Posts Tagged ‘portable gps’

Micrsoft Sues TomTom

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

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Yes the rumors in the blogosphere are true! Microsoft has sued TomTom, the popular maker of portable gps navigation devices.  They filed lawsuits with US district court and the Nation Trade Commission against TomTom because they say the company has infringed on its software patents.

Supposedly the Microsoft patents include vehicle navigation technology and computer software that Microsoft licenses to other firms.  Although TomTom has nothing to say right now on this issue, Microsoft had plenty to say.  Horacio Gutierrez is the Deputy Counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing at Microsoft.  Here are his comments:

“We have taken this action after attempting for more than a year to engage in licensing discussions with TomTom.”

“In situations such as this, when a reasonable business agreement cannot be reached, we have no choice but to pursue legal action to protect our innovations and our partners who license them.”

“TomTom is a highly respected and important company. We remain open to quickly resolving this situation with them through an IP licensing agreement.”

We are very intersted in what TomTom will have to say on the pending lawsuits.  Stay tuned here for all GPS news, reviews, and rumors.

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Highlights of the TomTom Go 930 Portable GPS System

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

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The TomTom Go 930 has been released to consumers for a while now, but what makes this particular TomTom navigation device so appealing to everyone? Could it be…

…its 3D looks at intersections and terrain?

…the way it can calculate your routes based on the real average speed measured on roads, not just the speed limits?

…the advanced lance guidance which gives you clarity on when and were to get over when navigating those difficult junctions?

…the amazing Map Share technology that enables users to add, update and personalize maps as well as view other users changes?

…the ability for the TomTom portable GPS systems to offer continuous navigation even when you may lose signal in rural areas and tunnels?

…that this portable GPS can find your destination by simply listening to your voice?

…that Bluetooth technology embedded into the portable GPS allows you to talk without using your hands?

…is it because you can play your music wirelessly over your car radio?

Actually, it’s none of the above.  The TomTom Go 930 is such a popular portable GPS device because you get all that for $499.  And in this economy, gps features plus saving money is exactly what consumers are looking for.

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The Garmin Nuvifone Buzz… Part 1

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

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On February 4, 2009 Garmin made a huge announcement about its current partnership with ASUS to “jointly develop, manufacture, market, distribute, and support co-branded mobile phones.”

This is an exciting development as we are all waiting for the release of the Garmin Nuvifone which is slated to come out any day now.  The mission of the partnership between Garmin and ASUS is to offer a line of handsets that provide “social and business functionality” to everyone regardless of class, income, lifestyle, or age.

But why a GPS enabled cell phone, or a GPS smartphone?  We have many theories as to why and Garmin has many researched facts as to why.  From our point of view as a consumer, GPS Smartphones are very much needed in today’s market. Everyone wants everything on their cell phone.  Wouldn’t be amazing if instead of having to buy a smart phone and a portable GPS system; that when you get in the car you could just mount your cell phone an use it as a GPS while still making and receive calls?

That’s exactly what Garmin sees, according to a Canalys forecast “20.4 million integrated-GPS smart phones will shipped in North America in 2008″ and that will rise 85% in three years.  That’s a huge percent, basically 57.2 million smart phones shipped in North America alone.  They also predict a drop in basic handsets.

So what can we expect?  Well Garmin-Asus, as the collaboration is called, will launch several models of the nuvifone this year, the first to be introduced next week Mobile World Congress in 2009.

Stay tuned here for the second part in this series were we delve deeper into the Garmin nuvifone expectations as we wait for February 16 - 19, the first release of the Garmin nuvifone.

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Motorist love TomTom’s semi-embedded portable navigation device

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

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Last year in TomTom released a new navigation device designed especially for customers who want a portable GPS System to fit inside the dashboard of their vehicles.  The new second generation of semi–embeddable  TomTom device is called the Fujitsu 10 eclipse VN 4430.  The best part about the new device is that users can actually take it out of the dashboard and use it as a standalone navigation system in a different car.

So what exactly can this new semi-embeddable a portable devices do?  First off it has the latest maps, using a technology called MapShare.  MapShare allows drivers to actually improve the map on the device and then they can share those maps with other car drivers.  The TomTom GPS portable device also allows drivers to use below two hands-free calling, that way you can make a phone call while safely driving.  Some other cool features include a CD – DVD player, iPod audio, iPod video, and even a USB.  Say goodbye to the radio because now you can listen to your favorite music over your car speakers with no commercials.

Here some highlights of the device:

  • TomTom Map Share™ technology, enabling users to make updates and corrections to their own maps instantly on the device and to benefit from improvements made by other users free of charge.
  • Latest map guarantee so users always have free access to the latest map at time of purchase.
  • ‘Help Me’ Emergency menu that gives drivers direct access to emergency services and roadside assistance
  • Voice address input so that users can drive to millions of cities and street names by simply announcing the address of their destination
  • Clear voice instructions and text-to-speech to enable street names, places, traffic alerts and SMS messages to be read aloud as part of the spoken instructions
  • Enhanced hands-free calling with high-quality sound system via Bluetooth® to allow drivers to keep their eyes firmly on the road while making phone calls in the car
  • Rear-view Camera Ready so drivers can expand their view outside of a normal field of vision.
  • Free TomTom HOME software and content from the TomTom community to keep their device up to date at all times.
  • Large 4.3 inch touch screen with fresh icons and an updated user interface to navigate drivers to their destination even more easily.

Because it is so easy to remove and install, this little portable GPS device is pretty awesome.  Especially, if you have more than one automobile, or if you’re riding with a friend!

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Garmin Nuvi 885T - A lane ahead of the competition

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

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At CES  2009 navigation companies pulled out all the stops and latest technology to encourage gadget lovers to make the switch to their portable device.  However one company, Garmin, stayed strong with the Garmin Nuvi 885t, a portable GPS device which not only has voice-activated navigation but included lane assist with junction view, MSN, and Direct hands-free calling options.  The idea? Well, don’t take your hands off the wheel… ever.

With the way we drive on the roads today, and the influence of cell phones, texting, and other mobile gadgets, Garmin made sure to put safety first.  So now the Garmin Nuvi 885T not only tells you what to do, but you can tell it what to do. There’s even a remote that can be attached to the steering wheel just in case voice activation isn’t your thing.

The best part of this Garmin portable GPS system is the lane assistance.  Now you can know which lance you need to be in for that exit coming up instead of riding in the middle lane until you can get a visual and then swerving over to make sure you don’t miss you next move.

We give it 2 thumbs up, definitely one of our favorite portable GPS devices so far this year.

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Ferrari Portable Naviagation System by Becker

Thursday, January 29th, 2009

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Becker, the Germany brand, has launched a new GPS navigation system designed after the Ferrari brand.  Seems like technology and car brands are hooking up left and right these days!

Becker’s new portable Navigation system is entitled Traffic Assist Pro Z250, not only is it made of “special” materials, but it also has the soft touch features that have been so popular this year with new navigation devices.  After the iPhone, everyone is sick of jabbing their fingers into screens while driving.

For Ferrari lovers, this navigation device is perfect because it can point you in the direction of every Ferrari dealer in Europe and the United States along with restaurants, movie theaters, gas stations, and other points of interest.

The new Becker navigation device also has the original Ferrari colors, customized Ferrari software, 4.3 inch touch screen, telephone, bluetooth, 3D map views, lane info, turn by turn navigation, and a sleek design.

Some other cool features include a picture viewer which allows you to feature your jpeg files in a slideshow, the speed limit display which warns you if you are going over the speed limit, a day and night mode which adjust the screen brightness automatically, an MP3 player so you can play uploaded music at anytime, and pin entry for the ultimate security.

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Best 3 Portable GPS Systems

Monday, January 26th, 2009

Portable GPS Systems are pretty much popping up everywhere.  With all those choices to make, how do you know exactly which ones to buy? Well, when all else fails, choose the 3 most popular GPS systems and then choose from there!

Here three portable GPS systems that won’t disappoint:

Garmin Nuvi880 Portable GPS
Why: Well, the Garmin Nuvi880 has some features that just can’t be denied. These include Bluetooth, speech recognition, and MSN Direct.  But basically, the speech recognition is probably the best you’ll find out there today.
rf-lgTomTom Go 930 Portable GPS
Why: Well it’s clear as a 3D movie…literally.  This little baby gives you a 3D look at intersections and terrain and the price isn’t that bad.  Also, it has a wide screen, detailed directions, and up to date technology.

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Magellan Maestro 4370 Portable GPS
Why: Well, one finger controls the whole thing.  And with the iPhone and twitter generation, one click is the way to go.  The Magellan Maestro 4370 also has voice guided directions, which is a great perk.

getprodimageasp1So whether you are big on voice activation, one finger controls, 3D visuals, there’s a portable navigational device for you.

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Magellan RoadMate 1430 versus Magellan Roadmate 1412

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

1430Magellan RoadMate 1430

Thinking of upgrading form the Magellan RoadMate 1412 to the Magellan RoadMate 1430? With a $150 price difference and no difference in design, it’s important to understand the differences and similarities between the two. Here are the similarities:

  • Both of the 1430 and the 1412 have a 4.3″ WQVGA color touch screen which shows your position on the map, surrounding points of interest, signal strength, street names, and much more.
  • Both navigation devices include 6 million points of interest for ATM’s, gas stations, restaurants, and more.
  • Both GPS systems from Magellan offer expanded maps for U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada; all pre-loaded on a SD memory card.
  • Both Magellan RoadMates inlcude SayWhere text-to-speech so that you can hear street names with voice direction and don’t have to take your eyes off of the road
  • Both Magellan navigational devices include a Ultra-thin and portable design
  • Both also offer QuickSpell so that the user can enter destinations with fewer keystrokes.
  • Both the Magellan RoadMate 1430 and 1412 offer 3D or 2D views of your surroundings
  • Both have the exact same specifications including li-ion rechargeable batters, 3 to 5 GPS accuracy, and the same package contents.
  • Additionally, both offer auto re-route, auto night view- customizable route methods, and multi-destination routings.

1412Magellan RoadMate 1430

So the only difference? Well, the Magellan Roadmate 1430 includes a 3 month free subscription to the Magellan TrafficKit. The Magellan TrafficKit provides real-time traffic updates and advisories as well as offering new route options if there’s a quicker way to get to your destination.

Hopefully that helps with your decision. If you want real time traffic updates purchase the Magellan Roadmate 1430… but other than that, there is basically no difference between the two devices.

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TomTom Portable Navigation Device Connects at CES 2009

Monday, January 12th, 2009

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It’s called the GO 740 Live and at $499 it’s the first TomTom portable navigation device to be launched in the USA and it’s ready to connect you to the world… literally.

The TomTom GO 740 Live provides real time traffic information, a fuel price service and local search using all the major search people, including Google and Weather.

One issue we all have a problem with is that the new “connected” portable GPS navigation devices never come out of the box ready ready for action.  We end up paying more for connections, accessories, and monthly subscriptions just to get the unit ready for everyday use.  In today’s economy, we all want more for our buck and for good reason.

That’s why the TomTom Go portable navigators made such a huge splash at CES 2009.  Each TomTom Go 740 Live navigator comes ready right out the box with a built in SIM card and GPRS modem.  Another sleek and popular feature that TomTom Go Live incorporates is voice recognition which recognizes over 130 voice commands which allows you to get moving with planned routes, make phone calls, and set preferences… all by voice

Is it competition for Garmin nuvi 880 products? I guess we will find out in 2009.  Stay tuned here.

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GPS Review: Garmin StreetPilot GPS Portable System

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

49793Regardless of what anyone says, the Garmin StreetPilot GPS Portable System is one of the best GPS systems around because its reliable, its affordable, consumers love it, and it works.

The Garmin StreetPilot GPS Portable System features a touch screen navigation and automatic route calculation with turn by turn voice prompted directions.  However the best feature of this navigational unit is the out of the box convenience.  Once you pull the Garmin StreetPilot GPS Portable System out of the box you get MapSource City Select street data which includes over 5 million points of interest like hotels, gas stations, attractions and more.  You also get a 128 MB SD card so you can transfer the information from MapSource City Select to a CD-ROM for data transfer from a PC via a USB connection.

Another sleek feature includes the low number of buttons on the device which give it a contemporary and minimal look.  It only has a knob plus an on/off switch.  You can customize the appearance of the portable GPS by using face plates.

Additional GPS Specifications include WAAS-enabled, 12 satellites to compute and update your position, 2 minute auto locate, 1 second update rate, 95% GPS accuracy within 15 meters, and a built in antenna.  Additional navigation specifications include automatic turn-by-turn instructions, routing around bad road conditions (traffic, construction, etc.), choice of scenic route available, off route recalculation for mistakes,

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