Archive for January, 2006

Finedigital, a korean company has released a new GPS navigation system the finedrive 700. What catches the attention at first sight is it’s the huge 7.0 inch widescreen LCD screen. The finedrive 700 besides GPS navigation has some very nice multimedia features. It has an external DVD input that allows you to watch your favorite DVDs on it’s screen, in addition to that it can reproduce mp3 files. So this new GPS device seems like a complete in car navigation and media station. Here is a list of it’s features and specifications:

Just Plug and Drive, no downloading required
Detailed street-level maps for 48 Contiguous States & Canada pre-loaded
Clear & Accurate Turn-by-Turn Voice and Visual Guidance
Voice/Text-based 2D &3D Map Instructions
Large 7.0 inch Widescreen Color LCD Touch Screen
Millions of Point-of-Interests (POI) included
Media Player (MP3, mpeg, avi) with external DVD input
OS : Microsoft® Windows CE.NET 4.2.
CPU : ARM9-300MHz
Internal Storage : 20 GB
External Memory : SD Card (up to 2GB) 1 slot
GPS :
Built-in Hinge Antenna
Frequency L1, 1575.42 MHz
16 Channels, Sensitivity -159 dBm
Acquisition Rate
Hot start 8 sec., avg (with ephemeris and almanac valid)
Warm start 38 sec., avg (with almanac but not ephemeris)
Cold start 45 sec., avg (neither almanac nor ephemeris)
Reacquisition 0.1 sec., average (interruption recovery time)
Input : Touch Screen
Display : 7.0″ Color Wide TFT LCD / 480X234 / 65K True Color
Sound : 1W x 2 (Stereo, 8 O hm)
External Video Player : Yes
Power : DC12V/1A (Working DC voltage range : 10~16V)
Physical Characteristics: 7.45″ (W) x 1.25″ (D) x 4.75″ (H)

Technorati Tags: gps, device. receiver, finedigital, finedrive, 700

The 2006 CES is now over. The people at Garmin had the idea of creating a blog that would follow CES through the “eyes” of their all in one brand new GPS the nuvi 350. If you want to see how this little gadget experienced the 2006 CES drop by it’s blog.

Mio has introduced two new GPS devices the Mio C710 and the c310. The C710 the higher end unit and has a wealth of features. Some of them include

Bluetooth connectivity
Lifetime traffic monitoring
3.5-inch TFT LCD
Video playback functionality
2 GB of flash ROM
300 MHz CPU
Voice directions
SD/MMC reader
Photo viewer

If you add to those the stylish design it seems like a very nice device.
The c310 has all the features of it’s big brother except the bluetooth connectivity and the lifetime traffic monitoring which however is available as an add on purchase.
Let’s wait for the first reviews.

Garmin has introduced the iQue 300 PDA GPS at the 2006 CES, read the press release
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Garmin introduced two new products in the forerunner series, Garmin’s popular GPS-enabled fitness product line, the forerunner 205 and 305. These two new GPS devices have been completed redesigned (and imho they look much better). However, besides the new look the redesign of the forerunner series serves also some functionality purposes. The new design wraps the antenna around part of the wrist so that the GPS receiver has a better view of the sky while training.
Here are the specifications of the newcomers

* GPS: High sensitivity SiRFstarIIITM architecture
* Weight: 77 grams (2.72oz)
* Display (WxH): 1.3” x 0.8” (33mm x 20.3mm)
* Physical size (WxHxD): 2.1” x 0.7” x 2.7” (53.3mm x 17.8mm x 68.6mm)
* Lap memory: 1,000 laps
* Battery: Rechargeable internal lithium ion
* Battery Life: 10 hours (typical use)
* Water resistance: IEC 60529 IPX7 (submersible to one meter for up to 30 minutes)

Specifications of the Forerunner heart rate monitor:

* Physical size (WxHxD): 13.7” x 1.4” x 0.5” (348mm x 35.6mm x 12.7mm)
* Transmission range: approximately 3m (9.8ft)
* Battery: 3 years (1 hour per day) / CR2032 (3 volts)
* Weight: 21g (.74oz)

You can read more about the forerunner 205 and 305 at Garmin’s site

Pharos has announced the launch of a new GPS device the Pharos Traveler GPS 525. According to Pharos this new GPS device is the first ever and smallest GPS handheld with integrated WiFi and Bluetooth technology. 525 comes preloaded with top 50 U.S. metropolitan maps and Skype for Pocket PC.

The main features of this newly released device are:

* SiRFstarIII GPS receiver
* Processor: SC32442X 300 MHz processor
* Memory: 64MB ROM, 128 MB SD RAM
* Dimensions: 109.7mm (L) x 59.4mm (W) x 17.6mm (T)
* Resolution: 240 x 320 with 65,536 colors
* Expansion: SDIO expansion slot
* Bluetooth version 1.2
* 802.11b with 64-128 bit WEP standard data encryption
* 512 MB SD card with maps of 50 major U.S. metro cities preloaded
* Pharos GPS award winning Ostia 7.5 navigation software
* Integrated WiFi and Bluetooth™ technology allows for high speed map downloads, access to real-time traffic information, and wireless access to the Internet, email, and corporate networks
* Make free PC-to-PC phone calls using Skype for Pocket PC
* Sync your Outlook™ Contacts and navigate directly to them
* Millions of POI locations, such as cash, fuel, food, and hotel
* Highly accurate and sensitive SiRFstarIII GPS receiver
* Voice prompted, turn-by-turn directions
* Landscape and portrait screen orientation
* Three dimensional mapping perspective or 2-D overhead view
* Easy-to-see color screen with durable windshield bracket mount
* Compact size fits easily into pocket, purse or briefcase
* Portable for use in personal, family or rental vehicle
* Maps of the entire U.S. on CD
* Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ version 5.0 software
* Pocket versions of Microsoft software are included (Outlook, Word, Excel, Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer for Pocket PC)

I have to admit that it sounds like a very interesting device, I guess we will have to wait for the first reviews.

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Hop-On has released a phone that seems an ideal solution for parents that want to track their kids. Chitter-Chatter looks like a wrist watch, is lightweight and very affordable (less than 50$).

The ChitterChatter Phone allows kids to stay in touch with close family and friends, or send their location by pressing the one-touch star button

Some of the features of this little gadget include

* Bands: Tri-band 850 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
* Speed Dial: Mom, Dad, Home, 911 & 5 Additional Numbers; 7 Total
* ChatTrack: Press the “Track Me” button to send the address of your location to Mom & Dad’s cell phones via SMS message.
* Phone Book: PIN-Protected with up to 7 numbers
* Call Block: Optionally rejects calls from numbers not in Phone Book
* Polyphonic Ring Tones: Included
* Location-Based Positioning System
* Speaker Phone
* Talk Time: Up to 2 hours
* Standby Time: Up to 100 hours
* Indicator Lights: Yellow, Red, Blue & Green

via PersonalTechPipeline

Globalsat, a Taiwanese company founded in 2000 has announced two new GPS devices the TR-101 and the GH-600 series.

The TR-101 is a personal remote positioning device which has a built-in GPS and GSM modules. It is capable of transmitting the longtitude and latittude coordinates to your cell phone or your computer using the GPRS module. Using these variables it can pinpoint your location using a specific map software. It’s lightweight design allows you to carry it with you everywhere. The idea behind this little gadget is to serve as locator of children and older persons and of course for various others security reasons.

Globalsat describes the GH-600 series:

GlobalSat GH-600series provide full-sealed, waterproof and Large LCD wrist watch device, as well as GPS navigation function with a physical training system. It is adopted for people who exercise for broad kinds of outdoor sport, such as Jogging, Running, Biking, Snow skating etc. Athlete can define a Distance, Speed rate, Time as expected training course to be achieved. Advanced model GH-602 provides the high resolution and accuracy Electronic Compass and Barometric Altimeter function.

This little’s gadget main competition is the Garmin Forerunner series.

Pocket-lint has posted the first review of the Sony NV-U70T GPS receiver and they conclude that Sony did much better with this receiver than with their fisrt Nav-U units. However they point out that it is still behind in the competition.
You can read the whole review here