Insta GPS

A company called Traveleyes that specializes in organizing overseas trips for the visually-impaired is now going to embed its clients with HumanWare’s Trekker Talking GPS system, introduced in 2003 and which is now claimed to offer more autonomy and freedom to travelers utilizing Traveleyes by allowing them to like the places visited by them even more.

The GPS Trekker system without a glitch is integrated with Traveleyes’ services, providing over simply an easy tour, however rather enabling blind tourists to keenly and autonomously take part. So, with Trekker, Traveleyes globetrotters will be provided with even more independence and autonomy while making a visit to tourist sites. For instance, they are enabled to formulate their way from their hotel to a museum by counting upon the info given by Trekker.

With the help of HumanWare’s Trekker Talking GPS system, the users are enabled to locate accurately where they are, find out about area attractions, and discover in real time how to reach to particular destinations. Set in the palm of the hand, Trekker is claimed to provide the visually impaired with greater autonomy, boosting up their assurance in their capability to travel. With this, they are also helped to make access and take pleasure in the majority of precious and attention-grabbing chances their environs have in store to make available.

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Mio Technology recently announced to have come up with latest in incarnation called the DigiWalker P550, which is touted to be different from Mio’s dedicated portable GPS systems. At present available in Canada; the latest product is also boasted of functioning as a Pocket PC, with mobile versions of Microsoft Office applications. The Lilliputian gadget, which can with no trouble be used for a pocket or purse, too brags built-in WiFi and Bluetooth technology, and a digital media player.

Kiyoshi Hamai, North American Sales Director, Mio Technology Ltd, enthused that Mio Technology’s GPS expertise has fueled our rapid growth in the Pocket PC space globally.’

Our highly accurate, integrated devices are less cumbersome and more convenient than navigation add-ons for other handheld devices. From salespeople traveling across the country, to couriers making deliveries across town, the P550 is the perfect tool for any business user that needs up-to-date information and navigation to get the job done.

The P550 is included with pre-loaded with maps of Canada and the United States, and over 11 million points of interest (POIs), such as restaurants, hotels, and gas stations. The comprehensive listing of address and phone number is also piled up for countless POIs. Besides, turn-by-turn directions can also be availed both by voice and text, along with 16 languages. There are also multiple navigation modes for driving, walking, or cycling. Via WorldMate digital assistant software, the holders are allowed to make a download of travel info for a city or nation to be visited by them, comprising traffic conditions, construction, and weather advisories. The entire range of the functions can be watched and availed on the more than enough 3.5-inch touchscreen TFT LCD.

More to the points, the latest P550 is also claimed to be compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0 software, and is integrated with pre-loaded with mobile versions of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player. With the integrated WiFi and Bluetooth technology, the P550 can also be connected to the Internet, plus other gadgets, such as cell phones, printers, and computers. The device is consisted with 2 GB of internal flash memory, and is built-in with an SD/MMC slot for extra memory. Power-driven by a lithin-ion battery, the unit is also consisted with a battery life of up to five hours. Mio’s DigiWalker P550 measures 4.15- x 2.4- x 0.6-inches, and weighs just 6 ounces. The product can currently be availed for just $549 at a selection of retailers, comprising Office Depot, London Drugs, and Canadian Tire.

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The latest Earthmate GPS BT-20 can now be availed at Earthmate.com. The state-of-the -art GPS BT-20 is touted to be the perfect GPS solution for users with many hardware devices, which boasts of delivering wireless connectivity for your Bluetooth-based laptop computer, PDA, or touch-screen phone (Palm OS or Windows Mobile); Earthmate GPS BT-20 is also claimed to get connected to laptop computers through USB.The Earthmate GPS BT-20 is WAAS-based for accurateness within meters; it is integrated with a long-lasting, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, consisting of both AC and in-vehicle lighter-jack charging options.

With the price starting from just $169.95, the latest Earthmate GPS BT-20 can be got with either or both of these DeLorme mapping software titled as Street Atlas USA 2007 Plus DVD or Topo USA 6.0, the recent launched software that is claimed to be an ideal complement to the Earthmate GPS BT-20. This 3-D mapping engine boasts of bringing about pragmatic views of your most wanted terrain. Soar above rivers and lakes, ascend mountains, and discover latest destinations from any compass point.

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BlueTraks has recently come up with its device known as BT-211, which is claimed to make an attempt to add all your vehicle gadgets into single device. Featured with hands-free Bluetooth communication and iPod command and control, the BlueTraks BT-211 makes use of a 4.2″ touch screen color display; besides being hard-wired to the vehicle’s communication bus system and to the previously built-in stereo in your car.

At a touch of the display, the BT-211 mutes the audio system inside the vehicle and will ‘listen’ to the driver say the name or number they wish to call, or request phone status, or lookup a name to call from their cell phonebook. The system will mute the vehicle’s audio system when an incoming call is received and audibly announce to the driver that there is an incoming call while at the same time display the caller ID and phone number.

The company is also making out plans to make the launch of different models at the second half of 2007, which are also touted, to be integrated with satellite radio and GPS Navigation. Sooner or later they have plan to include three different models, which are (1) BT-211P: hands free bluetooth and iPod controls (2) BT-211N: above plus navigation (3) BT-211S: above plus satellite radio tuner

No pricing info could be got so far.

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Here is another GPS tracking system known as SkyTRX Mini, which boasts of tracking100 hours of data (location and speed every second) however is short of the capability to perform it in real-time that implies that you are compelled to manually make a download of the data to your computer and locate where the GPS tracker has been.

The output as of the unit is Google Earth compatible so as a minimum that part will be simple. Priced at $260, the device is also touted to be integrated with a magnetic mount to make it simple to add to steel surfaces and is power-driven by 2 AAA batteries. If you think to ‘hide’ this tracker within your subjects bumper thanks to the magnet, then you will have to consider again. The majority of GPS devices require an obvious sight of the sky. Oh, and the majority of bumpers these days are plastic.

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China- based Shenzhen Eminent Electronics recently announced to have come up with a handheld GPS receiver known as 300504300016, which is claimed to be integrated with 7in touchscreen TFT LCD. The latest 300504300016 is also touted to make access to the GPS function via the Secure Digital (SD) card.

Besides, the handheld GPS receiver is also consisted with double track and standalone video input ports plus double track stereo CD tone including earphone port. The 300504300016 is also included with an integrated 1W hi-fi speaker, in addition to give support to MP3 and MP4 players, with many formats of digital photos. The latest device is also integrated with text read function.

No info of the prize available

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A German specialist Reichhardt claims to have developed an ultra-precise GPS-based auto-steering system for tractors & implements, promised by the “Ultra Guidance” system. The benefit of the newest Two-centimetre precision is that the extreme precision is related to the following implement, also, regardless of its width or how steep the side slope being worked across.

Company marketing manager Andrea Reichhardt says,

We are testing our systems with modern high output implements, where problems with accuracy in automatic steering systems can occur.

The time kinematic (RTK) Ultra Guidance boasts of being the first to triumph over these problems by bringing about self-determining GPS guidance for both tractor & implement. Two-centimetre precision makes use of a receiver including three antennae on the field boundary. One is for the GPS receiver on the tractor, one for the tractor steering control and the very last for the implement controller. The Two-centimetre precision also measures any tangential proclivity in the performing width, which brings about the computations that set the implement precisely on track.

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A Cedip Infrared Systems company known as Polytech recently announced to have come up with its latest inertial navigation system (INS), which has specially been brought about for operating with its Cobolt multi sensor gimbals in airborne surveillance, search & rescue and law enforcement applications. PolyTech’s latest low-priced INS kit, consisting of a gyro pack, 3-axis accelerometer and right digital filtering, is deployed easily into an optical bench, thus getting rid of the errors because of flexible mounting on the aircraft fuselage.

For geo referencing and geo mapping with moving maps it is necessary to accurately define the optical line of sight. A simple GPS reference is not enough to achieve the pointing accuracy required in critical applications such as fire mapping, law enforcement or search and rescue.

The INS system, while integrating an external GPS, boasts of providing full attitude and heading of the optical bench. With the help of the INS, a user is enabled to take on target geo-location and geo-pointing operations through the flight, so ensuring the exact latitude and longitude of the ground observed area. The INS output can with no trouble be integrated with many a moving maps and terrain models.

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Leadtek has come up with its LR9101 miniature GPS module, a high sensitivity, low power & compact Surface Mount Device (SMD). Earlier, Leadtek had launched its 12-channel LR9805T GPS module, but now it has introduce its 20-channel (GPS) receiver, which is claimed to have been developed for a wide spectrum of integrated applications and is founded on the quick and deep signal search potential of the latest SiRFstarIII architecture. The LR9101 also gives support to both standard NMEA-0183 & SiRF Binary protocols. Leadtek also provides a comprehensive assessment system with Windows-enabled software to speed product development.

Besides, the 20-channel LR9101 is consisted with an integrated high gain amplifier and bandpass filter, which makes the use of low-cost passive antennae possible. The LR9101 is built-in a very compact module of just 15 x 14 x 2.8mm to enable fast & simple incorporation into a broad variety of applications like PDAs, portable radios, car and marine navigation, fleet management and asset tracking. Not only this the LR9101 also sports cold, warm and hot start times of 42, 38 and 1 seconds, correspondingly, and a signal reacquisition time of 0.1 seconds. The unit also boasts of being fully protected for optimum performance in earsplitting surroundings and has a RoHS-compliant package.

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GolfBuddy is another Golf GPS system, which also boasts of improving your Golf game. While, I looked at the dimensions that is 5.3cm X 8.2cm X 2.6cm, with the weight just 85gr (without the batteries), I got to realize that GolfBuddy Designers have undoubtedly concentrated on the portability, which really too limits the screen actual estate. Thus the unit boasts of sporting a 128X64 pixel / Mono LCD which, as a matter of fact, from the pictures looks to be more than enough. Similar to the majority of GPS Golf aids, the new GolfBuddy is touted to calculate for the golfers the distances to the front, back and center of the Green plus yardage to custom points comprising hazards, bunkers as well as lay-up points.

Apart from all that the unit sports an 8 channel GPS receiver that as maintained by the maker claims to offer an accurateness of 1~3 Yard 90 per cent of the time. GolfBuddy is also capable of holding info for up to 60 golf courses that can be transferred by you to the device from your computer by making use of a serial cable. And if you want to download the course data, you will have to visit to the company’s site only if you one of the yearly subscriptions have been bought by you, and the price rage starts from $24.95/yr to $54.95/yr. The unit at present can be availed in the USA from GolfBuddy’s site paying $274.99. Besides the unit inside the box you will be provided with a belt clip a data cable and the manual.

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Debuting in the GPS market, IO Gear, the leading peripheral manufacturer, has announced to come up with its latest GBGPS201, a kit, which is touted to be integrated with a bluetooth GPS receiver and navigation software, plus additional accessories like chargers and carrying case. The company maintains that the built-in map data covers the U.S. and Canada, with comprehensive street names. In addition the navigation software boasts of supplying directions in text, graphic and voice. The MSRP for the kit is $300, however the IOGear GPS kit can be picked up from Amazon for just $125. A good deal indeed!

IOGear GPS kit also makes available for trip recording & playback. Further sports are comprised with speed detection, trip time estimation, and trip demonstration. It is not included with the mAh capability of the battery, but it is claimed to last upto 25 hours. The company has also not provided info about whose maps is to be used or what type of GPS chip the kit is built-in with. So, ahead of making purchase of IOGear Bluetooth GPS kit, ensure to go through the reviews on Amazon.

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AvMap and Quantum Company collaboratively showcased a specialized handheld multimedia player known as the QTM 1000 VOR, at the 3GSM World Conference in Barcelona, recently. The QTM 1000 is a mobile device with TV receiver, which is touted to give support to DVB-H as well a GPS receiver.

The multi-functional QTM 1000 VOR is claimed to deal with 6-8 TV channels worth of bandwidth, alongside enabling you to watch one channel whilst recording a new one. The QTM 1000 also boasts of making it possible to watch images or listen in to MP3 files that can be brought on SD memory cards by you.

Check below some more specs and sports of QTM 1000 VOR:

(1) TFT screen measures 4.3 inches (10.9 cm) supports 16M colors and 25 images per seconds
(2) Maps of Italy provided by TeleAtlas
(3) Integrated SiRF III GPS Receiver
(4) SD expansion port
(5) USIM/UICC reader

QTM 1000 VOR is likely to be availed in Italy in April 2007 for around 400€ with subscription to H3G; the local operator of DVB/H.

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Today, as usual when I grabbed my chair to write about the GPS products, I chanced upon to find a little information about Mio’s latest forthcoming handheld Car Navigation System known as Mio C220. Even via the related links, which were provided in the http://www.gpsgazette.com/, I could not find more info about the device, but for ‘Image Coming Soon’ written on the linked page. However through all that I came to know that the latest product is expected to be sold with the price tag of $270.

Even if it is simply a misspelling of the Mio C250, then we will have to wait for the time when the product is brought to us, and if you really would like to get confirmed about the product info, then here are the links given on compsource and amazon, where you can make sure the existence of the info provided by gpsgazette.com.

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Benefon is soon coming up to hit the GPS market with its three latest WiFi-based 2.75G and 3.5G WM6 Smartphones with interesting sports and obviously with interesting names that is; TWIG Talisman, TWIG Totem, and TWIG Monolith. Though I could not find pictures of the upcoming device, but the latest devices are likely to be shipped in June 2007. Now when I have mentioned the word ‘interesting,’ you must be curious to know about their interesting sports and specs, so let’s check them out one-by-one:

TWIG Talisman

As maintained by the press release, this is touted to be a Tri-Band GSM/GPRS/EDGE device that is supposed to be sprinting Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 and give support to Microsoft Outlook Mobile for instantaneous access to email, calendar, task and contact functions. As per the press release, the TWIG Talisman will be integrate a conventional numeric keypad and a 2.6′ touch-screen. Besides this will also be built-in with SiRF Star III GPS chip and Benefon’s latest Windows navigation. The location search solution will endow users with turn-by-turn voice guided directions. Last but not the least the TWIG Talisman sports a 2 MP digital camera and Bluetooth 1.2

TWIG Totem

Now let’s find out the glaring features of TWIG Totem, which, according to the press release, ‘is a lightweight and strong mobile device, which is claimed to come with a complete series of PDA sports like Microsoft Office Mobile for reading and editing Word and Excel documents, integrated with Benefon’s strong Windows navigation system for real-time turn by turn navigation and access to location related info. Besides, the Twig Totem also sports touch screen and numeric keypad inputs, a built-in SiRF Star III GPS chip, 3 mega pixel camera and Bluetooth 2.0.

TWIG Monolith

And to end with, here comes the TWIG Monolith, which is touted to be a WiFi phone with built-in with GPS (SiRFStar III) sporting both a numeric keypad and a touchscreen and consisting of a smartphone form factor. Similar to the two above-mentioned units, the latest TWIG Monolith will make use of WM6, Benefon’s latest turn-by-turn Windows navigation system and integrated location search technology. Additional sports are; a 2MP digital camera and Bluetooth 1.2

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Alpine has come with the behind-dash (or in the trunk) GPS navigation system called NVE-N872, which is claimed to be a DVD- enabled system with the capacity of tracking 9 million points of interests (POIs) all through United States-comprising Hawaii–as well Canada, Navteq maps, integrating lane info for the majority of countries freeways.

Freeway Junction allows you to zoom in to freeway interchanges. With a close up view, you can see how many exit lanes there are and determine which lane you need to use.

Apart from all that the NVE-N872 is also integrated with a featured-packed remote, which is said to be consisting of direct buttons for home, speak, traffic, detour, delete destination, display and yes zoom, too. A few of the additional sports are; multi-language capablity (English, Spanish, or French), integrated gyro sensor (helps ‘guess’ vehicle’s direction and speed whilst in tunnels and such), voice command recognition, satellite traffic support and lot more. Something that will be missed by you in any other in-dash navigation system is a sport known as vehicle speed pulse input that allows you to get up close and personal with your car.

With select units that sport PulseTouch, you find blatant feedback exactly from your screen. Different vibrations and pressures simulate what it feels like when you push a real button. You are provided with a unique feel while tapping a button, holding down a button, moving a slider or touching where no screen command exists. A smart layout of buttons, together with their tactile response, makes sure that you can promptly and simply get controls but for even taking a look at the screen. Touch the screen, and feel it touch back.

But one thing that should be kept in mind is that for $1700 you will only be provided with the black box picturized above, but for screen. You will have to make purchase of a comptaible Alpine AV head unit (opt from IVA-D105, IVA-W205, IVA-W200, IVA-D310, TME-M740BT, and TMI-M990) for which you may have to give one more grand or may be more than that.

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