CSR shows off eGPS, says it's superior to A-GPS

There's not too many deets on this just yet, but apparently, UK's CSR is getting set to showcase a technology known as eGPS (enhanced Global Positioning System, if you couldn't guess) at Mobile World Congress 2008. According to the firm, it delivers a "universal positioning capability that will not only work reliably indoors and in zero GPS signal conditions, but greatly speed time to fix in poor GPS reception areas where most handsets are used." More specifically, it can "exploit data available from the cellular network to speed GPS fixes and provide complementary, fast, and reliable location sensing when GPS signals are weak or unavailable." Best of all, the firm is hoping to add eGPS capabilities to handsets for under $1 per unit, and it's also using the stage in Barcelona to trumpet a single-chip GPS receiver with embedded Bluetooth and FM radio. Unfortunately, mum's the word on when this stuff will actually find its way into mobiles.

[Via NaviGadget]

[Craig B. @ Feb 10th 2008 6:15PM]

Great - so looks like in a few months I will be able to navigate my exploration of Elephant Island's deepest caves with nothing but an eGPS smartphone after all!

[Jkswiss @ Feb 10th 2008 6:41PM]

Sounds good but its a no go for me if theres a subscription fee for the service. I'm not willing to pay for GPS service when my Nuvi does it for free.

[thethirdmoose @ Feb 10th 2008 8:13PM]

Get something like google maps, mgmaps, or amaze gps. Unless you have verizon, then you have to pay.

[Jkswiss @ Feb 10th 2008 8:38PM]

I have Verizon, unfortunately/fortunately. Good coverage or locked down phones and nickel and diming. Its a hard choice sometimes.

[iofthestorm @ Feb 10th 2008 7:02PM]

Umm, how does it work with 0 GPS signal? Marketing BS ftl. Oh, I guess it's triangulating from cell towers.

[Bill @ Feb 10th 2008 7:23PM]

So...you type your response as you're reading the story, then?

[iofthestorm @ Feb 10th 2008 7:27PM]

Oh no, I read the story, typed the response, then read it again to make sense of the story and noticed that bit. But at first glance it sounds a bit disingenuous.

[john @ Feb 10th 2008 9:06PM]

It's trilateration damn it!

[Daniel @ Feb 10th 2008 9:43PM]

bill, classic trolling. don't take the bait.

[iofthestorm @ Feb 10th 2008 9:44PM]

Eh, not trying to troll. I just didn't understand at first. But I probably shouldn't have posted the comment anyway. This sounds interesting regardless.

[Sam Winter @ Feb 11th 2008 4:52AM]

Seems like every 3rd comment on Engadget is from someone who didn't actually READ THE ARTICLE before writing. Why is that such a pattern? Do people have that much trouble with reading comprehension? I pity my generation...

[grog @ Feb 11th 2008 1:57AM]

i'll believe it when i see it... the positioning applets available now from google are 'cool', but accuracy is pretty far-fetched. personally, i think they're smoking crack if they think they can get any sort of consistent accuracy out of the product.

-g-

[Poom @ Feb 11th 2008 5:53AM]

=O I'm loving this. Hope to see it implemented soon.

[Brian @ Feb 11th 2008 6:16AM]

The chip is, however, the size of playstation 3.