Do you remember the Freedom Keychain GPS SiRF III Receiver that Proporta released back in September? Well, they’re back with one that weighs 8 grams less and has a connectivity level that’ll knock your socks off. Introducing the Freedom Keychain GPS 2000 Receiver.
It comes with the latest of GPS technology. Works from your pocket, handbag or briefcase, and is compatible with all the mapping software currently available.
Using state-of-the-art Bluetooth Technology, making it ideal for connecting to your notebook, PDA or mobile phone, the Freedom Keychain GPS 2000 Receiver also comes with a USB charger cable and car charger cable, giving you the advantage of being able to charge from home or in the car.
Now, you’re probably thinking that this little piece of GPS equipment is very similar to its predecessor, the Freedom Keychain GPS SiRF III Receiver, well here’s where they differ. The GPS 2000 Receiver is capable of connecting simultaneously to up to 51 satellite channels as opposed to 20, and has a solid working time of ten hours. Phew.
If you are interested in how small it really is (yes, size does matter), the dimensions are right here: 46mm (1.81in) x 32mm (1.26in) x 14.7mm (0.58in), literally weighing 22 grams. Amazing right?
Don’t get lost, get wise – visit www.proporta.com and grab yourself one of these little stars.
We just finished our review of the Navman N40i and you’ll probably want to take a look at what we found in our 100 plus hours of testing. We’ve reviewed many other Navman units in the past and we found some surprises on this one. Lighter and sleeker than the previous models and even a bountiful amount of POI’s in the database. But…well, just read the review and you’ll see.
Navicore, one of the leading European providers of GPS navigation software for mobile phones and devices recently declared that Navicore Personal will be made available for the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet, also recently released by Nokia. New upgrades to the GPS navigation system includes maps of North America, Australia, the Middle East, and South Africa, though I don’t personally know anybody planning trips to places such as the Middle East.
There are many benefits that come from the partnership between Navicore and Nokia, including the latest and greatest features of navigational software, internet enhanced navigation, and high resolution wide-screen display. The portable internet access enables consumers on the go to have access to a variety of internet services directly on the Nokia N800 tablet, along with clear voice guidance. The new system is designed specifically for connected mobile devices that is not only convenient for road trips and bike rides, but also an awesome pocket guide to the thousands of points of interest located in your area. Find restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and local hot-spots in your vicinity using this GPS system. Once the software is installed on your mobile device, it is free of charge. the maps and everything you need is stored on a memory card and no network operator is required.
“With its impressive widescreen display and extremely fast mobile Internet connectivity, the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet is the ideal platform for consumer friendly GPS navigation. By combining the award-winning Navicore Personal with the innovative Nokia N800 Internet Tablet, we can offer a superior navigation user experience that further extends fun and functionality, as well as control and confidence for the mobile lifestyle,” said Juha Murtopuro, CEO of Navicore.
Maps for this GPS navigation system are provided by TeleAtlas and provide highly accurate street maps with rich digital content. The current Navicore Personal 2007 version is available now at http://shop.navicoretech.com. The 2007 version for the N800 Tablet will be available next month through selected outlet stores and at www.nokia.com.
Travel Safety Group has just announced that they have dished out $10 million to Benefon for its new GPS technology. The Twig mobile navigation device will support the new Travel Safety GEOS System that provides a wide selection of travel safety and security devices. The new security devices include warnings that notify the user of potential health threats or life threats in the particular area they are in. For example, the GEOS system will notify travelers if they are about to enter a hostile area of a foreign city or a not so friendly part of a foreign country. Also included is hostage survival training and corporate services, such as medical and political evacuation plans. TSG and their new GEOS system provide unsurpassed security around the globe for worldwide travelers.
Benefon’s mobile phones will support the new GEOS system within the US. The TWIG Discovery and the new TWIG GPS Locator also have the GEOS system compatibility which delivers it’s travel safety and security to world wide travelers, all with extreme accuracy. In fact, Benefon’s technology is so accurate, it can pinpoint a travelers location to within 15 feet anywhere on the globe. If that person ever gets into a tight spot, all they have to do is press the emergency button and it will send a distress signal (along with GPS coordinates) to the control center in Houston, Texas. (Seriously.) The digital maps of the Global Security Monitoring System will pinpoint the person’s location. These people don’t quit, they are there ready to respond 24/7, 365 days a year. Talk about service!
Another neat feature is that if you have the right code, you can see where your employee or family member is from your personal computer. Peter Chlubek, Chairman of TSG stated that, “With our travelers now able to be equipped with a GPS phone that is registered with our patented GEOS System, we can ensure that our members receive all information that is relevant to wherever they may be on the planet. Our GEOS Command and Control Center, through our Global Emergency Monitoring system, can notify up to one million members per hour. We call it our GEM. It’s an immensely powerful tool in providing proactive emergency information that helps keep our members safe”.
For more information on this new product visit www.geosalliance.com and www.benefon.com.
Franson Technology has launched GpsGate.com, a GPS mapping portal designed to enable people to share their locations from their Windows laptop or Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC device with anyone they have personally approved to “spot” them online.
GpsGate.com offers a great new way for a group of friends or colleagues to synchronize their lives for work or fun. Anyone that belongs to the same group can share their current location with the others in their group, which makes it easy to coordinate plans to meet for coffee in the morning, go shopping over lunch hour, attend client meetings in the afternoon or get together for drinks in the evening.
By logging in to GpsGate.com, users will be able to see their buddies moving in real-time on a map. To share their position with others in their group, they simply need to install GpsGate software on their Windows laptop or Windows Mobile Pocket PC. This software will enable them to share their GPS signal so that it can be received by fellow group members.
GpsGate.com also offers a Google Earth plug-in so that friends’ locations can be spotted on a satellite image rather than a map.
“Our aim for GpsGate.com is to provide a central portal for broadcasting your location for a specific group of friends or work colleagues, and for you to be able to ’spot’ them as well,” said Johan Franson, president of Franson Technology. “GpsGate is more than just a fun way to keep track of the people in your life-it offers very practical solutions for both work and personal purposes. In the near-term, our plans are to enable users to integrate parts of GpsGate.com to their own homepages so they can broadcast a sailing boat competition, for example, or allow friends and family to track you on your family trip.”
The company also plans to add business tools to GpsGate.com, such as the ability to track delivery trucks or field service technicians.
The GpsGate software for Windows or Windows Mobile Pocket PC is US$29.95.
Access to GpsGate.com is free.
Someone once mad the comment that: “I’ll be willing to look at thinking outside the box only after I’ve seen proof that there’s any thinking going on inside the box first.” This new product is definitely an example of thinking outside that box, and I mean, way outside.
The new product, Concierge, is actually quite simple. It’s an LCD screen built into a shopping cart. When a customer walks into their local supermarket and grabs a cart, the screen will come to life. It’ll tell its user about the store, provide them with a map so they don’t get lost. But it doesn’t stop there, oh no. Concierge will be able to provide shoppers with coupons, recipe ideas, and even keep an ongoing tally of your selected items.
It’s not only a tool to help shoppers; it’ll benefit storeowners as well. With built in GPS technology, managers will be able to see what isles are most visited, which ones aren’t visited at all, and what products are most often selected or just left alone on the shelf (hopefully for not too long.) Supermarkets and stores everywhere will be able take this info and tailor their establishments to consumers needs.
Rob Segal, Springboard’s CEO puts it this way. He said: “Every so often, you read about a device that just makes sense – so much so that you if find yourself thinking, ‘I can’t believe no one thought of that before.’ Concierge is just such a device.” Read the rest of this entry »
Taking its cue in name from the auto industry, Magellan is bringing the first crossover GPS to the market with its new 2500T that will guide you through the busy city streets as well as the flowing water ways that, um, float your boat. Magellan now allows the extreme wander the ability to go where he, or she, has never gone before with comfort knowing they can find there way back. The possibilities are endless now from,”Driving, off-roading, hiking, geocaching, boating, fishing and more, all with one GPS device!”
Magellan CrossoverGPS highlights:
- A 3.5 inch color touch-screen display
- Dimensions are 12.5 x 8.5 x 2.6 centimeters and weight is 235 grams.
- Voice-and text-prompted turn-by-turn driving directions
- IPX-4 water proof
- Up to 8 hours battery life
- Multiple outdoor navigation screens and fields: compass, altimeter, distance to destination, cross track error (XTE), estimated time of arrival.
- A Sports Guard(tm) sleeve, for easy gripping and extra protection
SvenOnTech was told this will cost ya less than £300. That equates to a bit more in green backs but we’re sure you can expect Stateside prices to be around the $300 figure as well.
UPDATE: Our Magellan contact has informed us that US pricing is $549.99. Follow the link for more details.
Augmentra has delivered OSi StreetSmart, a revolutionary mobile phone based city mapping and information solution, for Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) in partnership with Fáilte Ireland (the Ireland National Tourism Development Authority). OSi StreetSmart, which makes Ordnance Survey Ireland maps and Fáilte Ireland Point-of-Interest (POI) data available on smartphones for the very first time, was launched by Geraldine Ruane, OSi Chief Executive, and Rosanna Davison, Miss World and Irish celebrity, at the Toys 4 Big Boys Show in the RDS Irish International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dublin.
OSi StreetSmart provides the user with detailed street maps and information on hundreds of attractions and places to visit. The GPS compatible mapping application, which uses OSi’s latest Dublin Street Guide will greatly benefit tourists and anyone who lives, works or is interested in getting to know Dublin a little bit better.
OSi StreetSmart includes hundreds of searchable Fáilte Ireland Points-of-Interest including museums, historic buildings, gardens, day tours, parks, and top visitor attractions. Each attraction includes a phone number (with click-to-call option), address, and informative description. Users have the option of connecting over-the-air to access photos and extra information on each attraction and to download new POIs.
As well as accessing information provided by Fáilte Ireland, OSi StreetSmart users can create and share new POI and add their own photographs and comments through the over-the-air OSi StreetSmart Information Exchange. This allows contributions to be added by visitors to Dublin, experiences to be shared, and favourite places to be exchanged.
Hugh Mangan, Product Development Manager at Ordnance Survey Ireland, said, “We wanted to produce a digital version of our popular paper-based Dublin Street Guide. Augmentra’s technical platform was ideal, allowing us to combine a range of map scales and even extend the amount of tourist information that is delivered with the mapping.”
“We are delighted to see the successful launch of OSi StreetSmart”, commented Craig Wareham, Commercial Director at Augmentra. “This smartphone city guide uses our software to bring together the highest quality streetmaps and most comprehensive ‘places-to-see’ information available for Dublin. The mobile consumer - whether a tourist, business traveller, or Dublin resident - now has a powerful and convenient city guide and one who’s information is continually updated.”
OSi StreetSmart is based on Augmentra’s DataRanger mapping, navigation and information mobile technology platform. Based on the same technical platform, ViewRanger, Augmentra’s smartphone-based off-road sat-nav application was recently awarded Best Location-Aware Service & Application by Nokia and Symbian in Nokia’s S60 3rd Edition Global Challenge to find the best smartphone applications.
OSi StreetSmart Guide to Dublin is available from www.irishmaps.ie and OSi map retailers with an SRP of Eur 29.99.
Not to let a good thing settle in, Navman has quickly updated its entry model to the new F20 after only releasing the iCN 320 a mere few months ago earlier this year. The F20 thins out the the iCN 320 and adds many features without adding cost to the small GPS device. The $379.95 model comes preloaded with all current maps of the United States and is packed with goodies usually found on much higher priced GPS navigation devices.
“It is important for first time users to have a navigation product they can easily understand and completely trust,” said Kent Dickerson, director of sales, Navman USA. “Right out of the box, the F20 is ready to use, providing drivers with all of the features they need, in a simple product – at an affordable price.”
Users will be able to trust the 3.5 inch screen to accurately allow their finger to select addresses and POI information with the easy to use touch sensitive screen. Tele Atlas map data will keep you on the road, new and old, and dedicated buttons for nearby gas and parking facilities will help you locate such needed landmarks in a hurry. The high quality internal speaker assists in your non-visual navigation and the anti-glare screen will help you see clearly when you do need that visual navigation. Topping the new F20 off with the second-generation SiRFstar III chipset, you’ll acquire satellites faster than you can say, “How do we get to grandma’s house?”
The Navman F20 features a high quality, slim and portable design that weighs 7.1-ounces and measures 3.13-inches (H) x 4.57-inches (W) x 0.95-inches (D). Its integrated rechargeable Li-ION battery provides up to 3.5-hours of battery life allowing the F20 to function both inside and outside of a vehicle. The Navman F20 comes complete with a vehicle mounting bracket and vehicle power adapter. Available now at all fine electronic stores.
If you thought having the entire Verizon network behind you was cool, try taking them on a run, now. Verizon announced today with Bones in Motion V Cast integration that allows runners, cyclists, triathletes and walkers to, “track and store their workouts-including mileage, split times, caloric burn, elevation changes and other information-as well as to share running route information from cities around the country, all with the push of a button on their wireless phones.”
Using the built-in GPS of the Get It Now-enabled phones, your phone will now be able to monitor your speed, distance, calories burned, pace and the route in which you took. If you’re a chocolate lover, then you’ll be able to also listen to tunes as you do all this via the LG’s iTunes-like phone. In fact, this all sounds a little like the iPod+Nike thing but you’re not tied down to a certain brand of shoes and you can use one of many selected (and different branded) phones on the Verizon network.
John Harrobin, vice president of digital media and advertising for Verizon Wireless, said, “We recognize our customers lead active lifestyles and want to stay connected, listen to music and track their progress during a run, walk or ride. Now instead of carrying multiple devices to get through one workout, they can simply add BiM Active to their phones to get more functionality out of a single device.”
You’ll be able to check out all your stats via BiM’s web site, Runner’s World RunTracker, without the need to sync when you’re done with your workout.
“Technology is continuing to enhance the running experience, and we’re excited to partner with BiM to offer runners a resource like the RunTracker,” said David Willey, vice president/editor-in-chief of Runner’s World. “The real-time workout information is vital to runners of every ability level, and this will allow them to easily upload and store their training information to better achieve their training goals.”
Beginning today, BiM Active is available on select Get It Now-enabled phones, including the Samsung SCH-a930 and SCH-a990, LG Chocolate (VX8500), Motorola V325, RAZR V3c and RAZR V3m.
Customers can download BiM Active to their phones from the Sports category of the getGOING shopping aisle of the Get It Now virtual store for $9.99 monthly access or $1.99 for 24-hour use purchase. Download charges for Get It Now applications vary and airtime charges apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications. Customers need Verizon Wireless digital service to access the Get It Now virtual store.
For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.