Sure, Garmin's new nüvi 500 series can get you from point A to point G on paved and well-lit highways, but that's not the (whole) point here. Instead, these rugged (and waterproof) navigators are geared up to take to the trails, waterways and sidewalks with one-touch transitions between driving, bicycling, boating and walking modes. The 500 includes road maps and topographic maps for the lower 48 US states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, while the 550 touts comprehensive street map coverage of the US and Canada. Both devices boast a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a removable, rechargeable battery, Garmin's "Where Am I?" feature and geocaching support to boot. As for USers, you'll find the 500 and 550 on sale in Q3 for $499.99, while those across the pond will see the nüvi 550 land this September for £299.

[Via GPSTracklog, thanks Rich]

It was already all but a done deal once the shareholders gave the thumbs-up and EU regulators gave the go-ahead, but Nokia has now announced that it has officially wrapped up its acquisition of NAVTEQ -- a move that, coincidentally, comes just a few days after TomTom and Tele Atlas finalized their own deal. As you might expect, both Nokia and NAVTEQ have nothing but praise for the $8.1 billion deal, with Nokia President and CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo saying that, "Nokia and NAVTEQ together make a powerful combination, and customers will benefit as the transaction enables NAVTEQ to accelerate its expansion into new regions and introduce innovative new content." NAVTEQ President and CEO Judson Green further added that, "Nokia has a deep understanding of the requirements for the industry," before dishing out the usual line about how the deal will benefit the customers most of all.

In the brave new world of GPS, Nokia and NAVTEQ are one as are TomTom and Tele Atlas. At least that will be the picture within 5 business days. With the European Commission's "unconditional approval" granted, Nokia can now close the deal on its planned, $8.1 billion acquisition of NAVTEQ.

What makes the whole thing a bit more interesting is that Google signed a long term agreement with Tele Atlas on Monday which gives it access to Tele Atlas maps for use in any of Google's mobile, desktop, and on-line offerings. A move likely to put Android in even greater competition with Nokia which opted out of the Open Handset Alliance. Good times.

Read -- EU approves acquisition
Read -- Google's deal with Tele Atlas

Coincidence is a funny beast, is it not? On the very same day, releases have been put out touching on both of the major navigation deals that have long since been pending. To kick things off, we've got TomTom and Tele Atlas in quite the celebratory mood, as TomTom intends for Tele Atlas' listing on Euronext Amsterdam and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange "to be terminated as soon as legally possible." Can't blame a brother for wanting what's his, right? Moving on, we're hearing that Nokia will receive clearance from EU regulators "to buy digital map supplier NAVTEQ, as no formal charges are to be levied against the deal." It's also noted that the time for sending a statement of objections has passed, so from the outside looking in, it seems the two can at least move forward with their plans.

[Via Washington Post]

Read - TomTom / Tele Atlas deal
Read - Nokia / NAVTEQ deal

It may have won approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and NAVTEQ shareholders alike, but it looks like the EU's European Commission needs a bit more time to think over Nokia's acquisition of the company, and it's now launched an "in-depth" probe into the matter. According to Reuters, the Commission said that the "proposed merger raises serious doubts with regards to ... competition concerns," although it was quick to add that the decision to open the inquiry does not prejudge the result of the probe. Among other things, the probe will apparently attempt to asses whether the purchase would affect the cost of maps for other companies providing navigation services on cellphones. If all of this has a familiar ring, it should, because it wasn't all that long ago that the EU launched a similar probe into TomTom's similar acquisition of map-maker Tele Atlas.

There's just something magical about listening to a British dame tell us exactly how many meters remain before we make our next turn, but we're not so sure we'd be down with only that. Nevertheless, NavStar is hoping that you won't mind the loss of visual aids when navigating to your next destination, as its Voice Navigator ditches the screen entirely and doles out guidance via auditory cues. Granted, the concept sounds at least halfway decent, but judging by a video of the unit in action, we can't say we're thrilled. The firm is, however, aiming to integrate "freshly updated NAVTEQ map data" to its servers each quarter, which should enable US drivers to take the most efficient routes as new roads open up. Hit up your local RV dealer for a demonstration, but set the expectation bar low, okay?

[Via GPSTracklog]

Maybe they were just full of holiday cheer, or maybe they just felt like the match really was made in heaven, but whatever the case, NAVTEQ shareholders "overwhelmingly" voted to approve the Nokia acquisition announced in October. The affirmation will reportedly pave the way for the $8.1 billion deal to go final shortly, as antitrust regulators already signed off on it last week. Yep, looks like NokTEQ will be coming your way soon.

The European Commission has just opened an investigation into TomTom's proposed purchase of Tele Atlas, claiming that consumers could be hurt by a GPS hardware maker owning one of the two major digital map providers. Specifically, the so-called "in-depth inquiry," which will be concluded no later than April 17th of next year, stems from "serious doubts that the acquisition by TomTom of Tele Atlas might...lead to a significant impediment of effective competition within the EEA." With Nokia going after NAVTEQ and Garmin having given up on Tele Atlas, this investigation clearly makes sense from the free market standpoint, as the Dutch firm is not likely to slip past without at least committing to fair map licensing terms for other PND manufacturers. In response to the Commission's announcement, TomTom decided to extend its offer for shares of Tele Atlas until March 31st, 2008, with the option to issue another extension if certain conditions are not met.

[Thanks, Daniel]

We've got two new SatNavs from Pharos for you: the Drive GPS 250 (pictured) and 150. The 250 lists for $300 and features a 4.3-inch touch-screen display and North American NAVTEQ map pre-load (on 1GB SD card) riding atop a WinCE OS, SiRFStarIII GPS receiver, and 7-hour battery. Expect the the Drive GPS 250 and $200 entry-level 150 to pop at the usual retail locations in "the coming weeks" ahead.

Aw JVC, we knew you couldn't keep your feet out of the overcrowded GPS biz for too long, and while you certainly tried to assure us that you were callin' it quits earlier this year, we suppose the two new navigators you've got on the horizon act as proof to the contrary. Apparently, the outfit will soon be launching the KV-PX701 and KV-PX501, which are both slated to utilize NAVTEQ maps and a 400MHz Samsung processor. The former boasts a 4.3-inch touchscreen, a SiRFstarIII chipset and integrated RDS-TMC capability, while the latter packs a 3.5-inch touch panel, a Media Tec GPS receiver and has its RDS-TMC module built into the car mount. The duo is expected to ship later this month for €399 ($565) and €349 ($495), respectively, but we've no idea if either will be headed to America.

The headline really does tell the whole story in this case: Finnish telecom giant Nokia has announced its intention to purchase one of the world's two digital mapping powerhouses (the other being TomTom target TeleAtlas) in an $8 billion deal that should result in some pretty sick location-based services on your next N-series phone. Nokia expects to have pulled NAVTEQ into the fold by the end of Q1 2008; all hail NokTEQ.

[Thanks, Pdexter]

Less than a month after Pioneer loosed details on its AVIC-X3, along comes word that we can also expect an AVIC-N4 in the not-too-distant future. This single-DIN unit boasts a motorized, flip-out seven-inch touchscreen, optional iPod / Bluetooth compatibility, CD or DVD playback, XM / XM NavTraffic-readiness, and a Tele Atlas database for routing you around. Regrettably, the lack of an internal HDD means that you'll be forced to insert the map DVDs in order to access guidance, but users can feel free to toss in discs with MP3, WMA, AAC, or DivX files when the drive is clear. Furthermore, the unit can even accept tunes streamed in wirelessly from a mobile handset when utilizing the CD-BTB200 adapter, as it understands both A2DP and AVRCP protocols. So, now that you've found a satisfactory replacement for that aging factory head-unit, you've only got to scrounge up $1,600 to make the swap.

[Via NaviGadget]

As the flood of new gizmos continues to pour out of IFA, a new GPS handheld has emerged for the European market. Merian's Scout Navigator touts a 3.7-inch VGA touchscreen, four to eight hours of battery life, NAVTEQ maps of Europe, and traffic notification support. Most notable, however, are the built in AudioGuides, which "automatically play when you pass by any one of more than 800 places of interest in Germany, be it in a vehicle or on foot." For those intrigued, watch for it to land next month for a staggering €779 ($1,047).

[Via Messe-Berlin]

Those patiently awaiting further details on Delphi's latest navigation system need wait no longer, as the firm has finally cranked out the full array of details on the NAV300. This 3.5-inch GPS will feature a SIRFstarIII receiver, rechargeable Li-ion, 32MB of Flash ROM, 64MB of RAM, an SD expansion slot, NAVTEQ maps, a built-in speaker, 400MHz Samsung processor, an image viewer, and a media player that can handle MP3, WAV, MPEG4, AVI, and XviD formats. Furthermore, it'll boast text-to-speech capabilities, speed limit warning software, integrated Bluetooth for handsfree calling, and optional traffic information via the RDS-TMC technology. Best of all, those interested can get their orders in right now, and while the NAV300 will run you $399.99 by itself, you can opt for "lifetime traffic data" for an extra Benjamin.

While most of the recent buzz surrounding Medion has focused on the firm's UMPC efforts, it's rolling out a pair of stylish navigation systems for a nice change of pace. The GoPal S2310 and X4510 (pictured after the jump) purportedly utilize NAVTEQ maps and come in a trio of flavors, including ME (Medium Edition), AE (Advanced Edition) and PE (Premium Edition). The smaller S2310 touts a 3.5-inch LCD, curvaceous design, shock-resistant casing, route tracking system, and an ability to export to Google Earth in order to scrutinize just how lost you ended up. The Windows CE-powered X4510 ups the ante with a four-inch screen, electronic compass, microSD slot, 324MHz Atlas II processor, 256MB of integrated RAM, handsfree Bluetooth capability, built-in RDS / TMC receiver in the Premium iteration, an MP3 player, and an image viewer to boot. No word just yet on release dates, but the S2310 should hit for right around €299 ($398), while the beefed up X4510 will likely demand €499 ($664).