Mitac Oscar 260, GPS Integrated PDA
Apr 25, 2006 gps navigation, mio
Not a lot of info out there for this Oscar 260, but all the pics seem to be from CeBIT.
Description:
Oscar 260 is a powerful GPS and PDA in a slim design. With built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth you have full wireless connectivity for going online, and synchronizing data. With Windows Mobile 5.0 you have an agile operating system that works with all major MS Office applications. Integrated XMC means you always have access to real-time traffic information to avoid traffic jams.
Features:
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth – Experience the advantage of total connectivity. Get handsfree calling, …, and much more.
20 Channel GPS Receiver
Highly sensitive GPS receiver for accurate navigation in challenging environments.
Windows Mobile 5.0
Put your office in your pocket, fully synchronized with your Microsoft Office Data.
TMC Antenna
Support external antenna.
Preloaded maps
Ready to hit the road with maps already loaded.
Tags: gps navigation, mio
GolfPlus GPS comes standard when in Bahrain
Apr 25, 2006 golf gps, gps navigation, sports gps
Members and visiting golfers may now enjoy the benefit of GPS (global positioning system) on their golf carts when they play at Riffa Golf Club.
The new ‘GolfPlus’ system is designed to inform golfers of the exact distance of their ball from the green thereby making club choice quicker and easier and ultimately improving their pace of play.
‘We will shortly be taking possession of thirty new Club Car golf buggies, all of which will be fitted with the GolfPlus system. Forty Club Car buggies in our existing fleet have already had the system installed,’ explained Phil Jones, director of golf operations at Riffa Golf Club.
‘GolfPlus is an incredibly user friendly piece of equipment,’ said Mark Newell, the group managing director of GolfPlus. ‘It consists of a full colour graphic display and gives distances, accurate to within 3 metres, in either yards or metres as preferred. It also acts as a unique advertising platform with different company logos or messages being displayed on the screen as the cart travels around the course.’
Tags: golf gps, gps navigation, sports gps
yet another Mio A701 review
Apr 25, 2006 gps navigation, gps phones, gps reviews, mio
It looks like whoever can get their hands on a new Mio A701 is doing a full review. This one is from infoSync.
With the A701, phrases like the above are – for the most part – a thing of the past. A latest-generation SiRFstar III chipset and AGPS support offer precise positioning and quick multiple-satellite fixes without the need for an external antenna. The sleek device also benefits greatly from its bright 2.7-inch touch screen, which can be used in both portrait and landscape modes, striking a near-perfect balance between resolution and size to minimize the need for panning and zooming – the latter of which is an automated process in navigation mode. Outdoor viewing could be better, however.
Moving to actual navigation, easily distinguished hardware controls are joined by an informative interface in the Navigon Mobile Navigator 5 based Mio Map 2 software which could benefit from larger text and icons but is otherwise quite user friendly. Its horrid 20-second start-up time and a slightly anemic 3D interface aside, map detail is good, information is up-to-date, voice prompts are clea and concise, the points of interest database extensive and performance impeccable both with regard to route calculation and recalculation. Furthermore, favourites are easily stored and retrieved, while itinerary support is present and flexible.
Nice touches beyond required functionality include the ability to poll the Windows Mobile contacts database for routing, while the ability to route to and from map-selected locations (as opposed to addresses) and select profiles for pedestrian, biking and driving use are also appreciated. Speaking of driving, the A701 also comes with a windshield car mounting kit and charger. Maps of the entire European continent are delivered on a DVD; a bundled 512 MB SD Card easily holds at least one country at a time and often up to three, while the Navigon software also supports TMC data reception to allow for automatic rerouting around congested roads in countries where present.
Tags: gps navigation, gps phones, gps reviews, mio
Pharos Traveler GPS 525 Review from UberGizmo
Apr 24, 2006 gps navigation, gps phones, gps reviews, pharos
External GPS receivers have become common and cheap, but an increasing number of GPS navigation systems are based on a PDA and an integrated GPS receiver. There are obvious advantages, like reducing the size of the overall package, being able to use it outside the car (no cigarette plug required). This is nice, but the most important aspect of having an integrated GPS is to control the user experience. That’s exactly what Pharos is doing with the Pharos 525 all-in-one GPS navigation system.
Design
The Pharos GPS 525 is built on a PocketPC Platform. This means that it’s a full-fledged PDA with all the goodness such as integrated Wifi and Bluetooth. When I opened the box, I was surprised too see that the Pharos GPS 525 was much smaller than I thought (109.7mm x 59.4mm x 17.6mm). It’s a very elegant PDA that’s smaller and lighter than my Treo 700w. The only downside is quite obvious: the screen is rather small (2.8”) and depending on where on the dashboard the GPS is, reading the street names might be difficult.
Features
Like many recent GPS receiver, the Pharos uses the SiRFstarIII, which is considered by many as the best consumer-level GPS chipset. This new chip should do better in difficult GPS environments such as cities with tall buildings or forests with high trees. It also helps reducing the “time to first fix” (time to get a 3D position) compared to older models. The complete feature list is at the bottom of this page, but the highlights are WiFi+Bluetooth connectivity, 300Mhz CPU, 64MB of user memory, SDIO and a 320×240 screen.
The WiFi Connectivity lets user download maps on the internet, thanks to Pharos’ Smart Map Server. Pharos also has a real-time traffic service called Smart Traffic that could be accessed via a Bluetooth phone (by using the phone as a communication device). Our unit came also with a pre-loaded 512MB SD Card that contains all the maps for the U.S.A.
Tags: gps navigation, gps phones, gps reviews, pharos
Pre launching of Mobile Navigator 6
Apr 24, 2006 gps navigation, gps software, navigon
Navigon began the phase from pre launching of the new version of its software of navigation GPS Mobile Navigator 6. The editor proposes as of now to the Net surfers reserving their specimen. The new grinding of Navigator Mobile proposes an interface of improved navigation 2d and diurnal and night 3d, a realistic posting of the traffic signs, an indicator of ways, the voice recognition for the programming of the destinations, etc.
A major version which also proposes information traffic, a speed controller, infos on the crossed countries and a representation in 3d with the screen of the places of interest. With more than 5 million address, version 6 of this software of navigation has vocal guidance should make noise.
translated from French
Tags: gps navigation, gps software, navigon
A fusion of Voice, Golf, Global Positioning, Calculus, Database, and PDA technologies
Apr 24, 2006 golf gps, gps navigation
GolfTraxx is software that let’s you record your own game using a blutooth GPS receiver and a PDA. Their site is needs a lot of work but the product is promising.
GolfTraxx announces the official launch of its Powered By VoiceIt, 100% open standards Golf GPS solution for the Palm Treo 650, Palm Life Drive, and Pocket PC with a built-in PDA Voice Response. GolfTraxx has partnered with VoiceIt Technologies, LLC to deliver this state-of-the art golf GPS solution.
The integrated application suite features 2-way voice communication between player and device. In addition, the TomTom SiRF STAR III wireless Bluetooth GPS receiver has been integrated into the Golf GPS solution. Upon command, GolfTraxx accurately calculates shot distances anywhere in the world using GPS coordinates, with the PDA stating those distances aloud. Finally, GolfTraxx records each shot played on the course into a database during the played round. Additional features include a female voice stating distances to multiple targets on every hole including front, center and back of each green, and exporting of all shot data to a desktop computer for later use and analysis.
“This product is the result of the collective efforts of some extraordinarily talented individuals,” said Frank DeBenedetti, founder of GolfTraxx. “This product will enable players and caddies worldwide to measure distances more quickly and accurately while having more fun than ever before. GolfTraxx also empowers players to obtain better feedback about specific shots played and to perform more detailed analyses of rounds and shots played through the capture of specific shot details never before made possible.”
GolfTraxx offers FREE downloads of trial versions of the software for Palm, TREO 650, and Pocket PC on their website. GolfTraxx also plans to offer FREE downloads of over 20,000 course scorecards that are being added to their database through a partnership with customscorecards.com. GPS coordinates will also be provided for any courses uploaded to their website for FREE to all registered GolfTraxx users. GolfTraxx offers various bundled solutions (which include the TomTom GPS receiver and VoiceNavIt) available for
purchase for $149.95-$199.95 USD. The GolfTraxx application can be purchased alone for $29.00 USD for existing owners of a Bluetooth GPS receiver and VoiceNavIt.
Tags: golf gps, gps navigation
another DMB device from Korea: XINIX CX220
Apr 23, 2006 gps navigation
Here is another crazy gadget from Korea that seems to do everything. The CX-220 features 3D GPS navigation system, DMB, MP3 playback, DVD player, CF and SD card slots, a nice 7″ screen with tint control on which you can review office documents. If you want to know more get your Korean friend and visit their site.
pic via
Tags: gps navigation
CPS offers E-GPS high accuracy mobile location technology
Apr 22, 2006 gps navigation, gps satellites
CPS (Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd) announced the launch of an MS-based version of its E-GPS high accuracy mobile location technology for GSM/W-CDMA networks – designed to deliver faster location fixes, lower cost implementations and reduced power and processing requirements.
E-GPS (Enhanced GPS) combines satellite-based location technology with CPS’s Matrix technology, which measures network-based signalling to deliver all environment coverage. Effectively, once an end user initiates a location request, they receive a sub-100m Matrix location instantly– then CPS’s [+/- 2 microsecond] fine time aiding allows for acquisition of GPS satellites within seconds.
The benefit of fine time aiding is that the device now knows where to look for a GPS signal. This enables a more aggressive search and is equivalent to 6 dB more sensitivity than can be achieved with any amount of GPS hardware correlator in the terminal. So powerful is this assistance that it also enables software-only GPS solutions to operate reliably in all environments.
This new version meets growing demand for seamless indoor/outdoor high accuracy performance – particularly to support personal navigation and tracking applications. With all of the positioning and timing applications, including calculation of fine time aiding, being performed inside the handset, power and processing requirements normally associated with GPS performance indoors or in urban areas is radically reduced – by up to a factor of 10 – for both initial acquisition of GPS signals and subsequent tracking.
Tags: gps navigation, gps satellites
GPS for blinds can give directions in Braille
Apr 22, 2006 gps navigation, misc news
When you think of a global positioning system, or GPS, you probably think of a handy tool for your car.
It may help you find your way to your destination.
Now, it’s becoming a tool for people who are blind.
For 10 years, Keegan, a German shepherd has been Brian Charlson’s eyes, but now, he has another assistant, in his right ear.
A global positioning system is attached to a laptop that gives people who are blind, precise directions and places of interest, verbally, or in Braille.
“As I walk around, I want to know where I am, and it will tell me the street address of wherever I’m standing,” said Charlson. “Now, I’m more convinced than ever that this is the type of device that adds to what I’m already using.”
Charlson who is a computer expert at the Carrol Center for the blind, just outside Boston, says technology has changed his life, especially while on frequent out of town business trips, away from his wife.
Tags: gps navigation, misc news
Magellan RoadMate 860T is out!
Apr 21, 2006 gps navigation, magellan, roadmate
Even though Magellan’s website doesn’t confirm any of this yet several resources have reported that the RoadMate 860T is officially released. So here you go:
Make way for the new Magellan RoadMate 860T portable vehicle navigation system. Packed with an MP3 player and photo viewer, the 860T is bundled with a 15-month subscription to traffic service allowing drivers to take necessary detours when the system detects abnormal traffic on your current route.
MP3s and photos can be stored on a 10 gig partition available on the internal 20GB hard drive, and I suspect that in the future the RoadMate series will be much more than just a multimedia travel companion. With the traffic service, you can either ask the system to re-route your journey or simply be alerted of traffic ahead – this is great if you deliberately want to run in to traffic and give the usual excuse “Oh, you won’t believe how the traffic was!” (unless the other person knows you have a Magellan RoadMate 860T).
The screen, a big 3.5″ TFT color screen, has enough visibility even in daylight and offers higher resolution. It’s also a touchscreen – very convenient when driving, so you don’t have to search for those little buttons all over the place.
Voice prompts are possible too, and you have to option to choose a 2D or 3D bird’s-eye view of the map. Maps of the US, Puerto Rico, Canada and the US Virgin Islands are preloaded, but if you’re traveling to Europe, you’ll need to shell out additional money for the relevant maps.
A useful feature is the display of traffic incidents – whether it’s an accident or road work or any other condition for slow traffic, it’s clearly displayed on the map screen.
Priced at US $799, the Magellan RoadMate 860T will be available in May 2006. Access more details at Magellan’s website. The package includes Magellan TrafficKit, a windshield mount and enhanced cradle, USB cable, AC adaptor, vehicle power adaptor, headphones and pouch for protection. Check the extended entry for features.
Tags: gps navigation, magellan, roadmate
