system can analyse 2 years' worth of historical traffic speed data and tell you which route is likely to get you there fastest at a particular time of day. Read More
Affordable dashboard drift-o-meter
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May 17, 2007 As motorsport evolves, so too do the technologies needed to measure it. Talk just became much cheaper in the world of drifting thanks to this device which will really put some numbers around who did what and when. The US$750 DriftBox is a GPS and accelerometer based performance meter that accurately measures not only your car's forward and lateral acceleration G-forces, but your instant and maximum drift angles as well. With real figures suddenly the ultimate arbiter, you're gonna have to get way more sideways to impress people. Read More
Try to get lost with a Garmin Rino GPS radio
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May 14, 2007 Garmin have updated their Rino line of two-way GPS radios with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver that promises fast acquisition and high accuracy in environments typically disruptive to GPS, like dense forests or deep canyons. The Rino 520HCx and 530HCx feature a patented location-reporting function that uses Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) spectrums to beam your location to other Rino users up to 14 miles away. If you're ever trekking in remote parts of the Amazon (or taking your kids to Disneyland), a Garmin Rino or two could be the paddle for your proverbial "fecal creek" situation. Read More
Garmin GPS-based Edge cycling computer touring California
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February 18, 2007 The Garmin Edge has now been around for more than a year, but as the first GPS-based cycling computer and personal trainer and it’s a rich source of accurate and instant numbers on all the key variables in a way that hasn’t been provided before – time, speed, distance, heart rate, cadence, altitude and grade. One very interesting new capability for a cycle computer, and one that begins to bring game technology into the convergence mix in a very useful way, is the Edge's Virtual Partner feature allows the cyclist to keep pace with a digital person that performs at a programmed pace, duration or distance. Users can customize the display to show up to eight different data fields, as well as altitude and a map view. It attaches to either the stem or handlebars of the bicycle, and is designed for easy removal at the end of a ride. Californian athletes wishing to get a good look at the Edge might find a convenient location over the next week as Garmin is the sponsor of the internationally sanctioned professional cycling road race, the 2007 Amgen Tour of California, running February 18-25, 2007. Read More
Mac tablet computer with GPS
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January 7, 2007 Here’s one to look forward to for Mac enthusiasts. The ModBook is the first ever Mac tablet computer solution and we’ll be able to see it without the veil on January 9, at the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco. The Axiotron ModBook is not a Mac product, but uses Apple's Mac OS X Tiger operating system and its own WACOM Penabled hardware to create a high-end slate-style notebook computer that is fully compatible with Apple's Inkwell, a Mac OS X Tiger feature that provides system level handwriting and gesture recognition to all Mac applications. This means you can draw and write directly on the screen for a uniquely intuitive user experience. The slim, slate-style ModBook form factor makes further claims as a very useful tool for mobile users, as there’s an optional built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) developed in cooperation with GlobalSat Technologies using the SiRFstar III chipset. Read More
Garmin’s Astro GPS Dog Tracking System - release the hounds and know what they're up to
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January 5, 2007 Using GPS-enabled devices to keep track of your assets has been going on for a while now, but with miniaturisation and engenuity and increased sales enabling such devices to become affordable and very portable, it’s now possible to keep track of your pets, children and other high-investment animals. Accordingly, we’re thrilled to see yet another useful application developed in Garmin’s Astro GPS Dog Tracking System, designed specifically for sporting dogs and their owners. The Astro system consists of the dog's transmitter (DC 20) and the user's handheld receiver (Astro 220). The DC 20 is mounted into a lightweight neoprene harness that straps to the dog's collar, around its chest, and behind its front legs. Users can also thread the unit directly onto a standard one-inch collar so that the unit fits on the back of the dog's neck. It requires very little configuration straight out of the box and there is no subscription or setup fee required to use the device. Astro shows the precise direction and distance to a dog, indicating if it is running, sitting, on point, or treeing quarry. It can track up to ten dogs per receiver at once, and location updates can be as often as every five seconds. Read More
First Internet-Connected GPS Device
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December 15, 2006 Dash will be showing a very interesting device at the coming 2007 International CES in Las Vegas – the first Internet-connected GPS device. As it’s connected live to the rest of the world, the first GPS device with two-way connectivity, Dash Express has a rich set of real-time features to help consumers make smart decisions behind the wheel. It will for example, get you where you want to go in the fastest time possible using information generated from other Dash devices in the company’s driver network. You can select from three routes for any destination based on accurate travel time forecasts from the network. It’ll also enable you to find virtually anything -- people, places, products and services -- using Internet-enabled local search, send addresses from any computer right to your dashboard and make sure you always have the most up-to-date maps and software. Dash will be available in California in spring 2007, and will be available nationally in fall 2007. Read More
Digital GPS Multimedia Travel Guide
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December 14, 2006 Calabash’s new World Explorer, is a hand-held, digital GPS travel guide that is now available for daily rental to St. Thomas USVI visitors. The number of useful gadgets for travellers is burgeoning, and this week yet another arrived at market. The Calabash World Explorer combines the functionality of a hand-held touch screen GPS, audio tour guide, MP3 player, photo viewer, encyclopedia, and a user digital user review form. Read More
Ruggedised GPS Solution for the car and outdoors
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November 2, 2006 We just love ruggedised electronics that can take a bit of rough and tumble and the odd dousing in water so the new US$550 Magellan CrossoverGPS introduced at SEMA was a natural. The rugged, IPX-4-waterproof device is designed to provide navigation for both driving and outdoor adventures. Available in December, the traffic-ready CrossoverGPS is a cross between two products, delivering a quality car navigation experience plus the functionality of handheld GPS receivers for the outdoors from the company that first brought the technology to the consumer market. Preloaded with both street maps and topographic contour maps, the CrossoverGPS guides users from door-to-door in a car - and from point-to-point where the road ends - so they can enjoy driving, off-roading, hiking, geocaching, boating, fishing and more, all with one GPS device! Read More
