One of the chief GPS chip makers, SiRF recently said that Renesas Technology has licensed SiRF GPS baseband IP blocks to location-enable its latest SuperH Family SH7775, a system on chip solution, which has specifically been brought about for high-performance car info systems. With its built-in SiRF GPS abilities, the Renesas SH7775 is touted to make available the auto industry the technology for creating the X-gen of inexpensive in-dash navigation, telematics and auto info systems. The SiRF IP solution delivers superior GPS performance for automotive applications. Along with a standalone SiRF GRF3i+ radio frequency subsystem IC, the built-in SiRF GPS technology handles constant-critical facets of obtaining location measurements from the GPS satellites, and passes positioning data to SiRFNav GPS software running on the SH-4A processor core. SiRF will directly provide the RF subsystem and system-level integration support to automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to ensure successful integration of the Renesas SH7775 solution into their products, maintain compatibility and interoperability of the GPS and other host platform functions and obtain optimal GPS performance.
Mio unveils Mio A702 handheld device with GPS
Mio recently takes the wraps off its new handheld device known as Mio A702, which is built in with a GPS receiver and a 3.2 MP digital camera. It is consisted with a front face that resembles brushed aluminum while from the back; it bears a similarity to Mio A501. A702 also comes with a numeric keypad, not like A501, and gives support to microSD cards for memory extension. The 3.2 MP camera is worthy of a flash too certainly and Mio didn’t exclude that but even added one of those mirror if you are taking your pictures. The navigation characteristic encompasses its own interface button on the left enabling you to switch on or off the GPS receiver chip. Talking about the GPS receiver chip, the latest Mio A702 makes use of the SiRFDirect characteristic of which I have talked in my previous post, which is called by the name of NavSteadi. It makes allowances for a better navigation experience by making use of heading and acceleration sensors to assist with GPS reception in areas where signals are not up to the mark.
Nokia debuts Nokia 500 GPS Auto Navigation system
Whenever I think about Nokia, portable mobile phones come in my mind rather than GPS devices. Nokia has unveiled the Nokia 500, second in-car navigation system for convenient in-car navigation and communication. The Nokia 5500 Auto Navigation device has integrated GPS and competitive in-car navigation features as well as complete Bluetooth handsfree system for your compatible mobile phone. The Nokia 500 is featured with 4.3 inch color screen, which makes it easy for you to search through contacts and make and receive calls. The handsfree speaker system with Digital Signal Processing (DSP) provides you excellent audio quality. The Nokia 500 is equipped with high-sensitivity GPS and Nokia Maps navigation software, which gives you clear voice and visual directions. The device comes with pre-installed regional maps and detailed travel information, including your points of interest like hotels, police stations and tourists sites. The device has an intuitive Nokia interface, featuring a split screen, which provides you additional information like your next turn, estimated time of arrival and distance remaining alongside the main screen to help for your navigation. The Nokia 500 Auto Navigation system allows you to listen music from the integrated music player, view photographs or watch videos. The device also plays music through your car’s FM radio by using the in-built FN transmitter. It is expected that the Nokia 500 Auto Navigation to be available in selected regions of Europe in the fourth quarter for a price of EUR 300.
V7′s NAV700 soon to be released in North America
V7 is getting ready with a novel model to hit the North America market. The most recent model, which is known as NAV700 features a 4″ TFT LCD touch screen and a 400MHz Samsung processor. It also consists of 1GB on board flash memory as well as an extra 256MB on the SD card. NAV700 is said to be sprinted on WindowsCE.Net on the background and depends upon a 1600mAh Li-Polymer battery for power. Besides it utilizes all the rage SiRF Star III GPS receiver. The hardware & software are included with the support for TMC; so once you lift up an external TMC antenna, you can get live traffic information at once. So, the latest and greatest V7 NAV700 will hit the shores of Canada first and the US in the long run. Though there is no word on its MSRP, but yet it is expected to cost $349 or lower.
Track real-time location of your friends and family via Myrisis
Are you searching for your pet? If yes, then GPS enabled real time location tracking system, Myrimis will help you in searching your pet. Hong Kong based Nanomatic has launched Myrimis (my-risk-management+information-system), which enables millions of people to use the most comprehensive location based social network on their personal computers or mobile phones. With Myrimis, users can track real time location of their friend, pets and assets through integration with Nanomatic’s nanonavi. Nanonavi, a mobile phone application offers location tracking features through GPS enabled device. Even you can also log into your Myrimis profile and real time locations of family and friends. You can not track strangers, so firstly you need that all friends need to join Myrisis. Next thing you need GPS enabled mobile phones or PDAs. Currently, Nokia Symbian S60 phones are capable to run this application. Myrisis also allows you to monitor your house, remotely control for your appliances and also takes care of your children and elder when you are away. Currently, the service is totally free, so register yourself and take care of your pets, friends and family. Image Credit: Nanomatic
Cars to get Apple Branded GPS unit
Recently an interesting news regarding Apple is making rounds! Focus one of the most noteworthy German magazines has made certain significant and eye-opening announcements. According to this immensely famous magazine, Apple is working hard on a GPS unit mainly for cars. According to the article, during the first six months these units would be made available only for Mercedes. Later, it will be made available to other car manufacturers. Isn’t it really exciting? Well, till then we can only wait for its arrival! I am also waiting for its arrival with baited breath, to install it in my car. Let’s see whether GPS unit with Apple branding would be able to make it by 2009 or it is just a rumor?
TomTom unveils new high-end GPS navigator models in US market
Did you remember? Few days back, I told about the launch of TomTom’s new GPS PND model, One XL in Taiwan. TomTom is again back with its new high-end navigator models, the TomTom Go 920 and TomTom Go 920T in the US. The TomTom Go 920T GPS comes pre-installed with complete maps of Europe, the United States and Canada on 4 GB of internal memory. TomTom’s new GPS device includes enhanced positioning technology to experience more continuous navigation. The enhanced positioning technology of TomTom uses movement and gravity sensors to calculate the position of driven, when there is no GPS signals because there is no direct line-of-sight connection to a satellite. The Map Share technology helps customers to adjust maps and share corrections with other TomTom customers, so that users can always receive the most up-to-date information. An RDS-TMS Traffic Receiver provides up-to-date traffic information, while an improved Bluetooth remote control allows drivers to operate their device safely from anywhere in the car without touching the screen of device. The company has also unveiled the TomTom One 3rd Edition along with the TomTom Go 920 series in North America. TomTom One 3rd Edition has an improved user interface that provides options for customizing the navigation screen as well as provides quick search tools. The new TomTom Go 920 series would be available by the end of 2007 for $600, while the TomTom One 3rd Edition will be available by the end of this month for $250.
Nemerix NX4: 4th generation navigation platform from Nemerix
Nemerix is updating its service with the launch of its 4th generation A GPS navigation platform, called the Nemerix NX4. This is the first time that company has launched scalable, hosted and standalone A GPS platform. The NX4 is specifically designed to deliver low-power and highs sensitivity and provide optimum performance in tracking and TTFF. With the NX4, users will have ability to select hosted or standalone A-GPS architectures within a single chip and migrate to 65nm RFCMOS and integrated baseband for multiwireless applications, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and FM. The new NX4 is coupled with the GSM baseband integration with the aspect of hosted arhiteture, so that one the new multiwireless solutions are designed, then it is hard to displace. Eric Achtmann, vice chairman of Nemerix stated that GPS is silently changing the rules of mobile games. Suppliers who have GPS capabilities will hange this lurative development.
GPS Systems For Your Pets
If your dog or cat is the type that likes to wonder off to faraway places and you end up searching hours for them, then getting a GPS tracking for your pet would be beneficial. These GPS systems operate in the same way as the ones game rangers use to track wild animals. These GPS pet trackers are usually attached to a special collar which means that there is less chance of it getting lost, however, before you head on down to your local discount pet supplies store you need to make sure that you have a GSM and SIM (usually in your mobile phone) and a service provider that will enable you to track your pet because all pet trackers have a transmitter. Tracking your pet via your mobile phone service provider is not recommended though because it offers very little access to any information, so, you should use the Internet or software that is installed on your personal computer as it will give you your pet’s location much quicker and much more accurately. This pet tracking software allows you to set boundaries for your animal and if they happen to cross these boundaries then an alarm will sound and you will be able to quickly locate your pet. All pet trackers vary in the features they offer, some only offer the pets location while others will give you directions to that location, some trackers are waterproof while others are not, so you need to make sure that you get the right one for your pet. There are various different brands of pet trackers that you can get, all of them differ in some way so it is best to ask a sales person about their specific features and capabilities so that you don’t buy one that you cannot use.