GPS

Retrofit kit allows cars to drive themselves

By Alan Brandon

18:32 November 23, 2009 PST

Let’s say you want to go for a ride in your car, but you don’t feel like driving it. Or perhaps you want to drive your car, but you don’t want to go for a ride in it. These two seemingly contradictory scenarios are probably not what Kairos Autonomi had in mind when it developed the Pronto4 Agnostic Autonomy System. The Pronto4 is a drive-by-wire system that when installed in a vehicle, provides self-driving capability as well as remote control. The system is “agnostic” because it is a retrofit kit that the manufacturer claims can be installed in any steering-wheel based vehicle. Read More

GPS satellites tell us where we are, but what tells them where they are?

By Jeff Salton

18:00 November 1, 2009 PST

Global Positioning System (GPS) devices have permeated society to the point where millions of us rely on them daily for directions, locations and traffic avoidance (if only they could tell me where I left my car keys). GPS satellites send signals to a receiver in your handheld or car-based GPS navigator, which calculates your position on the planet based on the location of the satellites and your distance from them. The distance is determined by how long it took the signals from various satellites to reach your receiver. But have you ever thought what tells the GPS satellites where they are in the first place? Read More

Google announces free turn-by-turn maps app for Android - looks the goods

By Darren Quick

01:37 October 29, 2009 PDT

Every platform needs a killer app and for the Android OS the early contender for that title has to be the just announced Google Maps Navigation for mobile. Only available for Android 2.0 phones, the new application takes the current Google Maps for mobile and gives it a hefty shot of steroids. Most of the new features that set the app apart from most in-car turn-by-turn navigation systems come courtesy of its Internet connectivity, which makes it possible to access a wealth of relevant information residing on Google’s servers while out and about. Read More

'Hyperspectral Remote Sensor' senses disasters from space

By Darren Quick

23:59 October 25, 2009 PDT

Combining sophisticated sensors in orbit with sensors on the ground and in the air has led researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) to create a “Hyperspectral Remote Sensor” (HRS) that can give advance warnings about water contamination after a forest fire, alert authorities of a pollution spill long before a red flag is raised on Earth, or inform the population where a monsoon will strike. Read More

GPS-based location devices: have we become too security-conscious?

By Jude Garvey

07:51 October 23, 2009 PDT

Gizmag has featured a number of GPS based location devices and concepts that are designed to keep track of your most loved people, pets and possessions. From the Nu.M8 child watch system, to a GPS dog-collar device or a range of tracking devices capable of following just about anyone or anything. The latest in an ever expanding range of these gadgets - the Ekahau wrist-tag, is a tracking device that allows monitoring via a Wi-Fi network. When will it end? Not anytime soon - Jude Garvey checks out three different tracking systems on (or soon to be released on to) the market. Read More

EU launches free EGNOS satnav system

By Darren Quick

20:49 October 5, 2009 PDT

The European Commission has announced the official start of operations of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), a satellite based augmentation system (SBAS) that improves the accuracy of the current US Global Positioning System (GPS) and Russian GLONASS system signals from about ten meters to two meters. Like the U.S. GPS, the EGNOS Open Service is accessible free of charge to any user equipped with a GPS/SBAS compatible receiver within the EGNOS coverage area, which includes most European states and has the built-in capability to be extended to other regions, such as North Africa and EU neighboring countries. Most receivers sold today in Europe meet that requirement. Read More

Wearable antennas promise shirts with satellite link

By Jeff Salton

03:48 October 5, 2009 PDT

Gizmag has always had an interest in "smart clothing", whether it be a jacket that warms you on icy slopes, a coat that delivers an electric shock to ward off physical threats, vests that double as health monitors or even a concept bra that's supposed to help in the search for a husband. The latest research being conducted in the area involves flexible antennas which can be embedded in clothing, allowing the wearer to communicate with low-orbiting satellites wirelessly and exchange greater levels of information, including GPS positioning. Read More

TXTBlocker lets parents and employers disable texting while driving

By Paul Lester

01:58 October 3, 2009 PDT

It should come as no surprise to hear that texting while driving is a particularly dangerous thing to do. Recent studies have shown that drivers are 23 times more likely to get into an accident if they are texting and an astonishing 46% of teens have admitted occurrences of driving while distracted as a result of fiddling with phones.

A new product called TXTBlocker addresses these issues directly by disabling a number of phone functions, with the specific impact decided by a choice of settings available from an account page online once you subscribe. Read More

BEAR-4: The first amateur HD video in (near) space

By Paul Ridden

19:30 September 30, 2009 PDT

After receiving an email from a Japanese enthusiast, a group of amateur radio high altitude balloon buffs jumped at the chance to help record the first ever non-professional near space high definition video, and maybe set a new altitude record on the way. After squeezing the HD camcorder and tracking hardware into a styrofoam box, and a couple of false starts, the 1500g high altitude, hydrogen-filled balloon was away. Read More

SurroundSense uses your phone's sensors to figure out where you are

By Dario Borghino

17:02 September 30, 2009 PDT

Smartphones use GPS locating for a variety of functions but mainly they're used on the road where their accuracy - only within 10m - is basically a case of 'near enough is good enough'. But try using one indoors. They don't work! Nor can they distinguish between two adjacent environments, however different. And 10m can make a big difference inside a shopping complex or multi-roomed office block. In a research jointly sponsored by Microsoft, Nokia, Verizon and the National Science Foundation, a group of computer engineers from Duke University is working on achieving better indoor localization using a combination of sounds, lighting and accelerometer data picked up by a mobile phone. They hope it will supplement the use of GPS systems, which most users know, have their limitations. Read More

NAVTEQ study shows traffic-enabled navigation saves drivers four days a year

By Jude Garvey

01:47 September 16, 2009 PDT

It wasn’t so long ago that most of us relied on the humble road map to get us from A to B, but with the advent of GPS navigation systems, our map-reading skills are rarely required. There is no denying the usefulness of GPS systems, particularly if you have a tendency to get lost, but do they actually save you time? According to a recent proprietary research study, if you have a traffic-enabled GPS and spend most of your time on busy roads, you could save yourself up to four days a year. Read More

Never forget where you were with the JOBO photoGPS

By Jeff Salton

01:55 September 9, 2009 PDT

What’s worse than having to watch Aunt May’s and Uncle Stan’s ridiculously long digital ‘slide show’ of their recent European vacation? Listening to them argue over where each photo was taken, and what it is. If they’d had a JOBO photoGPS attached to their camera's hot-shoe, your saga would be over in six hours, not 16! The JOBO photoGPS fits most cameras and captures the geo-data of each photo's location. This allows photographers to know the location of each shot and automatically search, sort and organize their pictures according to country, city, street using the Organizer software that comes with the unit. Read More

Train hard with Garmin's new Edge 500 GPS navigator

By Paul Ridden

19:55 September 6, 2009 PDT

If you're a professional distance cyclist or even a dedicated off-road pleasure rider and you need an edge over your competitors or friends, then Garmin's new GPS navigator for cyclists could be just up your street. Weighing just 2oz, the low profile Edge 500 has an easy-fit bike mount and can assist with training by tracking a rider's distance, speed, location, elevation and can even wirelessly monitor pedal strokes per minute and heart rate. Read More

Environmentally-friendly navigation - the Vexia Econav 435 GPS

By Mick Webb

18:16 September 1, 2009 PDT

As GPS navigation systems increase in popularity, the world’s fuel supplies simultaneously are in decline. However, the Vexia Econav 435 GPS is attempting to do its bit for the environment by offering a system that gives drivers information on the most economical route, which gear to use and when - even how firmly to accelerate. The manufacturers say the aim of the unit is to reduce drivers' fuel consumption by up to one third. Read More

iLuv DC micro and dual USB in-car chargers

By Jeff Salton

00:26 August 21, 2009 PDT

ILuv has two new in-car USB chargers for people who don't want to have to remember to charge their devices before getting in the cars. The iLuv iAD 115 Micro USB Car Charger and iAD119 Dual USB Car Charger are suitable for iPod, iPhone, MP3 players, GPS devices, even that USB-powered shaver that never really got off the ground. Unlike some other clunkier USB chargers that get in the way of gear sticks, handbrakes, etc, the iAD115 Micro USB Car Charger is so small it can be concealed inside the cigarette lighter just by closing the cover. While the iAD119 Dual USB Car Charger removes fights in the car about who gets to charge their device first (great for families or newly-weds!) Read More

RoamEO GPS dog collar keeps track of wayward pets

By Jeff Salton

19:15 August 18, 2009 PDT

If you’ve ever owned a recalcitrant retriever, a cat-crazy collie or an overly playful poodle, you’ll know the anxiety of watching them run out of view in search of new adventures, oblivious to your shouts of anguish (and anger). A GPS-enabled collar could be handy for tracking down wayward canines and keep them out of harm’s way … or the clutches of dog-nappers or an over-zealous ranger lurking in the neighborhood. The RoamEO is the latest GPS device for owners who worry about their dogs’ disappearing acts or who are sick of spending valuable time searching for that ‘duck-hunter’ who’s too dog-tired to return with the catch. Read More

PedalPower+ charges cyclists' phones, GPS, iPods

By Jeff Salton

21:52 August 9, 2009 PDT

In bygone days, a bicycle dynamo struggled to generate enough energy to power a weak headlight for the lonely cyclist riding home on a dark night. Back then it was the only electronic application that a cyclist needed because dynamos were first invented when riders still made calls from public telephone booths or stopped to read a map for directions. But a new bicycle dynamo system called PedalPower+ can help recharge the arsenal of battery-powered accessories modern cyclists’ rely on for communications, navigation and entertainment - on the fly. Read More

Virtual co-drivers will make trucks of the future safer

By Jeff Salton

06:55 August 4, 2009 PDT

Trucks of the future could be equipped with an on-board digital co-driver to help the human behind the wheel, or even take over if the driver loses control. The HAVEit project (short for Highly Automated Vehicles for Intelligent Transport) has 28 million euros (USD$40 million) at its disposal and is aiming to develop an intelligent driver assist system that responds to both traffic conditions and drivers' needs. Read More

New driver-assist systems from Nissan help straighten out curvy roads

By Jeff Salton

19:07 July 31, 2009 PDT

We've been covering a raft of new technology from Nissan this week and one of the most interesting is its innovative assisted steering system, which synchronizes navigation, engine, braking and steering systems to help drivers make smoother (and safer) turns. By linking Nissan’s existing Distance Control Assist System to on-board navigation map data, the Navigation-Cooperative Intelligent Pedal can help the driver decelerate or brake as the car enters a curve based on real-time navigation information. Read More

North American NAVIGON on board navigation system for the iPhone

By Gizmag Team

01:32 July 27, 2009 PDT

The convergence of the mobile phone and GPS took a quantum leap this week when NAVIGON released a North American version of its on-board navigation software for the iPhone. MobileNavigator transforms any iPhone 3G (or S) with OS 3.0 into a complete navigation device. The on-board approach means the software and map data is on the iPhone, so there are no subscription fees to pay or map downloads to wait for during navigation. It includes most regular NAVIGON functionality such as Reality View Pro, Lane Assistant Pro, Speed Assistant and Day & Night Mode, branded POIs along the route with more features to be added with software updates later this year. Read More

Solara Field Tracker 2100 - handheld GPS with text messaging

By Gizmag Team

00:19 July 18, 2009 PDT

The USD$880 Solara Field Tracker 2100 is a handheld GPS with text messaging – no voice, no video, no apps, just text. This may not seem a particularly enticing value proposition, particularly when you consider the USD$30 a month subscription fee, but wait … there's more! As it operates over the Iridium satellite network, which offers truly global coverage, it means you can stay in touch even if you're trekking the Himalayas, or the Silk road or Antarctica. Throw in extreme ruggedness, automatic position reporting and a two-way Emergency Alert notification system and it's a very compelling proposition if you're an adventurer who enjoys getting well off the beaten track. Read More

ECCO: The handy GPS locator on a keyring

By Paul Ridden

20:42 July 16, 2009 PDT

Thanks to personal navigation systems, the days of getting completely lost whilst out wandering are well and truly behind us. GPS navigation systems can now show you 3D representations of your surroundings, give you multiple routing options and can even let you know if there's a good restaurant nearby. You can buy units to mount in your car, on your bike or on your wrist and can now even get GPS capabilities in most modern mobile phones. But if all you want is to be able to find your way back to where you started from as quickly and easily as possible then the ECCO personal GPS navigator might be of interest. Read More

Shake, rattle, and roll: Sony’s feature packed HD Handycam CX520VE

By Alan Brandon

22:44 July 12, 2009 PDT

Sony has announced its new flagship HD camcorder, the Handycam HDR-CX520VE. Equipped with three-way image stabilization as well as a new sensor, lens, and image processor, the CX520VE provides what Sony calls its best picture quality ever. Shooting full HD video and surround sound, the unit also features 64GB of internal memory and GPS “geotagging” of video clips. Read More

LG’s concept GC990 Louvre camera phone packs a 12-megapixel camera

By Darren Quick

00:04 July 10, 2009 PDT

Samsung might have claimed line honors with the first 12-megapixel camera phone in the form of the Pixon 12, but LG are snapping at their heels with the LG GC990 Louvre, a 12 megapixel camera phone that got its first public showing at the Korea Products Exhibition in Warsaw of all places. Read More

Calling all cars – futuristic cop cruiser takes to LA streets

By Darren Quick

21:41 July 7, 2009 PDT

A new vehicle billed as the most technologically advanced police car in the world is due to begin testing in the US. Based on the Australian-built Holden Commodore, which were rebadged as Pontiac G8s in the US, the car aims to turn a standard vehicle into a ‘virtual office’ for emergency services personnel. It replaces the cluttered, cockpit-style gadgets that abound in current police cars with a large single touchscreen display embedded in the passenger dash and throws in some Bond style crime fighting gear like an air gun that fires a laser guided GPS tracking device onto fleeing vehicles. Read More