GPS, Mainnav MG-920 Bluetooth GPS receiver touts FM transmitter
By Darren Murph 
posted February 8th 2007 10:15AM
posted February 8th 2007 10:15AM
Cramming superfluous (or useful) extras into GPS receivers definitely isn't new, but Mainnav's trying to go out a bit further on that limb by adding an interesting feature that could actually be put to good use in the right situation. While most of you probably carry an all-in-one NAV with a built-in GPS receiver, the MG-920 is designed to connect to Bluetooth navigation systems that need a little help syncing with satellites, and although the SiRF Star III LP chip and rechargeable Li-ion cell are entirely average, the bottom-mounted FM transmitter allows a turn-by-turn instructor to be channeled to one's FM radio. Once the device syncs with a navigation unit, the audio is then piped to the Mainnav via a 3.5-millimeter audio cable, and if you're actually in one of those remote areas where an FM transmitter can broadcast something other than fuzz, you're good to go. Per usual, there's no word on pricing or availability just yet, but judging by the surface, it seems like this thing requires a few too many connections to make the consolidation freaks happy anyway.[Via NaviGadget]
Hmmz, now everything is wireless except the audio which you have to connect with a cable? I wonder why they haven't gone an extra mile to connect the audio from the navigation device (probably a cellphone or PDA) with bluetooth as well. I guess they would need two BT-connections or is it possible to send audio as well as the GPS-info over one BT-connection? (I'm not sure). Anyway, than it would be quite a nifty device. I can't remember I ever saw a cellphone with a normal audiojack so prepare for cable-hell to get the audio from your cellphone connected to this... :-)