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Already a successful GPS retailer in Japan, Panasonic has released its Strada CN-NVD905U in-dash Car GPS navigation system onto the U.S. market. The Panasonic NVD905U is an in-dashboard (double-din) car GPS navigation device and a well equiped entertainment unit as well. Outstanding features are the exceptionally wide 7 inch display and a large 30GB hard disk drive (HDD). For security there is a 4 digit pin-code.

Maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico including detailed maps of 86 U.S. cities are pre-loaded on the HDD for immediate use. There is a huge database of 12 million searchable Points of Interest, such as gas stations, airports, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, ATMs and historic landmarks. The NVD905U can provide navigation instructions in English, Spanish or French.

As an entertainment unit, the Strada CN-NVD905U can play DVD-R/RW, audio CD (MP3 or WMA formats) with surround sound from an integrated SRS Circle Surround Automotive technology. For impressive sound, the amplifier is a high power MOS-FET and their is a 2-channel downmix Dolby Digital decoder. Important to many, the unit has iPod Video connectivity. Music can be loaded uning an SD card.

Available options for the Strada include:

• Satellite radio broadcasts with the purchase of an optional tuner, antenna and subscription.
• Real time traffic reports after installasion of an optional tuner, antenna and purchase of a subscription to a traffic service.
• Bluetooth capability for receiving and making hands-free cell phone calls.
• A rear view camera which can switch on when reverse gear is engaged.

Panasonic CN-NVD905U Strada In-Dash Mobile Navigation System with 7-Inch Widescreen Color LCD Monitor/DVD Receiver

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Panasonic Strada CN-NVD905U Features

• 2.5″ 30GB Hard Disk Drive
• 7″ (diagonal) Wide-Screen LCD with Touch Panel Operation
• MOS-FET High-power Amp (50W x 4 Max.)
• SD Memory Card for Map Data Upgrade
• Dolby Digital Decoder (2-channel Downmix)
• DVD Video and WMA/MP3 (CD-R/RW) Playback
• DVD-R/RW Playback
• Full Coverage of the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada
• Detailed City Maps
• Voice Guidance and Graphical User Interface Menu in English, French and Spanish
• DVD Menu Direct Input
• SRS Circle Surround Automotive
• SQ7 (7-Band Sound Quality)
• Satellite Radio-Ready
• Expansion Module-Ready
• iPod-Ready
• Hands-free Phone System-Ready
• Rear-view Camera-Ready
• 4-digit ID Code Security

Late last year the BBC started trialling a new form of citizen journalism equipping university students with Nokia N-series phones , such as the N95, which have an integrated GPS receiver and camera and can also shoot video. The experiment is intended to discover how text, images, images and sound can be combined with location (GPS) and time to produce a real time social news reporting experience. It was only recently that we saw the power of mobile phone citizen journalism capturing the chilling echoes of gunfire on the Virginia Tech campus.

As well as being a novel in other ways, the news format does involve the integration of GPS-tagging into news reporting. It’s something that is sure to become more pervasive with time. Market research leader Gartner Inc. has predicted that about 589 million mobile phones will be sold with cameras in 2007, increasing to more than 1 billion worldwide by 2010. The figures are believable when one considers that camera phones weren’t launched in the US until 2002.

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Engadget recently held its 2006 Engadget Awards. The winner for the GPS Device on the Year Award for both the Readers Choice and Editors Choice went to TomTom’s GP910. The TomTom GP910 is the premium model in TomTom’s automotive navigation range

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Accurate mapping of wireless networks is yet another example of the diversity of applications for GPS technologies. Palo Alto based Network Chemistry Inc. have announced a new GPS capable release of their Rfprotect Mobile an easy-to-use, walk around tool for automating site surveys of wireless networks.

Rfprotect can help design and maintain wireless networks but, it’s GPS capabilites are integral to its network survey functions. The latest version of RFprotect Mobile can coordinate with a laptop GPS receiver (USB GPS dongle) to produce a map of signal strength from all wireless access points in a given area. The software tracks movements of a laptop to create maps of an area’s 802.11a/b/g/pre-n wireless coverage. Detailed floor plans can be imported to provide a physical reference for a wireless network survey.

Both wireless networks and GPS technology have become ubiquitous, said Dr. Chris Waters, CTO at Network Chemistry. Combining them together to bring GPS capabilities to RFprotect Mobile enables organizations to scan and monitor beyond their four walls - a critical aspect for enterprises wanting to secure their networks from rogue devices.

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Ask Mobile GPS, a location based service, has been launched by InterActiveCorp providing Google Maps for Mobile with some competition. Ask Mobile GPS is a subscription based service which combines GPS navigation with a friend locator (ala TomTom’s Buddies), Evite (invitation) and Citysearch (local search). InterActiveCorp has plans to add other brands from its corporate stable to the application including; Match.com (dating), RealEstate.com (home listing) and Ticketmaster (box office service).

The Ask Mobile GPS application was developed by Wavemarket, an LBS application provider which already provides the back-end for Sprint networks family locator application. Navteq supply maps for GPS navigation.

Here is a link for Ask Mobile GPS.

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Pioneer have introduced the AVIC-S2 GPS personal navigation system. The compact technology convergence device offers GPS route guidance and includes an MP3 player. The onboard Bluetooth v1.2 technology provides hands-free mobile phone operation.

The AVIC-S2 has a 3.5 inch touch screen and comes with map coverage of the entire U.S. and Canada and some 1.7 million POI (points of interest) provided by the TeleAtlas database all preloaded on a 1 GB SD card. The built-in SiRF Star III GPS module provides excellent position accuracy. Navigation directions can be in English, Spanish or French over the built-in speaker.

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A novel approach to GPS/mobile integration by BlueSky Positioning Ltd (UK) is likely to herald a far more rapid GPS enablement of the mobile handset market. BlueSky Positioning’s product, A-GPS SIM, is a Assisted-GPS module for SIM cards. When incorporated into a GSM or 3G phone it forms a complete network assisted GPS receiver. As described in GPSTek’s A-GPS Technology Guide, A-GPS uses the assistance of a data server in the mobile network to reduce the location identification time (Time To First Fix) and increase accuracy.

Technology breakthroughs, including an in-SIM antenna, (patents pending) were required to realize the product. Importantly, BlueSky have stated that the A-GPS SIM costs a small fraction of the cost of a new handset.

According to BlueSky Positioning, “The A-GPS SIM card complies with GSM and 3G standard and will work with legacy GSM and 3G handsets without the need for modification or additional software.” This unlocks the provision of GPS enabled services from the uptake of A-GPS enabled phones as only the SIM card needs to be replaced for GPS enabling. BlueSky Positioning report that their A-GPS SIM card will have minimal impact on signal strength and battery life.

The A-GPS SIM card will help mobile operators who have an 18 month compliance clock ticking on them meet new European Union emergency call legislation (similar to E-911 legislation in the U.S.). In addition, faster buildup of A-GPS enabled handset market penetration can only help the cause of location based service providers looking to deliver new services.

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Packard Bell have emphasized the ease-of-use and compact form factor for the release of their new Compasseo 800 series GPS navigation system. The Compasseo 800 series all have a generous 4 inch, TFT, anti-glare touchscreen. GPS capabilities are powered by the popular 20 channel SiRF StarIII GPS receiver.

The 800 series has a 4 hour battery life for personal navigation use. For car navigation it has a car mounting kit and cigarette lighter adapter. Bluetooth technology is also there for hands-free phone use in the car. Media playback capabilities include MP3, photo and video.

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Mio Technology Limited are hoping the competitive pricing of the entry-level Mio DigiWalker C220 will open personal GPS navigation devices to a wider range of consumers. Keeping up-to-date, the Mio DigiWalker C220 comes ready to use with new U.S. maps (Alaska and Hawaii included) preloaded on an SD card. GPS functionality is provided by the popular and accurate SiRF StarIII GPS chipset which is WAAS enabled.

The touch screen is a 3.5 inch, QVGA (320×240 pixels) TFT with 65K colors. As well as the SD card the Mio DigiWalker C220 has 256MB of flash memory on-board. It has a USB interface for PC connection. The C220’s dimensions are ( 4.21 x 3.15 x 0.91 inches) and it weighs in at only 3.88 oz.

Mio Technology Press Release.

Mio C220 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

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The TomTom ONE automotive GPS device has proved very popular with GPS purchasers making it the number one selling portable navigation device. Capitalizing on the TomTom ONE branding, TomTom have launched a new variation, the TomTom ONE XL with a larger 4.3 inch touch screen. The TomTom ONE XL is traffic enabled allowing access to real-time road condition updates and alternative routing. It also incudes TomTom’s new QuickGPSfix software for faster connection with GPS satellites.

TomTom ONE XL users will be able to access all TomTom PLUS services (subscription fees may apply) including real-time traffic and weather reports, updates on road conditions as well as the TomTom Buddies feature. Using TomTom’s free HOME software application, customers can manage, download, store and transfer content from their computer onto their TomTom device. A popular feature is the facility to download celebrity or character voices for use in voice prompts.

TomTom ONE XL 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

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Some 2,000 fortunate testers recruited by Dash Navigation will receive a free Automotive GPS for the duration of six months of road testing being carried out by the company. Testers will have the opportunity to provide feedback which will influence the design of Dash Navigation’s GPS device. The company recently completed a successful six-month field trial in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Dash Navigation’s new Dash Express, the first Internet-connected GPS, was named a 2007 “Best of CES” Award winner by CNET and LAPTOP Magazine. Dash was also recognized as an Innovations Honoree by the Consumer Electronics Association.

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On April 12 Trimble launched a Google Earth featured content layer of GPS-based adventure details. Google Earth combines the power of Google Search with satellite imagery, maps, terrain and 3D buildings. Trimble Outdoors has populated its Google Earth layer with premium fitness and off-road GPS navigation information, such as GPS tracks and waypoints, trailhead directions, trail descriptions, photos, video clips and audio. Layer information also incorporates interactive GPS-on-cellular applications from the Trimble Outdoors and premium content from contributors to BACKPACKER, Bicycling and Mountain Bike magazines.

The service is a technology convergence integrating trip details with planning software, the Web and mobile phone technology to allow users to view and participate in outdoor experiences. Google Earth users can export the layer data to any WAP-capable mobile phone, experience it via a GPS-enabled mobile phone with Trimble Outdoors fitness and outdoor recreational applications, or download to a stand-alone GPS device.

Outdoor enthusiasts can now use Google Earth’s overhead virtual flyover to familiarize themselves with terrain of interest and experience what is in store for a selected route through embedded photos, audio clips and videos.

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On December 25, 2006, Russia successfully launched three modernized GLONASS-M satellites to join its existing, partially complete, GLONASS global navigation satellite system. The GLONASS -M series of satellites have an additional navigation frequency for civilian users, a longer (seven year) service life and updated antenna feeder systems.

A new satellite series, GLONASS –K, with reduced weight (cheaper to launch) and a further increased operation lifetime of 10-12 years, is expected to enter service in 2008. India and Russia have an agreement for India to share the development costs of the GLONASS-K series and launch them from India.
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Epson has announced its development of an ultra-sensitive, ultra-compact global positioning system (GPS) module (S4E19863 series) to meet high demand from manufacturers of mobile phones and other handsets with GPS functionality. A telling feature aligning the module with the stated applications is the small form factor which Epson claim is the world’s smallest at 7mm x 6mm x 1.28mm.

As is their practice, Epson have developed the new GPS module from their own knowledgebase of GPS baseband processors and A-GPS software. Epson state that the new GPS module has a broad detection range capable of obtaining satellite fixes even for weak indoor GPS signals.

The module supports the three 3GPP-compliant positioning modes - MS(Mobile Station)-Based, MS-Assisted and Autonomous. This means that while the module can take advantage of assisted GPS (A-GPS) modes it has the onboard computing power to also autonomously establish its location through multiple GPS satellite fixes.
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Waiting for satellite locks to obtain a location fix can be frustrating if you’re in a hurry. To determine its position a GPS receiver needs to know the exact position of each satellite broadcasting the signals it is analyzing. Obtaining a fix can be slow due to factors including GPS satellite position broadcasting loops lasting 30 seconds and satellite signal interruption by ground clutter (buildings, vegetation etc.) re-booting the entire position-fixing process.

For a first GPS fix seconds after startup, TomTom have announced the introduction of a free service, QuickGPSfix. The service is available for GO910, GO710 and GO510 users from the TomTom website. The QuickGPSfix service provides predictions of satellite orbits for up to seven days for downlaoad to TomTom devices when they are connected to a PC or Mac running TomTom HOME software (available for free from the TomTom website).

All the satellite position data is distilled down to the small easy-to-download QuickGPSfix GPS data file. The data is valid for 7 days and needs to be refreshed regularly for QuickGPSfix to continue working.

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