Items tagged with Nav
For companies like TomTom, it's a tough road ahead. Personal navigation devices have lost their luster as people move on to in-car systems and savvy smartphones, but the company is being quite smart about its future. Instead of banking on PND sales, TomTom has just landed a deal to provide the in-car navigation system for Fiat's automobiles. It technically extends an existing partnership between the two, but now -- for the first time -- TomTom navigation will be built-in as part of the Fiat Group's new Uconnect 5" Radio Nav infotainment system. The new infotainment system will initially be available in Fiat 500L series models, and offers a 5" touch screen. Uconnect will feature many of the technologies...
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The world's first HTML5, browser-based, voice-guided, turn-by-turn GPS nav service has just been released. Got all that? TeleNav is upping their game by adding "one line of code." That line gives evelopers of mobile websites or of apps with local content will have a free and easy way to integrate full GPS turn-by-turn directions into their services, creating a more seamless user experience and increasing user engagement and time spent within their applications. Similar to TeleNav's GPS navigation application, the HTML5 navigation service will include full-color moving maps, audio directions, and automatic rerouting if the driver misses a turn. TeleNav's HTML5 navigation service will be free for...
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We hate to admit it, but we're having a hard time remembering the last time Garmin spat out a new range of navigators, but it's not surprising. While these things were once hot commodities in the consumer realm, many drivers have reverted to using in-dash GPS systems or their smartphone to get from Point A to Point B. Nevertheless, there's still lingering demand from folks who'd like to upgrade their standard, standalone GPS unit, and that's what the 2012 line of nüvis are about. This new range contains advanced Guidance 2.0 and 3.0 navigation engines for a faster, more intuitive user interface and enhanced features that result in Garmin’s most capable navigators yet. The nüvi...
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Is the GPS world big enough for both Garmin and Navigon? Apparently not. It's official: Garmin has just completed their historical acquisition of Navigon, bringing together two of the biggest names in satnav history. Cliff Pemble, chairman and COO of Garmin, had this to say: "We are pleased to have the Navigon team join the Garmin family. We are looking forward to expanding our ability to serve our collective customers going forward." The other half, Egon Minar, Navigon’s board member, had this to say: "We are excited to be a part of Garmin and we look forward to turning our efforts toward integration and the opportunities ahead. Navigon has an innovative new product lineup that we’re...
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Sometimes, getting from point A to point B really is the all that matters. Usually that involves a long haul, where all you want to do is sleep. But what if there was more to navigation beyond that? What if the journey was more exciting? That's what Wikitude promises to provide. The world's first AR (augmented reality) navigation app has just launched in America, just in time for that summer vacation you've been planning. The app has already taken Europe by storm, and now it's time for America's roadways to see the same pizazz. Wikitude Drive overlays the desired navigation route onto the camera view of the mobile device. Instead of using a digital map, the driver simply needs to follow a line...
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For the road warrior, there's not too many things worse than hitting a traffic jam at an inopportune time. But over the past few years, users of Google Maps have been able to avoid those jams when relying on the GMaps Navigation feature on Android devices. In the U.S., most roads are now covered with live traffic updates, signifying where traffic is congested and giving you options for circling around it. Folks in Europe have been forced to sit around and wait patiently for their inclusion. Now, that's becoming a reality. Just in time for the summer travel season across the pond, Google has announced that Live Traffic is available in 13 nations in Europe. The new feature is a traffic layer within...
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This world just isn't big enough for the both of 'em. At least that's the impression we get, as Garmin has just announced the signing of a deal that will have them acquiring yet another navigation mainstay, Navigon. Actually, it's a subsidiary of Garmin that will do the acquiring, but it's still major news in the soft navigation market. Cliff Pemble, Garmin’s president and COO, obviously only had positive things to say about this whole ordeal: "This acquisition is a great complement to Garmin’s existing automotive and mobile business. Navigon has invested significantly in the European automotive OEM business, and we feel that we can rapidly expand our automotive OEM footprint...
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Going somewhere? Going somewhere where you'll need a rugged navigation system to get you there? Garmin's new Montana handheld offers just that, and the company's calling it the most advanced of its kind. It offers a rugged exterior, with multiple mounting and battery options, dual-orientation and screen layout options and support for a wide range of Garmin cartography. It has a barometric altimeter for elevation profiling and ability to profile the route ahead using included worldwide elevation model, and the included 3-axis compass gives it a heading while standing still or not held level. There's a 4" touch panel, a 5MP camera, sunlight-readable display, and tons of extra features that are...
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Navigating around in a car is one thing, but now that the summer is upon us, it's time to think about renting that RV you've been dreaming about, packing up, and driving across the country. Rand McNally has just introduced their newest PND, the RVND 5510, which is described as the first navigation device designed specifically for RVers. The device includes legal (including propane and other RV-only), height and weight restrictions, right or left-turn preference based on eleven different RV types, and a quick reference to the Rand McNally Road Atlas. There's also turn-by-turn spoken and text directions, as well as 14 million points of interest (things like festivals, and National, State, and Regional...
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Personal Navigation Devices are great for getting from point A to point B, but what about keeping you safe? It's a major concern, of course, and TomTom is working to make it even more of a priority. The company has this week revealed their Active Driver Feedback and WEBFLEET OptiDrive, two new features focused at further increasing TomTom’s safety and efficiency benefits for businesses. Active Driver Feedback promotes safe driving by providing drivers immediate feedback on their driving performance via their TomTom PRO navigation devices, while WEBFLEET OptiDrive gives business management an easy tool to help their drivers drive more safely and in a greener way. We're told that both features...
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The iPhone has become a GPS replacement for many, and smartphones in general are quickly becoming powerful and smart enough to handle navigation duties. But if you have someone riding shotgun, there's obviously a lot of benefit to having a map on a larger display. The iPad already has a couple of GPS options, but one of the best on the iPhone is now being unified with the iPad in a recent release. Navigon's MobileNavigator app has today been upgraded to version 1.7, and it includes a total of six new features. Universal iPad integration, Zagat Survey, Active Lane Assistant, Map Reporter, enhanced Retina display support, and new user notifications are at the top of the upgrade list, and the graphics...
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Is the best current GPS on the market, just a phone? Some would say that Google Maps Navigation on Android has the navigation thing down, but there's still nothing quite like a dedicated NAV. Garmin's first attempt at combining a GPS and a phone didn't exactly go over well; the original nuvifone took too long to go from introduction to shipping, and then the final product was priced too high for many to consider given the popularity of the iPhone, RIM's BlackBerry line and the growing Android selection. The second Garmin phone, which is simply called Garminfone, is a bit different. The phone is landing with a lower price tag than before, and rather than being completely proprietary, this handset...
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There has been a lot of action at Google this week, and the Caffeine boost is just the tip of the iceberg. In a move that may be strong European mainstays like Nokia on their heels, Google has just announced that their highly lauded Google Maps Navigation service is finally departing the U.S. and heading elsewhere. But don't worry, it's not actually leaving America--it's cloning itself and becoming available in a variety of other locations. Google Maps Navigation remains one of the major reasons that users are flocking to Android. It's far more functional than the standard Maps application for iPhone, and it runs laps around most other navigation solutions on other operating systems. Just in...
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The Global Positioning System is something most Americans take for granted. It's one of those things, like radio waves and cellphone service, that just seems "there." As if it were always "there" and will always be "there." It's almost as if the world was created with GPS, mostly because there's no monthly fee to tap into the satellites, and just about every smartphone now has GPS capabilities built right in. So, it's fair to take it all for granted, right? Well, not really. GPS may be there for all to enjoy, but it's not free. In fact, it doesn't even come cheap. The GPS system we're used to now has been around for awhile, and it's about time to start thinking about upgrades. According to a...
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Garmin recently revealed a new series of standalone GPS units, all of which were drastically different in design than many of the company's past units. They also slipped out their second-ever mobile phone, one that's destined to land in June on T-Mobile USA. But what's this? This looks a lot like the original nuvifone, minus the phone portion. It's the nuvi 295W, a dedicated GPS with a slightly overhauled user interface and a few extra features that are rarely found on devices of this sort. There's a 480x272 resolution touch panel, a battery that'll last four hours, an internal solid state drive with all of the maps loaded on, a microSD card slot, turn-by-turn guidance, an internal speaker, and...
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Garmin's newest navigation machines were completely unlike any before them, looking more like a smartphone and less like a traditional in-car PND. TomTom's latest don't really leap that far forward in design, but they do offer a few new features that are rather attractive for avid road warriors. The new XL 350 and XXL 550 range of navigation devices incorporate a refreshed user interface, with two of the main new features being lifetime traffic updates and low-cost map updates. All TomTom products in the XL 350 and XXL 550 range include TomTom’s new EasyMenu user interface, which offers sharp graphics and a simple touchscreen menu that provides quick access to search tools so that users...
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The Jetsons made us confident that we would one day talk to our vehicles, and while we expected to be flying around in spaceships by this point, talking to cars will work as a concession. Ford has enabled drivers to speak to their automobiles for awhile now through Microsoft's SYNC system, but to this point, all of the chatter was simply controlling the car's internal systems. What if you could speak to your car, and have the car control something else? It's a crazy thought, but it's happening on every 2011 Ford with SYNC.It will start with the 2011 Fiesta, which will be the first vehicle equipped with SYNC AppLink. This new system allows owners to access and control Android and BlackBerry smartphone...
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Navigation still has a long ways to go in vehicles to match the value provided by standalone units. These days, an in-car nav from the factory can cost thousands, while a basic Garmin or TomTom unit will go for $100 to $300. But Ford is making strides to bring the in-car factory experience up a notch, and while Sync has done a lot to move things in the right direction, there's still a big concern around mapping and gas mileage.Today, Ford has introduced their MyFord Touch Eco-Route feature, which is a new concept that will be implemented in many of the company's 2011 vehicles. When entering an address into the NAV system, drivers will be given three main routing options: fastest by time, shortest...
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TomTom has a lot of weight on their shoulders. They're consistently looked at as one of the top dogs in navigation, and thus expectations are extremely high. That's particularly true on the iPhone and iPod touch, where TomTom's app was the first major one into the App Store and the only one that Apple actually spoke of by name during a keynote. In the past months, TomTom's iPhone GPS app had slipped in terms of matching functionality provided by rivals, but a huge update has landed today that shoots it right back up to the top.Version 1.3 of the TomTom iPhone app brings a few much-needed updates to the program, including real-time traffic, Local Search powered by Google and enhanced integration...
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Wow, talk about a rapid fall from grace. Of course, anyone with any understanding of the current GPS/smartphone landscape could see this coming from a mile away, but those who were duped into laying out $300 for Garmin-Asus' nüvifone G60 back on October 4th are probably kicking themselves right about now.Merely weeks after the hybrid GPS/phone landed at AT&T, Amazon now has the same device up for just $99 with a 2-year AT&T contract. That's $200 off a $300 phone. Again, wow. But the story here seeps deeper than just a huge discount on a brand new phone that the world has been waiting years for. The story goes on to Garmin's own stock price, which dipped significantly during trading hours...
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At this point, there are a number of GPS applications available in the App Store. Without a doubt, the iPhone has the most full-featured GPS options out there in the smartphone arena, though it seems as if the TomTom TomTom app is the one getting the most attention. Regardless of whether or not it's superior to the others, it is the one with an incredibly expensive add-on, and that very add-on is now available in the United States. The price tag? $119.95, and just to remind you, that's only for the hardware. In other words, you'll still be stuck paying $99 for the software, so at the end of the day, you're out over $200 for the complete package. Call us crazy, but we're pretty sure dedicated...
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We've had our suspicions for awhile now, but now it looks like the research is confirming it. The dedicated navigation device has seen its peak, and it's days at the top are numbered. We knew that the standalone PND could be going the way of the Dodo when navigation applications began to pop up on some of the world's most popular smartphones. Sprint's Instinct was one of the first to really showcase NAV on a phone, and now that TomTom--a market leader--has caved to the pressure and issued an iPhone app, the end really is in sight. Of course, just because it's in sight doesn't mean that it's awfully close. It'll take years, maybe a decade even, before the dedicated navigation device sees the majority...
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