Insta GPS

Yesterday I discussed about GX652, a digital camera, which boasted of accepting input from a GPS receiver. But today I have got quite the opposite: that is a GPS navigation device, which boasts of capturing digital pictures. The idea is not very new as the same has been brought about by Navman N60i, which remained out of the reach of my keyboard nevertheless the latest device is even then need to be mentioned. There is nothing wrong with a little rivalry.

I think the device seems to be known as Hatchback GD06, which is also vogue as there was not any clarity from FCC documents, and is designed by Hong Kong-based Group Sense PDA. The latest device is also claimed to make use of navigation software named TurboDog (TeleAtlas maps) and gives support to receiving of TMC messages. It is also capable of playing your MP3 files, which you are allowed to keep on an SD card.

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Nexus iSR’s Hawk Duo is claimed to be a GPS-based handheld wireless access points with two PCMCIA slots in order to make available Internet services to mobile users. The main purpose of the device seems to make available Internet access to many users far off from their office, in the ground. Feasible utilizations are comprised with rescue recovery centers, conference rooms, building field offices and so on.

The GPS is an efficient insertion on for apps like AVL, Geo-enabled Dispatch and Navigation. The Hawk boasts of making available connectivity to many real-time WAN paths with user-optable order for failover. The price tag for Nexus Hawk Duo is $600. Built-in with WiFi and GPS costs an extra $150 each.

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Experts recently reported that a solar upsurge in December disturbed the Global Positioning System, a satellite-based navigational system utilized extensively by the military, scientists and civilians. The researchers maintained that the solar flare brought about radio bursts that traveled to the Earth, engulfing a wide frequency range, having an effect on GPS and other navigational systems. Solar flares are known to make unaware satellites and even electricity grids, however the researchers maintained that the Space Weather Enterprise Forum was an all of an abrupt serious novel effect.

Paul Kintner, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Cornell University in New York said,

In December, we found the effect on GPS receivers were more profound and widespread than we expected. Now we are concerned more severe consequences will occur during the next solar maximum.

Dale Gary of the New Jersey Institute of Technology revealed that the explode brought about 10 times more radio noise than the earlier record. Gary said in a statement that measurements with NJIT`s solar radiotelescope established, at its peak, the brought about surge 20,000 times more radio release than the whole rest of the Sun. This was sufficient to inundate GPS receivers over the whole sunlit side of Earth.

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Well in my previous two posts, I told you about the unveiling of Magellan Maestro 4000, 4040 and 4050, and their unavailability on Magellan’s site. But now Magellan claims to have brought its series of 3 latest handheld vehicle navigation devices at Amazon.com for pre-order.

Magellan Maestro 4040 costs $500 and 4000 costs $400 as it was mentioned earlier. But in the present post there is a difference of $100 that seems to be because of the fact that 4040 is consisted with text-to-speech feature and hands free bluetooth calling, whereas Maestro 4000 doesn’t have.

Hands-free phone calls - Bluetooth wireless technology and built-in microphone let you make hands-free phone calls using your compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone.

The Maestro 4050 offers voice input as well as the widescreen that comes on each of the Maestro navigation systems. Besides, the Maestro’s are now also available on Magellan’s website.

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China-based CCID Consulting of late predicted that navigation is going to be all the rage in China’s car GPS market. CCID maintains that China’s automotive electronics market, all through 2006, got greater than before specifically the sales revenues approached RMB 86.76 billion, with the raise of 39 per cent over 2005. Power control and chassis control system in 2006, were chiefly utilized in all cars manufactured in China. Automotive electronics products were additionally enhanced, in chiefly chassis control systems. Additionally, car electronics was even then a flashing point in the market. Sound systems in passenger cars were upgraded on a significantly.

The latest car electronic products like GPS and TPMS also became highly demanding in their penetration. In 2006, 815,000 sets of GPS were put for sale in China, creating sales revenues of RMB 4.19 billion. Likened with 2005, sales volume and sales revenues increased 50.8 per cent and 107.3 per cent, correspondingly. Table 1 Size and Growth of China’s Car GPS Market, 2002-2006 (by sales revenues) 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Sale volume 5.6 14.6 27.4 54.1 81.5 (10,000 sets) Growth rate 133.8% 159.9% 88.1% 97.1% 50.8% Sales revenues (RMB 100 million) 1.8 4.1 9.8 20.2 41.9 Growth rate 164.9% 125.4% 140.0% 106.7% 107.3% Source: CCID Consulting, Jan. 07

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Tekom rolled out its GX652 GPS digital camera at recently concluded CeBIT 2007, introducing users a standard 6-megapixel camera with 4.8x optical zoom, a 3″ TFT LCD display, and MPEG 4 video recording in VGA quality at 30fps. Integrating location tags to digital images even now seems to be a problem. Though there are loads of solutions, not any in actual fact make the process more efficient. But the latest Tekom GX652 GPS digital camera boasts of providing solutions to all that troubles encountered.

Yes, the GX652 can be linked up to the GX1 GPS receiver to get you a dozen channels within 5 seconds. This is a pretty ingenious blend as the users simply are provided with what they pay for but for unnecessary sports or add-ons. Even today I have no info on pricing or availability.

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Here is good news for ordinary users, now they can determine locations, sketch routes and affix photos or video to current online maps. All this has been made feasible by Google Inc claims to have made map-making easier, by giving away tools to the users.
The Web search leader, which start out a flare-up of inventive map-making amongst professional programmers subsequent to releasing Google Maps two years ago, is now coming up with MyMaps, tools for daily users to generate maps within a few mouse clicks.

So, allow your imaginations go wild, spatially talking: locate your preferred restaurant whereabouts. Come back from a globe tour and plot out landmarks along the way. Take photos from a new hike and make use of MyMaps to point up locations along the trail.

Jessica Lee, product manager for Google Maps was quoted as saying in an interview,

Who better to create maps than local experts? MyMaps makes map-making universally accessible to anyone.

Makers of custom maps are enabled to publish them so other users are able to hit upon them while searching Google Maps. Users of Google Local search will from now onward make out pertinent user-generated MyMaps come in a unique part in conjunction with usual commercial results. Or else they are able to opt to run off their MyMaps unlisted for private use or to share with a select group of friends.

See the new features by clicking on the MyMaps tab now available at Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/).

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Sony is very soon going to roll out one of its most advanced GPS units to the US. A recent FCC approval has depicted that the company is about to come up with its earlier Europe-only NV-U81T to the country, providing sports that are rarely found in the NAV-U line or other GPS devices.

Sony NV-U81T sports a 4.3″ touch screen and is consisted with hands-free bluetooth support. The NV-U81T is also integrated with standard traffic message channel receiver, and a 4GB 1″ hard disk for storage. Other imaginative sports Sony built-into the NV-U81T are gesture commands and position plus.

The position plus makes predictions about the location of the vehicle by listening to its acceleration sensor and a pressure sensor to provide more stable, reliable positioning information, even when GPS signals are degraded or briefly unavailable.

Even today there is no info on pricing or availability, but as and when it comes I will let you know.

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The McMurdo SMARTFIND Plus EPIRB is the outcome of a comprehensive research and development program with a concise to bring about a compact, potent even then chic beacon. The resultant EPIRB provides the newest avant-garde technology guaranteeing or boasting that it goes beyond the needs of both commercial mariners and recreational boaters. The SMARTFIND PLUS G5 is consisted with all the best-of-the-breed sports of the standard SMARTFIND E5 with the integration of a primary 12 channel GPS receiver.

The integration of a GPS receiver to the EPIRB guarantees that the accurate position of a casualty is transmitted to the rescue services. This will in order develop the tempo of revival by enhancing the location of the beacon at usual intervals. SMARTFIND EPIRBs have been programmed with a distinctive serial number, which has to be registered with the state authorities. Where allowed by these authorities, beacons can be reprogrammed with the vessel’s MMSI or Radio Call Sign. This can be made by authorized McMurdo service agents.

The key features are:

(1) Non-hazardous battery for safe and easy transportation
(2) Unique CARRYSAFE bracket for safe transportation
(3) Comprehensive diagnostic and self-test facilities
(4) High brightness LED flashing locator lights
(5) Integrated 12 channel GPS (PLUS version)
(6) Stylish and compact
(7) GMDSS compliant
(8) 6-year battery life
(9) 6-year warranty

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Danish scientists will place satellite tags on walruses in an attempt to identify with where the big beasts move around. The animals are going to be tracked for 2 months off west Greenland - and guesstimate how hunting, oil exploration and climate change could be having an effect on the animals. The task is being operated by the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and the Danish Polar Centre.

The satellite data is to be shared with BBC News and released on its website so that readers may be able to track the migration. At this time of year, west Greenland’s walruses relax on pack ice, having bask in the early spring sunlight. However as temperatures go up further, the ice starts moving away, and the mammals are soon headed to north to colder climes. The precise spot of their summer hideaway has long been a secrecy.

Professor Erik Born, the senior scientist in charge of the project explained that to find out where they are going, he plans to employ Global Positioning System technology.

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