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Thales, a French aerospace company, designed its IPS (Indoor Positioning System) for firefighters. The tracking system is based on the Ultra Wide Band radio signal, a form of satellite navigation. They felt that traditional GPS would not be as effective as the signals were often weak and sometimes bounce off surfaces. The IPS shows the exact location of people or animals inside buildings that are too smoky to see. It can also track firefighters’ positions in relation to each other as well as their outside vehicles. We can see other future applications, such as tracking lost miners or the injured after our next great natural disaster.
Read More 
| Reuters
Gallery: IPS Tracks Victims by Satellite
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X7 Does More Than Find Your Way
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, GPS, Music, Portable Audio / Video, Transportation,
Yukyng has unveiled their viliv X7 GPS DMB that runs on AU1250 600MHz CPU and supports TPEG/DMB. It features a 7-inch, 600 x 480 touchscreen as well as a cam and has image and text viewing capability. It holds up to 4GB storage that can expand to 8GB with an additional SDHC card. But the part we like best is the ability to connect to karaoke, so that if you manage to get lost, you can always sing until someone finds you and tells you to shut up. Look for a MSRP of 499,000 KRW ($539.00.)
Read More | Aving
Gallery: X7 Does More Than Find Your Way
Google Launches GPS-less Mapping
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Google, GPS, Transportation,
Google is back with more mapping fun. This time they have created a new mobile phone technology for those without GPS. My Location is now in more than twenty countries and lets you in on real-time traffic conditions, detailed directions, integrated searches, satellite images and interactive maps. It will work on most web-enabled phones, including Java, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and the latest Nokia/Symbian. iPhone and Treo users will just have to wait their turn.
Not quite as accurate as GPS, Google says that locating the user’s phone is still in transition and hopes that will change in time.The company claims that it will not use any personal information on the user. No ads will be posted on the service, but we suspect it won’t be long before that becomes a reality, too.
Read More | Google My Location
Gallery: Google Launches GPS-less Mapping
Meade has added to its family of telescopes with mySky. The point-and-shoot device features a 480 x 234 display, a 12 channel GPS receiver for auto alignment, electronic accelerometers for direction finding, and magnetic North sensors. It has audio to match what you are seeing, so it is like having your own planetarium. With powersaving capability, it will last up to six hours with its 4 x AA (not included) batteries, storage with an included 256MB SD card, and earbuds. Check out Mead’s site for a nice video clip of the mySky at work.
Read More | mySky Product Page
Gallery: See Space With mySky
Maps and directions are available on cell phones, PDA’s, GPS units, Onstar, or heaven forbid: actual paper maps. This doesn’t stop people from getting lost from time to time, so Google is partnering with gas companies to embed the Google Maps application into gas pumps at 3,500 gas stations across the United States starting next month.
The newly teched-out gas pumps will feature an Internet connection and the Google Maps application. By providing this at the pump motorists will be able to both fill up on gas and get directions to their destination. The participating gas stations will likely get a boost in business from drivers too stubborn or embarrassed to ask for directions from anything other than a shiny, all-knowing machine. This sounds like a win for retailers, motorists, and Google alike.
Read More | LA Times
Gallery: Google Maps headed to gas pumps nationwide
Keep Track of Your Kids by Their Coats
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Wearables, Google, GPS,
The British clothing company Bladerunner has created a coat for children that features a GPS SiRF III in its lining. Originally made for mountain climbers and other sports fanatics, the jacket operates by the use of Google Earth maps and therefore can be used worldwide. Updated every 10 minutes, the image will narrow the view down to within 4 square meters. It also features Bladerunner’s slash-resistant lining and 2 dedicated buttons for emergencies. Considering that the outerwear has a price of $500.00 and $20.00 a month for the technology, we just hope you have one of those kids that is not the first to leave his/her coat at the local playground.
Read More | Toronto Sun
Gallery: Keep Track of Your Kids by Their Coats
Audi’s A1 Part of Concept Car
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Smartphones, Corporate News, GPS, Handhelds, Transportation, Wireless / WiFi,
Audi has decided to include a mobile phone as part of its A1 Metroproject Quattro concept hybrid. The handheld acts as a phone, video and audio player, and supports both 3G UMTS and WiFi technology. Before sliding it into it’s slot on the dashboard, it will also start your car, unlock it by remote, and heat it up before you are forced out in the cold.
There’s more. The A1 will alert you by snapping an image on digicam in the car if someone likes your new purchase as much as you do and decides to borrow it. If that occurs, it will track the thief’s wild ride by GPS. We would just be happy to use that feature to let us know where we parked before the lot got overcrowded with hordes of Holiday shoppers.
Read More | Motor Authority
Gallery: Audi’s A1 Part of Concept Car
Nokia Includes Spidey in N95 Release
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Smartphones, Corporate News, GPS, Handhelds, Movies, Music, Video Games,
Nokia has debuted its N95 with “Spiderman 3” film, wallpaper, and ringtones, which they feel will show off its capabilities. The handheld features a 2.8-inch, 240 x 320 QVGA display, a 5 megapixel cam with Zeiss optics, A-GPS with over 150 countries, WLAN, HSDPA, and storage of up to 20 hours of video and 6000 tunes with 8GB. The N95 also has the good fortune of being part of the Nokia Music Store and N-Gage Games, which will be going live soon so that you can actually test a game before purchase. The black N95 with 2-way slide is available in Europe and selected countries in Africa and the Middle East for €560 (~$793.00.)
Read More | Nokia via Mobilewhack
Gallery: Nokia Includes Spidey in N95 Release
GM to include Stolen Vehicle Slowdown in Cars
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, GPS, Misc. Tech, Transportation,
By 2009, if they are done dealing with the UAW, GM will be equipping its new vehicles with a system that will aid police to remotely stop high-speed chases. In cooperation with OnStar, who can already track devices and help cops find stolen vehicles, it will also issue a signal that remotely slows the car down to idle speed. OnStar is free initially for owners of GM automobiles that have them built in, but must pay for the service beginning with the second year. OnStar says that about 60% continue to subscribe after that first year. In light of the price of new vehicles and fuel, we are not surprised that many decide to opt out and spend the extra on gas.
Read More | OnStar
Gallery: GM to include Stolen Vehicle Slowdown in Cars
AT&T Debuts the Tilt
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Smartphones, GPS, Handhelds, Portable Audio / Video, Wireless / WiFi,
AT&T has announced that their new Tilt is to be released today. Designed by HTC, it features a 2.8-inch screen, a full QWERTY keyboard, TeleNav GPS, is Bluetooth capable, and has a 3-megapixel cam with auto-focus. It will hold up to 32GB of micro SD storage and includes BlackBerry Connect v4.0 software for e-mail, contacts, and memo pad, and Windows Mobile for Internet connection at a data speed of 3G. At an temporoary introductory price of $299.99 with a two year commitment, you can twist with the Tilt to your heart’s content. Check with AT&T if you want to get in on the action ASAP. We will keep an eye out to see how its sales will affect its fellow smartphones.
Read More | Slashphone
Gallery: AT&T Debuts the Tilt
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