GPS Lodge

Tour de France Contest - Map My Ride

2009-07-03T19:30:00Z

Here's a contest that can earn you some bragging rites or at least a few grand from MapMyRide.com, the program that allows you to map and upload bike routes to share them with the greater biking community. The site has really grown up since I first saw it with lots of integration of services, capabilities and features. The basic idea is that it is a great community of other riders where you can share rides, routes and tips. They have also wrapped training programs and training goals around the offering to make it a pretty compelling site. There is a free and premium version.

Check out Map My Ride and look into how you can Map Your Ride, and ride the virtual tour this year; maybe even win some prizes. Who knows, maybe Phil Liggett will be announcing you winning the virtual tour at the end of the contest.

at MapMyRide.com

Garmin Edge 705 - How To Video Series

2009-07-03T11:29:45Z

Garmin is kicking off a How To series for the Edge 705 bike GPS and Computer. Sure they are basic, but that's the point. Think of it as the video based version of the fold out Quick Guide that comes in the box anyway with these things. I reviewed the Garmin Edge 705 a year ago just before the Tour de France and liked it a lot. If I could justify the price for yet another GPS in this household, I would have snapped it up in an instant. Watch this video and it will offer up related videos that teach about HRM and starting up the Edge for a ride.

If you aren't following the Tour this year, you should. It should be exciting with the return of Lance, and a very competitive Team Garmin/Slipstream with their impressive depth of riders.

Traffic Subscriptions could Jump 10X by 2014

2009-07-02T10:20:24Z

Interesting news bit out that is reporting iSupply data indicates that there is a boom ahead of us in real time traffic reporting subscriptions. Yes, I know you knew that, but now the rest of the world does too. The expectations are that the subscriber base could grow by 10X versus today to 51 million in 2014, up from about 4.6 million today. Revenue could jump to $1.3Bil from a little over $100 million today.

It's no surprise that people are interested in this, but what is driving it is the very real change that we are seeing in the delivery of traffic solutions and how data is being utilized, refined and sent out to the ever increasing legion of navigation solutions. things have changed and a next generation solution is taking shape. I wrote about some of the barriers that would be falling back in January 2007, to create a bigger, better traffic reporting solution, and for the most part, we are now seeing all of that coming to fruition.

1) High quality databases using historical traffic data are in use - just consider the TomTom IQ Routes next time you buy a TomTom, or use any resource that uses the Inrix data systems.

2) Increase in coverage and flow capabilities - the increase is there, but not to the point that we all have access to flow data on secondary roads which is what I really want. It is present in some higher end traffic databases though.

3) Bandwidth - TomTom LIVE (Go 740 in US) has cellular connections as does TeleNav Shotgun for high bandwidth two-way data transfer; result is more detailed and more accurate assessment of the traffic issues ahead. Furthermore, you are starting to see high quality mobile phone applications roll into the market with traffic feeds; plenty of bandwidth to grab not only data but over the air delivery of maps on some of them.

I think that the building blocks are there for this reported leap in the subscriber base, but I would like to see better application of the traffic database to the end product on secondary roads across more devices, as well as the higher end units roll down their capabilities for Go 740/Shotgun caliber traffic to the mass market units to enable the subscription market to take off.

ReadMore at TWICE

GPSLodge.com Monthly Round-Up - June 2009

2009-07-01T11:03:18Z

The big news this month had to be the announcement of the new mobile applications for the iPhone. Long rumored, and now available (Navigon for europe only), the slew of mobile phone capable navigation is going to build on a market long occupied by TeleNav. Should be interesting to see build.

Garmin wasn't quiet this past month as they announced a touchscreen unit that is a bit more compact, very capable, and a bit less expensive than the higher end units that it has been plowing the investment dollars into - the Garmin Dakota hits stores soon.

Garmin GPS News

Garmin Dakota 10 and Dakota 20 Handheld Touchscreen GPS

Update your Garmins: 7X5, 800, 8X5, Zumo 660, GPSMAP 620/640

Celebrate Father's Day - New Garmin Icons

Garmin Foretrex 301 and 401

Bid on a VIP Trip to Tour de France with Garmin

Update your Garmin Maps - Lifetime Subscription

TomTom GPS News

Navigon GPS

GPS News

GPS Rebates and Sales

Geocaching

Book of Lies ties Novel to Series of Geocaches

Handheld GPS

Mobile Phone GPS

Traffic News

Inrix to Report Traffic for Homeland Security

TomTom Picks Inrix

NAVTEQ - Upgraded Traffic.com Site for Mobile Phone Use

2009-07-01T10:47:14Z

Traffic.com has upgraded to include a mobile friendly site online to help you deal with the woes of traffic. The site mirrors that functionality online of it's regular site where you can not only get a quick view of traffic in your area, but login and get your Jam Factors and overviews of what your critical drives might look like.

I use Traffic.com to store a couple of drives (work related) and they email me daily the situation on the roads, with estimated drive times and traffic congestion levels - the Jam Factor. After accommodating for the fact that the data arrives just after 7AM, and I generally get on the road about a half hour later, the email alerts are good enough to give me a good look into what the overall traffic situation is. With the Mobile data, you'll have this type of insight and of course the little maps there too to help you deal with the traffic.

Set up an account at Traffic.com, then head over to Mobi.traffic.com for the full benefits. Or just head over to the mobile website straight away to check it out.

Full press release below.

NAVTEQ Traffic.com Upgrades Mobile Website for Real-Time Traffic Delays

Convenient and Personalized Real-Time Traffic Flow Helps Drivers On-the-Go

CHICAGO, June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data for in-vehicle, portable, wireless and enterprise solutions, announced today it has released a new version of its free NAVTEQ Traffic.com® mobile website at http://mobi.traffic.com. Accessed from any cell phone or PDA with a mobile web browser, the free site is current, convenient and loaded with new features to help drivers take the latest traffic information with them on the road.

The mobile website was enhanced with the needs of on-the-go drivers in mind and designed to display traffic content for easy navigation on mobile phones and devices. It features accurate, up-to-the-minute traffic information including travel times, vehicle speeds, delay times, accident reports and NAVTEQ's unique Jam Factor®, a numerical traffic measurement scale that offers a look at a route's current traffic conditions with color coded indications of worsening or improving trends. Drivers across the U.S. can access city area traffic information or their own personalized updates about current conditions and congestion trends.

Drivers can access the site by entering http://mobi.traffic.com into their mobile web browser or via their carrier portals, within information categories that help deliver content to customers such as: "Maps/Traffic," and "Travel." The real-time traffic mobile website is accessible from any web-enabled phone or device and on most major carrier portals. To further customize the mobile website information, a driver is encouraged to first register at www.traffic.com where they can name and save their daily commutes or weekend travel routes with a free MyTraffic™ account through an easy, step-by-step online process.

"As people become more reliant on having access to real-time traffic, drivers want convenient access when they're on the go," said Alex Wiegand, vice president, NAVTEQ. "NAVTEQ real-time traffic content is highly localized and delivered at the moment a driver needs it giving our users the relevant, valuable knowledge that helps them plan their day."

NAVTEQ Traffic.com is powered by industry-leading NAVTEQ Traffic™ data and services and is the #1 U.S. traffic-only website for online and mobile traffic information*.

Inrix to Report Traffic for Homeland Security

2009-06-29T14:05:00Z

The next time there's a Homeland Security drill, they will be avoiding heavy traffic and traffic incidents using the Inrix data and capabilities to help speed the response. The data will be used by GeoDecisions' IRRIS portal to help the military and Homeland security with accurate traffic flow and incident reporting.

"With the ability to access INRIX's comprehensive yet precise traffic information, customers using GeoDecisions' IRRIS portal will be better able to anticipate traffic congestion and hazardous road conditions and plan or adapt their routes accordingly," said Bryan Mistele, INRIX president and CEO. "Together with GeoDecisions we are helping the U.S. military and Homeland Security optimize their logistical operations to ensure they have the safest and most efficient means available for transportation routing."

This comes on the heels of Inrix being selected to provide data to TomTom as part of their LIVE capabilities in the US.

Full Press Release below.....

INRIX Wins Contract with GeoDecisions to Aid Government Logistics Using Real-Time Traffic Data

INRIX Connected Services for IRRIS application to facilitate safe, reliable material transfers

Kirkland, Wash. and Harrisburg, Pa. · June 29, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- INRIX®, the leading provider of traffic information in North America, has been selected by GeoDecisions, a leading information technology company specializing in geospatial solutions, to provide highly accurate real-time traffic flow and incident data in the guidance and support of nationwide U.S. military logistics planning and homeland security operations.

GeoDecisions is integrating INRIX real-time traffic flow and incident data into the IRRIS portal, an enterprise Web application that supports transportation security and logistics for U.S. state and federal agencies and for enterprise applications in the private sector. IRRIS users will now be able to access INRIX traffic information to obtain current traffic conditions and support transportation logistics and management, including the transport of sensitive materials. Leveraging the power of INRIX Connected Services, GeoDecisions is using the new INRIX Traffic Tile Service to overlay traffic maps on GeoDecisions' application, which uses the ESRI® map platform.

"Our clients demand the most current and accurate information available to ensure the safety of American citizens," said Brendan Wesdock, vice president. "INRIX can help us bring flexible, innovative, high-quality technology solutions to key government operations."

The IRRIS technology application was developed by GeoDecisions in partnership with the U.S. military to support the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) with logistics, location and proximity analysis, data sharing, collaboration, transportation security and situational awareness. IRRIS integrates and displays worldwide infrastructure data, live-vehicle tracking, near-real-time weather, and active route conditions in a map format using a single secure interface. This technology now serves nearly 2000 users across the Defense Transportation System.

INRIX delivers broad and most accurate real-time traffic information in North America through its distinctive crowd-sourced traffic information network and data fusion technologies. INRIX intelligently blends billions of real-time data points from over a million GPS-enabled commercial and consumer devices and traditional road sensor information. With this unique approach, INRIX will provide GeoDecisions with real-time traffic flow coverage across 126 metropolitan markets in North America.

iGo for the iPhone - Coming Soon

2009-06-28T20:35:12Z

Add another contender to the ring on the iPhone navigation battle - iGo form Nav N Go is going to be hitting the iPhone soon with an adaptation of their familiar operating system. No news on availability and price, but I would expect a Euro release and then a US release later this year.

Garmin Dakota 10 and Dakota 20 Handheld Touchscreen GPS

2009-06-26T11:05:00Z

Garmin has introduced the Garmin Dakota 10 and Dakota 20 handheld GPS units that are going to take up the place in the line as the smaller siblings to the Garmin Oregon. The smaller, touchscreen units still boast a well appointed feature list. While the unit is smaller that the eTrex, with the screen size stretching across almost the entire front of the unit, the screen is actually a bit larger than the Garmin eTrex series, coming in at 2.6" diagonally. The new operating system offers paperless geocaching, and comes pre-loaded with a world basemap, offering the easy ability to add Garmin City Navigator NT street maps, Blue Chart g2 marine charts, and TOPO U.S. 24K and 100K that will load into the 850 MB of onboard memory.

Dakota 10 - Offers 850 MB of memory, world base map, touchscreen interface, 20 hour battery life on two "AA" batteries, and has the same spine format to accept all of the Oregon and Colorado mounts and accessories. It will connect to your PC or Mac via USB. List Price $299.

Dakota 20 - Adds a 3-axis compass, barometric altimeter, a microSD card slot, and wireless connectivity to other Garmin handhelds like the Oregon, Colorado, and Foretrex units (Other Dakotas as well). List Price $349.

These should be available in July.

Full Press Release Below......

Garmin® announces Dakota™ touchscreen outdoor handhelds,
simple to use and simple to afford

OLATHE, Kan./June 26, 2009/Business Wire -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the Dakota 10 and Dakota 20 handheld GPS navigators, packing a high sensitivity GPS receiver, worldwide basemap and color touchscreen display into a compact, waterproof device with up to 20 hours of battery life.

"As families and friends explore the outdoors - from an exotic locale to the local park - Dakota helps keep their adventures affordable and enjoyable," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales. "While kids have fun with Dakota's small size and simple interface, parents can take comfort in never losing their way thanks to high-sensitivity GPS and extended battery life."

Lightweight, rugged and waterproof, Garmin's new Dakota devices quickly acquire and maintain satellite reception - even in heavy tree cover or deep canyons - thanks to a high-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFixTM, which automatically calculates and stores critical satellite information and can use that information to quickly calculate a position. Everyone from geocachers and youth scouts to surveyors and hunters can take advantage of Dakota's 850 MB of internal memory, which can store up to 1,000 waypoints, 50 routes, 2,000 geocaches and an active tracklog of up to 10,000 points and 200 saved tracks.

Based on the innovative interface of Garmin's award-winning Oregon series, Dakota's glove-friendly, color 2.6-inch touchscreen display is easy to read and use in all conditions, responsive to the touch of your finger, yet resistant to the forces of nature. Weighing only 6.75 ounces, Dakota lasts up to 20 hours on two AA batteries and can connect to your PC or Mac via USB connection.

Dakota 20 adds even more features, including a 3-axis compass, barometric altimeter, a microSD card slot for increased mapping and memory storage, and wireless unit-to-unit connectivity for sharing your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly with compatible Dakota, Oregon, Colorado and Foretrex devices. Dakota 20's 3-axis, tilt-compensated electronic compass shows your heading even when you're standing still, without needing to hold it level.

It's fun and easy to get into paperless geocaching with Dakota. You can download up to 2,000 caches, with information such as location, terrain, difficulty, hints and description -- no more paper print outs and manually entered coordinates. Visit Garmin.com/geocache for more information.

Dakota comes preloaded with a worldwide basemap and is compatible with Garmin City Navigator NT for turn-by-turn directions on city streets, Blue Chart g2 for marine charting, and TOPO U.S. 24K and 100K map software for incredible terrain detail (each sold separately).

Dakota 10 and Dakota 20 are the latest breakthroughs from Garmin, which has spent 20 years using technology and innovation to enhance users' lives, making Garmin a household name in the automotive, aviation, marine, wireless, outdoor and fitness industries. For more about features, pricing and availability, as well as information about Garmin's other products and services, go to www.garmin.com, www.garmin.blogs.com and http://twitter.com/jakesjournal.

Update your Garmins: 7X5, 800, 8X5, Zumo 660, GPSMAP 620/640

2009-06-25T10:57:24Z

If you recently updated your Garmin Firmware and i essentially killed your GPS, the fix is here. Garmin has posted fixes and FAQ's all over the place to get you back and running via "Mandatory" updates; shouldn't have let that first one out the door, but hats off to Garmin for getting a fix out quickly. The good news is that for many, it's a simple update, the bad news for some is that you need to send the unit back in for repair. From Garmin's Blog:

"Garmin nüvi 7x5 series products that are no longer able to acquire a GPS satellite signal may download a firmware update immediately that will correct the software issue. This firmware update may be downloaded using Garmin's WebUpdater.

Garmin nüvi 7x5 customers who are no longer able to power on their GPS device will need to visit www.garmin.com/support, and select the first FAQ titled "My nüvi 755T, 765T, 775T or 785T is giving me the message 'Updating GPS Firmware' or will no longer power on..." Customers will then need to follow the instructions to request a return authorization so that the device may be repaired under warranty. "

If you are having trouble, start a the Garmin Blog, then move to the proper download or FAQ page.

DeLorme PN-30 Handheld GPS

2009-06-24T21:13:00Z

DeLorme announced their new PN-30 handheld today packing it with enough goodies and pricing it well at $299. The little green handheld comes with the ability to load it up with aerial photography, topographic maps, and NOAA nautical charts. The included PN-Series Map DVDs will transfer maps to the PN-30 or an SD card, from either PCs or Macs. The up-to-date detail includes U.S. topography, U.S. and Canada streets, roads, and places of interest, and Mexico main roads. The other maps area available as downloads that cost extra.

The waterproof (IPX7) color handheld is also available in Realtree camo too. Expect it to hit the stores in July.

Full Press Release below.....

YARMOUTH, ME ― DeLorme, the innovation leader in mapping and GPS technology for outdoor adventures, today announced its upcoming release of the Earthmate PN-30 handheld GPS receiver. It offers top-end GPS capabilities, plus the PN-Series' exclusive aerial imagery display features, but it's also affordably priced and easy to use.

DeLorme PN-Series topographic map DVDS are included for effortless transfers to the device; users can load the maps they need and be ready to go within minutes of opening the package. In the field, users will discover lightning-quick satellite acquisition, thanks to the high-sensitivity 32-channel Cartesio chipset. Signal retention is ultra-reliable even in dense forests. A powerful dual-core processor renders map and imagery screen views with instantaneous speed. The PN-30 is waterproof and WAAS-enabled for superior accuracy, and has a bright-color TFT screen for readability in any light conditions. With all those features, the PN-30 carries a remarkably affordable $299.95 suggested retail price.

Detailed Maps, Aerial Imagery, NOAA Nautical Charts
The included PN-Series Map DVDs will transfer maps to the PN-30 or an SD card, from either PCs or Macs. The up-to-date detail includes U.S. topography, U.S. and Canada streets, roads, and places of interest, and Mexico main roads. Also included is a sample certificate for the online DeLorme Map Library, where users can go to download aerial imagery, USGS 1:24,000 topographic quads, and NOAA nautical charts. All Map Library downloads can be sent directly to, and displayed on the PN-30. For a low-cost $29.95 annual subscription, users can download and keep all the Map Library maps and imagery they want (PC and Mac accessible).

With all these map and imagery options, the PN-30 offers exceptional versatility for a wide range of activities, including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, boating, kayaking, geocaching, and more. No other handheld GPS provider can match DeLorme's map and supplemental data offerings.

Support for Navionics Charts
The PN-30 also displays Navionics HotMaps (lake) and Gold (marine) charts, which are sold separately by major boating and sporting goods suppliers. Widely recognized as the leader in charts by boaters and anglers, Navionics charts come on SD cards that are instantly recognized by the PN-30; no setup is required.

Unique Topo USA Mapping Software Included
For desktop mapping on the PC, the PN-30 comes with newly-released DeLorme Topo USA 8.0 DVD software. Users can scout their trips in advance, create road and trail routes automatically, print maps, geo-tag photos with their exact GPS location and much more.

Paperless Geocaching
The PN-30 and Topo USA provide a wide range of paperless geocaching capabilities. There is a virtually unlimited character count for cache descriptions, and the new Cache Register widget (available only online from DeLorme) enables fast and easy synchronization of Pocket Query search results from Geocaching.com.

Rock-Solid Reliability
The PN-30 has an impact-resistant and waterproof (IPX7) rubberized housing. PN-Series receivers have performed successfully in some of the world's most extreme conditions ─ most recently during this year's Victorinox North Pole 09 expedition, and famed climber Ed Viesturs' May ascent of Mt. Everest.

AT&T Navigator (TeleNav) for the iPhone

2009-06-24T01:50:08Z

TeleNav launched an iPhone App at the App store today, offering yet another option for navigating with the iPhone. TeleNav is no stranger to mobile phone navigation, and are offering it as the AT&T Navigator with numerous features, including Text to Speech (Says street names), traffic alerts, gas prices, and Business Listings (10 million), Mid-Route Points of Interest like gas, food and more. Some people may be turned off by the $100+ fee for a similar application, and the TeleNav may just be a decent alternative for you at $10 a month.

The iPhone needs to have the 3.0 Operating system to work. Full Press Release after the jump.....

At the iTunes App Store (iTunes Link), more at TeleNav

AT&T Brings AT&T Navigator Application to Apple App Store iPhone Customers Benefit from Turn-by-Turn, Voice-Guided GPS Navigation with AT&T Navigator, Powered by TeleNav You have arrived at your destination. For the first time, millions of iPhone customers can now experience one of the most popular turn-by-turn GPS navigation applications. AT&T* (NYSE:T) today announced the availability of its award-winning location based services app - AT&T Navigator -- on iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. Using the latest iPhone OS 3.0 software, the app brings full audible and visual turn-by-turn navigation service over the nation's fastest 3G network. Loaded with enhanced functionality and capabilities, AT&T Navigator provides a rich lineup of user-friendly features, including: map updates, speech recognition, ETA updates, more than 10 million business listings, real-time traffic alerts, one-touch rerouting, daily gas prices and more. "AT&T Navigator has been one of our most popular and best-performing apps since we launched it last year," said Mark Collins, vice president of voice and data products for AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "With the new iPhone OS 3.0 software, we're expanding the advantages of true turn-by-turn navigation - both voice and on-screen directions - to millions more customers. We're bringing greater convenience to drivers and travelers nationwide, including providing regular, automatic updates to map information at no charge so customers have the latest at their fingertips." Perfect for Parent and Professional. Gone are the days when business travelers are dependent on built-in car GPS devices. Same goes for parents managing caravans and car pools to overnight soccer tournaments. Built to accommodate road warriors of all kinds, AT&T Navigator maximizes the customer experience to provide: · Automatic Content Updates: No manual updates required. The latest map and navigating details are automatically available to subscribers at no extra cost. · Voice and On-Screen Turn-By-Turn Directions: Real-time voice and visual guidance, including street names, automatic re-routes, ETA and total mileage updates. Drivers can also choose among multiple route options, including 'traffic optimized'; 'fastest'; 'prefer streets'; 'prefer highways' and 'pedestrian mode' to ensure the most customized navigation experience. · Speech Recognition: Touch and talk capability for instant turn-by-turn directions to destination. · Traffic Alerts: Real-time route monitoring and proactive searches every five minutes for traffic congestion or incident. Voice and on-screen alerts, plus faster route options provided. · 3D Maps: Full-color 3D moving map brings navigation to life. Maps provide details on current location, plus streets and interstates within driving distance. · Business Listings: One-touch access to more than 10 million business listings from YELLOWPAGES.COM. Plus, access to business ratings, phone numbers and one-touch dialing. · In-Route Customization: Users have the advantage of finding convenient rest stops for gas, food and other needs along their current route - saving both time and mileage. · Online Trip Planning: Preplan trips, save addresses and manage travel accounts online at www.navpreplan.com. Save locations and send directions straight to iPhone. Award Winning. AT&T Navigator was recently recognized by global growth and consulting company Frost & Sullivan as the 2009 Consumer Location-Based Service Navigation Application of the Year because of its aggregation of a premier list features into one intuitive application.

Navigon iPhone App Launched - Hits Europe

2009-06-23T11:11:36Z

Wow, that was fast; about a two weeks ago, Navigon announced that they would launch an iPhone App, and now, they just launched a Euro version in the App store. According to the feature set, the capabilities are fairly robust, with the key ability to use if in the portrait and landscape modes, as well as reality view (shown above) where you get to see what exit/turn you should make on major intersections. The application also taps into your contact list to get to saved destinations; no need to re-input "favorites". The Navigon Navigator will pause for an incoming phone call, and you can listen to music while navigating, but according to a couple of users who posted reviews, the application does not pause the music while giving the turn directions which could prove to be a problem.

Available in several languages and dozens of countries - none of which are the US. The Navigon iPhone App uses NAVTEQ maps, but sadly, not traffic. One would hope that Navigon would use the phone's bandwidth to introduce traffic capabilities later on, and potentially a two way reporting as iPhones turn into GPS probes like the Dash Express did. The file size is large at about 1.6GB, with a couple of users reporting that it took over an hour.

With over a million iPhone 3G-S phones sold in the first day of its launch, one can imagine how the phone and its platform will continue to become a very large handset base on which the navigation makers can build. Should be an interesting future with these applications.

The Price is $94, not bad, but it appears to be headed up. On the price, they note that this is "a special introduction price is valid only until June 30th." One can definitely see the capabilities getting more robust and more expensive as time goes on, paralleling the standalone model capabilities.

More at iTunes (iTunes link)

GPS Steals and Deals - 6/21

2009-06-22T00:46:52Z

Still looking for that GPS Deal after you woke up and didn't find that Father's Day magic GPS on the kitchen table? The prices have drifted down about $5 - $10 in general over the last few weeks making for a good bargain now at the beginning of the summer.

As your budget allows, I recommend features that make a GPS much easier to use: Text to Speech, and a widescreen in that order. Other additions such as Traffic, Bluetooth Handsfree, etc. are definitely nice to have.

Standard Screen Units

Garmin Nuvi 270 - $144 (Up a few bucks in recent weeks actually) - Has US and Western Euro Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but if you are heading to Europe and need a unit, this is a great deal.

Garmin Nuvi 250 - $99 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. No Text to Speech, but is great deal for Garmin quality.

Garmin Nuvi 260 - $129 (Down $5 in recent weeks) - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Adds Text to Speech.

Garmin Nuvi 255 - $159 - Has North American Maps pre-loaded. Has Text to Speech. Adds new interface that updates the look and feel; significant usability upgrade in my mind. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes.

TomTom ONE 130 - $99 this week, North American Maps, and a high quality TomTom Interface. Very easy to use at a low price. Does not have Text to Speech. Upgrade to the TomTom ONE 130-S for Text to speech at $119 - very cheap upgrade for text to speech. Possibly the best value out there for cheap Text to Speech.

Widescreen Units - 4.3-inch or larger

Garmin Nuvi 255W - $174 - Text to speech, improved interface, maps of North America. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes. More Info - See my Full Review on the Nuvi 255W. I also saw this at BJ's club this week for about the same price after a $30 Mail In Rebate - your choice.

TomTom ONE XL-S - $129 - a "HOT DEAL" at Amazon, this widescreen has Text to Speech, and maps of North America. This older chassis has the latest maps from TomTom, and offers solid navigation for a relatively low price point.

Garmin Nuvi 265WT - $212 - Text to speech, improved interface, maps of North America. Supports ecoRoute gas saving driving routes. Adds free lifetime TMC traffic to the base 255W model features. Very good buy here.

Garmin Nuvi 760 - $199 - Thin design with Text to Speech and Maps of North America. Route Optimization - plug in multiple stops and let the unit optimize the route for fastest planning, adds Bluetooth handsfree and built-in TMC traffic. Slightly older interface (still has updated maps though). See My Full Review of the Nuvi 760.

Nuvi 205W at Amazon $151 - Entry Level Widescreen - No Text to Speech, Continental US Maps. See My Full Review - Nuvi 205W.

TomTom ONE XL 330S - $160 - the new Basic Widescreen for the TomTom line, Maps of North America, new Easy Port fold flat mount, and text to speech. See my Full Review for more information.

Garmin Nuvi 855 - $249 at Costco. This is a widescreen unit with Text to speech but also utilizes Voice Command capabilities that allow you to enter commands without having to tap the screen. Very good price for this highly capable unit.

TomTom GO 740 LIVE - an amazing $299 - an internet connected GPS that has robust traffic reporting and is Google connected for interest search. Has Gas prices updates and comes with 3 months free connected service; about $10/ mo after that.

Rebate ALERT

The Garmin Forerunner 405 - $296 after $50 Mail in Rebate - And as I mentioned the other day - Buy the Garmin Forerunner 405, get the $50 rebate AND a Free Garmin Forerunner 50 Sports Watch too.
The Garmin Forerunner 405CX that adds a calorie burning calculation. It will ship June 8th, and has the same $50 rebate deal and same Free Forerunner 50 deal. $319 after Mail in Rebate.

Celebrate Father's Day - New Garmin Icons

2009-06-22T00:18:34Z

So if you are into pimping out your Garmin Nuvi, you can now download some classic Father's Day icons for use on the Nuvi from the Garmin Garage. The lawn mower and tie icons are a part of their consistent rollout of new icons for just about every occasion and non-occasion on the calndar, making for a lot of fun.

If you didn't get a Nuvi for Father's Day, and still want one, see our GPS Steals and Deals post today for some ideas.

NJ Bill Would Ban GPS Programming While Driving

2009-06-21T21:27:00Z

Wow, this one seems like another step on the slippery slope of over-legislation. From the state that doesn't want you to pump your own gas comes the new idea to protect you; no programming your GPS while driving. While I admit, digging through a Point of Interest menu for something that is buried deep down there is a foolish thing to do, I can't argue that a 100% hands off approach is the right way to go either.

The bill is proposing a $100 fine for anyone caught manually programming a GPS while driving. This follows on the heels of the texting and non-hands free cell phone ban that carries the same fine.

What's next? Anything goes that can slip past the legislature, one can imagine. I would like to see the No Mascara or Eye Shadow application ban go ahead of the GPS programming ban - maybe fewer of those on the road, but have you ever ridden behind someone doing that? Scary.

TomTom Picks Inrix

2009-06-19T09:32:00Z

In an about face, TomTom has selected Inrix to power their dynamic feeds for it's Plus and LIVE services going forward. Originally, TomTom did not select Inrix as their provider of traffic for the US, but have decided that the package of quality data from Inrix is worth the switch. This is not the first time Inrix has come in and taken over for what appear to be higher quality, more desirable coverage or feeds - it happened last year in Alabama, where Inrix essentially saved their traffic broadcast program that sounded like it was dead in the water.

Inrix will provide the traffic feed, and gas prices feed to LIVE and Plus services across the country.

Full Press Release below.....

TomTom Selects INRIX as Strategic Partner for Traffic and Fuel Prices in North America

INRIX Connected Services provide accurate real-time traffic and fuel prices for TomTom LIVE

INRIX®, the leading provider of traffic information in North America, announced today that it has been selected by TomTom, the world's leading navigation solutions and digital mapping provider, as its strategic partner for TomTom LIVE real-time traffic and fuel price information in North America. INRIX delivers the traffic and fuel data for TomTom LIVE Services and other TomTom devices via INRIX Connected Services, a comprehensive dynamic content platform providing navigation OEMs and location-based service application developers with private label, go-to-market solutions for in-vehicle, PND, wireless phone and other connected devices.

"Like TomTom, INRIX is a leader in their industry, and consistently provides innovative and enriched content for a more informed driving experience," said Jocelyn Vigreux, president of TomTom Inc. "TomTom's proprietary Map Share and IQ Routes features bundled with INRIX's quality traffic information set a new standard in navigation and will change consumers' driving experience."

INRIX Real-Time Traffic is available for 126 markets and 160,000 miles of roads in the U.S. and Canada. INRIX is also providing dynamic fuel prices for over 80,000 gas stations to TomTom via its partnership with OPIS.

"TomTom is continuing its innovation and leadership in the navigation device market," commented Bryan Mistele, president and CEO of INRIX. "We are thrilled to provide our crowd-sourced traffic solutions, which leverage over one million GPS-enabled vehicles and mobile devices, as part of TomTom's dynamic content portfolio."

Homer Simpson Voice for TomTom GPS - Easy Download

2009-06-17T10:11:45Z

TomTom may have potentially the best voice ever on their GPS topping Mr. T with their launch of the Homer Simpson voice available for TomTom GPS units in the US and Europe. The easy download, lets you navigate to Homer's voice offering the keen guidance of TomTom combined with the combined fun of 20 years worth of Homer antics. Can't wait.

The download happens through TomTom Home, an easy to use desktop manager that will allow you to download to your computer and then upload the voice to your TomTom device. The Homer Simpson voice costs $12.95, and is available now. Hummm, I wonder if I can navigate to Moe's for a Duff?

Full Press Release Below......

Let Homer Simpson Be Your Co-Pilot

On TomTom Portable Navigation Devices

Celebrating THE SIMPSONS 20th Anniversary TomTom, Locutio Voice Technologies and Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising Bring Hilarious Homer Quips To Navigation Devices in North America and Europe

Homer Simpson knows how to get to the Kwik-E Mart in Springfield, and now he'll help you navigate to your favorite point of interest in North America or Europe. TomTom has joined forces with Locutio Voice Technologies and Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising (Fox Licensing) to bring the original voice* of Homer Simpson to all TomTom devices via download. Starting today, TomTom users can go to www.tomtom.com/simpsons and download the voice for $12.95 and €9.95.

On the road, Homer's hilarious, encouraging and sometimes unusual advice will ensure that drivers will not only reach their destination on time, but have a lot of fun along the way. With an insatiable appetite as his motivation, Homer adds his own words of wisdom for TomTom drivers like, "Take the third right." "We might find an ice cream truck! Mmm...ice cream." With Homer's unpredictable and comical commands leading the way, drivers are guaranteed an unforgettable journey.

"Celebrity voice downloads are one of the many features TomTom offers to our customers to personalize their driving experience," said Jocelyn Vigreux, president of TomTom Inc. "With Homer Simpson's voice helping them to navigate their trip, TomTom customers will not only travel safely and with less stress, but will also be highly entertained along the way."

TomTom portable navigation devices guide drivers with audible, turn-by-turn instructions and 3D maps which work right out of the box, with no additional fees or services required.

"Homer Simpson has one of the most identifiable voices in entertainment history," said Elie Dekel, Fox Executive Vice President Licensing and Merchandising. "We have joined forces with TomTom to help celebrate THE SIMPSONS historic 20th anniversary and will help provide a little levity for those long summer road trips ahead."

TomTom's portable navigation devices offer up to 70 preloaded voices in 36 languages, and now drivers can have Homer Simpson navigate them to any location, including specific points of interest. Homer Simpson is the latest character to join the growing line up of voices available for use on devices made by TomTom, the world's leading navigation solutions provider.

* The official Homer Simpson voice recorded by Dan Castellaneta.

Garmin Foretrex 301 and 401

2009-06-16T11:05:00Z

Garmin is announcing the Foretrex 301 and 401 today - two new wrist mounted GPS units that have beefed up capabilities including, for the Foretrex 401 wireless communication with other Garmin units for sharing of waypoints, tracks and routes. The waterproof navigation devices are small enough to wear pretty easily, but contain the ability to navigate to waypoints, and track back to your position when you need to get back from your adventure. The Foretrex 401 has an altimeter and an electronic compass built in, along with the wireless capability that also allows you to add a heart rate monitor, or cadence sensor. The downside here is that the units don't track over a map, but more than the basics are covered in a wrist mountable format.

Weighing about 3 ounces and powered by 2 AAA batteries, Foretrex won't weigh you down while enduring a day's adventures with up to 18 hours of battery life in the 301 and up to 17 hours in the 401.

Full Press Release Below.....

Garmin® Announces Rugged, Waterproof Foretrex® 401 and 301,
Wearable Navigation that's Easy to Use in Tough Conditions

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the Foretrex 401 and Foretrex 301 GPS navigators, integrating a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and USB interface into a lightweight, waterproof device for light hikers, skiers, campers and military personnel to wear comfortably on their wrists.

"Whether you're on a leisurely hike or in the toughest conditions imaginable, you need navigation that's simple to use and easy to access," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales. "Our new Foretrex models help you keep your hands free and your focus on the path ahead, all while ensuring you make it to your destination as easily as possible."

Rugged and waterproof, Garmin's new Foretrex 301 and 401 models boast a high-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFixTM that quickly acquires and maintains satellite reception - even in heavy tree cover or deep canyons - and accurately monitors and stores your routes, tracks and waypoints. When the day's activities are done, just turn on the TracBack® feature, and Foretrex will retrace your path right back to where you started. With Foretrex, you can always find your way back to any important place, like your campsite or vehicle, using the breadcrumb trail, data fields and compass screen on the easy-to-read LCD display. The new Foretrex models feature dual-position readout so that you can view your current location in multiple formats, including latitude/longitude and an alternate position format of your choice, simplifying navigation for professional, military, search-and-rescue and recreational uses. Foretrex 301 and 401 also incorporate a trip computer, sunrise/sunset and hunting and fishing information and can connect to your PC or Mac via USB connection.

Adding even more features to the mix, Foretrex 401 has an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter. Foretrex 401 allows you to wirelessly share routes, tracks and waypoints between certain Foretrex, Oregon and Colorado devices, and it is also compatible with Garmin heart-rate monitors and cadence sensors.

Weighing about 3 ounces and powered by 2 AAA batteries, Foretrex won't weigh you down while enduring a day's adventures with up to 18 hours of battery life in the 301 and up to 17 hours in the 401. And you can chronicle your activities by storing up to 500 waypoints, 20 routes or a tracklog of up to 10,000 points and 10 saved tracks.

TomTom to Sell More Shares - Eliminate Debt

2009-06-15T11:21:54Z

TomTom is selling more shares to raise about 100 Million Euros to help retire some of its debt which amounts to around 1.4Billion Euros stemming from its takeover of TeleAtlas for 2.9Billion Euros. the purchasers of the debt are Cyrte Investments a technology investment firm and Janvio Holding, an investor in TomTom already. Clearly TomTom needs to restructure it's debt and get more than a toe hold in the emerging markets beyond simple GPS navigation; mobile phone and services after the sale represent new areas for growth (traffic subscriptions, etc).

ReadMore at the WSJ

Thanks Jim for sending this in.

NAVTEQ Sees More Pedestrian Navigation

2009-06-12T11:08:03Z

NAVTEQ is talking about a future with more pedestrian based navigation, driven by their Discover Cities mapping work. The effort is delivering more data to hardware and service providers that enable the on foot navigation where there is not supposed to be traffic, or where subway or bus travel is involved. The idea that navigation help makes the jump to foot traffic is not a giant leap, but I am not sure how it will make that jump. The question if people actually be more likely to use this capability if it is through an over the air service to their mobile phone or through an add-on to their GPS navigation device like a Nuvi remains to be answered.

"The growing number of commercially available devices and applications reinforces the trend that pedestrian navigation is becoming mainstream," said Jeff Mize, executive vice president, global sales, NAVTEQ. "We are pleased that the high-quality data from NAVTEQ Discover Cities will enable our customers to provide consumers with accurate orientation and guidance to further enhance the pedestrian experience."

Full Press Release below....

Pedestrian Navigation Continues to March Towards Mainstream Adoption

NAVTEQ Discover Cities(TM) Data Powers Leading Applications and Devices

CHICAGO, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data, today confirmed its industry-leading pedestrian navigation product, NAVTEQ Discover Cities, now powers several on-foot commercially available devices and applications throughout the world.

Offering up to 53 pedestrian-specific attributes, NAVTEQ Discover Cities enables an advanced pedestrian navigation experience while leading the industry in quality and coverage. NAVTEQ Discover Cities has extensive data that helps navigation devices and applications provide a variety of routing options to users - including those entirely on foot, or with portions on public transit systems. For instance, when a pedestrian consumer wants the option to use public transit, NAVTEQ Discover Cities enables routes that take into consideration the location of bus and rail stations/ stops and their entrances/exits in relation to the pedestrian route as well as the train/bus network information, including transfer locations.

Some of the world's best-known companies have deployed applications or devices utilizing NAVTEQ Discover Cities data for pedestrian navigation, including Garmin, Networks In Motion, Nokia and Samsung. This growing trend confirms NAVTEQ's own research: Consumers ranked the use of a device for 'on-foot' navigation as one of the most important reasons for considering the purchase of a mobile phone(1). Commercially available devices and applications using NAVTEQ Discover Cities data include:

Garmin's CityXplorer(TM) Maps

Garmin's CityXplorer(TM) maps are available for select tourist destinations in both North America and Europe and can easily be downloaded to the company's nuvi line of portable navigation devices. With CityXplorer, users can make the most of their journey by planning and using routes that include public transit options such as bus and metro rail stations.

Networks In Motion (NIM) Gokivo(TM) Navigator

Gokivo provides customers with NIM's renowned on-phone navigation and local search platform, turning BlackBerry(R) smartphones into indispensable mobile tools, with an array of connectivity options at their fingertips.

Gokivo is already available from BlackBerry App World, and incorporates NAVTEQ(R) maps and NAVTEQ Discover Cities content in North America and Europe, delivering an enhanced pedestrian navigation experience.

Ovi Maps by Nokia

Nokia, the first to integrate NAVTEQ Discover Cities mapping and pedestrian navigation attributes, has continued to expand its offering with over 80 cities including shortcuts through squares, parks and buildings, 3D landmarks, building footprints and public transport entrance points in their upcoming version of Ovi Maps. These combined with compass and real-time pedestrian navigation "Walk" redefine pedestrian orientation and navigation in urban environments. The upcoming version of Ovi Maps for mobile will soon start shipping on millions of Nokia devices and will be available for upgrade to existing compatible Nokia devices at www.nokia.com/maps. The NAVTEQ Discover Cities components are also integrated within the map data and Walk routing on Ovi Maps for web at www.maps.ovi.com.

Samsung I8910 (OmniaHD)

Samsung launched the I8910 HD with NAVTEQ maps and content in Europe in May. With the help of content from NAVTEQ Discover Cities, the GPS-enabled Samsung I8910 HD will allow urban travelers to take full advantage of their surroundings and help them get from place to place with a variety of routing options.

Since its launch, NAVTEQ Discover Cities coverage has expanded in all major regions of the world. Each city added to the product has data that is collected and verified with NAVTEQ's "feet-on-the-street" expertise, offering customers up to 53 pedestrian-specific map attributes, such as paved pathways, walkways through parks and plazas, bridges, tunnels, sidewalks and crosswalks.

NAVTEQ Discover Cities also serves as an ideal platform for additional content from NAVTEQ, such as visual content or travel/leisure guides. When combined, consumers can experience much richer travel experiences. For example, 3D landmarks provides visual confirmation that a person is walking in the right direction, while an in-depth restaurant review from a travel guide can provide valuable insight for the evening's activities.

Cobra SL3 Red Light Camera Locator

2009-06-11T10:45:28Z

Cobra is launching a new Red Light Camera locator into the market to pump up their "Aura" database of red light cameras, offering a non-navigation GPS-based solution to being alerted to the threats of red light cameras, speed cameras and enforcement areas. The unit comes equipped with a database of "threat" areas pre-loaded and it simply plugs into your computer to update the database when ever you want. The database is 100% verified for accuracy, and available anytime. No word on the going cost after the 1-year trial subscription runs out.

The toy-like device will light up when you are approaching a danger zone to warn you of your imminent "photo-op". Cost is $99 and comes with a 1-year trial subscription.

ReadMore at Cobra.com

Cobra Electronics Expands AURA Camera & Driving Hazard Database Line of Products
Standalone GPS Safety Camera Locator now available

NEW YORK (June 10, 2009) --Cobra Electronics (NASDAQ:COBR) today announced the release of the new SL3 GPS Safety Camera Locator with AURA™ Camera & Driving Hazard Database. The SL3 is a standalone GPS-enabled device that warns drivers to thousands of driving threats that include red light cameras, speed cameras and caution areas. These driving threats could cause unintended traffic violations as well as accidents. The SL3 provides drivers with heightened situational awareness--extra help to know what's around them, and what's ahead.

"The SL3 GPS Safety Locator provides a simple, safe way to warn drivers of potential dangers at a price that is less than most traffic violations or deductibles," said Tony Mirabelli, senior vice president of marketing and sales." An audible and visual alert provides the driver added awareness."

Driven by the proprietary AURA database, the SL3 uses a series of LED lights and tones to alert the driver to both the type of threat and its relative proximity. The 3-Zone Notification System escalates the alerts based on the driver's speed ensuring enough time is given before the intersection is reached.

The AURA database stores GPS coordinates of speed and red light cameras and driving hazards. Users can access this database online and download daily updates 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The SL3 Safety Locator connects via USB, synchronizing the coordinates for the most current and accurate camera and dangerous intersection alerts. Drivers can also add up to 1,000 location-based alerts to ensure that they are alerted to temporary or moveable driving threats.

With dedicated professional research teams working out of its Chicago world headquarters, Cobra has succeeded in developing a systematic verification process to minimize false alerts and establish the most dependable database on the market. In North America, Cobra verifies 100 percent of the database's speed and red-light cameras and dangerous intersections by communicating directly with municipal police departments, traffic bureaus, state transportation agencies and proprietary data partners to guarantee that every single alert is accurate.

The SL3 will be on display in the Cobra Booth #C-9 at the CEA Line Show, June 10-11, 2009 in New York, NY. The SL3 is legal in all states and provinces in Canada and has an introductory price of $99.95 that includes one-year of free updates to the AURA database. The SL3 Safety Locator is available now at www.cobra.com.

To learn more about the AURA Camera & Driving Hazard Database and other AURA-enabled products, visit www.cobra.com.

Bid on a VIP Trip to Tour de France with Garmin

2009-06-10T13:23:00Z

Garmin is in on auctioning off what could be a big bicycle racing fan's dream; the chance to hang out in VIP seats for the race's final stage of the race, and get access to restricted areas and a bunch of cool Garmin schwag if you are the winning bidder.

WHAT'S INCLUDED:
• Experience Paris and the race's final stage for four people. (July 25-26, 2009)
• VIP spectator access to team staging areas and events, refreshments included.
• Seats in exclusive sponsor viewing area near finish line on Champs-Elysees in Paris.
• Shuttle service to/from airport and to official events.
• Two hotel rooms each for 3 nights at sponsor's designated hotel. (July 24-26, 2009)
• VIP access to restricted Team Garmin areas.
• Attend the post race Team Garmin party on July 26th.
• Garmin Edge 705 cycle computer and Team Garmin gear.

The bids are being placed at eBay and are for a good cause. The package is in support of a local school in the Kansas City area.

Check out the bidding at eBay

GPS Saves Fuel - While Flying?

2009-06-10T11:01:00Z

Thought I would pass this along - American Airlines is testing a new method of flying planes across the Atlantic on a Paris to Miami route. The planes usually fly in set pathways across the Atlantic that were established long before the current capabilities for better navigation with GPS, and they are not very direct or thus fuel efficient. The more direct route governed by GPS direction finding would hopefully save significant fuel. When coupled with other fuel saving tactics, even a small dent in the millions of gallons a year that they burn through would make a significant difference.

The system, dubbed NextGen, is a game changer if it works, but I am sure with the installed base of technology and expertise out there that is invested for current methodology, we're not going to see a big change overnight.

ReadMore - Miami Herald

Navigon Announces iPhone Application Too

2009-06-09T19:44:00Z

While not making the huge splash that TomTom did, most likely due to the recent retreat from the US market, Navigon jumped on the iPhone bandwagon yesterday with the announcement that they too will have an iPhone navigation application available very soon after the OS 3.0 launches for the iPhone (in about 2 weeks).

"The package includes well-known functions such as Reality View Pro, Real Roadsign Pro, Lane Assistant Pro, Speed Assistant, Day & Night Mode, amongst others, as well as the option of displaying POIs along the route. With this range of functions, Mobile Navigator stands out from its competition on the market - also by the fact that the typical user functions of the iPhone have been implemented seamlessly in order to make navigation using the iPhone and NAVIGON software even more enjoyable. If you turn the iPhone 90 degrees, then the display switches automatically from portrait to landscape view. As well as this automatic display adjustment, and the intelligent address entry, there is also the option of navigating directly to an address from saved contacts. If navigation is interrupted by a telephone call then navigation is resumed automatically after the call has ended."

One option is the LITE Version available for free, with no active route guidance, but with map material and the possibility to display POIs (points of interest) in the vicinity. Another option is the full version, which navigates users quickly and reliably to their destination.

Full press release below....

HAMBURG, Germany, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Lunch break. Time to eat and a chance to send private emails, make phone calls and to relax listening to songs from your own playlist. Now and again checking the status of online bidding, and taking a funny photo of a colleague. One thing is for sure, there's hardly another smartphone on the market that makes multitasking so much fun as the iPhone. And soon users will be able to have themselves navigated from the office to the new Italian restaurant in town. All that's needed is an iPhone running on the new Apple OS 3.0 operating system - and the MobileNavigator from NAVIGON.

Before the end of this month iPhone users will be able to kit out their smartphones with the professional navigation software from App Stores across the globe. "With the new OS 3.0 operating system, Apple has made the use of navigation software on the iPhone possible, and NAVIGON has quickly managed to adapt the MobileNavigator software to the new firmware. The iPhone can now be transformed into a versatile, fully functional navigator", quotes Egon Minar, CEO of NAVIGON AG.

Alternative in the App Store

When equipped with the MobileNavigator software, the iPhone 3G (with Apple OS 3.0 operating system) and the iPhone 3G S guide their users safely to their destination - with updated map material and intelligent navigation.

The package includes well-known functions such as Reality View Pro, Real Roadsign Pro, Lane Assistant Pro, Speed Assistant, Day & Night Mode, amongst others, as well as the option of displaying POIs along the route. With this range of functions, Mobile Navigator stands out from its competition on the market - also by the fact that the typical user functions of the iPhone have been implemented seamlessly in order to make navigation using the iPhone and NAVIGON software even more enjoyable. If you turn the iPhone 90 degrees, then the display switches automatically from portrait to landscape view. As well as this automatic display adjustment, and the intelligent address entry, there is also the option of navigating directly to an address from saved contacts. If navigation is interrupted by a telephone call then navigation is resumed automatically after the call has ended.

"This allows iPhone users to navigate wherever they are, whenever they want - conveniently and while on the move," states Egon Minar.

Within this month MobileNavigator will be available in the international AppStore where iPhone users can choose between various options. One option is the LITE Version available for free, with no active route guidance, but with map material and the possibility to display POIs (points of interest) in the vicinity. Another option is the full version, which navigates users quickly and reliably to their destination.

The prices for the full version will be released by the AppStore at the launch.

TomTom for the iPhone - Coming Later This Summer

2009-06-09T18:17:00Z

Yesterday at Apple's developer conference, TomTom offered a glimpse into what is to come this summer for the iPhone; a fully operational iPhone navigation solution; powered mount, speaker, and classic TomTom navigation capabilities. No word if there are any plans to offer more sophisticated HD traffic, and connected services like gas price search capabilities.

The move, mirrored by Navigon, puts TomTom in the driver's seat for connected capabilities with their recent GO 740 LIVE launch, the TomTom XL LIVE launch in Europe and now the iPhone launch. It puts Garmin in a tough place with the now delayed launch of the Nuvifone that has them as a competitor to the iPhone. One has to wonder if they are going to support the iPhone or protect their investment in a competitive product and stay away from the iPhone letting the other big contenders fight for leadership in the iPhone platform.

I would expect that this application and customized mount to come at a steep price; a lot more than the $0.99 - $9.99 that people seem accustomed to for applications on the iPhone. More later this summer. More at TomTom

Book of Lies ties Novel to Series of Geocaches

2009-06-09T10:28:00Z

Had to pass this along - a new book has been released and has an accompanying set of progressive Geocaches that correspond to events in the book. The first Geocache is located in the MD area, and offers the clue to the next Geocache, and so on. The book, "Book of Lies" is a mystery novel that offers a bit of intrigue, using Bible stories as a backdrop for the modern day tale. You can read more about the Geocaching, the plot and read the first chapter for free at the author's website.

Check out Brad Meltzer's website for more information.

The Connected Car Future

2009-06-08T11:32:48Z

Interesting article in the Economist about the future of the connected car. The article talks about the stuff we know - GPS navigation, Inrix traffic probe data helping get us around traffic, but then ventures into how Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) communication might work as well as Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) communication might work too. Toll transponders are the most obvious use for V2I communication, but you might start getting a network effect of communication between vehicles to share not only traffic, but traffic signal colors, emergency vehicle alerts and sudden braking situations.

At the Economist

Via Inrix Twitter Feed

Update your Garmin Maps - Lifetime Subscription

2009-06-06T21:40:01Z

Garmin has a pretty sweet deal on maps - here it is: Pay one price and get four map updates a year for the life of the device. - What's even better is that it's about $97, at this writing, when you order it off of Amazon (when you include shipping) - this same update is $119 on Garmin's website - a $23 savings.

Buying this is easy.

Go to the Garmin Website to make sure your unit is compatible - Click on View compatible Products.

Order the "Gift Card" item off Amazon - and get it in a few days; it has codes on it to validate a download.

Go to MyGarmin to log in or create an account.

Connect your GPS via USB cord, then go to the website on the back of the card and start the validation process; it takes a little time, but it's easy.

Download the file - it can be BIG so this will take a while the first time you update.

Open the downloaded file and it will install and validate on your GPS.

More information on the Download Instructions (PDF Link) from Garmin detail the process a bit more.

Please note that this is a Lifetime subscription that is linked to one and only one GPS through the serial number. Sorry, it's not a household license that gives you the ability to load the maps on your Nuvi 250, then the Nuvi 265W, your Colorado 400t, and your friend's Nuvi too!! (Too bad, I know).

You can update your maps on your GPS up to four times per year for the lifetime of the unit - pretty good deal.

At Amazon - Garmin nüMaps Lifetime North America Map Updates for detailed maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico

TomTom ONE Pearl White Edition

2009-06-06T11:00:32Z

TomTom announced this week that they are adding a White Pearl TomTom to the stable of GPS offerings in the TomTom ONE line. The White Pearl edition is a Euro model for now, but includes lane guidance, a nice feature that is found elsewhere on higher end models. They have a Burgundy version out in the US (TomTom One 140 GPS Burgundy), and clearly have realized that the black and gun-metal grey are not the cool wanna be colors of the future. Remember when computers came in three shades of beige? They got with it, and soon you might even be able to get a custom color from their site for a few extra bucks.

Press Release below......

TomTom has today announced the White Pearl - a special edition navigation product with a twist! The White Pearl's stylish, pearlescent design makes the perfect gift, as well as appealing to the driver who likes a touch of glamour in their car.

With a chic pearlescent finish and matching EasyPort™ folding mount, the White Pearl is a departure from the typical look and feel of a TomTom portable navigation device. The product is decorated with a subtle 'swirl' pattern, which is beautifully expanded on the start up screen.

Based on the TomTom ONE IQ Routes™ edition*, the White Pearl ensures that driving is safe and stress-free but also includes some brand new features : special Points of Interest such as, 'Places to be seen' and 'Shop 'til you drop'. Covering everything from restaurants, bars, cafes, coffee shops, cinemas and theatres to fashion and home furnishing stores - the White Pearl gives drivers the ability to explore new places.

The White Pearl and its mount are presented in a luxurious silk drawstring bag, which also keeps it clean and safe from any knocks and bumps.

As well as Points of Interest, the White Pearl comes with TomTom's extremely useful Help Me! safety features, including emergency phone numbers and a 'Where Am I?' function - essential if the car breaks down on a journey, for example. And, as with all TomTom devices, the driver can simply plug in and go.

Corinne Vigreux, TomTom's managing director, said, "We designed the White Pearl to appeal to anyone wanting to give someone (or themselves) a very special gift, spicing up an already excellent navigation product with some fun, exclusivity and style. From birthdays to anniversaries, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day as well as Christmas, we believe this will make an extremely useful and desirable gift."

The White Pearl offers the usual TomTom navigation benefits: it is easy to install and use, and includes TomTom Map Share™ technology and the ever-useful Help Me! safety menus, amongst other features. In addition, it has TomTom's unique IQ Routes™ technology, ensuring users automatically have the most reliable travel and arrival times on their device. Also included is advanced lane guidance - an important safety feature that ensures drivers always know the correct lane to take on complex motorway junctions.

Saving time, money and stress with TomTom navigation**
Driving with a navigation device has been proven to:

• Reduce driver stress - 74% of drivers feel less stressed when driving with a sat nav
• Save time and money - drivers can save up to 2,000 miles and 60 hours in the car per annum
• Enhance safety - the risk of accidents is 12% lower when driving with a sat nav

** Based on research commissioned on behalf of TomTom in 2007 and 2008.

RIM/BlackBerry buys Dash Navigation

2009-06-06T01:25:50Z

RIM bought the pioneering GPS maker Dash Navigation, or what was left of it, which should offer a significant capability if it can be well adapted for the BlackBerry format. The Dash Navigation GPS went public with their groundbreaking idea back in 2006, received awards at it's CES announcement, went on sale in March 2008, and then after a slow launch, pulled the hardware hoping to launch the great traffic capabilities through a different platform. Well that strategy may have come true in a different way - not selling the capability to numerous hardware makers, but getting bought by that hardware maker.

The traffic capabilities are still well loved by the remaining Dash users, who may get their wish to see the capabilities grow instead of die on the vine.