Archived news extracts about GPS and GSM 2004Here is our GPS/GSM News archive for 2004. Note that we only started in February. Search Tip: using "Ctrl" + "F"This page is too big to simply scroll down in the hope to find a particular word. Press and hold the "Ctrl" button and press the “F” button. In the small pop-up window type the word or phrase you are looking for. Press “Enter” and you will find the first occurrence of the word you are looking for. Every time you hit “Enter” you will find the next occurrence of the word. Here you will find the Actual and Archived GPS-Wireless News pages: December 31, 2004. SanDisk has announced 256 MB, the highest capacity yet for a small TransFlash memory module that will help meet the demands of new feature phones for greater storage of digital music, video, digital photos and GPS navigation software. Unveiled by SanDisk in February, the TransFlash module is about one-fourth the size of a standard SD card, but it can be inserted into an adapter and used in SD-enabled devices. Sandisk says it is the world’s smallest removable flash memory module, measuring 15 x 11 x 1 millimeters (or roughly the size of a fingernail). December 29, 2004. RF Code, Inc., a leading designer, developer and manufacturer of Auto-ID data management software and active RFID technologies announced that it is making available a powerful set of tools for enterprises that are building RFID networks. To serve the demand for enterprise management solutions in light of RFID mandates in commercial and defense markets, RF Code will supply a new developer's kit for the TAVIS(TM) Data Router in limited quantities to both integrators and end users. Launched in June 2004, RF Code's TAVIS Data Router is a self-contained device that enables the delivery of cost-effective, real-time Auto-ID solutions, eliminates many of the complexities of RFID integration and reduces the investment in network hardware. It features an embedded version of the company's award-winning TAVIS data management software and can manage multiple RFID readers from a variety of the industry's leading vendors. The TAVIS Data Router is a key component to a complete Auto-ID installation, which may incorporate a full spectrum of technologies beyond passive EPC tags in the retail supply chain. The TAVIS-powered software platform enables developers to collect, consolidate and manage data from passive RFID as well as bar code, active RFID, Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS), mesh networks, remote sensors, and GPS systems. December 28, 2004. EPCglobal Inc. reports that it has ratified its royalty-free UHF Generation 2 candidate specification. This action formally establishes the UHF Generation 2 air interface protocol as an EPCglobal standard for radio frequency identification (RFID) applications. UHF Generation 2 will allow developers to create better performing RFID solutions to meet the needs of suppliers, manufacturers, and end-users. Industrial users also will be able to drive further EPC-related implementations with standards-based equipment. EPCglobal’s ratification follows successful testing of prototypes from several technology providers, which shows that UHF Generation 2 can meet the EPCglobal community’s end-user requirements. The organization adds that ratification also demonstrates that intellectual property presented on a licensed basis during the standards development process was not necessary to the standard. Commercially available products are expected the first half of 2005. December 27, 2004. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. announced it has become a principal member of the WiMAX Forum. This confirms Samsung's commitment to WiMAX that promotes and certifies the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products based on the IEEE 802.16 standards. By joining the WiMAX Forum, Samsung Electronics has the opportunity to promote and contribute to the WiMAX Forum in expanding its scope into the mobile broadband wireless by bringing its expertise and capabilities in mobility and advanced wireless broadband technology to WiMAX. Samsung Electronics has significantly contributed to the IEEE 802.16 standards and the Korean WiBro (Wireless Broadband) initiative. Samsung has been developing IEEE 802.16e based products for the commercialization in Korea by the first half of 2006 and for the delivery of WiMAX Forum Certified products to the global market. December 23, 2004. Atlanta-based Discrete Wireless, Inc. announced that the Company has launched it’s new MARCUS® 6 GPS Fleet Management Application for commercial use for new and existing customers. The new MARCUS® 6 application, which is web-hosted, combines a feature set that is based upon a compilation of feedback and suggestions from existing Discrete Wireless business customers. The new MARCUS® 6 GPS Fleet Management Application has the most comprehensive suite of features and tools in the industry. New components include point to point routing with driving directions, dispatch and messaging, automated report delivery and vehicle maintenance. Enhanced features include new mapping, a user-defined location radius, route playback, new reports and additional real-time alerts. December 23, 2004. Iris Corporation Bhd has launched Vision Palm, a handheld computer designed by Italian firm Cydid Italia SRL that could help the visually-impaired and perhaps even replace guide dogs. The handheld PC is equipped with a GPS (global positioning system) receiver and a detachable microcamera. It comes bundled with facial and textual recognition software, and also an elementary form of "people recognition and obstacle detection," Cydid claimed. “It uses existing technologies like GPS and converts text data to voice. It will help the visually-impaired move better by using the power of a microprocessor, camera and computer," said Iris managing director Datuk Tan Say Jim. “The camera stores maps and images. It will tell the person where to go and is able to identify a person,” he told reporters earlier this week. December 22, 2004. Radio frequency identification (RFID) systems provider SmartCode has integrated cellular data capabilities into one of its UHF readers. The additional capabilities, says SmartCode, means that the reader can be deployed even where there is no LAN connectivity to link it to a corporate network. The new reader can operate worldwide at 900 MHz, 1.8 GHz and 1.9 GHz and on GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and CDMA-1X voice and data cellular networks. GRPS operates on GSM cellular systems, which have been deployed worldwide; the data transmission rate over a GPRS network ranges from 9.6 to 155 kilobits per second. CDMA-1X systems, which offer a peak data rate of 153 kbps, are prominent primarily in the U.S. and South Korea. Data services from wireless carriers generally charge at a rate based on the kilobytes of data transmitted, and SmartCode maintains that its readers can be added to corporate wireless accounts. December 21, 2004. Satelinx International Inc., a global provider of satellite vehicle tracking, announced that the company has signed a distribution agreement with Ultracar, one of Montreal's prominent auto modification companies, which caters to high end vehicle owners. Under the terms of the distribution agreement, Ultracar will sell and install the units and expects to distribute a minimum of 400 tracking units in 2005 representing sales of $200,000 USD in the first year and yearly recurring revenues of $78,000 USD. Once all technical training is completed, Ultracar will become the second Premium Installation facility in Canada. December 21, 2004. Trimble announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Pacific Crest Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif., in a cash transaction. Pacific Crest is a leading supplier of wireless data communication systems for positioning and environmental monitoring applications. Pacific Crest’s high-quality radio modems provide the necessary data link to increase GPS accuracy. Applications that can take advantage of wireless communications for precision performance include Real-time Kinematic (RTK) surveying and construction machine control for earthmoving operations. Trimble expects the Pacific Crest acquisition to further enhance its wireless data communications capabilities in the Engineering and Construction (E&C) business segment. December 21, 2004. Nokia has introduced a one-touch system that will allow workers outside the office to connect to their back-office systems. The Nokia Field Force Solution consists of the Nokia Local Interactions Server and client software, based on J2EE technology, which work with the company's mobile RFID. By simply touching RFID tags on objects, such as meters or other pieces of equipment, field service personnel using one of three RFID-enabled phones from Nokia can initiate a real-time information exchange. Data is sent either as a text message or via GPRS from the handset via the Local Interactions Server platform to enterprise back-end systems, which manage work scheduling, task management and other database information services. December 21, 2004. IntelliTrack Inc. announces the release of its new RFID Slap & Ship software package. IntelliTrack RFID Slap & Ship is a turn-key RFID compliance solution that will allow enterprises to immediately conform to current and emerging RFID standards. With this simple to implement and easy to use application, a warehouse can immediately begin shipping cases and pallets that are correctly labeled with EPC compliant SGTIN and SSCC SmartLabels. Key features of the system include the ability to generate EPC compliant Global Trade Identification Numbers (GTIN), easy integration with existing pack, ship and put away processes, and RFID tag validation to insure that any defective tags are caught prior to shipment. As orders are built, case and pallet serial numbers are associated and stored in the system to preserve a record of what product was selected for an order and how it was shipped. Throughout the system the user has the ability to associate transactions with existing orders and customers, giving RFID Slap & Ship the ability to product Advance Shipping Notification (ASN) documents and integrate with ERP and accounting systems. December 21, 2004. Laser-Scan announced that starting in 2005 they will extend their support for all Ordnance Survey Great Britain (OS) customers migrating to OS MasterMap. In November 2001 Ordnance Survey launched the definitive digital map of Great Britain called OS MasterMap. It is an intelligent digital map designed for use with geographical information systems and databases. It depicts the real-world digitally and presents this comprehensive, advanced information as themes in a series of layers, each layer carrying millions of features. Each feature has its own unique identifier or TOID® - a 16-digit reference number that can be shared with other users across different applications and systems. This allows easy data association and greater accuracy, focusing on real-world objects on the map. Laser-Scan software tools and solutions were originally used to manage the data quality assurance aspects of the OS LandLine® to OS MasterMap re-engineering exercise. The same topology engine that was used to process the original 440million features is now available in an Oracle spatial environment through Laser-Scan’s Radius Topology product. Additionally, the original topology engine is being used to help build the Integrated Transport Network (ITN) layer for OS MasterMap. December 21, 2004. GfK MACON's digital maps of Taiwan have been updated to reflect the latest 2004 status. For the first time ever the 365 3-digit postcode areas are now available. Moreover the map set includes the administrative boundaries of 25 counties and 369 districts. All areas have been completely attributed in Chinese as well as the phonetic transliteration Hanyu Pinyin. Additional topographic maps such as city points, urbanized areas, rivers and lakes, motorways and national highways, railway lines, airports and elevation complete the map set. December 20, 2004. Intermap Technologies announced a contour dataset derived from and designed to complement its family of NEXTMap Britain digital elevation models. Already the most accurate nationwide height survey of Britain, the contour dataset will be of particular interest to engineers and planners who need to be able to present projects in hard copy format and visualise the shape of the terrain over large areas without obscuring underlying mapping. Contours are essentially a 2D representation of 3D data, so in a plan view it is very easy to see what is happening with the terrain. Engineers using CAD systems may well find NEXTMap Britain contours easier to use than 3D gridded data. For hard copy maps and presentations, contours are still the most effective way of displaying the rise and fall of the land. Whilst the latest 3D software allows terrain data to be combined with aerial photography to provide a real-world viewing experience, contours still have a valuable part to play. Derived from the NEXTMap Britain DTM (Digital Terrain Model) and already in use by a number of local authorities, the contours are resolved at 5-metre intervals and quality assured using various techniques and other datasets such as aerial photography to ensure the highest accuracy. The underlying NEXTMap Britain data is accurate enough to produce a more accurate 2-metre interval contour dataset, which may become available should there be sufficient demand in the future. December 20, 2004. Xybernaut Corporation announced it has been granted two new patents for leaving and retrieving messages and data of all types at specific locations -- such as coordinate waypoints -- within a commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) provider network or other networks. The patent, called "Way Point" (coordinate location), describes the technology for directing messages or information to a specific location or a pre-determined distance surrounding a location. The information, which could be personalized for individuals or organizations, could be any type of information, including voice messages, audio, video, animation, Web sites, documents, text or e-mail. Xybernaut Way Point patents are recognized in numerous countries and cover a wide variety of potential business and consumer applications. Examples of business applications would be direct marketing, one-to-one marketing, field force automation, asset management and electronic commerce. Consumer applications might be emergency response; locating a missing person; notifying drivers of dangers before they approach an accident scene or road hazard; notifying consumers of discounts near a retail outlet; tracking military troop movement, or notifying travelers of the location of a favorite type of restaurant. December 20, 2004. Cobra Electronics announced its 2005 microTALK GMRS/FRS two-way radio product line with extended ranges on all models, including its top-of-the-line model, the PR 4700 WX, which will feature a 12-mile range. Building upon its award-winning heritage of intuitively designed and solid performing products, Cobra's 2005 line has also been enhanced with an extended communication range of up to 4, 8 and 10 miles. As the first and only two-way radio on the market with 22 channels and 38 privacy codes, as well as 83 DCS codes which will allow a total of 2,662privacy combinations, the PR 4700 WX offers users unparalleled privacy codeoptions. The 4, 8, and 10-mile range two-way radios will include 22 channelswith 38 privacy codes for a total of 836 privacy combinations. December 20, 2004. MapInfo Corporation, a leading global provider of location intelligence solutions, announced that its next generation E9-1-1 solution is the first submission to successfully complete Future Path Plan Compliance Review by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA). This Internet Protocol (IP)-based E9-1-1 solution was developed by MapInfo in conjunction with SIPquest, GeoComm and others, and has been awarded a "Conditionally Compliant" rating by NENA. According to NENA, the system will be eligible to receive a fully "Compliant" rating upon the successful production of operations and maintenance documentation through a pilot program. December 19, 2004. EPCglobal Inc. gave industry executives involved in radio frequency identification projects a much anticipated holiday gift Thursday evening when the nonprofit organization chartered to drive standards for RFID technology reported its 15 member board has approved the EPCglobal UHF Generation 2 specification. The decision marks a milestone for the industry group that chaired the standard based on consensus from more than 60 technology companies and government agencies worldwide. The UHF Gen 2 standard will provide the platform on which future products for passive RFID technology are built. “The process was tough, but it forced many productive discussions and in the end everyone wanted a converged standard that users know is interoperable,” says Mike Meranda, president of EPCglobal U.S. December 18, 2004. A world record was set at the research laboratories of the Siemens Communications Group. For the first time, data were transferred in real time via mobile communication at a speed of one gigabit per second (Gbit/s). By comparison: WLAN networks presently offer the fastest wireless links to mobile devices at speeds of around 50 MBit/s. In order to achieve its record-setting high speed, Siemens combined an "intelligent antenna system" consisting of three transmitting and four receiving antennas with Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). Researchers consider these technologies, which are especially efficient at using the frequency band, to be highly promising modules for the mobile communication generation beyond W-CDMA. December 17, 2004. ACR Electronics, Inc., the world leader in safety and survival technologies, has announced it has received FCC approvals for the TerraFix 406 GPS, its newest generation Personal Locator Beacon targeted to provide outdoor enthusiasts with the smallest and most functional PLB available in the world. ACR has developed two models -- the TerraFix 406 GPS I and the TerraFix 406 GPS I/O. Both versions are being shipped and will soon be available through retail outlets throughout North America. Both of ACR's new TerraFix 406 models will provide users with the ability to broadcast critical GPS coordinates, providing Search and Rescue crews with exact latitude and longitude, thereby increasing emergency response speed by pinpointing positioning within 100 meters (110 yards). December 17, 2004. Northport Systems, Inc., a leader in GPS mapping software and innovative GPS applications, announced that it has released FUGAWI Map of America, a new software program that brings all of the topographic maps of the continental United States to the home computer in one easy-to-use package, at an unbeatable price. The comprehensive application provides map viewing, printing and stunning 3D views, as well as GPS support. FUGAWI Map of America is also the only map software to come complete with pocket versions for both Palm OS and Pocket PC handheld devices. With official United States Geological Survey (USGS) maps incorporated, the new software is ideal for any household as a handy U.S. map reference, or for activities such as holiday and travel planning, hiking, mountain biking, mountain climbing, fishing, hunting, off road vehicle travel and motor-home traveling, as well as a host of educational and professional uses. December 17, 2004. Opera Software announced the BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless)-based Casio W21CA mobile phone with the Opera browser has shipped and is now available in Tokyo stores. This is the first phone deployed since Opera's agreement with KDDI in August, fulfilling their promise to deliver Opera's Web browser to KDDI's 3G network in Japan. The Casio W21CA, shipped today, makes Opera the first full Web browser active on the Japanese 3G network. KDDI is the second largest mobile operator in Japan with over seven million BREW phones shipped as of the end of November 2004. KDDI is providing next generation services and has chosen Opera to fulfill the promise of 3G capabilities. December 16, 2004. Sarantel, the leading global innovator in the design and manufacture of proprietary miniature antennas for portable and wireless devices, has been chosen by Alltigo to provide its GeoHelix Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna in a new Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) enabled asset management tagging solution. The Alltigo LT100 allows businesses to monitor and track assets by using GPS to identify the location of the tag and mobile network infrastructure to forward that location information to a wireless device or location-enabled enterprise system. The Sarantel antenna was selected because of its superior GPS reception, which boosts performance and enables the LT100 to deliver highly accurate location positioning. Most existing asset management solutions suffer from traditional GPS limitations whereby the satellite signal can be detected only if there is a clear view to the sky. This means that businesses are unable to consistently identify the location of its staff, vehicles or assets. The LT100 addresses this issue with an embedded A-GPS system supported by unique AAGPS (Adaptive Assisted GPS) functionality and the Sarantel antenna, enabling it to locate its position from inside buildings, urban canyons or even under heavy foliage. Besides obtaining the device's current location, the user is able to obtain previous locations from a history log, effectively tracking the continuous movement of assets. A Java application, Location Tag Monitor, is used to monitor and track the location tags. December 16, 2004. ROAMING MESSENGER announced that process control products and services firm, Caltrol, Inc., has deployed the ROAMING MESSENGER product to extend customer service and workflow processes to its mobile employees. Caltrol's first use of the ROAMING MESSENGER technology is to provide time-critical, roaming, self escalating notification of critical customer service issues during non-business hours. The assurance of delivery, timeliness, and accurate routing of these notifications to the appropriate service technician is critical to providing Caltrol's customers with excellent customer service and meeting Caltrol's service level agreement (SLA) commitments to its customers. Caltrol's multitude of sales engineers and service technicians can now be contacted via ROAMING MESSENGER technology on any of their wired or wireless devices, no matter where they are. In order for service technicians to be contacted in the minimal amount of time, ROAMING MESSENGER notifications attempt to reach the technician by roaming through their various personal devices, such as cell phone, PDA, wireless laptop and wired computers to deliver critical information regarding Caltrol's client service requests. December 16, 2004. Agility Healthcare Solutions has released AgileTrac 2.0, its Web-based, radio frequency identification-enabled equipment management system that can be applied to other healthcare facility needs, including patient tracking and surgical-instrument management. Agility's AgileTrac 2.0 is the only equipment management solution in the healthcare industry that integrates comprehensive functionality into handheld RFID readers. AgileTrac 2.0 introduces the addition of tools to manage daily rental equipment not owned by the healthcare facility or managed by Agility, an enhanced Web front-end for better system usability and navigation, and a full e-mail alert system to allow healthcare facilities to respond more effectively to corporate governance including mandates for operational visibility. December 16, 2004. Yahoo! Inc., a leading global Internet company, today announced the launch of a service that lets consumers view live local traffic information on their online maps and driving directions. Yahoo! is the first online site to provide speed conditions and dynamic traffic information nationwide. The new mapping feature will initially be integrated in Yahoo! Search, Yahoo! Local, and Yahoo! Maps -- and is available to consumers at http://maps.yahoo.com. In the coming months, Yahoo! will continue to develop additional enhancements that increase the functionality and power of its mapping and traffic technology to deliver on its vision of delivering the best local search experience online. Online map usage has grown 60 percent during the last two years (Nielsen NetRatings, October 2004), and products are becoming more advanced with technology like Yahoo!'s innovative SmartView service. In line with this increase in consumer demand online, the new Yahoo! traffic solution provides users with the best way to reach their destinations by incorporating reliable information for over 70 metropolitan areas in the U.S. December 16, 2004. TruePosition Inc., a leading provider of location-based technologies and solutions, announced an agreement to provide its Finder wireless location system to WestLink Communications. TruePosition's solution will help the Kansas-based wireless carrier affordably meet the Federal Communications Commission's E-911 Phase II mandate as well as enable WestLink's network for future location-based services (LBS). Deployment of TruePosition's solution throughout WestLink's GSM network is scheduled to begin in early 2005. WestLink's wireless footprint covers more than 5,000 square miles in their predominately rural market. Location- enabling such a network both for the purposes of consumer safety and for LBS presented the carrier with significant challenges. December 16, 2004. Motorola, Inc. announced that it has reached an agreement with Nextel Communications Inc. to extend its iDEN infrastructure and iDEN subscriber supply agreements for a period of three years from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2007. Terms of the existing iDEN infrastructure supply agreement that are being extended includes those relating to base station equipment, core network equipment, plus software and hardware maintenance and support services necessary to expand, upgrade and support Nextel's nationwide iDEN based network. The extension of the iDEN subscriber supply agreement includes pricing and other terms relating to current and proposed new handset models for Nextel, including handset models to be marketed under Nextel's youth- lifestyle brand, Boost Mobile. December 16, 2004. Mobile GPS Online, a mobile GPS products and services firm located in Ottawa, Canada, announced the release of GPSTrack Standard Version 4.0.0. GPSTrack is a powerful yet low-cost vehicle tracking and management system. GPSTrack version 4.0.0 is a combination of the GPSTrackP software for GPS passive tracking and GPSTrackRT software for real time tracking. It has all functions and features of GPSTrackP and GPSTrackRT. With the combination, fleet managers will have more power and flexibility to manage and track their vehicles on sites. For different tracking purpose, GPSTrack can be configured to use different GPS trackers for real time tracking and also GPS data loggers for passive tracking. For real time tracking GPSTrack version 4.0.0 supports the TrimTrac™ Locator and eTrac 2120 GSM/GPRS GPS Tracker. TrimTrac is an easy to use, portable, very cost-effective GPS tracking unit from Trimble. eTrac 2120 is a powerful GPS tracking devices based on GSM/GPRS network. December 15, 2004. WaveSat this week began shipping a chip it claims is the first to comply fully with the IEEE 802.16-2004 wireless broadband standard, commonly known as WiMax. The DM256 chip is now shipping in sample quantities and is expected to be available in volume in January, according to Francois Draper, vice president of sales and marketing at WaveSat. The chip will become a component of systems costing around $250 to $300 that should begin shipping in the second quarter of next year, he said. In its first incarnation, defined by the IEEE 802.16-2004 standard, WiMax is intended as a fixed wireless broadband technology for homes and businesses, capable of delivering speeds comparable to current wired broadband. A later version expected in 2007, based on the emerging IEEE 802.16e specification, will allow for mobile broadband services. December 15, 2004. Satelinx International Inc., a global provider of satellite vehicle tracking, announced that AXA Insurance has formally approved the Satelinx Vehicle Tracking device and are now starting to recommend it to their automobile insurance customers. "The idea behind an insurance company such as AXA recommending to its customers to install our device in their vehicle is very simple. Vehicles equipped with Satelinx are not only very difficult to steal, but in the event the vehicle is stolen, we can track and recover it in real-time, even performing a remote shut-down of the engine." Said Sam Grinfeld, President, Satelinx International Inc. "Customers opting for this complete vehicle security system also benefit since they can receive premium discount that can be as high as 35%." Further added Mr. Grinfled. December 15, 2004. Sprint and Nextel announced their intention to merge, forming a network embracing 35.4 million subscribers and reducing Americans' national mobile network options to four: Cingular, Verizon, Sprint Nextel ("Sprextel") and T-Mobile. After completing the merger in late 2005, the two companies would spin off Sprint's local phone service to become all mobile, all the time. By pairing up with Sprint, Nextel finds a way out of its current technology dead-end. Nextel phones run on iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network), which has no clear upgrade path to the high-speed data services, the likely future path for mobile phone companies. Nextel's been testing out Flarion's Flash-OFDM (a 10-word acronym) high-speed data system in North Carolina, but up until now the company said it wouldn't open up any kind of national high-speed network until the end of 2006 at the earliest - a full year behind Sprint, Verizon and Cingular. December 15, 2004. GeoLogic Solutions, the industry's first company to offer a mobile communications and tracking system that combines satellite and terrestrial networks into a single intelligent solution, announced that Kansas City-based TransAm Trucking will equip its fleet of nearly 1,000 trucks with the company's MobileMax Multi-Mode communications system. A GeoLogic Solutions customer for nearly ten years, (with the Pro2000 mobile communications system, a predecessor of MobileMax), TransAm felt it was time to re-evaluate the entire mobile communications market since so many changes had been made in the wireless industry in the past decade. After a very thorough evaluation process, the MobileMax solution was selected as the communications system best suited for TransAm. The primary decision was based on the system's multi-mode functionality--the ability to automatically switch between satellite and terrestrial services. December 15, 2004. Pharos Science & Applications, Inc., a leading manufacturer of GPS navigation products and provider of location-based services, has introduced the EZ-Road Pocket GPS Navigator -- a low-cost, portable, touch-screen vehicle navigation device for consumers and mobile professionals. "EZ-Road goes everywhere you do, helping you navigate streets and highways anywhere in the US with confidence. It's so thin and light, you can slip the 4.2-ounce EZ-Road in your pocket, purse or briefcase. Once in your car, just place the EZ-Road on its windshield or dashboard mount and go," states Pharos' Vice President of Sales Robert Serafini. Using GPS satellites and digital street maps, EZ-Road pinpoints the driver's location. Drivers can program destinations by address, intersection, favorites or from a large Points-of-Interest library (POIs include public, government and commercial venues ranging from hotels, gas stations and restaurants to ATMs, hospitals, airports and more), and then set a route allowing EZ-Road to guide them to their destination. December 14, 2004. Airespace, Inc., the leader in intelligent WLAN systems, announced that it is working with Microsoft's Network Access Protection technologies to further enterprise wireless security. With Network Access Protection, network administrators can easily enforce enterprise-wide policies that control how and when users access a corporate network. By integrating this capability into Airespace's award-winning WLAN system, enterprises will have a complete solution for wireless protection, covering everything from authentication and encryption to client integrity checking and application-based network control. December 14, 2004. AeroScout, Inc., a pioneer in the field of Enterprise Visibility Solutions, announced the AeroScout Visibility System (AVS), an integrated suite of hardware and software products based around the company's new AeroScout Engine 3.0. AVS is the industry's most flexible and complete solution for Wi-Fi-based visibility of assets and people, and the only solution to enable three different location types as well as telemetry functionality, to fit all user application needs. AVS is a flexible set of hardware and software products that utilize standard Wi-Fi networks to accurately locate and identify assets or people in indoor and outdoor environments. At the foundation of the system lies the new AeroScout Engine 3.0, the core server-based software that provides location and telemetry processing based on data collected over standard wireless radio frequencies. With the release of version 3.0, the AeroScout Engine has added innovative, new and improved features that bring unparalleled capabilities to users. December 14, 2004. NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, has been selected by SIRIUS Satellite Radio, a premium satellite radio provider known for delivering compelling commercial-free music and sports programming to cars and homes across the country, as the traffic data provider for the SIRIUS traffic service. SIRIUS' new service will provide consumers with regularly updated traffic information, such as accidents, scheduled road closings, traffic flow data or other traffic-related incidents to help them select the best available route. Traffic information will be integrated into new in-car navigation systems combining route guidance and mapping with traffic. December 14, 2004. More than a year has passed since terrestrial digital broadcasting services began a new TV era in Japan, with the services spreading to rural prefectures. During a recent demonstration of the service's potential during an emergency, the voice of an announcer sounded from a mobile phone in a shirt pocket. "This is a news bulletin. There was a strong earthquake in the Kanto region." The phone's liquid crystal screen automatically changed to a TV screen, and information appeared on the lower part. KDDI Corp. and Hitachi Ltd. have gotten together to develop this type of phone. The terminal is equipped with a global positioning system. "Linked with GPS, (broadcasters) can also automatically send information about the nearest shelter," said Tatsuo Shibata, deputy director of the media technology development department at KDDI. The developers want terrestrial digital broadcasting and mobile phone technology combined to send evacuation orders and disaster information during large-scale disasters. December 14, 2004. Nextel Communications Inc. and Yahoo! Inc., a leading global Internet company, announced a new relationship to offer Yahoo! Mobile Internet -- a suite of Yahoo! products and services, including e-mail, instant messaging, games and news content -- on Nextel handheld devices. The availability of core Yahoo! services will allow Nextel customers to take advantage of Yahoo!'s wireless messaging capabilities to stay connected and informed while on the go anywhere on Nextel's nationwide network. December 14, 2004. Cornice Inc., an innovator in compact, high-capacity storage, announced that Samsung Electronics has selected the 1.5-gigabyte Cornice Storage Element for its new SPH-V5400 mobile phone. As the first mobile phone with an embedded storage solution, Samsung's SPH-V5400 represents an entirely new class of mobile phone technology capable of storing hundreds of MP3 files and thousands of images, as well as downloading video content. The Samsung agreement marks the fourth time Cornice has partnered with a world-class consumer electronics manufacturer to deliver industry-first products with storage capabilities that set new standards for capacity, function and value. Prior to mobile phones, the Cornice Storage Element was embedded in the first "pocketable" MP3, USB and GPS products ever introduced. December 14, 2004. MTI MicroFuel Cells Inc. announced that an industrial product powered by a micro fuel cell has started shipping. MTI's fuel cell is being used in a portable radio frequency identification (RFID) reader manufactured by Intermec Technologies Corp. of Everett, Wash. Fewer than a thousand units will be shipped, but MTI officials called it a landmark as companies race to create a fuel cell that could eventually be used in consumer products like laptops and cell phones. MTI's fuel cells rely on a tiny flow of methanol to generate electricity. Fuel cells being developed by MTI and other companies are supposed to last around five times longer than standard batteries. December 14, 2004. Nextel Communications Inc. and Research In Motion (RIM) have announced the BlackBerry 7520 Wireless Handheld. The BlackBerry 7520 features Bluetooth technology for hands-free, wireless communications using Bluetooth-enabled headsets and car kits. It also incorporates GPS technology with E911 support. The BlackBerry 7520 provides mobile office, enabling phone, Direct Connect, email and data applications in a single integrated device. The new model also features an enhanced attachment viewing that allows users to view and store JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG and TIFF files and save images directly from attachments. It also comes with an increased memory, now with 32 MB flash memory plus 4 MB SRAM to provide a bigger storage for data and applications. When used on Nextel's network the new Blackberry 7520 integrates with Direct Connect, the push-to-talk service offered by Nextel. The GPS is designed to help police, fire and rescue to determine device location in the event of an emergency (E9111 support). December 14, 2004. Research In Motion (RIM) is working with members of the BlackBerry ISV Alliance Program to enable location-enhanced applications for the BlackBerry platform. With the addition of GPS support to the BlackBerry platform, various ISVs have begun to create mobile applications for BlackBerry that leverage navigation, location and tracking information. "The addition of location-based services to the BlackBerry wireless platform is extending the value of BlackBerry to a broader range of applications and opening new opportunities with corporate and government customers," said Mark Guibert, Vice President, Corporate Marketing at Research In Motion. "We are pleased to report that application development efforts are already underway in areas such as supply chain and delivery management, field service automation, continuity planning and navigation services." December 13, 2004. Ubisense, a developer of tracking systems that use ultra-wideband (UWB) RFID technology to create indoor, real-time location positioning systems, has received certification from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Since its founding in 2002, the company has been developing its UWB technology and its products are being used, under a pre-marketing agreement that does not require FCC certification, for research projects at 20 research institutions around the world. Now that the company has gained FCC certification by proving that its UWB products function within the appropriate band and work in the manner in which they are intended, Ubisense can sell its products in the U.S. Unlike conventional RFID systems, which operate on single bands of the radio spectrum, UWB transmits a signal over multiple bands of frequencies simultaneously, from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. UWB signals are also transmitted for a much shorter duration than those used in conventional RFID. UWB tags consume less power than conventional RF tags and can operate across a broad area of the radio spectrum. UWB can be used in close proximity to other RF signals without causing or suffering from interference because of the differences in signal types and radio spectrum used. December 13, 2004. Staccato Communications Inc. says it has successfully demonstrated the first single-chip, all-CMOS ultra wideband radio that complies with the Multiband-OFDM Alliance's physical-layer specifications. Scheduled to sample by the end of the first quarter, the chip comprises an RF front end with base band processing. According to the company, it has been shown to operate at the full 480-Mbit/second MBOA-specified data rate. December 13, 2004. Pulse~LINK, Inc. announced that it has achieved the highest data rates ever transmitted and received for Ultra Wideband (UWB) wireless communications, demonstrating 667 Mbps ofthroughput after forward error correction. The new high-speed chipsetarchitecture, capable of surpassing one Gigabit, presents CE manufacturerswith DVI, HDMI and 1394b cable replacement opportunities for interconnectivity of high-end multimedia devices and wireless streaming of HDTV. December 13, 2004. NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital maps for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, is now offering detailed coverage for all of France. With the completion of a full detailed coverage map of France, NAVTEQ has achieved the milestone of driven verification of the country's roadways. The full detailed map of France is currently available to NAVTEQ's business customers for integration into consumer applications. NAVTEQ's full detailed coverage map of France now includes: December 13, 2004. As the Federal Communications Commission prepares to hammer another nail in the coffin of AT&T's efforts to compete in local-landline telephony markets, the long-distance company has begun to reveal the fruits of its R&D deal with Intel. The companies are focusing on WiMAX for much of their cooperative efforts. AT&T is assisting Intel to develop the semiconductor firm's Roseville family of WiMAX chips scheduled for release next year. As AT&T has retreated from consumer landline-telephone markets, it has increasingly directed its attention to voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and WiMAX, the wireless wide-area technology. Intel has already made known its determination to remain in the vanguard of the emerging WiMAX technology, and AT&T is looking at WiMAX as an end-run around the former Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) that are beginning to raise the rates they charge AT&T and other long-distance companies, including MCI, to connect to their local networks. December 13, 2004. Blue Marble Geographics announces the release of a new version of the world’s most recognized coordinate conversion software, the Geographic Calculator 6.2. Blue Marble has been writing GIS software tools and solutions for over 11 years. The calculator is used world wide by thousands of basic to advanced GIS analysts at universities, oil and gas companies, civil engineering, surveying, technology, enterprise GIS groups, and military organizations. Version 6.2 is available free to customers with active annual support agreements. December 13, 2004. Atmel Corporation and Thales navigation business have signed a technology agreement, under which the two companies will partner in the development and marketing of state-of-the-art global positioning system (GPS) chipsets, sub-systems and associated software. Under the agreement Atmel will sell a GPS chipset solution currently used in the Magellan(R) eXplorist recreational GPS handheld from Thales which was jointly developed by Atmel and Thales. The two companies expect that the combination of Thales’ GPS expertise and Atmel’s manufacturing acumen will allow them to offer superior GPS chipset solutions at ultra-competitive prices. Atmel expects to offer a variety of GPS chipsets by mid 2005. December 10, 2004. National mapping agency, Ordnance Survey recently offered utility companies the chance to see how Global Positioning Systems (GPS) could benefit them at a special demonstration in London. Among those attending were representatives from Thames Water, Southern Water, South East Water and BT. They worked with surveyors to see how the advanced data collection technology could pinpoint a specific location within just a few centimeters, providing a valuable tool for managing and positioning assets. The benefits of this shovel-width accuracy are clear - with improved efficiencies in asset capture and maintenance, work can be carried out more effectively and costs can be reduced. Ordnance Survey realizes the business need for such precision. A civilian using GPS will normally accept an accuracy of around 10 meters. This can be increased through a technique called Differential GPS (DGPS), whereby extra information is sent to the user's GPS receiver to cancel out most of the error sources. Traditionally, a user would establish their own GPS base station infrastructure to carry out this task, adding time and cost to the operation. However, Ordnance Survey links together a network of 55 permanent GPS base stations covering most of England, to provide a 'regional' model of corrections for this entire area. The system works by sending raw GPS data from the network in real-time to Ordnance Survey head office in Southampton where the correction model is generated. The user dials into this server using a mobile phone, relaying their approximate position. The server then returns the GPS correction tailored to their location, enabling the more precise positioning expected from Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS, a three-dimensional 1-2 cm location. December 10, 2004. CareGroup Healthcare System has skipped a step involved in implementing most radio frequency identification-based tracking applications. The Boston-based provider organization didn't install new receivers to catch signals from RFID sensors used with its tracking application from Framingham, Mass.-based PanGo Networks Inc. Instead, it's tracking the sensors via the access points in its existing Wi-Fi network. "We're tracking RFID tags over wireless network technology we already have in the building to save on capital," explains John Halamka, M.D., CIO. December 10, 2004. A hybrid technology approach is going to be needed to enable mobile phone location to work everywhere and be accurate, according to speakers at the European Emergency Number Association 112 conference. Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) satellite-based location technology is considered by all to be the basic technology which will then be combined with another technology to provide the required accuracy in both urban and rural environments. December 10, 2004. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., best known for its Panasonic brand products, has announced a new member of the v Maicovicon, Panasonic's next-generation image sensor family for mobile devices. By successfully reducing the individual pixel size to 2.2-micron square, the smallest in the industry to date, the new sensor is capable of arranging 3 megapixels on a single chip with a 1/3.2-inch optical format (image diagonal of 5.6 mm). With this new addition, the v Maicovicon family now offers three types of image sensors including a diagonal 5.6 mm (Type 1/3.2) 2-megapixel and diagonal 4.5 mm (Type 1/4) 1.3-megapixel image sensors. This latest sensor enables to make mobile phones smaller and thinner with improved picture quality and less power consumption. Stores now offer printout services for camera-phone pictures and there is real demand for better picture quality. Achieving a greater pixel count means the new 3-megapixel sensor reproduces clearer images that can be enlarged without compromising picture quality. December 10, 2004. WiFi Wireless, Inc. announced that they had contracted with AValon RF, Inc. to design and produce its first generation wireless terrestrial "last mile" mobile UHF, narrow band, high data rate, 802.22 based solution for it's global communication network. WiFi Wireless' network, through its proprietary IP, will offer the following advantages: December 9, 2004. nex-G Systems Pte Ltd, a global provider of carrier class, wireless broadband solutions, introduces its WiMAX platform Horizon, based on the IEEE 802.16-2004 standards, incorporating early 802.16e mobility features. The nex-G WiMAX portfolio includes cost-effective, carrier class, outdoor subscriber units, base stations and backhaul solutions, designed to meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's wireless broadband applications. The Horizon Base Station, with up to 16 sectors, is a resilient, telco-class solution capable of supporting simultaneous connection for up to 16,000 subscribers. December 9, 2004. TOPCON has announced a combination of GPS and laser technology that will provide machine control accuracy to within a few millimeters - allowing a single system to control all aspects of an earthmoving project from initial excavation down to final finishing. Known as “Millimeter-GPS”, the new laser technology provides an enhancement in the vertical measuring precision of real-time kinematics (RTK) GPS. It will be released in Australia in Q4 of 2004. The new technology, known as LazerZone, can be combined with any Topcon RTK GPS+ system to generate a vertical accuracy to within a few millimeters, compared with the centimeter vertical accuracy of conventional RTK GPS. December 9, 2004. MobiMate announces the release of the all new and improved WorldMate(R) Professional Edition 2005 for Palm, Pocket PC and Desktop platforms, which offers travelers and corporate travel planners enhanced itinerary and trip management capabilities, cross-platform synchronization and pre-planning and en-route travel itinerary updating features. WorldMate users with Palm and Pocket PC devices are now able to collaborate with the all new Desktop version and receive over-the-air (OTA) updates whenever a change is made to an itinerary. WorldMate's Desktop Companion also enables users to send these saved itineraries from WorldMate to anyone on the Web via email as WMI file attachments. December 8, 2004. Netistix Technologies Corp., a Kanata, Ont.-based startup, has a fleet management system called FleetPulse that doesn't track vehicle location. Instead, it uses Wi-Fi access points to collect information to help maintain and manage vehicles. FleetPulse can report on how fast a vehicle is driven, how sharply it brakes and accelerates, how much it idles and how much fuel it uses, says John Woronczuk, the company's vice-president of marketing and sales. It can also measure emissions, and it ties into the vehicle's on-board diagnostic system, which is the thing that activates warning lights. Behind those lights is a long list of diagnostic codes, which mechanics read with a computerized sensor to find out what's wrong when the warning light comes on. Netistix's device plugs into the connector for this system and reports those codes to a central system, which makes them accessible through a Web browser. Not only does FleetPulse report the error code if the warning light comes on, Woronczuk says, but it also reports "pending codes," or problems not yet severe enough to trigger the warning light. December 8, 2004. AeroScout, Inc., a pioneer in the field of Enterprise Visibility Solutions, announced the AeroScout Visibility System (AVS), an integrated suite of hardware and software products based around the company's new AeroScout Engine 3.0. AVS is the industry's most flexible and complete solution for Wi-Fi-based visibility of assets and people, and the only solution to enable three different location types as well as telemetry functionality, to fit all user application needs. AVS is a flexible set of hardware and software products that utilize standard Wi-Fi networks to accurately locate and identify assets or people in indoor and outdoor environments. At the foundation of the system lies the new AeroScout Engine 3.0, the core server-based software that provides location and telemetry processing based on data collected over standard wireless radio frequencies. December 8, 2004. German software vendor Derdack has released XMS Access Manager, an innovative and brand-new product allowing mobile operators to open their SMSC and MMSC infrastructure to third party business. Mobile messaging services are a very promising and essential revenue source for mobile operators. Leveraging third party SMS and MMS services is playing an increasingly important role. By opening their SMSCs and MMSCs to third parties, mobile operators can now look forward to a broader range of customer-orientated applications, value-added services and a shorter time-to-market for revenue. With XMS Access Manager mobile operators significantly increase the attractiveness of their SMS and MMS services and messaging revenues. XMS Access Manager runs as a gateway and shield between the SMSC or MMSC of the mobile operator and any third party business. It both manages all third party access and message traffic and combines performance, scability, reliability and convenient system management. Furthermore, the software provides a rich set of convenient messaging APIs. XMS Acess Manager is a compact but comprehensive off-the-shelf solution for leveraging the innovative potential of third party application developers and content providers. December 8, 2004. Tourists and business people visiting New Zealand or in fact anyone with PDA's or Smartphones now have easy access to a wide range of interactive maps developed by New Zealand's premier geospatial solution provider, GeoSmart Limited. These maps will display on both Palm and Pocket PC platforms loaded with the popular HandMap application. HandMap transforms a PDA into a full-featured atlas with searchable street information as well as a lot of details such as parks, rivers, and other landmarks in addition to emergency locations such as hospitals. You can zoom in for more detail, or pan out for the bigger picture. GPS plug in software is available which when combined with compatible GPS hardware provides a 'You are here' solution and you can also set a destination which will prompt HandMap to point you in the right direction. December 7, 2004. AVL Global, Inc. announced that the Company reached an agreement with EVA, Enhanced Vehicle Applications LLC to provide existing customers with ongoing support and to work collectively on a mutually beneficial product development strategy. As of December 1st, 2004 EVA began supporting current non-GSM customers by acquiring existing servers, back-office, mapping engine, and tracking applications developed by AVL. Under the agreement AVL will assist EVA with customized back-office and website upgrades for its North American customer base, while exclusively allocating internal resources to the international GSM market.December 6, 2004. Trimble introduced a new embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for timing applications, the Resolution(TM) T receiver. With major advancements in performance, ease of integration, and software flexibility, the Resolution T receiver enables system integrators to add precise GPS or Universal Time Coordinate (UTC) time and synchronization to many products where cost or size had previously been a limitation. Precise timing and synchronization is vital to today's wireless infrastructure, efficiently controlling the flow of network information data to maximize the use of bandwidth. Backed by Trimble's more than 20 years of experience, innovation, and long-term commitment to the market, the Resolution T provides a low-cost, easy to use, highly accurate and reliable GPS timing source for the telecommunications, broadcast synchronization, power transmission and wireless industries. December 6, 2004. From developing new and productive ways toutilize office space to locating patients, medical staff and equipment inhospitals to managing innovative lighting for stage shows, Ubisense SmartSpace uses patented and patent pending technology to create an ultrawideband-based network inside a building capable of locating a person or object in three dimensions to within 6 inches in real-time. The devices comprising the platform today received certification from the Federal Communications Commission to operate in the United States. While traditional radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is becoming the standard for managing product manufacturing and the distribution supply chain of low cost items, Ubisense Smart Space takes location-based technologies to a new level, enabling automation of a space -- and everything in it. December 6, 2004. Air-Trak, Inc., a developer of the Cloudberry GPS tracking and communication system, announced that Vertrax has chosen Cloudberry as a foundation for its SmartTrax(TM) mobile resource management solution for the retail petroleum industry. Vertrax of New Haven, Conn., develops industry-specific solutions that integrate wireless communications, the Internet, GPS-location software, and end-user mapping and routing applications for effective management of mobile resources. Building vertical applications with Cloudberry's GPS tracking and communication system helps Vertrax to address the specific needs of the retail petroleum market, which includes monitoring the delivery of heating oil and propane gas. Cloudberry is a full-featured GPS tracking and communication system that supports both cellular and satellite networks. This guarantees an all-digital wireless network with 100% coverage, while minimizing airtime costs by using the lowest cost service available. Due to Cloudberry's open, XML-based Application Program Interface (API), data gathered from the field can be easily integrated into a back-end system for customized reporting. December 5, 2004. Freeance Direct will allow linking of industry standard databases that contain street addresses or coordinate locations and map these records directly to an ArcIMS service. No longer will organizations have to process, and reprocess GIS data layers when integrating database records into ArcIMS. Also, by removing the requirement for large, static GIS layers, the Web mapping application will maintain faster response times and its data will not become outdated. The introduction of Freeance Direct brings the power of direct database mapping to ArcIMS. This new extension for Freeance opens the possibilities of creating Web mapping sites that have dynamic map layers created on-the-fly from industry standard external database records such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Access, FoxPro, My SQL and others. Freeance Direct allows users to collect field data with handheld GPS receivers or GPS enabled cell phones and post these records directly to their ArcIMS site. Geographic coordinates are automatically converted by Freeance Direct to the proper ArcIMS GIS layer and coordinate system. This allows end-users to easily search these databases and physically map the results. Now, emergency management applications, that accept lat/long coordinates from GPS field readings, can map lat/long coordinates on-the-fly without compiling shape files. Users will be able to show storm damage, evacuation details, and utility outage points automatically. December 5, 2004. mmO2 and Lucent Technologies announced plans to deploy one of the world's first super-fast, converged fixed-mobile networks for mmO2's subsidiary, Manx Telecom, on the Isle of Man. The commercial third-generation (3G) UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) network -- which will incorporate super-fast HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) technology as well as Lucent's IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) solution -- will enable Manx Telecom to provide both wireless and wireline customers with "blended" mobile high-speed data, multimedia, and VoIP services. This HSDPA-enabled network will initially offer data speeds of 3.6 Megabits per second (Mbps) - a limitation of initial mobile device implementations - and ultimately will support data speeds of up to 14.4 Mbps. Lucent's IMS, a converged Internet Protocol-based core network solution that is part of Lucent's Accelerate(TM) Next-Generation Communications Solutions portfolio, will enable Manx Telecom to provide its customers with a wide array of compelling, multimedia services that can be delivered over both mobile and fixed networks. December 3, 2004. Auckland-based company Sandtracker claims to have produced a low-silicon chip that can be manufactured for around 6 cents. Many industry analysts believe that 5 cents is an appropriate economic price point that will drive wide-scale deployment of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Sandtracker says it has five companies "seriously trialling" its cheaper tags. One of these is sports-event software firm Codenz which is putting the tags on the running bibs of athletes to count and order them across finishing lines. Another is reported to be using RFID for more traditional crate and container management and security applications. RFIDs are thumbnail-sized microchips that are expected one day to replace traditional barcodes. RFIDs have no power source of their own. Rather the tag draws its power from an RFID reader when it comes in close proximity. Then the RFID tag broadcasts information about itself (or the product it is attached to) - i.e. where it's been, where it's going, and other information. December 2, 2004. Syniverse Technologies, a leading provider of mission-critical technology services to wireless telecommunication companies worldwide, and GPSTracks announced the launch of GlobalPetFinder to provide pet owners with the ability to remotely monitor their pets' location. As one of the world's only patented global positioning system (GPS) pet locater devices, GlobalPetFinder utilizes Syniverse's Mobile Device Control Services (Mobile DCS) to send an SMS identifying the pet's location directly to a mobile device such as a GSM mobile phone, pager or PDA. GlobalPetFinder allows the pet's owner to set safe boundaries within which the pet can roam and notifies the owner if the pet wanders outside of the boundary. The GlobalPetFinder device is worn as a collar, operates on three rechargeable AAA batteries and alerts the owner when the batteries are low. December 2, 2004. Ultradata Systems, Inc. announced it has completed development of its handheld voice recognition Road Genie Audio Navigation System, with first production units available in February. "This low-cost, easy-to-use highway travel product provides real benefits in price and simplicity," said Monte Ross, CEO of Ultradata. "It's quite easy to use. For example, when in the FOOD category, you just say 'McDonalds' and it responds, 'McDonalds, four miles, exit 165, east one mile.' It provides customized verbal directions at your request, it's simple to use, and it will retail for substantially less than $100." The handheld Road Genie will respond to voice input and provide voice output giving data on directions and driving time to services and towns across the continental U.S. It has over 80,000 services near highways and over 100,000 pre-programmed city to city directions that can be called up as needed by the user. December 2, 2004. Digital Angel Corporation, an advanced technology company in the field of rapid and accurate identification, location tracking and condition monitoring of high-value assets, announced that it had received an order from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the Company’s proprietary RFID (radiofrequency identification) traceability system to help the government’s ongoing effort to eradicate Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in captive cervids. December 2, 2004. WebTech Wireless, a leading fleet Telematics products and service provider, has agreed to acquire all of GlobeTrac's existing location-based and Telematics business in Europe. GlobeTrac Inc., was a provider of location-based and fleet Telematics services throughout Europe and now intends to seek new business opportunities. Europe's multi-billion dollar market represents a huge growth opportunity for WebTech. The London office offers business and technical services to the UK and Ireland. Opening an office in Milan has greatly enhanced WebTech's solution offering and market penetration on the European continent. GlobeTrac, which was a WebTech distributor, ceased all operations in Europe as of November 1st, 2004. This agreement allows WebTech to immediately provide monthly services using its web portal in eight languages to all existing and future European customers. December 1, 2004. Werner Enterprises, Inc., one of the nation's largest truckload transportation companies, will host a ceremony on Thursday, December 2, 2004 at which it will become the only trucking company in the United States to be granted an exemption from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) agency to utilize its Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to record drivers' hours-of-service (HOS). Werner Enterprises' drivers are allowed to document their hours-of-service using a GPS-based paperless logging system as a replacement for paper logs. The two-year exemption is a milestone for Werner Enterprises and the trucking industry. After six years of pilot-testing and monitoring Werner's use of this GPS technology application since June 1998, the FMCSA approved the exemption that no longer requires Werner drivers to prepare handwritten paper records of drive and work time. Based on this experience, FMCSA stated its belief that the exemption achieves a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, that provided by using the current paper log system. December 1, 2004. MapInfo announced the launch of MapInfo Gazetteer Management System (GMS) to facilitate the creation, maintenance and enterprise-wide sharing of Local Land and Property (LLPG) and Local Street (LSG) Gazetteers. Developed by MapInfo specifically for the UK BS7666 market, following extensive consultation with BS7666 users and experts, MapInfo GMS is the successor to MapInfo’s successful BS7666 Toolbox. While retaining the look and feel of the BS7666 Toolbox, MapInfo GMS is delivered through much more robust and interoperable technology, providing local authorities with the opportunity to realize the requirement for a single, central gazetteer. MapInfo GMS will provide a BS7666 compliant gazetteer, which other applications can access without restriction, putting live gazetteer data at the centre of corporate spatial data management. MapInfo GMS is a highly configurable system, which allows local LLPG custodians both to interpret BS7666 in their own way and to implement a potentially unlimited number of business rules that are specific to their local needs. MapInfo GMS scales from a single desktop to an entire organization, delivering true multi-user read and write access of spatial and non-spatial data to many users concurrently. December 1, 2004. Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless provider, announced plans to begin deploying the nation's fastest high-speed mobile wireless data network based on international standards. The third generation network will offer average data speeds between 400-700 kilobits per second (Kbps), and bursts to several megabits per second on capable devices. Cingular, a joint venture of SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp., will be building 3G UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) with HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) networks in a number of major urban and suburban markets beginning in 2005. Cingular's recent acquisition of AT&T Wireless provided the company with the spectrum necessary to build the 3G networks. Cingular, which pioneered the development of GSM at both 850 and 1900 MHz, intends to make the high-speed network available to not only its regional and rural roaming partners but also enable regional and rural carriers to deploy UMTS services on their networks as well. December 1, 2004. Globalstar, the world's most widely used handheld satellite phone and a provider of satellite voice and data services to business, announced that it will offer simplex, or one-way, data services to customers using its European gateway located in France. Combined with the current simplex data coverage offered by the Globalstar gateway in Turkey, this expanded coverage will more than double the area currently served by the company's simplex data service to include all of Europe, the North Atlantic, and North Africa. This new service enhancement is the result of a hardware upgrade to the European ground station, or gateway, which is operated by Globalstar to provide satellite customers access to ground-based public telephone and data networks. Globalstar simplex data service has already been available in the U.S. and Canada since 2003, and in the Middle East and parts of Europe since earlier this year. December 1, 2004. Trimble introduced an extension to its popular AgGPS EZ-Guide Plus light bar guidance system that allows EZ-Guide Plus customers the choice of upgrading to the new Trimble AgGPS EZ-Steer system for assisted steering or the field proven AgGPS Autopilot system for automated steering. With the introduction of the EZ-Guide Plus upgrades to the EZ-Steer or Autopilot system, Trimble now offers the broadest range of GPS-based guidance and equipment automation solutions available in the agriculture market today. The 2005 product line offers a range of price points as well as features and performance to offer farmers more options to meet their specific needs. Now farmers can upgrade their EZ-Guide light bar system to a complete range of equipment automation options to potentially empower their entire fleet with assisted or automated steering. December 1, 2004. RaySat's new EagleRay satellite antenna system will soon bring broadband via satellite to high-speed passenger trains. With RaySat's EagleRay 5.5 inch high antenna, train passengers will be able to take advantage of two-way satellite always-on capability, such as sending and receiving e-mail and browsing the Internet over their laptop computers and PDAs while traveling by high-speed trains. November 30, 2004. Tripod Data Systems (TDS) introduced the TDS TerraGuide navigation package. TDS TerraGuide is a full-featured navigation package that displays digital topographic maps and nautical charts, and allows users to determine their location, plan their route and plot waypoints. The software includes elevation data to display 3-D terrain views, and its QuickChart map engine lets users quickly pan and zoom on maps. The TDS Recon rugged handheld computer, a GPS CompactFlash card, an Extended CF-Cap, and full-color 1:250,000-scale maps for the 48 states in the contiguous United States are included in the TDS TerraGuide package. USGS topo maps for individual states with Landsat satellite images are available separately. The TDS TerraGuide navigation package offers productivity enhancements to mobile computing professionals in forestry, environmental, military and search-and-rescue fields, as well as users in outdoor recreation. Users can plan their route, track their position and review their progress for hiking, boating, snowmobiling and other pursuits. Instead of carrying around fragile paper maps, users can carry multiple map layers and details, plus real-time GPS data -- in a rugged computer designed for tough outdoor environments. And with the Recon, users have all the capabilities of a Windows Mobile device in the palm of their hand. November 30, 2004. AirTight Networks announced the availability of SpectraGuard 2.0, the first Wi-Fi firewall to accurately, reliably and automatically protect enterprise networks from wireless security threats. AirTight recently changed its name from Wibhu Technologies, and announced that it received $10.25 million in venture funding to support its sales and marketing efforts. Its patent-pending technology is the first to accurately and reliably detect and protect against Wi-Fi securitythreats, including rogue access points (APs), misconfigured APs, clientmis-association (clients connecting to a neighbor's Wi-Fi network), and ad-hoc networks (clients connecting to other clients on the network to create an unsecured Wi-Fi bridge). With SpectraGuard, enterprise users have the same level of network security that currently exists in wired networks. November 30, 2004. Wireless Valley Communications, a leading RF software company with widely used products for the efficient deployment, monitoring and ongoing operation of any wireless network, announced its strategic intent to extend its spectrum of wireless support through the development of innovative products for emerging RF technologies such as WiMax, ZigBee and RFID. With several emerging RF-based technologies expected to gain traction over the next several years, Wireless Valley intends to bring the same proven value of design and simulation, measurement and management to meet the future needs of their customers. West Technology Research Solutions predicts that ZigBee chip shipments will grow from 19 million in 2006 to 123 million in 2009 and, according to Yankee Group, RFID spending, including readers, tags and services, will reach US$4 billion by 2008. November 30, 2004. South Korean fixed-line telephone carrier KT Corp. and mobile-phone operator SK Telecom Co. joined Hanaroteleocm Inc. in the licensing race for the upcoming portable Internet business. KT, the former state telecom monopoly which owns 94.2 percent of the local fixed-line market and 51 percent of the broadband Internet service market, submitted a draft plan for the portable Internet business to the Ministry of Information and Communication yesterday, saying it plans for commercial launch in April 2006. SK Telecom, the largest mobile-phone operator with a 51.4 percent market share, said it will submit its application to the ministry today. Hanarotelecom, the No. 2 fixed-line and broadband Internet operator, applied for the licenses Monday. The portable Internet, dubbed WiBro (wireless broadband), is designed to offer better mobility than wireless LAN services and faster connection than third-generation mobile-phone services. Portable Internet operators will be required to deliver an Internet connection to receiver devices moving up to 70 kilometers per hour. November 30, 2004. EKAHAU, INC. announced that it has created an application software suite for Wi-Fi location tracking, to be used in combination with Ekahau Positioning Engine and Wi-Fi tags. Named as Ekahau RTLS (Real Time Location System), the combined system offers a turn-key enterprise solution for real-time personnel and asset tracking over standard Wi-Fi network. With Ekahau RTLS, the precise real-time location of Wi-Fi based mobile devices, such as wireless laptops, PDAs and Wi-Fi tags can be pinpointed within the Wi-Fi coverage area, for the use of various people and asset tracking applications. The new Application Suite consists of three end-customer applications, Ekahau Finder, Ekahau Tracker and Ekahau Logger. Ekahau Finder will be first to ship in January 2005. The Application Suite answers the most common application needs in real-time tracking. The Ekahau Finder is a straightforward tool for asking the location of tracked devices from a web browser or PDA, Ekahau Tracker provides a real-time view of the locations of the devices and Ekahau Logger is used for viewing historical locations of people and assets and analyzing traffic flows. November 30, 2004. Sarantel, the leading innovator in the design and manufacture of proprietary miniature antennas for portable and wireless devices, has been chosen by Laipac Technology to supply its GeoHelix Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna in a new portable tracking device. The Laipac S-911 Personal Locator combines state-of-the-art technology with high-performance GPS capability, in response to the demand for increased personal safety devices. The S-911 is ideal for parents who wish to track children's location and outdoor adventurers and hikers who require an extra layer of personal security. It utilizes the Sarantel GPS antenna to ensure consistently good reception even in the most harsh and inhospitable environments. The S-911 is a portable locator device and has three levels of emergency reporting. Firstly, it can be used as an emergency mobile phone with speed dialing for two-way voice communication. Secondly, it has the ability to silently call 911 for assistance using a personalized voice recording to report location and time and send SMS messages to a control centre. Lastly it has an alarm button that connects users to a call centre, which has the ability to pinpoint the user and take immediate action. The S-911 also has a unique geofence feature, which can be used to report to authority or control centre when the person is out of a pre-defined area. November 29, 2004. Webraska Mobile Technologies, the pioneering provider of GPS, voice-enabled wireless navigation applications and location-based services (LBS) solutions, is pleased to announce that Sensis, the leading Australian local advertising and commercial search business, has selected Webraska's SmartZone Call Centre Framework to power the location-based services included in its recently launched premium voice service Sensis 1234. Launched 20 June, 2004, Sensis 1234 brings together Telstra Call Connect (12456) and the Yellow Pages Connect service (12451), into a single operator-assisted service. Sensis 1234 operators now also have access to the extensive Whereis mapping database to provide callers with directions and proximity searches, giving live spoken turn-by-turn instructions or delivering the information via short message service (SMS). Sensis' Whereis service is powered by Webraska's SmartZone Geospatial Platform and the extendable guidance call centre features within the SmartZone Call Centre Framework. November 29, 2004. Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced the launch of a new maritime satellite telephone service. The new service will include voice, data, fax and Internet. Thuraya will offer uninterrupted satellite services across its entire coverage area which includes the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, Gulf waters, the North, Baltic, Caspian and Black Seas and parts of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. November 29, 2004. Air-Trak, Inc., a developer of location, tracking and messaging systems, announced that Custom Air Trucking has implemented Air-Trak's Cloudberry mobile resource management system to increase route efficiency and improve customer service. A provider of same-day pick up and delivery service for freight forwarders, Custom Air routes drivers and deliveries using Cloudberry software and GPS-enabled cell phones. Cloudberry is a powerful GPS tracking and communications system that displays real-time location of vehicles on detailed maps. By locating drivers and communicating in real-time, Custom Air is able to handle more transactions per driver per day, increasing efficiency by 25 percent without additional hiring. November 29, 2004. GPS Industries Inc., a leading innovator of Wi-Fi wireless and GPS-enabled multimedia communications and management solutions for resorts, sporting events and residential communities, announced that it has acquired three key patents for Global Positioning System (GPS)-based golf applications in North America. North America is the world's largest golf market with more than 20,000 courses. The acquisition of the North American patents wins the Company control of the most essential set of patents for all major markets in the worldwide golf marketplace, estimated at $38 billion. GPSI had previously acquired the Differential GPS (DGPS) patents for golf and other industries in 13 other countries, including 11 European nations, Australia and Japan. The three acquired North American patents include the well-recognized '093 patent and cover a broad application of DGPS and GPS technology to enable a number of key golf course applications, such as the precise, real-time measurement of the distance of the ball to the pin. The coverage includes both golf course and personal GPS golf systems and extends to any device developed for other purposes, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), when using GPS on a golf course. November 29, 2004. Guidepoint, a stolen vehicle recovery, driver safety and convenience system sold at new-car dealers nationwide, has begun shipping units with a new in-vehicle switch that lets drivers access help with the touch of a button. Called the Guidepoint Access Panel, the switch allows consumers to arm/disarm the system's Security Fence and to send an instant OnCall alert to Guidepoint's response center. Designed to be mounted on the dashboard, the panel features easy-to-understand graphics of a fence and phone, and a brilliant blue warning light to show system status and serve as theft deterrent. November 26, 2004. James Associates has released MacTopos USA 1.0, a new mapping break-through that allows an entire state on one DVD. Teamed up with their popular MacGPS Pro software, MacTopos USA provides the ultimate digital topographic mapping solution. For most states, one DVD contains the entire state in three crystal-clear map scales: 1:24K, 1:100K, and 1:250K. New technology allows the same sharp detailed maps as the original Digital Raster Graphics maps from the USGS, except they are compressed to save space without losing resolution. Any or all of these detailed images can be stored using less room on a hard drive. They can also be used in real-time directly from one DVD with no need to switch or store additional disks while traveling. November 25, 2004. UK telecoms regulator Ofcom is to push ahead with plans to open the country's wireless spectrum. But the free-for-all being predicted in some sections of the press looks like taking some time to emerge. The proposal clears the way for a host of currently hamstrung wireless technologies to establish themselves, and potentially opens the door to hosts of new service providers and services. The Spectrum Framework Review says Ofcom will "over time, apply [a] market-led approach to over 70% of the radio spectrum (currently 0%)." The UK's five mobile network operators will be breathing a sigh of relief after spending some GBP22.5 billion to acquire spectrum for 3G services. Ofcom promised to "introduce trading and liberalization in a phased way, intervening where necessary to make sure that these initiatives do not result in excessive harmful interference for other users." November 25, 2004. Ekahau, Inc. announced that it will be collaborating with ORACLE CORPORATION JAPAN in providing Wi-Fi Location Based Services (LBS) and Real Time Locating System (RTLS) solutions for the Asian market. Oracle Location Based Services Framework will be using the Ekahau Positioning Engine software and Ekahau T101 Wi-Fi Tags and passive RFID tags for as the platform for Wi-Fi based location tracking. With Ekahau's solution the precise real-time location of Wi-Fi based mobile devices, such as wireless laptops, PDAs and Wi-Fi tags can be pinpointed within the Wi-Fi coverage area, for the use of various people and asset tracking applications. A rapid adoption of Wi-Fi networks in several industry verticals has created a natural platform for Ekahau's innovative location tracking technology. Several industry segments, such as healthcare, manufacturing and process industry are looking at real-time location tracking solutions as the next new technology to improve the internal workflow and manufacturing process, resource and inventory management. Unlike competing technologies that are relying on a costly location antenna infrastructure, Ekahau's solution works over existing Wi-Fi networks by using any brand of 802.11a/b/g access points. November 24, 2004. Smartphones will become essential business tools next year and wireless e-mail will become so important that employees will eventually be evaluated on how well they use the technology, market research firm Gartner predicted Wednesday. Specifically, the firm predicted that more smartphones, which can be used for cellular voice and data and to manage personal information, will be shipped in 2006 than PDAs. PDAs will continue to play a role in the enterprise for use with mobilized applications, according to Gartner, but smartphones will be the device that most mobile users will use from day to day, according to the report. The study said that it expected 20 million smartphones to ship in 2006 compared to about 13 million PDAs. November 23, 2004. The National Internet Development Agency of Korea (NIDA) said on November 14 it had developed an integrated code search system that can search radio frequency identification (RFID) information ubiquitous around the world with diversified standards. The NIDA said its new integrated RFID code search system, dubbed 'Multiplex Directory System (MDS)', can read any RFID code information used by other countries, including the United States and Japan. The agency plans to launch its pilot service in Korea in this month. November 23, 2004. Intermap Technologies has announced a new flying programme beginning in the spring of 2005 that will extend its NEXTMap Britain 3D landscape map across the whole of the UK. This will mean that for the first time England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man will be covered by a single up-to-date landscape survey of unprecedented accuracy. Also announced is a re-fly program that will update existing areas covering the main centers of population including London and the Thames Valley, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield. Advancements in Intermap’s technology will result in the enhancement of the original elevation dataset collected for NEXTMap Britain, predicted to deliver an even higher accuracy for specialist applications at a price point not matched by other survey methods. November 23, 2004. Aligo Inc., a global leader in mobile software solutions, is using ESRI's ArcWeb Services for WorkTrack, a hosted solution for managing the time and productivity of mobile employees. WorkTrack combines proven, leading edge mobile software with global positioning system (GPS)-enabled mobile phones and ArcWeb Services to offer businesses real-time centralized view and control of their distributed workforces, resulting in cost savings, increased worker productivity, and improved job log accuracy through an easy-to-use mobile attendance and job reporting system. ArcWeb Services are hosted Web services that include map data and on-demand geospatial capabilities needed to add addresses, points of interest, dynamic maps, and routing directions to location-based applications. Because data storage, maintenance, and updates are handled by ESRI, ArcWeb Services eliminate the overhead of purchasing and maintaining large spatial databases and software. November 23, 2004. Xora, Inc., a leading provider of Mobile Workforce Management solutions, announced the availability of its second-generation Xora GPS TimeTrack service, a hosted software application that runs on GPS-enabled phones. Xora GPS TimeTrack already is being used by more than 20,000 mobile workers across the country every day to locate and manage field employees. Managers of field-service organizations report that the Xora service helps them to keep track of mobile workers' activities and billable hours, often resulting in significant time and cost savings for the companies. November 23, 2004. Precision Midwest, the premier Trimble dealer in the Midwest proudly announces the launch of a regional Global Positioning System (GPS) Network in Chicago. Covering 1,800 square miles, this GPS network is one of the largest privately funded networks in North America. Using technology developed by Trimble, the network will supply real-time GPS data to private surveying and mapping professionals for a variety of applications including surveying, field inventory and construction. Using Trimble’s Virtual Reference Station Technology (VRS), Precision Midwest’s system enables surveyors to accomplish their work faster and more accurately while minimizing crew costs. A surveyor can now walk onto the worksite and start surveying by himself with none of the setup previously required for GPS RTK base stations. The 9-station network utilizes high-speed internet connections, wireless Bluetooth and cellular technology to provide Real Time Kinematic (RTK) centimeter-level accuracy. Surveyors are no longer required to set up a base station for their RTK work. The VRS provides corrections through cell phone technology thereby eliminating security concerns, extra manpower, radios and other hardware needed to set up a traditional RTK base on a job site. The technology is scalable which allows the network to grow as needs and coverage areas increase. November 23, 2004. XINK Laboratories Ltd. of Ottawa, Canada will launch its new line of InstaCure silver and carbon conductive flexographic printing inks at the Printed Electronics 2004 Conference in New Orleans on December 7. These new advanced polymeric formulations are targeted toward manufacturers and converters producing RFID tagged smart packaging for use in supply-chain and pharmaceutical counterfeit protection, as mandated by Wal-Mart and, most recently, by the FDA. XINK InstaCure formulations allow printing of RFID antennas and complex electronic circuitry, including flexible paper sensors (package security), sensor grids (pharmaceutical packaging monitors), keypads (disposable electronic paper diaries) and backplane components (flexible displays). The current line of XINK InstaCure formulations includes a solvent-free high-conductive silver ink, and a "tunable" resistor ink. XINK's formulations can be applied in a single pass on standard printing presses, require no heat curing, and can be printed on a range of heat-seal paper boards used in pharmaceutical packaging as well as other flexible substrates which would not withstand high temperature heat curing. November 23, 2004. GoCar Rentals, Inc., the company that has developed the first-ever GPS-guided storytelling car, announced that its GoCar has been named by Time as one of the "Coolest Inventions of the Year" for 2004. GoCar Rentals is a revolutionary tour company that provides visitors with the most exhilarating and unique way to see a city. GoCar Rentals' Daytona yellow three-wheeler GoCar features a GPS-driven audio guide that takes driver and passenger on a zippy tour of the city's famous landmarks providing clear directions and explaining city lore along the way. Unlike traditional GPS systems, this "personal tour guide for two" is packed with personality and a friendly human voice that will tell you stories of the landmarks as you near them, with the special insight of a San Francisco native. November 22, 2004. Spectrum Signal Processing (USA) Inc., a subsidiary of Spectrum Signal Processing Inc., announced a contract with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to jointly develop a suite of multi-purpose software-defined radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogators. The interrogators, or readers, are being developed for multiple funded programs addressing military logistics, homeland security and commercial transportation applications. The readers are designed to track military assets in both hostile and non-hostile environments and to monitor the location and physical integrity of intermodal cargo containers. November 22, 2004. German self-adhesive label specialist Herma has joined the internationally active RFID working group Licon Logistics as a new member. The move taps into the growing alliance between packaging providers created by the need by many retailers to use RFID. Licon was initiated in 2003 by Siemens Business Services and the logistics specialists Kühne + Nagel. Its other members now include the Fraunhofer Institute and Lufthansa Systems. Licon has set itself the goal of carrying out national and international projects within a working network in order, amongst other things, to establish the international RFID standards that will ensure the secure worldwide flow of goods in future by using the new technology. November 22, 2004. The Nokia THR880i hand portable radio, the world's first TETRA radio with integrated GPS, active high-resolution TFT display and XHTML color browser, has started shipping. Following its launch in September 2004, Nokia began deliveries of the radio in the beginning of November. The Warwickshire Police in the UK was among the first to receive the Nokia THR880i radios, supplied by Nokia's Value Added Reseller Magdalene Telecom, for use in the O2 Airwave network. Warwickshire's decision to choose the Nokia terminal was made following an extensive evaluation process. During user trials, testers were particularly impressed by its ease of use, fitness for purpose and ruggedness. The terminal was also considered to be technically innovative and to incorporate important future-proofing elements. November 22, 2004. Motorola announced the addition of two new TETRA (TErrestrial Trunked RAdio) Terminals to its wide portfolio, the MTP850, the shortest TETRA portable on the market, and the MTM800 mobile radio. Offering a suite of new features aimed at the growing migration to integrated voice and data applications, such as simultaneous voice and data, USB connectivity for programming and, a first for TETRA radios, the ability to support true multi slot IP packet data for faster data transfer, the radios are innovatively designed to help Motorola's customers use TETRA technology to its full potential. November 20, 2004. Where are my buddies? From today, the answer to this burning question is delivered by the MOBILOCO Buddy Alert for all the customers of E-Plus, too. The Buddy Alert is signaling via mobile, if friends are nearby. Everytime, everywhere, quick and simple: while shopping in the afternoon, clubbing in the evening or at big events. MOBILOCO Buddy Alert can be used with all mobile phones simply through text messaging. Up to 4 friends can be simultaneously located with just one text message. After subscription and mutual agreement to the localization, just send one SMS with the Keyword „Where“ followed by the names of the friends to the shortcode 72812. The highlight: Buddy Alert operates across the German mobile networks of Vodafone, E-Plus and O2 with a technical reach of more than 35 million mobile users. November 19, 2004. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that SurgiChip, a revolutionary radio frequency identification (RFID) solution that uses RFID printer/encoders and labels from Zebra Technologies, has been cleared for marketing. The system embeds and prints information on a RFID "smart" label that travels with the patient into surgery to help prevent errors. Viewed as another vital safeguard to prevent wrong-site, wrong-patient and wrong-procedure medical errors, the SurgiChip can be programmed and used in many types of surgical procedures. It was invented by Dr. Bruce Waxman, an orthopedic surgeon and founder of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.-based SurgiChip Inc., and developed by AMT Systems Inc, a leading healthcare applications integrator based in Cheshire, Conn. November 18, 2004. VDS Technologies has released AspMap 3.0, a high-performance, Internet mapping component for embedding spatial data display and analysis capabilities in ASP and ASP.NET applications and services. AspMap adds interactive maps to your web site, dynamically generating maps such as: streets and highways, parcel maps, point-to-point routes and aerial photography. AspMap can create images in any standard image file format, or even send a bit-stream directly to the browser. Whether you have a local government web site, a real estate web site or a vehicle tracking web site, or you provide location-based services, AspMap can give you the functionality you need to turn the occasional visitor to your site into a regular user. November 18, 2004. The European Commission is funding a new Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) project aimed at developing satellite positioning systems that work via professional wireless networks. The project, LIAISON, will provide police forces, fire fighters, local authorities and other professional services with satellite positioning solutions compatible with all wireless telecom technologies including GSM/GPRS/UMTS and WLAN and Tetra. These solutions will allow users to send and receive positioning information using a mobile phone or any other mobile device, even in areas not generally well covered by the GPS system, such as confined spaces, urban canyons, buildings and dense forests. November 18, 2004. Philips Semiconductors is negotiating potential deals with several domestic handset makers to co-develop mobile phones that support near-field communication (NFC), a new technology that adds diverse applications to handsets. "We are talking with several Chinese mobile phone makers, including Bird, the promotion of NFC-enabled handsets in China," said Peter Baumgartner, senior vice-president and general manager of Philips Semiconductors' Mobile and Personal, global market segment. "If the growth momentum of the NFC-related market continues, Chinese handset makers will likely become NFC users next year," he said. Developed jointly by Philips and Sony, the new technology enables the exchange of information between different electronic facilities that are several centimeters apart. Several major global handset makers, including Nokia, are using the technology in some of their products. November 18, 2004. Sun Microsystems Inc., the inventor and leading advocate of Java technology, announced that it has posted its next version of Java 2 Platform Standard Edition (J2SE) to the developer community for early review and developer involvement. Available as part of a new project launched this week on java.net, this marks the first time Sun has made source and binary code bundles for a J2SE release available while it is still under active development. This move will provide an unprecedented opportunity for developers worldwide to participate in the innovation of the Java platform. November 17, 2004. Motorola announced an agreement with QUALCOMM Incorporated to offer its VIAMOTO Location-Based Service (LBS) solution via the BREW distribution system, part of the BREW solution. VIAMOTO is an award-winning software suite of distributed client/server location software that transforms cell phones and other in-vehicle wireless devices into portable navigation systems and local information guides. Wireless CDMA operators utilizing the BREW solution will soon have the option of offering their subscribers a proven navigation solution that allows them to travel with confidence and ease. Next to email, Location-Based Services -- specifically directions and navigational information -- are the top applications that consumers want to have on their cell phones. According to The Yankee Group, one-third of all U.S. wireless users are interested in receiving location-based information such as driving directions. And In-Stat/MDR recently found that over 60% of users want simple navigational information -- software that helps determine their location or the location of their friends. November 17, 2004. NTT DoCoMo Inc. on Tuesday (Nov. 16) started selling what one analyst called the "world's first commercially available" combination Wi-Fi/cellular phone. The N900iL, which went on sale in Japan, is a dual-network handset that supports a 3G FOMA cellular network and wireless local area networks based on Wi-Fi standards, the Tokyo-based telecom company said. The phone is designed to act as a standard FOMA phone, while also capable of placing voice over Internet Protocol calls over a wireless network. Optional settings enable users to receive calls only over FOMA or a wireless LAN, or both. Standard phone functions, such as call hold and call transfer, are available over Wi-Fi, as well as added features, such as instant messaging. November 17, 2004. A locating method using GPS/GIS data collection to simplify mapping underground facilities becomes a reality today with the announcement of a cooperative marketing agreement between 3M and Thales' navigation business. Using the Dynatel series of handheld electronic marker locators from 3M and the Thales MobileMapper GPS/GIS data collector, utility companies can significantly simplify the mapping process while using already-deployed field personnel. With the push of a single button on the Dynatel locator keypad, critical asset data is automatically transferred via serial cable to the Thales MobileMapper. This maps the electronic markers - both passive and ID types, 3M or other manufacturer - as they are located. "This combination of products creates an easy-to-use system for real-time mapping of marker placement and saving of field information directly into CAD and GIS systems," says Dave Soenen, 3M test and measurement business director. "It makes positive locates in the field easier than ever." 3M ID markers contain a memory technology that can be programmed in the field to convey important features of each marked cable/pipe path and individual underground facility. 3M ID marking technology enhances management of underground facilities for telecommunications as well as gas, water, sewer, CATV and electric power utilities. November 16, 2004. Southern LINC, the wireless communications service from Southern Company, announced the availability of the limited-edition Outfitters Edition Motorola i720 phone. Designed specifically for outdoor enthusiasts, only 2,500 of the hunter green and camouflage flip-style phones are available exclusively through Southern LINC. The feature-rich phone is equipped with outdoor-themed ring tones, including a turkey cluck, elk bugle and mallard greeting, as well as select musical ring tones. The i720 phone also offers a color screen with outdoor themed wallpapers, including pictures of a buck and a turkey. The phone includes Java-based applications, functional for both work and leisure activities in the outdoors. Java applications include Weather Scout which delivers real-time weather, fish and game forecasts, and other key data points for planning an outdoor excursion, and Clarity Communication Systems' Way-to-Go Navigator with audible directions marking waypoints and trace movements. Customers can also maximize safety by using the GPS and Instant LINC functions to keep track of their location and the rest of their outdoor party. November 16, 2004. Digital Angel Corporation , an advanced technology company in the field of rapid and accurate identification, location tracking, and condition monitoring of high-value assets, announced that it had received its first commercial order from Japan for its proprietary Bio-Thermo Implantable Microchip, the pet industry’s first subdermal biosensor microchip that uses RFID (radiofrequency identification) technology to identify a pet and provide an accurate and reliable reading of its body temperature. November 16, 2004. Alereon, a leading fabless semiconductor company developing wireless solutions for the Ultra Wideband (UWB) and Wireless USB (WUSB) markets, announced the world's first over-the-air demonstration in compliance with the Multi-band OFDM Alliance (MBOA) specification. Alereon demonstrated speeds of 480Mbps and 320Mbps in their system lab this week. Alereon's MBOA leadership and history of UWB development expertise put the company in a position to quickly prove the capabilities of its chipsets once the MBOA-SIG released its specification. November 16, 2004. ROAMING MESSENGER, Inc. reported that Microsoft Corporation has approved ROAMING MESSENGER's breakthrough wireless messaging product for inclusion in the Microsoft Mobile2Market Mobile Applications Catalog. The Mobile2Market Mobile Applications Catalog connects "Designed for Windows Mobile" Certified wireless applications with users, handheld device manufacturers and mobile carrier operators who are utilizing Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system. ROAMING MESSENGER delivers intelligent messengers that roam across the wired and wireless world to track down people and systems and deliver critical information. Escalating through chains of command as necessary, it allows for real-time communication to support real-time decision making. This unique technology also enables interoperability across platforms, devices and networks. November 16, 2004. New Zealand-based RFID specialists Sandtracker are on a roll with several new clients with specialized applications using its RFID technology. Two of the applications are concerned with physical security. Auckland company Stepout is using a specially-shaped RFID assembly with a long “tail” containing the aerial extending across the closure of a crate or container. Any attempt to tamper with the container breaks the aerial connection and the chip sends an alarm signal. Perhaps the more revolutionary version of the technology is a disk-shaped assembly with the chip mounted on the edge, which Sandtracker director Jan Hilder says can be stuck directly to a metal surface - a situation in which most RFID devices won’t work - and is difficult to render inactive through physical damage. Thus it is ideal as an anti-theft marker on appliances and is even, she claims, low-priced enough to attach economically to individual DVDs sold at retail for $25. November 15, 2004. DHL Solutions Fashion, a global logistics service provider for clothing manufacturers and retailers, is offering the French fashion industry a way to test item-level RFID tagging of garments in order to help speed the delivery of their products as well as enable shipments to be tracked through the supply chain. During the summer, DHL worked alongside NBG-ID, RFID specialist based in Cavaillon, France, to deploy an RFID network in a 500-square-meter room at DHL's Paris distribution center. In July, DHL ran a trial of its new RFID capabilities with one of its customers. Now, the company says it is looking to offer its RFID services to other customers looking to incorporate RFID into their operations. According to DHL Solutions Fashion, RFID is well suited to reducing the complexity of the taking inventory as well as speeding up inventory and delivery checking involved in distribution in the garment supply chain. November 15, 2004. Australia, Greece and Slovakia have been digitized with Universal Addresses. See our NacGeo page. November 15, 2004. Leica Geosystems announced the introduction of the SR20, a single-channel GPS receiver for surveying applications. The flexible SR20 is ideal for a variety of common tasks, including control surveys, topographical data collection, monument location, GPS networks, asset management and GIS data collection. The SR20 incorporates a 12-channel L1 GPS engine that delivers centimeter-level accuracy in post-processing mode. With tracking features such as MaxAccuracy, MaxTrak and HyperTrak, the SR20 is able to achieve the best possible accuracy in all GPS conditions. The system can be used for real-time sub-meter accuracy utilizing satellite-based augmentation systems such as WAAS and EGNOS, and can also be upgraded to receive real-time RTCM data from U.S. Coast Guard beacon stations. Packaged with the powerful LEICA Geo Office software, the system provides powerful post-processing and analysis. This user-friendly software provides everything required for managing, visualizing, processing, importing and exporting SR20 GPS data. November 15, 2004. Motorola, Inc., a global leader in wireless communications, announced the availability of five new handsets in time for the Christmas and Holiday Season. Available through Vodafone live! and 3, the new handsets all offer lighter, compact designs, improved battery life and rich camera quality maintaining picture-perfect large screens. Motorola will also be supporting Orange across Europe as it enters the 3G consumer market. Motorola's new 3G range guarantees a rich and compelling multimedia experience for everyone. Both Vodafone and 3 will be offering the Motorola E1000. In addition Vodafone will have the exclusive offering of the Motorola V980 and C980. 3 will be offering the Motorola A1000 and C975. November 15, 2004. Motherplanet (www.motherplanet.com), the world famous digital world map software developer, released a educational tool named Earth Explorer 3.0. This program will extremely increase user's geographic experience. Earth Explorer uses satellite data and digital elevation data to present an intimate view of the entire planet, complete with borders, cities, rivers and a mass of other information. The software allows you to zoom into a model globe rendered at a resolution of 1km per pixel. As well as scrolling over the planet's surface, Earth Explorer enables you to drag the current view around and centre on the cursor, which is handy when you want to zoom accurately into an area. A measurement tool allows you to select a point and drag a ruler over the Earth's surface to measure distance and bearing. Earth Explorer also provides current information on 267 countries and regions, 15,000 islands, 40,000 cities and 1,700 earthquakes, all of which it presents in a list panel with plenty of Sort By options. Locating Bam in Iran, for instance, provides statistics and a large amount of technical information about December 2003's devastating earthquake, and links to reports on the event. The list panel also provides details such as country and city population and its sortable nature makes it easy to look up, say, the largest island. November 15, 2004. WiFi chip supplier TeleCIS Wireless, Inc. has thrown down the gauntlet to Intel and others with plans for a combined WiMAX fixed/WiMAX mobile silicon on chip implementation by the second half of 2006, one of the most aggressive timescales for such a part. The Santa Clara, California based company is readying its first SoC, targeted at fixed WiMAX networking equipment, for the second half of 2005. A multi-protocol 'converged' chipset for WLAN/WiMAX applications is scheduled for sampling by 2007. TeleCIS Wireless' first WiMAX SoC, dubbed the TCW1620, will support both PHY and MAC layers all the way to Ethernet to enable low cost devices for the broadband wireless market. The company says that when combined with RFICs on its reference design boards, network equipment vendors will have a simple, complete package with everything necessary to build an entire Subscriber Station from RF in to Ethernet out. November 15, 2004. In an indication that WiMAX will come to market quicker than expected, a Fujitsu Microelectronics America spokesman said the firm expects to deliver silicon to customers in April. Separately, systems manufacturer Wi-LAN Inc. said it plans to offer WiMAX capability in mid-2005. "Silicon is being tested now," Dick Davies, Fujitsu spokesman said Monday. The current two-chip prototype is expected to be packaged into a single-chip solution in January. The solution will integrate PHY (Physical Layer) and MAC (Media Access Control) functionality, he said. "Fujitsu has been working with systems guys. It's possible we could see some very selective implementation in a year." November 15, 2004. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leader in advanced silicon technology solutions, today announced that the company has delivered to SiRF Technology its ten millionth GSP2e/LP -- a highly integrated GPS signal processor digital chip. By incorporating Samsung's advanced ASIC technology into the GSP2e/LP, SiRF is able to drive high volume consumer markets with an industry-leading product. As a member of the SiRFstarIIe/LP chipset family, the GSP2e/LP provides outstanding tracking capabilities even in tough environments such as urban canyons and under foliage. With an embedded ARM microprocessor, supplied by Samsung, the SiRFstarIIe/LP frequently eliminates the need for a separate processor to run non-GPS tasks. This feature facilitates the development of GPS-enabled consumer products. November 15, 2004. AirDefense, the leader in anywhere, anytime wireless LAN (WLAN) security and monitoring, announced the integration of Ekahau's advanced location tracking capabilities into AirDefense Enterprise. Ekahau is recognized as the leading provider of software-based wireless location tracking. Through this partnership, AirDefense can offer Ekahau's patented Ekahau Positioning Engine solution as a part of AirDefense Enterprise. The combined solution will enable enterprises to efficiently and accurately pinpoint the real-time location of rogue end user devices and access points from a centralized location. November 15, 2004. Alvarion Ltd., the leading provider of wireless broadband solutions worldwide, announced that the Company has expanded its long-term relationship with Iberbanda, an emerging Spanish carrier. With the deployment of Alvarion's BreezeMAX system, a WiMAX-ready platform, Iberbanda will provide a host of high bandwidth applications to business and residential customers. In its selection of Alvarion as its foremost broadband wireless technology partner, Iberbanda has ordered several millions of dollars of BreezeMAX 3500 to leverage their 3.5GHz licenses to serve small businesses and residential customers in several rural and suburban areas of Spain. The two areas to be served with BreezeMAX equipment are: Andalusia, Spain's second largest and most highly populated region whose capital is Seville; and Catalonia, including the city of Barcelona as well as towns located in the Pyrenees mountains. November 15, 2004. The popular programming magazine, Dr. Dobb’s Journal (www.ddj.com), will be featuring an article about how to write GPS applications suitable for business in its January 2005 issue. The article is written by Jon Person, the senior developer of “GPS.NET Global Positioning SDK,” (www.gpsdeveloper.com) a reusable library used to write GPS applications. The article focuses on requirements which GPS applications must meet in order to be trustworthy in a business environment. Jon also presents a technique used for determining precision requirements and maximizing business intelligence in varying field situations. November 13, 2004. Aegis Assessments Inc. announced that it is showcasing its new SafetyNet Guardian System at the inaugural FireRescue Magazine Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas. Participants at the exposition include the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), the Nevada Fire Chiefs Association (NFCA) and the Emergency Vehicle Technicians Association (EVTA), as well as manufacturers and suppliers of the latest fire-rescue products and innovations. The SafetyNet Guardian System is a portable wireless tracking device that uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to monitor the location and physical condition of emergency personnel at the scene of an emergency incident. RFID technology uses radio-transmitting interrogators to send out radio waves to preprogrammed receiver computer chips which respond to the radio query with another radio signal. If the frequency is not correct, the receiver or interrogator will not recognize it. The SafetyNet Guardian System includes helmet-mounted RFID tags that can be programmed to transmit personnel information, including name, rank, training, and other department-specific information. Features currently in development include bio-sensor monitors for heart rate, body temperature and blood oxygen levels. November 12, 2004. In September 2004, MapmyIndia (www.mapmyindia.com) introduced to India an online, interactive, searchable digital map portal of the entire country. Now sitting anywhere in the world, users can search and see the map for any part of India, from the remotest village to the most popular tourist destination, to the streets of India’s largest cities. Along with this, MapmyIndia allows users to instantly see on the map restaurants, hotels, hill stations, beaches, banks, hospitals and much more. November 12, 2004. Easy-to-read maps and directions straight from your mobile phone There's no reason to feel lost this Christmas thanks to the MapWay range of maps and walking directions from m-spatial. The MapWay services are based on high-quality geographic data from Ordnance Survey and, rather than looking like normal paper or Internet maps, are specially designed for use on the small screen of a mobile phone. Whether you're visiting family or friends, away on a festive break or even wandering your home town, there are times when your sense of direction can deceive you. MapWay identifies local landmarks en route to help you find your way. Places of interest are pinpointed to help you take a direct journey with the confidence that you are following the right path. MapWay services are available on most handsets featuring O2 Active, Vodafone Live, Orange World and T-Mobile t-zones, and are typically found in the 'Travel' or 'Information' sections of these portals. Unlike with Internet or paper mapping solutions, users can enter an intended destination either by name, for example 'The Red Lion', or by address to receive detailed maps showing its precise location and simplified 'sketch-map' walking directions so you know exactly how to get there. November 11, 2004. GlobeXplorer, the leading online earth imagery provider, and Skyline Software Systems, a leading provider of 3D visualization software and pioneer of web-based interactive 3D fly-through technology, will be demonstrating new capabilities in their jointly sponsored booth at the “GIS for Homeland Security” tradeshow in Washington DC on Tuesday. By combining online aerial and satellite imagery from GlobeXplorer’s constantly updated archive with Skyline’s cutting edge 3D fly-through software, public safety professionals can readily visualize situations for crisis management and better coordinate response. Skyline’s famous interactive 3D technology is widely used in government, defense, aerospace, and civil planning. When linked to GlobeXplorer’s archive, users can fly anywhere on the globe to view images from the largest online aerial and satellite imagery collection in the world. Skyline’s software is easy to use and requires little advance setup to get started. ”The ability to tap into the vast GlobeXplorer imagery database, directly from within the Skyline 3D viewer, provides our customers with an out-of-the-box solution for their world wide data needs”, said Ronnie Yaron, President of Skyline. “They can then leverage the powerful Skyline tools including 3D analysis, live tracking and collaboration for planning, rehearsal, management and debriefing”, he added. November 11, 2004. Following fast on the heels of its bundled aerial photography and OS MasterMap service, Getmapping is now offering online access to 1:50,000 OS Landranger and 1:25,000 OS Explorer Series mapping. Through its website www.getmapping.com Getmapping now offers complete aerial photographic coverage of England and Wales, high resolution cities, three flavors of OS mapping and Intermap’s complete height dataset of Great Britain, which combine to provide the most comprehensive online mapping options currently available. Targeted at the professional market the new Getmapping website provides a simple one page view of the different ordering options available. For the busy professional across a wide range of industry sectors from construction and engineering to planning and estate management, the site provides quick and easy access to mapping and imagery at the click of a button. November 11, 2004. In a first-of-a-kind test earlier this month, the Raytheon Missile Systems and Bofors Excalibur team successfully fired a global positioning satellite-guided 155mm artillery shell, which guided to a target aim point 20 kilometers down range. The shell hit less than 11 feet from the aim point, well within the performance specification of Excalibur. The Excalibur round was fired from the new 155mm light howitzer XM777, which will replace the M198 howitzer. Using a tactical propellant charge of Modular Artillery Charge System-Four, the round successfully executed navigation and guidance after GPS acquisition. The shell demonstrated proper navigation and guidance despite experiencing extreme G-force during gun launch. The shell completed numerous flight adjustments using its Control Actuator System and hit the target at a near vertical descent. This near vertical descent is ideal for urban warfare due to the limited space available between city structures. Excalibur's extreme accuracy will reduce collateral damage and make artillery a force multiplier for commanders on the ground. November 11, 2004. Multimap, Europe’s leading online mapping company, announced the deployment of its “Travel Directions” service on The University of Sheffield’s web site. The new service enables students, lecturers and visitors to map their route to a number of the University’s departments. Multimap delivers step-by-step travel directions and plots the route on a map, from any start point in the country. Visitors to www.sheffield.ac.uk click on the “Visitor Information” link on the home page, followed by the “Personalized directions for drivers’ link to access Multimap’s “Travel Directions” service. They then enter their postcode, select a university location such as the Law Department or the Octagon Centre, and hit “Get directions”. Multimap delivers clear, user-friendly, step-by-step directions from start to end point; estimated cumulative journey times and distances; and links to detailed maps of each step. An overview map that plots the entire journey also appears, and users click on forward and backward arrows to move between street-level maps of each step of the journey. November 11, 2004. Shockwatch, manufacturer of the world-leading Shockswitch lift truck monitoring and safety systems, announced they have partnered with Ekahau, Inc, the leader in location-enabling wireless networks. Ekahau's patented Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE) is a software based solution that enables location tracking via any standard WiFi network (802.11a/b/g). EPE can locate an item with up to 1 meter accuracy, and works where ever there is WiFi coverage indoors or outdoors. "With the growing popularity of WiFi networks in material handling environments, it is essential that the tools we provide utilize the customers existing WiFi network and cause no disruptions the our customer's operations" said Eddie Clay, Product Manager for Shockswitch. "We are currently doing this with our existing WiFi Shockswitch products and the soon to come RF Hourmeter. With Ekahau, we can now offer our customers the most accurate, real-time and cost effective location tracking technology available, and it will function using the customer's existing WiFi Access Points. We have begun the process of adding the Ekahau Client software to all of our WiFi products as a standard feature which will allow our customers the ability to add the tracking capability at any time simply by purchasing the software licenses. No additional hardware required!" The integrated Shockswitch and Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE) will make it easy to accurately locate and track, not just lift trucks, but, any WiFi equipped devices in warehouses and other material handling environments. Critical resources - people and equipment- will always be available at the right place in timely fashion." November 11, 2004. Ultra Wide Band (UWB) chipsets and solutions leader - Wisair announced the release of the first MB-OFDM compliant Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Development Kit - the DV9100. Based on Wisair’s two-chip solution, this small form factor UWB module is available for customers’ product development and for application demonstrations. The DV9100 Development Kit, released ahead of schedule, comprises of Wisair’s low cost, high bit-rate chipset solution, featuring the recently announced 530 Baseband chip, the 501 SiGe RF chip, and Wisair’s UWB antenna. It also provides the MBOA PHY-MAC, Ethernet and USB 1.1 host interfaces. The DV9100 is Wisair’s second-generation development platform, following the shipment of Evaluation Tool Kits to customers last two quarters. The sleek 6” by 2.4” (15cm by 6cm) module supports short range high speed UWB links, representing the fastest commercial wireless device to conform to MBOA standards, which are accepted by the bulk of the industry. November 10, 2004. QUALCOMM Incorporated , pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, announced completion of test calls using its gpsOne assisted-GPS (A-GPS) technology on WCDMA (UMTS)/GSM/GPRS networks to help advance development of wireless location-based services for WCDMA markets. Calls were conducted independently with four leading infrastructure vendors, including Alcatel, NEC Corporation and Nortel Networks and with leading test equipment vendor Spirent. QUALCOMM is the first in the industry to offer a tested and verified A-GPS solution for major 3G and 2G wireless technologies, including CDMA2000®, WCDMA and GSM/GPRS, ensuring faster, more reliable commercial deployments of location based devices and services. The gpsOne solution is integrated into select QUALCOMM Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chipsets -- including the MSM6250 chipset for WCDMA/GSM/GPRS and the MSM6275 chipset for WCDMA/HSDPA and GSM/GPRS/EDGE -- making it a more cost-effective solution for handset manufacturers. Today, more than 50 million wireless consumers around the world are being supported by more than 100 different gpsOne-enabled handset models and more than 20 different handset manufacturers. November 10, 2004. Irish Broadband said it had ordered USD1.4m worth of wireless systems to expand its WiFi network in cities around the country. Irish Broadband said it will be working with Alvarion, a leading supplier of wireless broadband systems to carriers, ISPs and private network operators, for both BreezeMAX and BreezeACCESS VL, Alvarion's WiMAX-ready platform. BreezeMAX will be deployed on Irish Broadband's 3.5 GHz licensed network and will be used to bring the benefits of WiMAX technology to Irish Broadband subscribers in Dublin, Cork, Dundalk, Drogheda, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford. WiMAX technology offers broadband services with Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) functionality plus long-term cost effectiveness. November 10, 2004. SecuriCode Limited has announced the availability of a ‘new generation’ of low cost RFID-based identity management solutions. These deliver automatic protection by associating an individual’s unique global ID with devices such as laptops, PCs, mobile phones or any other device containing a power source. Assigned users are identified by long-life, lightweight encrypted tags, which do not have to be exposed or waved in front of readers. These are recognized by the embedded SecuriCode solution without requiring an external reader. This automatically protects devices and data from misuse or theft, as they are rendered inoperable when assigned users are not in range. Systems inadvertently left unattended or lost are protected both from a system and sensitive data perspective. SecuriCode can also play a significant role in reducing power consumption of systems and building utilities by allowing the automatic shutdown of power supplies and utility supplies when assigned personnel have vacated areas or systems for predetermined periods of time. November 10, 2004. TeleType Company released a powerful 16 Channel Bluetooth GPS offering 20 hours of continuous use. This receiver locks in faster than 12 channel models. The new receiver comes with a user replaceable lithium ion (LI-ON) battery which lasts 20 hours on full charge. The receiver is packaged with TeleType GPS navigation software including maps of US and Puerto Rico. Bundles for Europe, South America, and other countries are also available. In addition, TeleType offers specialized maps for Aviation, Marine, and Topographic applications. TeleType has historically been innovative as it has won two CNET Editors’ Choice awards for its WorldNavigator Global Positioning systems. TeleType is packaging the receiver with it's updated software offering further innovations such as Traveling Salesperson optimization, and support for vehicle tracking. November 9, 2004 NAVIGON, the European market leader of mobile GPS navigation systems for dynamic telematics, navigation solutions and driver assistance systems, announced an OEM agreement with EasyPocketNAV.com, a leading distributor for portable GPS navigation solutions. EasyPocketNAV.com will market and sell the OnCourse Navigator 4 software, based on NAVIGON’s technology platform, which turns Microsoft-powered Pocket PCs into an easy-to-use voice guided GPS navigation system. Available Nov. 9 at www.OnCourseNavigator.com, OnCourse Navigator 4 gives users access to an advanced navigation system independently from their vehicles, allowing for accurate and secure travel no matter the location. Easy to use and install without any mounting costs or additional fees, OnCourse Navigator 4 offers advanced features such as individualized navigation maps for car and pedestrian navigation. OnCourse Navigator 4 also has the industry’s highest compression rate of map data, fewer than 1GB, allowing users to store maps on a smaller memory card and save money. November 9, 2004. The wireless replacement for USB, ultra wide-band (UWB), will be ready by late December and without the formal approval of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a leading group promoting the revolutionary technology has promised. The spec will be formally launched tomorrow, a move which finally puts UWB standardization outside the IEEE's formal process, where it has been deadlocked for two years. With wireless USB, all peripherals, such as printers, scanners, and other similar devices that connect now with a USB cable, could connect wirelessly. November 9, 2004. Y-Tel announced the signing of a VoWLAN Exclusive Worldwide Distribution Agreement with EBI Communication, Inc. The agreement allows Y-Tel to distribute the new high speed broadband Wi-Fi mobile phones and HP's WiFi enabled IPAQs anywhere in the world with voice services. Y-Tel and EBI have agreed to share the gross revenue 50/50 from customers using the VoWLAN network. Both parties have also agreed to a 50/50 split from the net revenue resulting from the sale of all WiFi phones and PDA's. EBI received cash and stock in Y-Tel. After 2 years, EBI, as a Solutions Development Partner of Hewlett-Packard has completed the development and testing of an extensive multi-million dollar turn key solution to handle millions of the new WiFi phones and IPAQ PDA's at one time. EBI's voice services run on standard and rugged HP IPAQ Pocket PCs, and operate over any combination of wireless and wired networks. EBI has carrier agreements to terminate calls in over 220 countries from any Wi-Fi hotspot in the world. Wi-Fi networks use radio technologies called IEEE 802.11b or 802.11a to provide secure, reliable, fast wireless connectivity for voice and data applications. A Wi-Fi network can be used to connect computers to each other, to the Internet, and to wired networks (which use IEEE 802.3 or Ethernet). Wi-Fi networks operate in the unlicensed 2.4 and 5 GHz radio bands, with an 11 Mbps (802.11b) or 54 Mbps (802.11a) data rate or with products that contain both bands (dual band), so they can provide real-world performance similar to the basic 10BaseT wired Ethernet networks used in many offices. November 9, 2004. Agilent Technologies Inc. introduced the industry's first design tools enabling RF and baseband engineers working at the physical (PHY) layer to create, analyze and troubleshoot orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signals specified in the IEEE 802.16-2004 standard, often referred to as WiMAX. The IEEE 802.16-2004 standard, which specifies air interfaces for broadband wireless access (BWA) systems, is expected to energize the BWA industry and open many opportunities to deploy systems in applications that were previously cost-prohibitive. WiMAX enables multiple services in a wireless metropolitan area network, such as wireless backhaul for telecommunications, high-bandwidth/high-reliability remote connectivity, E1/T1 replacements for small- and medium-size businesses, and residential "wireless DSL" for broadband Internet at home. November 9, 2004. Navman, a leading designer and manufacturer of world-class global positioning systems (GPS), communication and marine products, announced a new line of Drive-Away Memory Cards to complement devices running its latest SmartST Version 3 software. Available with Eastern, Central or Western U.S. map data pre-loaded, the plug-in memory cards are quick, convenient and easy to use. Now consumers can get the true Drive-Away experience straight from the checkout counter at a fraction of the cost of more expensive hard drive-based systems. The comprehensive map data stored on each card includes the latest road network release from Tele Atlas, information on millions of valuable Points of Interest (POIs), and graphical topographic overlays for visual elevation relief. Taken together, Navman's SmartST V3 software and a Drive-Away memory card make the most up-to-date, and visually realistic navigation experience available today. November 9, 2004. iMove, Inc., a leading developer and supplier of state of the art defense and homeland security surveillance solutions announced a $1.4 million contract for its new generation spherical video system (SVS). A portable 360 by 360 degree spherical video camera connected to a laptop computer loaded with iMove mapping and intelligence analysis software comprises the system. The complete SVS is carried in a backpack for maximum portability. "Selecting a point on a map and immediately being able to place yourself in the scene with the ability to interact and see in all directions is a powerful new capability of utmost significance for mission planning in urban environments," said John Herring, President and CEO of iMove. "We expect to see great demand for this product line as these initial units enter service in early CY05. The SVS includes a multi-lens handheld camera, laptop and small, high capacity storage device that can be packaged in a number of configurations. For example, when the SVS is mounted on a vehicle, a mile of full 360 by 360 degree spherical video is captured in two minutes (24 times faster than any other approach). The SVS software integrates collected video imagery into geo-referenced, multi-source databases (maps, facility drawings, etc.) for immediate intelligence exploitation. This provides surveillance and security professionals with critical intelligence and mission planning data, a capability impossible until now. November 8, 2004. NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, now has full map coverage of Finland's road network. This means the company now includes all four Nordic countries in its NAVTEQ database. Denmark and Sweden were the first to receive full coverage followed by Norway last year. Now reaching virtually 100% of the population, the Finnish database includes 614,177 kilometers of road covering 304,541 square kilometers of territory and 451 towns and cities. The road network of rural counties and provinces have been added to ensure that drivers can now use navigation systems for turn-by-turn routing instructions to and from addresses all over the country. But NAVTEQ data is much more than a map. It offers precise geometry and extraordinary detail about the environment as seen through the eyes of the driver. Each road segment features up to 160 attributes -- street names, address ranges, turn restrictions -- enabling navigation systems to help people get from A to B. There are over one million entries in 46 Points of Interest (POIs) categories covering everything from hotels to petrol stations and airports to sports facilities. November 8, 2004. AirDefense, the leader in anytime, anywhere wireless security and monitoring announced the extension of automated wireless network protection with the release of two new offerings. AirDefense Enterprise 6.0 introduces the industry's first Self-Managing intrusion protection system (IPS) providing automated protection for wireless threats. AirDefense Personal is a Windows-based software module that works with AirDefense Enterprise, and protects the mobile worker. The combined solution enables organizations to efficiently protect enterprise information assets automatically from nearly 200 threats at anytime not only within the four walls of the enterprise but globally as well. The Self-Managing capabilities of AirDefense Enterprise 6.0 allow enterprises to configure the system to manage itself, including identifying security risks, rogue devices, policy violations, level of threat, location of threats and automated mitigation via wire or wirelessly. Requiring minimal administrative intervention, Enterprise 6.0 enables management by exception and produces improved protection and efficiency for the IT department. November 8, 2004. Ordnance Survey has launched a fully searchable national gazetteer for use with its range of mid-scale raster map data products. It'll be of interest to the Local Authorities who use OS data, and location-sensitive e-Government services. OS Locator enables users to find and identify a specific location using the road name or number in conjunction with a locality, settlement, local authority, county name or postcode sector. It has been specifically designed for use with 1: 10,000 and 1:25,000 scale raster map data and OS Street View. November 8, 2004. TMW Systems, the premier developer and integrator of enterprise management software for the transportation industry and SkyBitz, the leading satellite-based asset monitoring and information management service, have signed an agreement that TMW will use the SkyBitz's Global Locating System (GLS) technology to power an advanced trailer tracking module for its fleet management systems. In addition, TMW's sales force will re-sell SkyBitz products and services to its customers. TMW will use the SkyBitz trailer tracking system to provide customers with improved operational efficiencies. For instance, the system will be able to alert the customer if a trailer door is opened before it reaches its intended destination or if a trailer is misrouted. The module will also provide improved detention tracking. November 8, 2004. Blue Marble Geographics announces the release of a new version of their premiere map display library GeoObjects. Blue Marble, known for their coordinate conversion technology, is also the creator of industry leading map display, image reprojection, referencing, gps tracking, and internet mapping technology. Their technology is used worldwide by thousands of GIS analysts at software companies, universities, oil and gas companies, civil engineering, surveying, technology, enterprise GIS groups, and military organizations. GeoObjects 4.0 is a high-performance, 32-bit COM control for spatial data access, display, and analysis. The design of the control allows a developer to quickly create high-end GIS applications on any Windows platform. Its ability to display and interact with most industry standard vector and raster file formats makes GeoObjects a must have for any GIS or software developer. GeoObjects is also the core engine behind Blue Marble Geographics’ Internet mapping service BeyondGeo and it’s GOIMS Internet mapping server. November 5, 2004. Multimap, Europe’s leading online mapping provider, announced the deployment of its “Travel Directions” service on www.avisba.com today at Internet World North, 2004. The deployment enables British Airways’ Executive Club members interested in Avis’s car-hire services to receive point-by-point travel directions, in the language of their choice, across 16 European countries and the US. The quality, accuracy and relevance of the services are expected to boost visitor loyalty to the site. November 5, 2004. ACeS announced that it has reached an agreement with China Satellite Broadcasting Corporation (China SatCom) to offer ACeS technology to provide rural communications in the Peoples Republic of China. China SatCom is the leading provider of satellite broadcasting and communications services in the PRC and the frontrunner in an attempt to link every village in the PRC with telecommunications facilities. Using the ACeS' latest fixed satellite terminal FR190G, customers in remote rural parts of China will be able to make and receive voice and data calls. An experience very similar to that of using a standard PSTN line is now within reach of these communities. More than 50,000 villages in the Peoples Republic of China could benefit from the introduction of ACeS services, which are already serving several tens of thousands of villages in the rest of Asia. November 5, 2004. Motorola Inc. and Bouygues Telecom, the French mobile operator, announced a contract to deliver Push-To-Talk over Cellular (PoC) services using Motorola V400p handsets. Bouygues Telecom will make its voice messaging services commercially available to enterprise and professional customers from November 2004. Bouygues Telecom can now offer its subscribers the flexibility of mobile messaging combined with the ease of use of voice, giving users one-touch automatic access to presence-enabled PoC contacts for a walkie-talkie style voice connection with individuals or groups. November 4, 2004. MapQuest Services, a leading provider of software and platforms that empower organizations to location enable web and wireless applications, announced the addition of street level mapping for major Latin American countries including Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. As a result, MapQuest now offers detailed coverage for nearly two dozen countries in North America, Latin America and Europe and hundreds of major metropolitan areas around the world, providing its customers with some of the most complete mapping coverage in the industry. With the addition of Latin American coverage, customers using the MapQuest Advantage product line can now extend the reach of their web based locators and other location enabled applications into these key international markets. November 4, 2004. iDirect Technologies, a privately held company that designs, develops, and markets the fastest, most reliable bi-directional satellite-based broadband access solutions, and Netcom Africa, a Nigeria based provider of video, data, and voice over wireless, announced the launch of a major satellite network over Africa. The Netcom Africa network will support both C and KU bands enabling internet access, private networks, auto tracking and mobile applications to customers throughout Africa. November 4, 2004. Automotive Capital Group, Inc. announced today that effective Friday, November 5th, 2004, the change of its corporate name to NowAuto, Inc. The future of NowAuto, Inc. looks stronger than ever with NowAuto.com and Navicom GPS. November 4, 2004. Mobistar, Belgium's second largest wireless operator, has selected Nortel Networks as the sole provider of third generation (3G) radio equipment to upgrade its national wireless network. Under an agreement announced today, Nortel Networks will deploy UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and Multiservice Switching equipment to position Mobistar to accommodate more user traffic and support a broad range of sophisticated data services that can increase productivity for enterprises, business users and consumers. November 4, 2004. Acculeon, Inc., makers of wireless telematics systems used primarily for safety purposes, announced the commercial availability of its Telemetry Information System (TIS) equipped with Vehicle Safety Manager (VSM) software. Designed to cost effectively track moving violations through real-time event monitoring, Acculeon's TIS system records speeding, tailgating, unsafe handling on curved road segments, rapid acceleration, sudden stops and frequent lane changes. The solution will be available to all sectors of the commercial vehicle marketplace. The Acculeon system consists of three components: the in-vehicle TIS hardware (or black box), a communications infrastructure, either cellular or Wi-Fi communications link (or both) and the web-based VSM analysis and report generation software. November 4, 2004. Nokia has lifted the lid on the world’s first NFC (Near Field Communication) equipped mobile phone by adding the special NFC clip-on shell to their 3220, a tri-band camera phone that is available in two versions (Euro/Asia & America). With its build-in NFC shell, the phone is the latest step in the development of innovative products for mobile communications. NFC is essentially a contact less technology that allows for short-range two-way wireless connectivity using a tag and a reader. Developed jointly by Philips, Sony and Nokia , it is based on short-range (10 cm, 3.9”) radio frequency (RF) technology. An NFC-enabled mobile device lets you access services or operate your mobile device by placing it near a tag or share information by bringing two devices close to each other. When you’re near a tag, your mobile phone reads the tags content by emitting a short-range radio signal that powers up the tag’s microchip, allowing you to execute an action, such as opening a Web page, calling a number, or sending an SMS. November 4, 2004. Motorola, Inc., a global leader in wireless communications, and 3, the UK's first video mobile network, announced the availability of three new handsets in time for Christmas. With lighter, compact designs, improved battery life, superb camera quality and maintaining picture-perfect large screens, all handsets ensure a rich and compelling multimedia experience. The new handsets showcase 3's unique range of video mobile services including person-to-person video calling, full length music videos, Barclays Premiership highlights and what's hot and what's not from the world of entertainment streamed straight to your phone. 3 will be offering the Motorola A1000, E1000 and C975 from November 2004. November 3, 2004. NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital maps for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, has been selected to supply its products to both the Eurely and iNavSat Consortia which are bidding to become the Galileo concessionaire. The Consortia delivered their offers to the Galileo Joint Undertaking (GJU) on September 1, 2004 and the successful bidder will be given the task of deploying the Galileo satellite constellation and operating all subsequent services. November 3, 2004. MobileLocate has launched a new branch of their UK-based tracking system aimed at businesses with out-and-about employees. Building on their recently launched ChildLocate system, which uses the cellular network and mobile phones or similar devices to report the location of a child to a monitoring parent, the new MobileLocate service allows an employer to locate an employee by his mobile phone and report that location via the web or SMS message. The service will be available on Vodaphone, T-Mobile, Orange, and O2, and will cost 5 GBP per month for up to five phones, 10 location requests, and 10 text messages per month. November 2, 2004. TruePosition's wireless location technology enables safety and convenience enhancing location-based services, such as E-911 or 112, point of interest and friend finder, and location-based directions and information. TruePosition's network-based Uplink Time Difference of Arrival (U-TDOA) system utilizes equipment installed in the wireless operator's network, enabling location-based services to be provided to AnyPhone AnyWhere without requiring users to exchange their handsets. November 2, 2004. New high accuracy wireless location devices - believed to be the smallest in the world - will shortly go into production following the announcement of a partnership between CPS (Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd) and Chinese wireless technology manufacturer East Sunaton. The low-cost, self-contained devices - smaller than the size of a credit card -incorporate a GSM/GPRS modem, battery and CPS’ software-only Matrix location technology and deliver fast, sub-100m accuracy in all environments. Initially, the two companies will collaborate on a major contract to supply PCMCIA cards for tracking laptops. In time, East Sunaton will develop a number of form factors incorporating CPS’s Matrix software for use in the enterprise and telematics sectors globally. Unlike satellite-based location systems, Matrix works by measuring the time difference between radio signals within the GSM network. As such, the new devices will not require the additional hardware for positioning required by GPS-based devices and the associated increases in size, cost and power consumption. November 2, 2004. Parrot's CK 3300 Advanced car kit allows for hands-free voice-activated phone commands with integrated GPS. It's an innovative solution for the mobile professional who needs convenient and easy in-car communication and navigation. Parrot introduced the CK3300 car kit with GPS at AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo) Show in Las Vegas. With its built-in GPS receiver, the CK3300 wirelessly provides access to standard GPS messages while using a Bluetooth GPS-enabled Smartphone or PDA and car stereo. Once the CK3300 is installed, simply position your PDA on its cradle, turn on the car engine and you're connected instantly and wirelessly. Your phone can remain in your pocket or back seat, voice recognition connects your call. When leaving the car, just take your PDA and go. The system disconnects automatically. November 2, 2004. NearSpace, the leader in wireless, location-based services for hospitals, events, hotels, convention centers and universities, announced that it will deliver NearSpace to J2ME-enabled cell phones, expanding the company's reach to 250 million Java-enabled mobile devices. Founded in 1999, NearSpace has established itself as an innovative developer of business-oriented, location-centric applications. The company's products include: Employee Locators, Product Finders, Campus Tours, Meeting/Convention Guides, and Emergency Response tools. November 2, 2004. At the Nokia Mobility Conference in Monaco, Nokia announced the Nokia NFC (Near Field Communication) shell, the latest step in the development of innovative products for mobile communications. With the Nokia NFC shell on their phone, consumers will be able to easily access a variety of services and conveniently exchange information with a simple touch gesture utilizing NFC technology - a technology that emerged from the combination of contact less identification (RFID Radio Frequency Identification) and interconnection technologies. The Nokia NFC shell offers consumers access to browsing, and text message services simply by touching tags that contain service shortcuts. Consumers are also able to give their favorite service shortcuts to other users by touching another NFC-compatible device with their phone. In addition, the Nokia NFC shell comes with tags that can be used for creating own personal service shortcuts. November 1, 2004. When EarthSearch Communications (ESC) launches AutoSearch this month in the US, the focus will be on insurers, commercial fleets and the automotive industry. After successful tests and pacts with automakers and telecommunications companies in South America, EarthSearch will approach the US insurance industry with a revolutionary program that offers their premiere GPS product AutoSearch at no cost. In earlier attempts to use GPS technology for determining a usage-based rating system, by monitoring a driver’s driving behavior then gauging risk, some auto insurance industry pioneers of the system found that their use of GPS technology failed due to “… prohibitive costs, complex production and device installation...” EarthSearch plans to eliminate those barriers by facilitating a program that allows insurers to promote the installation of the AutoSearch device free of charge to its customers with the acceptance of a monthly service charge to be paid by the insured. The AutoSearch installation process takes only 45 minutes for those cars that are not already equipped with the technology. November 1, 2004. ISO has approved an International Standard developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) with input from the ISO technical committee responsible for the ISO geographic information: ISO/TC211 Geographic Information/Geomatics. The OpenGIS Web Map Service (WMS) Interface Specification was approved by a ballot of the national bodies that are members of ISO. The OGC's WMS Specification (now also ISO 19128) specifies protocols that provide uniform access by HTML clients to maps rendered by WMS enabled map servers on the internet. Software complying to the specification enables automatic overlay, in ordinary web browsers, of map images obtained from multiple map servers, regardless of map scale, projection, earth coordinate system, storage format, or vendor solution. November 1, 2004. All of New Zealand’s ambulances will be fitted with GPS tracking devices as part of a $15 million overhaul of their dispatching system. The project involves consolidating eight call centers into three, one in each of the main centers. This brings the Ambulance service into line with the Police and Fire Service, which also operate call centers in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. On top of the $15 million investment in new technology, the new call centers will require an additional $5 million a year to operate. The cost of the project is being met by ACC and the Health Ministry. October 28, 2004. GlobeXplorer, the leading provider of online aerial and satellite imagery, this week announced the latest addition to its archive: EarthSat’s NaturalVue 2000 collection of 15-meter satellite orthophotos covering the entire globe. The new agreement makes this comprehensive dataset easily available to national and world government organizations, natural resource planners, and the general public within GlobeXplorer’s suite of Internet based products. This includes the ImageAtlas viewer at GlobeXplorer.com, the ImageBuilder toolkits for web developers and programmers, or the ImageConnect extensions for GIS and CAD software. Unprecedented in resolution, NaturalVue 2000 covers virtually all the land area of the Earth. NaturalVue is more accurate than most topographic maps at 1:100,000 scale and is 30 times more detailed than the next highest resolution global satellite data. It is based entirely on the US government’s Landsat 7 data acquired between 1999 and 2001. October 28, 2004. Benefon Oyj ("Benefon"), creator of one of the first GPS/GSM combination mobile terminals and a worldwide provider of GPS/GSM mobile telematics solutions, announced that it has entered into a strategic relationship with Beijing Great Dragon Information Technology International Co., Ltd. ("GDTI"), a direct subsidiary of China Putian Corporation of Beijing, China. October 28, 2004. Satelinx International Inc. a global provider of satellite vehicle tracking services, announced today that it had signed a letter of intent with Greece's fourth largest telecommunication long-distance reseller company to market its vehicle tracking services in Greece. Satelinx International Inc. provides satellite vehicle tracking units that integrates GSM/GPS/GPRS wireless technologies and the Internet to deliver wireless vehicle tracking and location services. Satelinx seeks to be recognized as the world leader in providing safety and security solutions on a global scale in a cost effective manner for vehicle owner, trucking or private vehicle fleet and insurance companies. October 27, 2004. BlueSky (www.bluesky-world.com) has launched free PC software for viewing aerial photography and easy map making. The BlueSky 'Vista' package is for use with aerial photo-maps that cover all of England, Wales and lowland Scotland. Vista is a very easy to use PC software package allowing users to display, zoom, pan and print aerial photo-maps. The aerial maps can be overlain by other digital layers such as symbols, lines, street maps and names, allowing maps to be created and printed. Vista also provides useful geographic analysis features such as distance and area calculations. The countrywide aerial photography comes from the Millennium Map, the ambitious nationwide aerial survey undertaken by BlueSky's partner Getmapping. Vista will be provided free with minimum-value orders of aerial photography or made available to anyone for a license fee of just Ł20 plus VAT. There has been a huge interest in aerial photography since the Millennium Map was completed. A bird's eye view of a town, street or property reveals much more about the area than a conventional map. As a result, aerial photo-maps are replacing maps where people need to find a location quickly, such as a call centre, or where the setting is important such as the location of a property for sale or a site due for development. October 27, 2004. Gearworks, a provider of mobile workforce management software, announced the release of a new version of etrace mobile workforce management software, etrace 4.4, that measures, manages and optimizes field service operations at the point of delivery. etrace 4.4 is a location-intelligent, wireless and Web-based solution that leverages a new generation of GPS and Java-enabled mobile phones to enable service-driven companies to gain visibility and control of their mobile workforce and field-based activities. It incorporates a powerful new set of personalization and usability features that ease worker adoption, improve visibility and reporting, and reduce wireless network costs. October 26, 2004. Autodesk, Inc. and Agilent Technologies Inc. announced an agreement to jointly market the first interoperable location-aware solution for the telecommunications industry. The solution will enable mobile operators to optimize the use of existing network infrastructure while offering new revenue-generating, location-enabled services to a mass market. It utilizes a patented, non-intrusive network monitoring technology which eliminates the need for continual network polling to track mobile subscribers and ensures the interoperability of third party solutions. October 26, 2004. Cube Route, a provider of on demand logistics services, announced that it has added GPS tracking and out of area coverage to its service offering, further improving vehicle management and information capture. Available with any of Cube Route's routing, tracking and planning services, Cube Route Mobile operates on any Java-based, GPS enabled wireless device such as a cell phone. Now with GPS tracking capability, Cube Route enables real-time and accurate vehicle tracking via automated arrival and departure information capture, as well as service time calculations that are automatically submitted to the Cube Route platform. By adding GPS tracking to Cube Route's sophisticated routing, tracking and planning functionality, organizations using the on demand logistics service gain access to an accurate and real-time audit trail without the need for driver intervention. It also increases accuracy in scheduled delivery and pick up times, and improves driver productivity.By providing out of area coverage, Cube Route allows for ongoing tracking with no gaps in data capture when a phone is beyond the range of a wireless signal. Data is captured and then automatically uploaded to the Cube Route platform as soon as a wireless signal is available, providing complete field data capture including an accurate "bread crumb trail". This minimizes gaps in data collection from the field, ensures more accurate business analysis, and improves the quality and accuracy of operating reports. The data provided also enables managers to improve operational efficiencies by increasing stops per paid hour, as well as reducing miles driven, labor expenses and weekly vehicle expenses. October 26, 2004. u-blox AG announced the introduction of GPS receiver module TIM-LH with ANTARIS SuperSense Weak Signal Tracking technology. SuperSense technology delivers tracking sensitivity beyond -158 dBm and provides significantly improved acquisition sensitivity, plus unparalleled high positioning accuracy and dynamic navigation performance at low signal levels. Accurate GPS positioning becomes reality in building interiors, deep urban canyons, covered roads and other locations where GPS reception has so far been impossible. High sensitivity reduces installation costs as antennas can be moved to interior locations.ANTARIS provides best-in-class navigation performance, full WAAS / EGNOS support, highly efficient multipath suppression and 8192 time/frequency search bins for excellent start-up performance. The small industry-standard form factor (25.4 x 25.4 mm) and very low power consumption makes TIM-LH suitable for mass market handheld devices for indoors and outdoors, FCC E-911 PhaseII-compliant handsets, as well as vehicle devices which can operate in hidden locations like glove boxes and underneath seats. Excellent dynamic navigation performance makes one-box car navigation devices with built-in antennas possible. October 26, 2004. AMBIT Corporation announced today that it has received official "Notice of Allowance" from the US patent office that it will be granted a broad landmark patent for its invention that allows personal WIFI and cellular telephones to be used aboard commercial airliners. The system sends and receives messages over a wireless local network connected to a server and antenna placed within the aircraft, which then sends and receives internet or cellular signals to a ground-based or satellite system. October 26, 2004. Ekahau Inc. announced that Birmingham Heartlands hospital in the UK is trialing a patient location tracking system based on Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE) 3.0 software and Ekahau T101 WiFi tags. The first pilot phase was completed successfully as a cooperative effort between Ekahau Inc, Daconi Wireless Ltd, Intelligent Medical Microsystems Ltd and Birmingham Heartlands Hospital. The Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE) 3.0 is a software-based location tracking platform. EPE 3.0 is ideally suited for hospitals to track patients, assets and to locate caregivers in emergencies. Unlike competing systems, the Ekahau solution works over any standard Wi-Fi infrastructure, significantly reducing the deployment time and costs associated with building a separate infrastructure. The Ekahau system can be easily deployed wherever there is Wi-Fi coverage, without disrupting the facility's daily operation. October 25, 2004. Trimble and Nextel Communications, Inc. announced that the companies will launch Trimble Outdoors service in time for the holiday season. The service is an online solution that enables customers to plan an outdoor adventure, share their trip with friends and family, and research trips taken by others, including reviewing routes and points of interest on street aerial, or topographic maps covering the continental U.S. and parts of Alaska and Hawaii. Targeted to outdoor enthusiasts, Trimble Outdoors' users will be able to download, from the Internet, their trip planning information and maps onto several of Nextel's mobile phones with global positioning system (GPS) capabilities such as the Motorola i710, Motorola i730, Motorola i830 and the recently launched camera phone, the Motorola i860. October 25, 2004. Wherify Wireless, Inc., a leading developer of wireless location products and services based on the company's pioneering back-end location service platform announces the selection by CTIA for this year's Wireless Widget Showcase. Wherify Wireless will introduce and demonstrate the Wherifone G550 for the first time at the CTIA IT & Entertainment business show at the Moscone Center (booth #852) in San Francisco, October 25-27, 2004. Wherify, which has entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger with IQ Biometrix, Inc. of Fremont, Calif., plans to begin manufacturing the Wherifone G550 this year for international distribution, followed by additional location-based products for valuable assets, cargo, vehicles, and pets. Through the convergence of Global Positioning System (GPS) and digital wireless technology - along with Wherify's patented Global Wide Area Reference Network (GWARN) - the Wherifone G550 offers parents, family members and business people peace of mind knowing they can locate loved ones or valuable property, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The slim and lightweight Wherifone G550 can fit almost anywhere...from a backpack, to a purse, to a coat or pants pocket, to the family car. In addition to the ability to locate or make incoming and outgoing calls, the Wherifone G550 even provides a child or adult a new level of security knowing they can also request a 911 emergency response at the touch of a button. October 25, 2004. Networks In Motion, a software solutions provider for mobile workforce management and Location-Based Services (LBS), today announced the availability of its NAVBuilder suite of extensions enabling the seamless integration of LBS into a wide variety of wireless applications. Rand McNally, North America's largest commercial mapmaker, is one of the first to incorporate the company's NAVBuilder extensions. The mapping giant plans to build its next-generation wireless mapping and search application using the Networks In Motion extensions. October 25, 2004. Startup Q-Track Corp. has homed in on an oft-ignored phenomenon of RF transmissions and leveraged it as the basis of what has been demonstrated to be an accurate but relatively simple tracking scheme. Called Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFER), the technology has a resolution of 30 cm at 300 meters. That's accurate enough to rival ultra wideband (UWB) and conventional time-of-flight and time-distance-of-arrival schemes, with their respective shortfalls. October 21, 2004. DataLogic International, Inc., a technology and professional services company providing a wide range of consulting services and telecommunications products such as VoIP equipment and GPS vehicle tracking devices, announced the availability of Wi-Fi interface to its Panther Trak mobile units. Using 802.11 technologies, Panther Trak can be programmed to communicate with any Wi-Fi enabled device, allowing Panther Trak to transfer data to a base station wirelessly and, consequently, at virtually no incremental cost. When Wi-Fi is used as a communication method from a GPS mobile unit to a base station, data can be transmitted directly from the mobile unit to the Internet without incurring any cellular airtime charges. October 21, 2004. TELUS Mobility announced a ruggedized Mike phone featuring Mike's Talk Around, a unique new feature that allows clients to use their Mikes as walkie talkies even when they are outside network coverage areas. Like all Mike phones, the new Motorola i325 features a digital PCS phone, Mike's Direct Connect, text messaging, "always on" Internet access and other business-oriented wireless services. Mike is the only digital wireless network in Canada offering the Push To Talk capability of Direct Connect service, allowing clients across North America to talk instantly at the touch of a button. The i325 features a surveillance mode that allows clients to quickly switch their handsets into all-dark, all-quiet mode for added safety in high-security situations. With Java enabled applications, clients can also make use of advanced GPS (Global Positioning System) location-based services. October 21, 2004. Navman, a leading designer and manufacturer of world-class global positioning systems (GPS), communication and marine products, announced today the expansion of its product line designed for the consumer electronics and automotive personal navigation markets. The new pocket-sized and feature-packed iCN 510 has a sleek new design and offers all of the advanced software capabilities of Navman's existing iCN product line, with dozens of valuable enhancements. With its new touch-screen LCD and long-lasting internal battery, the iCN 510 truly offers consumers the ultimate portability and utility. October 21, 2004. iTAGG.com, the SMS services & mobile domain name provider, has developed three interactive mobile City Guides covering Marrakech, Sydney and Turin for travel bible, Condé Nast Traveller. The Java based applications present the information as text and pictures, enabling users to access practical advice on the best places to eat, sleep, and shop, as well as find information on the best entertainment venues across each of the cities, all from the users mobile phone. October 21, 2004. ESRI, the world leader in geographic information system (GIS) technology, announced today that it has joined the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge as a gold sponsor and will offer ArcWeb Services to all official contestants. The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge is a contest meant to challenge application developers to build location-based services (LBS) solutions that utilize cell phones or wireless handheld devices and NAVTEQ Maps. Application developers from around the world submit their LBS solutions to be reviewed and judged by leading industry experts including wireless carriers, device manufacturers, and other key players in the value chain. Application developers accepted to the Global LBS Challenge have the option to use ArcWeb Services, powered by NAVTEQ Maps, free of charge throughout the duration of the contest. October 20, 2004. NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, has added five new attributes to NAVTEQ maps: enhanced geometry accuracy, speed limit, special speed situation, variable speed signs and number of lanes. These additional attributes make it possible for navigation systems to offer drivers advanced functionality and more useful information about the road network. For example, the enhanced geometry, which provides higher absolute and relative accuracy of the road network, can be integrated into vehicles' navigation and telematics systems to improve the performance of the vehicles' adaptive cruise control and adaptive headlight functionality. The speed limit attributes detail the actual speed, special speed limit (usually dependent on time, conditions or activities), dependent special speed type (school, rain, snow, time dependent, etc), variable speed sign (where speed limit information changes based on road conditions and traffic) and speed limit unit (numerical value-either mph or kph). The number of lanes recorded, quite literally, identifies the number of lanes (excluding exit, acceleration and deceleration lanes) constituting specific sections or 'links' of roadway. The speed limit and geometry attributes are also useful to the development of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which enhance the performance of vehicles by enabling communication between and within the vehicle and the roadway. October 19, 2004. Japan-based credit card company JCB International is launching a trial of its QUICPay contactless payment system in November with Tokyo-area taxi drivers. If the trial is a success, JCB hopes to bring its contactless system using RFID technology to convenience stores, allowing Japanese consumers to use their mobile phones to make instant payments at such stores by early 2006. The payment system consists of a mobile phone with an embedded chip that stores an allocated amount of funds that have been charged to the phone owner’s JCB credit card. QUICPay RFID readers can read the fund balance remaining on the chip and subtract money during purchases. When the phone is presented within 10 centimeters of the reader, the reader determines the amount of money stored on the chip, automatically deducts the fare and resets the chip’s balance. October 19, 2004. ROAMING MESSENGER announced that the company now reports sales of its ROAMING MESSENGER product for use in bio-terrorism emergency alerting to public safety personnel. The ROAMING MESSENGER product is being incorporated into FirstWatch's bio-surveillance system, for a government public health organization, with other installations expected to follow in rapid success. FirstWatch is a powerful bio-surveillance system that monitors calls to central dispatch systems and identifies potential bio-terrorism and other health threats, by monitoring and detecting anomalies in call patterns coming into the 911 or other call center. Once an event is detected, the FirstWatch system automatically dispatches a ROAMING MESSENGER enabled alert, which tracks down the appropriate responder on any of his or her wired or wireless devices, providing real-time information and response capabilities. October 19, 2004. STMicroelectronics announced the availability of the STA2056 single-chip GPS for active antenna systems featuring the complete RF function, GPS base-band, an ARM7TDMI® processor and peripherals on a single piece of silicon. It combines GPS performance with low power consumption. It is the first-ever device successfully embedding the radio section into a digital single-chip GPS receiver, requiring no external host CPU and memory to achieve both satellite tracking and position calculation. Despite its high level of integration and increased RF requirements for microprocessor co-existence, the STA2056 draws only 37mA in typical operating mode. October 19, 2004. Telcontar, a leading supplier of software and related services for Location-Based Services (LBS), formally announced that Ask Jeeves, Inc. has selected Telcontar's Drill Down Server (DDS) to power its Map Search function on the Ask Jeeves Web site. With Telcontar's DDS spatial software platform combined with NAVTEQ map data, Ask Jeeves, provides its users with access to city maps and driving directions, capabilities that further extend the robust Local search features the major search engine offers. October 19, 2004. Interlink Networks today announced LucidLink Home Office Edition, the first wireless network security solution for the home office professional. With LucidLink, a non- technical user can set up and secure a complete wireless home network in less than 15 minutes. For professionals working at home, LucidLink provides the same secure wireless experience enjoyed in a traditional office environment, combining automatic Wi-Fi access point configuration with the same enterprise-strength security used by large corporations to lock down their wireless networks. October 18, 2004. SiRF Technology, Inc., a leading supplier of GPS enabled location technology, announced that its SiRFstarIIt GPS chipset has been chosen for LG Electronics' new telematics platform for General Motors' OnStar System. The SiRFstarIIt solution will deliver the GPS location technology for LG's Telematics Control Unit (TCU) to enable the best possible locate and navigate capabilities in a small cost-effective footprint. General Motors just announced plans to increase production of OnStar-equipped GM vehicles to three million units for the 2006 model year, highlighting the increasing importance of this in-vehicle safety, security and communications service. The SiRFstarIIt chipset is designed specifically to deliver the most cost-effective, powerful, and accurate GPS and dead reckoning performance available today for automobile navigation applications. As a "tracker solution," SiRFstar IIt separates the real-time critical and non real-time critical tasks between the dedicated GPS chipset and the host CPU, thus dramatically simplifying the integration of GPS navigation software on the host system. SiRFstarIIt significantly lowers overall system level costs by utilizing spare memory and CPU resources of the host CPU system, and simplifying the printed circuit board (PCB) layout. October 18, 2004. Delphi has brought to market a new digital data decoder to help enable the first OEM application for real-time traffic services in North America. The patented Delphi digital data decoder offers a low-cost, reliable, broader coverage alternative to cellular network-based telematics services. The Delphi data decoder works in conjunction with satellite radio and is a derivative of Delphi's satellite radio receiver. The new innovation adds new information and data service capability through a special satellite radio receiver data port. Vehicles equipped with the technology and a navigation system can display real-time traffic, and other information while playing satellite radio. The system is also capable of giving real-time weather, sports scores and stock updates. The system graphically displays stopped traffic, traffic jams, accidents, closed roads, narrow lanes, road alerts and road conditions. October 18, 2004. Multimap, Europe’s leading online mapping provider, announced the deployment of its “Storefinder” service. Thanks to Multimap, commercial property seekers can now search for premises by preferred region, town or postcode in a matter of seconds. The service radically reduces the amount of time and effort that users must spend before committing to a viewing. It also means that fewer staff resources are wasted on viewings that don’t result in a sale, freeing employees up to spend time on more profitable pursuits. www.shopproperty.co.uk a 24x7 mapping service that takes much of the labour out of commercial property hunting. The point of departure for any property search is location and, by offering our users the option to search for premises in the vicinity of a particular postcode or area, we make their mission significantly less stressful, as well as saving them and property agents time on viewings that lead nowhere. October 15, 2004. Nextel Communications announced the availability of the Motorola i860, the first phone with a built-in camera to offer Direct Connect, Nationwide Direct Connect and International Direct Connect walkie-talkie services. With the Motorola i860, Nextel is the first national cellular service provider to offer two exclusive features that make communicating more integrated, convenient and intuitive. The Nextel Direct Send contacts feature allows a user to send contact information, including names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses, to another user's Motorola i860 phone with the simple press of the Push To Talk walkie-talkie button. The i860 has a GPS chip for location-based applications and services. October 14, 2004. C-COM Satellite Systems has adapted its iNetVu Mobile Platform to work seamlessly with iDirect Technologies NetModem II products to produce bi-directional satellite-based broadband access solutions using Internet protocols. The proprietary iNetVu Mobile satellite platform, when coupled with the iDirect NetModem II, is capable of delivering Internet access, video and VoIP into vehicles, while stationary, at speeds of up to 18Mbps on the download and 4.2Mbps upstream anywhere in the world where one has access to satellite connectivity. October 14, 2004. NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, has joined forces with influential location technology and media companies to sponsor the Global LBS Challenge: a contest that challenges developers to build location-enabled applications for wireless devices. The corporate sponsors include ESRI, Microsoft Corp., SiRF Technology, Inc. and Telcontar. Directions Magazine and the Wireless Innovation Network of British Columbia (WINBC) are the official media sponsors of the Challenge. As part of the over $700,000 in cash and prizes that will be awarded to the contest winners, the four sponsors are giving all official contestants in the contest free access to each company’s proprietary developer tools. October 13, 2004. Applied Digital, a provider of Security Through Innovation(TM) and Digital Angel Corporation announced today that VeriChip, the world's first implantable radio frequency identification (RFID) microchip for human use, has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for medical uses in the United States. The FDA clearance follows the completion of a de novo application review. October 12, 2004. Infineon Technologies and Global Locate today announced that they are jointly developing the industry's highest performing Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) chip for mobile telephones, smart phones and PDAs. The new Hammerhead chip is optimized for cellular handsets and can bring GPS functionality to mobile phones. October 12, 2004. Evolution Robotics, a leading provider of next-generation robotics technologies and component solutions, today introduced NorthStar, a new, low-cost, hardware and software localization solution that enables mobile devices to navigate more intelligently in indoor environments. Similar to global positioning systems (GPS), the NorthStar system measures a device's exact coordinates and heading using harmless and invisible IR light spots projected onto the ceiling of its environment. By triangulation, the NorthStar system can instantly determine the device's exact position and heading with very high accuracy. Unlike GPS however, NorthStar works indoors, is more precise, and provides instantaneous and absolute course information. October 12, 2004. Alvarion Ltd., the leading provider of wireless broadband solutions worldwide, today announced the completion of the first WiMAX-ready network in Scandinavia using its BreezeMAX platform. MobileCity chose BreezeMAX as the most cost-effective way to extend top-quality broadband coverage throughout the region and as a solution to the limited reach previously provided by WiFi technology. The network, located in Skelleftea, Sweden, was built in cooperation with Intel Nordic and UpGrade Communication AB for MobileCity, a consortium of commercial and academic partners dedicated to promoting technology. Mr. Carl-Daniel Norenberg, Business Development Manager of Intel Nordic, added, "As expected, Alvarion's BreezeMAX network has delivered an outstanding broadband service. This has convinced us that WiMAX should be the standard technology deployed by carriers for Internet access and last-mile connectivity services, especially in large communities." October 11, 2004. 3UK announced that from this week it is selling the latest video mobile from NEC, the e616V. The successor to the e616, the new e616V, is the seventh 3G mobile from NEC to go on sale in the UK. The e616V boasts the same range of video mobile features as the e616, with the addition of a VGA-resolution digital camera. The e616V is a clamshell design and measures 103x53x26.4mm, weighing only 131g. It has two built-in zoom cameras and a camera light, which enhances images captured even in low-light conditions. It also features GPS functionality for location-based services, and can be connected to a PC via a USB cable. October 11, 2004. Grayling Wireless USA Inc. announced that its recently acquired subsidiary Virtual Wave has signed its first North American sales dealership agreement with Mach Ten Enterprises Inc., a privately-held Canadian company that specializes in GPS products, trading as GPS Central. GPS Central has focused on the sale of GPS equipment for the outdoor, marine, automotive and handheld aviation markets, but they also service many business, government and institutional customers. The company has been in business since 2000 and is the leading online dealer within Canada for GARMIN International Inc. GPS Central is also a GARMIN-Authorized Reseller of Aviation Handheld products and an Authorized Magellan Dealer. Virtual Wave, an authorized Benefon distributor, will be supplying a full line of GPS tracking and cellular telephone products and accessories through GPS Central. In addition, Virtual Wave will be offering its RoadStarGPS location-based services to GPS Central customers. RoadStarGPS includes roadside assistance, trip planning, location-based emergency services, SMS and Email broadcasting as well as real-time, turn-by-turn directions from RoadStar operators. October 9, 2004. With the latest additions of GPS mapping and navigation software for Linux, our GPS Software page contains far over 100 GPS programs and tools. October 8, 2004. TeleMapics LLC, a privately held business focused on travel, tourism and location based services, announced today the launch of its ThereArePlaces travel website. Available at www.ThereArePlaces.com , the site is focused on international travel and is designed to help would-be travelers gain confidence while learning how to travel safe and well with a minimum of effort. The site also contains both general travel information and unique local information for destinations within each country. ThereArePlaces.com offers two distinctive guide sections: Information Guides and Destination Guides. October 7, 2004. CodeXchange is pleased to announce a new evolution in the development and distribution of software. The updated site is a marketplace for computer programmers to buy, sell and trade their code. The improved site challenges the standard business model by empowering developers to write and market their own code on CodeXchange. With new features like keyword and category searches, expanded descriptions of submitted code to make finding the right code fast and easy and the Code Wanted section, the revamped CodeXchange site offers an unbeatable combination of ease of use with top quality rated code. October 7, 2004. Radionet, a leading supplier of Wi-Fi Hotzone technology, announced that it has joined the WiMAX Forum, an industry-led organization that promotes interoperability and certification of broadband wireless products based on the IEEE 802.16 standard. By joining the WiMAX forum, Radionet has an ideal vantage point to the development of the WiMAX standard. October 6, 2004. MapInfo Corporation announced the European launch of Exponare, a powerful web-based location intelligence solution that will enable an organization to deploy location-based information across the entire enterprise to all users, regardless of skill levels. Exponare has been specifically designed to be user friendly and intuitive, with pre-built customizable modules catering to a wide range of users from technical specialists to the general public. October 5, 2004. TOPICS Entertainment, Inc., the largest privately held software publisher in the United States, and OTO Software, Inc., a leading developer of networking software solutions for home and SMBs, announced the latest addition to the SpyderSoft brand of security and performance monitoring utilities. SpyderSoft Wi-Fi Defense (patent pending) provides strong home Wi-Fi security via its simple one-click interface to lock-down the network against outsiders, bolstered by a constant scan for intrusion detection. Wi-Fi Defense is a "universal interface" that works across popular brands and models of home wireless equipment and is regularly updated to maintain currency. October 5, 2004. TomTom, a leading in-car navigation solution provider, today announced its TomTom GO with pre-loaded detailed maps of the United States. The new TomTom GO complements the existing product line by offering an all-in-one navigation device that works straight out of the box. The TomTom GO with pre-loaded maps of the United States providesusers with an easy-to-use plug and go navigation solution. Users need only to turn on the GO, insert the provided memory card with pre-loaded maps, and start navigating. October 5, 2004. Today at the Symbian Expo, Handango, the leading provider of mobile downloads, and Openbit, a leader in embedded digital rights management (DRM) and m-commerce, announced a far-reaching strategic partnership. The collaboration encompasses technology integration; support for mobile developers; and joint sales to mobile operators, phone manufacturers and retailers. The two firms will integrate their product roadmaps and their billing systems, enabling on-device commerce worldwide and carrier-integrated billing in 20 countries through nearly 70 mobile network operators. October 5, 2004. Tele Atlas, a worldwide leading provider of digital maps and location content, and ProMiles Software Development Corporation (PSDC), announced that the two companies are collaborating to bring the power of ProMiles XF and TruckMiles truck routing applications and Tele Atlas' turn-by-turn map data to trucking and logistics companies. Through this expanded agreement, ProMiles will begin incorporating Tele Atlas' turn-by-turn data into its routing and logistics products for street level routing applications. ProMiles offers one of only a few applications that delivers door-to-door addressing along with truck attributes such as designated truck routes, hazardous restrictions and weight and height restrictions. October 4, 2004. MuskokaTech, a leading provider of handheld GPS Navigation and Mapping Software software, announced the release of the highly anticipated PathAway GPS 3 on the Windows Mobile (formerly Pocket PC) Handheld platform. This version offers all of the same power and functionality of the current version on the Palm OS platform. October 4, 2004. EMS Technologies, Inc. introduced today, at the 2004 American Trucking Association's Management Conference and Exhibition, a new tracking and management software system, eNcompass TMS. October 4, 2004. QUALCOMM Incorporated, a leader in providing wireless data solutions, announced the availability of new security features for the OmniTRACS satellite mobile communications solution. The new features include the availability of a Vehicle Immobilization Device and a Security Integration Package. The new product capabilities enrich the security of the OmniTRACS solution, offering enhanced protection to high-value and hazardous materials cargo and personnel. October 4, 2004. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co, best known under the Panasonic brand, has developed a SD Memory Card with contactless smart card capabilities. Called smartSD Card, the new SD Memory Card combines contact-less data communication capabilities with large storage capacity and high security October 4, 2004. Multimap, one of the world’s leading online mapping providers, announced a partnership with Terralink, New Zealand’s leading land information, mapping and data integration company. Thanks to the partnership, Multimap now offers high-quality, street-level mapping services to consumers and businesses across New Zealand. October 4, 2004. CSI Wireless Inc., a designer and manufacturer of advanced wireless and GPS products used in more than 50 countries, announced that its Fleet-Link asset- tracking product is now being shipped to application service providers, OEMs and other customers. Fleet-Link is a self-powered asset-tracking product to remotely monitor and manage truck trailers, freight containers and other mobile assets from a central command centre. Fleet-Link cost-effectively addresses shippers' growing needs to constantly track the locations of their goods. The first model of Fleet-Link - including a solar-powered option that is generating substantial interest from potential purchasers - is ideal for trucking companies and other overland shippers in the Americas. It communicates using the low-cost MicroBurst cellular network, developed by Aeris.net, which provides seamless coverage throughout North America. October 3, 2004. UAE University and IBM Middle East unveiled the prototype of the world's first car safety device that can send alerts to the driver via voice technology whenever the vehicle is passing the speed limit of a particular street. With advanced tracking and monitoring capabilities, the new 'Smart Box' can also be integrated with the local traffic department to issue speeding tickets after several 'voice' warnings. The ambitious project is a venture between UAE University and IBM's Engineering and Technology Services organizations to design, develop and test the smart box that can be used as a platform to develop advanced telematics applications. Similar to the so-called black box found in aircrafts, the device can capture, analyze and deliver data via a wireless network. It is equipped with embedded computing power and integrates GSM/GPRS functionality, combined with GPS and voice recognition systems into the vehicle's systems and environment for intelligent connectivity. October 1, 2004. Qualcomm Incorporated, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, announced the opening of a research and development (R&D) center in Hyderabad, India. QUALCOMM's Hyderabad R&D center will support Qualcomm's CDMA chipset development activities and ongoing efforts to advance CDMA wireless technology in India and across the region. The center is part of the Company's efforts to enhance its worldwide engineering workforce to help meet the increasing demand for third-generation (3G) wireless devices. September 30, 2004. Nextair is eliminating the last barrier to enterprise wireless adoption. The company announced it has dropped the software fees previously required for its flagship AIRIX Wireless Environment in an effort to encourage widespread adoption of wireless technology. For enterprise IT shops, finding a simple, cost effective way to connect field workers to head-office systems and data has historically been a challenge. Nextair chose to solve this challenge by offering the complete AIRIX Wireless Environment for free. September 30, 2004. CTIA, The Wireless Association is pleased to announce it will offer free Wi-Fi and Wireless VoIP Services to attendees of CTIA WIRELESS I.T. & Entertainment 2004, October 25-27, 2004 at Moscone West in San Francisco, California. Attendees to CTIA will enjoy three days of seamless connectivity on the largest Voice over Wi-Fi deployment ever. September 30, 2004. Since launching Georgia’s first high-precision GPS base station network for surveying and mapping on July 30th, eGPS Solutions has been actively introducing its groundbreaking capabilities to industry professionals. This past month the company was an exhibitor at the Georgia URISA GIS/IT Conference. On the last day of the convention, Lonnie Sears, President of eGPS Solutions, spoke before a group on GPS Reference Stations vs. GPS Reference Networks. September 30, 2004. MapQuest Services, a leading provider of software and platforms that empower organizations to location enable web, wireless and speech applications, announced the availability of MapQuest Site Advantage, an easy to deploy web service that allows businesses to incorporate premium interactive maps, door-to-door driving directions and location-search functionality into their Web sites. Site Advantage provides an XML interface enabling true platform independence and easy integration into almost any IT environment. Customers can use the bundled set of sample web applications in ASP, JSP, PHP and XSLT to help shorten the application’s time to market while maintaining the ‘look and feel’ of their company’s branded Web site. September 29, 2004. Systems integrator tekVizion and wireless location technology provider Ekahau announced a partnership to develop location based services for the voice over Wi-Fi market. The services will be based on the Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE), a software-based solution that enables location tracking on a Wi-Fi network, and promises accuracy down to one meter. It works with any Wi-Fi access point - it doesn't require proprietary technology - and it can be used for a wide variety of applications. September 29, 2004. Tracker has announced the launch of its fourth stolen vehicle tracking system, TRACKER Echo. The new product can track a stolen car in the UK and across Europe, and is also fitted with a driver validation solution to combat vehicle theft with the keys. It provides an automatic monthly system check and a movement alert, amongst other benefits. Achieving Thatcham’s Category 5 security rating, TRACKER Echo will allow TRACKER to pin-point the exact location of a vehicle in the UK, France and Spain, and with an additional subscription, across wider Europe, using satellite GPS and GSM technologies. Local police will then be alerted to ensure a stolen vehicle’s recovery. September 28, 2004. BT redcare is entering the vehicle-security market by launching the first system combining Bluetooth wireless technology, advanced car electronics and satellite navigation to fight vehicle theft. BT redcare auto-txt is one of the first vehicle-security products to be awarded the new industry Category 5 standard, launched by Thatcham1 to combat the rise in car thefts using the owner’s key. British Crime Survey statistics show that 53 per cent of thefts of cars under six years old involve the car keys. September 28, 2004. Motorola and Partners Telemedicine, a service of Harvard-affiliated Teaching Hospitals, announces a collaboration to test MOTOHEALTH, a Motorola solution using mobile phones to help healthcare providers monitor chronically ill patients as they go about their daily activities outside of their homes. September 28, 2004. Bluefire Security Technologies announced that Motorola, Inc., through its venture capital arm, Motorola Ventures, has made a strategic investment in the company. The company intends to use the proceeds from the financing to accelerate the development of its Mobile Firewall Plus suite of security applications. September 28, 2004. DataLogic International, Inc., announced that its Panther Trak GPS product has been expanded to include local area network capabilities, referred to as MicroLan. The addition of MicroLan technology permits greater data input and output capabilities with Panther Trak, allowing it to provide more information reporting, control, and effectiveremote tracking. MicroLan, also known as "One-Wire Network", is a technology by Maxim/Dallas SemiconductorIt is a self-powered interface that allows many peripheral devices, such as temperature gauges and IO switches, to be connected to a single network and controlled by a master device. The network can be as long as 200 meters and up to 700 meters with a minor hardware upgrade. September 28, 2004. Even equipped with the top GPS tracking devices on the market today, a vehicle can be stolen, stripped by the local chop shop; have its contents pilfered or tampered with, as long as it remains within the 1-mile radius that goes undetected by standard Geo Fencing. But now, 3D Geo Fencing offered by EarthSearch Communications (ESC) will detect unauthorized movement of the vehicle within just 10 feet in any direction-up, down, sideways forward or backwards. ESC will begin offering 3D Geo Fencing in the US and South America by November 1, on its proprietary device AutoSearch and be made available to all of its OEM partners. September 28, 2004. MapInfo Corporation, the leading provider of location-intelligence solutions, today launched StreetPro Malaysia, MapInfo’s premier data offering. The solution is designed to provide comprehensive, current street and location information that easily integrates with location-based information systems. MapInfo has 16 years of global experience in developing useable data and is working closely with its regional partners to create a regional dataset that contains spatial information from Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, China PRC, Taiwan R.O.C., Hong Kong SAR, South Korea and Vietnam. September 28, 2004. A company called Node has come out with a rugged handheld computer and GPS unit intended for location-aware interactive exploration of indoor and outdoor spaces. The Explorer v2 is based on a 400MHz XScale processor, and reportedly supports both embedded Linux and Microsoft Pocket PC. The basic ruggedized unit offers a claimed full day of battery life. The Node is packaged in a rugged, rubber-edged, fully waterproof case, available in 265 different colors, with space on the back for customer logos or other branding images. September 23, 2004. Automotive Capital Group, Inc. announced that it has completed the acquisition of Navicom Wireless GPS. Automotive Capital Group, Inc. acquires over 1,100 current active accounts that are billed monthly for GPS services. The company also announced it will ship 100 recently ordered units next week to new and current customers. Navicom's GPS technology works in 98% of the US, Canada and Mexico. Navicom offers wireless GPS solutions for personal, business and security. September 23, 2004. NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for navigation systems and location-based solutions, expects to complete its initial mapping of seven eastern European countries by the end of 2004. This accelerated build plan is part of the company's effort to offer a comprehensive navigable map of Eastern Europe that will facilitate pan-European routing. As the eastern European population grows, there is increased consumer and business interest in navigable solutions that support routing to, from and throughout western and Eastern Europe. NAVTEQ currently offers maps of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Greece. Over the course of the next four months, the company plans to finalize initial navigable maps of the road networks of major urban areas and the connector roads between these areas in Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Croatia, along with connector road coverage of the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. These maps will integrate with NAVTEQ maps of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the bordering Western European countries. The result of this initiative: a navigable map that can route drivers from Barcelona to Budapest, from Rome to Riga. September 22, 2004. Synergy Systems, LLC, a leading distributor of GPS and wireless technologies, has selected nPhase, LLC, one of the nation's leading Machine to Machine (M2M) solution providers, to provide turn-key, wireless connectivity solutions for Siemens and Kyocera OEM wireless modules. Together, Synergy Systems and nPhase are able to provide a broad range of devices and wireless connectivity services to businesses building products in the location tracking industry, cited by analysts as one of the biggest enterprise level trends of the 21st century. September 21, 2004. NemeriX, and CEVA, Inc. announced a collaboration that will result in a new chipset targeting the indoor GPS market. This new solution, the NemeriX NJ2020, will leverage CEVA's latest generation GPS 4000 GPS IP solution to provide unmatched performance and programmability for mobile handheld devices. September 21, 2004. Thales introduced the new Magellan RoadMate 300. Available in North America in November 2004 the new Magellan RoadMate 300 is a color touch screen vehicle navigation system that offers turn-by-turn text and voice-prompted street navigation for use in any car, at any time, right out of the box. Simple, yet complete and portable, the new Magellan RoadMate 300 is the first vehicle navigation system for everyone. The compact, lightweight Magellan RoadMate 300 includes a built-in map of major roads and highways. North American drivers can simply turn it on and go to most cities in the continental United States and Canada without connecting to a PC. It's also easy for drivers to gain door-to-door navigation to any street address, even in Hawaii and Puerto Rico. September 20, 2004. Concord Camera Corp. ("Concord") announced that it will demonstrate its clever new wireless image transfer technology for digital cameras called WIT (Wireless Image Transfer) at Photokina next week in Cologne, Germany. September 15, 2004. The first half of 2004 saw a marked rise in the shipments of GPS navigation solutions for handhelds in EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) according to new estimates just released by Canalys. The number of units sold from January to June was over 720,000, compared to less than 700,000 for the whole of last year. September 15, 2004. Airbus SAS, the world's largest passenger-aircraft maker, says travelers will be able to make mobile phone calls on commercial flights by 2006. Cellular phones are currently banned on large commercial airliners. September 15, 2004. Sleepycat Software, makers of Berkeley DB, and MontaVista Software announced that Berkeley DB and MontaVista Linux will be incorporated in the new Motorola A780 mobile phone. Berkeley DB provides efficient, reliable data management while the MontaVista Linux operating system provides a stable, versatile mobile platform enabling availability of a wide range of native and Java technology-based applications. Motorola’s A780, created for mobile professionals, is a converged device designed for mobile office connectivity as well as for personal entertainment. The A780 offers a range of features and applications such as PDA capability, full-motion video recording, and a 240 x 320 color touch screen. The A780 is also a full enterprise solution mobile device, supporting various document formats, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, MP3 and JPG files. September 15, 2004. RFDomus Inc. announced that it is addressing the growing requirements for low power consumption and increasing global positioning system (GPS) functionality in cellular phones and other portable communications applications with the introduction of the RFD1400 GPS receiver. Offering ultra-low power consumption of 12 mW, the RFD1400 is the industry's lowest power RFIC for GPS applications. September 15, 2004. Nokia and NEC Corporation have successfully completed the first phase interoperability testing between the two companies' IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS). The testing program verified the functionality of major IMS features over an IP network connecting Europe and Japan. During the tests, Nokia and NEC established sessions for voice over IP as well as transferred instant messages between test terminals. IMS enables both mobile and fixed devices to establish IP sessions between each other. These connections form the basis for a wide range of multimedia communication services, such as sharing presence information, interactive applications, sharing content and sharing real time video. Also Push to talk over Cellular, the voice service for one-on-one and one-to-group communications, will work over IMS. September 14, 2004. With initial support from the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Advanced Technology Program (ATP), the start-up TeleContinuity Inc. is creating a "survivable" emergency telephone system back-up network that keeps individuals, companies and government agencies in touch during disasters by seamlessly merging conventional phone lines and the Internet. The company says its initial version of the software for such an emergency system is designed to reroute a user's phone service within minutes of a major telephone outage by delivering the call to a remote phone, cell phone or even a computer or PDA. September 14, 2004. Bulldog Technologies, Inc qnnounced that it is in the late development stages of a new member of the BOSS product family. The Mini BOSS is a battery powered, miniature (3" x 2" x 1"), covert tracking device which can be concealed in valuable cargo and left dormant until required. The Mini BOSS, which uses a combination of Assisted GPS (AGPS) and cellular tower triangulation, can provide tracking data from inside shipping containers or cargo trailers, even when they are located in underground parking structures or warehouses. The device can be concealed in sensitive and valuable cargo shipments. If lost or stolen, the Mini BOSS can provide continuous location of the goods for up to a month, providing security professionals and law enforcement officials with the time needed to locate and recover the shipment. The Mini BOSS works in conjunction with the Bulldog Security Gateway, Bulldogs Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) Software, to provide real-time tracking and map data to the end user. The Mini BOSS on its own, or combined with Bulldog's Road BOSS System, should significantly enhance security for Bulldog customers by giving law enforcement officials and security professionals additional tools to break up cargo theft rings operating in North America. September 14, 2004. Thales, global provider of Magellan consumer GPS products, announced today the fall introduction of Magellan MapSend Topo Canada, a powerful digital topographic map of Canada for selected GPS handhelds. This new GPS map solution is perfect for hiking, fishing, hunting, biking and off-road adventures throughout Canada, because it delivers a seamless nationwide map showing topographic contours, extensive street detail, waterways and parks. It also provides a searchable points of interest database, plus waypoint and route management tools to simplify travel planning and navigation. September 13, 2004. Florida-based Wannado City, the first indoor role-playing theme park for kids, is increasing children's safety throughout the 40 venues at its 140,000 square foot facility using SafeTzone's Real-Time Locating System. The technology, which combines passive and active radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and readers from Texas Instruments and RF Code, respectively, allows parents or other members of a group to identify the whereabouts of their family and friends at any time while inside the facility. September 13, 2004. Flight Explorer, the world's leading global provider of Internet-based real-time flight tracking and weather information, reporting and display products, announced that, under an agreement with NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital maps for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, Flight Explorer customers can now track the real-time location of aircraft relative to the road network of the United States and Canada and points of interest including hospitals, waterways and other relevant locations. September 13, 2004. Nearly half of all international business fliers would prefer to travel on airlines that allow the use of mobile phones in flight. That is the emphatic conclusion from a survey of 1,200 international business and leisure travelers at two of the world's busiest airports, London Heathrow and Gatwick. The research was conducted for Telenor and ARINC Incorporated. The companies are marketing an in-flight GSM mobile phone service for passengers, ARINC-Telenor Mobile Connectivity. They plan to demonstrate their system at the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) in Seattle, WA, Sept. 21-24. September 13, 2004. LG Telecom, one of the largest wireless network operators in Korea, recently launched its first biometric cell phone, the LP3800, which features the newest fingerprint sensor from AuthenTec, the recognized number one semiconductor provider of fingerprint sensors to the global market. With the simple swipe of a finger, AuthenTec's tiny AES2510 sensor quickly identifies and enables authorized users to access the phone's full capabilities, while locking out thieves and stopping others from accessing the phones important files. This is especially important given that LG's latest high-end mobile phone offers a broad range of advanced features including an MP3 player with stereo speakers, a mega-pixel camera, GPS location and data services, and BankON mobile-banking capabilities that allow authorized users to wirelessly access and perform BankON account transactions using their cell phones. September 13, 2004. Thales, global provider of Magellan consumer GPS products, announces the introduction of Magellan MapSend Lakes USA to enhance navigation for customers who explore the nation's top freshwater fishing and boating destinations. Available in September 2004, MapSend Lakes USA delivers up-to-date, detailed cartography and other useful information for more than 1,200 lakes from the leading freshwater data providers, Fishing Hot Spots and Lakemaster. Whether boating, kayaking or finding favored fishing spots, MapSend Lakes USA helps users plan the best routes to get the most out of their freshwater activity and safely find their way back. September 10, 2004. Over the next few months, a European consortium calling itself the Wireless Cabin plans to test a new service that will allow airline passengers to make calls on flights with mobile phones based on the widely deployed GSM technology. The test will follow a similar in-flight telephony trial based on rival CDMA technology, which was conducted by American Airlines and Qualcomm last month in the U.S. The American Airlines-Qualcomm test was approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), two agencies that still prohibit the use of wireless phones on flights. September 10, 2004. Vodafone has signed up to offer the same keyboard-equipped Wi-Fi PocketPC as T-Mobile and O2. Vodafone is calling its version of the device the VPA III, compared to T-Mobile’s MDA III and O2’s XDA IIs. The VPA, like its rivals, features a slide out QWERTY keyboard, along with GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth and 802.11b wireless connectivity systems. September 10, 2004. Mobile phone network Orange is preparing to launch its second-generation wireless pocketPC, the M2000 that will be based on the same HTC PDA that is the basis for T-Mobile’s MDA III, O2’s XDA IIs and Vodafone’s VPA III. September 9, 2004. Trimble introduced today a new ultra-low power miniature Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, the Lassen iQ module for mobile devices. With major advancements in performance, sensitivity and power consumption, the Lassen iQ module enables system integrators to easily add GPS capability to mobile devices at a very economical price. In addition, the Lassen iQ module features two GPS signal sensitivity modes: Standard and Enhanced. With Enhanced mode enabled, the module automatically switches to higher sensitivity when satellite signals are weak. The module also supports Trimble Standard Interface Protocol (TSIP) download of critical startup information for fast acquisition. This aided GPS (A-GPS) startup provides hot start performance for each power-up, making it ideal for today's mobile applications. September 9, 2004. Multispectral Solutions, Inc. announced the release of a Hardware Evaluation Kit for its PAL650 ultra wideband (UWB) Precision Asset Location System. PAL650 enables the real-time tracking and identification of assets and personnel with a range and precision unmatched by conventional RFID solutions. Leveraging UWB's unprecedented reliability in difficult electromagnetic and multipath environments (e.g., factories, hospitals, cargo spaces, etc.), with the extended battery life of MSSI's UWB tags, PAL650 is an RFID and real-time tracking system which can meet the most demanding requirements. The PAL650EK evaluation kit consists of all components necessary to thoroughly evaluate the potential of this FCC-certified UWB technology for RFID, tracking and precision localization applications. The PAL650EK includes all hardware to implement a fully operational, four receiver configuration with 10 asset tags. The supplied software enables the real-time display and tracking of UWB tag information. With tag ranges exceeding 300 feet indoors (over 600 feet line-of-sight), the evaluation kit can readily cover many thousands of square feet of space while providing localization resolutions of better than one foot. MSSI's patented UWB technology permits tag operation of 4 years on a single 3.0V Lithium cell. September 7, 2004. Sun Microsystems and ARM announced a long-term collaboration to integrate and distribute optimized Java solutions for mobile devices. The integration of software and hardware optimizations will enhance the end-user mobile experience by significantly boosting computing power behind mobile Java applications. ARM and Sun will jointly optimize and integrate software that enables the widely deployed ARM Jazelle hardware acceleration technology into Sun's Connected Limited Device Configuration HotSpot Implementation (CLDC HI), a market-leading optimized Java Virtual Machine for resource-constrained mobile devices. The integrated product is expected to increase application execution speed and reduce application startup time by up to 50% compared to the current version of CLDC HI. September 7, 2004. TrafficGauge Inc., a company committed to reducing wasted time and unnecessary stress on the road, will forever change the way drivers receive traffic updates when it launches the first real-time mobile traffic map for Los Angeles and Orange County. The TrafficGauge(TM) Mobile Traffic Map will help drivers outsmart traffic congestion. TrafficGauge gives drivers a birds-eye view of Los Angeles and Orange County freeways, helping them pinpoint traffic slowdowns to make better driving decisions, such as taking an alternative route, knowing how much time to allow for a trip, or by simply deciding to not venture into traffic altogether. The handheld, wireless device works right out of the box and can be carried in a pocket or purse, or mounted on the vehicle dashboard or windshield. With a quick glance at the TrafficGauge fixed map, commuters can quickly assess which freeway is stop-and-go, slow or clear, right from the driver's seat. The device requires no scrolling and is always on. September 7, 2004. Tripod Data Systems (TDS) announced the release of its new TDS Locator accessory package. The package helps surveyors find the corners of properties that have overgrown or unmarked boundaries. TDS Locator can be used with TDS Recon data collectors that run Windows Mobile 2003 software for Pocket PCs. The TDS Locator accessory package consists of TDS Locator software, a Recon Extended CF-Cap and a Holux CompactFlash GPS WAAS-capable receiver. Surveyors can purchase either a complete package or individual components. TDS Locator software can be used with most CompactFlash GPS receivers that output NMEA data strings. When used with a Holux GM-270 receiver receiving a WAAS signal, the TDS Locator has an accuracy of 2.2 meters. In non-DGPS mode, the accuracy range is from five to 25 meters. September 1, 2004. Kyocera Wireless Corp., a leading global manufacturer of CDMA wireless phones, and Cellular One, a subsidiary of Western Wireless Corporation, a leading provider of wireless communications services to rural America, announced the domestic launch of the Kyocera Aktiv wireless handset to Cellular One customers. Cellular One is the first wireless company in the United States to offer the durable, rubberized Kyocera Aktiv, designed for today's demanding and active lifestyles. The tri-mode handset features a backlit navigation key and brilliant blue keypad for easy readability. It incorporates assisted-GPS and CDMA2000 1X technology and has TTY and TDD capabilities for the hearing impaired. Predictive text-input software provides rapid text entry in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. September 1, 2004. Karputer, a new UK company specializing in advanced in-car systems, has launched Europe’s first full function Windows in-car computer, ICEPAC. ICEPAC gives users full GPS satellite navigation, WiFi Internet access, DVD and multimedia playback, and office computing functions in a compact unit that fits into any car or van. ICEPAC is a high specification Windows XP computer, controlled from the supplied color LCD touch screen mounted on the car dashboard. Karputer’s simple programmable interface, MediaCar, gives drivers and passengers safe, one-touch access to key functions. The unit is also supplied with a compact, wireless keyboard and mouse for more conventional use when the vehicle is stopped. August 31, 2004. Southern LINC, the wireless communications service from Southern Company, announced they will begin offering the Motorola i860 video and camera phone. The Motorola i860 adds a visual component to communications with LINC View, a new feature that transfers video clips, pictures and contact information with the press of the Push-to-talk button. In addition to the integrated digital camera, the full-featured, lightweight flip-style handset also offers Instant LINC(SM) two-way radio, phone, text messaging and wireless Internet access. The Motorola i860 handset is small, stylish and features large, vibrant internal and external color screens, picture caller ID, GPS and Java capabilities. August 31, 2004. ARC Wireless Solutions, Inc. announced that it is manufacturing the new version of LoJack Corporation's Ruggedized LoJack System, which was developed specifically for the recovery of stolen heavy and/or commercial equipment. The all-in-one design provides flexibility in mounting location and easier concealment, making it even less likely for thieves to discover the product's presence. August 31, 2004. SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. announced that its top-selling global positioning system (GPS) technology provides the underlying location capability for Microsoft's first-ever GPS hardware device. The GPS Locator is combined with the latest version of Microsoft Streets & Trips 2005, the popular travel and mapping software for the United States and Canada. August 30, 2004. Blue Marble Geographics announces the release of a new version of the world’s most recognized coordinate conversion libraries, GeoCalc.Net. This fully object-oriented version of Blue Marble’s coordinate conversion libraries was created to meet the needs of cutting-edge Windows programmers. Blue Marble’s coordinate conversion technology is used worldwide by thousands of GIS analysts at software companies, universities, oil and gas companies, civil engineering, surveying, technology, enterprise GIS groups, and military organizations. August 30, 2004. Sprint announced EarthCam Mobile, a new webcam application, available on select Sprint PCS Vision Phones. EarthCam Mobile is a wireless Java application with an online companion site ( August 30, 2004. Royal Philips Electronics and Samsung Electronics announced plans this week to deploy Samsung mobile devices with Near Field Communications (NFC) chips from Philips. The technology's strength lies in its ability to enable other wireless technologies like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or ZigBee. NFC, which works over short distances of about five centimeters (two inches), can be used to transfer Bluetooth or WLAN configuration data to a mobile device. Instead of scrolling through menus and entering data to connect to a network, a user could join a wireless network simply by bringing their NFC-enabled device within range of another device on the network. You bring two devices close to each other and you establish a service which can then work over a longer range. In the same way, NFC can be used to transmit mobile payments for everything from banking to movie tickets. You have the payment functionality in your mobile phone, you bring it close to a contact less point of sale terminal, and all your payment information is transferred by NFC in a very natural and simple way. August 30, 2004. VoEx International LLC announced that it will market Thuraya satellite phones and accessories to consumers worldwide. VoEx will utilize its extensive distribution channels to create an efficient, cost-effective means for individuals and businesses throughout the world to attain high-quality mobile satellite hardware and services. The Thuraya products will supply a method of voice, fax and data communications in areas of the world where alternative form of telephony are either insufficient or non-existent. In addition these units are GPS enabled to locate the user globally. August 28, 2004. The heart of a minuscule atomic clock, believed to be 100 times smaller than any other atomic clock, has been demonstrated by scientists at the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), opening the door to atomically precise timekeeping in portable, battery-powered devices for secure wireless communications, more precise navigation and other applications. August 26, 2004. Eagle Broadband announced that the company has renamed its Orb' Phone Exchange non-line-of-sight satellite communications repeater system to the Satellite Media Access Extender or SatMAX. The SatMAX repeater is the first and only technology that lets customers create non-line-of-sight, satellite communications wireless hotspots or "SatSpots" that allow multiple concurrent users of low-earth-orbit satellite networks such as Iridium to use their existing satellite phones or data terminals to make wireless calls within SatMAX-enabled coverage areas including inside buildings or structures; onboard vehicles, aircraft or ships; from obstructed areas or underground. August 26, 2004. Data Burst Technologies and its iTRAK Internet vehicle tracking system has been certified for use with the nationwide AT&T Wireless GSM/GPRS wireless data network. The standard iTRAK web-appliance is a vehicle-mounted device, configured to transmit real-time position to the NavView server. August 26, 2004. StormSource Software has announced the release of a new version of its “GPS.NET Global Positioning SDK” software designed to greatly minimize the development time for writing commercial-grade, location-based services. The software manages all communications with GPS devices, allowing software developers to focus on actual business uses of GPS. Other features such as enforcement of precision, support for mobile devices, and support for international use promise developers solid performance while saving thousands in development and testing. August 25, 2004. NAVTEQ and SmartRoute Systems, Inc. announced a multi-year cross-licensing agreement to integrate SmartRoute's traffic incident data into the NAVTEQ Traffic solution for certain navigation enabled devices in North America. The agreement also enables SmartRoute to offer its customers traffic data and other information geocoded to NAVTEQ maps. August 25, 2004. Oil & Gas Industry Adopts the Universal Address System.See our NacGeo page. August 24, 2004. Precisa, a leading Swiss company specializing in wireless technologies and measuring instruments, has integrated Sarantel's GeoHelix GPS antenna into the Secufone, a mobile phone with a personal alarm and service button. See our GPS Locators page for more information. August 24, 2004. MST International has launched its second generation Bike Guard. It can now also be used as an alarm in its own right. The owner has the choice of using it as a silent alarm, or by attaching the siren it can be programmed to automatically trigger just as a normal alarm. In both cases as soon as the thief attempts to steal the bike, a text message will be sent straight to the owners mobile phone. August 24, 2004. Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of Microsoft Streets & Trips 2005 with GPS Locator, the company’s first GPS hardware device. August 24, 2004. MapData Sciences Pty Ltd (MDS) is to supply Australian mapping data to Microsoft Corporation for use with Microsoft’s mapping solution, MapPoint Web Service 3.5 (MWS). August 23, 2004. Micro Software Inc., a developer and marketer of a wide range of software for the wireless market, announced the QuickLink Mobile Wi-Fi Seeker, a compact, convenient device that allows Wi-Fi patrons to easily search for the strongest wireless access point in public Wi-Fi hotspot locations. August 23, 2004. SiRF Technology Inc. announced that its SiRFstarIIe/LP GPS technology provides the location platform for Navman’s sleek new PiN (Personal Interactive Navigation) device. August 23, 2004. Cornice Inc.,an innovator in compact, high-capacity storage, announced that the Garmin StreetPilot 2620 and 2660 feature the 2.0-gigabyte Cornice Storage Element, enabling these new, small GPS devices to store detailed maps of the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. August 19, 2004. Leica Geosystems has introduced a new series of accurate, powerful and reliable GPS reference station receivers based on its next-generation System 1200 technology. The GRX1200 and GRX1200Pro incorporate Leica’s exclusive 12 L1 + 12 L2 SmartTrack GPS measurement engine, which provides unsurpassed performance under all conditions. The SmartTrack receiver acquires all visible satellites within seconds, provides clean high-accuracy code and phase measurements with excellent signal-to-noise ratios, provides reliable tracking to low elevations, suppresses multipath and resists jamming. The GRX1200 and GRX1200Pro provide all the information needed for precise surveying with all types of RTK and GIS rovers. RTK and DGPS data can be transmitted directly via radio or phone, or distributed from a control center by radio, phone or Internet. RTCM, Leica proprietary, CMR and CMR+ formats are supported. August 19, 2004. A consortium in Northern Ireland, composed of Internet service provider TIBUS and the university of Ulster, has received STG250,000 from the EU to develop a satellite-based tracking device to reduce the incidence of child abduction. The KinderGUARD system will allow parents to track the movements of their children in real-time on the Internet. The device not only uses tracking technology to indicate the location of the wearer, it also monitors biometrics. An alarm is raised if the child leaves the area in which he or she is expected to be, if the biometric sensor indicates that the child may be in distress, or if an unauthorized person puts on the device. August 19, 2004 Arc Second, Inc., the developer of INDOOR GPS products, announced today a major new technology/product partnership with ROMER CimCore. These recent marketing and development efforts from ROMER CimCore and other metrology industry leaders signal the rapidly growing acceptance of INDOOR GPS as the measurement technology of the future. August 18, 2004. Carmanah Technologies is pleased to announce the release of the world's first completely unitized, GPS-synchronized marine light, a three nautical mile navigation light that coordinates with GPS time signals to allow any number of units installed anywhere in the world to flash in perfect unison. Multiple lights outlining features such as port entrances, channels and navigational hazards are easier to follow and to distinguish amidst background lighting when they flash together. August 18, 2004. Aplix Corporation and Motorola announced a new mobile software solution that provides Java developers and content providers with the advanced capability to debug an application as it runs on a handset. With this solution, powered by Aplix's JBlend platform, developers can now spend less time troubleshooting, get more accurate results and bring their applications to market quickly. The JBlend debugging solution provides developers with two distinct features: support for KVM Debug Wire Protocol (KDWP) and a proxy that allows for communication between the phone and the Integrated Development Environment (IDE). August 17, 2004. Wherify Wireless, Inc. announced that C.A.T.S. Communication of Los Angeles has signed a distribution agreement with Wherify that calls for the purchase of one million next-generation Wherify Aided-GPS Locator units over three years. Initial product shipments are slated for Fourth Quarter of this year. Wherify, which has entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger with IQ Biometrix, Inc. says that C.A.T.S. Communication plans to distribute Wherify products primarily through direct marketing sales channels, in particular television infomercials and at shopping malls. Wherify's next-generation A-GPS products incorporate such features as a voice speakerphone, one-touch programmable buttons with direct dial to a family member, co-worker, or other important contact, and 911 in the event of an emergency. August 16, 2004. Startup SiGe Semiconductor announced a deal with Tyco Electronics that will see its integrated circuits used in the U.S. giant's consumer electronics and telematics systems for cars. The SE4100 chip is a receiver for linking into the GPS network for use in telematics systems, cell phones, laptop computers and a number of other consumer electronics. August 16, 2004. SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. announced the signing of a licensing and co-marketing agreement with SK Telecom Co., Ltd. of Seoul, Korea to enable wider deployment of location based services (LBS) worldwide. Under the terms of the agreement, SiRF and SK Telecom agree to create and jointly market to operators worldwide a new LBS platform based on SiRF's patented, multimode A-GPS SiRFLoc Server Engine and SiRFLoc Client software. As part of the agreement to support the next generation of LBS applications, SK Telecom will introduce multiple handsets using SiRF's landmark SiRFstarIII architecture. August 12, 2004. Technology watchers expect big things from a low-power, low-speed wireless standard known as Zigbee, which is designed to relay simple bits of information from machine to machine (M2M). With Zigbee data moves at speeds as low as 20 kilobits per second. August 12, 2004. Trimble introduced a software extension to ESRI’s popular ArcGIS software, the Trimble GPS Analyst. The GPS Analyst extension allows mapping and GIS professionals to directly process GPS data inside the ArcGIS software environment. August 12, 2004. Thales introduced MobileMapper Beacon, a fully integrated wearable beacon module. MobileMapper Beacon delivers reliable real-time DGPS corrections for Thales’ MobileMapper line of handheld GPS receivers for GIS data collection. August 11, 2004. VoiceSignal announced that it has begun shipping the latest speaker-independent speech recognition solution on the Sendo X multimedia smartphone. The Sendo X includes the latest features from VoiceSignal including Speaker-Independent Name Dialing, which allow users to dial by simply speaking the name into the phone. August 11, 2004. Cingular Wireless has joined the ranks of other GSM operators in the fight to deliver wireless priority service (WPS) access to emergency and government personnel during emergency situations. The National Communication System (NCS) has awarded the carrier a WPS contract. During an emergency authorized callers will dial an access code (*272) before placing a call. August 11, 2004. Starting August 2004, O2’s Revolution (UK), users can access CITYNEO Maps service. Cityneo has being selected as a main supplier for Maps and location-based services on O2’s Revolution service. In just one click, view detailed maps of your surroundings. Calculate your itineraries in town or between 2 towns in all of Great Britain! Mobile users can obtain mapping information on their screen like « View a map » or « calculate my itinerary » with or without the operators’ automatic location platform. August 11, 2004. A new tool that allows interactive maps to be published quickly and cost effectively on the web has been launched by QinetiQ. Potential users of QinetiQ's EasySVG for ArcGIS include those in central and local government, estate agency, logistics, retail, information services, road management, tourist information and many other sectors. Customers wanting to produce interactive maps have traditionally had to invest in a GIS application server, typically costing over Ł10,000 and requiring ongoing maintenance. EasySVG is available at fraction of the cost and enables tailor-made and internet ready maps to be produced within minutes. August 9, 2004. Clayton Communications Inc. is introducing the SafeGuardian, the world’s first single button GPS cell phone. The SafeGuardian contacts emergency assistance personnel at the touch of a large button on its front to help paramedics, police, or other rescue workers locate a person quickly and accurately. The phone works anywhere in the United States where analog cellular service is available. August 8, 2004. Trimble and Ag Leader Technology Inc. announced that they are developing an interface that allows Ag Leader’s INSIGHT display to work with the Trimble AutoPilot system to provide automated steering capabilities. August 6, 2004. Following the exceptional success of WorldMate on other platforms MobiMate announces that their best selling mobile travel application is now available on J2ME phones. MobiMate's WorldMate Standard Edition includes 4 functions bundled in the same product -- World Clocks, World Weather for 257 major cities worldwide, provided by The Weather Channel Interactive, Inc., a Currency Converter with on-line currency rate updates, and a graphical Day/Night World Map. The service is in use by hundreds of thousands of users worldwide on smart-phone and PDA platforms, and is bundled with devices from notable vendors like Sony Ericsson, Nokia, HP, PalmOne and others. August 5, 2004. Our new page about GPS in Telemedicine went live today. August 4, 2004. Seattle officially launched the Puget Reference Station Network (PRSN), a regional Global Positioning System (GPS) network, which covers 1,600 square miles and will provide significant benefits for Seattle and the surrounding regions. Using technology developed by Trimble, the PRSN will supply centimeter-level, real-time GPS data to government agencies, emergency managers, research institutions, scientific agencies, and private surveying and mapping professionals. August 4, 2004. NEC has announced the development of a GPS-based golfer information service, whereby the locations of players on a golf course and their scores are displayed on a large screen or a PC monitor in real-time. The service can also display live pictures and will provide golf tournament watchers with better access to information on players, enriching the viewing experience. August 3, 2004.Cambridge Positioning Systems (CPS) is working with Spanish company GCT to develop devices capable of tracking everything. The two companies have launched a joint development program that will see CPS’ Matrix software integrated into a range of products suitable for vehicle, personal, asset and even pet tracking. The devices will be designed to fit into a pocket or the palm of the hand and will deliver sub-100m accuracy in all environments and rapid location fix speeds. These devices do NOT use GPS. August 3, 2004. NovAtel Inc. launched its SPAN Technology (Synchronized Position, Attitude, & Navigation). This leading edge technology combines GPS with an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) to deliver precise position, velocity, time, and attitude data, all at 100 Hz, in challenging environments where GPS satellites can become obstructed. August 3, 2004. Sarantel has been selected to supply its global positioning system (GPS) antenna to d-Media Systems Company Ltd. d-Media Systems will integrate Sarantel's GeoHelix GPS antenna into the new version of its "In-View" Pocket PC N-911 product. Sarantel's GPS antenna will enable the "In-View" Pocket PC N-911 product to offer GPS functionality for the first time by offering accurate positioning in a range of difficult and hostile environments. The new PDA has a 260K color LTPS LCD and SD I/O slot for Internet access, and is also equipped with an array of GPS features, including detailed maps, points of information and directional information. Targeting the consumer and automotive market, the new PDA will be launched in August for distribution in US and Europe. August 2, 2004. Global Locate Inc. introduced Stingray, a single package A-GPS system-in-package (SIP). The Stingray SIP offers mobile phone platform providers and handset manufacturers the highest performance A-GPS solution with sensitivity to -160dBm. In addition, Stingray implements traditional GPS autonomous mode for tracking applications, enabling continuous navigation in the toughest environments. July 30, 2004. Automotive Capital Group, Inc., the marketer of wireless GPS security technology and services, announced an immediate Anti-Terrorism Program that is available for $120 per year including the GPS unit. The program is available for trucking businesses licensed to haul hazardous material. July 29, 2004. British company QinetiQ has developed a new technique for building Frequency Selective Screens (FSS), which makes possible wallpaper-like electro-magnetic shields to block transmission from mobile phones and wireless handhelds. July 29, 2004. MapInfo announced the availability of Routing J Server v3.0 in Europe, enabling developers to add routing and drive time functionality to any web-based or Windows-based application. This includes the ability to generate routes and driving directions as well as more sophisticated uses to solve logistical problems involving multiple destinations or for drive time analysis. July 29, 2004. Wherify Wireless, Inc. announced it will use Siemens’ wireless GSM technology in its next generation Aided-Global Positioning System (A-GPS) Locator Phone designed for deployment in Europe, Asia, Latin America and other GSM-centric markets around the globe. Wherify plans to begin manufacturing the A-GPS GSM Locator Phone for international distribution this year, followed by planned A-GPS location products for pets and livestock, valuable assets and cargo, and vehicles. July 28, 2004. Ordnance Survey is planning to create Britain's most comprehensive ever civilian framework for utilizing satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. Advanced data collection technology will be rolled out in a new survey method backed by a trebling of the number of fixed GPS reference stations - from 30 now to a projected figure of more than 100 across the whole country. The mapping agency is cooperating with both the Met Office and RNLI to place GPS base stations on their facilities. The plan will make Ordnance Survey the first organization in Britain to develop and use a complete national network of stations, enabling seamless Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS positioning at the few-centimeters level. With Network RTK, any number of surveyors can work at a time. July 26, 2004. TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) announced it has received total orders for over 500 SwiftLink deployable communication systems. SwiftLink systems continue to assist US Government and commercial organizations to communicate classified and sensitive information via public telecommunications networks. July 26, 2004. HP announces new GSM/GPRS-enabled iPaq. The iPaq h6315 was developed in partnership with T-Mobile USA Inc. and allows users to make phone calls over T-Mobile’s GSM/GPRS network. It can switch between those wide-area network technologies and the LAN connections provided by Wi-Fi chips, and also use wireless peripherals equipped with Bluetooth technology. July 26, 2004. The University of Maryland's Global Land Cover Facility, one of the world's largest suppliers of free online satellite data, now distributes user-ready editions of land surface topography data from NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). The addition of this data set will allow users to overlay traditional 2D satellite maps on elevation data to achieve a 3D representation of the world. When used in conjunction with the GLCF's land cover change data, essentially a 4D representation of the Earth surface through time can be achieved. The resulting topographic products provide the highest precision and spatial resolution elevation data ever acquired with global coverage. July 26, 2004. XEMICS announced the release of their latest GPS module, designed to be as easy as possible for volume manufacturers of consumer products to add location capability with minimal impact on device size whilst retaining power efficiency. The ultra low power SlimGPS RGPSM202 receivers are fully autonomous modules that provide position, speed and time information derived from the Global Positioning System. They can easily be interfaced with any application controller through a simple serial interface. July 25, 2004. SK Telecom launches a children’s phone and GPS-based children security program, i-Kids service, starting from Monday. Subscribers to i-Kids service can check their children’s whereabouts whenever they want and be notified when children are out of bounds by Safe Zone function, the company explains. Besides, the new service includes other useful functions such as emergency tracing of children’s move, simultaneous call that children can make by pushing emergency call button to four people that parents have designated in advance and automatic positioning that shows children’s current location. July 23, 2004. NTT DoCoMo will be growing their 3G FOMA network to Greece for a brief period this summer to support Olympic-going subscribers. The temporary service area will cover the Athens area, and will be active from 3 July through 30 September, and will be connected to DoCoMo’s Tokyo network via a private international link. July 22, 2004. Thales introduced MobileMapper CE, a handheld GPS receiver for geographic information system(GIS) and many other data collection applications, which sets a new standard for performance and affordability, including real-time, sub-meter GPS positioning through the use of DGPS corrections, embedded Microsoft Windows CE.NET, Bluetooth wireless technology, removable SD card memory and an all-day removable battery. July 22, 2004. Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe has announced a two-chipset solution for global positioning system/assisted-GPS receivers that generate high performance and low power in wireless handhelds. It works in any technology, such as UMTS/W-CDMA, GSM/GPRS, PDC and CDMA. July 22, 2004. DigitalGlobe, provider of the world’s Highest resolution commercial satellite imagery and geospatial information products, is offering the general public an opportunity to view and purchase breathtaking and remarkably detailed satellite imagery of the city of Athens and Summer Olympic venues. We suggest you to pay a small visit to digitalglobe.com. The sample images are breathtaking indeed. July 21, 2004. For those who plan to visit the 2004 Olympics, TeleType GPS has released Greek City maps for Athens and Thessaloniki. July 21, 2004. Automotive Capital Group Inc. has announced the launch of its GPS locator division, NAVICOM GPS, with the goal to become the market leader of wireless security/anti-theft solutions using GPS technology for automobile, motorcycle, motor-home, and trucking companies. July 20, 2004. Televigation is previewing a low-cost fuel finder feature for its TeleNav service, a GPS navigation tool similar to those found in luxury vehicles, but integrated into mobile phones. The service automatically searches fuel prices within five miles of a user’s location, and can search further if nothing is found. July 20, 2004. Networkcar, a Reynolds and Reynolds company, announced that the company has added an extensive reporting suite to its Networkfleet management system and has added several new product features. Networkfleet collects and organizes detailed automotive information directly from a vehicle’s engine computer and location-based information from GPS. July 20, 2004. RF Integrated Corp. (RFIC) announced that its 802.11b WLAN power amplifier AP1092 was picked by HP and will be packaged with TI chipsets for making HP’s new smartphone h6300 the first consumer smartphone with three wireless technologies of GSM/GPRS, 802.11b Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 1.1 in one package. July 18, 2004. StormSource Software has announced that it has formed a partnership with Falafel Software, Inc. in a move to provide GPS software consulting to its customers. Falafel Software provides consulting and training services for software development organizations worldwide. July 17, 2004. Our Teen Car Tracking page went live today. July 15, 2004. StormSource Software has announced that it has released a new version of its GPS.NET software. GPS.NET is a software component which assists software developers with rapidly developing GPS-enabled applications for Windows desktop and mobile devices. July 15, 2004. Fiat Auto and Microsoft Corp.’s Automotive Business Unit announced a long-term strategic automotive partnership to develop innovative telematics solutions for motorists. July 15, 2004. Cruise company Island Cruises announced that one of their cruise ships, the Island Escape, will soon be offering mobile phone service even far out in international waters. The cruise line has partnered with AT&T Wireless and Maritime Telecommunications Network to provide a local roaming cell right on the ship. July 15, 2004. Trimble introduced two new wireless communications options for the L2C signal-ready Trimble R8 GPS system; an internal transmit/receive 450 MHz radio module and an internal GSM mobile phone module. Both options enable the Trimble R8 GPS receiver to function as a high-precision surveying system without the inconvenience of cables. July 13, 2004. SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. has selected GoAhead’s SelfReliant software to ensure that SiRF’s Multimode-GPS location servers provide continuous, uninterrupted location services for end users. SiRF’s products are designed to deliver fast and accurate location information to make real-time navigation practical where conventional GPS often fails. SelfReliant manages redundant components for 99.999% or better availability or less than five minutes of downtime per year. July 13, 2004. Garmin International announced the Quest, an ultra portable, easy-to-use, versatile GPS navigator. Quest features auto-routable, turn-by-turn, voice-prompted navigation with fast automatic off-route and detour recalculation. The Quest is ideal for people who haven’t yet experienced the benefits of GPS and automotive navigation. July 8, 2004. Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. has developed a prototype wireless IP (Internet Protocol) telephone handset that can also be used with conventional cellular telephone networks. The secret of the handset is a Compact Flash card slot in the top of the device into which various cellular network cards can be inserted. Because the cellular network interface is in a card that has already been approved by the carrier or relevant authorities, the rest of the handset requires no special approval and so can be customized or loaded with whatever software the user requires. July 8, 2004. Motorola Inc. announced the Motorola i710, a new mobile device designed to appeal to small and medium sized business owners desiring a more affordable, user-friendly handset for their workforces. The flip phone offers Motorola’s iDEN push-to-talk technology, enabling users to communicate instantly at the touch of a button. The i710 is equipped with Java technology business applications and GPS technology, allowing users to track fleets, simplify routes, and obtain the quickest directions. July 7, 2004. Kyocera Wireless Corp. announced that its CDMA-based Kyocera 200 module for machine-to-machine (M2M) applications has been designed into Track Star International Inc.’s new Orion vehicle tracking and data communication product, which allows Track Star to offer data connectivity in equipped vehicles as a valuable adjunct to tracking and location information. July 7, 2004. Xora Inc., a leading provider of Mobile Workforce Management solutions, announced the signing of its 1,000th Xora GPS Time Track customer. Several thousand mobile workers among these companies use the service every day to clock in and out from the field and record job and project information. July 6, 2004. Navman announced the Navman PiN (Personal Interactive Navigation) device that integrates the power of advanced GPS navigation with the efficiency of pocketPC organization. The PiN is a fully functional pocketPC with a built-in GPS receiver, offering voice-prompted guidance and street-level mapping for the USA and Canada. July 6, 2004. CSI Wireless Inc announced that it has received $15 million of purchase orders from RHS Inc for the Outback S, Outback 360 and Outback eDrive branded GPS guidance products for agriculture that CSI manufactures exclusively for RHS. The Outbacks save farmers time and money. July 2, 2004. Nextel Partners, Inc now offers a new mobile workforce management solution from ActSoft. The ActSoft Comet Tracker application allows supervisors to track remote employee work time, tasks and locations through GPS- and Java-enabled Nextel phones. July 2, 2004. Remote Knowledge Inc announced the company will launch its initial sales program for the rk3000 Marine System asset monitoring service at the Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show (MAATS) to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 9-11, 2004. The rk3000 system represents a significant step forward in monitoring and communications capabilities available to the marine recreation market. July 1, 2004. Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd. (CPS) is conferred the 2004 Frost & Sullivan Customer Value Award for its CPS Matrix solution that provides low cost, high-accuracy location-based information to mobile network operators. CPS Matrix solutions use software enhancements on the network at the mobile location centre and software-enabled handsets to deliver highly accurate and timely positioning information. Matrix works both outside and inside buildings. July 1, 2004. Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd (CPS) and Xion announced plans to collaborate on the development of a new wristwatch-based child safety communicator and locator, the first of its kind to deliver high accuracy location in all environments including indoors. Xion will integrate CPS Matrix location software into their Sentinel Watch, a GSM-based device that allows parents to securely track, locate and communicate with their children in an event of an emergency or on an ongoing basis. The new Sentinel Watch is based on a tri-band GSM engine and consistently delivers 100m accuracy in urban, suburban and rural areas. July 1, 2004. VisuAide and HP have teamed up to produce a version of the iPAQ h4150 that features a tactile interface. The VisuAide Maestro features text-to-speech (TTS) technology and a tactile keyboard membrane over its touch screen so the visually impaired can use essential information-access and communication applications without using a stylus. It connects to other devices via an included Bluetooth radio for wireless networking and accessories, and can be operated with or without an external keyboard (Braille or standard). June 30, 2004. Autodesk Location Services and Verizon Wireless announced the availability of location-based traffic alert services for Verizon’s vtext.com text-messaging portal. With the service, Verizon customers can log into vtext.com and set up specific routes for which to view traffic information and choose a time, or several times, for text-message alerts to be sent to their handsets to notify them of any traffic tie-ups. June 30, 2004. CSI Wireless Inc. announced the introduction of GPSteer, an automatic steering system for tractors and other self-propelled agricultural equipment. GPSteer automatically steers agricultural vehicles along consistently straight or curved rows and enhances driver accuracy and improves field productivity by reducing costly overlaps and "skips" between rows. It also reduces driver fatigue and enables vehicles to operate at night or in other low-visibility environments, which means increased flexibility and productivity. June 30, 2004. Z-World announced the release of the GPRS/GSM Application Kit. The kit will allow machines the ability to notify a user when they need servicing, have their settings changed from anywhere in the world, upload data wirelessly, send commands from one machine to another and send vehicle locations/conditions via Email. The GPRS/GSM Application Kit is designed to integrate embedded controls with wireless GPRS/GSM communication applications. June 29, 2004. Microsoft and mobile operators O2 and TeliaSonera announced plans to deliver real-time location services built around Microsoft MapPoint Location Server (MLS). The new services enable developers, independent software vendors and system integrators to create and deploy location-aware business applications for their customers by combining the real-time location data from O2 and TeliaSonera networks with the rich mapping and location capabilities from the Microsoft MapPoint Web Service. June 29, 2004. Pulse Data International introduced the world’s smallest handheld Braille device for the blind. The BrailleNote PK weighs less than a pound and has dimensions of 6.8 by 3.6 by 1.3 inches. It is the first Braille personal digital assistant (PDA) in the marketplace that can fit into a pocket. June 28, 2004. Sun Microsystems Inc. and Vodafone are cooperating to define a next-generation Java technology-based platform for Vodafone live! 3G services. The Vodafone VFX platform will be based on the Java Technology for the Wireless Industry (JTWI) technology specification together with other third-party technologies. June 25, 2004. European operator Orange plc announced that it has partnered with SeaFrance ferries to allow mobile-phone service across the English Channel. Orange has developed a patent-pending solution to allow reception and transmission of calls in the zone at sea not covered by GSM transmitters. June 24, 2004. MapData Sciences Pty Limited (MDS) has launched new versions of its routing and geocoding software products that incorporate the features and benefits of the newly released Geocoded National Address File (G-NAF) for Australia. MDS has incorporated G-NAF into QuickLocate as a desktop, server and online product. June 23, 2004. ROUTE 66 Mobile 2005 for Symbian Series 60 Smartphone, that turns your mobile phone into a wireless navigation system up to house number accuracy for Western Europe, launched today. The navigation software and map come pre-installed on a MultiMediaCard card. You can automatically download up-to-date traffic information from the ROUTE 66 web site via a GPRS connection onto your mobile phone. This FREE service is available in France, Germany, Great-Britain, Italy and the Netherlands. June 22, 2004. TomTom MOBILE for Symbian Series 60 and Microsoft Smartphone handsets will be launched in late Summer 2004 in UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and the Nordics. Drivers will have the option to receive traffic information via GPRS. TomTom MOBILE will support popular smartphones from companies such as Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and HTC. June 22, 2004. WebTech Wireless announced the commercial availability of the WebTech 5000 Locator that utilizes the global GSM/GPRS networks to enhance fleet management with access to real-time Vehicle Tracking, Internet Access, Messaging and Email, as well as Telemetry Monitoring applications. The WebTech 5000 Locator supports all four GSM bands (850, 900, 1800 and 1900MHz). June 21, 2004. NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced that it has signed an agreement with MappointAsia (Thailand) Company Limited, known for its expertise regarding the development of state-of-the-art digital maps, as well as technology for developing high-quality location-based services. June 21, 2004. Our new page Marine Tracking about tracking ships at sea, went live today. June 19, 2004. Our web site and the whole World Wide Web can now be searched from within most of our pages, thanks to Google Search. June 17, 2004. SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. announced the establishment of SiRF Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd. and the launch of its Indian development center in Noida, India. The key areas of research and development will include a newer generation of GPS chipsets and software that combine GPS with complementary technologies. June 17, 2004. Microsoft and Multimap announced they have signed an agreement to accelerate the delivery of solutions based on the Microsoft MapPoint Web Service. Multimap will add Microsoft’s MapPoint Web Service to its service portfolio. MapPoint Web Service supports Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Extensible Markup Language (XML) to enable the integration of Location-Based Services (LBS) into applications and business processes. June 16, 2004. Southern LINC, the wireless communications service from Southern Company, announced the availability of the Motorola i325 handset. The i325 is a rugged, multi-functional handset that meets military specifications for dust, shock, vibration, high/low temperatures and pressure, solar radiation, humidity, and salt fog and is also water resistant. The i325 comes equipped with pre-loaded Java applications, including MyLocation which uses the handset’s GPS capability to provide navigation information. June 15, 2004. NTT DoCoMo reported trials of 4G promising incredible functionality and transfer rates. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) definition of 4G defines a minimum stationary data rate of 1 Gbps and a moving data rate of around 100Mbps. In field tests NTT achieved up to 300 Mbps at 30km/h and an average moving transfer rate of 135 Mbps up to 1 kilometer from the base station. June 14, 2004. Nokia introduced two new Feature Packs for the Series 60 Platform that will provide future smartphones with improved features and functionality. The feature set of Series 60 will include multi-radio support with GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WCDMA and CDMA, phone displays with higher resolution and enhanced enterprise support. Display resolutions will go as far up as 352 x 416 pixels in both portrait and landscape orientations. June 9, 2004. Sure Trace Security Corporation announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Globe Staff Consulting is launching eGeoCardio, a state-of-the-art remote real-time heart monitoring device, at the Tour de France. The system allows team management and media to track the heart rate of individual cyclists. The next version of eGeoCardio will include a GSM/GPRS/GPS module which will allow to follow the progress of cyclists in real-time. June 9, 2004. MapInfo announced TargetPro Online, an interactive web-based tool designed specifically for the UK retail Industry. TargetPro Online enables users to execute location-intelligent mission critical analysis by evaluating catchment areas and assessing where to develop networks or open new stores, all without an investment in new software or datasets. June 8, 2004. Pharos Science & Applications Inc., a leading provider of portable GPS navigation and location-based services, announced the company has become an Elite BREW Developer, highlighting Pharo’s work in creating the innovative Smart Traffic service now available for BREW-enabled handsets. Aggregating up-to-the-minute highway monitoring data from various State Transportation Departments and other Pharos partners, Smart Traffic gives consumers real-time traffic-flow information in both color-coded graphics and text for ease of use. June 8, 2004. June 8, 2004. Networks In Motion is introducing its NAVBuilder suite of extensions developed for QUALCOMM’s BREW solution. NAVBuilder extensions feature powerful location, mapping and direction capabilities that can easily be integrated into wireless applications supported by QUALCOMM's QPoint location services solution and precision gpsOne location technology. The NAVBuilder extensions offer a cost-effective, flexible developer toolkit for commercial and consumer location-enabled applications, such as field service, CRM, fleet management, friend finders and location-enabled gaming. June 7, 2004. V-Enable announced it has licensed MapQuest business solutions to offer users an easier, more customized way to receive directory assistance using a mobile device. By combining V-Enable’s technology and MapQuest’s mapping services, mobile phone users will have the ability to download full-color interactive maps and driving directions. The service will be available to US Cellular, Verizon and Alltel customers. June 7, 2004. FutureDial’s SnapSync is a PC-based software program that allows cellphone users to synchronize and edit contact information from Outlook Express or MS Outlook directly on the PC, and then transfer that data to a mobile phone. SnapSync also keeps a backup copy of important phonebook information. June 7, 2004. Silicon Laboratories Inc. announced the Aero II GSM/GPRS transciever, the industry’s smallest, highest performance RF transceiver for cellular handsets. Compared to competing solutions, the Aero II single-chip transceiver reduces component count and board space by half, making it the most integrated quad-band GSM/GPRS transceiver available. June 3, 2004. Agere Systems announced that it is providing read-channel storage integrated circuits (ICs) to Cornice, an innovator in compact, high-capacity storage, for use in its 2.0-gigabyte Storage Element (SE). Agere's high-performance TrueStore read-channels offer the capabilities needed to maximize capacity and ensure long battery life in storage solutions for portable consumer electronics devices. June 3, 2004. CSI Wireless Inc., a designer and manufacturer of advanced wireless and GPS products, announced an agreement to supply asset-tracking units to Caterpillar Inc., the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment. Caterpillar will offer its new Product Link PL102C as an after-market product to enable equipment owners and insurers to accurately monitor their asset’s movements and engine running hours. June 2, 2004. Brunswick Corporation announced it has purchased the remaining 30 percent of Navman NZ Limited stock. New Zealand will remain Navman’s home, with Peter Maire and all of Navman’s experienced and accomplished management team remaining in place. June 2, 2004. Nextel Partners, Inc., the exclusive provider of Nextel digital wireless communications services in the mid-sized and rural markets it serves, announced the availability of TeleNav, a mobile-phone based GPS navigation service powered by Televigation, to its customers. TeleNav significantly expands location-based services offered by Nextel Partners, which joins Nextel Communications Inc. to become the only wireless carriers to offer a GPS navigation service. June 1, 2004. Ekahau announced the availability of the Ekahau T101 Wi-Fi tag development kit. This development kit includes the Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE) 3.0 software and 5 battery powered Wi-Fi tags, for people and asset tracking within standard Wi-Fi networks. The EPE software can also track the location of wireless laptops, PDAs, barcode readers and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. June 1, 2004. Quorum Systems Inc has developed the QC2530, a transceiver with combined GSM and Wi-Fi capability. The single-chip integrated circuit is capable of supporting both WLAN and Quad Band GSM cellular applications simultaneously. Handsets, built around the QC2530, will be able to utilize VoIP connectivity and seamless voice roaming over Wi-Fi and cell phone networks. June 1, 2004. Route 66 Navigation software is now also available for Windows Smartphones. By inserting a small memory card into the latest smartphones, ROUTE 66 Mobile 2005 for Windows Mobile Smartphones allows entire countries can be navigated once the Bluetooth GPS receiver is activated. The system then offers turn-by-turn voice instructions and on-screen directions to guide the user to his destination. Why do we still need a separate Bluetooth GPS receiver, while already hundreds of phones exist with incorporated GPS chip?. May 31, 2004. At the coming Computex show in June MiTAC International Corporation plans to show two new GPS equipped products: the MiTAC Z3 RS handheld GPS system, that combines GPS and pocketPC capabilities, and the MiTAC 2G GPS, which was created specifically for users desiring a GPS device for their cars. May 29, 2004. NTT DoCoMo introduced the World Walker G-Card, a smart card that will enable DoCoMo mova 2G subscribers to use both DoCoMo and non-DoCoMo GSM mobile phones for international roaming outside of Japan, beginning June 1, 2004. The user simply inserts the card into any standard GSM mobile phone to make and receive calls using their regular mova phone number while overseas. May 28, 2004. Orange UK has launched the "Find Nearest" service, powered by Webraska Mobile Technologies, which allows customers to use SMS messages to locate businesses or services. The service also offers the subscribers the ability to locate themselves if lost. May 27, 2004. WaveMarket, a pioneer in location-based services, and Bell Mobility, Canada’s leading wireless carrier, have launched MapMe, a map-based directory service to allow consumers to navigate an interactive map on a mobile phone. Bell Mobility customers can now use their mobile phone to locate themselves, find addresses and businesses, and show directory listings on a map, as well as receive mapped directions on how to reach the desired destination. May 26, 2004. NAC Geographic Products Inc. has announced that Brazil has become the first country in South America that has been completely digitized with Universal Addresses and Natural Area Codes, and made the number of the Universal Address digitized countries to 19. We invite you to read the whole story here. May 25, 2004. The automobile travel Internet site TravMatrix launched TravMatrix Fuel, which for the first time enables Internet users to compare gas prices anywhere and save money on every fill-up. May 25, 2004. Ashvattha Semiconductor Inc.a provider of highly integrated, multi-mode RF integrated circuits announced the first use of its MME (Multi-Mode Engine) technology in cost-competitive RF CMOS technology. The MME2800 is a multi-mode radio frequency solution that incorporates a Quad-band GSM/GPRS transceiver, a Blootooth transceiver and a GPS receiver on a single CMOS semiconductor device. May 25, 2004. The Verizon Wireless’ GSM/CDMA global phone, the Samsung SCH-a790, is available to the company’s business-to-business customers. In the US the Samsung phone can access Verizon’s Get It Now data service, MMS and has GPS E911 emergency location capability. When used overseas, users will have access to Verizon services as text messaging and voice mail. May 20, 2004. MapInfo Corporation introduced MapXtreme 2004, the next generation of its location-based technology platform. Built on Microsoft .NET, MapXtreme 2004 enables users to develop custom mapping applications that can be deployed both on the desktop and the Web using the same core engine. May 18, 2004. Qualcomm, the champion of wireless CDMA technology, announced three new mobile device chipsets that also will support GSM-based technologies such as EDGE, GPRS and WCDMA. The announcement means that individual mobile devices such as smartphones or laptops will be able to access the Internet using both GSM and CDMA-based cellular networks. The new platform also supports 802.11 and Bluetooth. May 18, 2004. Cross Country Automotive Services, a leading provider of integrated vehicle and driver programs, and Aeris.net, a leading provider of machine-to-machine communications for wireless mobile devices, announced the successful integration and qualification of their systems and a marketing agreement to bring powerful in-vehicle communications services to the marketplace. Now, companies that market programs to consumers such as stolen vehicle tracking/recovery, commercial vehicle dispatch, or usage-based insurance offerings can quickly and affordably bring those programs to market while eliminating development and integration costs. May 17, 2004. Trimble introduced a new addition to its mobile Geographic Information System (GIS) product line, the Trimble Recon GPS system. The system consists of the rugged Trimble Recon data collector complete with Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 software for pocketPCs, a GPS receiver, antenna and navigation software and is an ideal solution for any field workforce who wants to take advantage of powerful computing and GPS technology for mobile mapping and GIS applications. May 17, 2004. Action Engine Corporation, the pioneer and leading provider of Advanced Data Services (ADS) solutions for wireless operators, announced support for Microsoft MapPoint Location Server (MLS). The company will integrate MLS with its ADS platform to provide ‘real-time’ location services, including the added ability for mobile subscribers to determine the immediate location of other mobile subscribers. May 17, 2004. CEVE Inc., the leading licensor of Digital Signal Processing (DSP) cores and communications solutions to the semiconductor industry, introduced Xpert-GPS, the industry’s first DSP-based global positioning system (GPS) solution, which delivers significant advances in the cost, power dissipation and location performance to GPS-enabled devices such as wireless phones and telematic devices. May 15, 2004. New research using GPS satellites shows that much of Canada continues to rise by up to half an inch a year after being covered during the last ice age that ended 10,000 years ago, while sites in much of the United States south of the Great Lakes are sinking. May 14, 2004. KDDI R&D Laboratories and KDDI Corp have jointly developed a mobile phone terminal that receives digital terrestrial broadcasting and supports linked communications and broadcasting services. The two companies are the first in Japan to develop such a product in advance of digital TV broadcasting aimed at mobile terminals, which is due to commence in fiscal 2005. Emergency warning broadcasts will be displayed on the screens of cellular phones. May 14, 2004. Our A-GPS page went live today. May 13, 2004. Avis Rent A Car and Motorola today announced completion of the nationwide rollout of Avis Assist, a mobile phone-based navigation system now available in 57 U.S. cities. May 11, 2004. Germany’s Lufthansa Airlines will become the first to launch in-flight broadband Internet access. The service, provided by Connexion by Boeing will be launched on a May 17 flight from Munich to Los Angeles. May 11, 2004. Karrier Communications, announced the shipment of its new IntelliGolf version 3.6 scorecard software for Sony Ericsson P800 and P900 smartphones. See our Golf GPS page. May 11, 2004. ART Advanced Recognition Technologies, announced that LG Electronics has selected the smARTspeak XGT embedded speech interface from ART for its new 4500 series CDMA phones. Users can dial by speaking a person’s name or phone number. The system is fully speaker independent, meaning it can be operated by any user with no voice training of the device. May 10, 2004. PonyExpress U.S.A. INC. announced that it has equipped its drivers with Nextel GPS phones and the Airclic mobile business process automation service to scan packages and track the activities of its drivers. PonyEwpress has deployed the AirCloc service on Motorola’s i58sr handsets which use assisted GPS, Java and a barcode-scanning accessory. May 10, 2004. China United Telecom (China Unicom), the world’s third biggest mobile telecommunications carrier with over 100 million users, said it plans to release mobile phone handsets in mid-July this year with dual-band technology that shares data and voice service between GSM and CDMA users. May 7, 2004. London BLACK cab company Xeta has been able to dispense with high cost terminals and dedicated PMR radio links by switching to O2's latest wireless PDA, the Xda II. The system is running custom software, XPert, developed for the original Xda and works in conjunction with satellite navigation software from TomTom along with GPS receivers. May 5, 2004. Data Evolution Corporation introduced the CATHENA, a new mobile computer, which runs the latest Microsoft Windows CE.NET operating system, has the look and feel of a traditional ultra light notebook computer while offering all the features and benefits of a high-performance Windows CE product, such as instant-on, extended battery life, and low support costs. It has a 12.1”, 800x600 resolution, full-color TFT display, a 400 MHz Intel XScale processor, an integrated nearly full-sized keyboard, 128MB RAM, a touchpad mouse, numerous in/out ports (two USB, audio in and out, compact flash slot, PCMCIA slot, and VGA out), built-in 802.11b wireless, and a lithium ion battery. The unit measures approximately 10.7”x 9.1”x 0.95” and weighs approximately three pounds. May 5, 2004. Endeavour i-Cap and TMT Ventures announced the completion of a $1.5 million co-invest round into, Auckland based, GeoSmart Limited. GeoSmart has New Zealand’s most accurate and comprehensive digital mapping database, which will be the foundation for many location based service products in the future. May 4, 2004. Nextel has extended its push-to-talk (PTT) service to several countries in South America. Its U.S. customers can now use PTT to communicate with people in Brazil, Argentina and Peru as well as in Canada. Nextel expects to extend the service to Mexico this summer. May 3, 2004. Garmin International Inc today announced that the company will offer its Que application with a new CompactFlash GPS module that is optimized for popular Pocket PC handhelds. The cf Que 1620 is a module featuring Garmin's new Que software application, which delivers high-performance GPS location, mapping and turn-by-turn navigation capabilities to Pocket PC devices. April 29, 2004. We have put some fine selections of good GPS books in English, French and German on our GPS Books page. April 27, 2004. Red Hen Systems, Inc. announces the release of its latest spatial video collection solution, VMS-X, which fully integrates GPS with digital video cameras. Using any Sony video camera equipped with an intelligent accessory shoe, a Garmin Geko GPS receiver, VMS-X attaches to the top of the camera and enables the recording of video, audio, and location data to a single medium (tape or DVD). April 25, 2004. Layton Graphics, Inc. Introduced MAP2PDF for Adobe Acrobat. The product enables the geo-registration of PDF maps and converts them into highly intelligent GIS documents. Users can now embed and display latitude and longitude in PDF maps, dynamically re-project coordinates using various datums and projections, as well as embed and display non-graphic attributes into PDF maps, obtained from any spatially enabled source. April 23, 2004. SK Telecom, South Korea’s largest cellular phone operator, launched a new personal security feature that allows subscribers with GPS- equipped handsets to send their information to four listed people with the push of a button. The receivers may then track the location of the caller for 48 hours as long as the cell phone remains on. April 21, 2004. General Motors' subsidiary OnStar has joined with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in its efforts to help find missing children. OnStar's Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite and wireless technologies and the expertise of its call center advisors will now serve as the communications link for its 2.5 million subscribers in their efforts to help bring missing children home safely. April 21, 2004. Cingular Wireless announced the deployment of Enhanced Data for GSM Environments (EDGE) technology in its South Florida market and the availability of its new Sony Ericsson GC82 EDGE PC card. Cingular’s EDGE technology enables true third generation (3G) wireless data services with data speeds typically three times faster than those available on GSM/GPRS networks. April 20, 2004. Wireless antenna manufacturer SkyCross has received a $1 million investment from Korea’s SK Telecom. SkyCross’ technology uses patented Meander Line Antenna (MLA) structures, which enables the design of high-performance, multi-mode, multi-frequency antennas that fit inside a mobile casing. A broadband MLA is able to cover simultaneously the cell phone and GPS frequency bands from 800-5000MHz in a size 0.8 x 0.5 x 1.25 inches, without any measurable detuning when held in proximity to the human body. April 20, 2004. CSI Wireless introduces the PowerMax, a Differential GPS (DGPS) receiver with built-in Bluetooth wireless technology, primarily aimed at the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Mapping market. It is the world’s first affordable, professional mapping-grade receiver with sub-meter position accuracy, featuring Bluetooth wireless technology. April 20, 2004. Microsoft has commenced work on an Australian version of MapPoint, the company’s Web-based mapping service. MapPoint already offers traffic maps, city guides and a web-based location finding tool for addresses in the US and most of Western Europe. Microsoft also offers the MapPoint location server and desktop MapPoint GIS application. April 19, 2004. Using WaveMarket's WaveAlert technology, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) launches a traffic determination service using real-time GPS location data from GPS-enabled taxicabs and other standard sensory devices in Metropolitan Seoul to provide road speed conditions on every street and road in Seoul, Korea. It is the first service of its kind, offering the most complete and up-to-date traffic coverage of any city in the world. April 19, 2004. Vodacom launched Africa’s first location based service ‘Look4me’, using cellular networks, enabling Vodacom contract subscribers to locate any Vodacom cellphone user, provided the user consents to being located. The UK version of Look4me, known as Mapamobile, has been operational since July 2003. The accuracy of the location information is dependant upon the density of the cellular network for the area in question and can range from 100m to 30km. April 17, 2004. SiRF Technology Inc. plans an Initial Public Offering next week to raise up to $84 million. SiRF, founded in 1995, has a growing and dependable customer base among phone manufacturers. April 16, 2004. Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone, spends $1 billion every 90 days in its wireless network. Verizon Wireless is the leading provider of wireless communications in the US. April 16, 2004. Our GPS Software page now lists 75 GPS related programs (added 10 to-day). April 14, 2004 MobileDataforce, a leading provider of mobilized electronic forms for enterprises with a mobile workforce, today announced the successful implementation of GPS support within forms on Palm devices, created by the Intercue Mobility Suite version 4.0. For the pocketPC the same functionality can be obtained with PocketPC Creations and the free GPS Point. April 14, 2004. Garmin International announced a partnership with XM Satellite Radio that brings real-time graphical weather data directly to Garmin marine chartplotters, utilizing the XM WX Satellite Weather data service. XM’s two satellites in geostationary orbit deliver seamless, redundant coverage for all of the USA and several hundred miles offshore. The anchors of the new Garmin Marine Network are the GPSMAP 3010C and GPSMAP 3006C, two multifunction displays (MFDs) that show data in a user-configurable format. April 14, 2004. New Zealand based Navman has signed a contract with Chilean company GPS Chile to license its technology for fleet tracking products, which use GPS and the mobile phone network to map the progress of vehicles. The service will run over Telefonica’s mobile data network as small bursts of data sent back to headquarters in real-time. April 13, 2004. AMC, Inc. has released GPS2CAD version 3.0, a powerful Windows application that enables users to effectively bring into their design environment the GPS points they have collected, their favorite CAD application, and public aerial photos and Topo maps. The program enables design professionals to use recreational-grade GPS units to collect field information and plot it in their CAD program. April 12, 2004. Intel Corporation announced the PXA27x family of processors based on Intel XScale technology that can handle multiple forms of wireless broadband access with enough computing power to provide cell phones with full motion video conferencing capabilities and PDAs with DVD-quality video playback. The 2700G multimedia accelerator, optimized to complement the PXA27x family, enables crisp graphics and the high resolution (up to SXVGA) dual display features enable users to view two independent images simultaneously. April 11, 2004. We have totally rebuild and updated the chapter "Self-contained, voice prompted car GPS systems" on our car GPS page. April 9, 2004. SonicWorks, Inc. introduces the Acoustic Positioning and Navigation System (APNS) for control and tracking of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). APNS’ advanced technology allows for position resolution accurate to within 1cm and represents the most advanced underwater measurement and surveillance system ever developed. April 8, 2004. The new KDDI AU phone A5504T from Toshiba has video and GPS on board. The Ulead Video ToolBox, which comes with the phone, will reformat video files from your computer with TV tuner and show it on a high-quality QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) screen that can also be used for real-time off-board navigation. See also our GPS phones page. April 7, 2004. VisuAide announced a $13.1-million R&D project towards the development of innovative devices for persons with visual disabilities. VisuAide is the world leader in the development of technology products such as digital book readers and GPS-based portable orientation systems to help the blind and visually impaired to become more autonomous and better integrated within society. April 6, 2004. SafeAngel Ltd., a developer of middleware for the emerging enterprise location based market, which targets areas such as service provision by location, rapid urban response systems and large scale human management, using wireless GPS technology, reached an agreement to incorporate the NAC (Natural Area Code) addressing standard into the SafeAngel Public Platform. An eight or ten character NAC (also called Universal Address) can uniquely specify every building, house, bus stop, parking meter, fire hydrant, street light, sewage exit, etc anywhere in the world, no matter whether there are addresses or not. April 4, 2004. GizMondo (former Gametrac), a wireless handheld multi-entertainment device, built on the Microsoft Windows CE.NET platform, is set to launch in the UK in fall 2004. The device will be usable on five continents thanks to its GSM tri-band capability and will offer ‘lifestyle content’ targeted at youths and teenagers. The built-in SiRFStar GPS-chip will enable parents to monitor the location of their kids. Parents will be able to view a street map on the Internet which shows the current location of their child. See also our Personal Locators page. April 2, 2004. Computer industry titans Sun Microsystems and Microsoft settled their bitter antitrust battles about Java software. April 2, 4004. We have added 6 GPS Golf systems to our Golf GPS page. April 1, 2004. StormSource Software will release version 1.3 of its GPS.NET Global Positioning SDK next week. The SDK will assist developers with writing GPS-enabled applications for the .NET Compact Framework for mobile applications to perform any GPS-related task. March 31, 2004. NTT DoCoMo has added a million users of its 3G wireless data service, FOMA, based on W-CDMA technology, in the last two months, increasing the number of total users to 3 million. The company said it has expanded the availability of the service, even making it available in many Tokyo subway stations. March 31, 2004. GSA, the Global mobile Suppliers Association, says that there are now 76 mobile network operators in 50 countries who have committed to deploy GSM/EDGE for enhanced capacity and delivery of 3G mobile multi-media services. EDGE-enabled services are commercially offered today on 14 networks globally. March 29, 2004. Stephenson Strategies and Town Compass, LLC released their Terrorism Travel Planner – International for handhelds, a comprehensive guide to steps travelers can take to reduce their risk. The Terrorism Travel Planner – International is viewed using Town Compass’ free DataViewer, available in Palm OS, pocketPC and Windows Smartphone versions. March 26, 2004. Toshiba has announced the launch of a new MPEG-4 encoder and decoder LSI, the T4G for cellular phones, becoming games platforms and personal GPS systems. The T4G delivers improved graphics and renders video sources with a drawing performance of 125 million pixels per second. March 24, 2004. Microsoft has released a version of their Pocket Streets mapping application for their Smartphone platform. Maps are available for the USA, Canada and Western Europe. The program allows partial address finding, including company names and users can browse their maps, looking for points of interest (POIs). March 23, 2004. Networks in Motion won the Wireless LBS Challenge, presented by NAVTEQ and SiRF Technology, with their AtlasBook Places location based solution (LBS). AtlasBook Places is a real-time navigation program for GPS phones. March 23, 2004. Royal announced the AmeriGo GPS Navigation system, powered by the i.MXL applications processor from Motorola. The fully portable automobile GPS device includes 128MB of RAM and Pharos GPS Software with turn-by-turn voice prompted directions. March 22, 2004. Motorola introduced two new phones that caught our attention. First the A840, which combines 800/1900MHz CDMA, CDMA 1X and 900/1800MHz GSM/GPRS modes with seamless network switching. Second the A845 running on the 3G UMTS network, which allows downloading add-on Java applications and to browse the web. The included A-GPS chip allows the phone to be used as a navigation tool. Both models are expected to be available in North America the second half of 2004. March 21, 2004. The Mitac Mio 168 pocketPC, based on the Microsoft Windows Mobile OS, with incorporated GPS chip, will be distributed in Europe, Middle East and Africa by Danish Dangaard Telecom. The Mio 168 comes with pre-installed Miomap navigation software. March 18, 2004. The major three mobile phone makers of Korea Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and Pantech affiliates have a goal of supplying 25 – 30 million mobile handsets to Europe this year (2004). March 17, 2004. Siemens Mobile announced at the CeBIT 2004 show a new tri-band (900/1800/1900MHz) GSM/GPRS/GPS module, called XT55. The device is meant for handling tracking functions in various applications. And a Siemens executive predicted that conditions are finally coming together to make 2004 the year that mobile data services become widely available. March 17, 2004. A web survey late last year of 1043 North American cell phone users found checking Email as the most desired use for the device, other than voice communications. Second were location-based services. Surfing and games was considerably less popular. March 17, 2004. Mitac Technology also launched the Mio 168, the company’s first pocketPC with a built-in GPS receiver, in Australia, the USA and Canada. March 16, 2004. Guinness World Records have certified Toshiba’s 0.85 inch hard disk drives as the smallest in the world. The 0.85 inch HDDs have storage capacities of 2 and 4 GB and will be used in products such as cell phones and digital camcorders. March 16, 2004. Sweden will be the first country in the world to offer nationwide 3G coverage to its mobile users. (See also March 10) March 15, 2004. Mapopolis has announced the beta release of Mapopolis Navigator for Windows Mobile Smartphone. This release uses the same map data as Mapopolis Navigator for pocketPC. March 13, 2004. Focusing on mobile handsets and smartphones, Navicore develops high-resolution map visualization software with personal productivity applications, guidance and information tools, and enterprise solutions. Navicore’s software turns a mobile phone into a GPS navigator with advanced workforce management tools. It computes routes effortlessly in a mobile handset. The Telematics information is received from a GPS device that may be integrated or connected wirelessly with Bluetooth. March 12, 2004. 80.8 percent of 41417 mobile phone users that responded to a recent one-day SMS.ac poll said they want a handset that also takes photographs. Another poll that attracted 36769 responses revealed that 78.6 percent of participants want to listen to near-CD quality music, using their mobile devices. We have a lot of work to do in explaining the general public where ‘GPS’ stands for and why it is important. March 11, 2004. Worldwide mobile phone sales in 2003 totaled 520 million units, a 20.5% increase from 2002 sales. Nokia is by far the leader with a market share of 34.7% in 2003. March 10, 2004. TeliaSonera opened its 3G network today. It operates from the start with TeliaSonera Sweden’s GSM network. All mobile customers will be able to use both networks and the subscriptions and prices are the same regardless of which network users connect to. Users will gain access to mobile Internet at broadband speed. March 10, 2004. DeLorme announced the new GPS PostPro 2.0 post-processing software, which provides users of the Delorme Earthmate GPS receiver the ability to easily and affordably achieve sub-meter GPS accuracy. The software post-processes logged raw GPS data, collected on either a handheld device or laptop to sub-meter accuracy for less than $100 for all users of DeLorme’s XMap software. March 9, 2004. ADCOM Group has taken the step to enter the Hi-Tech electronics manufacturing with its new product code named EMIRAT 1, a pocketPC with GPS and a Quad Band GSM/GPRS (850/1900/900/1800 MHz), Bluetooth, SD Card and Mini USB. It will run on the Intel Bulverde processor with speeds of 312, 400 and 500 MHz and you can run your existing PPC applications on it. March 5, 2004. The Telcontar Rich Map Engine platform for routing, map management and address lookup, allows Motorola to provide users with superior navigation capabilities such as real-time turn-by-turn directions, guidance and fast dynamic rerouting, based on current traffic conditions, using a combination of GPS, Java and Location Based Services. March 5, 2004. The GSM Association has confirmed that there are now globally more GSM mobile handsets in daily use than the total number of personal computers and televisions combined. March 4, 2004. The TeleType GPS PhoneTracker turns GPS/Java enabled phones into tracking devices that can locate family members, high profile executives, fleet vehicles and security and service personnel. Using Geographic Data Technology’s industry-standard digital maps of the United States and Canada, this new mobile tracking solution can also serve as a high-end mobile navigator combining street, air and marine information. March 3, 2004. The u-blox sensor-based GPS Receiver Macro-Component TIM-LR containing the ANTARIS GPS positioning engine provides full dead reckoning, using signals from a turn rate sensor (gyroscope) and odometer pulses. TIM-LR provides reliable and uninterrupted navigation performance under dynamic conditions in the most difficult urban areas with severe obstructions of the sky view, where a weighted mix of GPS and sensor information is used for accurate navigation. March 3, 2004. Trimble announced that its GeoExplorer series of rugged GPS handheld receivers is now available with Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 software for pocketPCs, making the GeoExplorer the industry’s first Windows Mobile handheld with fully integrated GPS. March 3, 2004. Orange France announces GPS Navigation Services for Smartphones. The Orange ‘all-in-one’ GPS kit, including a Bluetooth GPS receiver, will turn customer smartphones into an intuitive navigation device, capable of providing spoken, traffic-aware, turn-by-turn navigation instructions in real time across the entire European region. See also ‘Off board Navigation systems’ on our car GPS page. March 2, 2004. Televigation and Creditel are joining forces to offer a packaged, point-of-sale (POS) and GPS tracking solution for businesses with remote workers. The combination of Televigation’s TeleNavTrack, a mobile, phone-based tracking service and Creditel’s PowerSwipe, a device that attaches to select Motorola iDEN phones, will turn the handset into a mobile credit card terminal. February 26, 2004. The United States of America and the European Union agreed on the last details of Europe’s GPS system, called Galileo, that is due to come online in 2008. February 25, 2004. WayFinder (see ‘Off board Navigation systems’ on our car GPS page) will be launched in the USA in the Summer of 2004. February 23, 2004. Global Locate Inc. has successfully integrated its IndoorGPS chip set into the Infineon multimedia platform, based on the Infineon S-GOLD family, which supports UMTS, EDGE and GPRS cellular standards. This enables the designers of GSM, GPRS, EDGE and UMTS handsets to build optimized, A-GPS capable, form-factor phones. February 23, 2004. As the choice of 80% of all new mobile customers, GSM has become the only global standard for mobile communications. More than one billion people are now using GSM mobile phones. February 20, 2004. PlanetLink Communications Inc. has launched a live interactive web site that demonstrates its PlanetTRAKS user interface with live data tracking the movement of some of its test group users. If you never saw how one tracks a car via the internet, this is your chance. We do not know if the test drivers are active in the week-end, but you can always playback a previous ride. As of March 3, 2004 the Demo is no longer available online. February 17, 2004. Next week at the 3GSM World Congress SiRF will present the third generation SiRFStarIII GPS architecture. With the equivalent of more than 200,000 correlators, this is a very fast, really high sensitive and low power solution. The new SiRFSoft mobile GPS software represents a new approach to multimode GPS-enabled location technology. Geared toward smart phone devices with powerful application processors, SiRFSoft eliminates the need for a dedicated GPS baseband chip. SiRF also introduced the SiRFLoc Server platform, incorporating SiRF’s patented SiRFLoc multimode technology. February 15, 2004. SK Telecom, Korea’s leading mobile operator, has purchased WaveMarket’s new WaveAlert software, an infrastructure software that generates alert notifications based on user movement. Applications range from fleet tracking and true geo-fencing to buddy finder notifications, mobile dating and family safety alerts. February 12, 2004. StarFire is the world’s first truly global, real-time, high accuracy GPS positioning service. It is equally suited for the land and the marine markets, providing real-time decimeter-level accuracy utilizing C-Nav or any of NavCom’s proprietary line of high performance dual-frequency SF-series GPS receivers. February 10, 2004. Microsoft Corp. launched MapPoint Web Service 3.5, the latest version of its popular location and mapping Web service. The new version offers detailed information for 24 countries. Detailed street-level location information for 21 countries in Europe as well as the US, Canada and Brazil. copyright © GPS-practice-and-fun.com All Rights Reserved Top of archived GPS/GSM news page |