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d-Media's G4 portable GPS/DAP
As portable GPS devices are doing more and costing less, fewer people are stopping at unknown gas stations for directions and more GPS companies are beefing up their product lines. Taiwan-based company d-Media has released an upgrade to their older G3 model, predictably named the G4, which we'll probably never see here in the US. That said, the new unit boasts a 4-inch 480 x 272 TFT touch screen, IR remote, microSD expansion slot, voice recorder and Bluetooth. Not wanting to fall behind the media-obsessed times, they 've also crammed in support for MP4 video, MP3 audio and digital photos your passengers can enjoy when the unit isn't giving you directions in one of its 16 compatible languages. According to the product page, all that plus features like e-compass and G sensor, which help keep those directions coming even when a tunnel takes you out of satellite range, make this a device you "can't take your eye off." Wait, doesn't this thing go on your dashboard?
Thomson's GPS 280 and 420 portable sat-navs
Thomson (or if you're a Yank like us, RCA) has found its way into the handheld GPS market, and is poised to release two new models in the fall. The GPS 420 (pictured), which is designed primarily for in-car use, will drop (in Europe, of course) this September or October, loaded with a 4.2-inch 16:9 touch screen and carrying a €500 price tag. The pedestrian-oriented GPS 280 will boast a 2.8-inch screen that can be oriented horizontally or vertically, and should be available sometime in November for a semi-affordable €400. Other hard specs on these SiRFStarIII-based devices are few and far between, but judging by the picture in the source link we assume video (DMB anyone?) and audio playback will find their way into the mix as well. We'll keep you posted when we get more info, unless we get sidetracked daydreaming about Archos' upcoming antenna-packed GPS powerhouse.
Land Rover nav system used to guide C-130 cargo plane
In a publicity stunt whose failure would surely overshadow the on-camera mishap experienced by Mercedes while demoing their Brake Assist Plus last year, the Land Rover marketing team loaded a 2006 LR3 onto a C-130 cargo plane and had the pilots fly from France to Corsica using only the SUV's navigation system. Luckily for Team Land Rover, the flight originating in Nice went off without a hitch, and the resulting three-minute documentary will be available online to showcase the nav system's ability to to guide drivers (or pilots) even off-road. Meanwhile, earthbound drivers in the UK, birthplace of Land Rover, are still unable to use their own GPS receivers to avoid driving over cliffs and into rivers.
