Nokia 6650 Low-Cost GPS Phone

The stylish and easy to use Nokia 6650 is optimized for use with T-Mobile services. Available exclusively for T-Mobile International customers, the Nokia 6650 is equipped with the latest wireless features, such as an integrated GPS and multimedia player, allowing T-Mobile customers easy access to a wide range of services such as web'n'walk, MyFaves, Mobile Jukebox and Navigate. The Nokia 6650 comes with a 2-megapixel camera with flash, 30 MB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot, FM radio and many other features. Images and videos can be uploaded to the web, sent from phone to phone via a wireless Bluetooth connection, or viewed in full color on the device's large display. The Nokia 6650 has built-in AGPS (assisted GPS) to enable quick positioning with NaviGate route management.
The Nokia 6650 will be available from T-Mobile during the third quarter at T-Mobile sales points across Europe at a very attractive price. In Germany for example, the Nokia 6650 will retail for just 1 euro together with the Relax 100 rate. T-Mobile International is one of the world's leading companies in mobile communications. As one of Deutsche Telekom`s operating segments, T-Mobile concentrates on the most dynamic markets in Europe and the United States.


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HTC P3470 TouchScreen with GPS Navigator

HTC has announced a new communicator, which popped up in news under the codename Pharos – it’s HTC P3470. Taking into account its specs, we see an entry level device lacking the support of both 3G and Wi-Fi, but carrying a GPS-receiver onboard. The price tag doesn’t seem to fit an entry-level communicator. Late in February HTC P3470 will become available in some European countries from Orange operator at €449.

HTC P3470 Specifications:
* Cell networks: GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
* Chipset: TI OMAP 850, 200 MHz
* OS: Windows Mobile 6 Professional
* Display: 2.8” touchscreen QVGA
* 2-megapixel camera
* 256 MB ROM, 128 MB RAM
* microSD-slot
* Bluetooth: 2.0 EDR
* GPS-receiver
* Interface: HTC ExtUSB (miniUSB and audio jack), USB 2.0 Full-Speed
* Battery: 1100 mAh
* Talk time: up to 350 minutes
* Standby time: up to 240 hours
* Dimensions: 108x58.3x15.7 mm
* Weight: 122 g.

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GPS Add On For iPhone

GPS software for the iPhone (Nav N Go’s iGO My Way 8), here is the GPS hardware add-on for the iPhone provided by Gomite’s LocoGPS.

It is a small black box which will fit onto the bottom of your iPhone and will serve as a websever with integrated GPS receiver. By using the browser of the Apple iPhone which will allow you to access the software for Nav N Go via Wi-fi.

There as been no word on the price as yet, but it should be available in the summer of 2008. You will only be able to use it on a jailbroken phone.

Source

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Google GPS - Google Mobile

This week at CES google dropped some hints about future products. One of those demonstrations showed a VW with Google Earth running on the dashboard. The application followed you around wherever you were in the car, just like would with the Google Earth application. (Photo via engadget)

The implications of his are interesting. Google Earth has just about everything you need in a great GPS navigation system. Driving directions? check. Large POI database? check. 3D display? check.

So what is missing if you wanted to do this right now? Well for starters most cars do not have high speed access to the internet. While there are ways to get internet access in your car, most of those methods probably are not fast enough for the data transfer requirements of Google Earth. And the ways that you can get access that fast often require the vehicle to be stationary. But this limitation will be overcome with time.

So why not just store all of the geo data internally in the car? From what I’ve heard the data that makes up Google Earth takes 12 Terrabytes of disk space. Basically you would need to install two Xserve RAID servers in your vehicle to handle the capacity. Keeping them in a climate controlled environment as they enjoy and keeping them juiced with electricity would be issues. In addition I don’t think many people would pay the $26,000.00 price tag for two Xserves with fourteen 500 GB drives in each.

Nonetheless, the possibility of having an alternative stripped-down version of Google Earth as a GPS navigation system does sound quite nice and is certainly feasible.

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NAVTEQ Provides Maps for Nokia Mobile Navigation

NAVTEQ is providing Nokia with map data for its newly launched Nokia Wireless GPS Module LD-1W through NAVTEQ’s Chinese joint venture, NAV2. The Nokia LD-1W offers a complete integrated solution for mobile navigation in the Chinese market. It is a compact and lightweight product which integrates the hardware, software and digital map data needed for a navigation experience. It is compatible with all smartphones based on the Series 60 platform, and a wide range of compatible PDAs or PCs. The Nokia LD-1W will be available in China in the fourth quarter of 2005.

The Nokia LD-1W provides users with an easy-to-use mobile navigation solution. Its standard sales package includes the GPS module and a 256MB multimedia card (MMC) that contains a mobile navigation application from ROUTE 66 and the map of Greater China provided by NAV2. Users can use the navigation application by inserting the MMC card into a compatible smartphone and launching the application. The device then establishes a Bluetooth connection between the phone and the Nokia LD-1W.

The Nokia LD-1W is targeted at car drivers, business travelers and backpackers. “The Nokia LD-1W makes it possible for users to enjoy many of the same convenient navigation features on a compatible smartphone’s screen that are available from an in-car navigation system. The users will know where they are and the shortest route to their destination,” said Dan Wong, Vice President of Sales and Channel Management, Multimedia, Nokia China. “With a smartphone, positioning and navigation is easy” the product concept developed by Nokia Ventures Organization Asia integrates hardware, software and content into a compact and easy-to-use package.”

“Nokia Ventures Organization Asia pursues and develops new business opportunities and seeks to develop new collaborative models with Chinese entrepreneurs.” said Mr. Marko Vanska, Director of Nokia Ventures Organization Asia. “The launch of Nokia LD-1W in China represents a good example of how Nokia Ventures Organization Asia creates value to the mobile ecosystem, through partnerships with local and global entrepreneurs.”

The navigable map database is a critical component of a navigation solution. For the Nokia LD-1W mobile navigation solution, Nokia selected NAV2 as its map supplier. “NAV2 is pleased to be working with a global leader known for its high standards of excellence. NAV2 and Nokia’s combined expertise is a winning combination for portable communication and navigation,” said Jeff Lin, General Manager of NAV2. “We anticipate that the release of this mobile navigation solution will promote further development of the China navigation market and begin the evolution of mobile navigation to an everyday reality.”

NAV2’s current map database covers 195 mainland cities in 31 provinces, including the nationwide road network. Also included is NAVTEQ map of coverage Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. The map data also includes points of interests, such as restaurants, lodging, recreation, public transportation and cultural facilities, and offers turn-by-turn route guidance to the selected destination. The database is expected to cover 511 cities across mainland China before the end of 2007. Users can go to Nokia Care Centers across the country for map updates after initial activation.

The Nokia LD-1W is compatible with the Nokia 3230, Nokia 3650, Nokia 3660, Nokia 6260, Nokia 6600, Nokia 6630, Nokia 6670, Nokia 6681, Nokia 7610 and other Series 60 smartphones. PDA or personal PC users can purchase the Nokia LD-1W sales package without the MMC card, and then download compatible mobile navigation applications and maps at their convenience.

The main features of the Nokia mobile navigation solution include the option of voice instructions, easy switching between a classic map view and a 3D display, easy handover between daylight mode and night colors manually or automatically, as well as zoom-in and zoom-out map display.

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Cellular Phones and GPS Tracking

The FCC is requiring 95% of cellular phones in use will have GPS services built in so they can be located if the phone dials 911. An early example of this technology at use came last week when Michael Dendy crashed his motorcycle. He was far enough off the road that nobody saw him. He was conscious but didn’t know where he was.

So he called 911 and rescue personnel were able to locate him by the GPS coordinates that were broadcast when he dialed 911. A police helicopter flew to the coordinates enabling paramedics to locate Dendy.

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GPS will be in every phone

Once, phones with MP3 players and cameras included were considered high end. Today, such devices have become ubiquitous. Now, Nokia believes GPS functionality will soon follow the same path.

The world's biggest phone manufacturer has already started including GPS receivers into a handful of devices, including the N95, a self-styled multimedia computer and the Nokia 6110 Navigator . It's a trend that we're likely to see more of in the coming months, the Finnish mobile maker has revealed.

David Watkins, Multimedia Sales Director Nokia APAC, told ZDNet Australia that GPS will work its way from niche product to mainstream functionality and will one day be considered as ubiquitous as the cameraphone is today.

"We have product introductions as [a type functionality] scales across. GPS is not just for technology leaders or people juggling their life, it's really for anyone," he said. "It's a trend you will be seeing more of." The next wave of GPS-enabled Nokia phones are expected to be announced this September.

Nokia is hoping that such location-based services will go beyond their traditional capacity as direction finding equipment for those making unfamiliar road journeys to "discovery" technology, where users will use their mobiles to find their nearest coffee shop or post office.

So what comes next? Presence, apparently. "It will be about 'I know where my friends are, what presence status they're in' -- so who's available for coffee in the CBD right now, like with IM presence," Watkins said.

The company has already produced sports software that blends location based information with a user's speed and other information to help runners analyse their daily jog. Watkins said with millions of developers working on the S60 -- the Nokia-owned platform that runs on top of the Symbian mobile operating system, many more applications will be produced to capitalise on location-based services.

According to analysts Frost and Sullivan, the Asia-Pacific location-based services market will be worth around US$500 million by the end of 2009, up from US$291.7 million in 2006 last year.

Nokia currently uses Navteq as its mapping supplier and the pair are considering branching out from road and street maps to include more rural offerings for bushwalkers and those exploring more remote areas.

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