Navteq
Latest
NavStar's Voice Navigator ditches the screen, simply talks back
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]
NAVTEQ shareholders give thumbs-up to Nokia acquisition
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.
EU to investigate TomTom / Tele Atlas deal
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]
Pharos drops a pair on America: Drive GPS 250 and 150
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.
JVC storms back with KV-PX701 / KV-PX501 navigators
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.
Zander: Motorola passed on NAVTEQ buy
Say you're the CEO of Motorola -- a company that's fallen on hard times as of late, aiming for a rebound -- and you're looking to take a little dig at the world's largest cellphone manufacturer. Where do you begin? In this case, Nokia's purchase of NAVTEQ has fallen into your lap like a gift from the gods, giving you a chance to pan the "stunning" $8.1 billion sale price and casually drop the knowledge that Motorola had previously considered and passed on a bid. There's no telling where the fact ends and the fiction begins here, but at a recent talk to students of the University of Chicago's business school, Zander said that Motorola looked at scooping up NAVTEQ and concluded that it really didn't want to get into the applications biz for fear that it'd upset carriers -- a fear Nokia is challenging head on with both the acquisition and its Ovi initiative. Oh no you didn't, Ed! That's like Nokia dissing the iPhone's lack of 3G... oh, wait.
Nokia buying NAVTEQ
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 TeleNav) 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]
Pioneer intros well-spec'd AVIC-N4 in-dash navigation system
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]
Merian rolls out 3.7-inch Scout Navigator for Europe
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]
Delphi's NAV300 gets spec'd, priced
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.
Medion unveils GoPal X4510 / S2310 navigation units at CeBIT
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).
Magellan preps Maestro 4000, 4040, and 4050 GPS units for release
Magellan's been known to toss out GPS units three at a time before, and while the company hasn't come forward yet about its presumably forthcoming trio of navigation devices, we've got the skinny anyway. All three Maestro units will sport a 4.3-inch WQVGA touchscreen display, SiRF Star III chipset, and an in-car mounting kit, but the similarities basically end there. On the low-end, you'll find NAVTEQ maps for the 48 contiguous United States, QuickSpell, 1.6 million POIs, and a rechargeable battery with around three hours of juice. The 4040 steps it up by adding more detailed map coverage, 4.5 million POIs, text-to-speech / Bluetooth capabilities, and by playing nice with the real-time traffic add-on service. The flagship unit boasts all the capabilities of its lesser siblings, but also adds traffic functions right out of the box as well as voice recognition software. The Maestro 4000 / 4040 are each slated to land in "early April" for $449.99 / $599.99, respectively, while the high-end 4050 will demand a somewhat steep $799.99 for its niceties when it arrives in May.Read - Magellan Maestro 4000Read - Magellan Maestro 4040Read - Magellan Maestro 4050[Via GPSGazette]
Swedes envision greener navigation routing
We can all agree that having a navigation system at all helps the environment out, since you'll be headed right where you need to go (well, most of the time, anyway) rather than spinning your wheels trying to figure out what's what, but a group of Swedish researchers have envisioned a plan that could actually help drivers cut down on emissions without even requiring them to hop in a hybrid. Instead of sorting your routes by criteria like "shortest distance" or "near food," Eva Ericsson at the Lund Institute of Technology in Sweden would rather you follow the path of least resistance, which would channel through the most efficient pathway depending on traffic, time of day, and speed limit. The team has trialed various routes and estimates that its thrifty approach to navigating provides fuel savings of "near four percent," but commercializing the idea has some tall hurdles ahead. A spokesperson for NAVTEQ insinuated that re-mapping the current roadways based on these scenarios is practically infeasible, and the idea only becomes marginally plausible if drivers were to volunteer en masse to use their vehicle as a "probe" device that could track and record data as they drove, slowly covering larger areas. Of course, folks aren't apt to cruise around for hundreds of miles (and burn through multiple tanks of fuel) on a whim, but with the right marketing approach, it's possible to turn an entire fleet of vehicles into one giant guinea pig.
iriver set to launch W10, Clix2 and B20 at CES
The mythical, morphing iRiver W10 looks to be due for release next week at CES. But that's just the start, as they'll also be launching the Clix2 media player, B20 DMB TV, and possibly a few more devices resulting in a 12-strong product show for Reigncom's iriver. The W10 pictured above, looks a whole helluvalot like the "V10" PMP prototype we checked at CeBIT and nothing like the WiBro UMPC we heard about from iriver themselves. Still, appearances aside, it looks like this W10 is some sort of media player with built-in Navteq maps for the US. However, instead of GPS or even Bluetooth listed in the specs, it features WiFi, VoIP and an MP3 player. The Clix2 is a bit more straight shootin'. It shares the beveled edges of the "W10" but, as the name applies, is a followup to the much loved Clix. Not much is known other than it sports an AMOLED display and up to 6GB of memory. Also scheduled for release is the B20 followup to the tiny B10 DMB player which bumps the screen size a tad to 2.4-inches and adds an SD slot for photo viewing and apparently some PVR action. To be honest, we're not sure what to expect after this, but knowing iriver, it's going to be interesting. Besides, CES kicks off this weekend, what's a few more days of waiting after all these months? See a picture of the Clix2 after the break.[Via AVING]
Space Machine GPS-306 lands in North America
If you've yearned for an Asian-based GPS, but didn't feel like worrying over those annoying import duties or changing out the maps, Space Machine apparently feels your pain. Contrary to its title, this device actually doesn't include the marked highways on Jupiter and Mars, but it does manage to include NAVTEQ maps of North America in case you're traveling there, and also features a 3.5-inch QVGA touchscreen, integrated MP3 player, automatic re-routing, turn-by-turn voice guidance, SiRF Star III GPS receiver, 256MB SD card, car mounting kit, headphone jack, and a carrying case to boot. While most rebadgers actually take the time to slap their own logo on there, the GPS-306 apparently still rocks the Holux GPSsmile 51 motif, right down the "Holux" branding atop the screen. Nevertheless, we do appreciate the effort of importing the unit for us, and those attracted to the name more than its functionality can pick one up now for $399.95. [Via NaviGadget]
Magellan RoadMate 2200T GPS unit reviewed
Let's face it, getting lost trying to find grandmother's house is no way to enjoy your holiday travels, but considering the coinage you're dropping to drive there, financing a GPS unit could be an issue. Enter Magellan's RoadMate 2200T, which provides a no-frills alternative to the fancy (and pricey) navigation units also out there. While the screen size and list of extra are both short of breathtaking, reviewers at GPS Magazine were thoroughly impressed at the value presented in this $400 device. Noted as a "strong performer," the crew admired the newly-revamped routing engine, and found that its Exit POI, Route Exclusion, and SmartDetour functions were all well implemented. Also, they found the actual map screen "among the best they'd seen," stating that it presented information in a useful and easy to read manner. However, a low-end unit typically drops the ball in at least a few areas, and the 2200T was found to have an "essentially useless" MP3 player, as it can only be used when not navigating your routes, a volume control "awkwardly buried in the menu system," and text-to-speech performance that doesn't live up to the TomToms and Garmins of the world. Regardless, the RoadMate 2200T was deemed satisfactory in the areas that matter most, and while we'd still eye a few other options before making any snap judgments, these folks felt it was simply "the best GPS in its price category."
FineDigital's FineDrive 500 GPS unit boasts 5.1-inch LCD, lofty price
We've got no qualms with FineDigital adding yet another perfectly average portable GPS device to the fray, but the inexplicably high $699 pricetag practically prices this bad boy right out of consideration. Focusing more intently on navigating its users than the M300, the FineDrive 500 rocks a 5.1-inch touchscreen, SD slot, 128MB of built-in memory, NAVTEQ maps of the US and Canada, and "millions" of POIs. It also touts automatic redirecting and the obligatory robotic announcer belting out turn-by-turn guidance to go along with the Day / Night views and 2D / 3D displays. While this unit hasn't gone on sale just yet, we just don't see any reason to mark this one down considering the more equipped (and lower priced) alternatives.[Via NaviGadget]
Lowrance's iWay 600C navigates highways and waterways
We've been searching far and wide for the perfect navigation system to install in our new Aquada transformer car, and just in the nick of time, Lowrance hits us up with the iWay 600C that's equally at home on land or at sea. Followup to the well-received iWay 500C, this model improves upon its little brother by jacking the 5-inch screen's resolution up to 640 x 480, increasing hard drive capacity from 20GB to 30GB (though storage space for MP3s has actually been cut from 10GB to 5GB), and most importantly for our Aquada, adding shoreline and contour maps to the popular NAVTEQ road database. Other nice features include a built-in FM transmitter, both Windows and Macintosh support, and the usual suite of vocal prompts, automatic course rerouting, and the option of a 3D birds-eye view when traveling on land. Best of all, this new model -- available immediately -- retails for the same $800 as the 500C did when it first came out. More features, same price: that's what we love about modern technology.
