GPS

31 05 2008

Giant bunny formed from GPS path

Posted by: admin in GPS

Filed under: GPS

First things first: considering the huge amount of press garnered by a recent position art scam, this here could indeed be just another spoof to get your hopes up. That being said, we’re pretty sure no one with any level of decency would do such a vile thing on Easter Sunday, which is precisely when the above bunny was purportedly created from waltzing about with a Magellan GPS and a digital camera. The artist himself admits that what you see above is a slightly cleaned-up version of the actual path, but we’re told that any edits that occurred had no huge bearing on the outcome of the piece. You be the judge.

30 05 2008

MSI’s MS-5654 GPS unit finds the FCC

Posted by: admin in GPS

Filed under: GPS

MSI’s been making a lot of noise with the Wind lately, but we’d heard the company was going to be bringing personal navigators and PMPs to the US back at CES, and it looks like the first one has hit the FCC — say hello to the MS-5654. As always, the gov’s photographers don’t exactly bring out the inner beauty of the device, but there’s enough to see that the unit features a 4.3-inch, 480 x 272 touchscreen, a 372MHz Centrality processor running Windows CE 5.0, 1GB or 2GB of internal storage with SD expansion, and the usual basic PMP features. Of course, there’s no pricing or availability info, but if you’re into detailed RF reports, heaven is just beyond the read link.

[Thanks, jkkmobile]

28 05 2008

Columbus reveals pocket-sized V-900 GPS data logger

Posted by: admin in GPS

Filed under: GPS

Compared to those bulky alternatives out there, Columbus’ V-900 looks like a real gem. This diminutive GPS data logger appears to feature built-in Bluetooth, a microSD slot and bundled software that helps you map out those coordinates once you return home from that howling backpacking trip across Europe. Your guess is as good as ours when it comes to pricing / availability, but be sure and hit the read link if you’re interested in a few more glamor shots.

[Thanks, Dawei]

28 05 2008

NemeriX scores patent for single-chip GPS, GLONASS, Galileo receiver

Posted by: admin in GPS

Filed under: GPS

It looks like NemeriX is doing its part to bridge the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo divide, with it proudly announcing today that it’s received a patent for a single-chip RF receiver technology that’ll accommodate all three satellite navigation systems (China’s Compass will apparently have to go it alone). Among other things, the single-chip solution will allow for manufacturers to reduce the size of their navigation devices by not having to include three parallel receivers, as well as allow them to market the same device to various markets around the world. Of course, there are scant few details about when we can actually expect to see the technology put to use, but NemeriX sees no shortage of potential applications, with it boasting that it’ll provide customers with a “future-proof platform” that’ll increase the availability and accuracy of “emerging location based services such as pedestrian navigation and mobile social-based networking.”

28 05 2008

Surprise! Biggest drawing now biggest GPS hoax in the world

Posted by: admin in GPS

Filed under: GPS

We had a pretty good idea that not only was this whole “Biggest Drawing in the World” business fake, but also impossible. First, we were skeptical that DHL could make deliveries based on coordinate instructions. Then, we determined — with little effort — that the little campaign was a DHL ad. Now we have a straight-up admission from artist Erik Nordenenkar and DHL that entire thing was fictional. Appearing at the bottom of Erik’s site — after the fact and millions of hits — are the following words: “This is fictional work. DHL did not transport the GPS at any time.” Meanwhile, DHL offered that this was an innocent college project and they were happy to let Nordenenkar film in their warehouse, use their name, and make false claims regarding the whole shenanigan. So, there you have it. The videos, briefcase, DHL receipts — all spam. Move along.

[Via Wired]

27 05 2008

Sellgino shows off GS-200 GPS Photo Tour geotagger

Posted by: admin in GPS

Filed under: Digital Cameras, GPS

Geotagging devices are cropping up at a pretty steady pace these days, and it looks like you can now add one more company to the bandwagon, with Sellgino now showing off its GS-200 GPS Photo Tour device. Like other similar options out there, this one relies on your photo’s EXIF data to match ‘em up with the locations logged by the GPS receiver (a SiRF Star III, in this case), with some software provided to merge all that data together and plot out your travels on Google Maps. Somewhat more uniquely, this one will also double as a USB handset for VoIP calls (hence the design), and it can apparently be used as an external USB drive, though it’s not clear how much storage space it packs. No word on a price or release date either, unfortunately.

[Via Slash Gear]

30 04 2008

Bus driver uses GPS over gigantic warning sign

Posted by: admin in GPS

Okay Britons, here’s your shot at ripping us Americans who’ve had quite a few laughs at the expense of your GPS-loving neighbors. Reportedly, the driver of a charter bus carrying a high school girls’ softball team decided to casually follow the soothing turn-by-turn directions that were being emitted from the nearby GPS unit rather than actually noticing the enormous clearance sign on the overpass ahead. As you can likely guess, the 11-foot, 8-inch-high vehicle plowed right into the 9-foot bridge — which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 — though somehow everyone on board escaped without any major injuries. Oddly enough, the driver apparently isn’t alone in chipping away at the landmark, as a local even mentioned that “large trucks hit the bridge every two weeks or so,” but couldn’t resist noting that “this [instance was] by far the worst.”

[Thanks, Raleigh]

30 04 2008

Pioneer AVIC-F500BT GPS

Posted by: admin in GPS

Pioneer AVIC-F500BT GPS

So Pioneer’s cramming a 5.8-inch 800 x 480 screen into this Pioneer AVIC-F500BT “portable” navigation device, and just got themselves some FCC approval for shipping it over to the States. In addition to that gargantuan screen, Pioneer F500 really excels at connectivity, with Bluetooth for hands-free calling, an optional traffic antenna, and some ND-BC2 add-on to hook the unit up to a rear view camera. You can also use it to control your iPod, but there’s an SD card slot if you want to handle those tunes with the F500. No word on price or availability, but this unit sells as the NavGate 500 over in Europe for a whopping 699 Euro — about $1100 US. Ouch.

30 04 2008

Pioneer NavGate AVIC-F900BT and AVIC-F700BT GPS units

Posted by: admin in GPS

Pioneer NavGate AVIC-F900BT and AVIC-F700BT GPS units

Pioneer introduces AVIC-F500BT satnav unit got you all hot and bothered, then big brothers NavGate AVIC-F900BT and NavGate AVIC-F700BT should totally wreck your lifestyle. The new units sport all kinds of funky functions, like a 5.8-inch WVGA touchscreen display, built in DVD player (CD for the F700BT), 3D mapping with text to speech, PMP functionality with playback of MPEG, DivX, MP3, and WMA files, plus Bluetooth support for cell phones and the ability to manage up to 300 contacts. The do-it-all units also feature SD card support and USB jacks. Both new models will go on sale in Europe, Russia, Australia, and the States sometime in June, no word on pricing yet. You can watch a demo of the unit in action in the video after the break. C’mon… you know you want to.