Miss Direction

What would you pay for the Garmin Nuvifone?

(Credit: Engadget Mobile)

It's no secret that the Garmin Nuvifone is one of the most anticipated smartphones of this year--partly because of its killer feature set (GPS with full navigation, 3.5-inch touch screen, quad-band world roaming, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, 3-megapixel camera, and so on) and partly because everyone wants to see if Garmin can actually pull this off. However, what has remained a secret is the carrier and pricing, or at least, until now?

According to a story from Engadget Mobile, one of its readers received a customer survey from Garmin asking, "Now, how likely would you be to buy the Garmin Nuvifone (for yourself or as a gift) if offered by AT&T for $499.99 with a two year contract? You would be required to have both a data plan that would include unlimited Internet browsing and unlimited Navigation for $19.99 per month and one of the standard voice rate plans for a monthly fee." Zoiks! What? OK, it's not so much the carrier we're surprised about (AT&T is HSDPA ready, T-Mobile isn't--simple as that) but $500? Seriously? The AT&T Tilt offers pretty much the same features for $299.99.

Now, Garmin is probably just testing the waters and again, this all speculation at this point, but we're thinking it's going to get a lot of "no, thank yous" for that price. Which begs the question: What's ... Read more

TomTom ONE 130

(Credit: TomTom)

Today, TomTom introduced the latest models to its ONE and XL line of entry-level portable navigation systems, complete with a fresh redesign and new mounting system. Succeeding the current TomTom ONE 3rd Edition and the TomTom XL, the TomTom ONE 130/ONE 130S and the TomTom XL 330/XL 330S boast a slimmer frame and come packaged with the new EasyPort mount, which apparently, you can keep attached to the GPS, fold it down, and still manage to fit into a pants pocket. (Anyone else wondering about how these mounts will hold up during road tests?)

All four models will come preloaded with maps of North America and will be compatible with the TomTom Home and TomTom Map Share services, which give you access to the latest maps, more content (points of interest, weather, and so forth), and other community features. They also have larger, enhanced speakers that should make voice-guided directions easier to hear.

The TomTom ONE 130 and ONE 130S are expected to ship sometime in May for $199.95 and $249.95, respectively. Both have 3.5-inch screens and the 130S adds text-to-speech functionality for street pronunciations. Similarly, the TomTom XL 330S ($299.95) also has the text-to-speech directions, while the XL 330 ($249.99) does not. The XL series ups the screen size to 4.3 inches. Now, we love variety, but it seems like a no-brainer that if you're making the investment and you can get text-to-speech directions for ... Read more

Nokia N95

(Credit: Nokia)

I've had this question on my mind for quite some time now. Covering both GPS and smartphones for CNET, it's been interesting to watch these two areas of technology converge. More and more smartphones (such as RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130, Nokia N95, and Samsung BlackJack II) offer integrated GPS, and it seems people want this functionality in their phone...or so I thought.

You see, back in early April, I attended CTIA 2008, and I participated in a panel discussion where we discussed the "next big thing" in the wireless industry. One of the topics we covered was convergence, specifically cell phone/GPS convergence, and we had several industry experts from Nokia, TeleAtlas, and Garmin on stage to share their thoughts. Now, with all three companies having invested quite some time and money into the melding of the two technologies, it wasn't surprising that they were all for it. However, we also conducted an audience poll where we asked the question: What will consumers most want converged into their cell phones? They were given multiple-choice answers--TV, GPS navigation, media player, or full Web browser--and could text in their vote. When we got the results, I was simultaneously surprised and not surprised.

Only 4 percent of the audience thought GPS was the next big thing for cell phones, while a full Web browser won overwhelmingly with 80 percent of the vote. I was a little shocked at the low number, but I've said it before; ... Read more

Archos GPS In-car Holder

(Credit: Archos)

The Archos 605 WiFi PVP already does a lot of things. It's an MP3 player, a video player, a photo viewer, a PDF viewer, and a Web portal. Now, it can be your personal navigator. Today, Archos announced the GPS In-Car Holder, an add-on accessory that brings the features of a portable navigation system to the PVP. The GPS receiver is built into the car mount, so you can simply slide your 605 WiFi into the cradle and connect it to your windshield and car stereo (via line-out) to get real-time tracking and voice-guided turn-by-turn directions. Maps of North America are provided by TeleAtlas (a European and a Chinese version will also be available) and will include a points of interest database as well as traffic and lane assistance.

The Archos GPS In-Car Holder will work with all models of the 605 Wi-Fi and has an expected shipping date of sometime in May. Pricing starts at $129.99 or you can get a bundle package (30GB Archos 605 WiFi + GPS In-Car Holder) for $399.99.

(Credit: Mio Technology)

While we weren't entirely in love with the Dash Express portable navigation device (PND), it certainly set off a trend of connected GPS devices. First, Magellan announced its Maestro Elite 5340+GPRS at CES 2008 and now Mio Technology announced its plans for a connected GPS at CTIA 2008.

Partnering up with the ATX Group, an automotive telematics service provider, the two companies are developing a PND that will provide real-time content and services. With the mobile Internet connection, the GPS device will be able to provide you with weather information based on your current location or planned destination, traffic updates, and local business searches. Mio expects to ship these new connected PNDs during the second half of the year.

Dash Express

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

It's been almost two years since Dash Navigation first announced its Dash Express portable navigation system, and we're happy to say that you can now finally get your hands on this device. The Dash Express is unlike any other portable navigation system on the market today because it offers two-way connectivity (cellular and Wi-Fi), giving drivers access to a whole new world of information via the Internet and the network of other Dash-connected users. You can conduct live (and more relevant) Web searches via Yahoo Local search; get real-time traffic data; wirelessly send addresses to the system; and much more. It really adds value to portable navigation devices, and it's the type of innovation that we think will take GPS to the next level--so much so that we even gave it a Best of CES 2007 award. So did it deliver? Was it worth the wait? Well now, you'll just have to read our full review to find out, won't ya?

TomTom

(Credit: TomTom)

As you may recall, TomTom introduced two new models to its line of in-car GPS--the TomTom GO 930 and GO 730--the other week. During the prebriefing for these products, I spoke with TomTom USA President Jocelyn Vigreux via phone to get the lowdown on all the latest features, talk about TomTom's place in the market, and all things GPS. I learned little nuggets like:

• The portable navigation device (PND) market has grown 333 percent in 2007 versus 2006.
• There's still less than 6 percent market penetration: 14 million PNDs sold compared with the 240 million cars on the road.
• TomTom is the No. 2 GPS brand in North America and saw a 579 percent growth in 2007.

Now, this is all well and good (and frankly, a lot of marketing speak), but let's get to the juicy stuff, right? Without mentioning the Garmin Nuvifone by name, I asked Vigreux whether TomTom would make a move toward the GPS/cell phone space to which he jokingly said, "Why do you bring this up?" "Just out of curiosity," I sheepishly replied. But being the good sport that he is, Vigreux answered my question. He said TomTom's main focus is and will continue to be in-car GPS--for the near future, anyway. He didn't completely rule out getting into that converged market (and let's not forget that TomTom's navigation software is available on a number of smartphones and car kit solutions, including the Palm GPS Navigator Kit

(Credit: TomTom)

Today, TomTom added two new models to its GO series of portable navigation systems: the TomTom GO 930 and the TomTom GO 730. Both GPS devices feature enhanced user interfaces with new icons and a technology called Alfa Blending that claims to deliver smoother graphics. Beyond the aesthetics, the GO 930 and 730 offer more navigation functions to help drivers get to their destination faster and safely.

First, there's TomTom IQ Routes, which provides more "intelligent" routing based on the historical average speeds of a road during the weekday and weekends. In other words, it gives you a more accurate idea of driving and arrival time, and it also gives you the opportunity to find an alternate route--perhaps a little rush hour relief? Both GPS devices also have advanced lane guidance functions, more specifically lane separation and 3D renderings of complex junctions. Lane separation displays onscreen the number of lanes and which lane you should be in for your upcoming turn, among other things. And for particularly complicated intersections, you'll get a 3D image of what the area looks like as well as sign post information to give you a better idea of what's ahead. Having tested some portable navigation systems that just tell you to "Take the next exit" on a multiexit highway, this is a welcome and useful addition (though not new, see Navigon 7100 review) in my opinion.

Other highlights of the TomTom GO 930 and 730 are voice command functionality, including ... Read more

Today, Sony announced the immediate retail and online availability of its Sony NV-U73T and Sony NV-U83T portable navigation systems. Announced back at CES 2008, both models focus on safety and have text-to-speech technology, nearly 5 million points of interest with branded icons and preloaded maps of the United States and Canada. They're equipped with SiRF StarIII GPS chips, but the units also have a feature called Position Plus that includes pressure, gyro, and acceleration sensors, which should provide for more accurate positioning even when driving through tunnels and in between tall buildings. In addition, you can perform certain functions with just the swipe of your finger, and there's a dual-view mode that will show a 3D rendition of complicated intersections.

As the flagship model, the Sony NV-U83T also has integrated Bluetooth for hands-free calling and a 4.8-inch, 16:9 ratio touch screen, while the NV-U73T has a 4.3-inch screen. They can be had for $400 and $300, respectively.

Garmin Nuvifone

(Credit: Gizmodo)

Garmin makes GPS devices. Garmin makes navigation software and accessories for cell phones and smartphones. Garmin makes cell phones...wait, what? Yep, you read right. Today, the GPS manufacturer took the wraps off its first smartphone at a press event in New York: the Garmin Nuvifhone. It's a GSM/HSDPA mobile that runs on Garmin's own operating system and focuses on, no surprise, navigation. The device will come preloaded with maps of North America (or Eastern or Western Europe for all our international readers) and points of interest. In addition, it offers turn-by-turn voice directions, Google Local Search integration, and Garmin's "Where I am?" safety feature, which displays your coordinates, closest address and intersection, and nearby emergency services.

The Garmin Nuvifone also features a 3.5-inch touch screen, a Web browser, and e-mail capabilities. It's multimedia-friendly with MP3/ACC/MPEG4 support and a built-in camera/camcorder. It also has access to Google's Panoramio picture sharing site, where can search through geo-located photos. The Nuvifone will be available some time in the third-quarter, but no specifics on dates or pricing. We're still getting details on this smartphone and will report them to you as they come in but any initial thoughts?