Archive for the 'GPS' Category
Zoombak has announced the release of the first speed and directional tracking features for all Zoombak devices. Beginning today, all new and existing Zoombak customers can easily monitor the speed and driving direction of any vehicle. Speed tracking comes at no additional cost from Zoombak, which retails for $99.99 plus a small monthly service fee.
“Statistics around teen driving accidents are staggering, and studies have shown that teens’ driving habits improve when they are being monitored by a parent,” said Simon Buckingham, CEO of Zoombak. “Zoombak speed tracking is an easy-to-use and affordable solution for parents to monitor the location of their teen drivers and how fast they are driving. Our customer research has indicated that this added line of communication among families improves teens’ driving skills and give parents added peace of mind.”
“Since we launched Zoombak over a year ago, speed monitoring and alerting has been the most requested new feature from both parents and business users. We are therefore delighted to add this feature for all of our customers for no additional charge,” Buckingham added.
How Zoombak speed tracking works:
Following a quick over-the-air software update, Zoombak customers will be able to set up a speed threshold, (say 60 MPH) and receive alerts if that threshold is exceeded.
Setting up a speed alert for an account at Zoombak.com is simple and fast, and users can choose to receive alerts by SMS text to their mobile device, or by email. Users can set the speed alert to be always on, or set on/off schedules around certain times of day.
Zoombak determines the speed and direction (North, South, East, West) of the driver based on their location signal every 5 to 15 seconds.
When conducting Find-Now searches at Zoombak.com, in addition to the regular current location information, the email or text message will now also automatically display both the speed and the direction the driver was heading. So even if automatic alerts are not set up, parents can still see on-demand how fast and which direction their teen was driving. Direction is displayed as North, South, East or West.
The new “Speed” section of the Zoombak website provides Zoombak customers with more detailed instructions on setting up and getting the most out of the speed tracking feature.
Because speed and direction monitoring requires additional battery power, Zoombak recommends that consumers who use speed tracking hard wire the device to their vehicle with the Zoombak Car Installation Kit, or use the car charger that comes along with the Zoombak Universal A-GPS Locator.
For more information, visit www.zoombak.com/speed/.
First, Murray wouldn’t answer the Big Question Number 1, what’s the exact release date, and Big Question Number 2, what’s the price? He was firm to point out TomTom is stating the release is to be, “Later this summer,” and was clear to point out to me that doesn’t mean the end of the summer. Hope, folks, hope.
What Murray did tell me is that the Car Kit is a big piece of the puzzle, but the puzzle still can be put together without it. Meaning, you do not have to have the Car Kit in order to enjoy turn-by-turn navigation on your iPhone sometime this summer, it’ll just “enhance” your experience. What’s that mean? Well Murray told SvenOnTech that it was a “combine solution” of software and hardware that was really the “ideal marriage” of the two. With the built-in speaker, mic, and other unspecified electronics - say a compass? - the Car Kit will enable drivers not to lose signal in those urban cannons of downtown San Francisco for instance. It’ll also help your iPhone recalculate a new route if you miss a turn so you don’t crash into a cable car waiting for your next turn.
Now don’t worry if you don’t spring for the Car Kit or you find yourself in need of some turn-by-turn assistance on your vacation to San Diego because Murray told me that it was, “Quite effective without the Car Kit” and ever user would still have a “positive experience”. The Car Kit is really just a “sweetener”. Phewf.
The application will be available on the App Store along with the maps packaged all in one. This means if you purchased the North America maps and wish to take your iPhone and TomTom on a trip to France, you’ll have to purchase that app along with that regions map. There will be no way to simply add maps to your TomTom app, though Murray did say it was a, “Safe assumption,” that you’ll be able to purchase updated maps for your current purchase when made available.
While we won’t know until a, “Later point and time,” if the software will contain TomTom’s Advanced Lane Guidance, voice navigation, Internet POIs, traffic updates, or even the ability to send addresses to it from your desktop computer like the defunct Dash Express, SvenOnTech was told that IQ Route and TeleAtlas maps are definitely in this baby. Again, phewf.
With much anticipation, Apple took off the covers of its latest version of the iPhone OS today from its Cupertino headquarters. As believed, Cut and Paste, MMS, and tethering support was announced. Actually, tethering was brought up during the Q&A and was confirmed by Scott Forstall, Senior Vice President of iPhone Software at Apple, telling the audience, “We’re supporting tethering in the client side, we’re building that support in. We’re working with our carriers around the world.” Dozens of other features, mostly for developers, where announce as well such as support for Google Maps so applications will no longer have to send a user to the Google Maps application but rather integrate it directly into its application. This also means turn-by-turn directions will be supported though it will be “bring your own maps” for licensing reasons. TomTom has a chance!
Forstall early on admitted blowing it on a feature that should have been out last year saying, “Next, Push. You know, we’re late on this one.” Working with developers and listening to their suggestions lead to a re-tooling of Push and now Apple believes the version that is in 3.0 is much better than what it once had. Examples of push, such as IM, were shown to work very nicely much like SMS or reminders in the current version of the iPhone.
Subscriptions will also now be available for software making way to purchase multiple levels of a game or more months for a sports service, for example. Peer to Peer connectivity is also added allowing for easier connection between two or more iPhones for multi-player games or for address card exchange, though the latter was not mentioned.
Hardware vendors will also have use of the iPhone via the dock connector, finally. Examples shown were the iPhone docked in a speaker system in which you could control the tone with an onscreen EQ. SvenOnTech is aware of Altec Lansing showing off alpha hardware to Apple in January and suspects that this very hardware was shown in the slide show, today. Other items shown were a blood pressure cuff and a blood tester for diabetes. With this access, it’s quite conceivable third-party vendors can finally tap into the phone and possibly tie it into car stereos or home dock systems. The ultimate speaker phone.
Copy and Paste looks fantastic. When asked what the hold up was all about the answer given was “security” without any further explanation. I find this a very interesting response since nearly every device on the market has this feature and these manufactures, such as Microsoft and RIM, seem to have not been worried about “security”. It’s hard to say if it was a cover-up excuse or something deeper RIM and MS haven’t considered.
Other goodies include landscape support for SMS, Mail, and Notes. Speaking of Notes, you’ll finally be able to sync those scribbles in your iPhone with 3.0. Voice notes was also shown off which looks to be quite nice. Steaming video was demonstrated by ESPN which looked incredible. YouTube will now allow you to enter your account information keeping favorites and subscriptions synced between phone and desktop. Multiple pictures can now be sent in Mail as well as direct access to the mail application for other apps. Safari users will also be happy to know Auto-fill has made its to the upcoming summer release of 3.0 as well.
So, what about that MMS and A2DP (stereo Bluetooth support) caveat? You know, how Apple just kinda breezed over the fact that you’ll need to have a 3G iPhone to get that working? Mmm, kinda fishy, we think. While it’s solely possible that the lack of support for stereo Bluetooth may be so on the older hardware, we’re at a loss why MMS cannot be supported. Let’s see, you can take a picture in the Facebook app and send it to your profile, today. Same with Twittelator Pro to post pics and embed the link in your Twitter posts, but Apple can’t open the camera in SMS and grab a shot to send because of hardware? Doesn’t make sense to us. Other 2G devices do MMS just fine, so why not Apple’s? We believe it’s a way for Apple to force users to purchase new hardware though we could be wrong on this. Still, can’t see how hardware other applications use without issue for photos can’t be used by Apple.
All-in-all a great announcement for developers at the iPhone OS 3.0 preview announcement. If they use the tools given to them today, this free update for all iPhone users, $9.99 for iPod touch, could be a mean and exciting update for sure. Guess that puts egg on our face for last nights post, huh? 
SvenOnTech has just learned that start-up GPS maker, Dash Navigation, will announce major changes today. Reports are that two-thirds of its work force, including founder and CEO, Paul Lego, will be issued pink slips. Further, former COO and newly named CEO Rob Currie has said that the Dash Express until will be discontinued as the company realigns itself and focuses on business-to-business sales.
“It’s clear that consumers love the benefits of connected navigation – from up-to-the minute traffic information to live search – as it helps them save time every day,” said Rob Currie, new CEO of Dash Navigation. “Given the current economic environment, we believe that the greatest opportunities lie in integrating our service into the broad array of connected devices on the market.”
SvenOnTech reviewed the Dash Express last summer and with an overall high rating, just could not get past the high hardware price of the unit coupled with the subscription fee. With larger companies such as Garmin and TomTom selling its wares at a one-time price to customers from Wal-mart to Amazon.com, Dash obviously had a difficult time selling its “pay a lot now…and then keep paying” model. SvenOnTech recommended in the review that hardware prices should be slashed or the subscription fee brought down significantly. Unfortunately for Dash, it did not make these changes and now the fate of the company may be doomed.
According to sources, Dash has enough capitol to make it through 2009. All current Dash users will continue to receive service and updates at least until the end of next year. Like the failed subscription-based DVD competitor, DIVX, of mid-nineties, Dash users may have a useless piece of hardware by 2010 if Dash is unable to make revenue in the positive side of the Net Income column.
Dash CEO Currie believes with the development of two-way radios in current cars and the explosion of 3G and GPS enabled smartphones, Dash will be able to successfully sale its unique product to many manufactures in the coming year. With the lackluster of well designed and made GPS units in most of todays automobiles, this would be a great opportunity for Dash and for buyers of new cars. This success will also benefit current Dash Express users with continued software updates to their units.
The software package, costing £19.95 for a download, features a total of 620 sites in France. Each location has been carefully researched and created, over 3 years, providing the listener with an engaging 2 minutes of commentary as they approach or drive by.
Through the launch of this innovative product, French partner ZeVisit, which works with many of the tourism agencies and offices in France, saw an opportunity to reach the Sat Nav generation. “At ZeVisit, we strongly believe that audio is the only media that can make you feel strong emotions. What better than making every journey an emotional journey full of stories and imagination as well?” said Yann Le Fichant, CEO of ZeVisit.
RoadTour’s inventor, Daniel Taylor found that driving the roads of Europe could be a highly frustrating experience; “Sat Navs are great in getting us from A to B but hopeless at connecting us with the rich heritage of Europe” said Daniel. “There are times driving France’s clear motorways, when you might as well be driving through England for all you’re finding out. Our goal with our French partner, Zevisit, is to bring France’s fascinating history, beautiful environment and rich culture to the millions of people who sometimes just drive straight to Provence, barely stopping for fuel on the way”.
RoadTour works with Garmin Sat Nav equipment to trigger audio commentary and pictures of key attractions, including towns, villages, castles and battlefields. The system does not require the driver or passengers to touch any buttons since the audio just pops up, in a similar way to the traffic warnings on the radio. And for those more interested in directions than history…RoadTour even pauses for traffic directions!
Examples of commentaries include Rouen and Alsace;
“We’re in the middle of the 14th Century and it is half past eight in the morning in La place de Vieux Marché in Rouen. Joan of Arc is being brought to the centre of Rouen in a cart, her head shaved and escorted by 120 British soldiers. The Bishop of Beauvais, who supports England, reads the sentence for herecy, “We declare that you, Joan, corrupt member, must be rejected from the unity of the Church so that you won’t contaminate the other members. For this we reject you, we remove you and abandon you”. An immense crowd came to see the execution. Afterwards, when the executioner put out the fire, he got a huge surprise; Joan or Arc’s heart had remained intact! Because the English feared it would become a relic, they decided to throw her remains into the Seine and since then it is said that the Seine from Rouen to the sea is holy. When nearly 20 years later, the King of France, Charles the 7th, took back Normandy from the English, he ordered a cross to be erected in her memory on La Place de Vieux Marché.”
“Alsace became part of Germany in 1871, when a far reaching city planning project was set in motion. The German empire decided to move its political and administrative headquarters to the old city centre of Strasbourg, close to La Place de la Republique…this is truly several cities in one. It is a city that is Catholic, Protestant and Jewish all at once and the three architectural styles co-exist marvellously. According to local, Roger Siffert, Strasbourg is like a very beautiful woman wearing a superb tuxedo but with tennis shoes or boots on her feet…in Alsace, they would say ‘pretty like a punch in the eye’!”
Does a GPS with a constant connection to the Internet make it the best way to travel in your car? Can it find the lowest gas prices, the nearest Starbucks, an ATM near your friends home, and the best pizza joint in town? Will it show you how to get to work quicker than you have ever made it before IN traffic? Does the volume setting of 11 make it that much better than anything else available?
Yes, we know so many questions to be answered but we think we do a pretty good job of answering those and even more with the newest craze hitting cars across the country in this new GPS unit. An Internet enabled GPS device that taps into Yahoo! Local and lets you send your addresses from within your web browser on your computer to your Dash Express sitting silently on your, um, dash.
Now, is it all worth it? Read on.
So you’ve got to go somewhere this Labor Day weekend, huh? Looking for the right GPS to take you there? But you want one with some sweet swag? Easy to use? Maybe even something the “other guys” don’t have? But, its got to be a good brand. Well, the TomTom GO 930 may be your catch. With address voice input, Bluetooth speakerphone, Advanced Lane Guidance, traffic updates, and Mr. T to tell you where to turn, we couldn’t think of another GPS to suggest (until our next review, maybe.)
Before you shove off to your long weekend, we suggest reading the long and full-of-meat review of the TomTom GO 930. If you don’t have too much time, like all of our reviews, you can read The Bottom Line and the Overview for the quickie. But do at least print it out and read it sometime this weekend. It took us a long time to write.
TomTom has confirmed to SvenOnTech that it has indeed, “…tested and successfully [ran] our navigation software on the iPhone and it looks good and works well.” The Holland-based company told SvenOnTech that it is waiting to see what Apple’s strategy for the built-in GPS is on the next-generation iPhone, “…before we can say more about what kind of opportunities this will bring us.”
TomTom is excited that Apple is entering the GPS world with the 3G iPhone, due to release July 11th at both Apple Stores and AT&T stores in various markets, and is more than ready to bring its highly acclaimed navigation software to the iPhone.
TomTom believes with the development of more pedestrian navigation systems, such as the iPhone and Nokia’s offerings, it will continue to bring greater attention and demand to car navigation devices. “With more and more people getting acquainted with navigation, this will also further grow the demand for car navigation,” TomTom’s Karen CK Drake, Public Relations Manager for TomTom, told SvenOnTech last week. Drake emphasized that it does not believe the iPhone to be a replacement device for GPS but rather be “complementary” to its current offerings of car-mounted GPS units.
SvenOnTech will actively watch this developing story and keep our readers abreast of any new information as becomes available.
Effective immediately, DBL will begin marketing SPOT-1 to customers nationwide. This state-of-the-art personal messenger with GPS tracking, once activated by a satellite subscription, will send the exact coordinates of your location to International Emergency Response Center or 9-1-1. If your exact coordinates cannot be obtained, the device will send a distress signal instead. Other excellent features include personal messaging capabilities that reaches out to friends and family to request for help or to let them know you are okay. In addition, SPOTcastingSM sends a message to your account every 10 minutes, allowing your friends and family to view your entire route through GoogleMapsTM. Designed for maximum reliability, Spot performs a self diagnostic test every time it is powered on. It works worldwide and even in the most remote areas where cell phone service is scarce.
“This new and innovative product and technology introduced by Spot has revolutionized the navigational market,” stated Tim Coakley, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for DBL Distributing. “Its tremendous versatility coupled with its unique functionality greatly appeals to customers within our navigational product segment.”
SPOT-1 was included in DBL’s new Spring/Summer catalog featuring nearly 520 product lines, 5,200 new items and over 20,600 products. To order SPOT-1, please call DBL’s dedicated sales staff at 800.733.6766 or order online at www.dbldistributing.com.
The enV2 is the perfect handset for on-the-go texters and music and video fans. In addition to its pocket-sized good looks, the phone is available in two sleek finishes – black and maroon. The following features and capabilities are available on the enV2:
- V CAST Music – access more than three million songs from both well-known and independent artists to download over-the-air and play on the phone
- V CAST Video – download or stream video clips from the best names in news, sports and entertainment
- VZ NavigatorSM – visual and audible directions to a destination, locate businesses and other places in an area, get a map of a location, bookmark favorites and recent searches, and even share locations with others
- Mobile Web-capable – customizable, enhanced wireless access to the latest in news, sports, weather and more
- Media Center-capable – download games, ringtones, wallpapers and more
Instant Messaging using AIM®, WL Messenger®, and Yahoo!® - Mobile Email-capable – access to e-mail services including Yahoo! Mail, Windows Live Mail, AOL, AIM, and Verizon.net accounts; or configure POP3 and IMAP accounts
- Full QWERTY keypad with large-sized external keys
- 2.4” internal screen
- 2.0 megapixel camera and camcorder: