Did it happen to you to have some of your precious packages lost by DHL, or any other transporter? Well then there’s no need to worry anymore! DHL, possibly the number 1 in shipping around the US (and going global), has implemented GPS trackable cargo containers, which basically means, you can check the global positioning of your goods. The GPS will give you the latitude and longitude of the container they are in so at least you will know they are moving.

These goodies in the picture, are the sensor packages that also verify shocks or vibrations and check for humidity, light exposure and temperature. Your packages can’t be more looked after than this. Unfortunately if the DHL guy gets your address wrong, this sensor won’t guarantee you’ll get your wrapped box after all. I guess we have to wait until the robots take over and human failure will be minimized. In the mean time I wonder how much the new GPS DHL service will cost.

via Boing Boing

Tags: DHL, GPS, GPS, navigation, tracking

It looks like Garmin and Asus have decided to hook up and make phones together. That means we’re going to expect Garmin-Asus nuvifone handset later this year. Better yet, this new alliance will show us at least some new nuvifone concepts at the MWC in Spain.

The nuvifone we were expecting in 2008 will be rebranded as the Garmin-Asus nüvifone G60 and it will be delivered in the first half of the year. Are we to expect support for other platforms in the future? Say Windows Mobile and Android nuvifones? What about that Asus Eee Phone?

We’ll tell you more about the Garmin-Asus nuvifone G60 once it arrives in Barcelona at the MWC.

via Press

Tags: Android, ASUS, ASUS, Eee Phone, G60, Garmin, Garmin, Mobile News, Mobile Software, MWC, nuvifone, Portable Devices, Windows Mobile

Nokia isn’t a very big name in Korea. The Finish manufacturer hasn’t been shipping any new phones to Korea since 2003. But now it looks like it’s ready to send phones to Korea as the WIPI regulation will soon be lifted. And Nokia has a cool phone for the Korean market. It’s the 6210 Navigator, a phone that might impress even the toughest Korean customers.

Or won’t it? It seems that these Korean customers won’t be able to use the navigation capabilities of the 6210. Which means the 6210 won’t be a good Navigator for anyone in Korea. According to Korean regulations, Nokia has to “embed a server with stored map information” in Korea. Nokia has one in Singapore and it wants to use it. So how is Nokia going to make an impression if they don’t want to play by Korean rules?

Tags: 6210 navigator, GPS, GPS, korea, Mobile News, Mobile Software, Nokia, Nokia, Singapore

The Pharos Traveler 117 has just received the FCC’s blessing so you might be able to purchase one soon enough. It’s a phone and it’s a GPS device. It’s actually a pretty smart phone. Let’s take a look at its main features:

• Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
• Tri band UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA connectivity (850/1900/2100 MHz)
• 2.8 inch resistive TFT touchscreen display with 480 x 640 pixels
• GPS and A-GPS
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0 connectivity
• 2.5mm headset jack (that’s not a typo, there’s no 3.5mm jack)
• 2 megapixel camera
• Secondary VGA camera for video calls
• 400MHz Qualcomm MSM7201 processor
• 128 MB RAM, 256 MB ROM
• microSDHC memory card slot
• Windows Professional 6.1

The Pharos Traveler 117 will cost you $529.95 unlocked so get ready to pay the price if you want the device. We don’t know what carrier will pick the 117 up and we have absolutely no idea why the smartphone comes with a 2.5mm headset jack. Still better than the G1 when it comes to getting music to your ears.

Tags: 117, fcc, GPS, GPS, Mobile News, Pharos, Pharos, traveler

If all goes well, new software will be integrated into Smartphones that can save lives. The patent-pending software is the world’s first fully functional wireless video security system built into cell phones, using video, photo and audio and GPS monitoring capabilities.

For a nominal monthly fee, JTrek users have a full-time personal surveillance protection device. All that is required is a Smartphone, Internet service and a small network of emergency contacts.

With this cutting-edge technology, text messaging notifications and video/photo imagery is recorded and transmitted by the Smartphone to the JTrek web servers. Even if the phone is taken by an attacker, the images remain stored on JTrek’s servers and emergency alerts are sent automatically.

(Source) Press

Tags: attacker, Cell Phones, Cell Phones, cutting edge technology, GPS, internet service, jtrek, Mobile News, Mobile Software, new software, personal surveillance, smartphones, text messaging, video security system

I am not a hardcore GPS user, because we guys have a built-in system that always gets us where we need to be. Or it offers good excuses when getting lost. However I wouldn’t mind taking this coin with me at all times. At least until I loose it. That’s how small this GPS unit is.

The Inbi-Out concept coin will show you where you’re going and if you flip it, it can help you change your mind while offering you detailed directions to your final destination. Great GPS coin this one. Where do we get one?

via Yanko Design

Tags: Coin, concept, GPS, GPS, Mobile News

It looks like wrists have become more popular lately. We’ve seen the wrist charger earlier and now we have another interesting wrist band, one that will be able to play your favorite songs. It’s transparent but it can be set up to show color or graphics. It is bundled with wireless earphones and it will have support for your mobile phone. Voice recognition, Internet radio, GPS and a heartbeat sensor are also some nice features you might enjoy using. But what about a touch-friendly surface? And why not transform it into a phone?

via Yanko Design

Tags: concept, GPS, GPS, MP3 Player, MP3 Players, music, Wrist

To help parents in properly monitoring the whereabouts of their kids, a new device called the Num8 (pronounced as “new mate”) has been unveiled by Lok8u. This new device takes the place of the standard mobile phones which have been discouraged for use by kids due to health reasons.

Equipped with the proper GPS tracking, this device comes with great features for the parent who want to keep track of their kids.

If the strap is removed from the child’s wrist parents get sent a text message and/or e-mail straight away informing them this has happened. The service also has a safety zone feature. So if your child is attending a party at a friend’s house, is in school, or playing in your local neighborhood, you can setup boundaries around those areas. If the watch passes outside of those boundaries a text message and/or e-mail is sent to you. You can also vary the boundaries based on time or day of the week allowing for regular movements.

The Num8 GPS is priced at $218 in the market along with a monthly $7 subscription fee.

(Source) The Guardian

Tags: Crazy Mobile, GPS, health reasons, mobile phones, new mate, parents, safety features, safety zone, text message

The Samsung SCH U350 may look like a simple and basic mobile phone but don’t let looks deceive you. This CDMA phone from Samsung has a distinct feature that many may be surprised to find from an entry-level looking phone.

The Samsung SCH U350 also boasts of a built-in GPS antenna. This along with the usual features you would find in a mobile phone like a built-in VGA camera, Bluetooth, and speakerphone make it a great phone to have.

(Source) Unwired View

Tags: antenna, bluetooth, cdma phone, Cell Phones, design source, GPS, mobile phone, Samsung, Samsung, samsung sch

The Nuvifone from Garmin might just be that fresh phone we’ve been waiting for at the start of this year. While the phone itself isn’t available just yet, Garmin has decided to launch some screenshots just to prove the phone is on the right track. So far Garmin has released shots showing the navigation app, Google Local, the Web browser, the Calendar and E-Mail.

How’s the interface you ask? Well take a look for yourself. Not bad for now although it hasn’t been actually tested. Will the Nuvifone arrive at CES 2009? We certainly hope so. It would be a wrong move for Garmin to miss such an event.

Some rumors pointed out that Garmin might use Google’s Android OS for its phone but the company firmly denied all that. The OS used is a modified Linux version. The company has however entered the Open Handset Alliance and it’s going to be working on a future Android phone, other that the Nuvifone.

via Garmin

Tags: Android, Garmin, Garmin, Mobile News, nuvifone

The Navigon 8100T offers a large 4.8-inch touch screen and a panoramic 3D map view. The GPS also has text-to-speech functionality, address entry via voice, integrated Bluetooth, and a free lifetime traffic subscription.

Unfortunately Panorama 3D view doesn’t display street names. The 8100T’s general performance is slow and the voice entry system isn’t very accurate. The touch screen wasn’t the most responsive.

Whilst the Navigon 8100T offers an impressive feature list, including panoramic 3D map views, the GPS doesn’t deliver where it counts most: performance.

Tags: GPS, GPS, navigon, touch screen

Android will have a great 2009. A bunch of manufacturers and carriers have manifested their intention of launching at least one Android powered handset next year. But then again we were expecting various Android cell phones this year and it was only T-Mobile and HTC to deliver one. Just one, the G1.

Garmin joins the list of manufacturers announcing Android phones. That’s plural! Phones! The company has reported a 50% increase in holiday sales compared to 2007. That’s not the reason for them announcing that they will launch multiple Android phones in the second half of 2009, but it’s good to know Garmin has the money to back all those fancy announcements. In other new news, the Nuvifone is going to arrive in Q2 next year. After that Garmin should unleash all that Android fury!

via GPS tracklog

Tags: Android, Garmin, Garmin, Google, nuvifone, Other Brands

It looks like Magellan has decided to sell their consumer products division to MiTAC. MiTAC is of course the owner of Mio. I guess they should be happy they purchased their rival. What will happen to Magellan’s GPS products? Time will tell! But for now Magellan is more popular than Mio despite it doesn’t necessarily offer better products. Either way, by January when the sale will be completed we will be able to tell you more.

Magellan Navigation, Inc. today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Magellan consumer products division to MiTAC International Corp. Closing of the transaction is anticipated in January of 2009. Financial terms are not disclosed.

Recognized as an industry innovator, the Magellan consumer products division is the creator of the award-winning Magellan(R) RoadMate(R) and Maestro(TM) series portable car navigation systems, and the Magellan Triton(R) outdoor handheld navigation devices. The company is recognized worldwide through its Magellan brand.

via gpsreview

Tags: GPS, GPS, Magellan, mio

If you’re the type of person that tends do forget where the car is parked after a long shopping session, check out the GPS Homing Device that is available at Hammacher for $80, including 2 AA batteries that provide 20 hours of life.

The working method of the GPS Homing Device is pretty simple: push a button when you’re in point A, and the device will afterwards guide you back to the original point. To make it easier, the distance can be displayed in different formats - meter, miles or kilometers - and the compass displays degrees information about the direction. No need to worry if the weather is windy, snowy, or raining, because the GPS Homing Device is weather-resistant.

GPS Homing Device

Tags: GPS, GPS, homing

Iriver has presented a new PNS - Portable Navigation System - known as CaroNavi. It will be released on the Japanese market next week, on December 19th, with a price tag of €250 which is close to $320.

In terms of specifications, the CaroNavi uses MapPlus software made by Edia, and is compatible with audio + video files, such as WMV for videos, and MP3, WMA, or OGG for audio. The LCD touchscren on the CaroNavi measures 3.5-inches and provides a resolution of 320×240 pixels, while the internal flash memory has 2GB of storage, but it can be expanded thanks to the slot for SD memory cards. Since this is a Portable Navigation System, it must be light and that is why it only weights 137 grams.

Tags: caronavi, GPS, iRiver, pns, Portable Devices

In 2007 Trimble released the Juno ST handheld GPS, and in 2008 it is time to launch two new products on the same Juno line: SB and SC. Both devices have Windows Mobile 6.1 as the operative system, and the SC model supports 3.5G.

The rugged handheld GPS systems feature a processor of 533MHz and have 128MB of onboard memory. To take photos there is a 3-megapixel camera, and the connectivity options include bluetooth and WiFi. So far there is no information about the price.

PS - the Trimble Juno GPS systems are used in the construction business, which means they are resistible to drops and much more.

Tags: GPS, Juno SB, Juno SC, Portable Devices, Trimble

On top of the RoverPC P6 and P7 that we already mentioned on the past, there is a new smartphone this time entitled G7.

The RoverPC G7 runs with a 624MHz processor, and has 128MB of RAM memory. The internal storage capacity is only 256MB but that can be expanded with the help of a microSD memory card. The quad-band phone uses Windows Mobile 6.1 as the operative system, and obviously it comes with WiFi.

Lastly, the G7 has a GPS receiver and some software to check locations, view info about traffic cameras, and supply a detour rote.

Tags: Cell Phones, g7, GPS, GPS, handset, rover

Qigi is a new handset that comes directly from China and can offer quite a set of features, starting with the different operative systems - Windows Mobile 6.1 or Android - and a lot more. The 2 different models are named i6 Win for Windows, and i6 Goal for Andriod.

One of the negative aspects of the Qigi i6 is the exclusion of 3G, but on the other hand the mobile device offers integrated GPS, a Marvell Monohans processor at 624MHz, and a 2-megapixel camera. Additional features include a 2.8-inch LCD touchscreen with 65k colors, bluetooth, WiFi, and the more than usual microSD memory card sloy.

Sadly there is no information about its price or release date.

Tags: GPS, GPS, i6, qigi

If you enjoyed previous models of MEDION Navigation Systems, such as the E3215 and the S2310, you’ll love the new GoPal P5430. This system will become available for purchase in Europe with a price tag of €200.

One of the positive points of the new GoPal is the large screen at 5-inches, a bit bigger than the majority. Another good detail is the unusual inclusion of a finger print sensor for security reasons, a feature that can usually be seen on laptops. Technical specifications of the P5430 include a SiRF Titan 600Mhz processor, 3GB of storage capacity, voice control, and Traffic Master to escape traffic.

- Text-to-Speech for precise traffic guidance
- Pre-loaded safety camera locations
- Lane and Speed advisor

Tags: GoPal, GPS, GPS, MEDION, navigation system, P5430

Past Navman GPS systems include the S30, S100, and the F50, but the latest one is the Navman F15. Unlike the other models, this one is rather cheap and only costs $100 at Radio Shack.

The In-Car GPS System is easy to mount thanks to a stong adhesive strip, or alternatively you can use the included mount to place it on your windshield. In terms of technical specifications, the F15 has a 3.5-inch touchscreen, and comes with software that is easy to use, like most other navigation systems. Extra features include lots of POIs - Points of Interest - like gas stations, hotels, restaurants, and more. As it always happens, it comes pre-loaded with the latest maps of the US, and even Puerto Rico.

Tags: GPS