Garmin announced a few new GPS solutions today, including a new GPS-enabled Pocket PC called the Garmin iQue M4, which is similar to the Garmin iQue M5. Although I did not get my hands on the iQue M4 (yet), I thought I'd provide my insights since I have seen many GPS solutions and can get a good feel of the iQue M4 just from the feature specs. First, this is the first Garmin Pocket PC to come
pre-loaded with City Navigator North America NT covering the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. There's no need for downloads from your PC, although with only 64MB of RAM, you'll probably need to download maps if you travel to another area of the world. It also includes a built-in MP3 player that lets users browse music by artist, album, song, and genre and the music can be loaded onto an (optional) SD card. They also included a new higher-sensitivity SiRF GPS receiver.
The "ho-hum" factor is that this isn't much of an improvement over earlier Garmin models. For instance, no large SD card is included (1 GB would be nice) to hold a nice huge chunk of maps. It has 64MB of RAM and 32MB of ROM. Also, the M4 runs on Windows Mobile 2003 SE, rather than the Microsoft's latest PocketPC OS. It also runs on a a 312MHz processor, includes an SD/MMC memory card slot, a 3.5-inch, QVGA display. It will retail for $749.99 when it goes on sale.
The biggest "ho-hum" factor is that for $749.99 you can buy a brand new bleeding-edge PocketPC and then add in GPS software from Destinator or TomTom. Someone also told me that Garmin "locks" their PocketPC GPS solution so you can't really install any third-party PocketPC applications, making the PocketPC a strictly GPS device plus whatever else Garmin adds in (MP3 player). Not sure if that's true or not, but if it is, then this is yet another reason why I'd rather buy a high-end PocketPC, a Bluetooth GPS, and then buy the leading GPS software of my choosing.
Garmin makes good quality GPS units and if you want a Garmin iQue M4, you can pick one up on Amazon for a cheap price. If you want to see other user reviews, click here.
Recently in GPS Category
TomTom is launching a GPS routefinder device for cars together with mapping web site Mapquest. TomTom said the Mapquest device would be a repackaged version of the TomTom Go 300 device. TomTom, whose initial public offering in May was the biggest in five years on the Amsterdam stock exchange, said the device, which will sell for $699, would help it expand its presence in the United States.
I should point out that first TomTom used TeleAtlas's map data (which is terrible in my opinion - at least the U.S. map data), then TomTom announced they would be using NAVTECH's map data (more accurate in my opinion), and now Mapquest.
You know what, I'm not even sure this is necessarily newsworthy since Mapquest already licences and uses the NAVTECH data themselves, thus TomTom already has the Mapquest data (technically NAVTECH data) in the TomTom Go 300. I suppose Mapquest could have their integrated their own special routing algorithm, which is well known for taking you on the most convoluted, err I mean efficient route to your destination.
Update: 5 min from post
Actually, I should have read my prior post on TomTom where I figured out that TomTom was only licensing the NAVTECH maps for the TomTom Rider (motorcycle GPS) product and not other popular TomTom products such as TomTom Go. I also determined and griped that TomTom and Tele Atlas signed a 3 year extension through 2007 (I was rooting for a TomTom Go product with NAVTECH map data).
So I guess this news about a Mapquest OEM'ed version of TomTom Go is probably a way around the TeleAtlas contract good till 2007. I will assume this gives TomTom a way of offering a TomTom Go product that uses the more accurate U.S. NAVTECH data without TomTom breaking their Tele Atlas contract. (assuming it is an exclusive contract)
Forget the Blackberry, forget the Treo 650, I want one of these babies! The sleek HP iPAQ hw6510 and hw6515 Mobile Messenger is probably the slickest, coolest looking combined PDA/cellphone device today. (wiping my gadget drool as I type this) Everything from surfing the Web, checking email, and yes making calls is just beauteous, eh?
It features an integrated thumbboard, EDGE, Bluetooth and an integrated GPS receiver. Yes, I said GPS! Woohoo! It not only supports GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz and GPRS Class 10, but the hw6515 is also the first Windows Mobile communicator to support EDGE for high speed data transfers. I'm all about the speed baby! (See Viper)
Oh and Cingular Wireless will carry these soon, as seen here: http://www.cingular.com/ipaq. The HP hw6515 may be just enough motivation for me to finally ditch Sprint and go with Cingular after 10 years of loyalty to Sprint.
Check out the specs on the 6500 series.
- Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz for enhanced global use
- Integrated QWERTY keyboard for easy response to email, text, and instant messages
- GPS location capabilities via integrated GPS receiver with separately purchased GPS navigation application provides
driving directions at your fingertips - Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition software - Phone Edition
- 64MB RAM / 64MB ROM
- Integrated Bluetooth for use with various headsets, car kits and other accessories
- Integrated Secure Digital (SDIO) and Mini-SD slots for greater storage and expansion
- Optional 1.3 mega-pixel camera, with video capabilities
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Pharos was nice enough to pre-load the Connecticut map, thus upon turning on the device for the first time, I was able to quickly lock onto a few GPS satellites and get a fix on my current location - took only about 45 seconds. The color screen was vibrant, bright, and easy to read, surprisingly even under direct sunlight. Since I often travel out of state, I decided to add portions of NY and portions of MA to the list of available maps. Loading maps is done very easily using their USB cable. The Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator comes with a 32MB SD card and automatically maps as a drive letter when you connect the USB cable. Thus, you can just drag and drop maps to the SD card is so desired. Interestingly enough, Pharos ships a second USB cable which connects to the Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator's charging port, thus using USB's 5V bus power to charge the unit. They also ship a cigarette adaptor which connects to this second USB cable for charging the unit while you are in the car.
MapsSay you decide to install a huge 1GB SD card into the unit and you want to 'slice' one contiguous map onto the Pharos SD card. You can't do it. Unbelievably, you can't 'slice' your own maps. This wouldn't be a major issue as long as the included maps allowed you to navigate across multiple maps. Unfortunately, you can ONLY load one map at a time for navigation even though you can have many maps on the SD card. Thus, although I had the CT map loaded, and portions of NY on the SD card, I could not for instance navigate from Stamford, CT to New York, New York. Ok, I can deal with separate states for map slices, but at least let me load a whole state as one slice, but alas, you cannot do that either. Pharos slices and dices up most states into multiple parts. Oy!
In fact, if you look at how Pharos 'slices' the U.S map you'd wonder if Pharos decided to duplicate U.S. district gerrymandering! I mean look at the color coding in Florida (that bastion of normalcy). There is a pink map in the shape of an arm flexing that hooks from the middle of Florida on the Atlantic Ocean coastline across to the Gulf of Mexico and then it hooks straight north toward the Georgia border. How can this possibly be useful?
Another nuisance with the maps is that they don't move as you drive. Instead your Asteroid-looking triangular cursor moves on the map as you travel. As you reach the edge of the screen the map then refreshes to an entirely new screen with your cursor back at the opposite edge. I much prefer the cursor stay in the middle of the map at all times and the map itself move. This gives you a much better sense of direction and orientation.
Speaker/Audio Quality
The speaker is too small and weak resulting in a tinny sound that is difficult to hear even at full volume. I had trouble hearing the female navigation voice telling me about an impending turn, especially if I had the radio on. If I was driving on the highway, the ambient noise (motor, tires, etc.) combined with the radio and it was damn near impossible to hear the verbal directions.
Any GPS gadget freak will tell you that the two most important features of any GPS navigation system is the accuracy of the navigation routing followed closely by the number of POIs or Points of Interest with a vast number of categories such as airports, restaurants, etc.
POIs
I was greatly disappointed when I browsed Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator's POI database. It was sorely lacking. It didn't have a "restaurant" category. How can a GPS navigation system not have restaurant POIs? This is just sacrilege in my option. That's my favorite POI category! It also didn't have a petrol/fuel/gas station category - another important POI category in my opinion. Even the categories it did have seemed quite a bit incomplete as far as the entries contained within them.
Many GPS systems let you choose which POI categories to display on the screen, however on this GPS product, no icons are displayed for the POIs. . Therefore can't click on them to get name, address, and phone number. (Yes, some GPS systems do list phone numbers in their database.)
Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator comes with the following categories:
- Airport
- Amusement Park
- City Center
- College/University
- Ferry Terminal
- Hospital or Polyclinic
- Important Tourist Attraction
- Library
- Monument
- Park and Recreation Area
- Police Station
- Railway Station
- Scenic/Panoramic View
- Shopping Center
- Stadium
- Theatre
- Tourist Information Office
- Zoo
The navigation routing algorithm was pretty accurate and it did recalcualte your route if you went off course. Pharos has a subscription-based service called Smart Navigator - GPS position and navigation data, and information specific to your location are all delivered via wireless communications link directly to your mobile device. According to their Website: With a wireless-enabled Pocket PC, you can access Pharos' Smart Navigator service on the Web and get live, real-time "Smart Traffic" information or lookup points of interest by proximity or keyword using "Smart Finder"
Supposedly the EZ Pocket Navigator supports Smart Navigator, but I don't know how since there is no wireless capability built into the device. Unless traffic signals are now riding on top of the wireless satellite GPS signals. I know there has been talk about GPS vendors doing this, but I don't think this is available yet. I do think I read you can get weather via GPS signals though.
There is one major annoyance with the navigation verbal cues that I need to point out. When I took several test drives, the Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator would only give me one verbal warning before a turn and then when I reached the turn it wouldn't re-state the desired instructions. Instead it played some tones to indicate I need to follow the previous verbal instructions which could have been given a mile back. What if I forgot? The problem is that if you didn't hear the instructions the first time (certainly plausible with the poor speaker), you're out of luck. You have to then try and and figure out which way to go by looking at the LCD display while driving.
Although the Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator features a touch-screen display, you cannot use your stylus to navigate around the map. I use Destinator 3 all the time and I love its ability to move the map around using the stylus. Further, you can't touch a point on the map, hold it there and then either "navigate" to that point or add it to your favorites. I've also used various TomTom products and like Destinator 3 it has a better interface than this one.
Another annoyance is that to enter in a destination you must first enter in the street address, then click 'Next' to see the list of cities with that street address. This is a problem for a couple of reasons. First, sometimes you're not sure if it's Main Ave, Main St. Main Dr. or Main Rd. I've also seen streets listed as "2nd ST, N", "2nd ST, S" and even "2nd ST S" without the comma. Thus, you have to pick one at a time and then keep clicking Next and then Back until you finally find the city you're looking for listed. The other reason why I don't like entering an address first is sometimes I just want to navigate to a city and don't care which street - I know my way around once I get to the city. Or, what if i don't remember the address and prefer to enter the city, and then scroll through the streets until I recognize the one i want? With the Pharos GPS unit you are required to enter in a street address.
Miscellaneous
The map data doesn't seem compressed at all. I was able to open the map data in a text editor and view address and POI information. (I wonder if the GPS data is encrypted? If not, someone can steal their GPS data). Considering the unit ships only with a 32MB card you would think they would compress the data.
The Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator has an MP3 player, as well as a Calendar and a Contacts feature. These add-ons are ok, but surprisingly, you can't navigate to a Contact, which makes the Contacts feature limiting in my opinion.
The product doesn't have any "Avoid Road" or "Roadblock" feature for navigating around a certain area.
Now for some good news... I like that it was lightweight with an integrated GPS antenna. I like the bright easy-to-read screen and I like that it's so small you can fit it into a shirt pocket. I like the Smart Navigator feature which downloads live traffic conditions and then reroutes accordingly. However, I personally would not use Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator as my primary car navigation system and unfortunately I cannot recommend it.
Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator retails for $549.95
TomTom finally licenses superior NAVTEQ GPS maps. I say it's about friggin' time! TomTom has one of the best GUI front-ends to any GPS navigation system, but the maps they previously licensed from Tele Atlas plain sucked. Sorry Tele Atlas, but it's true, your maps suck! I was thinking about buying a TomTom Go, but I figured they were still using the crappy Tele Atlas maps, so I waited until TomTom finally realized the superiority of the NAVTEQ maps.
TomTom finally heard the cries of its frustrated users and inked a deal with NAVTEQ.
If you are looking for TomTom map updates, you can get them
here.
Update! 6/21/05 12:21pm
It appears that TomTom is only licensing the NAVTEQ map ONLY for the TomTom Rider (motorcycle GPS) product and not other popular TomTom products such as TomTom Go. I happened to check out Tele Atlas's website and came across a news release stating that TomTom and Tele Atlas signed a 3 year extension through 2007. Say it ain't so! Damn, and I thought just perhaps TomTom Go would finally get good U.S. maps utilizing the NAVTEQ GPS maps. Guess I was wrong. Ah well, I guess this could be a good excuse to go buy a Harley just so I can use TomTom Rider. Ok, maybe not.
NAVTEQ (NYSE: NVT), a leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, has signed a license agreement with TomTom, a leading navigation solution provider, to feature NAVTEQ(TM) maps in TomTom's new RIDER product, which is TomTom's first navigation product made specifically for motorcycles worldwide. The RIDER product will be launched later this year. TomTom's selection of NAVTEQ data for the TomTom RIDER product makes the integration of NAVTEQ maps of the United States, Canada and Europe possible across all TomTom navigation solutions. TomTom products will be NAVTEQ map ready following the planned release of the new TomTom RIDER product. This agreement brings together two market leaders. TomTom is well recognized for a range of portable personal navigation devices. Every automobile manufacturer that currently offers a navigation system in Europe and North America uses NAVTEQ maps in one or more of its models, and NAVTEQ is a leading provider of digital maps for the mobile navigation device and location-based services industries. "Making our products NAVTEQ map ready supports our commitment to customer satisfaction. The NAVTEQ brand is the power behind so many well-known navigation solutions. Pairing TomTom and NAVTEQ products together makes certain that our customers have an excellent experience with our navigation products," said Harold Goddijn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TomTom NV. "TomTom has grown its market share significantly over several years, particularly in Europe, as it continues to introduce new and improved portable navigation and PDA solutions. We are pleased that NAVTEQ maps will be showcased in TomTom RIDER and expect NAVTEQ maps to help contribute to TomTom's continued success with both consumer and business customers," said Judson Green, President and Chief Executive Officer of NAVTEQ.
Again, if you are looking for the latest TomTom maps, you can get them
here.
As a huge proponent of GPS I've complained to just about anyone who will listen that all GPS systems should incorporate real-time traffic conditions and use them to calculate the optimal route. And no, I'm not talking about real-time traffic conditions in just the major cities. That is to say - even people that live in say New York City still have to travel outside the metropolitan area, so what good is traffic calculations that are only good in a 10 mile radius? I've proposed a P2P (peer-to-peer) GPS system whereby each car that has a GPS would anonymously transmit their current speed and location to other cars with a 50 mile radius utilizing GPS. The GPS computer would then use this data from hundreds of datapoints to figure out which roads have slow traffic and which ones are clear. Who will be the Kazaa, eMule, or BitTorrent of GPS?
Anyway, today NAVTEQ, a global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, began offering its NAVTEQ Traffic solution in Orlando and Tampa, Florida. I say big whoop. Gimme nationwide traffic conditions not just metro areas.
In any event, NAVTEQ Traffic is currently available in 20 markets throughout the United States. According to NAVTEQ, this launch of two new markets is the first milestone in an ongoing initiative to offer NAVTEQ Traffic in additional high volume traffic markets throughout the United States.
There are some cool aspects to what NAVTEQ is doing however, including aggregating various traffic monitoring information. NAVTEQ Traffic is a data gathering, aggregation and quality-tested solution that links up-to-the minute traffic information to map data and enables wireless transmission directly to a vehicle's on-board navigation system. NAVTEQ Traffic combines data from multiple sources across the country, including the leading commercial traffic data providers, government departments of transportation, police and emergency services, road sensors, cameras and airborne reports. The solution aggregates available data including planned incidents (such as construction), unplanned incidents (such as accidents and disabled vehicles) and flow (speed and movement of traffic). Once received, traffic data is quality tested and linked to the map for wireless delivery to an on-board navigation system.
"Since launching NAVTEQ Traffic last spring, we have confirmed that both car companies and consumers recognize the enhanced navigation experience resulting from the availability of real-time traffic information. With proven aggregation and quality assurance processes in place, NAVTEQ is now focused on leveraging those processes to expand NAVTEQ Traffic to additional markets," commented John MacLeod, Executive Vice President - Global Marketing & Strategy.
In June, NAVTEQ Traffic will be available in the following 22 markets:Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco/Oakland, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa and Washington DC.
Cool new GPS product I found via Gizmodo which as they state, looks eerily similar to the TomTom Go product.
The Garmin StreetPilot is one of the first really self-contained GPS units to come out of Garmin. Designed to get you from Point A to Point B without all the fuss and muss. TrustedReviews feels this thing looks a lot like the TomTom Go, but I think any GPS unit with a color touchscreen will now look like the TomTom Go, seeing as how everyone else is now playing catch-up.
For the Full Review, check out Garmin StreetPilot c320 - GPS Navigation System [TrustedReviews]
As a huge GPS fan, I just had to share this bit of news... I have a portable GPS system already - Destinator1 running on a very old PocketPC whose irreplaceable internal battery is on its last legs (holds about a 2 minute charge). Really annoying when the battery dies and I have to restore from CF backup to get the GPS software re-installed. Usually happens when I don't start my car for a couple of days to charge the iPaq via the cigarette lighter.
There are hacks to take apart the older iPaqs to replace the battery, but I can't be bothered. It may just be time for me to either buy a new PocketPC or buy one of these "specialized" PDAs which already have built-in GPS software & hardware. Anyway, check out this new GPS PDA product...
New Palm Sized GPS Navigation System from Mio
Is an Affordable Aftermarket Solution for Automobile Owners without Costly GPS Systems
~ New Device Doubles as an MP3 Player and Tour Guide with Millions of Points of Interests ~
FREMONT, Calif. (March 21, 2005) - Mio Technology Ltd., a leading worldwide vender of GPS Pocket PC's, today introduced the Mio136 GPS navigation system to North America as part of a worldwide launch. The new device is a straightforward, easy-to-use GPS navigation system combined with an extensive street atlas of the North American continent and Hawaii in a sleek silver palm-sized chassis. Incurring no setup fees or monthly charges and reasonably priced, the Mio136 is a perfect aftermarket option for automobile owners without today's expensive built-in GPS systems, yet is ideal for those who are on-the-go or on foot as well.
A downloadable 300dpi high-resolution photo of the Mio136 is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.seeyouinprint.com/mio/mio136.jpg.
Straight out of the box and no installation, the Mio136 GPS navigation system is easy to use and is a practical solution for today's owners of automobiles without a built-in GPS navigation system. The unit is "instant on" powered by an Intel 300Mhz CPU and provides both visual and verbal directions to the user's destination with over a million points of interest (POI) using an extra sensitive GPS receiver and maps stored on the included 256 MB SD/MMC storage card. Simply selecting the user's preprogrammed destinations, such as the office, home or customer, the user can get directions from any location to that destination in a simple click.
On foot or getting into a car, getting around in unfamiliar areas or finding alternative routes due to changing circumstances or conditions couldn't be easier. Maps are displayed in landscape view on a 3.5" TFT touch screen LCD and in 2D or 3D. In 3D view, users have a safer and better grasp of what lies ahead, see landmarks, road conditions and POI as compared to moving along a 2-dimensional map. If the user misses a turn, exit or cannot make a transition in time, the Mio136 automatically recalculates the route and delivers new directions in real-time. Other features include route and trip planning, an easy-to-use interface with large onscreen icons and hot keys/buttons, free North American map on CD-ROM and an excellent MP3 media player with an SD/MMC expansion slot.
Keeping things simple and easy, maps are easily loaded on the SD/MMC storage card. Users simply plug the card into the USB adaptor, select the region they want on the CD-ROM and transfer it to the card. The card and the map are then simply inserted into the memory slot of the Mio136. By using a larger SD/MMC storage card, users can add additional regions.
Price and Availability
No extra accessories needed. Right from the box, the Mio136 comes complete with everything needed to mount in an automobile: AC charger, 12 Volt charger, USB cables, 256 MB SD/MMC card, SD/MMC card reader, modern protective case, head phones, mounting bracket and arm. The MSRP for the standard Mio136 is $499. In the United States and Canada, the Mio136 is available through partnerships found on the World Wide Web at: http://www.miogps.com/where2buy.htm.
Specifications are available at: http://www.miogps.com/products_136specs.htm.
I love my PocketPC GPS and GPS technology in general, so this news was especially interesting to me. Basically, using smart2go's MMC card and a smartphone or PDA, along with a BlueTooth GPS, you can instantly turn them into a GPS navigation system!
Socket Communications today announced in partnership with gate5 and Tele Atlas, the launch of smart2go Mobile Navigator, an affordable, high performance GPS-driven navigation system for smartphones and PDAs that separates itself from the competition by providing functionality inside and outside of the car.
gate5, Socket and Tele Atlas Announce Partnership to Provide the Most Advanced Mobile Navigation Solution in the U.S.
gate5, Socket Communications (Nasdaq: SCKT) and Tele Atlas today announce a partnership to provide a complete mobile navigation solution to US consumers. The partnership is key to gate5's launch of smart2go Mobile Navigator, an affordable, high performance GPS-driven navigation system for smartphones and PDAs that separates itself from the competition by providing functionality inside and outside of the car. The partnership will also bring useful city content to help consumers choose where they want to go.
"With Socket, gate5 is able to bring to market a GPS-driven navigation system that rivals in-car systems costing thousands more.And, since it's not tied to the vehicle it can be used anywhere, anytime - inside or outside the car," said David Rolf, Managing Director for gate5."We chose Tele Atlas for its outstanding map quality in both the United States and Europe."
smart2go Mobile Navigator is powered by the Socket GPS Receiver with Bluetooth Wireless Technology. The Socket GPS Receiver enables mobile users to easily connect from a Bluetooth enabled device, such as a Pocket PC or smartphone. The Socket GPS Receiver connects without any cables, enabling the mobile user to position the GPS Receiver for optimal satellite reception. The unit is small and lightweight, and fits into the palm of a hand for maximum portability. The Receiver is capable of receiving 16 GPS channels and includes Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) support for increased location accuracy with the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) in the U.S. and EGNOS in Europe. The rechargeable and replaceable battery lasts for nine hours of continuous use.
"Socket is pleased to bring its expertise in mobility solutions and accessories for handheld devices to wirelessly add GPS positioning technology to the smart2go offering,'' said Peter Phillips, vice president marketing for Socket. "The smart2go Mobile Navigator provides the unrivaled ability to navigate both inside and outside the car and is great for both consumers and corporate users."
Tele Atlas offers superior geographic content that delivers digital maps and dynamic location-specific road and travel information right to the consumer.
Turn-by-turn directions, dependable rerouting, and reliable drive-time estimates are all included in dealing with real-world driving situations.
Tele Atlas utilizes an advanced methodology employing thousands of data sources for collecting and verifying data, supplemented as appropriate by field surveys and driving the roads. Existing data is constantly verified and updated, and new data is added regularly.
"To ensure the best possible end-user experience, Tele Atlas aggressively seeks strong partnerships with all the leading GPS application developers and device companies, and today's announcement with gate5 demonstrates our commitment to that goal," said Mike Gerling, Chief Operating Officer, Tele Atlas North America."We're confident that our high quality, extremely accurate and always current geographic content will provide smart2go Mobile Navigator customers with the coverage they need to travel with confidence anywhere."
smart2go Mobile Navigator
smart2go brings GPS-driven, high-accuracy navigation to PDAs and smartphones, giving the user both voice and graphical directions on detailed maps of the 48 contiguous United States plus Canada.
The smart2go product bundle includes: navigation software that runs on smartphones and PDAs; CD-ROMs containing detailed maps of the U.S and Canada; a Socket GPS receiver with Bluetooth Wireless Technology; a cradle that attaches to the car dashboard to hold a smartphone or PDA; and a memory card reader to facilitate transfer of data to a smartphone or PDA.
In navigation mode, smart2go provides clear, audible driving directions as well as graphics showing the car's progress along its route. The system automatically recalculates the route if the driver misses a turn or takes a detour.
In mapping mode, smart2go can be used to plan routes, select restaurants and hotels sorted by proximity to a destination, explore places to see in a new or familiar city and determine the quickest route to a selected destination.
Features of smart2go include GPS-driven navigation graphically displayed on the smartphone or PDA and audible directions to allow hands free operation.
smart2go incorporates attractions, hotels and restaurants, as well as hotel and restaurant reviews from international content provider Wcities similar to those currently available on the Web at Yahoo, Orbitz, and American Airlines. smart2go maps, provided by Tele Atlas, include millions of points of interest.
smart2go runs on mobile phones running Symbian series 60 and series 80, including the popular Nokia 6600, 6620, 6630, 7610 and forthcoming 9500 and 9300 models. It also runs on Microsoft Windows Mobile-based smartphones and Pocket PCs. Smart2Go will also support PalmOne's Treo 650 smartphone.
Pricing and Availability
gate5 and Socket will commence distribution of the smart2go mobile navigation system starting April 30, 2005.The product will be available for at Frys Electronics, Mobile Planet and a variety of online retailers for $299.
smart2go is the first of a planned series of personal mapping products from gate5. More information can be found at: http://www.smart2go.com
I've become quite dependent on my GPS solution (Destinator 3.0 running on an iPaq), which has allowed me to throw out all the maps in my glove box. Unfortunately, I had one very bad experience trying to rely on my GPS when I was driving through the streets of Manhattan during a downpour. As it is, the tall buildings in NYC weaken the GPS signal strength, but during a rainstorm you can forget about it - I couldn't get a GPS lock. I was completely and totally lost in the streets of Manhattan on a Friday evening trying to get back home to Connecticut during rush hour traffic (the worst possible traffic day & time). I had no idea if I was heading further into Manhattan or out of it. It turns out I was headed further into the depths of traffic hell, which was moving at an average speed of 0.7mph. Curses you GPS receiver! CURSES! Why can't you be more sensitive? It took me 2 hours just to get out of the City. Well, I can't have this happen again, so I tried to find a better GPS receiver and came across one from u-blox that actually can work indoors! u-blox claims the SuperSense Weak Signal Tracking technology built into its latest ANATARIS GPS delivers "unparalleled" reception, including -158dBm for tracking and -142dBm for acquisition. They even claim the receivers can work from within the glove box of a vehicle, deep urban canyons, through thick tree coverage, and even while traveling through short tunnels. I've gotta get me one of these! : ) Here's what they say on u-blox's website: Interiors of buildings, train stations, airports and locations with obstructed views to the sky are a major challenge for uninterrupted GPS reception and accurate position calculations. In such cases, the GPS receiver must detect the weakest scatter signals perceivable in a place with impaired or sometimes no views to satellites. SuperSense provides unparalleled sensitivity while maintaining best-in-class position accuracy, whether standing still, walking or driving. SuperSense for ANTARIS GPS receivers from u-blox is ready to set a new benchmark in this key technology suitable for location-aware consumer and professional products. Benefits and Features Tracking sensitivity: -158 dBm Acquisition sensitivity: -142 dBm Unparalleled positioning accuracy Excellent dynamic navigation performance Minimized position drifts during extended weak signal periods Ultra-low power consumption maintained when receiving weak signals SuperSense maintains standard ANTARIS features like SBAS (WAAS and EGNOS), FixNow and Aiding The TIM-LH SuperSense, available in early 2005, is u-blox's first GPS module containing this new break-through technology providing highest GPS coverage ever combined with lowest power consumption. Uninterrupted GPS reception even in short tunnels to achieve highest possible GPS coverage Coverage inside buildings, train stations and airports Excellent navigation coverage underneath dense foliage and snow-covered trees Flexible placement of antenna enables hidden 'under-the-seat' and 'in-glove-box' tracking device