Routeplanners: SatNav & GPS News

GPS devices are easily a dime a dozen (or two or three dozen for that
matter) these days. So it’s no surprise to see audio-equipment maker Harman
Kardon throw its hat into the ring with the $500 (£ 250) Guide + Play
GPS-500.

The GPS-500, due March 207, gets busy with what looks to be a better-than-standard colourful 4-inch widescreen touch-sensitive display toget your grubby fingers on. It also sports a points-of-interest database for finding your local Starbucks, 2 GB of internal memory for storing the addresses of all your favourite hangouts (you can expand the capacity via an SD card) and an included in-car cigarette-lighter cable for powering theGPS.

And since Harman Kardon is into audio equipment, this GPS unit wouldn’t be
complete without media playback features. It works with online music
subscription services (not iTunes, though) and can support playback of
formats including MP3, MP4, WMA, ASF, WAV, and OGG. Why opt for this instead
of any other run-of-the-mill GPS? It’s hard to say, but maybe its ability to
play music will have you humming along with Ride of the Valkyries.

Source: Mobilewhack

Garmin has released a major software update for Palm OS users of their GPS
10 package. This updated version of the Garmin Mobile XT Palm OS application
adds compatibility for the Treo 650, 680, 700p. LifeDrive, TX, and Tungsten
E2. This software package is bundled with the Garmin GPS 10 and 20 packages.

The new version, listed as version 4.00.40p, most significantly adds
full-screen support for large-screen devices. Also part of the offering is
an improved weather search and Bluetooth communication, improved volume
control range on Treo devices, and numerous other smaller updates and
bugfixes.

Despite the cancellation of most of Garmin’s iQue line, Garmin is still
actively supporting the Palm OS GPS software market. In fact, this package
is currently one of the few viable means of GPS navigation for owners of
newer Palm OS handhelds such as the LifeDrive or Palm TX.

TomTom does not officially support any Palm devices other than Treos with
its version 6 Navigator software and the Navigator 5 software is no longer
being updated for new models. Another bastion of Palm OS GPS software,
Mapopolis, has recently announced its plans to discontinue operations within
the next year.

Source: Garmin Website

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better Garmin unveiled its GPSMAP
496 at Oshkosh.

As close to a “must… have… now…” device as you’ll ever see, the GPS496
is a full-colour, portable aviation device that expands on the 396’s
features by incorporating new SafeTaxi airport diagrams, as well as Smart
Airspace, AOPA’s Airport Directory data, enhanced high-resolution terrain
database, aviation database with private airports and heliports, accelerated
GPS update rate, and pre-loaded automotive maps of North America or Europe.

These features are in addition to the real-time XM WX Satellite Weather
introduced on the 396, that puts weather information where it’s needed
most — in the cockpit, at the pilot’s fingertips. Oh, and it’ll play XM
satellite radio, to boot.

The Garmin SafeTaxi airport diagrams help pilots navigate unfamiliar
airports with confidence. The GPS496 sports over 650 US airport diagrams
from the factory, along with charts identifying runways, taxiways, and
hangars, as well as the aircraft’s exact location on the field.

When in the air, the new Smart Airspace feature makes it easier than ever to
identify what airspace lies ahead. Smart Airspace automatically highlights
airspace close to the pilot’s current altitude and de-emphasizes airspace
away from the current altitude, which gives pilots increased situational
awareness.

Inclusion of AOPA’s Airport Directory data gives the user access to
information for over 5,300 public-use airports and more than 7,000 FBOs. In
addition, Garmin’s version of the Airport Directory highlights airports
where pilots can save on fuel by using self-service fuelling locations.

What’s more, like other Garmin portable GPS units the pilot can transfer the
496 to an automobile, as a premium in-car navigation system with automatic
route calculation to any destination and turn-by-turn voice-prompted
directions along the way. And when traveling by boat, the 496 is compatible
with Garmin’s new BlueChart g2 technology — which turns the unit into a
colour chart plotter that displays integrated marine maps with shaded depth
contours, port plans, and other useful items.

With a street price around $2,795 — all this capability doesn’t come cheap,
after all — the GPS496 comes the closest yet to the concept of the
ubiquitous tricorder from “Star Trek”… all the info you need, tailored for
when you need it, all in a amazingly compact handheld-or-panel-mounted
device.

Source: Garmin Website

Initially HTC Trinity has been sold without GPS activated but Vodafone
Germany will be selling it with GPS activated in the ROM image.

It’s difficult to imagine that there can be a mobile phone that can offer
everything. In any case VPA compact GPS is very close to realization of this
dream: integrated GPS module for navigation, pus email, touch-screen, Wi-Fi,
Windows Mobile 5.0, Bluetooth, UMTS broadband-cable (HSDPA support), memory
card slot, mobile Outlook for email, lacquer covered surface and much more.

Source: Vodafone Germany

To answer the needs of discerning consumers who require a highly versatile and functional PDA, ASUS has launched the A686/696 ultra-slim GPS PDAs. These palm-sized wonders are of a high standard of design and quality and cater to the user’s expectations for personal accessories.

Standing distinct from most of the PDAs on the market, the ASUS A686/696 is not only ultra-slim at only 1.57cm, it incorporates full GPS functionality without the protruding antenna, and is encased in stainless steel instead of plastic. Together with the anti-glare touch screen, the A686/696 exudes a solid and high quality feel expected of luxury accessories.

Global Positioning
Global Positioning System (GPS) puts an end to fumbling with maps and compass by harnessing satellite technology to pinpoint one’s precise location, and other trip information. No mere gimmick, A686/696 has a great variety of everyday applications like trip planning and navigating venues, taking users anywhere, for both fun and work.

On the A686/696, GPS technology comes in an extremely slim PDA with embedded antenna discreetly hidden from view, and the information is displayed on an anti-glare 3.5-inch colour screen providing a better view while driving. In addition, the A686/696’s GPS module uses the latest energy-efficient SiRF Star III chipset, enabling accurate navigation over extended periods

Pocket Power
In situations where a notebook computer is too much to carry, the A686/696 can get much work done: wireless capability Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) keeps the executive connected to email, the Internet and corporate networks while Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate speeds up data exchange with a huge range of digital peripherals (phones, printers, etc) by up to two to three times over conventional Bluetooth; with ASUS’ user-friendly application “Remote Presenter”, it can also be easily used to link and control presentations on a computer via Bluetooth. Most critically for a workhorse handheld, all data are stored in Flash memory, so precious information remain stored even if all battery power in the handheld has drained away.

Entertainment
Running on Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, the A686/696 is also a true multimedia handheld with front-mounted speakers, that plays video and audio formats (.WMV, .WMA, .MP3..etc), as well as the huge library of games available for the Pocket PC platform. It’s simply the most versatile mobile entertainment gadget for its size.
Combining a powerful suite of applications into an ultra-slim PDA that exudes a high-quality feel, the ASUS A686/696 is the power accessory of choice for the well-heeled and well-traveled.

General Specifications
Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, Wi-Fi (802.11 b+g), Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR), SiRF Star III chipset (GPS), 3.5-inch 240 x 320 anti-glare touch screen, 11.7 x 7.08 x 1.57cm, 165g, 1200mAh removable/ rechargeable battery, integrated microphone and speakers, full duplex recording and playback

A686: Intel XScale 312Mhz processor, 128MB Flash ROM, 64MB SDRAM
A696: Intel XScale 416Mhz processor, 256MB Flash ROM, 64MB SDRAM

For more information on the A686/696 and other ASUS handheld solutions, please visit the company homepage at www.asus.com.

Computersplusnyc.com is listing a new Palm GPS Navigator 3 kit for Smartphones in its product listings. The sales price is given at $287.42 and is currently not in stock.

In addition, Palm’s latest Estimated Street Price List sheet shows the GPS Navigator 3 kit as being compatible with Treo 650, 700w/p/wx, and Treo 680. The current GPS Navigator 2 kit is incompatible with the Treo 680 and only unofficially supports the 700wx.

A recent article from CES 2007 written by Andrew at TreoNauts also mentioned a discussion he had with a Palm spokesperson who hinted at a forthcoming new GPS kit. This mildly revised package will have TomTom Navigator 6.03 software (the most recent as of this writing) and the newly updated 2006 maps mentioned here recently as well as Treo 680 and MiniSD card support. The cradle included with this new package is also supposedly custom-designed for Treos so it should be smaller and less vibration-prone.

Also of interest is the fact that the very same January 2007 Palm ESPL shows the LifeDrive as EOL’d and a few Palm peripherals reduced in price.

Soure: Palm Infocenter

Asus has announced its “first entry into the portable GPS market”.

The S102 touts an internal antenna, SiRF Star III receiver, and “advanced natural voice technology” so those turn-by-turn instructions sound eerily lifelike. Other features include a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 resolution touchscreen, handwriting / voice recognition capabilities, 64MB of SDRAM, 64MB of Flash ROM, SD slot, external antenna jack, MP3 playback support, photo viewer, and a rechargeable Li-ion battery that should be good for about four hours.

Source: Engadget