I-O Data intros Navi Clip USB GPS device

While laptops with integrated GPS are still a somewhat rare breed, USB devices that add GPS capabilities to plain old laptops are definitely not, with I-O Data only the latest to offer a product that does just that. From the looks of it, the company's Navi Clip device should get the job done nicely, with a standard SiFR Star III chipset concealed in its tiny 2 x 1 x 0.4-inch casing. You'll also get a USB extension cable (apparently to let you position it for better reception), and some "Supper Mapple" mapping software, which we're guessing will be of little use anywhere outside of Japan (or outside of Windows). If that suits you just fine, you'll be able to pick one up early next month for ¥24,200, or just over $200.

[Via Akihabara News]

[ScUdZ @ Sep 19th 2007 3:17PM]

Well the mapping wouldn't be a big deal, a cheap copy of Streets and Trips would do the job fine, as I have had no problem using non-Microsoft GPS devices with it.

[paul34 @ Sep 19th 2007 3:20PM]

That's pretty nice! I must say that IMHO the price is a bit much, but hey, I guess its going to happen at first.

[FrankTheCrank @ Sep 19th 2007 3:26PM]

$200...that's steep.

I can get the Delorme mapping software and USB GPS device for $69.95 off their website.

[Peppie @ Sep 19th 2007 3:32PM]

Besides the price, I could see this getting popular with the wardriving crowd.

[phlavor @ Sep 19th 2007 3:35PM]

I want GPS in everything. My car, my phone, my camera, my laptop, my kid. I want to know where I am, where I'm going and if I can't find something I want it to tell me where it is. When I take a picture I want to bring up the spot I was standing on on Google Earth five years from now. I want all the data streamlined and cataloged and annotated on my Geni.com entry. I want my ancestors to say "Hey, way back on March 4th, 2008 great great grandpa took a piss on this very tree."

[Isaac Cheung @ Sep 19th 2007 8:27PM]

descendants, not ancestors...

[phlavor @ Sep 20th 2007 12:15AM]

meh, I was on a roll.

Also I've been researching my genealogy so I have ancestors on the brain. Hence the Geni.com reference.

[Tony Bowman @ Sep 19th 2007 3:55PM]

Mac/Google Maps compatibility?

Can it be used as a GPS datalogger?

[Chris J @ Sep 19th 2007 4:10PM]

I got a $50 bluetooth GPS receiver for my PPC 6700 which works great with Google Maps which is free. I can get a Bluetooth dongle for my computer for like $20 if not cheaper. $200 is a lot of money for something you can get much cheaper without wires.

[PEZ @ Sep 19th 2007 4:13PM]

Yeah, the problem with this is, the dam thing will break right off it you arent careful while surfing youtube in your car. HAHAHAHAHAH...

[artifex @ Sep 19th 2007 5:19PM]

Why are these so expensive, when you can regularly find older versions of S&T with the included SiRF 3 dongle for $cheap ?

[john @ Sep 19th 2007 5:51PM]

what i would like to do with this is to take a laptop apart and then put it in the case, and then create discrete software that would post the coordinates of the laptop every hour or two to a server.

[DT @ Sep 19th 2007 8:30PM]

Hey!

Would any of these types of devices work with the Iphone???????????


:)