Jentro-Driven, Berlitz-Labeled Nav Software Debuts

Jentro Technologies GmbH and Langenscheidt Publishing Group have launched Berlitz Mobile, advertising-funded navigation and search software for use on GPS-enabled phones on the Bouygues Telecom network in Europe.

NARC, Garmin, and RMJ Tech Team for Tracking, Nav System

Universal Tracking Solutions is partnering with the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), Garmin International, and RMJ Technologies to provide a GPS-based automated vehicle location system with integrated navigation.img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/GpsUtilitiesCommunications/~4/LhmjFBaoxUA" height="1" width="1"/

FineDrive iQ500 GPS navigation system

FineDrive iQ500 GPS navigation system is the latest from Korean FineDrive. As far as portable GPS navigation systems go, the iQ500 is considerably larger in size. With dimensions of 186 x 120 x 24 and a 7? touch screen it sure will require a lot of space on your dashboard. Just make sure it doesn’t block your view and you’ll be just fine.

All that screen space with 800×480 resolution requires a relatively powerful processor to draw maps and render Korean buildings in 3D so that’s why a a 600Mhz ARM 11 processor was necessary for iQ500. Of course all this power is not just for GPS navigation; you can also use FineDrive 500 as a portable media player. It initially comes with either 4GB or 8GB of memory but it supports SDHC cards up to 32GB. You can play all sort of formats including MP4, ASF, AVI, MPEG and WMV video and MP3, AAC, AMR, QCP, WAV, FLAC, MID, OGG and WMA. And don’t forget the DMB TV tuner.

There’s also the new feature that works hand in hand with GPS navigation software to show you the most environmentally friendly route to your destination.

Lucky Koreans… via

Globalcom Offers GPS Beacon/Satellite Messenger Combo

Globalcom Satellite Communications—the company that provides the Gobalstar satellite telephone service—today said that it´s rolling out its Spot Satellite Messenger, and that the device is now available.

new Sanyo Gorilla GPS navigation system

Not to be left out of the Japanese GPS navigation system race, Sanyo – just like Panasonic – also added three new devices to their Gorilla series.

Their new models are the NV-SB531DT, NV-SB541DT, NV-SD630DT.

By default they all have 8GB of internal storage, 1Seg TV tuner but differ when it comes to screen size, and a few other features. Here is how the new GPS devices measure up:

• NV-SB531DT: 5.2″ screen
• NV-SB541DT: 5.2″ screen and VICS for live traffic information
• NV-SD630DT: 6.2″ screen and VICS for live traffic information

No word on pricing or availability from Sanyo of Japan just yet… via

Brought to you by your GPS navigation

News of devices

Navibe BackTrack GPS

Remember the GPS backtracker we first talked about back in June and reviewed here? If you’re interested in this device – we have some good news for you. buygpsnow already have the device available for only $60. Of course it has been re-branded and they now call it Navibe BackTrack GPS. Anyhow – $60 is a good price for a GPS device that could potentially save your life, or at least help you find your car in a super-sized parking lot.

With the Navibe BackTrack GPS you can mark up to 4 locations, use it in compass mode only, or use it as a thermometer (Celsius or Fahrenheit). It has a digital compass with 8 directional arrows, run on 2 AAA batteries, is IPX-6 water resistant, uses a 20 channel SiRF StarIII GPS receiver. It’s a great GPS device to have.

Navibe BackTrack GPS

News of devices

BSM Wireless Continues with Aeris Wireless Tech

Machine-to-machine (M2M) and telematics wireless communications supplier Aeris and vehicle tracking and security provider BSM Wireless have signed a new agreement extending their business relationship.

Trimble´s @Road Intros GPS Capabilities for Taskforce System

Trimble asset and resource management subsidiary @Road has integrated GPS location technology and new street-level mapping capabilities into its Taskforce 7.5 Field Service Management system, the company said today.

GD8000 Notebook Designed for Harsh Conditions

The GD8000 notebook computer by General Dynamics Itronix is now available for military personnel, field service workers, and first responders who require high-performance computing while working in extreme temperatures, humidity, dust, and rain-soaked environments.

CTIA: U-blox 5-based Timing Module Debuts

Swiss chip maker u-blox today introduced its LEA-5T, a GPS module capable of a compensated time pulse accuracy of up to 15 nanoseconds.

Uamp;amp;C Insights amp;mdash; September 2008

Picture the worst turbulence you've ever experienced and ratchet it up to imagine the experience of manning the Hurricane Hunter. The six-person crew includes three pilots, an aerial reconnaissance weather officer, navigator, and dropsonde system operator. The operator sits next to a chute that exits out the bottom of the plane. She opens the lid and loads the dropsonde in front of a...img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GpsUtilitiesCommunications/~4/406483036" height="1" width="1"/

CoPilot Live for Android

ALK Technologies just announced recently that their CoPilot Live GPS navigation system is now available for Android phones. You can already grab it from Android Market for your HTC Magic, HTC Dream or the new HTC Hero – for only $35.

With CoPilot the maps are stored locally on the phone, rather than relying on wireless internet which can be quite slow at times. However there are still some “Live” which utilizes the mobile Internet connection such as real-time traffic alerts, 5-day weather forecast information and a new location sharing service called CoPilot LiveLink.

Here are some features of CoPilot Live for Android:

• Scrolling menus and maps supports touch screen gesture recognition
• Turn-by-turn voice directions
• Widescreen portrait or landscape mode
• CoPilot LiveLink location sharing
• Direct dialling to POIs, location sending via text and photo navigation
• Safety camera alerts with free database updates

Brought to you by your GPS navigation site space geodesy.

Pendulum Instruments Expands Product Portfolio

Pendulum Instruments of Stockholm, Sweden, has expanded its product portfolio with two new products — PicoTime and PicoReference.

Kids Love the GPS Phones, Older Folks Stick with PNDs

Using GPS-enabled devices for navigation knows no age limits, but when it comes to what kind of device, that's where age becomes a factor, says market research firm ABI.img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/GpsUtilitiesCommunications/~4/ahiCuL6zJWI" height="1" width="1"/

Loran Study Finally Unleashed: Says Keep It, Best Option

Withheld from the public for two years, since its completion in March 2007, the Independent Assessment Team (IAT) report has been let out of detention, just in time to counter recent efforts by the Obama administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Coast Guard to throttle the program. The IAT “unanimously recommends that the U.S. government complete the...[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Dell Mini 10 now has GPS option

Dell Mini 10 now has GPS option. There aren’t that many netbooks out there that offer integrated GPS functionality (Mio Litepad N890 is one) so it is good to see more companies focusing on making GPS available at least as an option.

Anyhow, the GPS hardware they have on the Mini is called Dell Wireless 700 and it is not only a vanilla GPS receiver. It actually has built-in WiFi positioning too which makes it suitable to use indoors as well. The chip is provided by Broadcom.

The Dell Wireless 700 uses Wi-Fi access points and Long Term Orbit (LTO)-based Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) technology to determine location information. It provides a fast, accurate and reliable location source to applications and services by leveraging the strength of each underlying position technology.

Wi-Fi Positioning System (WPS) can determine the location of Wi-Fi enabled devices. All Wi-Fi Access Points broadcast a signal beacon known as a MAC address, notifying nearby devices of their presence. WPS refers to the mapped locations of millions of Wi-Fi MAC addresses to pinpoint the device location. WPS is complementary to GPS. It works best indoors and in urban areas, while GPS is limited by physical obstructions of ceilings and tall buildings.

Another nice thing about the Dell Mini 10 with GPS option is that it comes with CoPilot navigation software which can provide turn by turn directions.

The extra GPS option will cost you $70, however the version this will be available on will also have the HD display at 1366×768 resolution which is a nice plus… via

Brought to you by your GPS navigation site space geodesy.

Uamp;amp;C Insights amp;mdash; November 2008

The future is a hybrid world where location is taken for granted. GPS is complemented by other satellite systems, radio signals (such as Wi-Fi and cellular), micro-electromechanical systems sensors (e.g. accelerometers and compasses), and other methods to utilize whatever assistance is necessary to extend its sensitivity.img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GpsUtilitiesCommunications/~4/457724476" height="1" width="1"/

Nokia Reiterates: 35M GPS Devices in 2008

Other players in the consumer GPS market may be getting nervous about forecasts, but not Nokia, at least when it comes to unit volumes. The European mobile phone giant's CEO confirmed today what the company said earlier in the year with regard to its GPS-enabled devices: it expects to ship some 35 million this year.

Junxion Releases GPS-Enabled Router Management App

Cellular router provider Junxion Inc. said today that it has released Junxion firmware version 1.6, a GPS-enabled remote management tool created for system administrators managing Junxion Box cellular router deployments.

GPS: Protecting Baby Jesus and Foiling Would-Be Grinches

If only the Whos in Dr. Seuss' Whoville had access to GPS technology. GPS tracking device supplier LightningGPS says it is helping strike down sinners by offering free holiday rentals of tracking devices across the United States through its distributor, BrickHouse Security.

TeleNav Enters Connected PND Market

TeleNav Inc., noted for its GPS navigation service for mobile phones in the United States, has jumped into the connected portable navigation device (PND) market with the TeleNav Shotgun.img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/GpsUtilitiesCommunications/~4/oCffJgXqGzE" height="1" width="1"/

Flowfinity Adds Location Tagging to Workflow Software

Flowfinity Wireless Inc. recently took the wraps off Flowfinity Actions 5.1, an adaptable mobile workflow software platform that offers ready-made geo-compliance; GPS-location information is tagged to every data transaction, the company said.

STMicroelectronics and NXP Complete Deal to Create New Wireless Semiconductor Company

NXP — the independent semiconductor company founded by Philips — and STMicroelectronics, provider of advanced silicon solutions for mobile products, announced July 28 the closing of a deal bringing together key wireless operations of both companies into ST-NXP Wireless.

U&C Insights — April 2008

Much of this year's CTIA revolved around the increasingly location-based social culture of the Millennial Generation. But LBS is finding its way into other walks of life, from bird-watching to emergency management.

Live Coverage of CTIA Wireless 2008

Eric Gakstatter's blog from CTIA Wireless 2008 on the latest GPS-enabled cell phones on the market

Homeland Integrated Security Eyes Vehicle Recovery Market

DirectView Technology Group Inc. subsidiary, Homeland Integrated Security Systems, says it plans to begin marketing its GPS fleet management and asset tracking devices, the Cyber Tracker CT-150 and CT-410 products, to the market for stolen vehicle recovery.

Spirent Providing A-GPS Testing for China

Spirent Communications today announced that it signed an agreement with Beijing based, China Telecommunications Technology Labs (CTTL) for assisted-GPS testing in China.

Uamp;amp;C Insights amp;mdash; August 2008

Olympian feats of athletic prowess grab headlines and the public's attention, as did the dazzling opening ceremony. Behind the scenes, Beijing has amassed a security operation that is epic in size, aspects of which some critics say violates human rights and privacy.img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GpsUtilitiesCommunications/~4/375955768" height="1" width="1"/

GPS-Based Speed Camera Alert System Rollout Continues

Jasper Wireless' and Coyote Systems' partnership has produced mini-Coyote, what the companies says is the first GPS-based alert system for Europe that informs drivers in real-time the location of fixed and mobile speed cameras.img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/GpsUtilitiesCommunications/~4/S9FEM0TCIMg" height="1" width="1"/

Clarification to Acquisition of ArWest by Javad GNSS

Javad Ashjaee, CEO and President of Javad GNSS, announced that he recently has acquired all assets of ArWest Communications Corp.