According to recently released report from iSupply Corp, the number of GPS satellite receiver equipped cellphones will more than quadruple between 2006 and 2011. Factors driving the growth are expected to be the growth of location based services and the U.S. government’s Emergency 911 services mandate. Location based services require a GPS receiver for establishing position and an Internet connection for accessing location databases. The BlackBerry Curve 8310 has both.

The BlackBerry Curve 8310 is an attractive smart phone with a metallic finish and a trackball for user input. It is a surprisingly small phone to come with a full QWERTY keyboard. For those looking a smart phone with navigation capabilities the BlackBerry Curve 8310 comes equipped with a built-in GPS receiver and the BlackBerry Maps application for navigation software.
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Technorati Tags: GPS, Emergency 911 services mandate, BlackBerry Curve, BlackBerry Curve 8310, smart phone, BlackBerry Maps

RIM’s BlackBerry Pearl 8100 created a lot of market entry buzz, not only for it’s attractive style and compact size for a smart phone but also, for being the first BlackBerry to offer a camera and integrated media player. The BlackBerry Pearl is a well rounded list of features for a smart phone which, as well as the camera and media player mentioned, includes wireless email, web browser, organizer, corporate data access, text messaging (SMS and MMS) and expandable memory (via a microSD card).

The BlackBerry Pearl 8100 is the first BlackBerry to come with a map application, BlackBerry Maps. However, it doesn’t come with an integrated GPS receiver. If you would like to add GPS functionality to the BlackBerry Pearl, the solution is to purchase a Bluetooth USGlobalSat GPS Receiver. This will enable the utilization of location-based services (LBS) which are continuing to be developed for increased productivity for mobile staff and consumers in general. Recent developments, such as the release of WHERE by uLocate, will ensure that GPS applications are developed quicker and released with greater frequency in the future. uLocate, a comparative veteran of new location-based software application industry, launched, WHERE, the first free, wireless GPS widget programming platform able to work across multiple phones and carriers.
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Technorati Tags: BlackBerry Pearl, BlackBerry Pearl 8100, USGlobalSat GPS, uLocate, location-based software

At the recent Symbian Smartphone Show, London, UK, Samsung Electronics announced two new GPSenabled smart phones – the SGH-i550 and SGH-i560. The GPS navigation functionality will include turn-by-turn voice guidance and will have a pedestrian mode. A navigation trackball located above the keypad should prove useful with GPS applications.

The i550 has a Symbian v9.2 operating system and is based on S60 (edition 3, feature pack 1) providing a platform to integrate applications from the vast Symbian S60 applications library.
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Technorati Tags: Symbian Smartphone, Samsung Electronics, GPS, navigation trackball

The ASUS MyPal A636N is a GPS enabled PDA which comes with the bundled car kit. The 3.5 inch touchscreen can be orientated horizontally or vertically on the dashboard. The A636N has a pedestrian mode so once you’ve parked the car you can take it along for those final directions to your destination. This unit is not the thinnest of the ASUS GPS enabled PDA range as it has a fold out swivel patch antenna which is used to improve GPS satellite reception.

The front face of the ASUS MyPal A636N has a 3.5″ TFT LCD with 65k Full-Colors, 16-bit Display and QVGA (240X320) resolution touch panel positioned above a horizontal row of three circles containing a speaker, five-way navigation control and a cluster of four application launch buttons. The screen is the same size as many dedicated car GPS units and is anti-glare for improved visibility when dash mounted for car navigation.
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Technorati Tags: ASUS MyPal A636N, GPS enabled PDA, 3.5 inch touchscreen, pedestrian mode

The ASUS MyPal A696 GPS enabled PDA has the premium look that ASUS have sought to bring to the market. The A696 has a very smart looking stainless steel casing and at (157 mm) is the thinnest of ASUS’s GPS enabled PDA range. ASUS have achieved the slimming down by having the GPS antenna embedded in the casing as opposed to a protruding swivel patch antenna of other Asus GPS PDA models such as the MyPal A639 and MyPalA636N.

The front face of the ASUS MyPal A696 has a 3.5in, 240 x 320, 65k colour LCD positioned above a horizontal row of three circles containing a speaker, five-way navigation control and a cluster of four application launch buttons. The screen is the same size as many dedicated car GPS units and is anti-glare for improved visibility when dash mounted for car navigation. . The A696 has a pedestrian mode so that once you’ve parked the car you can take it along for those final directions to your destination. It’s an excellent platform for interacting with the rapidly growing range of location based services being offered. The A969 comes with the bundled car kit.
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Technorati Tags: ASUS MyPal A696, GPS enabled PDA, GPS antenna embedded

Nokia have just announced an upgrade to their EISA award winning, pinnacle of convergence the N95 smartphone.

Upgrade highlights include:

• Enormous jump in built-in memory from 160 MB to 8Gb (up to 20 hours of video or 6000 songs)
• Larger 2.8 inch QVGA display to replace 2.6″ QVGA (240 x 320 pixels)

Nokia expect the new upgraded version of the N95 to begin shipping in Q4 2007.

Technorati Tags: N95 smartphone, 2.8 inch QVGA display

Nokia Wireless GPS Module LD-3W adds GPS navigation functionality to your mobile phone. The LD-3W connects wirelessly to a compatible phone, PC, or PDA using Bluetooth wireless technology. Nokia is moving rapidly into the location based services market and the LD-3W is compatible with a number of location-based applications and services.

The unit is powered by a SiRF Star III receiver chip (20 channels) well regarded for its market leading sensitivity enabling it to establish and maintain GPS satellite fixes even in poor signal reception areas. The module comes with a Nokia DC-4 mobile charger.
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Technorati Tags: Nokia Wireless GPS Module LD-3W, Bluetooth, location based services, SiRF Star III

Nokia’s N95 GPS enabled cell phone has won a 2007/2008 EISA (European Imaging and Sound Association) award for the European Media Phone category. The award was made by EISA’s convergence panel which would be expected as the Nokia N95 is a convergence of technology and features including; GPS navigation, Google Earth, 5 Megapixel camera, MPEG4 video capture, HSDPA data access, web browser, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared port, USB interface, microSD slot, multiple audio format playback (MP3/AAC/AAC+/eAAC+/WMA/M4A) and more.

To quote EISA “It’s no mere mobile phone and no mere status symbol. Pick up a Nokia N95 and you hold in your hands a state-of-the-art communication tool – the ideal way to remain permanently in touch and on track with the world that surrounds you.”

You may wish to read GPS Technology Reviews recent detailed review of the Nokia N95 GPS enabled mobile phone.

Technorati Tags: Nokia’s N95 GPS enabled cell phone, GPS navigation, Google Earth, 5 Megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

The Garmin Mobile 20 is a mobile phone mount with a GPS receiver and Bluetooth built-in to add GPS navigation and hands free calling to your on Nokia, Windows Mobile or Treo 650 Smartphone or BlackBerry (note that there is a different version for BlackBerrys). With Internet access equipped mobile phones services such as weather, traffic conditions and safety camera databases can be accessed through Garmin Online. The unit can be mounted to the cars windshield with an included suction-cup.

The plug-and-play Garmin Mobile 20 comes pre-loaded card with maps and navigation software. The included Garmin Mobile XT or nRoute DVD-ROM contains software and full map coverage for North America or Europe. Owners with a laptop can use the nRoute navigation software application which is optimized for the laptop display. Garmin’s Mobile XT navigation software application is compatible with smartphones or PDAs.
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Technorati Tags: Garmin Mobile 20, mobile phone mount, GPS receiver, Bluetooth, GPS navigation, Nokia, Windows Mobile, Treo 650 Smartphone, BlackBerry, plug-and-play, nRoute

Garmin’s Mobile 10 is a very cost effective way for consumers to gain the advantages of GPS navigation without having to purchase dedicated GPS navigation device. The Garmin Mobile 10 is compact GPS receiver which can transform Bluetooth enabled mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones, Pocket PCs, and PDAs into GPS navigation devices. The lightweight (couple of ounces) Garmin Mobile can be clipped (removable clip included) to your clothes for navigation by foot or car.

The plug-and-play Garmin Mobile 10 comes pre-loaded card with maps and navigation software. As well as being able to look up addresses and get turn-by-turn voice navigation directions, the Garmin Mobile 10 allows you to access location based services. Access is available to real-time traffic reports from traffic.com, current hotel information from hotels.com, weather forecasts, fuel prices and other location based services free Garmin Online wireless data services..
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Technorati Tags: Garmin’s Mobile 10, GPS navigation, GPS receiver, Bluetooth enabled mobile, laptops, smartphones, Pocket PCs, PDAs