GPS,
Pioneer suing Garmin over three navigation patents
By Nilay Patel 
posted Nov 16th 2009 3:46PM
posted Nov 16th 2009 3:46PM
GPS,
posted Nov 16th 2009 3:46PM
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Nice 'shoop, but... why? Shouldn't they be suing EVERYONE by this logic?
Well they need to get the money to everyone else first.. ;-)
I can't stay tuned ... my Pioneer just died...
At least Garmin didn't infringe on Pioneer's "Super Slow Startup" patent.
Wait, so the radio manufacturer is suing the GPS manufacturer over navigation patents?
Uh......?
Yeaaa cuz Pioneer has only ever made "radios." Uh...
...and cue Google's entrance on stage to steal the majority of the navigation market while these two have a slap fight in the corner.
yea because everyone who needs navigation will spend 200 for a phone and required dataplan which ends up costing a few thousand over 2 years
so much for free navigation.
APPLE SHOULD SUE EVERYONE FOR USING TOUCHSCREENS!!!!!!! APPLE INVENTED IT AND EVERYONE IS COPYING!!!!!!!!!
i don't like you, and i believe synaptics will have something to say about your comment as well.
LOL that's crazy, everyone KNOWS Apple did not invent the touchscreen. Wal-Mart did, with the self-checkout. *rolls eyes* Duhhh!!!
Lectron, marry me... NOW!
I think he's an apple fanboy parody? I don't know. I can't take you seriously.
ACK! Believe it or not, I am hetero-male! But I could be a minister and technically "marry" you....
diametrically opposed to ever down-ranking Lectron due Headhunters avvy.
That photo is soooo win!
I was about to say the same thing. Somehow forgot to add it to my comment.
Anyways, lolercopter! Epic photo.
Poor Garmin. First failed Nuvi phone then Google and now THIS. I do like their software so I hope they survive.
Yo GPS companies, I'm really happy for you, and imma let you finish, but Android has the cheapest navigation system of all time. ALL TIME.
I think you're a few weeks late on that one... About 10 people made the same comment when voice guided navigation was released. Sorry
Dag, and I was about to LOL @ that parody in my mind. But now that I know that it is an old one, I won't.
I know you're trying your hardest to beat the whole "I'm'a let you finish" thing to a bloody pulp, but I have to break the news to you that Engadget commenters already did that about two weeks ago.
Also, to be perfectly frank, I've used Google Navigator, and it's decidedly "just okay". I definitely wouldn't trade in my nuvi for it.
STEVE JOBS INVENTED THE TOUCHSCREEN NOW ALL THESE WANNABEES WANT TO COPY AND STEAL IT JUST LIKE M$!!!!!!!!
you would be that guy.
Wasn't funny the first time, isn't funny now.
Anyway, somewhere Google laughs while the GPS companies attack each other instead of improving.
GO AWAY!!!!!
Thats not a shop'd photo. http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/CarAudioVideo/In-Dash/GPS-Navigation-Systems#section=gallery&id=1
Methinks you did not look closely enough!
Yeah, considering that "lawsuit" is a common menu item on every GPS nav unit. I know I love suing Google everytime I get lost.
these patents do not affect mobile GPS units, only on-board navigation units (aka Kenwoods garmin powered units , its DNX navigation series) pioneer is probably suing because kenwood made a better product with better universal maps , i have a DNX-5220 in my car, it has excellent full ipod control, the bluetooth car kit is made by parrot and the garmin navigation is perfect, i can update my maps using normal garmin mapsource maps through a usb port, put on garmin POI's , far better than Pioneers AVIC series
Maybe it's just the lawyer in me, but that lawsuit button sure would be convenient!
You know, Pioneer could just instead of suing, just beat Garmin at the geek game and release GPS units branded with everyone's favorite anime chara...oh, wait, they sold that part of the business as well, didn't they? Oh, well, only way to make money, I guess: sue away.
Great, so where can i buy one of this ?
Pioneer made the GPS software for my Honda. Worst GPS I've ever used (& that includes an early Palm/Garmin). Each time I use it I'm reminded of how easy it is for big companies to get something so wrong.
I think Pioneer makes the best in-dash navigation this side of OEM, better in some cases. I just got one, do they really not move em here?
I've got a F90BT in dash nav by Pioneer and I like it. My iPhone connects via bluetooth to make/receive calls. When plugged in, the iPhone's playlists, show up on the nav's screen and can be played. Video too. The newer units can stream iPhone music over bluetooth.
Go to avic411.com for info on the Pioneer navs.
my kenwood DNX-5220 does all of that too, but i get the garmin GPS which has better maps and a more intuitive interface
So one patent is "the automatic deletion of navigation data when a destination point is neared."
So every single GPS system infringes on this... Any idea how much Pioneer makes in royalties on this patent?
I have a Kenwood DNX-7140 (that uses Garmin for it's navigation) and my buddy has the same unit pictured above and absolutely LOATHES using it. If you're in the market for a good double din with built in nav, BUY SOMETHING THAT USES GARMIN SOFTWARE! If their request of stopping the sales of Garmin's stuff goes through, I'm glad I got mine while I did.
I can't stand when a company that's getting spanked by the competition goes the lawsuit route. *COUGH* AT&T, Nokia, and Pioneer *COUGH*
Pioneer also make the navigation for some of the lexus range, if they made the one for the rx400h i severley hope they both lose this lawsuit and die in a fire
I get why people want to believe that the Kenwood DNX line is better than the Pioneer AVIC, but the reality is that they are both overpriced failed concepts. The GPS on the new AVIC's is fatally flawed. The routing is terrible to the point that it is almost unusable at times, the POI interface doesn't work as it should or is at best unintuitive, and it's missing basic features that you can find on any $99 GPS. It doesn't even grey out letters to narrow down selections when putting in location names!! Don't even get my started on the "voice control", talk about worthless.
The Kenwood DNX line GPS software is a hell of a lot better, primarily because it's made by Garmin. It's too bad that the entire unit is so underpowered in the processor department that all you want to do is rip it out of your dash and throw it out of your moving vehicle. It takes almost 2 minutes just to get the thing to start up so you can listen to the radio. Then once it actually is powered up the interface is so laggy that it makes you think you're using a windows mobile smartphone. I had a DNX9140 for about a week, swapped it out with another one with the same issue. I just don't have the patience for that. When I push next on a track 20 seconds shouldn't go by before the next song starts playing.
Maybe I'm picky, but when I pay over $1000 for something I expect it to work better than just "ok". In the case of Pioneer and Kenwood even calling it "ok" is a stretch.
As far as the lawsuit goes... you never sue everyone at once. You sue each believed offender, one at a time.. this is true of real companies with real IP, and usually true even of patent trolls... unless they find it necessary to make a big new item by "suing everyone". If Pioneer wins against Garmin, they have this precedent for the next suit. If they lose, details are probably not public, so they can go after the next guy without tipping their hand. Or decide that's a bad strategy, without wasting money going after multiple companies at once.
I have an AVIC-F500... pretty nice GPS. This one is kind of a hybrid... it's removable, like most of the Tom-Toms and Garmins and all, but it can be integrated into the sound and power system. This was rather needed in my 2003 Prius, rather than the Pioneer in-dash, as it's all very non-standard. You get GPS and an MP3 player. The 5" screen also doesn't suck, and it's one of the best GPS apps I've seen (I think it's a Pioneer-customized version of iGo). Plays music and videos from any old SDHC card. And the unit cost me $180, with another $40 for the 2009 maps.
With that said, I had a problem with it last month... sent to Pioneer, no problems, no questions, they fixed it. In the meanwhile, I bought a DROID phone, and I was using Google Navigator since. I won't say Google Nav is always better than the Pioneer... it's not. But factor in "early beta" and "the navigation function is free, with the device"... a device I would have bought anyway, and I can understand why the GPS people are getting nervous and circling their wagons.