Insta GPS

The primary provider of software platforms and services for the Location-Based Services (LBS) industry, known as deCarta recently made an announcement of the release of a turn-key navigation application to be used in personal navigation devices (PNDs). The latest navigation application boasts of enabling makers of PNDs and smartphones to roll out a custom-branded navigation application to market fast and with least development time.

ABI Research guesstimates that 14 million personal navigation devices were put for sale in 2006, and the market is likely to go up to 24 million units in 2007. The move has been taken considering the cutthroat competition in the market today, which calls for the deliverance of the product with differentiation and within-no-time deliverance of the products. The latest navigation application from deCarta’s boasts of providing makers a featured-packed product, which is claimed to be utilized as delivered, or customized to be a sign of a distinctive look that underlines the makers’ brand identity.

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The battle is on for navigational giants as they come on the battlefield for demonstrating their PNDs (portable navigation devices) at the next-up CeBIT trade show. The two giant well known as Garmin International & TomTom will outshine each other by introducing their PNDs (portable navigation devices). Garmin is likely to come up with its latest nuvi 200 PND, its first PND purportedly to be integrated with GPS chips from Taiwan-based MediTek, at the show.

The nuvi 200, which is aimed at the entry-level segment, will slowly but surely put back the company’s C-series PNDs, as maintained by the sources. But according to a report released of late by US-based securities house Jefferries & Company, it was learnt that Garmin’s latest entry-level PNDs might go on with use of Texas Instruments’ Navigo-series chips, or the same chips made use by Garmin for its StreetPilot C 300 lineup.

Whereas, on the other hand, latest PNDs to be showcased by TomTom at CeBIT are expected to be integrated with TomTom ONE XL, ONE Duo and the GO 715, as maintained by the sources. The ONE XL is expected to be a revised version of TomTom ONE PND sporting a widescreen display, whereas the ONE Duo is likely to be sported with an expandable base for an iPod and FM receiver. Besides, the GO 715 is expected to substitute its forerunner the GO 710 and will be consisted with a SIM card slot for transforming the PND into a handset at the time of driving

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Finnish-based Tracker Oy, specialized in telemetry devices, tracking and outdoor navigation, recently announced to come up with the publishing of its latest MyWay product family, which has specifically been developed for outdoor users to help them navigate, to bring them safety and for monitoring their performance or activities in the nature.

MyWay product family include:

(1) MyWay Navigator software—cell phone-based navigation and tracking software for outdoor users.

(2) MyWay Saver GPS—personal safety device, able to be tracked with MyWay Navigator

(3) MyWay Dog GPS—developed for tracking hunting dogs with MyWay Navigator

(4) MyWay Vehicle GPS—a device to guard your car in case of theft, which means you are allowed to set that Vehicle GPS will relay you an alert if your car leaves a pre-set safety zone.

(5) MyWay BT GPS 100— a Bluetooth GPS especially done for usage in walking speed. With BT GPS 100, you are enabled to get your own position on the map in the MyWay Navigator.

The publishing is carried out in the world’s primary outdoor exhibition IWA Outdoor & Classic in Germany. No info of the price so far, as to the availability, it is going to be for public in May 2007.

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Princess Cruises recently announced to have joined army with Calabash Technologies, LLLP to make available the Calabash World Explorer, a groundbreaking, portable GPS travel guide, which can be used by the passengers like a self-guided shore excursion.

The Calabash World Explorer boasts of integrating the functionality of a portable GPS, audio tour guide, MP3 player, photo viewer, encyclopedia of local information, comprehensive atlas, and a local shopping directory. With the provision of Calabash World Explorer, Passengers are enabled to now make a visit to a destination but for carrying many travel books, brochures, or maps and have an experience of a destination in a manner generally held in reserve for locals.

The GPS claims to integrate a gauge of security to passengers whilst onshore and comprises simple maps with an arrow taking to any destination on the island. The entire info is offered in an effortless and user-friendly manner and need no users to be consisted with any prior experience with GPS devices. Users can press large, on-screen buttons to make access to infinite possibilities whilst onshore.

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When a GPS unit has got the most affordable and not the cheapest price range with all those specs and sports that are mostly sought by the consumers, I think it’s the best deal ever made by the consumers. Recently one of such units I stumbled upon webitpr.com that really caught me with its features at such a minimal price range.

Perfect for fleet management and vehicle or staff location, the GPS Tracker, from Locate Mobiles.co.uk, boasts of having free tracking software, global mapping and 50 free tracks that is for just £199.99 plus VAT (List price £249.99) and the most important thing if you want a free delivery of the tracking software, it can be got by ordering before 1st May 2007. The tracking software costs as little as 5p/day.

So, if you want to track trailers, cars, vans, boats, caravans or other assets/packages, the GPS tracker makes all this possible at a fraction of the cost of existing GPS solutions, which is obviously the lowest cost, yet sophisticated GPS tracking solution with better-quality tracking software accessible making use of your web browser.

The tracking software, which is being offered on a Pay-As-You-Go basis, is claimed to be the first in a ranges of highly sophisticated asset-tracking solutions for businesses and home users. It also needs not a permanent power source, thus it can be installed at once into loads of environments to secure assets or vehicles.

Below are the additional specs of the latest tracking software:

(1) Pay-As-You-Go tracking so you decide how much you want to spend and when
(2) Web based global maps, so track unit anywhere in the world (subject to GSM)
(3) Battery powered lasting up to 90 days (so no install costs) - truly flexible unit
(4) Use your own SIM card in unit, so you can control your SIM costs
(5) No monthly fees charged to your credit card
(6) No annual subscription or hidden fees
(7) Free UK Support
(8) Free delivery

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Cobra is planning to come up with a big-screen handheld GPS device and a derivative version with a database of data, which is claimed to be mainly handy for truck drivers. The forthcoming device boasts of sporting a 5-inch color screen, which is touted to be one of the biggest screens in the PND market.

Though Cobra made no announcement of release dates for the latest products, but it said that the earliest introduction date for the truck-driver model is expected to be in the Q 4 of 2007. Cobra is awaiting TeleAtlas software that would put forward data for truckers, the company maintained at the time of a current financial call. Providing niche PND products is one way to keep away from competing firmly on price in a market wherein rivalry is going sharper and prices are constantly falling, pointed out by the company.

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Engineers working for the US Office of Naval Research claim to have discovered an easy technique to enable submarines and divers to find an exact GPS fix. The avant-garde GPS technology does not work underwater due to the radio signals it depend upon cannot pass through water, but now while satellite GPS data is inaccessible, submariners can find out their location beneath the waves.

A base station is set up to the seabed at identified depth and identified GPS location. A submersible everywhere in the area relays a sonar request pulse to which the base station comes back with a signal which tells about its GPS position and depth plus the bearing angle from which the submersible’s request came. The submersible after that makes use of its own depth, which can effortlessly be measured, in addition the round trip pulse time and the bearing angle relayed by the base, to compute its own position. Simple.

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Sony has recently come up with its GPS-CS1KA GPS Unit, which is touted to allow any digital camera that has Exif 2.1-compatible images to get location data saved alongside it. The GPS-CS1 is a handheld (GPS) Global Positioning System unit that boasts of keeping record of time and date info along with exact position anywhere GPS satellite coverage is accessible.

The new GPS-CS1KA GPS Unit is incorporated with Sony’s Picture Motion Browser software, which is said to make match of photo dates and times with satellite-driven position info as soon as it is taken by the GPS-CS1, and after that enables these tagged images to be shown on a Google map.

The kit is included with a squashy carry case that can be clipped to a camera case, shoulder strap or clothing, and sports a see-through window for visibility of battery and memory indicators. The unit has weight of just 55g and boasts of allowing up to ten hours of nonstop utilization with only one alkaline battery. Besides, this unit also boasts of embracing about one month’s worth of tracking data, founded on 12 hours use per day.

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Many a GPS System are rolled out daily by that boast of having something different in themselves, which could be either any of their glaring specs or sport or the price tag that comes with them. When a GPS device has got the most affordable and not the cheapest price range with all those specs and sports that are mostly sought by the consumers, it gets all the rage amongst the consumers and GPS users.

Recently one of such units I stumbled upon gpsgazette.com that really caught me with its features at such a minimal price range. Known as Maxtek MNT-7T, this is one of the most affordable (if not the cheapest) 7 car GPS System, as claimed by the gpsgazette.com. Now since the most of note sport is its price, let’s start from that, which at present retails at just $364.99 from TigerDirect.

The latest Maxtek MNT-7T, besides being consisted with a 7″ Wide LCD TFT screen, is also integrated with 512 MB of internal NAND Flash memory, turn-by-turn voice guidance available in multiple languages, automatic re-routing, 2D and 3D maps, audio player (MP3, WMA and WAV), photo viewer and an A/V input port that enables users to make use of the screen as a in-car display to watch you DVDs or play your preferred games. And last but not the least the Maxtek MNT-7T is included with a DVD that boasts of containing US maps. So, grab it as soon as possible with such a built-in features and such a minimal price!

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Since the GPS technology has come on the view, people seem to have forgotten the traditional maps that I think are still considered the best solution for finding routes. The GPS or GPS-based devices informs you of your whereabouts, without telling what else is there, the maps, on the other hand, enables walkers the luxury of a across-the-board view, that is: ‘Putting flesh on the bones of a landscape.’

Though GPS is a potentially trustworthy and helpful navigational instrument but according to loads of walkers, this ultra-modern unit cannot be compared to the romance of having a look at a route that is laid out in front of a finder on an Ordnance Survey paper map or a guide. Technology has really brought about a change in our day to day lives but yet we feel a miss of the conventional touch.

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