Archived news extracts about GPS and Wireless Technologies 2007

On this page we will archive GPS and Wireless news extracts, older than 5-6 months. Even if they are not news anymore, we consider them to contain valuable information. In the beginning of every new month we will add one month of news extracts to the top of this page.

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December 19, 2007.-- GPS software manufacturer Northport Systems, Inc., has launched Fugawi Touratel, a new cell phone-based outdoor navigation software and interactive web site, for use in the United States.

Designed to enhance outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting and more, Fugawi Touratel provides exceptional map detail on a wide variety of mobile phone handsets as well as the complimentary touratel.com website.

A first in GPS software solutions for the outdoor recreation market, Fugawi Touratel is a Web 2.0-based cell phone navigation software product that delivers high-resolution US Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps, air photos and urban photos to a wide variety of cell phone models within the USA. In addition, users receive a host of other useful third-party location based applications, such as detailed streets maps of the USA, all for one low monthly fee. Fugawi Touratel is currently compatible with many models from Motorola, Samsung, Sanyo and LG, on the Sprint, Alltel and Boost networks with more networks and cell phone models to be added shortly. Because Fugawi Touratel utilizes the cellular network-derived "Assisted GPS" location, the supported phones do not require a specific-use internal or Bluetooth connected GPS. Also, due to its unique Web 2.0 architecture, the user does not need to download and install client software - the entire Fugawi Touratel application works through the internet connection. Users will benefit from added map content and ongoing product development instantaneously, without the need to download updates or apply patches.

"We are pleased to offer USGS topographic maps to the public at no charge though our new web resource, touratel.com," said Robin Martel, president of Northport Systems. "Our Fugawi Touratel Web 2.0 backend also allows us to address tremendous consumer demand for mobile navigation technology by delivering outdoor GPS applications to a much wider variety of existing phones which could not previously be used for navigation."

The touratel.com website is a free service enabling users to view and print copies of high quality maps. The site contains all of the USGS topographic maps for the USA, including Hawaii and Alaska, at all available scales, including 1:24,000, 1:100,000 and 1:250,000. Also available through the intuitive tab-based interface are high quality air photos and Google� maps so the user can review their area of interest utilizing several different map sources. Users can zoom in to any part of the USA and print paper copies to take with them. From the website, users can also check the compatibility of their specific cell phone and, if they wish, sign up and immediately start navigating with the USGS topographic maps on their handset.

"Our Touratel web services have been designed from the ground up to allow for rapid development of richer feature sets and growth into new applications and markets", continues Martel. "We will add new map content and additional services in early 2008."

Availability

For more information on Fugawi Touratel, or to learn more about Northport Systems and its entire product line, please contact (416) 920-9300, or visit www.touratel.com. A regularly updated list of compatible carriers and handsets can also be found on the new touratel.com website.

December 14, 2007.-- After gaining success in Europe, Nav N Go, the fastest growing GPS navigation solution provider, is now ready to launch North America's first lifelike 3D navigation software 'Nav N Go iGO8' at CES Las Vegas 2008. To ensure this technology is swiftly available to customers, the company has formed partnerships with leading hardware manufacturers, also to be announced at the show.

More than an illusion of 3D display, Nav N Go iGO8 will offer a 'true' lifelike 3D image with elevations, buildings, landmarks and topographic maps on PNDs (Personal Navigation Devices), smart phones and game consoles.

Known for its precise and affordable digital maps, Nav N Go was the first company to introduce 'true' 3D navigation software in Europe. The product has a fast route calculation tool and covers over 70 countries globally with navigable maps. Nav N Go provides full coverage basic map of North America on a 1GB SD card, unprecedented by any other vendor.

"With our proven success in Europe, advancing to North America is a natural step for us," said Leon van de Pas, CEO of Nav N Go. "As the market for GPS navigation devices is predicted to grow from 3 million units in 2006 to 25 million units by 2010 in North America, we believe our timing is perfect. Our participation at CES Las Vegas is an opportunity for us to demonstrate the most innovative product in this space and initiate dialogues for further partnerships."

At the show, visitors can experience the first 3D navigation devices running on Nav N Go iGO8, along with other product offerings for PDAs, smart phones, and game consoles and solutions for the automotive industry. The Nav N Go booth 4809 will have a futuristic theme and will be located in the North Hall of the Convention Center, occupying a two-story booth.

December 14, 2007.-- Traffic.com, a NAVTEQ company, offers free, personalized solutions to help holiday drivers get to their destinations faster. Whether you are driving to the airport, across town or across the state to celebrate the holidays, Traffic.com can save you time. By visiting http://www.traffic.com/, drivers can sign-up for real-time traffic information on-line or on-the-go.

Traffic.com's suite of free solutions allows visitors to get precise traffic information, helping them to make better decisions about when to leave and determining the fastest route. This information can be personalized to match their destinations and is delivered quickly via the web, by mobile phone or PDA.

Traffic.com's free website and mobile alerts are available for all U.S. metropolitan areas. After visiting http://www.traffic.com/, visitors can either enter their zip code or select their starting point on a U.S. map. Users will then be able to assess their city's current traffic conditions as highlighted by red, yellow or green routes. Consumers can view congestion information as well as road incident details, local events, and construction locations.

Traffic.com visitors can choose from an array of free solutions including:

Traffic alerts for customized routes sent to your PC, mobile device, cellular or landline phone.
SMS text message updates via mobile phone or device.
Toll-free traffic hotline updates obtained by calling 1-866-MY-TRAFC (1-866-698-7232).
Wireless web (WAP) site traffic hotspot updates viewed at http://mobi.traffic.com/.

Understanding traffic speed slowdowns for the most traveled routes can help holiday travelers plan ahead and avoid congested roads. Visit http://www.traffic.com/ and let Traffic.com save you travel time.

December 14, 2007.-- NAVIGON has introduced a slick, high performance personal navigation device developed in partnership with Porsche Design, featuring u-blox' ANTARIS4 SuperSense GPS technology.

NAVIGON's new P9611 measures 125mm x 82 mm x 19mm, weighs just 250 grams and boasts a wide range of hardware and software features, including a pre-installed SD memory card, USB cable, car cradle and charging cable and high quality audio player. The device comes with Bluetooth, enabling hands-free communication support for Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones.

Other software features include digital maps of 37 European countries, integrated TMC (Traffic Message Channel) that informs users about traffic jams and automatically calculates alternative routes and preloaded international information that updates automatically when users cross a border, displaying country-specific information such as speed limits or permitted alcohol limits.

"The P9611 combines u-blox' high sensitivity, high accuracy SuperSense GPS technology with NAVIGON's cutting edge navigation know-how and Porsche Design's slick looks. This combination, added to the device's myriad of features, makes the P9611 the ideal PND for discerning users who want a reliable, long-lasting navigation device," said Thomas Seiler, u-blox CEO.

"We are honored to be the GPS supplier for such a high-end device," said Karsten Tietz, Vice President Sales EMEA.

Navigon's Porsche Design P9611 GPS unit additionally boasts two powerful processors, a 4.3-inch 480x272 pixels (WQVGA) high-resolution TFT touch screen and a 1400mAh Li-Ion battery.

December 10, 2007.-- Farcast, a pre-spin-off from TNO, today announced the launch of Farcast Moblogger, a free new service enabling mobile phone users to instantly update weblogs and share multimedia content directly from their mobile phones. Farcast Moblogger is based on the award winning Farcast platform technology, which is being used for mobile reporting by professional journalists in the Netherlands and Belgium.

From today, anyone can sign in at http://moblogger.farcast.eu/ to download and install the Farcast Moblogger application on their telephone free of charge. Farcast Moblogger makes it possible and easy to create and upload photos, video clips, audio clips, unlimited text and GPS location coordinates directly from a mobile phone to the internet at the touch of a button.

Service is quick, easy and free of charge

Farcast Moblogger users receive a free Farcast blogsite, with a unique location mapping interface, for posting their content and airing their views. Users can also define additional endpoints and set their preferences to forward items either automatically or manually. In this way, users of sites like Hyves, Flickr, Blogger, YouTube, Picasa en Web-log can use Farcast Moblogger to update their sites quickly and easily from their mobile phones, or to email items to friends. The Farcast Moblogger application runs on a wide range of mobile telephones and the list is constantly growing. Users whose telephones are not (yet) supported can make use of MMS uploads and still enjoy the benefits of a free moblog and all the forwarding possibilities of the Farcast Moblogger service.

Farcast Moblogger comes from the same stable as Farcast Reporter, the successful mobile reporting service being used by leading news providers like "De Volkskrant" and "Gazet van Antwerpen". Like Reporter, Moblogger also utilises the award winning technology of the Farcast Content Repurposing Platform developed by TNO Information and Communication Technology. For more information please visit the Farcast Moblogger homepage http://moblogger.farcast.eu/ or the Farcast website http://www.farcast.nl/.

December 10, 2007.-- DriveOK is launching an inexpensive GPS vehicle tracking unit designed for light duty fleet and consumers. This is the perfect GPS tracking device for parents with teen drivers. With more than 60,000 units in the field DriveOK has found a way to bring a quality unit at an affordable price.

DriveOK has launched a vehicle tracking unit that is extremely affordable, easy to use and provides significant value to small fleet owners and parents who want to monitor where their kids are driving. The OK232 has most of the commercial-grade features and has been provided at a fraction of the usual price for that type of service and capability.

"The launch of our OK232 GPS Vehicle Tracking Unit brings an affordable unit to small fleet owners and families that have been reluctant to purchase a GPS tracking unit," said Mark Wells, President & CEO of DriveOK Inc. "While most GPS tracking units cost more than $300, we are able to bring the cost down to $189.95 making it very affordable for everyone."

Small fleet owners will know when an employee arrives at a location, when they have finished a job and they can simultaneously view their entire fleet on one page. A GPS vehicle tracking unit will give parents the peace of mind to know where their teen drivers are traveling and if they have car trouble, parents will be able to locate their vehicles quickly and easily.

DriveOK is also offering low cost service plans as low as $5.95 per month and offer an additional 20% discount for annual pre-payment. The OK232 GPS Vehicle Tracking Unit is available at www.driveok.com.

December 6, 2007.-- SARS Corp., a leading provider of remote asset management and telematics solutions, announced SARS� RoadTrac, a fleet tracking service for the road transport industry. SARS RoadTrac utilizes the integrated satellite/GPRS SureLinx satellite terminal from SkyWave Mobile Communications ("SkyWave"), the global leader for two-way satellite telematics products and services.

SARS commenced shipment of SureLinx units to North American SARS RoadTrac customers in Q3 2007 and anticipates further sales to midsize fleet operators. SARS RoadTrac integrates with a broad range of hardware platforms and is designed to improve the safety, security and operational efficiencies of midsize road fleets.

"This solution combines data from GPRS and satellite networks to give customers a very low total cost of ownership while ensuring constant contact with an asset even when it's out of GPRS range," said Clayton Shelver, CEO of SARS Corp. "Integration of SARS RoadTrac with SkyWave's SureLinx dual-mode terminal enables us to deliver solutions for customers with minimal lead time."

With SARS RoadTrac, customers monitor their vehicles on a customizable map-based interface and receive real-time business intelligence regarding the status and location of vehicles. SARS RoadTrac is accessed through a standard Web browser allowing users to be in touch with their critical assets, anywhere, anytime.

The SARS RoadTrac service utilizes SkyWave's SureLinx terminal that integrates satellite and GPRS for simplified networking and cost-efficient application integration. The discrete terminal features low power consumption and a rugged exterior, making it versatile enough to suit a wide range of applications requiring dependable coverage across urban and rural or remote locations.

"SARS Corp. is a premier provider of remote asset management and telematics solutions," says Alain Nicolle, North American Sales Director for SkyWave. "We are pleased to provide them with reliable, cost-effective satellite products and network services to enable a robust end-user solution. With the ubiquitous coverage provided by this solution, asset owners and end-users benefit from increased security and peace of mind regardless of where they travel."

November 27, 2007.-- u-blox AG, the leading Swiss provider of GPS chips, modules and services, announced the launch of two GPS modules that set new benchmarks in terms of speed, sensitivity and ease of integration. The LEA-5 GPS module series is based on u-blox' fifth generation positioning engine, u-blox 5, which boasts an acquisition performance of less than one second.

These versatile, stand-alone GPS receivers combine an extensive array of features with flexible connectivity options. Their ease of integration results in fast times-to-market for a wide range of automotive, consumer and industrial applications with strict size and cost requirements.

"The LEA-5 GPS module series brings the high performance of the u-blox 5 positioning engine to the industry standard LEA form factor", said Karsten Tietz, u-blox Vice President Sales EMEA. This new generation is backwards compatible and ensures our customers an easy migration from LEA-4 module designs, with even better performance and improved cost-efficiency."

"These LEA-5 modules are ultra fast and boast an impressive -160 dBm acquisition and tracking sensitivity. These features, added to the module's small size and low cost make them ideally suited for use in mass market GPS-enabled consumer devices," said u-blox Chief Executive, Thomas Seiler. "This breakthrough technology is yet another endorsement of the strength of u-blox' research and development team."

The LEA-5 GPS module series is lead free and has an industrial temperature range of -40 to 85�C. Its small form factor and SMT pads allow for fully automatic assembly processes with standard pick-and-place equipment and reflow soldering, enabling cost-efficient, high-volume production.

The LEA-5H GPS module comes with a Flash EPROM that enables easy firmware upgrades and set-up configuration saving options. The ROM-based LEA-5S offers further cost efficiencies. Both modules feature u-blox' OMA SUPL compliant A-GPS interface and support AssistNow Online and AssistNow Offline A-GPS services.

November 28, 2007.-- NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, has announced an expanded version of NAVTEQ Transport with new coverage in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium and Luxembourg, new data types and a harmonized global specification to enhance the functionality of truck routing and logistics planning applications across North America and Western Europe. NAVTEQ Transport enables applications to plan truck-specific routes using the leading NAVTEQ map to improve efficiency and lower operating costs.

"With the move many of our customers are making to fewer, larger trucks, truck-specific restriction data has never been more important. With the expanded coverage in Europe and new hazardous materials information for North America, NAVTEQ Transport improves the ability of fleet operators, truck drivers and applications to plan approved routes and estimate delivery times more accurately. More efficient routing translates into lower fuel consumption and environmental benefits" said Cliff Fox, senior vice president, map division.

NAVTEQ Transport includes:

-- Physical restrictions such as height, weight, width and length.
-- Legal restrictions including truck specific turn restrictions and speed limits.
-- Warning information for hills and curves.
-- Transport-specific Points of Interest.
-- Hazardous materials restrictions and preferred routes (new for North America).

Because of the success of the product, a global rollout plan balancing coverage on the most frequently used sections of roadway with customer requirements has been developed. The product has previously being available in the United States, France and Germany enabling with the 4 new countries pan-regional long-haul routing in addition to the existing highly accurate short-haul routing data.

The new harmonized global specification makes working with the data easier for global customers. The data is updated and released quarterly to regularly provide the most current information to users.

The product is unique in the industry in quality, coverage and its ability to work in concert with other NAVTEQ data products. NAVTEQ employs over 700 geographic analysts to collect information in the field and combines this proprietary data with high quality sources that have been field verified for accuracy. When combined with NAVTEQ's unique Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) data, NAVTEQ Traffic real-time traffic flow and incident data or other products from the NAVTEQ portfolio like Driver Alerts, applications using NAVTEQ Transport can provide powerful, competitive advantage to its customers -- both in the back office and in the cab.

November 27, 2007.-- After a successful launch at the Ski Fervor and BEWI Sports Ski Shows beginning in Seattle and culminating in Boston on November 18, 2007, SkiTrak LLC announced the general availability of the SkiTrak software. SkiTrak enables you to systematically track and store your ski activity in explicit detail utilizing GPS technology.

SkiTrak takes GPS-recorded ski tracking data about where you've skied, how fast you ski, for how long and how many miles, and organizes and calculates statistics about your skiing, creating a simple display that both maps and analyzes the data for you. Skiers just wear a wristwatch style GPS or any portable GPS to capture the data and then ski all day. When done, skiers simply need to connect the GPS to their computer and SkiTrak automatically downloads the information for processing. Every time you ski, a new day of data gets added automatically to the rest, giving you unlimited cumulative statistics, yet still organized by resort, day and season.

SkiTrak gives you the information you need to assess your progress over time. SkiTrak is also the perfect way for you to capture the fun you had on those ski vacations and compare it to other vacation ski resorts or your home mountain.

SkiTrak saves information about your skiing from different perspectives including season totals of vertical feet, distance and times skied and details of speed and steepness for every second of your ski run. SkiTrak is a skiers log book that runs on your computer and displays detailed maps of your skiing with Satellite Images ** so you can see which trails you skied as well as which ones you missed. SkiTrak is easy to use and does not require you to be technical to use and understand the details about your skiing.

"SkiTrak is for ski enthusiasts who are interested in tracking their progress on the slopes," said Bill Langlais, president of SkiTrak. "SkiTrak gives you the information you need to assess your progress over time. SkiTrak is also the perfect way for you to capture the fun you had on those ski vacations and compare it to other vacation ski resorts or your home mountain."

SkiTrak software runs on computers running all versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista and requires about 500 megabytes of disk space. SkiTrak works with any Garmin USB or Serial GPS or Magellan Serial GPS that stores track data. It will also work with any GPS that can export track data to a ".gpx" file.

SkiTrak software's list price is $99.99 and can be purchased along with a Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS for an additional $217.00. To get more information or to purchase SkiTrak, visit www.skitrak.com.

November 27, 2007.-- u-Nav Microelectronics announced the availability of a complete production-ready line that offers stand-alone and hosted performance.

Offered in this line is a new high sensitivity uN3010 Evaluation Kit (EVK) based upon a proven, full function GPS Receiver reference design incorporating the production released .18� TSMC CMOS single chip uN3010 and Orion 2.2.4 GPS software.

This high sensitivity EVK is capable of signal tracking at less than -160dBm, and demonstrates an advanced power management solution that consumes less than 50mW in full, continuous GPS receiver operation and with a battery back up mode of less than 10uW.

The embedded Orion software is responsible for all GPS functions such as signal acquisition, tracking, data extraction, and navigation. This software has proven market leading navigation performance even in harsh urban canyons. This is achieved by the uN3010 advanced hardware architecture coupled with the Orion navigation software. Through the Software Development Kit (SDK), adjustments can be made to the navigation performance, such as to establish tradeoffs between TTFF and position error, thus affording an opportunity to match the application requirements and build a differentiated custom product.

Standalone, fully-embedded solutions can be developed using our standard binary software release or customized using our software development kit (SDK). This results in a full NMEA receiver solution with no host software integration or resource burden.

For host-based solutions, u-Nav offers Install n Go, which is a full-featured Windows CE host application program. This software allows for very easy installation of hosted Orion into the Windows CE environment, supporting a rapid product development cycle with a very attractive BOM. This version of the Orion software partitions the navigation and management functions onto the host, while real-time GPS signal processing remains fully embedded on the uN3010 single chip. This architecture is much easier to integrate with the host-based application software as it requires no real-time resources from the host. This hosted solution also eliminates any need for local/dedicated flash or fixed ROM. Features and performance can continue to be enhanced, and upgraded as opposed to an approach utilizing fixed ROM.

u-Nav's compact 13x18mm reference module drives the EVK and provides quick time to market in consumer products by enabling a complete GPS solution.

"With both stand-alone and hosted capabilities now in our portfolio, u-Nav has solidified its strong position in the market. This new high sensitivity evaluation kit, with its compact reference module design, allows customers to properly evaluate these advanced capabilities and the superior performance of our recent products," says Bill McInerney, u-Nav Product Marketing Manager. "It's all a part of a concerted effort by u-Nav to not only offer the industry's best GPS performance but to also provide our customers with the features and reference designs necessary to accelerate their time-to-market."

The uN3010 single chip, the uN3010 EVK, and Orion Software Development Kit (SDK) are available now in production quantities.

November 19, 2007.-- MapQuest, in partnership with Telmap, announced that the newest version of its voice-guided, GPS-enabled wireless application, MapQuest Navigator 5.0, is now widely available to consumers through a new direct-to-consumer storefront on MapQuest.com. Customers, including the 50 million monthly MapQuest.com users, who sign up for new version 5.0 at http://navigator.mapquest.com between now and December 31, 2007 can download the application directly to their handset and purchase the service for the promotional price of $4.99 per month for the life of the subscription.

In addition, MapQuest Navigator 5.0 includes feature enhancements such as live traffic, gas price and station locator, and City's Best� ratings from AOL CityGuide.

"Consumers now have immediate access to GPS navigation on compatible devices at a fraction of the price of competitive products," said Alan Beiagi, Director of MapQuest Wireless. "In addition, the enhancements to MapQuest Navigator 5.0 provide consumers with enhanced local content to more confidently explore the places in which they live and visit."

Recent research has shown the high value that consumers place on Location Based Services, particularly personal navigation. According to a recent J.D. Power and Associates survey, 40% of smart phone users want their phone to have GPS.2

New features in the latest version of MapQuest Navigator 5.0 include:

Live Traffic - Powered by INRIX�, the leading provider of traffic flow information in the U.S., MapQuest Navigator lets users see the latest traffic flow along their route, get traffic alerts, and even be rerouted according to live traffic conditions in more than 106 markets across the United States.
AOL CityGuide Content including City's Best Ratings - AOL CityGuide provides MapQuest Navigator users with local listings and ratings of restaurants and nightlife information for nearly 40 of the top cities nationwide.
Gas Prices - Find the lowest fuel prices nearest to your location, and search by station brand, distance or fuel type, including diesel and alternative fuels.
Text to Speech (TTS) Technology - Street names and navigation instructions are voice-announced along the route in advance of turns; while each maneuver and cross-streets are conveniently labeled on the display. The voice interface will even specify the destination as "on the left" or "on the right" upon arrival.
3D Map View - Full-color 3D moving maps, allowing users to gain an above-view and forward-looking perspective as they travel.

Coming soon, users will be able to leverage a new "Send to Navigator" feature, enabling them to research and plan their trips on MapQuest.com and send locations from the site to MapQuest Navigator.

"We believe that making more local content available for the consumer through mobile navigation will increase the use of these services in day-to-day life activities," said David Singer, Vice President and General Manager of Telmap Inc. "In partnership with MapQuest, our goal is to enhance consumer satisfaction with an application that offers much more than navigation."

MapQuest Navigator 5.0 is based on the next generation technology Mobile Optimized Navigation Data, ("MOND") from Telmap, a world-leading provider of mobile mapping and navigation solutions. MOND enables users to be re-routed in the event of a missed turn without the need to contact the mapping server when the user is located within the downloaded route corridor, resulting in more rapid and reliable re-routing.

More information, including a list of compatible mobile devices and supporting carriers, is available at http://navigator.mapquest.com.

November 12, 2007.-- u-blox AG, the leading Swiss provider of GPS chips, modules and services, announced the launch of two GPS modules that set new benchmarks in terms of speed, sensitivity and ease of integration. The LEA-5 GPS module series is based on u-blox' fifth generation positioning engine, u-blox 5, which boasts an acquisition performance of less than one second.

"The LEA-5 GPS module series brings the high performance of the u-blox 5 positioning engine to the industry standard LEA form factor," said Karsten Tietz, u-blox Vice President Sales EMEA. "This new generation is backwards compatible and ensures our customers an easy migration from LEA-4 module designs, with even better performance and improved cost-efficiency."

u-blox 5 offers an ultra-fast acquisition time thanks to its 50-channel GPS architecture with over 1 million correlators and separate acquisition and tracking engines, capable of massively parallel searches. Combined with u-blox' AssistNow A-GPS service, the u-blox 5 chip and module generation acquires satellites in less than one second. "These LEA-5 modules are ultra fast and boast an impressive -160 dBm acquisition and tracking sensitivity. These features, added to the module's small size and low cost make them ideally suited for use in mass market GPS-enabled consumer devices," said u-blox Chief Executive, Thomas Seiler. "This breakthrough technology is yet another endorsement of the strength of u-blox' research and development team."

The LEA-5 GPS module series is lead free and has an industrial temperature range of -40 to 85degreesC. Its small form factor and SMT pads allow for fully automatic assembly processes with standard pick-and-place equipment and reflow soldering, enabling cost-efficient, high-volume production.

November 7, 2007.-- NemeriX, a leading fabless semiconductor company specializing in ultra low power, high-performance A-GPS solutions for GPS and location-based service products, announced that its NX2 system has been chosen as the GPS solution for the SPOT Satellite Messenger, the world's first satellite messenger.

Now shipping in the United States with availability in Europe expected in early 2008, the SPOT Messenger is a revolutionary satellite-based emergency messenger and personal tracker that, for the first time, gives consumers a vital line of communication, independent of cellular or wireless coverage, from virtually anywhere on the planet. The SPOT messenger uses the GPS satellite network to accurately determine a customer's location and transmit information via the SPOT network to friends, family or an emergency service centre. SPOT has been developed for SPOT Inc. - a subsidiary of satellite voice and data service provider Globalstar - by Axonn LLC, the exclusive provider of hardware for the Globalstar Simplex Data Network.

The newly developed SPOT Messenger combines Axonn's proficiency in the development of advanced wireless technology hardware for tracking and monitoring remote assets, with NemeriX's ultra low power GPS technology and positioning expertise.

GPS signals are processed by the NemeriX system within the 239 g (7.37 ounce) SPOT Messenger, which takes AA size lithium batteries and, when powered on, has a standby battery life of approximately 12 months. NemeriX's NX2 baseband processor, designed for C/A code L1 GPS low power applications, acts as a flexible GPS enabled micro-controller, with a highly integrated, low noise RF front-end receiver.

Axonn CEO Dave Biggs explains: "NemeriX's ultra low power and highly reliable, high precision location determination technology was crucial to our ability to produce an affordable, personal safety device that can be used outside the coverage areas of cellular phones."

Lew Boore, VP of Marketing for NemeriX comments: "This is a truly exciting and extremely valuable application and validates NemeriX's position as the premier provider of low-cost, high performance GPS solutions. We are delighted that Axonn chose our GPS positioning technology to work alongside their communications expertise to deliver the world's first satellite messenger."

SPOT's functionality, light weight, and affordability makes it ideal for the growing market of outdoor enthusiasts, specifically when they are backpacking, camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, ice and rock climbing, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or participating in recreational maritime activities.

SPOT message and tracking functions enable users to send messages to friends, family or emergency responders, based on varying levels of need and to visually track the location of the SPOT satellite messenger:

Alert 9-1-1 signals an emergency response center to dispatch emergency responders to an exact location
Ask for Help sends a request for help to friends and family
Check In lets contacts know where you are and that you are OK
Track Progress sends and saves your location and allows your selected contacts to track your progress using Google Maps and www.findmespot.com with password-protected security.

More about SPOT Satellite Messenger

The world's first satellite messenger uses the GPS satellite network to determine a customer's location and the SPOT network to transmit that information to friends, family or an emergency service center. SPOT Inc., a subsidiary of Globalstar, Inc., provides lifesaving communications technology that allows users to communicate from remote locations around the globe.

SPOT works around the world, including virtually all of continental United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Australia, portions of South America, Northern Africa and Northeastern Asia, and hundreds or thousands of miles offshore of these areas.

The SPOT Satellite Messenger provides consumers with the ability to send for emergency assistance in time of need; notify employers, friends or family of their status; and allows them to visually track the messenger's location and progress on a computer using Google Maps and the SPOT website. SPOT uses convenient, easy-to-replace AA size lithium batteries for complete portability and when powered on, has a standby battery life of approximately 12 months. SPOT floats and its rugged waterproof construction is engineered to withstand a wide variety of extreme environmental shock and temperature conditions.

The National Association for Search and Rescue estimates more than 50,000 search and rescue missions are initiated each year in the United States alone. Many of these missions are undertaken without search and rescue knowing the exact location of the missing party. SPOT removes this unknown by providing very accurate GPS location coordinates.

SPOT can also be used for commercial lone worker safety applications, for those businesses with employees operating in remote areas outside the range of cellular and other wireless communications. It is also a valuable safety tool for any person who drives their automobile outside of cellular coverage or for emergency messaging during natural disasters such as hurricanes or other situations when cellular or land-based communications may be damaged or unavailable.

November 1, 2007.-- Globalcom Satellite Communications is proud to introduce the SPOT Satellite Messenger. This new unit is the smallest satellite messenger available providing a satellite GPS personal locator. Not only can people check in with their families, but they can ask for help, track their progress, or call for 911. This is the answer for people who do not want to spend the money on a satellite phone but do need something reliable that can communicate with friends and family. This unit allows one way communication only. Up to five people that you designate would receive an email or text message to their cellular phone when you activate the OK or the Help features.

SPOT weighs only seven ounces and can be carried within a backpack. There are four buttons on the hard durable case that allows the owner to check in with family, ask for help, or even call for 911. The GEOS International Call Center answers the emergency calls and can route search and rescue personnel to your GPS provided location within five to ten minutes with an accuracy of up to 20 feet. SPOT has a rugged waterproof construction, SPOT floats, and has been tested to work in extreme temperatures. SPOT uses lithium AA batteries which should provide a life of approximately 12 months. Globalcom Satellite Communications are taking orders starting November 1, 2007 for the low cost of $149.99 with service for the unit starting at $99.99 per year for unlimited messaging with unlimited tracking costing an extra $49.99.

This is an essential line of communication in emergency situations. There are over 64 million consumers in the United States that are outdoor enthusiasts. The National Association for Search and Rescue has participated in an estimated 50,000 or more search and rescue missions each year. These rescues usually begin and the rescuers have no inclination where the victim may be located. Not only can SPOT send messages to family, friends, or the authorities it also provides GPS accuracy on your location. The SPOT satellite messenger gives a location within 20 feet of accuracy. The SPOT is great for commercial lone worker safety applications or for people who live in areas where natural disasters may occur. Drivers who drive outside their cell phone coverage area would also benefit from this valuable tool.

There is a proven 99.4% reliability with the SPOT system. They process over 6 million messages a month or approximately 2.3 messages per second. The SPOT network uses a GPS satellite system to verify a user's location. SPOT's coverage includes the continental United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and Australia, along with sections of South America, Northern Africa, and Northeastern Asia. Coverage is also including hundreds of miles offshore to these areas.

The optional unlimited tracking feature allows the owner to keep up with their progress on their trips. Google Maps� allows people to log into the SPOT account on the internet and view progress or review routes that may have been taken. This optional service is $49.99 added to the annual service of $99.99.

For additional information on the SPOT Satellite Messenger, contact Summer Cross or Debbie Albano, or visit www.globalcomsatphone.com. SPOT will be available on November 1, 2007.

October 23, 2007.-- Numerex , a leading single-source provider of solutions and networks for Machine-to- Machine (M2M) applications, announced the commercial release of the OrbitOne SX1 solution, a breakthrough in satellite-based asset monitoring and tracking technology. Operating on Globalstar's Low Earth Orbit (LEO) simplex satellite data network, the OrbitOne SX1 provides GPS visibility, event monitoring and asset management data on a near global basis.

Developed by Orbit One Communications, Numerex's recently acquired satellite solutions business, the SX1 is one of the smallest satellite communication devices in the industry with a footprint of only 7.25 x 3.25 x 1 inch (184 x 83 x 25 mm) and weighs a mere 13 ounces (369g). Delivering up to seven years of uninterrupted service on a field-replaceable battery, or operating on line power, the SX1 provides mission critical reliability under the harshest environmental conditions. Certified and manufactured to exceed IP68, NEMA 6P, and MILSTD 810 environmental specifications, the highly- ruggedized device can be installed, activated and operational in less than one minute.

For systems integrators the SX1 provides a reliable and open data architecture compatible with virtually any legacy supply chain, logistics or tracking application making it the ideal choice for the security, management and tracking of military, government or commercial assets such as inter-modal shipping containers, trailers, buoys, or barges. The OrbitOne solution is also capable of providing global supply chain logistics visibility, resulting in reduced demurrage, increased security and minimized fleet downtime.

"We are very excited about the launch of OrbitOne SX1, which we believe is a ground-breaking achievement. The solution provides our military, commercial and government clients with true visibility of their mobile assets nearly anywhere in the world - we think of it as Global RFID," comments Stratton Nicolaides, chairman and CEO of Numerex. "For large scale and global deployment OrbitOne offers one of the most cost-effective solutions available and complements our existing cellular tracking and monitoring platforms. The solution also extends our global reach and positions Numerex to offer our military, commercial, and government customers a broader range of device and network communication options."

Originally developed and deployed for the military and disaster response communities, the SX1 expands the satellite and cellular network services that are monitored and managed through the company's TAV (Total Asset Visibility) application. This comprehensive tracking and monitoring solution provides secure mapping, display, and management tools for tens of thousands of global assets from any internet connection worldwide. In the next few months Numerex intends to introduce an accompanying portfolio of sensor options to meet customer demands for additional real-time security and intelligent monitoring.

Orbit One Communications, the developer of the SX1 and TAV Software, was recently acquired by Numerex. The company is a recognized leader in satellite tracking solutions that offer visibility and event monitoring for emergency management, global supply chain logistics, and field asset and personnel tracking. Orbit One is the supplier of satellite tracking solutions to DHS- FEMA, the American Red Cross and prime contractors to federal and state agencies for disaster and emergency response operations.

The SX1 is commercially available now through Orbit One Communications LLC, a wholly-owned Numerex subsidiary, with a multi-year warranty to end users, systems integrators and value added resellers. For additional product information or demo kits, please visit Orbit One at www.nmrx.com or contact Scott Rosenzweig at 406-922-3333 or Gradey Caldwell at 770-485-2526. Email: info@orbit-one.com

October 23, 2007.-- Qualcomm announced an important milestone with the worldwide availability of multiple Windows Mobile smartphones based on the company's collaboration with Microsoft. The devices offer advanced functionality in thin and sleek form factors by leveraging the two companies' work to integrate support for Windows Mobile into Qualcomm's chipsets, eliminating the need for a separate applications processor. Leading device manufacturers, including HTC Corp., LG Electronics Inc. and Samsung, have devices on the market or in design based on Qualcomm chipsets with integrated support for Windows Mobile.

"Qualcomm and Microsoft have streamlined the process of bringing a Windows Mobile smartphone to market," said Paul Bae, vice president of the product planning team, mobile communications company, LG Electronics. "Many of the compelling features of our KS20 consumer-focused Windows Mobile handset are made possible in part by the greater integration offered by the Qualcomm chipsets supporting Windows Mobile."

"Windows Mobile empowers people to stay connected to the information they need, keeping them productive on the go," said John O'Rourke, general manager, mobile communications business at Microsoft Corp. "We are proud of this milestone with Qualcomm because we're delivering a variety of phones with better performance, delighting customers with a great experience."

"Together, Qualcomm and Microsoft have helped the overall smartphone market to expand by enabling device manufacturers to get their products to market faster with reduced cost and design times," said Steve Mollenkopf, senior vice president of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. "We are very excited to see the next-generation smartphones now become available around the world, and with the comprehensive set of business and entertainment applications users want."

Qualcomm's Mobile Station Modem (MSM) MSM7xxx-series, dual-core chipsets feature integrated support for Windows Mobile, as well as a wide range of hardware-accelerated multimedia capabilities, connectivity features and mobile broadband support. The two companies first announced their collaborative relationship in May 2006 and have since continued their relationship to include collaborative development work on the MSM7225 solution for HSPA and MSM7525 chipset for CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev. A, which are designed to expand mobile broadband smartphones beyond the enterprise segment into mainstream consumer markets by enabling even lower-cost devices.

There are currently more than 20 additional smartphone devices in design that leverage MSM chipsets and Windows Mobile to support a wide range of business and entertainment applications, such as Microsoft Office Mobile, Windows Live for Windows Mobile, and third-party offerings.

October 16, 2007.-- S5 Wireless, a leading developer of ultra low cost, wide-area, next generation wireless location and telemetry technology, announced the successful fabrication of its new client-side chip. The S5 solution provides the "best of both worlds" on a single chip - combining the indoor coverage, small size, power and cost benefits of RFID with the wide-area coverage and accuracy of GPS/Cell phone solutions. The mixed-signal integrated circuit represents a major advancement in the company's radically different solution to providing wireless geolocation services and will be used to support existing and future OEM partners in bringing a range of products to commercial, industrial and government markets. "S5 has achieved a breakthrough which fundamentally changes the location marketplace and marks a significant milestone in fulfilling our promise to deliver ubiquitous location capability to the industry," said David Carter, President and CEO of S5 Wireless. "We believe S5 technology will gain strong industry acceptance and enable the market to achieve its estimated $35 billion potential. S5 and our partners look forward to driving mass-market adoption of location-based products and services."

Unique Chip Architecture:

The S5 location chip is much smaller than a dime, will cost less than $1, operates for years on a single battery, and works outdoors and indoors - even deep inside large buildings. Unlike existing approaches, S5's unique solution sheds resource requirements from the device by placing most of the system's intelligence into the base stations and network infrastructure. This reduces chip cost and complexity, as the S5 chips simply "wake up, transmit, and go back to sleep." The chip is distributed in three forms: the S5-Chip, S5-Module and S5-Tag.

* S5-Chip - The basic building block of the S5 system, the 5mm x 5mm S5-Chip can be incorporated into items manufacturers wish to enable with advanced location-based services and telemetry capabilities.

* S5-Module - This pre-constructed 15mm x 15mm radio module includes the S5-Chip and all additional electronic components except for a battery and antenna. The S5-Module enables easy device location and/or telemetry integration and design de-risking where rapid time-to-market is important for the device manufacturer.

* S5-Tag - S5 has developed several stand-alone tags which incorporate the necessary electronics, battery compartment, antenna elements and external housings to allow partners to prototype, test and leverage S5 product designs in their own applications.

Additional information and S5-Chip sampling are expected before the end of the year. For more information, please visit www.s5w.com

October 16, 2007.-- eRide, Inc., a leader in Global Positioning System (GPS), Assisted GPS (A-GPS) and Satellite Navigation Technology, today announced its new Opus III eZ chip which provides a unique solution for true positioning indoor and in harsh environments to markets ranging from handset to personal navigation devices, automotive, tracking, and security. The new Opus III eZ circuit is based on the eRide's Opus III ultra high sensitivity GPS engine combined with an on-chip microcontroller.

Opus III eZ is capable of operations in both autonomous mode, for stand-alone GPS receivers, and server-assisted mode, where the receiver can retrieve aiding information from a server. This results in an extremely short time after initial start, typically in less than 1 second, to provide the time, the actual position and the speed information, a key feature for push-to-fix applications. Another key feature for end-users is its ultra high sensitivity which allows operation of the GPS receiver inside buildings and in extremely difficult outdoor environments such as urban canyons. With the world's best sensitivity reported, at -161 dBm in acquisition and tracking, autonomous or server-aided mode, this product enhances eRide's ability to service true indoor positioning requirements for the broader communications and consumer end-markets.

Opus III eZ is fully compatible with the eRide's aiding technology and has a pre-installed software package to support the feature. In applications which include access to a wireless data network, it can request aiding from an eRide' Symphony server and then process the response sentences accordingly. "Our aiding technology is pretty unique and includes patented techniques," said Arthur Woo, co-founder and CEO of eRide. "eRide is one of the very few companies capable of offering such a complete, high performances, and proven server aided solution which can operate with a wide variety of wireless data network protocol."

eRide's proven Opus GPS technology in cellular communications applications in and Europe, combined with the performances of a 90 nm CMOS silicon process, resulted in the fully featured Opus III eZ device. It comes with an embedded 32-bit RISC controller, 3 types of serial communication ports, 8 general purpose I/O's, on-chip 384K mask ROM, 160K data SRAM, and on-chip power management. It can operate from a single 3V supply. The chip also includes a battery back-up section, with real-time-clock and 8K data SRAM. The new part is offered either in TFBGA 7x7 package or in very small footprint Solder Bump die form. Samples are available now and volume production deliveries to customers started at the beginning of the 4th quarter 2007.

Moreover, eRide offers a fully functional reference design based on Opus III eZ solution with its embedded controller running the highly optimized Opus III eZ software, from on-chip ROM or from external Flash. The complete solution utilizes extremely low number of external components and is priced competitively. It comes in a form factor that matches portable device requirements and can easily be integrated into existing systems.

October 16, 2007.-- TomTom revealed the TomTom ONE XL-S. The new TomTom ONE XL-S is the first product in the TomTom ONE XL range to offer text- to-speech technology, enabling street names and places to be read aloud as part of the spoken navigation instructions. The TomTom ONE XL-S also offers the exclusive TomTom Map Share technology and unique 'HELP ME!' features on a 4.3 inch screen.

TomTom Map Share is a proprietary map improvement technology that enables users to easily and instantly improve maps. Via TomTom HOME, TomTom's free desktop software application, Map Share users can share map improvements made by the community of Map Share users -- so that they always have the most up-to-date maps available in the industry. Map Share users can also respond in real time to changes in the road network and, with just a few simple taps on their screen, can correct the maps on their device accordingly.

The extensive 'Help Me!' menu includes information about the nearest car repair service center, police station, or hospital, and allows users to either locate or call the closest emergency service provider no matter where they are. It also allows users to quickly identify their exact location, so that they can provide this information to emergency assistance providers and receive help more quickly.

"The TomTom ONE XL-S brings two great technologies, text-to-speech for spoken instructions and TomTom Map Share for the most up-to-date maps, to our ONE XL platform," said TomTom Inc president Jocelyn Vigreux. "The TomTom ONE XL-S complements our portfolio and gives our customers even more products to choose from."

October 8, 2007.-- NovAtel Inc. and Hexagon AB have entered into a definitive agreement under which Hexagon has agreed to acquire all the outstanding shares of NovAtel for US $50 per share.

NovAtel is a leading provider of precision Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) components and subsystems. NovAtel develops quality OEM products including receivers, enclosures, antennas and firmware that are integrated into high precision positioning applications worldwide. These applications include surveying, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping, precision agriculture machine guidance, port automation, mining, timing and marine industries. NovAtel's reference receivers are also at the core of national aviation ground networks.

NovAtel recorded sales of CDN $77.6 million and net income of CDN $21.5 million in 2006. NovAtel is based in Calgary, and has approximately 300 employees worldwide.

Hexagon AB is a global technology group with strong market positions within measurement technologies and polymers. Hexagon's vision is to be number one or number two in each strategic business area. The group has about 8,600 employees in 30 countries and net sales of about SEK 14,000 million.

NovAtel has a long standing partnership with Hexagon's subsidiary, Leica Geosystems, focused on the development of high-precision GNSS technologies. NovAtel has been a core supplier of these technologies to Leica Geosystems since 2002. The combination of Hexagon and NovAtel will add new applications to the Hexagon product portfolio and give Hexagon access to technologies applicable to new high growth markets.

"We are pleased that Hexagon has recognized NovAtel's value and selected us to play a key role in their GNSS strategy, as it acknowledges NovAtel's leading GNSS technology, focused OEM strategy, and profitable growth over the past five years," said Jon Ladd, President and CEO of NovAtel Inc. "Hexagon's commitment to being a market leader, combined with its strategy to accelerate its entry into new GNSS applications and markets is very synergistic with NovAtel's existing goals and will, we believe, provide expanded opportunities for our customers and employees."

"The acquisition of NovAtel will enable Hexagon to accelerate the development of new applications and markets within the GNSS sector and secure an exciting, rapidly growing core business," stated Ola Rollen, CEO and President of Hexagon AB. Under the terms of the agreement, Hexagon will commence a cash tender offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of NovAtel for US $50 per share. The offer price represents a 31 per cent premium to NovAtel's 30-day volume weighted average share price. The aggregate purchase price of the transaction is expected to be approximately US $390 million, net of NovAtel's cash balance on 30 June 2007.

In addition, pursuant to the agreement, Hexagon will acquire NovAtel shares and a debenture convertible into NovAtel shares totalling 19.9 per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of NovAtel in a private placement transaction at a purchase price of US $50 per share. Excluding the shares acquired in the tender offer and after giving effect to the shares issued and issuable to Hexagon in the private placement, Hexagon will own 16.6 per cent of NovAtel's outstanding shares. Hexagon has advised that it has committed funds available to finance the total cash requirements under the agreement pursuant to a facility agreement with certain banks.

It is anticipated that the tender offer will be mailed to NovAtel shareholders on or about the week of October 15, 2007. The agreement has been approved by NovAtel's Board of Directors and is fully supported by NovAtel's senior management. Completion of the transactions is expected during the fourth quarter of 2007 and is subject to customary regulatory approval, minimum tender and other conditions.

October 8, 2007.-- The WiMedia Alliance announced the first silicon products certified on its Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Common Radio Platform. A total of 12 platforms from WiMedia members Alereon, Inc., Artimi, Inc., Intel Corporation, Realtek Semiconductor Corporation, Staccato Communications, Tzero Technologies, WiQuest Communications and Wisair have successfully completed both phases of the Alliance's compliance and interoperability testing, paving the way for the introduction of WiMedia-based end-user devices in the personal computing, consumer electronics and mobile device markets.

"This is a pivotal development for UWB," said Stephen Wood, president of the WiMedia Alliance. "WiMedia Platform Certification ensures a high-level of interoperability among WiMedia-based applications and provides assurance to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that products incorporating WiMedia Certified platforms will operate with minimal interference from other devices, enabling a positive user experience for their customers. With certified platforms available, manufacturers can begin utilizing WiMedia UWB in their consumer products at an accelerated rate."

Silicon certified on the WiMedia platform provides the foundation for a number of high-speed wireless protocols, including next generation Bluetooth and Wireless USB. Utilizing the WiMedia specifications, these applications provide low power consumption and data rates of up to 480 Mbps in the wireless personal area network (WPAN).

The WiMedia Alliance has held a series of interoperability testing events since its certification program was launched in early 2006. These events have helped ready products for advancement in the certification program, leading to the establishment of certified platforms. Successful platform certification would not have been possible without the support of WiMedia members Agilent Technologies, Inc., Ellisys, Intel Corporation, LeCroy Corporation and WiQuest Communications, who provided facilities, test equipment and skilled technical resources to the Alliance and participating vendors.

WiMedia Certified platforms undergo two phases of rigorous testing against the Alliance's international UWB standards (ISO/IEC 26907 and 26908). In the first phase, vendors test and "register" Physical Layer implementations (PHYs) based on the WiMedia PHY specification. Registered PHYs are then combined with a Media Access Control (MAC) layer and submitted for certification as a complete platform. Platforms that successfully complete each level of the certification program are granted official platform certification. This designation ensures that certified platforms will coexist with other certified platforms, and perform as expected, according to specifications.

More information on the WiMedia Alliance and its certification program is available at http://www.wimedia.org/

September 25, 2007.-- Cypress Semiconductor Corp. announced that iPUBLISH GmbH is employing Cypress's PSoC CapSense touch screen controller solution in the popular new MERIAN scout NAVIGATOR Personal Travel Assistant. The new product combines the navigation functionality of a GPS unit with a multimedia travel guide in one convenient, handheld device. Users simply touch the 3.7-inch, VGA-resolution screen to get maps and information, including 35 hours of audio guides and photos, on over 30,000 locations such as museums, hotels, restaurants and other places of interest.

The CapSense touch screen solution delivers high-accuracy touch screen performance that is ideal for small screen portable devices such as the MERIAN scout NAVIGATOR. It also enables designers, with a single device, to replace multiple mechanical buttons and sliders, and implement proximity sensing. Engineers can also take advantage of PSoC flexibility to implement functions beyond CapSense - a capability called CapSensePLUS. Such functions include driving LEDs, backlight control, motor control, power management, I/O expansion, and controlling accelerometers and ambient light sensors. These functions, in conjunction with flexible communication (I2C and SPI), allow for unparalleled system integration.

"One of the most compelling features of the MERIAN scout NAVIGATOR is the touch screen technology, which makes it very easy to use for all customers," said Carsten Leininger, managing director of iPUBLISH GmbH. "Cypress's flexible CapSense-based touch screen solution provided excellent functionality and its programmability helped us reduce design time."

"The MERIAN scout NAVIGATOR is an outstanding example of what can be done with the CapSense touch screen technology," said Carl Brasek, business unit director for Cypress's CapSense products. "It showcases the excellent accuracy, response time and low power consumption that differentiates our touch screen solution."

Cypress's CapSense touch screen solution is based on projected capacitance sensing technology. Projected capacitance touch screens utilize patterned ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) to employ an electrostatic field forced above the touch screen surface to sense user inputs. This format requires no calibration. This technology is capable of sensing through thick overlays and supports multi-touch detection and gesturing, making it ideal for small form factor interfaces.

September 25, 2007.-- Broadcom Corporation announced its first single-chip global positioning system (GPS) solution, highlighting the company's successful integration of its Global Locate acquisition and its commitment to delivering the industry's best GPS technology. The GPS receiver sets new standards in performance and power consumption with state-of-the-art sensitivity and navigation performance, and less than half the power consumption of competitive solutions. The new Broadcom chip and associated software will be demonstrated at this week's Institute of Navigation (ION) conference in Ft. Worth, Texas beginning tomorrow.

GPS technologies have become increasingly important with growing consumer interest in personal navigation devices (PNDs) and the strong desire by cellular service operators to add location-based services to their offerings. According to research from In-Stat, approximately 47 million PNDs and more than 436 million mobile phones with GPS technology will ship in 2010. As GPS chip solutions become more integrated and costs decline, the technology will expand into a whole new range of applications.

"As consumer use of location-based services grows, we are seeing an incredible amount of interest from our customers in the cellular and PND markets for GPS and assisted GPS technologies," said Scott Pomerantz, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's GPS line of business. "Broadcom has now established itself as a technology leader in the GPS chip market with a solution that provides the industry's best tracking sensitivity, lowest average power and most complete portfolio of software, complemented by the company's unique ability to integrate its GPS technology into other leading mobile chips and processors."

The Broadcom BCM4750 is produced in a low cost 90 nanometer CMOS process and features superior receiver technology and tracking sensitivity. The receiver makes full use of the Global Locate architecture, and can measure the faintest GPS signals deep indoors and in "urban canyon" environments at signal levels as low as -162 dBm. It also consumes less than 15 mW while navigating with one second map updates, less than half the power of competitive solutions according to published datasheets.

The BCM4750 is ideally suited for PNDs where rapid time-to-first-fix (TTFF) and superior navigation performance are required. In addition, products that include network connectivity, such as wireless PNDs and cellular phones, are able to exploit the full feature set of the BCM4750 software solution. These features include Assisted GPS (AGPS) and long-term orbit (LTO) extended ephemeris assistance, reducing TTFF to less than one second in many conditions. In all cases, Broadcom provides both the chip and the software including AGPS stacks and client software.

Broadcom also maintains a worldwide reference network with land-based GPS receivers located around the earth's equator, and carrier hardened servers to collect and provide AGPS and LTO data directly to GPS equipped cellular phones and wireless PNDs. Working hand-in-hand with the BCM4750 and Broadcom's client software, customer products are able to take full advantage of the benefits of AGPS and LTO. By providing this service along with the chip, Broadcom is able to offer OEMs s a one-stop-shop for all of their positioning technology needs.

September 13, 2007.-- NXP Software and ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (ASUS) announced the world's first mainstream notebook PC with integrated GPS capability, the ASUS U3S. This is the first product design to result from the collaboration between the two companies. The U3S uses NXP Software's swGPS Spot software GPS baseband technology to perform all necessary GPS signal processing entirely in software, allowing users to access the fast-growing range of location-based services from navigation and local search to theft protection.

By performing position fix calculations in software, NXP Software's swGPS Spot eliminates the need for separate GPS baseband hardware, saving board space. Proven in real-world products, it also ensures excellent practical performance for responsive, accurate and reliable location-finding. Plus, as a software solution, it is flexible, enabling in-field upgrades to new services such as Galileo and the rapidly expanding range of GPS applications, without the need for hardware modifications.

The U3S is a stylish 13.3" widescreen notebook for urban professionals on the move. Its unique design, which features a piano-painted LCD cover, stainless steel contour, magnesium aluminum alloy housing and genuine leather-bound palm rests, has been created to reflect sophisticated tastes. Based on the latest Intel Centrino Duo Processor Technology, Windows Vista operating system and exclusive ASUS innovations, the U3S also offers a dynamic computing experience and powerful performance.

In addition, a special Power Saving key allows users to switch between the integrated graphics chipset and an additional, discrete GPU for enhanced graphics performance. Effective use of this option can extend battery life by 50%. The U3S offers integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) technology as an innovative option. This valuable feature is bundled with leading navigation application software to allow the user to make immediate use of the U3S GPS solution.

"ASUS is committed to bringing customers the most advanced technologies and we are excited about Intel's next generation platform," said Tony Chen, General Manager of ASUS Notebook Business. "We are pleased to offer the swGPS Spot technology from NXP Software in our U3S notebook. The drop-in GPS solution will enable our product to provide users with practical performance with ensured future-proofing."

"We are very excited to be working closely with ASUS to bring this innovation to market," says Hans Streng, NXP Vice President and General Manager of the Business Unit Emerging Business. "ASUS is one of the leading ODM/OEM notebook suppliers and has a track record of delivering products with leading-edge features. With the U3S, we are delighted to help continue this trend through swGPS Spot, and bring GPS technology to the consumer notebook market."

September 12, 2007.-- Between 2005 and 2006, there were 1.7 million vehicle thefts in the UK, according to worrying Government Home Office statistics. With increasing interest rates putting a squeeze on people's wallets, there is nothing worse than going back to collect your vehicle, and finding that your pride and joy has been stolen.

The autumn months of September, October and November are the most likely period for vehicles to go missing, as the days get shorter. Motorpoint, the UK's largest car supermarket, has therefore introduced its new Pinpoint vehicle immobilisation and location-tracking unit to provide a higher level of security to its customers. The device can be installed away from view in any car or commercial vehicle prior to collection, and the owner can locate their vehicle from their mobile phone by sending a text message, which will give its longitude and latitude coordinates to within 10 metres using GPS. The user can then enter the details into any free mapping service on the Internet to obtain a visual illustration of the location.

In addition, the vehicle can be immobilized by text message if there is any suspected unauthorised activity. With mounting campaigns warning consumers to do more to protect their vehicle and property, as satellite navigation thefts in particular are on the increase, this system, available only at Motorpoint, comes at a one-off cost of only �586, with the added benefit of being able to transfer the hardware when the vehicle is sold.

Commenting on introduction of the new device, David Shelton, Managing Director of Motorpoint, explains: "We have seen a rise in the number of customers who want a higher level of security than that provided by standard manufacturer immobiliser and alarm systems. For most people, buying a car is likely to the second biggest purchase in their lifetime, and we are now in a position to offer our buyers added peace of mind for very little cost, compared to that of losing a vehicle."

For the latest deals at Motorpoint and further information on Pinpoint, visit motorpoint.co.uk

September 5, 2007.-- Contigo announced the launch of the Contigo 8100. This device is an inexpensive, indoor-locatable beacon for covert asset tracking, theft recovery and personal security.

The Contigo 8100 utilizes the world's most powerful GPS technology -- gpsOne from Qualcomm. This technology allows the beacon to be located in environments where standalone GPS fails, such as indoors. The device also provides a battery life of up to 10 days on a single charge.

Using the Contigo platform, subscribers have the ability to proactively locate or track the 8100, review scheduled position reports online, and receive alerts (via email or cell phone) for multiple monitored zones. Integrated central station incident handling and location-aware PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) data work together to immediately dispatch local authorities in the event of a theft. This revolutionary combination of technologies makes the Contigo 8100 a complete end-to-end solution for theft notification, tracking and recovery.

"Never before has there been such a powerful, small and inexpensive GPS tracking beacon," commented Rob Goehring, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing for Contigo. The versatility of this product will open up new markets in asset tracking, covert investigations and personal security for both commercial businesses as well as family safety applications. This product is a welcome addition to Contigo's industry leading suite of GPS beacons."

The Contigo 8100 will be on display at ISC East in New York from September 11 through 12 at booth 2035, and at ASIS International in Las Vegas from September 24 through 26 at booth 777.

Contigo (formerly Guardian Mobile Monitoring Systems) is a leading provider of location-based services using wireless and GPS technology for asset-tracking, fleet management and personal safety applications.

September 5, 2007.-- AnyTrack, Inc. announced two enhanced GPS tracking devices for business and consumer markets: the GPS-130 and the GPS-100.

The new AnyTrack GPS-130 is a real-time, cellular-enhanced GPS tracking device that helps shippers, retailers, transportation and logistics providers reduce cargo theft and increase supply chain security. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, cargo thefts costs from $12,000 to $3 million per shipment, and total $15 billion annually.

The smaller, lightweight version of the product, the new AnyTrack GPS-100, can be used by businesses and consumers to track and recover vehicles, boats, and pets, as well as monitor teen drivers, protect toddlers and track senior citizens.

"The AnyTrack tracking units are unique from conventional GPS devices because only AnyTrack can determine its location without a direct line of sight to a satellite," said Charles Napier, vice president of marketing for AnyDATA Corporation, parent company of AnyTrack, Inc. "The GPS-130 can track business assets that are in transit, stored in a warehouse or in a garage, almost anywhere in the U.S. The GPS-130 can report its location for weeks at a time while concealed in cargo or on a trailer."

The GPS-130 device combines the AnyTrack GPS-100 with a high-capacity rechargeable battery pack in a magnetic, impact-resistant case. The GPS-100, a CTIA Wireless 2007 E-Tech Award winner for its innovative design, small size (2.36" x 1.85" x 0.8") and light weight (2.65 oz.), can be removed from the case for sole use. Both the GPS-130 and the GPS-100 utilize AnyTrack.net, AnyTrack's proprietary real time asset management system featuring remote tracking from any PC, with features such as Automatic Tracking, Locate on Demand, and Location History.

The AnyTrack GPS-130 transmits location data in real-time to give businesses point-to-point shipment visibility. The high-capacity battery pack in the GPS-130 model powers the device for up to three months, providing continuous tracking from origination to destination. "Any business with high- value shipments can now track their assets throughout the by inserting an AnyTrack device in the container, then logging into AnyTrack.net, our secure real-time asset management system, to monitor location, speed and direction of the shipment," said Napier.

The AnyTrack GPS-100 and the GPS-130 are available immediately at http://www.anytrack.com/. The AnyTrack GPS-100 is priced at $229 and the AnyTrack GPS-130 is priced at $349. Both tracking devices come with a one-year product warranty and a 15-day satisfaction guarantee. The real-time tracking service is available for as low as $9.95 per month. Both devices and the tracking service are also offered on a wholesale basis to resellers and distribution partners.

September 5, 2007.-- Contigo announced the launch of the Contigo 8100. This device is an inexpensive, indoor-locatable beacon for covert asset tracking, theft recovery and personal security.

The Contigo 8100 will be on display at ISC East in New York from September 11 through 12 at booth 2035, and at ASIS International in Las Vegas from September 24 through 26 at booth 777.

September 5, 2007.-- AnyTrack, Inc. announced two enhanced GPS tracking devices for business and consumer markets: the GPS-130 and the GPS-100.

August 31, 2007.-- Nuance Communications, Inc. announced that TomTom has selected Nuance speech solutions to power the new versions of TomTom's award-winning TomTom GO family: the TomTom GO 520, TomTom GO 720 and the TomTom GO 920. The new TomTom GO family leverages Nuance's speech technology to provide drivers with new levels of safety and convenience when using the navigation device. The new TomTom GO 520 and TomTom GO 720 are available now in retailers across Europe. The TomTom GO 920 will be available in Q4 2007.

These devices are now easier to operate, thanks to the new Nuance-powered voice-activated input feature. Drivers can simply say their destination address instead of having to type it out on the touch-screen keypad, making it easier and safer to enter a destination. The new TomTom product also offer several additional new features including an extra-large 4.3 inch touch screen and faster route calculation.

To enter destinations by voice, drivers simply choose the menu option "Navigate to spoken address," and they are then able to complete the destination entry entirely by voice, without having to use the device keypad to spell out the address. To start the route calculation the driver simply says, "OK."

A recent survey commissioned by Nuance confirmed strong demand for voice destination entry and other speech-enabled features for personal navigation systems. As part of this study, nearly 1,000 drivers across , and the described their preferences for in-car features and assessed a range of voice-based functions. More than 75 percent of drivers confirmed that they enter or change their destination while on the road. In addition, more than 70 percent of survey respondents believed that controlling navigation systems by voice increased safety and improved the overall user experience of the navigation system.

"The new TomTom GO navigation devices combine a very compact design with the very latest technology at an attractive price. The GO range is TomTom's first series of navigation devices that allows drivers to enter their destination verbally. Speech recognition improves drivers' concentration in traffic: with Nuance speech technology, they can keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel," said Eric Pit�, vice president product management, TomTom.

Craig Peddie, vice president and general manager, embedded speech, Nuance, added: "As consumer demand rises for advanced technology in vehicles, Nuance speech solutions provide hands-free, eyes-free access to help make increasingly complex consumer electronics applications safer and easier to use. Nuance is thrilled that TomTom has embraced voice destination entry for its new devices since speech-enabled features can add significant value to end-users and allow drivers to combine on-road safety and personal convenience. This innovative feature will also allow TomTom to stand out from the competition."

August 24, 2007.-- Blue Sky Network announced the latest addition to its asset and fleet tracking product line with the D3000 transceiver. This solution is unique in its combination of Iridium Satellite and GSM/GPRS connectivity, offering the advantages and cost-efficiency of dual connectivity, along with new security features, GPS integration, global remote asset tracking and two-way text messaging.

From anywhere on the globe, the D3000 enables communication, asset tracking, trip and event reports and secure, interactive, online mapping services. With both GMS/GPRS and Iridium Satellite connectivity, the D3000 provides least-cost routing, automatically switching communications to utilize the most economic connection available. The portable and lightweight device is installed into a land vehicle or marine vessel quickly and simply, deriving power directly from the vehicle or vessel itself. Controlled from a high resolution LCD display and an easy to use keypad, the D3000 can optionally be configured with voice capability for Iridium Satellite or GSM.

To expedite supply chain and fleet management in remote or dangerous conditions, the D3000 also includes the vehicle and personnel security features of panic alerting and geo-fencing. Vessel and vehicle operators can activate various alerts to preconfigured cell phones and email addresses and can also have an alert displayed for dispatchers and fleet managers on the SkyRouter map interface.

"The D3000 significantly improves efficiency and safety of various land or marine fleets worldwide which operate in hostile or generally inaccessible locations," said Jon Gilbert, president, founder and CEO of Blue Sky Network. "No location is out of reach or communication range, granting organizations and fleet managers an entirely new level of global access and security."

The D3000 works in connection with SkyRouter, Blue Sky Network's asset management portal. This web-based software is used for asset tracking and communications and integrates easily with Google Earth. The onboard unit transmits reports from the remote assets directly to the site for review by operations, dispatch or even customers, providing a real-time view of asset locations and easy communication of new or rescheduled jobs.

August 24, 2007.-- NavCom Technology, Inc. announced the release of the SF-2110M and SF-2110R modular L1 StarFire GPS receivers. Using StarFire, the world's first global satellite based augmentation system for use with single and dual GPS frequency receivers, NavCom's SF-2110M and SF-2110R receivers provide instantaneous 50 cm accuracy, anywhere in the world, anytime.

"The SF-2110M and SF-2110R are a major milestone for both NavCom and the GPS Industry," said Steve Wilson, NavCom's GPS Products Business Manager. "These StarFire enabled L1 receivers provide precise global positioning superior to WAAS based L1 receivers without being limited to a specific geographic region."

The SF-2110M utilizes a compact dual-band antenna capable of receiving GPS and StarFire signals. This antenna provides excellent phase center stability in a small, robust, lightweight format. The SF-2110R includes a separate L-Band antenna for enhanced StarFire signal reception in challenging environments and at high latitudes.

Coupled with NavCom's StarFire subscription service, the SF-2110 delivers 50 cm position fixes without the use of a second receiver serving as a base station.

NavCom's SF-2110 series of receivers offers an attractive price-to-performance ratio, delivering NavCom's high quality performance at a fraction of the cost of traditional dual frequency solutions.

August 21, 2007.-- NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for location-based solutions and vehicle navigation, has announced the launch of Digital Terrain Model and Satellite Imagery which enable richer, more realistic map display in location-based and navigation applications. These are in addition to NAVTEQ's 2D Landmark Footprints, Enhanced 2D Footprints, 3D City Models and 3D Landmark products.

Digital Terrain Model provides three dimensional elevation data that reflects the relative height of the earth's surface. This is further enhanced with texture and colors to help users better understand where they are in relation to surrounding natural landmarks.

Satellite Imagery adds realism to map display and helps consumers more easily orient themselves in the real world when used in navigation and location-based systems. NAVTEQ has enhanced its Satellite Imagery to have a consistent look and feel worldwide, creating a more seamless user experience and enabling global use for large scale applications.

The combination of these new types of Visual Content enables system displays to offer a real world representation which is being demanded by sophisticated consumers with increasing expectations for realistic navigation experiences. Both products are available worldwide and include names and features from the NAVTEQ digital map that add more contexts.

"Reaction to our existing Visual Content products has been very positive so far. With the addition of Digital Terrain and Satellite Imagery, customers of the NAVTEQ Map will now have even more flexibility to add realism and context to map displays," said Cliff Fox, SVP Map Division of NAVTEQ.

NAVTEQ has geo-referenced these two new layers of Visual Content to the industry leading NAVTEQ map, which enables application developers to flexibly implement this content relevant to their user needs and system capacity. In keeping NAVTEQ's single database specification, these Visual Content products are offered in a consistent global format to help improve time-to-market and application development timing. Given the success of NAVTEQ Visual Content, a future expansion of the product portfolio is expected.

August 21, 2007.-- Whether traveling in their hometowns, or on the other side of the country, Alltel Wireless customers will have access to WHERE, a state-of-the-art location-based service (LBS) application. WHERE, created by uLocate Communications, provides detailed and customized information including maps and directions for thousands of locations, directly to Alltel phones. The application is available for download in Alltel's Axcess Shop for $2.99 per month. The application will initially launch on five phones: The Wafer, The Alltel Hue and u520 by Samsung as well as The Wave and AX8600 by LG.

Alltel Wireless customers who download WHERE on their GPS-enabled phones will be able to easily locate gas stations, shops, restaurants, hotels, parks, golf courses, ATMs, hospitals and schools. WHERE also provides up-to-date information on local events and allows customers to customize the application by providing local weather, news, traffic conditions, directions, ski reports and more.

"Alltel Wireless is committed to providing our customers with the tools and applications that complement their active lifestyles," said Wade McGill, senior vice president of wireless product marketing for Alltel. "WHERE is a perfect fit for our on-the-go customers who seek simple directions to everyday locations whether at home or while traveling." "We look forward to providing Alltel's customers with the array of location-based content available through WHERE," said Walt Doyle, president and CEO of uLocate. "This launch reinforces our position as the leading LBS publisher, bringing more location enabled content to market than any other developer."

August 21, 2007.-- Blue Sky Network announced the latest addition to its asset and fleet tracking product line with the D3000 transceiver. This solution is unique in its combination of Iridium Satellite and GSM/GPRS connectivity, offering the advantages and cost-efficiency of dual connectivity, along with new security features, GPS integration, global remote asset tracking and two-way text messaging.

August 15, 2007.-- ODIN technologies, the leader in RFID solution design, testing and deployment was recently awarded another RFID patent, which related to a project dubbed the "Secure Material Accounted in Real Time (S.M.A.R.T.) container". U.S. Patent No. 7,256,682 relates to, for example, a wide range of embodiments having active and/or passive RFID to provide efficient and accurate visibility of assets as they travel in a closed container.

One technology embodiment would be for dynamically updating container contents to a "parent" tag on the exterior of the container. This would allow a completely accurate inventory of the contents by simply interrogating the tag on the outside of the container. As items are added or removed, the S.M.A.R.T. container dynamically updates the parent tag; thus, anytime the parent tag is interrogated all contents are accurately accounted for without requiring human intervention.

"The S.M.A.R.T. container patent is another example of ODIN technologies solving real-world RFID challenges through innovation. Our extensive work in the military, aerospace and health care industries revealed a common challenge. People would put contents into a box, update the contents to an exterior tag, but never update the inventory when items were removed. This leads to inventory inaccuracy and added effort," commented Patrick J. Sweeney II President and CEO of ODIN technologies and the inventor of the S.M.A.R.T. container.

"The S.M.A.R.T. container solution improves the efficiency and accuracy of inventory tracking. Anytime something is taken out or put inside a S.M.A.R.T. container enabled box, the system dynamically updates the tag, which records its contents. This is invaluable in military theaters, hospital operating rooms, port security situations, and for companies tracking parcel shipments at multiple drop-off locations," Mr. Sweeney added.

ODIN technologies will consider licensing the patent to other providers in the RFID container space, and is currently working directly with clients to leverage this unique technology to in their operations as part of a complete RFID solution.

August 14, 2007.-- Tele Atlas and Travel Channel Media announced an exclusive agreement to make rich text, audio and visual content from the Travel Channel available for Tele Atlas digital map users worldwide.

Through the agreement, application developers will be able to incorporate the Travel Channel's vast library of vibrant location-based, travel-related content into personal and in-car navigation systems and mobile, wireless and Internet map applications powered by Tele Atlas, helping to provide end users with an enriched navigation experience.

Available Travel Channel content will include selections from its Destination ON DEMAND Library, which features information about hundreds of travel-related points of interest (POIs) in major cities worldwide. Travel Channel video content will mirror popular TV formats and audio content will include key Travel Channel talents as Anthony Bourdain, Samantha Brown and John Ratzenberger. Additional Travel Channel content features and functionality available for the maps will be added for Tele Atlas partners to incorporate in the coming months as well.

"Whether planning a trip or on location, people always want more information about what they can do or see. As we continue expanding our business beyond our linear television, offering our unmatched travel content through digital maps meets a real consumer need and is a great brand extension for the Travel Channel," said Pat Younge, president and general manager, Travel Channel Media.

"The growth of GPS-enabled devices opens up new global opportunities to deliver location-relevant content when and where consumers demand it, and by partnering with industry leader Tele Atlas on this landmark content initiative, we can now deliver a wealth of travel-related information to millions of digital map users worldwide."

"Navigation offerings are expanding to deliver 'infotainment' that includes rich location-based audio and video media, which is fueling an exciting, unique end-user experience," said Basak Ozer, vice president, global product marketing, Tele Atlas. "Collaborating with the Travel Channel further enables us to help infuse our partners' applications and devices with vibrant content from a dedicated and trusted authority and we're excited to foster the Travel Channel's interaction with their existing and new audiences in a new medium."

August 14, 2007.-- Qualcomm marked a milestone in the adoption of the company's gpsOne position-location technology. More than 300 million mobile handsets worldwide have now been shipped with the gpsOne solution, helping the wireless industry meet worldwide user demand for accurate, easy-to-use location services on mobile devices.

"Qualcomm powers the majority of mobile location services that have been deployed thus far, and this milestone reflects the accelerated expansion of GPS capabilities on mobile handsets using Qualcomm's gpsOne solution," said Jason Bremner, senior director of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. "We anticipate even stronger growth in the upcoming years as new mobile-based applications such as location-aware shopping, friend finder and community-type location services become more mainstream in consumers' daily lifestyles."

The gpsOne solution is the most widely deployed position-location solution in the world. It currently provides the position-location technology behind the majority of location services offered by more than 50 major network operators worldwide. Supporting Assisted-GPS and Standalone-GPS modes, as well as gpsOneXTRA Assistance technology for enhanced Standalone-GPS performance, the gpsOne solution is integrated into most of Qualcomm's Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chipsets to enable manufacturers to more cost effectively offer positioning capabilities on wireless devices. Numerous leading developers have taken advantage of the gpsOne solution on MSM chipsets to offer a wide range of compelling applications currently available on global wireless networks.

August 13, 2007.-- Intermap Technologies Corp. announced the launch of AccuTerra, the company's newest product offering that provides existing outdoor GPS and PND products with 3D maps and off-road points-of-interest (POI) -- integrated with interactive 3D rendering software. The product addresses a market that is currently limited to two-dimensional data and provides limited or no map coverage once you leave paved roads.

According to Brian Bullock, Intermap's president and CEO, "AccuTerra's 3D aerial maps and digital terrain model content, with overlaid route tracking information, is unique in today's outdoor hand-held device market. The product provides the outdoor enthusiast with 3D viewing capability on a hand-held device that extends the user experience beyond what we have become accustom to from Internet search engine providers."

The AccuTerra map content is developed from the Company's ongoing and highly successful NEXTMap countrywide 3D digital mapping program and includes the aggregation of data from other sources. AccuTerra enables PND features that can alert individuals when they deviate from a pre-selected route or miss a turn when traveling under poor visibility.

"AccuTerra will change the way we use GPS devices in recreational activities," added Mr. Bullock. "As an example, National Park information that is included in existing PNDs and handheld GPS devices typically contain sparse 2D national park content that has limited value to users. The AccuTerra product provides users with an unparalleled experience because they can now visualize trails and other points of interest in the context of the natural terrain where they exist -- all in three dimensions."

The user interface includes realistic 3D views; accurate elevation information; clearly identified and classified trails, paths, and roads (overlaid on the 3D terrain); outdoor-specific points of interest such as campgrounds, service facilities, and trail heads; the ability to route to points of interest and track progress; easy to reference visualization tools to improve trip planning and safety; and, a land use display that depicts the location of public and private property, including areas of restricted use.

"In addition to the new features AccuTerra makes available to device manufactures, the product inherently makes recreational activities safer by reducing the chance of taking a wrong turn and getting lost. The product presents users with a greater sense of reality by allowing them to accurately locate trails, points of interest and hazards," continues Bullock, "even to the point of allowing users to determine where to go for help in case of injury or other types of emergency."

The current version of AccuTerra has already been integrated to run on several PNDs available in the market today. The Company has no plans to build a PND or GPS device; rather it will offer AccuTerra under license to manufacturers of these devices. The geospatial map database embedded within AccuTerra software is available for the entire state of California today and will be commercially available for the remainder of the U.S. later this year.

August 13, 2007.-- NemeriX announced the free and immediate availability of NeX (NemeriX Extended Ephemeris) Assisted GPS technology on all NemeriX NX3 GPS platforms. Via its patent-pending approach, NemeriX's NeX A-GPS technology significantly shortens the time it takes for a GPS receiver to acquire satellites and compute an accurate position, even in deep-indoor or harsh multi-path environments.

To calculate a position, a GPS receiver must locate a minimum of four satellites. Once connected, downloads can take over 30 seconds, even under optimal signal conditions. NemeriX's NeX technology accelerates this process by storing location data for all functional GPS satellites, for seven days. Satellite data is then transferred at one time to a mobile handset or personal navigation device via an extremely small file. The uniquely small file size means it can be delivered via a variety of transmission methods, or updated each time a user turns on their handset. Storing satellite location data in this fashion boosts performance 2X for GPS receivers, by reducing the time it takes to calculate a position on the ground.

NemeriX's NeX delivers a 2-20 second Time-to-First-Fix (TTFF) capability, under hot-, warm-, and cold-start conditions. This represents a 2X advantage over competitive offerings. NeX also features 33% better accuracy and a file size one third the size of other offerings. NeX is also compliant with SUPL, enabling it to be integrated into any GPS device. Server independent, NeX is offered at no additional cost on NemeriX platforms.

"With the enormous growth in PNDs and more than 900 million handsets sold yearly, the opportunity to provide location based services to this marketplace is enormous for providers who can address consumers' needs in an easy and affordable way," said Lew Boore, Vice President of Marketing for NemeriX. "NemeriX has built its entire GPS product line on addressing the needs of our customers to provide the market with differentiated solutions that provide the optimal user experience. We're offering NeX for free to fit the business models of cellular operators, handset manufacturers and PND customers."

Research by several leading analysts suggests that the expectations for Location Based Services differ throughout the value chain. Consumers care more about performance - finding a location immediately, the first time, and every time they use their device; whereas operators and handset manufacturers must also take into account power consumption, cost, and the size of the GPS receiver.

NemeriX's GPS platforms meet the expectations of consumers, operators and handset manufacturers, by providing the lowest power, highest-performance GPS ICs available in the industry today. NemeriX's roadmap of solutions is targeted toward the needs of customers and consumers in the dynamic location-based world of tomorrow.

NemeriX's NeX technology supports SUPL, C-Plane and is compatible with RRLP and RRC. It is also interoperable with independent third-party server-side technologies. The out-of-coverage A-GPS capabilities provided by NeX enable handset manufacturers to develop new and differentiated location-based services with enhanced assisted operation outside of cellular coverage areas. This "navigate always" technology provides GPS positioning in the most difficult of environments - such as deep indoors, parking garages, in deep urban canyons, and under dense overhead environments - which significantly enhances the user experience and overall customer satisfaction.

NeX by NemeriX is available immediately, at no extra charge to NemeriX customers using NX3. For additional details, contact NemeriX at www.nemerix.com.

August 7, 2007.-- SPOT Inc. announced the introduction of the SPOT Satellite Messenger. The SPOT messenger gives consumers a vital line of communication, independently of cellular coverage, with emergency services, friends, and family. SPOT is a revolutionary product that is designed to raise the safety factor for hundreds of millions of people around the world.

"All of us have heard the news stories of people getting lost, stranded or worse in the mountains or remote areas beyond the range of their cellular phones and we've all wondered what would we do if caught in those same dangerous or potentially life-threatening situations," said Darren Bassel, Director of Retail Marketing for SPOT Inc. "Now, with SPOT, you can send a message for help or tell family members, friends or the authorities exactly where to find you using GPS accuracy. For anyone who ever drives their truck or car, or works or plays anywhere regardless of cellular coverage, help is now only a push button away."

Alert 9-1-1 dispatches emergency responders to an exact location.
Ask for Help sends a request for help to friends and family.
Check In lets contacts know where you are and that you are okay.
Track Progress sends and saves your location and allows contacts to track your progress using Google Maps.

Weighing just over 7 ounces and priced at less than US $150, the SPOT Satellite Messenger provides consumers with the ability to send for emergency assistance in time of need; notify employers, friends or family of their status; and allows them to visually track the messenger's location and progress on a computer using Google Maps and the SPOT website. SPOT uses convenient, easy-to-replace AA size lithium batteries for complete portability and when powered on, has a standby battery life of approximately 12 months. SPOT floats and its rugged waterproof construction is engineered to withstand a wide variety of extreme environmental shock and temperature conditions.

SPOT is ideal for the growing market of outdoor enthusiasts, specifically when they are backpacking, camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, ice and rock climbing, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or participating in recreational maritime activities. Experian Simmon's Research estimates that the qualified outdoor enthusiast market alone exceeds 64 million consumers in the United States. SPOT is also ideal for those who need to notify others of their status after a natural or man-made disaster.

SPOT can also be used for commercial lone worker safety applications for those businesses with employees operating in remote areas outside the range of cellular and other wireless communications. It is also a valuable safety tool for any person who drives their automobile outside of cellular coverage or for emergency messaging during natural disasters such as hurricanes or other situations when cellular or land-based communications may be damaged or unavailable.

Mr. Bassel added, "Never before have all of these innovative features existed in one device - in some cases, the technology just didn't exist, and those that did were too expensive. Now, virtually everyone can afford a potentially life-saving satellite messenger. The SPOT Messenger really represents the next-generation of satellite-based solutions for consumers. This product is just the first in what we expect to be a series of innovative SPOT satellite products designed for the everyday consumer. We anticipate our solutions will serve our customers around the world with long term peace of mind for years to come."

Pricing and Availability

The SPOT Satellite Messenger will be available to the public starting November 1, 2007 through retailers and through SPOT Inc.'s Web site, www.findmespot.com. The SPOT messenger will be available for $149 USD. Initially, service fees will be offered for at $99 USD. Later, monthly and multi-year options will be available. Optional features include automatic tracking service (SPOTcasting) and private rescue service for countries or regions with non-responsive emergency services.

Coverage

SPOT works around the world, including virtually all of the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Australia, portions of South America, Northern Africa and Northeastern Asia, and hundreds or thousands of miles offshore of these areas. SPOT uses the GPS satellite system to determine a user's location and the SPOT network to transmit that location and the user's status. The SPOT network features satellite technology with a proven 99.4% reliability while processing over 6 million messages a month - the equivalent of 2.3 messages per second.

Product Specifications

Approximate Dimensions: 4.38 X 2.75 X 1.5 inches.
Operating Temperature Range: -40 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Weight: 7.37 ounces.

For more information on how SPOT Inc. is helping users live to tell about it� with its SPOT Satellite Messenger device, visit www.findmespot.com.

August 7, 2007.-- Magen David Adom in Israel and The New Zealand Red Cross, both members of the International Red Cross, have purchased Iridium satellite communications equipment for use in relief efforts. Iridium is ideal for backing up land-based, cellular and radio telecom services when they are down in crisis situations. In addition, unlike many other systems, Iridium is interoperable with all other emergency communications systems, including UHF and VHF radios, as well as others.

"Iridium is the logical satellite service of choice for these organizations' emergency communications," said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, Iridium Satellite. "Recent disasters have revealed the extreme vulnerability of fixed landlines and cellular phone networks, leaving first responders in affected areas unable to communicate with each other or with the outside world. Iridium is a critical mobile solution that can play a key role in more efficient and effective emergency planning, emergency response and disaster cleanup."

Magen David Adom purchased Iridium 9505A handsets for emergency back-up if the communications infrastructure is compromised in Israel or other remote locations where the organization is called to assist in rescue missions. The organization is also exploring options to equip their headquarters with indoor satcom units. The purchase was made through local Iridium Satellite partner, Gilat Satcom.

"Instant communications play a vital role in our disaster relief efforts," Dr. Noam Yifrah, chairman, Magen David Adom. "Having reliable back-up communications that will work when we need it both at home and in remote locations is critical to our success."

The New Zealand Red Cross also purchased Iridium 9505A handsets and is distributing the majority of them to various Red Cross National Societies in the Pacific including Fiji, Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga. These phones were made operational within minutes of arriving in the Solomon Islands for use during the recent tsunami, for example, when land-based communications were unavailable. Each Iridium phone is housed in a "talking briefcase" that includes a SolStar Solar Charger, spare battery and external waterproof charging socket. The briefcase remains watertight even when the Iridium handset is being charged from an external source, and the phone is ready for use once the briefcase is opened. The purchase of Iridium handsets and airtime was through Wright Technologies, a New Zealand-based hardware and air time dealer for Applied Satellite Technologies (AST).

"In the event of a disaster, Red Cross aid workers of Pacific Red Cross National Societies will be able to use the phones to communicate with each other, or to the outside world, anywhere in the world," said Andrew McKie, operations manager, New Zealand Red Cross. "The Iridium satellite phones are simple to use and do not rely on fixed structures, such as masts and aerials. The recent tsunami demonstrated the importance of independence from fixed structures. It is essential to have this extra communications back-up."

August 3, 2007.-- Navilock has chosen a GPS chip developed by u-blox to power a high performance Bluetooth GPS mouse.

Navilock's BT-451 mouse acts as an external GPS receiver, with its own power source, that wirelessly connects to Bluetooth-enabled devices such as PDAs, mobile phones and UMCPs. Bluetooth-enabled devices only connect to it when positioning functionality is required, optimizing battery times for both the GPS mouse and the device connecting to it. The BT-451 also boasts excellent tracking performance due to its powerful antenna, atypical of GPS receivers integrated into consumer handheld devices, and is small enough to slip into a pocket or attach to a belt clip.

"This is an extraordinarily elegant solution that addresses simple user requirements in a small, practical product and overcomes many of the limitations of traditional device-based positioning," said Armin Boeshenz, Area Sales Manager for u-blox. "By placing our state of the art GPS technology in a portable external product combined with an optimized antenna design, the BT-451 provides extremely reliable positioning in a range of environments for extraordinarily low power usage."

u-blox' high sensitivity ATR0635 GPS single chip, with SuperSense indoor GPS functionality, makes the BT-451 capable of accurately tracking outdoors as well as indoors, where most GPS receivers lose the much weaker indoor signals.

"Customers are tired of lousy GPS performance. We chose u-blox' GPS chip because its high sensitivity receiver ensures uninterrupted, accurate tracking even in the most challenging signal environments. We are delighted to have found such a reliable, high-performance GPS receiver for our products," said Frank Kautz, Product Manager at Navilock.

The BT-451 is available at major retail stores across Europe.

August 1, 2007.-- IntelliTours, the leading GPS tour-guide source, launched GPS audio driving tours for the Garmin Nuvi and other Garmin navigators, and invited test drivers to sample the tours for free.

The beta release, in cooperation with Ride With Me Audio, is the first phase of IntelliTours' pioneering plans for a national catalog of GPS audio tours for American road trips.

For a limited time, sample tours are available as free downloads from the IntelliTours Web site: www.intellitours.com. The samples include sections of Interstate 95 in New Jersey, Maryland (around Washington, D.C.) and Richmond, VA, and Route 1 through the Florida Keys.

The second phase, a full catalog of fee-based GPS tours for select Interstate highways, scenic byways and national parks, will be launched later in the year. Test drivers who sign up now will receive a free tour for their feedback.

"Audio tours are the ultimate marriage of GPS navigation and old-fashioned story telling," said Jim Carrier, IntelliTours' founder. "Americans love to drive and listen. We've created intelligent travel for the worldly explorer."

Loaded into compatible Garmin navigators, IntelliTours GPS tours play automatically at pre-chosen sites as the vehicle moves along the road. The Garmin units continue to function as navigators, with maps and turn-by-turn directions. Both audio sources play through Garmin speakers, FM transmitters or auxiliary audio jacks.

IntelliTours estimates that its tours will play on nearly one million Garmin devices sold to date. They include the Nuvi 300 and 600 series, the Zumo for motorcycles, and the following StreetPilot models: c550, 2730, 2820, 7200, 7500.

IntelliTours GPS tours are renowned for their professional quality, historic and geographic accuracy, and depth. They make road trips fun. They add value to your Garmin purchase. And they make obsolete the renting of special GPS tour devices.

Complete and simple instructions for downloading the tours are found at www.intellitours.com. IntelliTours GPS audio tours are licensed for individual, personal use. We welcome inquiries from tour and charters operators. Audio content providers are invited to submit proposals for the catalog.

August 1, 2007.-- Tele Atlas announced the availability of Tele Atlas Connect, which provides digital map coverage for more than 170 countries and territories. With Tele Atlas Connect complementing the company's comprehensive MultiNet global digital map database, Tele Atlas map data now covers more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Tele Atlas maps now feature data for more than 30 million kilometers (more than 20 million miles) of road coverage globally, with the additional map coverage featuring data for countries in Latin America and regions of Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia.

Tele Atlas Connect is intended to provide partners with a single, seamless global coverage solution for digital map and location-based applications. It features basic mapping and routing functionality and allows cross-border routing that links the Tele Atlas Connect road network to the MultiNet database. Tele Atlas Connect will help enable the delivery of global digital map coverage in a standard database format and can be utilized in applications such as those that help end users initiate local searches all over the world.

"Robust and comprehensive map data positions us, and our partners, for leadership in the rapidly growing digital mapping industry," said Basak Ozer, vice president, global product marketing, Tele Atlas. "With Tele Atlas Connect, we are able to provide a single, global solution for map data, and ensure that our constant effort to expand and enhance our digital map coverage helps our partners reach more markets and more consumers."

Tele Atlas Connect is available immediately for partner application developers and device manufacturers in a range of markets, including Internet, wireless, GIS, fleet/logistics and utilities.

July 31, 2007.-- Consumers should be wary of in-car and standalone GPS navigation systems, according to the results of a recent TeleNav Web poll.

Approximately 50 percent of respondents with personal navigation devices (PNDs) stated that their navigation systems have provided them with incorrect directions or outdated maps. This is likely due to the fact that unlike GPS applications on mobile phones and smartphones, handheld navigation systems are not updated on a regular basis, leading to increased misdirections and frustrations.

Today, mobile phone navigation is more advanced than PNDs and in-car navigation systems. As mobile phones are connected to a wireless network, GPS applications on these phones receive ongoing updates and can provide a number of features that PNDs and in-car systems are unable to offer, such as one-touch traffic rerouting and location-based social-networking.

Wireless connectivity also allows mobile phone navigation to provide larger, more detailed and more current business listings for places like ATMs, gas stations and movie theaters. These updates are also provided at no additional cost to customers, whereas a payment is often required to update maps and other content with standalone devices. Despite the ability to update the content, nearly half of the PND owners surveyed by TeleNav indicated that their systems do not always provide them with correct addresses and directions to business listings like restaurants and hotels.

In-Stat recently reported that the navigation market, which is currently dominated by expensive standalone devices, has the potential to be offset by handset-based applications. The analyst firm predicts that the total number of mapping and navigation mobile phone subscribers could exceed 70 million worldwide by 20121. In addition, a recent study by the Consumer Electronics Association shows that 33 percent of future GPS buyers are interested in owning a cell phone that has GPS / navigation capabilities.

"The benefits of mobile phone-based GPS navigation versus a standalone service are immeasurable," said HP Jin, TeleNav president, CEO and co-founder. "We can provide more content, more features and more capabilities - all at less cost. Above and beyond the cost of the hardware, the amount a customer pays to upgrade maps and business listings on a standalone or in-car system alone would probably pay for a year's worth of mobile phone navigation service."

As more than 240 million Americans are wireless subscribers, customers can conveniently access their GPS service on a device they already carry with them and receive information in real-time based on their current location, which is far beyond what traditional navigation products are capable of.

TeleNav offers TeleNav GPS Navigator, a mobile device-based navigation service that provides voice and on-screen turn-by-turn directions. The most recent version introduced includes new social-networking features such as location sharing. To learn more about TeleNav GPS Navigator, please visit www.telenav.com.

July 24, 2007.-- MIKOH Corporation, a leading company focused on ensuring the physical security of RFID tags, has expanded its Smart&Secure technology suite to include tamper-indicating RFID physical security for electronic vehicle registration (EVR) applications.

EVR dramatically enhances registration enforcement through the use of RFID in addition to traditional paper-based forms. The EVR tags are monitored as vehicles pass under readers at normal driving speeds. Readers can be placed at tollgates, underpasses and other convenient locations to automate the monitoring and enforcement of registration compliance. Additionally, law enforcement personnel may be equipped with handheld readers to interrogate tags while documenting traffic violations and other traffic stop encounters. Tamper-indication technology is imperative in EVR applications to safeguard against RFID tag theft and fraud.

"Thousands of unregistered vehicles cost the U.S. and other national government entities substantial revenue dollars due to non-compliance and inadequate enforcement policies," said Andrew Strauch, vice president of product marketing and management for MIKOH Corporation. "EVR is an extremely viable RFID business model that combats lost registration revenue and fraud while reducing enforcement operating costs."

MIKOH Smart&Secure technology disables an EVR RFID tag if tampering occurs. Physically compromising or removing a Smart&Secure tag damages a dedicated tamper detection circuit and alerts RFID readers to the tampering. This prevents tags from being stolen, removed and reapplied to vehicles not matching the original registration information.

"EVR systems ensure process efficiency in complying with different vehicle-specific legislation. EVR RFID enables automatic validation of vehicle identification data, thereby, reducing the cost of labor-intensive enforcement systems," said Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Priyanka Gouthaman. "Unlike standard license plates, EVR RFID tags cannot be easily moved from one vehicle to another due to tamper-indication technology like Smart&Secure from MIKOH."

Interest for Smart&Secure has been steadily gaining momentum in the EVR space. MIKOH has sold Smart&Secure tags for a solution currently being deployed in a small island country with more than 30,000 vehicles.

July 24, 2007.-- Rosum Corporation, the leader in location technology for safety-of-life applications, announced test results showing compliance with the Federal Communications Commission's Phase II E9-1-1 specifications for handset-based solutions. Tests were conducted in five public safety answering point jurisdictions (PSAPs) in five metropolitan areas spanning five states, containing rural, suburban, urban and dense urban environments. The five PSAPs were Nashua, NH; Needham, MA; Washington, DC; Edison, NJ; and Santa Clara, CA. Tests were conducted by a third-party independent E9-1-1 compliance verification company.

The tests of Rosum's TV+GPS hybrid positioning technology were conducted in accordance with Federal Communications Commission OET-71 guidelines, procedures published by the FCC for use in verifying compliance with E9-1-1 performance requirements.

Rosum also announced that the compliance tests were conducted to a standard 10 times more stringent than currently used by the wireless industry. The Network Reliability and Interoperability Council, an FCC advisory group, currently recommends that up to 5% of tests be conducted indoors "because of practical limitations of location technologies currently deployed" (NRIC VII). For the Rosum compliance testing, 50% of tests were conducted indoors. Indoor sites were randomly selected based on methodologies published by the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS), in its ATIS-05000111 guideline.

"Our compliance tests were designed to address multiple trends in the telecommunications industry , and to enable the industry to adapt to the customer requirements of tomorrow," commented Skip Speaks, CEO of Rosum Corporation. Speaks noted four specific trends: the growth in wireless-only subscribers who use their wireless handset as a primary line, the growth in users of nomadic VoIP services and users of VoIP lines as a primary line, data showing the majority of wireless 9-1-1 calls are made indoors, and the emergence of home base stations (femtocells) that need to be automatically located indoors for activation and 9-1-1 purposes.

"To more accurately reflect actual 9-1-1 calling patterns, we deliberately held ourselves to a higher standard than currently used by industry," Speaks continued. "We know of no other company which does 50% of their E9-1-1 compliance testing indoors."

Gregory Rohde, Executive Director of the E9-1-1 Institute, added "With the growth in wireless-only subscribers and users of IP-enabled services, the concept of the telephone has broadened. Innovative location technology approaches are required to ensure E9-1-1 service is available. Rosum's TV+GPS hybrid location technology represents a compelling solution to locate 9-1-1 calls from these services."

"As consumers increasingly utilize wireless phones as their primary, or only, method of communication, it is imperative that new technologies continue to be developed and refined to accurately locate mobile 9-1-1 callers," commented National Emergency Number Association (NENA) President Jason Barbour, ENP. "NENA is pleased to know that companies like Rosum continue to offer new ideas on how to achieve this important objective," added Barbour.

Rosum's hybrid TV+GPS positioning technology combines TV and GPS measurements for reliable position location indoors and out. Rosum TV+GPS is a platform technology that provides reliable E9-1-1 location capability to wireless, VoIP, and fixed mobile convergence (FMC) platforms.

July 24, 2007.-- NAVTEQ announced that it has been selected to provide JVC, a premier manufacturer of consumer electronics, with NAVTEQ map data and NAVTEQ Traffic for JVC's latest after-market navigation product, the EXAD-series KD-NX5000. The KD-NX5000 is a 1-DIN HDD-navigation DVD/CD receiver with a built-in 3.5-inch-wide monitor, providing customers with multiple navigation and entertainment options.

The KD-NX5000's high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS device provides accurate navigation and quick and easy destination searches with voice guidance in three languages -- English, French and Spanish. For enhanced convenience, the system also offers high-speed route calculation and map viewing from both 2D and 3D-perspectives. The KD-NX5000's receiver has a 40GB total capacity, with 16GB for map navigation and 24GB for music. The music server in the device can store approximately 5,000 songs in MP3, WAV or WMA format, and the system is also compatible with Bluetooth Wireless Technology, a rear-view camera and an iPod.

"We are extremely excited about the addition of the advanced KD-NX5000 to JVC's already top-quality navigation line," said Chad Vogelsong, General Manager, JVC. "The JVC brand has always been synonymous with high-performance products, so it was only natural that we utilized NAVTEQ's expert digital map data and cutting-edge traffic systems for our latest device."

Each KD-NX5000 navigation system comes equipped with NAVTEQ's high quality, detailed map coverage of the U.S., Canada and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Users also have access to NAVTEQ's comprehensive Points of Interest (POI) database with more than 12 million POIs, including restaurants, hotels, airports, gas stations, ATMS and other destinations.

To further enhance the driving experience, the KD-NX5000 also comes with a built-in RDS-TMC traffic tuner -- powered by NAVTEQ Traffic -- to receive real-time traffic information. NAVTEQ Traffic accident and construction information is available in the top 50 cities across the U.S. and Canada, and speed and flow information is now available in 49 cities. Users who choose to subscribe can receive real-time information on traffic jams, accidents, road narrowings and more, allowing drivers to see traffic delays and avoid potential traffic problems. NAVTEQ Traffic RDS is provided free to users for 90 days, after which time consumers can subscribe to the service directly through NAVTEQ at http://www.navigation.com/jvcactivation.

"The release of the sophisticated KD-NX5000 reflects JVC's longstanding commitment to high quality and innovative mobile technologies, including vehicle navigation," said Winston Guillory, Senior Vice President, Consumer & Enterprise, NAVTEQ. "NAVTEQ is very pleased to have both its map data and NAVTEQ Traffic products integrated into JVC's latest success in the navigation industry."

July 24, 2007.-- Masternaut has achieved Thatcham Category 5 for its vehicle tracking system. Category 5 ensures the highest level of Police response in the case of vehicle theft. Masternaut is the first commercial vehicle telematics supplier to secure Category 5 for a full range of vehicles including vans, HGV's and plant. Masternaut is also the first online fleet management solution to offer what is regarded as the highest security rating available.

Masternaut is the leading telematics supplier offering a unique over-the-Internet vehicle tracking and activity reporting service to 70,000 subscribers.

Masternaut has already led to the retrieval of hundreds of stolen vehicles and with Thatcham Category 5 any stolen Masternaut-equipped vehicle will automatically receive the quickest Police response available at the time. As well as minimising any operational difficulties through quick retrieval of any stolen vehicle, Masternaut customers can benefit from favourable insurance premiums.

"There has been a 100% recovery rate amongst vehicles fitted with Thatcham Category 5 tracking systems and all but one vehicle was recovered within two hours" says Mike Briggs, Vehicle Security Manager at Thatcham. "For us Masterrnaut is very important as it will open up a very significant commercial vehicle market and fleet operators and their insurers can be assured that vehicles will have the ultimate in vehicle security".

The Masternaut Thatcham Category 5 system comprises a covert telematics unit with an automated arm and disarm system linked to an electronic ID key that identifies authorised drivers. The system automatically detects any illegal vehicle movement and drivers are informed immediately. UK and European tracking and Police liaison is handled by dedicated Category 5 approved control rooms. Only with a Category 5 system can a vehicle be legally immobilized by remotely disabling the starter motor.

"Achieving Thatcham Category 5 is an important milestone for Masternaut and is part of our commitment to our customers to be the leader in telematics for commercial fleet operators. It adds real value to our fleet management solution and by assuring the rapid recovery of stolen vehicles. As a result the disruption to business is limited, losses minimized and insurance costs reduced" says Martin Port, Managing Director of Masternaut.

Masternaut provides a complete mobile resource management solution. Easily accessible from any PC or web-enabled device, the service gives managers complete visibility with unsurpassed levels of control over fleet-based operations. A host of advanced features include full mobile communications, e-mail activity reports, PDA navigation, geo-fencing and automatic alerts, connections to onboard sensors and personal safety alarms.

July 23, 2007.-- Trimble announced the availability of Trimble GPS Pack-a versatile and unique application suite that combines its popular GPS phone applications into one affordable and convenient package. The Trimble GPS Pack includes the AllSport GPS, Geocache Navigator and Trimble Outdoors applications from the Trimble Outdoors family of GPS-on-cellular products and services.

Now more than ever, consumers are interested in GPS-based applications, and the Trimble GPS Pack makes it simple for them to harness the power of GPS for their favorite outdoor lifestyle activities, such as hiking, backpacking, fishing, biking, running, walking, or even geocaching.

"Consumers who are looking for a variety of GPS-based mobile phone applications now have a powerful and ultra-portable tool with the Trimble GPS Pack," said Rich Rudow, managing director of Trimble Outdoors. "The Trimble GPS Pack offers three distinct services that support a broad range of outdoor activities, practically anytime and anywhere. It's the ultimate combination of convenience and price-perfect for both extreme outdoor adventurers and casual recreational use."

With the AllSport GPS application, mobile phone users looking to jumpstart or maintain their fitness routine can track exercise activity by monitoring time, speed, calories burned, and distance traveled during outdoor workouts. Additionally, users may download map images and recommended routes to their phones, view performance statistics, and store workouts to monitor progress or share with friends. The application supports a variety of outdoor activities including walking, running, cycling and mountain biking.

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt that is rapidly gaining widespread adoption with consumers worldwide. Geocache Navigator is the only application that brings geocaching capabilities to the mobile phone. Subscribers' phones are seamlessly connected to the largest geocaching database in the world. Using their GPS phone, geocachers can seek the caches using a uniquely constructed, radar-like interface that guides them toward their destination. Additionally, phone screens provide compass-based navigation, maps, speed, heading, location, distance, cache descriptions logs, hints and other useful information for both the most experienced and novice user.

Trimble Outdoors is a complete outdoor trip planning and navigation solution that allows consumers to review and plan trips online, send routes, maps and waypoints wirelessly to their GPS phone and then use the phone to guide their adventures. The application allows users to get maps of their locations, track routes with a GPS bread-crumb trail, and mark and edit waypoints along the way. The application also features a digital compass displaying the user's coordinates, speed and heading. Users can also leverage the multi-media components of their phones to create photographic, video and audio notes of their trips for sharing online and viewing in Google Earth.

The Trimble GPS Pack is immediately available through Sprint on more than 12 GPS-enabled Sprint and Nextel phones for $6.99 per month (plus applicable data charges).

July 12, 2007.-- Bourque Data Systems, Inc. (BDS) and Satamatics, a global provider of satellite-based telematics, announced the successful network integration between the two companies. Working together, they have accomplished integration of Satamatics' Inmarsat D+ satellite communications network with BDS' RAILTRAC for real-time railcar GPS location and asset monitoring. With several pilot programs underway with large hazardous chemical shippers, Steve Bourque, BDS' Presidents says, "This robust XML data integration will provide our customers with real-time railcar location and asset monitoring data for enhanced security and control".

New RAILTRAC GPS mapping and reporting functions are easy to interpret and will provide a set of robust warning indicators should a shipment fall out of spec. Bourque adds, "With this new monitoring layer, hazardous material shippers can exert control and security to a new level and fulfill upcoming US government compliance regulations for TIH & PIH shipments".

With this integration, Satamatics and BDS will be able to deliver true visibility of hazardous material carrying railcars and better serve the chemical industry. Brian Hester, President and COO of Satamatics Inc, said "Being able to locate a fleet or a single tank car carrying hazardous materials in minutes is an incredible tool in times of crises and is completely within the technical capabilities of both the BDS software and the Satamatics hardware and satellite airtime services. With the equipment smaller than a lunch box, battery life of over five years and real-time polling capabilities on a global basis, this technology has really matured to a point where it's affordable and completely warranted on all hazmat shipments".

July 12, 2007.-- NAVIGON announced the general availability of the NAVIGON 5100 -- a new personal navigation device (PND) that will help buzy consumers reduce stress and get wherever they need to go more efficiently. One of the very first NAVIGON-branded PNDs available in North America, the NAVIGON 5100 will be available for purchase this July.

Portable and easy-to-use, the NAVIGON 5100 is housed in an attractive, chrome shell and delivers smart features that help drivers reduce stress, boost their confidence and focus on the road ahead.

Product features include:

Compact Size: Measures 4.2 x 3.3 x 0.9 inches and weighs 6.35 ounces.
Text-to-Speech: Provides clearly spoken driving directions and street names.
Subscription-Free Real-Time Traffic: Advises on traffic flow, incidents and alternate routes without any additional fees or trial periods.
ZAGAT Survey Ratings and Reviews: Five destination guides, including top U.S. hotels, resorts and spas, restaurants, golf courses, as well as attractions and nightlife in 70+ U.S. cities help users make informed destination choices.
Reality View: 3D, photo-realistic virtual reality view of complex interchanges with road geometry.
Lane Assistant: Reduces confusion by directing drivers to the optimal lane for the selected route.
Bluetooth Functionality: Hands-free calling, used in conjunction with a Bluetooth mobile device, helps ensure safe travel.

"Consumers are confronted by a slew of navigation systems that look and act exactly alike; there's not a concerted effort to offer differentiated products," says NAVIGON's general manager for the Americas, Andreas Hecht. "We created the NAVIGON 5100 to provide consumers with a navigation experience that's better and different than anything else out there--at an affordable price."

Less than an inch thick, the NAVIGON 5100 is ultra-portable and features an impressive 3.5 inch easy-to-use touch screen. The NAVIGON 5100 also offers intuitive menus that predict the city, state and address as the user types, as well as easy-to-read maps views that adapt to consumers' needs, including 2D or 3D maps, and portrait or landscape mode. NAVIGON partners with NAVTEQ to deliver the comprehensive digital map information on the NAVIGON 5100.

The NAVIGON 5100 will be available for purchase online and at major North American retail outlets this July for an MSRP of $499. Visit www.navigon.com to fully experience the NAVIGON 5100, where online demos, reviews and detailed product information are available.

NAVIGON also launched its first branded personal navigation device (PND) -- the NAVIGON 7100. Stunning 2D and 3D map views, easy menus and exclusive functionality, characterize this bold, stylish approach to consumer navigation.

A category exclusive, real-time traffic works out of the box -- no subscription necessary -- to empower drivers to re-route around congestion. Reality View reduces driver stress by providing photo-realistic images of complicated highway interchanges. Lane Assistant bolsters confidence by guiding drivers to the best lane relative to the route. Advanced text-to- speech technology provides spoken driving directions and street names, so drivers can focus on the road. Comprehensive digital map information from NAVTEQ supports this market-first functionality on the NAVIGON 7100.

The device is as easy on the eyes as it is to use. A stunning piano-black casing sets off an easy to read 4.3 inch full-color touchscreen display featuring menu and map views that are clear, user friendly, and stunning to look at.

"Breaking the mold and developing powerful new products is part of our heritage," said Andreas Hecht, general manager for the Americas. "We conceived the range of exclusive functionality and stylish design for the NAVIGON 7100 in response to where we think consumer navigation should be. NAVIGON 7100 continues our legacy for delivering premium products to market."

The NAVIGON 7100 is available for pre-order via Amazon.com, and will arrive at major North American retail outlets this July for an MSRP of $649. Additionally, Best Buy plans to make the NAVIGON 7100 available to consumers at its retail locations in September. Visit http://www.navigon.com/ to fully experience the NAVIGON 7100, where online demos, reviews and detailed product information are available.

July 10, 2007.-- Mexens Technology announced the availability of Navizon for any Wi-fi or Bluetooth enabled computer. Navizon is a positioning system that works by triangulating signals from Wi-fi and/or Cellular towers. It is based on a community of users mapping the wireless landscape in their area and collecting Wi-fi and Cell towers locations all around the world. Once the data collected is shared with the rest of the network, everyone can benefit from Navizon's virtual GPS, even on devices that do not include a GPS chip.

"The addition of this new version of Navizon is a very exciting development," said Cyril Houri, founder and CEO of Mexens Technology. "Now, anyone with a laptop computer can join the community and benefit from all the amazing features offered by Navizon that where until now only available on expensive GPS equipment. And best of all, this new version is free!"

In addition to PCs and Macs, Navizon is also available on a wide range of mobile platforms such as Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Symbian and many Java phones.

With Navizon you can:

see your position on a map.
see the whereabouts of your loved ones.
get directions to your next destination.
leave spatial annotations that you can share with the rest of the community.

All of this, whether you have a GPS device or not. If you do have a GPS device however, Navizon can even earn you money thanks to its rewards program compensating data contributors.

July 9, 2007.-- Globalstar, Inc. revealed that simplex data integrator Guardian Mobility Corporation has launched a new group of satellite data modems known as the Tracer 3 Product Family. The new satellite data modems are designed to communicate via the Globalstar satellite simplex data network, and are capable of providing data monitoring and GPS-based asset tracking information to customers from remote regions. The wireless devices integrate a number of innovations including new firmware with features and sensor inputs, which makes the product family uniquely adaptable for a number of ground-based vertical markets.

The Tracer 3 Product Family joins Guardian Mobility's suite of simplex data products which includes the company's Skytrax Family of general aviation Automated Flight-following solutions. Guardian Mobility's Skytrax 3 aviation product provides customers with an affordably priced and reliable flight-following or tracking capability using the Globalstar Simplex data network. The Tracer 3 modems do the same for ground-based asset applications.

The modem can be housed in a weatherproof NEMA 4X rated enclosure and be line powered with external input voltages ranging from 9 to 28V DC. A battery backup option is available enabling more than 2 years of operation while disconnected from external power. Other features include an integrated high capacity data logger, integrated counters, store and forward capability, a choice of enclosures plus the ability to transmit speed and heading information as well as location coordinates.

"As we indicated earlier this year Globalstar is committed to working with integrators, such as Guardian Mobility, to design, manufacture and launch innovative and affordable Globalstar simplex data solutions such as the Tracer 3," said Jay Monroe, Chairman and CEO of Globalstar, Inc. Mr. Monroe added, "Guardian has successfully launched affordable and high quality aviation flight-following products, among others, which utilize the Globalstar Simplex data network and we certainly anticipate seeing similar type success with this new ground-based product."

Both the Tracer 3 and Tracer 3IO models provide features for a variety of emergency asset, fleet tracking and data monitoring applications. The modem can also be used for a number of remote monitoring and alarm applications, both within and beyond the reach of traditional wireless and terrestrial infrastructure. Data such as location coordinates, remote status and other sensor information can be directly sent to customers.

Commercial users may utilize the onboard data logger to record information about asset locations in order to accurately analyze behaviors such as travel patterns and speeds. The modem Counters may be used to monitor the condition of equipment in order to efficiently schedule maintenance cycles and the Business Rules Engine feature can be used during critical event periods to increase the frequency of transmissions during a specific time period.

July 9, 2007.-- Committed to offering motorists the next generation of premium, value-added GPS navigation technology, Netropa Corporation officially announced a new line of Intellinav portable navigation devices (PNDs) designed to meet the needs of users looking to integrate advanced GPS into their daily lives.

An extension of the Intellinav All-in-One PND introduced in 2006, the new 2007 product line will consist of two 3.5-inch-screen models, the Intellinav 2 and 3, and two 4.3-inch widescreen models, the Intellinav 4 and 5. Each new Intellinav PND is a feature-rich and fully integrated GPS navigation system designed to promote safety, convenience, usability and value. Detailed product specifications and retail availability will be announced closer to product ship dates.

"Identified as one of the hottest segments in consumer electronics, PNDs have become an everyday tool for millions of drivers on the road. New users who want value without compromising high-end GPS features will be drawn to the feature-packed, user-friendly Intellinav product line," said Michael Shiao, president, Netropa Corporation. "With more than a decade of dedicated GPS technology experience, Netropa has combined the latest GPS technology with exclusive safety and convenience features developed with the consumer in mind."

"Encompassing four all-new GPS devices, the 2007 product line features an Intellinav PND for every level of driver and technology user," added Shiao.

The use of GPS navigation and digital-mapping technology has reached the mainstream as PND sales experienced triple-digit growth in 2006 with more than 2.2 million new units sold in the United States. PND sales this year could surpass 3.3 million units, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.

"Millions of consumers have dramatically improved their lives with GPS technology," claimed Shiao. "Our customers tell us that PNDs have evolved into a tool they rely on from the moment they leave their home or office - whether in the car or on foot. And, like any good tool, Intellinav PNDs are easy to use and promote greater productivity and safety - and they now offer exclusive features the public won't find anywhere else."

The majority of PNDs in the marketplace offer consumers basic features designed to meet travel needs. Leveraging its dedicated GPS technology expertise, Netropa has designed its own proprietary software for the Intellinav product line that goes beyond basic PND capabilities to include such consumer-focused features as Text-to-Speech, Traffic Pattern, Live Traffic, Hands-free Calling, Parked-car Locator, Pedestrian Mode, Fatigue Alarm, Fog Assist, School Zone and Speed Alert.

July 3, 2007.-- Wayfinder and Navicore announced that an agreement has been signed finalizing the acquisition of the Finnish navigation company Navicore by Wayfinder. By joining forces the combined entity will offer award winning location applications and services on all major platforms in connected mobile devices. The user base will exceed one million users with more than 200 000 paying users. There will be no dilution effect for existing shareholders in Wayfinder and the profit per share will not be affected by the acquisition.

Navicore is the premier provider of interactive on-board navigation products for smart phones and Nokia Internet tablets. Navicore products are sold in 30 countries across Europe, North America, Middle East, South Africa and Australia.

The acquisition of Navicore strengthens the Wayfinder strategy to have a complete and outstanding offering to handset and multimedia device manufactures as well as operators around the world.

"Joining forces with Wayfinder will greatly enhance the user experience and the service offering to all Navicore users. We see it as a natural and exciting step to combine these two leading entities into one", says Juha Murtopuro, CEO of Navicore Oy.

The Wayfinder group will solidify its market leadership by offering location applications and services on all major platforms, such as Java (including Blackberry), Symbian, Linux and Microsoft.

"We are very pleased with this acquisition, and with the invaluable competence Navicore will bring to the company. The Navicore platform will be further developed and fully supported to the benefit of all Navicore users," says Magnus Nilsson, CEO of Wayfinder Systems AB.

Wayfinder management does not foresee additional capital requirements as a result of the acquisition. There will be no dilution effect for existing Wayfinder shareholders and the profit per share will not be affected by the acquisition.

June 27, 2007.-- Safeco announced the availability of Teensurance powered by Safeco, a new product that employs technology to help families protect their teen drivers as they gain experience and build trust. Teensurance will start and continue conversations about driving and the responsibilities that come with having a driver's license. Beginning today, consumers nationally can purchase Teensurance via a secure Web site, http://www.teensurance.com/.

Teensurance includes a set of online tools based on an on-board GPS and notification technology called the Safety Beacon, and provides real-world services to give parents peace of mind and help keep teens safe on the road. This new bundle of tools enables families to take proactive steps to monitor their teen's behavior behind the wheel. Parents can set speed, distance and curfew limitations and affords them access to their teens' vehicles with real- time notification so they will know if their teen drivers are in danger.

With Teensurance parents and teens can also:

Set "safe driving" zones to gradually ease new drivers into the driving scene as they gain experience;
Unlock a car door remotely, in seconds, using a simple code;
Access roadside assistance, 24/7, in case of car trouble;
Gain insights into teen driving attitudes via the TeenDash survey;
Download a parent/teen contract and educational materials.

"Teensurance is a proactive solution to help our customers keep their families safe on the road, and the first in a series of Safeco innovations that push beyond traditional insurance to impact our customers on a broad scale," said Jim Havens, vice president of consumer solutions at Safeco.

"Before [Teensurance], parents had to rely on hope and worry to mitigate this stressful time. Now, parents have the ability to guide frank conversations about what is acceptable behind the wheel, as well as the peace of mind that comes with knowing what actually happens on the road."

Teensurance is available to customers with Safeco auto insurance policies. Those customers are eligible to receive the product for a limited-time introductory price of $14.99. The price includes free installation of the Safety Beacon, and is guaranteed for two years.

June 26, 2007.-- Telmap and INRIX announced the integration of INRIX real-time and predictive traffic speeds as well as incident solutions in the Telmap Navigator application. The enhancement offers both business users and consumers a superior traffic-influenced navigation experience on GPS-enabled mobile devices.

The INRIX solution will provide end-to-end traffic information for mobile phones equipped with the Telmap program, enabling traffic-influenced routing and maps across more metropolitan markets nationwide than any other traffic information provider. The private label solution will be deployed by Telmap's industry-leading cellular operators and handset manufacturer partners.

"We selected INRIX to deliver a traffic information solution that can provide the broadest market coverage and highest-quality traffic information available on any mobile mapping and navigation application," said Oren Nissim, CEO of Telmap. "This enhancement to Telmap Navigator complements our turn-by-turn navigation, location-based search and other advanced capabilities to equip cell phone users with a single comprehensive package that simplifies the process of getting around."

Telmap Navigator is a complete GPS navigation solution that provides guidance with voice, graphics and text. It allows subscribers to navigate in-car or on foot, with free-text local search and enhanced address search capabilities that include auto-complete and fuzzy matching to generate accurate results even from minimal or misspelled entries. . The Telmap solution is the only commercially available cross-platform product in its class, bringing navigation to both resource-constrained devices and high-end smart phones on platforms including Symbian, Java, BREW, Windows and BlackBerry.

Enhanced with INRIX real-time and predictive traffic information for 94 markets in the U.S. and incident information in over 122 markets, routes delivered via Telmap Navigator can be optimized for speed or distance offering users the best route possible. Additionally, customers using Telmap Navigator can view traffic maps of their city, highlighting congested and non-congested roadways.

"Drivers everywhere are eager to avoid traffic congestion that wastes time as well as fuel, and integrating traffic information with mobile navigation devices is a logical solution to the problem," commented INRIX CEO, Bryan Mistele. "Telmap's server-based approach coupled with INRIX's innovative traffic information technology make this a natural partnership."

June 25, 2007.-- Known for its professional GPS and mapping applications like Spot and ContactMapper Skylab Mobilesystems Ltd. once again combines the power of GPS and mobile devices to present a brand new mobile application.

GPS SightFinder looks for sights, landmarks and other interesting places close to your current location. Descriptive search results with thumbnail images link to the corresponding Wikipedia articles for detailed up-to-date information. GPS SightFinder is a Windows Mobile application for Smartphones and PocketPCs with built-in GPS or a connected Bluetooth GPS device. Based on the location reported by your GPS device it looks for all kinds of geographic objects: towns and villages, rivers and lakes, buildings, tourist sights and many more.

Search results are comfortably presented in a list along with their distance from your location and a short summary. >From there you can start browsing referenced Wikipedia articles for much more information on the sight of your choice.

Key features

GPS SightFinder works worldwide. Search results can be sorted by name or by distance from your current location. Thumbnail images are available for many sights and are diplayed with your search results. GPS SightFinder is customizable: You can configure how and how many search results are displayed. Since GPS SightFinder fetches text and pictures over the Internet from Wikipedia articles all information is always up-to-date. New geo-referenced articles are constantly added by the community. Add geographical coordinates to your favorite Wikipedia article on local sights and they will soon appear in GPS SightFinder when you visit them. Impress your visiting friends with your knowledge on-site.

GPS SightFinder is the ideal guide for world traveling or just short trips to popular places. Travel light and leave your books at home, all you need ist your mobile phone and GPS SightFinder.

June 13, 2007.-- Globalstar, Inc. announced that it has expanded its satellite Simplex data coverage to include all of Australia, New Zealand and the surrounding maritime region. Globalstar customers in these regions will now have access to a variety of satellite asset tracking, tracing and data monitoring solutions utilizing the Globalstar Simplex data network.

The expanded Simplex data coverage, which is now available on six continents, is the result of hardware upgrades made by Globalstar, to the satellite gateway or ground station located in Dubbo, Australia. The gateway is owned and operated by Globalstar independent service provider Globalstar Australia Pty Limited and is used to provide customers with access to ground based voice and data networks via the Globalstar satellite constellation.

"Installation of this new applique not only expands Globalstar's satellite Simplex geographic coverage in Australia and New Zealand but when combined with our recent agreement with SingTel, it continues our expanded presence in the Pacific Rim region which includes some of the world's fastest growing economies," said Jay Monroe, Chairman and CEO of Globalstar, Inc. Mr. Monroe added, "This investment is also further evidence of our company's commitment to one of the fastest growing areas of our business. In the last two quarters Globalstar has made a number of compelling Simplex data announcements, and we expect to continue to expand our simplex market opportunity through 2007 and beyond."

Since the beginning of the year, Globalstar has announced a number of Simplex data initiatives including the introduction of a new smaller and lighter Simplex data modem known as the AXTracker MMT, the launch of Simplex data and back office service for its customers in Latin America, and the extension of a Simplex data reseller agreement with General Electric's Asset Intelligence unit. In May Globalstar entered into an agreement with Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) which paves the way for both companies to deliver tracking and trace solutions for the maritime and logistics industries, using the Globalstar Simplex data network.

The Globalstar Simplex data offering is a low cost, one-way satellite data service that allows customers to use Simplex data modems and integrated back office management solutions to track mobile assets -- such as vehicles, trailers, cargo containers and marine vessels, using GPS or other location-based software. Because it can be used to monitor data offshore, far from the reach of terrestrial based wireless networks, the service is also ideal for recreational marine and fishing vessel-monitoring applications. The Globalstar Simplex data service can also be used for a wide variety of industrial and security applications to monitor and send information from fixed assets, such as environmental measuring instruments, utility meters, or report the state of various mobile sensor devices and their locations.

June 12, 2007.-- Broadcom Corporation announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Global Locate, Inc., a privately-held, fabless provider of industry-leading global positioning system (GPS) and assisted GPS (A-GPS) semiconductor products and software. GPS is expected to join Bluetooth and similar wireless technologies as a pervasive feature in next generation mobile devices. Global Locate's semiconductor solutions are used in mobile phones from leading cellular handset makers and incorporated into products from TomTom NV, the largest personal navigation device (PND) vendor in the world.

GPS products and location based services (LBS) are increasing in popularity with consumers and cellular service providers as both take advantage of the ability to identify exact geographical location by means of faint radio signals transmitted from a system of orbiting satellites. Growing consumer interest in these applications is driving the GPS chip market, which is expected to grow to $1.07 billion annually by 2012 according to market research firm Forward Concepts. The latest generation of PNDs provides location, points of interest and turn-by-turn navigation, features that are attracting increasing adoption among consumers. Cellular service providers also plan to incorporate GPS chips in mobile phones to meet government regulations for emergency 911 calls and to increase their average revenue per user (ARPU) with location based services.

Broadcom expects the demand for GPS devices to increase dramatically as the deployment of GPS in mobile phones increases. Combining Global Locate's GPS technology with Broadcom's leading Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular and other mobile technologies will provide leading handset makers with wireless connectivity solutions that add significant value to feature and smart phone products.

Global Locate has focused on GPS chip and navigation technology since it was founded in 1999. The company is currently producing its third generation of GPS chips and has developed a worldwide GPS reference network that provides assistance data to its A-GPS-equipped chips via cellular data channels (GPRS or 3G), boosting performance and reducing the time required to determine a location by up to 100 times.

"With the acquisition of Global Locate, Broadcom will be the only semiconductor supplier in the world with top-tier customers in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, FM radio and GPS, four of the key wireless technologies now being added to next generation mobile phones," said Robert A. Rango, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's Wireless Connectivity Group. "We are also pleased to add Global Locate's strong patent portfolio of over 175 issued and pending U.S. and foreign patents to our already robust patent portfolio."

"The combination of Global Locate's navigation expertise with Broadcom's well-known leadership in CMOS RF technology will enable Broadcom to develop a new generation of standalone GPS chips as well as GPS chips that incorporate other wireless standards, accelerating the adoption of GPS into all sorts of consumer devices," said Scott D. Pomerantz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Global Locate. "Joining with Broadcom and its leading position in wireless technologies like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, we can accelerate the penetration of Global Locate's GPS technology into mobile phones and at the same time accelerate the penetration of Broadcom's other wireless products into personal navigation devices."

Global Locate's solutions are ideal for high volume GPS-enabled products like PNDs and cellular phone handsets where navigation performance and high sensitivity needs are coupled with requirements for low power consumption and small form factors. While many existing GPS solutions consist of two separate chips, a separate baseband and radio, Global Locate has integrated both into a single-chip CMOS product.

Global Locate offers products specifically optimized to add GPS cost effectively as a feature in devices such as mobile phones. In cellular applications where a wireless network connection is available, Global Locate's products can also access assistance data to enable more rapid "time to fix" performance. For example, traditional GPS can take as long as several minutes to determine location in the best conditions, but with Global Locate's assistance data, that time can be reduced to just a few seconds.

The acquisition also includes Global Locate's innovative World Wide Reference Network (WWRN) providing real time A-GPS data as well as Long-Term Orbit (LTO) solutions to provide assistance even when a network connection is not available. Several carriers, including one of the most widely used A-GPS networks in North America, have adopted Global Locate's A-GPS server solution to provide location based services, which dramatically increases their revenue per usage metrics.

Broadcom's Wireless Connectivity Group has been one of the company's fastest growing businesses over the last three years. This growth has been driven by the adoption of Bluetooth in mobile phones, the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology in the home, and the expansion of Voice over IP (VoIP) services by telecommunications carriers. Broadcom anticipates that GPS will be a significant growth driver for its wireless connectivity business as GPS is adopted in mobile phones and other consumer devices.

June 8, 2007.-- AssistNow is an off-the-shelf A-GPS service that boosts a GPS receiver's performance, allowing it to compute a position almost instantly, even in difficult signal environments. A-GPS benefits all GPS-enabled applications, especially those that require "always-on" operability such as fleet management applications or GPS-enabled handheld devices, whose users wish to access location-based services instantly, regardless of signal conditions.

Without A-GPS, a GPS receiver needs to locate at least four satellites in direct line-of-sight and then download their location data. This process takes 30 seconds under optimal signal conditions and can take much longer in adverse conditions such as those found in urban environments or indoor locations where GPS signals are weaker. AssistNow provides the GPS receiver with the data immediately, enabling it to quickly calculate a position.

u-blox offers two easy to install and operate A-GPS services: AssistNow Offline and AssistNow Online. The Offline service provides assistance data that is valid for up to 14 days. Users can therefore enjoy boosted satellite acquisition performance for extended time periods and only need to connect to the Internet occasionally to update the assistance data. In contrast, AssistNow Online downloads new assistance data packets at every device start-up. These much smaller data packets are downloaded straight to the GPS receiver, making AssistNow Online ideal for applications without Flash memories such as mobile phones.

"We are delighted to offer our customers AssistNow Offline and AssistNow Online services free of charge," said Karsten Tietz, VP Sales EMEA. "AssistNow, in combination with our unrivalled GPS receivers, brings users instant GPS acquisition and unmatched GPS performance in even the harshest signal environments. u-blox' latest location solutions set new performance standards for the GPS industry at large".

June 7, 2007.-- A first in the industry, the Satellite Tracker application combines the power of satellite telephones, the Internet, GPS, and worldwide mapping software to create instant and remote tracking capability of assets on land, at sea, or in the air.

The software includes worldwide mapping, and is compatible with custom digital ,paper or marine maps. In addition, the product provides users with the capability of tracking and managing multiple assets simultaneously.

Gilbert Walz, founding partner of Tracking the World, said the recently released technology allows users to track and manage assets from anywhere. "Our new GPS Inmarsat D+ satellite transmission technology sends and receives digital signals from anywhere in the world and retransmits them to ground stations which provide a direct link to the Internet, and allows users to monitor multiple targets from anywhere on the planet with 3 different on-line mapping sources," said Walz.

Through its ability to provide fast and efficient tracking and management of land, sea, and air vessels, The Satellite Tracking software is bringing unprecedented management capabilities to several industries, including aviation, commercial shipping, and fishing. "Our Satellite Tracker provides a solid system available in the global marketplace at a very reasonable price," said Walz.

Initial setup and activation of GPS Satellite Tracker software is available for $189.00 followed by $19.95 per month for unlimited software use. Tracking the World is the industry leader in GPS related products and software.

June 5, 2007.-- SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc. , a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, introduced its SiRFDiRect technology, a portable navigation breakthrough that achieves navigation accuracy and coverage previously available only in costly, permanently installed in-car systems. Employing sophisticated algorithms that take advantage of closely coupled GPS and dead-reckoning (DR) sensor measurements, SiRFDiRect technology delivers very high quality positioning, even in the worst GPS signal conditions, without the installation inconvenience and high cost of traditional in-dash navigation systems. The first implementation of SiRFDiRect technology integrates the award-winning SiRFstarIII architecture with low-cost heading and acceleration sensors to give portable devices continuous and accurate navigation capabilities typically found in very high-end in-car navigation systems.

"As the portable navigation devices are starting to address mainstream, it is very important to meet consumer expectations of reliable positioning everywhere, no matter what, and our SiRFDiRect technology is a major advance in that direction," said Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "It gives our portable navigation device customers a competitive edge by enabling them to provide in-car system navigation accuracy at lower cost while retaining the advantages of portability and transferability."

SiRFDiRect technology uses heading and acceleration data from the sensors to boost the accuracy of portable navigation systems when GPS signals are weak or blocked, such as in dense urban canyons and tunnels. Transitions between combined GPS/DR and dead-reckoning-only operation are seamless and accurate without operator intervention, and the closely coupled GPS/DR architecture of SiRFDiRect technology continuously auto-calibrates the heading and acceleration sensors, enabling high performance with low-cost, small-footprint sensors. The sensors can be located in the portable device or in an external dashboard mounting cradle. Further enhancing ease of use, SiRFDiRect technology allows great flexibility in orienting portable navigation devices when mounting them in a vehicle without affecting performance. Mio Technology, Ltd., a leading maker of portable navigation devices, announced its plans to deploy SiRFDiRect based Navsteadi high-precision navigation technology at Computex Taipei 2007. Navsteadi brings in-dash like positioning accuracy and reliability to portable navigation systems.

"The new technology co-worked by SiRF and Mio, gives our customers the best of both worlds; reliable performance in the most challenging GPS conditions, expected of the typical high-end navigation system, while maintaining the traditional cost and portability advantages of Mio systems," said Samuel Wang, president of Mio Technology Ltd. "Our continuous close alliance with SiRF has enabled us to bring leading edge products with innovative technologies quickly to market, to enhance the user experience of portable navigation devices."

May 30, 2007.-- Augmentra, a leading innovator in gps-enabled navigation software for smartphones, announced the latest version of its award-winning ViewRanger off-road mapping, navigation and information software, and announced support for the Nokia N95 with integrated GPS.

ViewRanger is specifically designed for the off-road user, whether hill-walker, mountain biker, geo-cacher, birdwatcher, or rural tourist. It offers a unique combination of 2D and 3D mapping, GPS navigation, sports performance analysis, content sharing, and buddy tracking.

Running ViewRanger on the Nokia N95 with integrated GPS removes the need for a separate GPS receiver.

The N95's high-resolution, bright and crisp screen is perfect for displaying the fine detail of 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 topographic maps. The 5 megapixel camera allows the sharpest images to be captured, marked on the map, and shared over-the-air via the ViewRanger Information Exchange. All of England (or Scotland) at 1:50,000 scale can be held on the Nokia N95 via a single microSD memory card.

Whether a frequent outdoor sports participant, or just an occasional visitor to the countryside, ViewRanger and the Nokia N95 deliver capabilities and convenience that cannot be found elsewhere.

This latest version of ViewRanger includes many features that allow outdoor enthusiasts to locate, identify, navigate and connect:

High quality multi-scale mapping licensed from Ordnance Survey.
Unique 3D Panoramic Viewpoint display that identifies features in the landscape.
GPS trail navigation and tracklog recording, with support to import/export waypoints, tracks and routes to many PC applications including Google Earth.
TripView sports computer to monitor data during a journey and analyse performance.
Buddy Beacon to transmit location to friends and family; see the location on your ViewRanger handset or through the web.
Exchange notes and photos to share experiences of the landscape via ViewRanger's over-the-air Information Exchange.

"Having achieved Symbian Signed status, we are delighted that ViewRanger is one of the first third-party mapping and navigation applications to support the Nokia N95 and its integrated GPS," said Mike Brocklehurst, CTO, Augmentra Ltd. "ViewRanger and the N95 set a new benchmark for functionality, ease-of-use and convenience in outdoor GPS."

ViewRanger runs on the Symbian S60 smartphone platform, and transforms a Nokia or other S60 handset into a full-featured trail navigation system. ViewRanger is available to use internationally with no base-maps, and with Ordnance Survey mapping of Great Britain. Further international coverage will be announced shortly.

May 27, 2007.-- Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. announced it has succeeded in developing the world's first ultra small DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication) wireless module for embedding in mobile phones to be used for DSRC inter-vehicle communication systems. Using this module based on an OKI LSI, the company succeeded in trial production of the world's first mobile phone, "Safety Mobile Phone" specifically designed to improve pedestrian safety. The Safety Mobile Phone notifies vehicles in the surrounding area of its location and retrieves the location information of vehicles in the surrounding area that are equipped with the DSRC inter-vehicle communication system. By making it possible to reduce the occurrence of vehicle-pedestrian accidents, the phone contributes to pedestrian safety.

Under the "New IT Reform Strategy" announced by Japan's Cabinet Office, Japan plans to develop necessary technologies that can reduce the number of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents. The government and private sectors will start large-scale trials for systems to improve safety driving from the fiscal year ending March 2009, with plans to start operations from the fiscal year ending March 2011.

"We focused our attention on leveraging mobile phones, since they are used by over 80% of the population in Japan. Our goal is to improve the safety of vulnerable road users including pedestrians and those on bicycles," said Masao Miyashita, President of Systems Solutions Company at Oki Electric Industry. "We plan to develop products in line with the New IT Reform Strategy and to work closely with car manufacturers to develop applications to improve safe driving and improve safety for pedestrians."

The Safety Mobile Phone prototype is able to interconnect the DSRC inter-vehicle communication function and the GPS location positioning function, enabled through ultra small DSRC wireless module, with the mobile phone's GSM function. Pedestrians with this device can create a DSRC wireless area (within a several hundred meters radius) with vehicles equipped with inter-vehicle communication equipment. The device sends out its location information at a regular time interval within the area. When the two locations become close and when the received power from each device goes over the specified value, location information will constantly be exchanged. In addition, when there is a high possibility of a traffic accident based on the location information, it will warn the users beforehand.

In the future, the phone will be able to instantly analyze the behavior of other parties based on exchanged location information and the passage of time. When there is a possibility that two parties are near collision, pedestrians will be warned through the vibration function on their mobile phones, and drivers will be informed through voice guidance function on the inter-vehicle communication equipment, helping avoid danger for both drivers and pedestrians.

OKI will work to lower the power consumption, achieve smaller sized DSRC wireless modules, and improve the user interface. OKI will also make efforts to integrate 3G mobile phones, PHS, and wireless LAN functions into a single mobile handset as part of a large-scale public-private experiment to be conducted in Japan. OKI also plans to achieve compatibility with IEEE802.11p, the DSRC international standard.

May 22, 2007.-- A new series of GPS Navigator products by NAVIGON received the "Best Hardware Product" distinction at the "Best of RetailVision Awards" held during RetailVision Spring 2007. Retailers attend the global event to learn about and select new line-ups of consumer electronics products.

NAVIGON new personal navigation devices (PND) -- including the NAVIGON 5100 and 7100-wowed buyers from the top 100-level retailers and distributors. For more than a decade, NAVIGON has built a reputation for delivering award-winning navigation software that directs some of the world's largest brands in consumer electronics. Receiving this distinction validates NAVIGON's corporate strategy to expand its capabilities by releasing a product portfolio with innovative design and functionality.

"We're excited about the feedback we received at the event -- it validates our belief that our products are genuinely different from a preponderance of me-too products in the category," said Mark Silverio, NAVIGON's vice president for sales & channel marketing.

NAVIGON Brand GPS Navigators boast a host of exclusive stress-reducing features such as Lane Assistant, which guides drivers to the best lanes to be in relative to the route, and Reality View, which provides a virtual reality of complex interchanges -- with road geometry, actual road sign text, and 3D images conveying critical on the road information. Other category firsts include subscription-free traffic for the lifetime of the product and ZAGAT reviews and ratings on the NAVIGON 5100 and 7100 elevates what consumers can expect from PNDs.

The NAVIGON 5100 and 7100 will be available Summer 2007.

May 18, 2007.-- Intelematics Australia has launched a new online road holiday planning application for Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) members. Developed and hosted for RACV by Intelematics, the Trip Planner application allows members to custom design their road holiday throughout Australia.

While there are many online mapping sites available their main focus is providing information on how to travel between two locations in the shortest possible time. In contrast the RACV Trip planner uses an innovative 'pipe map' to allow members to quickly and easily browse the different towns, attractions and accommodation along their route.

Adam Game, CEO Intelematics said, "The biggest challenge Intelematics undertook in building the trip planner site was addressing our brief to provide users a schematic overview of the route and nearby off-route attractions - providing users an interactive equivalent of the traditional paper 'strip-map'. Strip maps are hand-crafted, not-to-scale travel guides that have traditionally been offered by Australian motoring clubs. The 'pipe-map' concept was a successful solution to the migration of the 'strip-map', enabling members to quickly explore places to see and visit along the journey."

Once the relevant journey information has been selected, members are able to save their chosen route against their member profile to create a personalised travel plan including driving directions and detailed journey maps. Members are also given the option to print the travel plan if need be.

Game continued, "RACV members have a strong affinity with paper maps so it was important that once created members could print their holiday as a fully integrated travel plan that they would feel confident to take on the road with them."

In the past, planning a major road trip was a complex task, requiring numerous maps, guides and tourist brochures. The RACV Trip Planner puts all this information at the finger tips of members, allowing them to tailor their holiday plans to meet their own needs.

The RACV Trip Planner application was developed using the capability of the award winning Telematics Services Hub (TSH). The TSH is a world-first platform that connects the car, the motorist, the mobile phone, fleet manager, auto manufacturer/importer and motoring content provider together within a single, fully integrated service management platform.

"Using the capabilities of the TSH allowed us to easily integrate the different information sources required to power the site. It also allows for future flexibility to link the application into the vehicle. This will give members the ability to be located and keep in touch with family and friends whilst on the road." said Game.

The RACV Trip planner was developed by Intelematics in close collaboration with RACV, leveraging PTV geo-spatial technology. Destination and accommodation content is sourced from RACV (and affiliate AAA Tourism), with digital maps by NAVTEQ.

May 17, 2007.-- SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, announced a strategic relationship with Openwave Systems Inc., the leading provider of software products and services for the communications industry, to bring the power of location to Web 2.0 mobile applications. The two companies will work together to integrate SiRF's SiRFstudio location capabilities with Openwave MIDAS, a Mobile AJAX-based application development platform, enabling wireless operators, content publishers, and software developers to easily employ the context of location when creating mobile widgets, rich data services and online idle screen user interfaces on mobile devices. SiRF Technology and Openwave plan to jointly market the combined solution globally to wireless operators and mobile handset and device OEMs, enabling them to create the next-generation of innovative location-based mobile widgets and services for consumer and enterprise market segments.

"A key part of creating mobile services with a highly targeted and personalized experience is knowing where subscribers are, and the integration of the SiRFstudio APIs with MIDAS is designed to bring high-accuracy location technology within the reach of content publishers and developers," said Nara Rajagopalan, vice president of products, Openwave. "When combined with other existing content feeds and services in addition to other applications, location adds the geographic dimension and filtering needed to create compelling and highly relevant mobile data services that can drive Web content consumption on mobile devices."

Openwave's location-enabled MIDAS application development platform is designed to offer an easy, uniform way for content publishers and developers to access a variety of powerful location functionality, from location determination to mapping and routing, allowing developers to reduce their time to market and operators to more quickly deliver to consumers a wider choice of LBS applications that are easy to get, easy to use and deliver a rich, location experience. The Openwave MIDAS application development environment also includes tools to create idle-screen widgets and a framework for widget discovery, delivery, and lifecycle management. Openwave MIDAS is designed to run on Windows Mobile, Symbian, BREW, QTopia, Linux and any feature phone platform.

"Adding SiRFstudio to Openwave's MIDAS application development environment will speed development of location-aware widgets and other applications thus enhancing an operator's ability to capture significant revenue from 'long tail' niche mobile applications," said Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "The broad adoption of SiRFstudio APIs is part of SiRF's goal to bring the context of location to all aspects of the mobile experience, and our work with Openwave is another step towards achieving that goal."

SiRFstudio provides handset manufacturers and carriers with the location "platforming" and integration capabilities they need to deliver an out-of-the-box locative experience for mobile devices. It also provides a rapid LBS application development platform for software developers to embed sophisticated location capabilities into new and existing applications or services. SiRFstudio is part of the SiRFecosystem, a comprehensive suite of tools and resources to speed development, testing and marketing of LBS applications that drive application diversification and provide a compelling locative experience for users. More than 100 companies are already participating in the SiRFecosystem LBS developer community, creating unique LocativeMedia applications and services.

May 15, 2007.-- Tele Atlas announced the availability of Tele Atlas Historical Traffic Speeds, which utilizes, aggregates and enhances billions of historical data points from real-time GPS probe and numerous other traffic resources to help provide accurate average speeds on individual road segments in the United States.

With the addition of historical traffic speed data to the already- available Tele Atlas/Traffic product, Tele Atlas provides a more complete set of traffic information solutions bundled with its digital map data for navigation and location-based offerings. Combined with products leveraging Tele Atlas digital maps, this set of traffic content solutions helps enable individuals and businesses to save time and money by having critical, traffic- related information when and where they need it. Tele Atlas Historical Traffic Speeds information can be utilized by devices without wireless connectivity and complements connected offerings by helping to serve as a supplement when a connection is interrupted, or in areas where real-time data coverage may not be available.

Through Tele Atlas Historical Traffic Speeds, average speeds now are available on specific road segments for nearly 500,000 miles of roadway across the country for every hour of the day on each specific day of the week. Tele Atlas Historical Traffic Speeds utilizes real-time GPS probe data from commercial fleet, delivery and taxi vehicles across the continental U.S., combined with DOT sensors and highway toll tags to determine the average roadway speeds based on historical traffic information for the past two years.

"By enhancing Tele Atlas' current traffic solutions with Tele Atlas Historical Traffic Speeds, our partners will be able to further develop optimized routing capabilities for an array of enterprise and consumer navigation devices and products," said Jerry Kim, director of global dynamic content, Tele Atlas. "Whether a driver from an enterprise fleet needs an accurate estimation of travel time for a specific route, or a parent wants the best route to their child's soccer game on a busy Friday afternoon, end users can leverage this content for a more robust, efficient navigation experience."

Tele Atlas Historical Traffic Speeds are available now for partner application developers and device manufacturers in a range of consumer and enterprise markets; additional roadway coverage will be available later this year. The complete Tele Atlas/Traffic offering includes real-time incident, flow and predictive traffic data and historical traffic speed information.

May 7, 2007.-- SkyBitz, the leading provider of Global Locating System (GLS) trailer tracking technology for the trucking industry, announced the addition of three innovative enhancements to its solutions portfolio at the National Tank Truck Carriers annual conference in Las Vegas. Created in response to direct feedback from customers, these new features are designed to heighten security and increase operational efficiencies for carriers of all sizes.

* Event Notification adds an extra layer of security and accountability to the SkyBitz real-time asset monitoring capabilities by instantly triggering an e-mail alert when it detects a situation that needs attention. Customers can program alerts for such events as when a trailer door is opened, when cargo has been added to or removed from a trailer or when a trailer has been idle for a specified period of time. Fleets can also use the notification system to alert a customer that a trailer has been sitting for more than its contracted time and detention billing is beginning.

* RouteFence, used in conjunction with Event Notification, increases security by sending instant e-mail alerts when a trailer deviates from its defined route. RouteFence enables the customer to draw a route and set the boundaries by specifying a series of points and then monitor where the trailer is along that route at any given time.

* Polygonal Landmark enables customers to create irregularly shaped boundaries with up to 20 points to more precisely define a landmark and pinpoint the location of their trailers. This feature can also be used in tandem with Event Notification to trigger alerts on pre-defined events within the "landmark."

"Our customers, especially bulk carriers transporting sensitive loads that are at risk of being tampered with, need even greater visibility to their assets at every point along the designated routes," said Roni Taylor, executive vice president of SkyBitz. "These three enhancements add a higher level of sophistication to our monitoring capabilities and provide extra peace of mind."

May 7, 2007.-- Iridium Satellite LLC is providing worldwide satellite data links for a new asset tracking, monitoring and remote management system, the Fleet Management Solutions (FMS) MLT-300i. FMS is an Iridium value-added reseller and manufacturer of GPS/All-Satellite mobile resource management systems in use in more than 50 countries.

FMS successfully completed worldwide validation of the Iridium-based MLT- 300i system earlier this year. Included in the North Slope, Alaska portion of the validation was PGS Onshore (PGS), a major provider and recognized market leader of geophysical services to the international oil and gas industry. Moving forward, PGS expects to continue with full-scale deployment in all regions where time-sensitive and mission-critical field data is needed in near real-time.

"FMS designed the system to take advantage of Iridium's worldwide gap-free coverage and robust two-way, low-latency data links," stated Cliff Henley, CEO of FMS. "Customers such as PGS operate in areas where safety and security are of utmost importance. They require a solution capable of delivering mission- critical data in a matter of seconds anywhere in the world. Iridium, with its fully meshed network, has met these requirements."

The FMS MLT-300i provides near real-time tracking and management for fleets of all types and sizes. The system includes Quake Global's 9612 transceiver using Iridium's short-burst data service, along with FMS proprietary firmware and software. FMS firmware and software includes a GPS receiver, a plug and play universal OBD2/CAN BUS interface, multiple analog and digital inputs/outputs, and a dedicated serial port to accommodate in-cab two-way text and e-mail messaging. All data is transmitted through the Iridium satellite network to FMS Network Operation Centers (NOCs), and is communicated to users worldwide via a secure Internet browser interface. The MLT-300i also provides extensive asset monitoring and management functions.

All engine and asset trouble codes, fuel consumption, miles per gallon, hard breaking, power take-offs, engine rotations per minute (RPMs), oil pressure, and engine and coolant temperatures are standard on the OBD2/CAN BUS version of the FMS MLT-300i. Automatic alerts are immediately sent via the Iridium network when a trouble code or user-defined event occurs.

In addition to the speed of the FMS MLT-300i, PGS has found the system's boundary feature to be especially useful, according to Kevin Crozier, manager of survey and navigation for PGS.

"We now have a system which will instantly provide audible alarms via e- mail and text-enabled phones whenever a vehicle tries to enter a prohibited area, such as a pipeline right-of-way or well pad," Crozier said. "All commands, events, reports and alerts are transmitted, received and available within seconds. This is an absolute requirement, as our crews work in some of the harshest conditions in the world."

Greg Ewert, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite, said, "We are seeing a tremendous surge in the demand for low-latency, highly reliable data communications services that can be used for applications similar to PGS. Iridium is ideal for users that have worker safety requirements as well as enterprise information needs. Through this capability, Iridium is pleased to be a critical tool in enabling PGS to most effectively manage remote field assets."

April 30, 2007.-- SkyWave Mobile Communications, the leading supplier of D+ communications products and services, announced the availability of the DMR- 200S, the newest addition to its popular DMR-200 series of D+ satellite terminals.

The DMR-200S terminal features a low profile and small footprint, along with a separate D+/GPS antenna, making it ideal for use with custom tracking and security applications.

The enduring dependability of the DMR-200 terminal series for reliable applications has made SkyWave the leading D+ terminal provider with over 87,000 units shipped worldwide. In response to global market demand, the new DMR-200S meets the requirements for flexible applications, easily adaptable to fit custom enclosures where space is limited. The DMR-200S terminal is suitable for applications which require installation flexibility, such as container tracking. Its portability is ideal for industrial and military applications.

Installation flexibility is highly valued for applications where an exposed terminal can result in unnecessary risk to assets, cargo and human safety. This includes terminals mounted on armored or other secure military and industrial vehicles which traverse hazardous areas. The DMR-200S connects to devices such as panic buttons, temperature sensors, volumetric meters and text messaging terminals. The separate, rugged, discrete antenna can be mounted on most vehicles or mobile assets, leaving the terminal unit safely concealed. It is also this flexibility that makes the DMR-200S ideal for use in highly covert applications.

"Our customers requested a robust terminal that would give them mounting and installation flexibility," says Victor Tochijara, Market Development Manager at SkyWave. "The DMR-200S not only meets these requirements, but also maintains the DMR-200 series' proven and unsurpassed ease of integration."

To further simplify custom integration, customers can request to have SkyWave's world-class manufacturing facility pre-program the terminal with customized scripts prior to shipment. For more information, visit www.SkyWave.com.

April 30, 2007.-- NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for location-based solutions and vehicle navigation, announced from the National Private Truck Council (NPTC) 2007 Education Management Conference and Exhibition that it has been chosen by Maptuit to supply NAVTEQ TRANSPORT truck attributes for their latest fleet navigation product, NaviGo. NaviGo features real-time mapping and navigation; commercial-grade routing and re-routing; text-to-speech turn-by-turn directions; and a large moving map format as well as a truck-specific dynamic road network.

NAVTEQ TRANSPORT, in conjunction with NAVTEQ map data, provides road attributes that directly affect truck routing. These attributes include legal restrictions, physical restrictions and preferred truck routes. As an example, the detailed data included in NAVTEQ TRANSPORT allows fleet operations to route trucks away from low-clearance areas and streets in which trucks cannot maneuver, helping to reduce incidents and minimize out-of-route miles. Furthermore, by matching routes to road-network reality, NAVTEQ TRANSPORT enables the development of applications that support more accurate route calculations.

"Maptuit's routing capabilities have been demonstrated repeatedly through rigorous tests and trials, with customers ultimately selecting Maptuit as the best solution for their companies. One of our routing solution strengths relies on accurate and reliable digital map data, which we obtain from NAVTEQ. We sought to collaborate with NAVTEQ because of its best-in-class approach to our solutions," said Jeff Papows, Ph.D, President and CEO, Maptuit.

"NAVTEQ is extremely excited to be associated with the best navigation product commercially available for large Class 6-8 trucks," said Roy Kolstad, Vice President and General Manager -- Enterprise, NAVTEQ. "The combination of NAVTEQ's fresh map data and Maptuit's innovative, robust routing application is a tremendous win for commercial fleets."

April 26, 2007.-- Start-up company BlueSky Positioning is set to help mobile operators meet new European Union emergency call legislation, and could also help realize the promise of location-based services (LBS) across the wireless industry. BlueSky Positioning's new approach incorporates a highly accurate GPS receiver and proprietary antenna into the SIM card, which provides the opportunity to deploy precise, legally-mandated positioning capability quickly and cost-effectively across all mobile handsets.

Following publication of a significantly strengthened EU directive, expected later this year, EU member countries will have just 18 months to implement a law requiring operators to identify the precise location of callers to the E-112 emergency services, potentially to an accuracy level of just a few metres. Similar to the E-911 legislation in the US, the new law is designed to improve emergency services' reaction and response times due to improved location accuracy and therefore increase levels of public safety. However, over 50 per cent of emergency calls in the EU are made from mobile phones - and current network-based positioning technologies on the market cannot provide the degree of accuracy required.

Enabling high-accuracy location technology could be an enormous challenge for operators - there are 500 million mobile phone users in the EU. To comply with this legislation would mean a massive handset upgrade programme - a hugely expensive and complicated task.

BlueSky Positioning has developed patent-pending technology and processes to embed Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) capability in the SIM card (USIM in the case of 3G handsets), with minimal impact on signal strength and battery life. This means that operators need only replace the SIM cards, not the phones themselves - a far more manageable solution.

BlueSky Positioning's A-GPS SIM uses an assistance data server in the mobile network to reduce the location identification time (Time To First Fix) and increase accuracy, particularly within buildings and densely populated areas. By embedding this accurate location capability in the end-user (U)SIM, SIM card manufacturers can enable swift and effective rollout and compliance - and faster emergency response times.

The A-GPS SIM can also enable the delivery of a whole new set of location-based services to the consumer without compromising their privacy. Operators can quickly build critical mass and benefit from the full revenue potential of accuracy-based LBS applications such as navigation, tracking, routing, personal security, and zone-based billing.

Risto Savolainen, BlueSky Positioning CEO, said "The LBS market has promised much and delivered little. This strengthened EU legislation to enhance public safety services will also catalyze the LBS market by putting the means of access into the hands of every user. Working with SIM card manufacturers, BlueSky Positioning enables mobile operators to embed the service in every consumer's SIM and USIM card, without compromising the existing levels of card security and privacy protection.

"A new handset costs anywhere between �100 and �500 plus. A replacement (U)SIM is a tiny fraction of the cost. It's a much smaller price to pay for better safety and the opportunity for a whole new range of applications."

April 24, 2007.-- Globalstar, Inc. , a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, government and individuals, announced that it has launched Globalstar Simplex data service to customers throughout Central America and the surrounding maritime region. Globalstar Simplex data is a one-way satellite service, which is ideal for providing cost-efficient and reliable asset tracking and fleet management solutions to customers from remote regions beyond the reach of traditional wireless and terrestrial communications infrastructure.

Globalstar Simplex data allows customers to monitor and track mobile assets such as vehicles, tractor-trailers, cargo containers and marine vessels, using GPS or other location-based software. The service can also be used to monitor various stationary assets for location or data monitoring applications. It is also one of the mobile satellite service provider's fastest growing and dynamic areas of the business. In 2006 the Globalstar Simplex data customer base grew by over 150 percent over the previous year.

"Globalstar once again demonstrates the commitment to our corporate strategy of providing uniform satellite voice and data services to our customers by expanding our capabilities in various regions throughout the world," said Steven Bell, Senior Vice President of International Sales, Marketing and Customer Care for Globalstar, Inc. Mr. Bell added, "When a simplex data modem is integrated with a GPS monitoring device, then a vessel monitoring and location solution can be easily produced. Using the simplex data applique located at our gateway ground station facility in South America plus our Globalstar back office infrastructure, we can provide our customers with an easy to use web based mapping tool to seamlessly track the locations of assets such as fishing vessels or tractor trailers, without them having to worry about service issues caused by borders. We can also provide a variety of land-based and marine monitoring solutions used for such applications as maritime sand extraction."

Globalstar has offered Simplex data service in the U.S. and Canada since 2003, and throughout Europe, the Middle East and across the north Atlantic region since early 2005. More recently Globalstar extended its Simplex data coverage to include Australia, Central America and parts of South America. Earlier this year, Globalstar also announced that simplex data integrator Axonn had launched a new smaller and lighter satellite simplex data modem known as the AXTracker MMT. The new completely self-contained satellite data modem is designed to communicate via the Globalstar satellite simplex data network.

April 23, 2007.-- Trimble introduced the latest addition to its Mapping and Geographic Information System (GIS) product line-the Juno ST handheld. The Juno ST handheld is a portable, low-cost data collection solution supported by Trimble's range of field and office software. It comes standard with a built-in high-sensitivity Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, Microsoft Windows Mobile version 5.0 software, and has Wi-Fi/Bluetooth for wireless connectivity to office networks, cameras and mobile phones.

The Juno ST handheld's low price point facilitates large-scale deployment, allowing a company or organization to equip a significant number of its employees; it is especially practical for use in applications where high productivity is most important. Examples include natural resources organizations, utility companies, and government agencies conducting inspection and permitting tasks. The Juno ST is also fully compatible with other Trimble data collection systems, utilizing the same software and workflows as the entire range of Trimble Mapping and GIS solutions.

Delivering a range of 2 to 5 meter positioning, real-time or post processed, the Juno ST handheld incorporates a high-sensitivity GPS receiver and has been specially designed to maximize yield of positions in hostile environments, such as under forest canopy and up against buildings. For use in a vehicle, an external antenna can be added.

"The Juno ST handheld is ideal for companies and organizations that need to deploy a large number of data collection systems in the field," said Doug Merrill, general manager of Trimble's Mapping and GIS Division. "Small and light enough to fit in your pocket, the Juno ST can easily complement an existing field operation and can be added into your current workflow."

Weighing in at just 4.8 ounces (133 grams) and measuring approximately 4.3 in x 2.4 in x 0.7 in (10.9 cm x 6.0 cm x 1.9 cm), the Juno ST handheld is lightweight and compact, and its small form factor makes it portable and convenient to use.

Purpose-built for streamlined data collection, the Juno ST handheld has 128 MB of non-volatile Flash data storage and a Secure Digital (SD) card slot for additional data storage. The removable Li-Ion battery is rechargeable and lasts for up to eight hours.

The Juno ST handheld provides flexibility with Windows Mobile 5.0 software and includes familiar Microsoft productivity tools such as Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, Internet Explorer Mobile and Outlook Mobile.

April 18, 2007.-- u-blox AG announced the LEA-4R GPS module with built-in dead reckoning technology that will ensure 100% road coverage.

Continuous coverage allows for GPS-enabled applications such as car navigation, emergency vehicle services, asset and vehicle tracking products and road pricing systems, which require accurate, uninterrupted navigation.

"The LEA-4R enables GPS-enabled applications that require non-stop road coverage," said Thomas Nigg, VP Product Marketing at u-blox. "The tiny 17 x 22 mm module has a built-in USB port that eases data transfer by providing connectivity flexibility and bandwidth".

u-blox' dead reckoning technology uses sensors that detect traveled distance and turn rate, supplementing GPS data and thus providing an accurate position in tunnels, indoor parking facilities, roofed logistics centers, urban canyons and any other environment where obstructed GPS signals hinder positioning.

Its built-in Enhanced Karman Filter algorithm uses a combination of GPS and dead reckoning data that counters the respective disadvantages of each approach. Depending on the quality of the GPS signal and on how well the dead-reckoning sensors are calibrated, the technology uses a weighted mix of both data, generating optimal accuracy and coverage results. The LEA-4R's algorithmic approach also eliminates multi-path effects caused by high-rise buildings, position inaccuracies, and distortions from jamming sources.

Samples will be available in May 2007 from the u-blox online shop: www.u-blox.com/shop/index.html

April 13, 2007.-- TruePosition, Inc., a leading provider of wireless location technologies and solutions and a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation that is attributed to its Liberty Capital Group, announced its agreement to provide its wireless location system to Plateau Wireless. The system enables the New Mexico-based wireless carrier to satisfy the Phase II requirements of the Federal Communication Commission's Enhanced- 911 mandate.

TruePosition provides complete end-to-end wireless location solutions that employ a wide array of position determining techniques. This wireless location system, in an implementation specifically-designed for Plateau Wireless, uses network-based Uplink Time Difference of Arrival (U-TDOA). Plateau Wireless has a coverage area that spans 67,000 square miles in eastern New Mexico and western Texas.

"Location-enabling our network and becoming E-911 compliant is simply one more step toward our goal of offering the best possible service to our customers," stated Joel Drahman, Chief Operating Officer for Plateau Wireless. "TruePosition shared our vision and understood our commitment to offer Enhanced-911 to our subscribers as soon as possible. At Plateau, we live and work in the communities that we serve, so we wanted to make sure that everyone could take advantage of this technology and have the ability to be located in times of need."

One of the major benefits of TruePosition's network-based location solution is that the calculations take place within the wireless network, which means that subscribers do not need to replace or modify their current cell phones in any way. As a result, all wireless subscribers can be located when they dial 911 on their cell phones. Consequently, this system also lays the foundation for Plateau Wireless to launch location based services -- like local search and family minder services -- to all of their customers.

"This project was unique and challenging due to the aggressive timelines that we set for ourselves," noted Todd Elliott, Vice President of North American Sales for TruePosition. "TruePosition and Plateau Wireless rose to the challenge, however. Plateau Wireless is a forward-thinking company, and we are pleased to be working with them to add location capabilities to their wireless network."

April 12, 2007.-- Trimble launched the first multimedia layer of GPS-based adventure details for Google Earth. The layer incorporates interactive information from the Trimble Outdoors catalog of GPS-on-cellular applications, as well as premium content from contributors to BACKPACKER, Bicycling and Mountain Bike magazines.

Premium GPS-based information from Trimble Outdoors and leading national publications is now available as a Google Earth Featured Content Layer. Users can access a wide variety of multimedia data on fitness and outdoor adventures, including routes, points of interest, pictures, video and audio. This information is designed to support the outdoor enthusiast community with new opportunities to explore the earth and share stories of their adventures.

The Trimble Outdoors solution takes advantage of technology convergence by integrating trip details with its planning software, the Web and mobile phone technology to allow users to view and participate in compelling outdoor experiences. Google Earth users can export the layer data to any WAP-capable mobile phone, experience it via a GPS-enabled mobile phone with Trimble Outdoors' fitness and outdoor recreational applications, or download to a stand-alone GPS device.

"Trimble Outdoors is providing Google Earth users with the first multimedia GPS content layer for outdoor adventure seekers," said Larry Fox, business development, Trimble Outdoors. "Using Google Earth and the Trimble Outdoors GPS layer, users can view a 3D trip of running, bicycling or hiking destinations -- gaining a unique perspective with the addition of audio, video, photos and detailed editorial. Through this interactive interface, users can not only see an activity, they can share an experience."

For example, hikers, equestrians or families can experience the Pacific Crest Trail online by viewing hundreds of photos, audio clips and videos from BACKPACKER Magazine through Google Earth. Whether these adventure seekers plan to hike a few miles or a few thousand miles, they can download helpful information and virtually fly through several different regions from Mexico to Canada, through California, Oregon and Washington; guided by expert content along the way.

Google Earth combines the power of Google Search with satellite imagery, maps, terrain and 3D buildings. Featured content, such as the new Trimble Outdoors GPS layer, contains highly informative, multimedia-enhanced data about various places around the planet, overlaid on Google Earth imagery. Trimble Outdoors has populated its Google Earth layer with premium fitness and off-road GPS navigation information, such as GPS tracks and waypoints, trailhead directions, trail descriptions, photos, video clips and audio.

April 11, 2007.-- Navman, a leading designer and manufacturer of world-class global positioning system (GPS) technology, announced several powerful enhancements to its best-of-class Jupiter 30 and Jupiter 32 GPS modules. With the most sophisticated weak signal processing and acquisition available, a 25% reduction in overall power consumption and initial acquisition power consumption reductions of approximately 35%, the new revisions of the Navman Jupiter 30 and 32 GPS modules now deliver maximum battery-powered operation along with renowned industry-leading performance in reduced signal areas.

By incorporating these enhancements into the existing Jupiter 30 and 32 modules, Navman provides an easy upgrade for existing platforms. A maximum peak power draw of 57mA and dynamic power consumption allow the Jupiter 30 and 32 to deliver powerful performance enhancements in weak signal environments, significantly increasing acquisition and tracking when signal strength is poor. The elegant software design of the Jupiter 30 and 32 employs a dynamic time model that optimizes performance and power requirements when in GPS signal acquisition mode and enhances shared battery power supply life in mobile applications. Steady state tracking power requirements in strong signals are 25% lower than the previous versions of the Jupiter line. Based on the new SiRFStarIII GSC3 LP chipset, additional improvements include improved noise immunity; RTC, PLL and RF amplifier noise immunity; updated default almanac; improved SBAS acquisition and increased immunity to CW jammers on SBAS acquisition and overall improved signal acquisition and tracking.

"We are constantly finding and implementing ways to improve the Navman Jupiter series of GPS modules," said George Arnott, vice president of Navman's OEM Division. "With a 35% power draw reduction, the Jupiter 30 and 32 adds the lowest power requirements to their best-of-class performance designation."

The Navman Jupiter 30 and 32 provide OEM manufacturers two powerful options for industry leading acquisition times and low signal strength operation in an easy-to-integrate package. Both feature user-selectable, optimizable navigation modes including General Use, Automotive, Pedestrian and optimized Low Power modes designed to suit any application. The devices deliver indoor position fix and tracking capability of better than minus 159 dBM, and includes over 200,000 effective correlators for superior acquisition performance in the weakest signal conditions. These devices deliver acquisition fix performance of <1 seconds (hot start), 32 seconds (warm start) and 34 seconds (cold start).

Jupiter 30 is housed in an industry standard 25.4mm x 25.4mm x 3.0mm form factor with a weight of 4.0 grams. The Jupiter 32 is the smallest GPS receiver available, sporting a tiny 15.0mm x 17.0mm x 2.7mm form factor and weighing a scant 2.0 grams. Its miniature footprint is ideal for applications where size matters. In addition, its low power requirements make it ideal for battery operated applications.

The Navman Jupiter 30 and 32 GPS modules are available in production quantities. For more information and datasheets, please contact Navman

April 10, 2007.-- WebTech Wireless Inc. and Iridium Satellite announced the introduction in Europe of a new dual-mode cellular and satellite asset tracking and management solution for the transportation industry.

WebTech's new WT1900system incorporates Iridium's 9601 short-burst data modem, offering seamless coverage for long-haul customers. The system utilizes cellular frequencies when in range of terrestrial wireless networks and Iridium satellite links in other areas. It was developed under a Value-Added Reseller agreement with Iridium to provide an alternative solution that significantly reduces customers' telecommunication costs.

"Our collaboration with Iridium fits with our product strategy to offer viable, cost-effective telematics solutions that focus on customer satisfaction. We are proud to deliver an industry first that highlights our technology leadership and offers considerable cost savings to customers," said Cameron Fraser, co-founder and chief technology officer, WebTech Wireless.

The new WT1900 uses signal strength or other user definable parameters to switch automatically between cellular coverage and Iridium's satellites, ensuring the least-cost routing for the data links. This provides more efficient use of technologies and cost reduction of airtime usage and fleet management services.

The solution takes advantage of significant improvements in cellular coverage and leverages Iridium's ubiquitous satellite coverage and low-latency reliable data links to provide an integrated solution for tracking and managing assets while achieving considerable cost savings for data transmission. The modularity of the system enables large fleets to mix and match their connectivity requirements for continuous monitoring of assets and improvements in the safety and security for drivers.

"WebTech's new telematics solution is yet another example of the sizeable advantage that Iridium's global coverage brings to asset tracking and management applications," said Greg Ewert, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite. "Our constellation is uniquely positioned to augment gaps in cellular coverage. The combination of cellular and satellite data links ensures seamless uninterrupted coverage wherever the vehicle goes, including remote rural areas not covered by terrestrial carriers."

The WT1900 will be released by the summer of 2007.

March 27, 2007.-- TruePosition, a leading provider of wireless location solutions and a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (attributed to its Liberty Capital Group), announced the availability of the TruePosition Secure User Plane for Location (SUPL) Server for A-GPS. TruePosition's A-GPS SUPL Server allows carriers to provide high-performance location based services (LBS) without making significant changes to their infrastructure.

"TruePosition's A-GPS SUPL Server provides carriers with several advantages including low implementation costs and the ability to easily work alongside other positioning technologies," said Stephen Stuut, CEO of TruePosition. "The TruePosition SUPL Server for A-GPS is a key high-accuracy location technology that wireless operators can deploy to enable high- performance location services such as local search and navigation, as well as bring location capabilities to social networking applications."

The TruePosition SUPL A-GPS server is a fully OMA compliant location solution (OMA SUPL V1.0). The OMA standard uses a network's existing IP infrastructure to transport data between the mobile handset (GPS-equipped mobile phones known as SUPL Enabled Terminals or SETs) and an A-GPS server to support next-generation location-based services. The user plane concept requires no changes to an operator's present GSM network architecture. SUPL reuses existing data communications and services such as Short Message Service (SMS).

The TruePosition SUPL server supports both Mobile Station (MS)-Based and MS-Assisted A-GPS Modes. Both SET-initiated and network-initiated location procedures are supported, allowing the mobile to self-locate or be located by the network. The TruePosition Location Platform can support A-GPS technologies, as well as other positioning technologies such as Cell-ID, Enhanced Cell ID and U-TDOA to ensure that an accurate location can be determined with the appropriate mix of location technology to provide the highest possible performance in the most challenging environments.

With 15 years of experience developing and deploying wireless location solutions, TruePosition can supply a total approach to location-enabling any application-ensuring high quality of service, seamless network integration, faster time to market, and most importantly, exceptional customer experiences.

TruePosition offers the SUPL Platform as a hosted solution, and in the near future, it will be offered as an operator-owned, stand-alone module.

March 22, 2007.-- WebTech Wireless Inc., a provider of location-based and fleet telematics services, and Iridium Satellite, the global provider of mobile satellite voice and data communications, announced the introduction of a new dual-mode cellular and satellite asset tracking and management solution for the transportation industry.

WebTech's new WT1900 system incorporates Iridium's 9601 short-burst data modem, offering seamless coverage for long-haul customers. The system utilizes cellular frequencies when in range of terrestrial wireless networks and Iridium satellite links in other areas. It was developed under a Value-Added Reseller agreement with Iridium to provide an alternative solution that significantly reduces customers' telecommunication costs.

The WT1900 will be released by the summer of 2007. For more information on the product, visit www.webtechwireless.com/wt1900.

About Iridium Satellite

Iridium Satellite LLC (http://www.iridium.com/) is the only provider of truly global satellite voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the earth (including oceans, airways and Polar Regions). Iridium delivers essential communications services to and from remote areas where no other form of communication is available. The Iridium constellation consists of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites and has multiple in-orbit spares. The constellation operates as a fully meshed network and is the largest commercial satellite constellation in the world. The Iridium service is ideally suited for industries such as maritime, aviation, government/military, emergency/humanitarian services, mining, forestry, oil and gas, heavy equipment, transportation and utilities. Iridium provides service to the U.S. Department of Defense. The company also designs, builds and sells its services, products and solutions through a worldwide network of more than 150 partners.

March 21, 2007.-- NXP Software and Mango Research Corp. announced the first GPS product design to result from collaboration between the two companies. The Mango Research Magic 380 is a complete Personal Navigation Device (PND), which has an ideal form factor for in-car use. Its performance and small size result from a groundbreaking application of NXP Software's swGPS Personal software GPS Baseband technology.

For the first time in a handheld device, NXP Software's swGPS Personal performs all the signal processing necessary to measure GPS satellite signals and calculate your position entirely in software. Running on the handheld device's normal processor, it eliminates the need for a separate GPS baseband processing chip, saving board space and boosting performance. Plus, with GPS functionality handled in software, the device can be easily modified or upgraded without the need for hardware changes.

The Magic 380 benefits from Mango Research's leading consumer electronics design expertise and NXP Software's swGPS Personal software to target drivers' pursuit of maximum mobility. Besides offering high performance, the Magic 380 is easy to carry around and use in and out of vehicles. Its compact and fashionable design makes it attractive to users looking for a superb digital experience for both work and play. With its excellent user interface, it requires no training or prior experience to operate.

"NXP Software's swGPS is an evolution in the GPS world. We are happy to have designed the Magic380 around this differentiated solution, resulting in a quicker response, better accuracy and more flexibility for future upgrades", says B.C. Kuo, Vice President, Research & Development, Mango Research.

"We are very pleased to be working closely with Mango in bringing this innovation to market. Mango is leading the way in introducing attractive new GPS products and making GPS accessible to all consumers, and we are delighted to help make this possible through swGPSTM.", says Dr. Chris Marshall, General Manager, NXP Software, Location Technologies

The device features a high performance Samsung 32-bit application processor and NXP Software's swGPS Personal with a Maxim RF front end. It also includes a Samsung high brightness TFT touch panel display, powerful crystal-clear stereo audio and optional external RDS/TMC modules for real-time traffic messages and other content services.

March 20, 2007.-- u-Nav Microelectronics, developer of one of the world's smallest and ultra low power Global Positioning System (GPS) chips and GPS software, announced the availability of its latest high sensitivity product called Orion RX2. In conjunction with u-Nav's 0.18� TSMC CMOS single-die implementation, Orion RX2 delivers 20-channel GPS performance achieving industry leading sensitivity levels of -160dBm. While RX2 has increased tracking performance, this new software also provides support for 2G receiver dynamics and has been optimized for navigation and ground track performance under harsh urban canyon conditions.

This technology specifically targets the needs of the personal navigation device market. RX2 has been field tested throughout cities on a worldwide basis in tunnels and multi-level highways while maintaining robust performance. According to Greg Winner, President and CEO, "This full GPS solution provides our customers with the leading edge performance necessary to compete in today's challenging GPS market." Mr. Winner added, "The navigation performance of Orion RX2 allows our customers to differentiate their products by leveraging the low power, small size, open software architecture, and cost advantages that our GPS solution offers."

Orion RX2 is a powerful and versatile GPS navigation product based on u-Nav's latest single-die uN3010 and the Orion 2.1 software. The Orion 2.1 software is responsible for all GPS functions such as signal acquisition, tracking, data extraction, and GPS navigation. Orion's message-based architecture is well suited for both stand-alone and hosted system configurations for PND, handset and asset tracking applications.

The Orion RX2 Software Development Kit (SDK) provides developers the freedom to customize and add functional software blocks to meet application specific requirements. In addition, this user friendly SDK allows users to modify operating parameters of the navigation software and develop custom applications to run on the internal DSP of u-Nav's GPS chipsets. The Orion RX2 SDK also provides a complete set of performance analysis tools and support for production flashing of the Orion software.

March 14, 2007.-- Globalstar, Inc., a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, governments, and individuals, announced that simplex data integrator AXONN, LLC, has launched a new smaller and lighter satellite data modem known as the AXTracker MMT. The AXTracker MMT is a completely self- contained satellite data device designed to communicate via the Globalstar satellite simplex data network, and is capable of providing cost-efficient and reliable asset tracking and fleet management solutions to customers from remote regions. The completely wireless device integrates a number of innovations including the use of a smaller and lighter simplex transmitter unit. It is also equipped with a long life, easy to change battery that will provide customers with up to seven years of battery life.

The low profile design of the AXTracker MMT incorporates the use of a smaller, lighter Axonn transmitter unit plus 2.4 GHz RF connection capability, allowing it to be self-contained, and easily installed without the need for harnesses, external power or external antennas. The unit is also MET Labs certified Class 1, Division 1 Groups A, B, C, D for the US and Canada. Because it is GPS based, the device is ideal for a variety of maritime or remote asset tracking applications. It can also be used for a number of remote monitoring and alarm applications, both within and beyond the reach of traditional wireless and terrestrial infrastructure.

"The AXTracker MMT is the first in a series of specifically designed, innovative, and easy to use Globalstar simplex data solutions that integrate the new Axonn STX2 Patented Satellite Transmitter Unit," said Jay Monroe, Chairman and CEO of Globalstar, Inc. Mr. Monroe added, "the MMT is not only smaller, lighter, and completely self contained, but Axonn has produced a more affordable solution that is over 15% percent less expensive to implement than the previous AXTracker product."

Axonn specializes in developing technology for wireless global one-way communication and the tracking of fixed and mobile assets. The new device includes an integrated motion detector, a built in reed switch, field wake up capability, and a wireless configuration tool.

March 12, 2007.-- Locate Mobiles.co.uk is offering a GPS Tracker that comes bundled with free tracking software, global mapping and 50 free tracks for only �199.99 plus VAT (List price �249.99) and free delivery if ordered before 1st May 2007.

Ideal for fleet management and vehicle or staff location the tracking software costs as little as 5p/day.

This GPS tracker can be used to track trailers, cars, vans, boats, caravans or other assets/packages at a fraction of the cost of existing GPS solutions. This is a very low cost, yet sophisticated GPS tracking solution with superior tracking software accessible using your web browser.

Start tracking your assets now with our enhanced GPS tracker

Never before has GPS tracking been offered on a Pay-As-You-Go basis. This product is the first in a series of innovated asset tracking solutions for businesses and home users. It does not require a permanent power source, so it can be deployed instantly into many environments to secure assets or vehicles.

No annual subscription or hidden fees.
Pay-As-You-Go tracking so you decide how much you want to spend and when.
No monthly fees charged to your credit card.
Free UK Support.
Free delivery.
Web based global maps, so track unit anywhere in the world (subject to GSM).
Battery powered lasting up to 90 days (so no install costs) - truly flexible unit.
Use your own SIM card in unit, so you can control your SIM costs.

Locate Mobiles.co.uk was formed in October 2003 to launch its GSM mobile phone tracking technology. As a cheaper alternative to GPS trackers its ideal for businesses or families. Revolutionary GSM mobile phone tracking technology now allows registered users to locate mobiles and then display the position instantly on a web map of Great Britain & N.Ireland - with an accuracy of up to 50 metres. Each search then costs as little as 20p.

Whether you run a fleet of vehicles operating in time and service critical industries or have traveling tradesmen / sales staff, or employ workers in construction or agriculture, mobile phone location technology is the simple, easy to use, alternative to investing in expensive GPS satellite location systems. If your business is mobile then you need mobile phone tracking or our GPS tracker.

March 8, 2007.-- Secureseal has launched SecureTrac, a breakthrough technology development for tracking assets worldwide via the web. Assets are located using Google Earth with current positions shown on a satellite image, aerial photograph or map. By combining the latest radio frequency identification (RFID) and satellite technologies, Secureseal has created a wireless tracking device that requires no power source; SecureTrac uses a long-life 8 year battery and is suitable for any type of mobile asset.

SecureTrac enables significant improvements to be made in asset management and logistics by automatically locating trailers, swap bodies, containers, rail wagons and other assets. With expected return on investment of 10 to 1, SecureTrac allows operational costs to be slashed by eliminating manual asset location, optimising fleet utilisation and streamlining servicing.

To provide ubiquitous coverage around the globe, Secureseal has developed the system using Globalstar, the world's most widely used satellite communication network. Incorporating Axonn AXTracker devices, SecureTrac is assured of consistent and global coverage through Globalstar's low orbit satellite network.

The breakthrough development has been achieved by combining Axonn's Globalstar communication technology and GPS with Secureseal's ultra low-power RF technology. This has allowed full operation by battery alone as part of a totally wireless solution that can be fitted in minutes and able to operate for years unattended.

"With Globalstar we found the ideal solution for achieving reliable global coverage but the real challenge was to create a device that could be free of a power source. With our experience in non-powered trailer tracking we realised we had already had the answer and SecureTrac is the result of successful integration of the two technologies" says Ben Grant, Managing Director of Secureseal.

With global coverage and freedom from maintenance or power, SecureTrac is also suitable for the management of remote fixed assets. This allows assets to be tracked during shipment and then identified onsite for years afterwards.

March 7, 2007.-- NXP Software has announced that it will demonstrate its groundbreaking swGPS SnapSpot technology at PMA'07. This technology enables a digital camera to capture the coordinates of an outdoor location in the time required to take a picture. SnapSpot delivers a painless method for geo-tagging images, giving users new and exciting ways to search, share, and view their ever-growing photo collections. Moreover, it can be achieved with a minimal addition to the camera's hardware BoM cost.

By taking a new approach to GPS geo-tagging, SnapSpot solves the problems of traditional GPS approaches, which are often obtrusive, slow and power hungry. SnapSpot technology overcomes these difficulties by separating the capture and processing of the GPS signals. The capture process is fast and consumes very little power, making it ideal for a digital camera. The captured data can then be transferred to a PC where the SnapSpot client, working with the SnapSpot server, computes each outdoor position fix in a few seconds. The computed location can then be used to tag the associated image, allowing it to be searched and viewed using a myriad of photo applications, digital maps and aerial views.

"SnapSpot is the first technology that can deliver geo-tagging into the mass consumer market. Capturing a location while maintaining the click and go freedom of current photography is a compelling combination," says Hans Streng, NXP Vice President and General Manager, Emerging Business.

To show the functionality and versatility of the SnapSpot technology, a complete reference design is available in an ultra-thin credit card form factor. This design enables a rapid time to market, in the form of an easy to carry accessory for capturing a location. Alternatively, the reference design can be used as the basis for an integrated solution for a digital camera.

The user benefit of geo-tagged images is considerable; finding that important image amongst your thousands of photos is now as simple as asking, "give me the photo taken by Tower Bridge in London".

March 6, 2007.-- TeleNav, Inc., the first company to launch a GPS navigation system on mobile phones in the U.S., announced it has received the 2007 North American Mobility Award for LBS Navigation by growth consulting firm Frost & Sullivan. TeleNav GPS Navigator was given the highest ranking in the category and was selected based on market leadership and product innovation. Frost & Sullivan will present the award to TeleNav representatives this week during the firm's annual Mobility Awards Banquet in Indian Wells, Calif.

"This is the year for mobile navigation, and TeleNav is a clear leader in the industry," said Brent Iadarola, Global Research Director for Mobile & Wireless at Frost & Sullivan. "TeleNav GPS Navigator is giving traditional navigation devices a run for their money by offering a technology that is innovative, user-friendly and affordable."

TeleNav was the first company to launch a GPS navigation system on a mobile phone in the U.S., first to launch full-color 3D maps on a mobile phone and the first to provide intelligent traffic alerts and one-click rerouting on a mobile phone. Other features of TeleNav GPS Navigator include voice and on-screen, turn-by-turn directions, Biz Finder with more than 10 million points of interest, speech recognition, lowest price fuel finder, Wi-Fi hotspot finder and more. TeleNav GPS Navigator is currently available in multiple countries in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

"We are honored to have received this prestigious award from Frost & Sullivan," said Dr. H.P. Jin, president, CEO and co-founder of TeleNav. "We have an incredible team of people who have worked very hard to consistently innovate and set the bar high for the industry. We are committed to providing a product that changes how the world views and uses navigation." The Mobility Awards are a unique set of awards selected by a committee made up of more than 30 editors and analysts in the wireless industry. The awards represent the best products as voted on by this select group of industry experts. To choose nominees, the analyst team tracks all new product launches, R&D spending, products in development and new product features and modifications. The winners are selected based on significance of new products in the industry, competitive advantage, product innovation and product acceptance in the marketplace.

March 5, 2007.-- u-blox AG will showcase u-blox 5, a Galileo-ready A-GPS chip featuring an acquisition performance of less than one second, at the 2007 CeBIT trade show in Hanover, Germany.

CeBIT, which runs from March 15-21, is the world's leading ICT show and is expected to attract nearly half a million visitors and over 6000 exhibitors this year. This makes it the largest marketplace for digital IT and telecommunications solutions, providing a unique opportunity for product manufacturers, service providers and distributors to meet, exchange views and do business.

u-blox will be promoting its u-blox 5 chip at the event. The new technology boasts an acquisition and tracking sensitivity of -160 dBm that enables indoor coverage, a 50-channel engine and a power consumption of less than 50 mW. Its energy efficiency and tracking sensitivity make it ideal for GPS-enabled battery-operated portable devices that operate in difficult indoor environments like shopping malls, train stations and urban canyons.

"Our ultra fast u-blox 5 chip, with its low power consumption and indoor performance, enables a whole new range of innovative GPS-enabled applications, from handheld navigation devices to smart phones," said Thomas Seiler, u-blox CEO.

u-blox will also showcase recent innovations like AssistNow, u-blox' end-to-end A-GPS solutions that enhance receiver performance, enabling instant positioning anywhere, at anytime. AssistNow services make the long waiting times usually associated with standard GPS acquisition performance a thing of the past, even in difficult signal conditions. The recently introduced AssistNow Offline provides assistance data valid for up to 14 days, which is stored in the GPS receiver. This enables the receiver to compute a position instantly without having to connect to a mobile network at start-up to download the data, as is the case with typical A-GPS services.

March 1, 2007.-- MuskokaTech, a leading provider of GPS Navigation and Mapping Software for handheld PCs, announced the release of PathAway GPS 4 Professional Edition for Windows Mobile handhelds.

PathAway Professional Edition has all of the features of PathAway GPS 4 - Standard Edition plus new features targeted towards power users and professionals. Of significance, PathAway PRO offers 2-way wireless remote location tracking. This enables users to send their location to others, and to monitor where others are, right on their handheld unit. Locations can be sent and received directly via SMS, or sent to a central tracking service. This makes PathAway ideal for activities such as group travel, search and rescue operations, competitive sports, or people and asset tracking.

"Today, more and more communications towers are being installed in remote locations. So remote tracking features that utilize data networks, can now increase travel safety for activities like hiking expeditions, where it's necessary to keep track of where everyone in the group is". Says MuskokaTech CEO Scott Northmore, "If one person falls behind due to an injury, the others will be able to see it and respond quickly".

"PathAway PRO with Remote Location Tracking now extends location monitoring into the field", adds Scott, "Traditionally, location monitoring has been done from a remote station. This works well on the monitoring side, but when it comes to something like a search and rescue operation, PathAway is ideal, because now the searchers can see the exact location they're trying to find, and they can see where other searchers are as well. They are not tied to a vehicle with monitor either. With a Windows Mobile phone running PathAway PRO, they can keep in touch at all times whether in a vehicle, or on foot. This makes the operation more efficient and raises the chances of saving lives or recovering valuable assets". Additionally, some of the new features for PathAway Professional Edition include: Calculate new Location from relative distance and direction; Left/right, high/low directional alarms; Pace-keeping features for racing, training, or arrival-time scheduling; Import and export of GPX, LOC, or text delimited data; And download maps from the Internet on-the-fly.

"These additional advanced features really set PathAway apart as being an incredibly powerful tool for any type of GPS-enhanced application", says Scott, "For example, the pace-keeping features are great for the cyclist who needs to monitor a training run; pilots of aircraft or boats can utilize the new alarms and pace-keeping features to notify them if they stray off their planned course and help them make corrections; the avid Geocacher can manage caches on the handheld and easily import new caches and export caches to share with others; the surveyor can track the perimeter of a plot of land and calculate distances and area".

PathAway GPS 4 Professional Edition is available at PathAway.com for $95.00 US. Existing users can upgrade from Standard Edition for $45 US. Users can download a free 15-day trial version at PathAway.com. Free support is provided via online contact form or the PathAway Support Forum.

February 27, 2007.-- WebTech Wireless Inc., a provider of location-based and fleet Telematics services, announced the launch of a nationwide distribution agreement to provide a complete logistics and real-time GPS fleet management solution for the Mexican market with Prolog, a Logistics Consulting and Systems Integrator Company.

For the first time, customers will be able to receive complete, comprehensive services from logistics to Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) to real-time GPS fleet management to improve overall fleet management efficiency and consistency. "With our recent success in Brazil, WebTech is looking at increasing our penetration on a global scale in similar market demographics. This partnership marks a great beginning for our expansion into the Mexican market where the opportunities are significant for our commercial fleet business. With Prolog's established presence in the Mexican market, we have the opportunity to provide valuable, effective solutions to their Fortune 500 customers," said Neil Chan, Senior Vice President, Business Development, WebTech Wireless.

The WebTech real-time GPS fleet management and telematics solution will complement Prolog's existing logistics and EAM services and allow customers to increase mobile workforce productivity, lower productivity costs and improve the safety and security of mobile assets.

"WebTech's real-time GPS fleet management and telematics solutions are a natural extension of our service offerings for our customers. This strong partnership of complementary technologies will provide the productivity benefits for both new and existing customers," said Gustavo Morales, President, PROLOG.

February 26, 2007.-- Sarantel ltd, leading manufacturer and innovator for filtering antennas, announced their movement into a new market application - GPS enabled cameras. The GeoHelix was selected by Ricoh Corporation for their newly launched 500SE because of its high performance, reliability and small size.

Ricoh developed the highly ruggedised 500SE to overcome problems associated with marrying pictures or videos with points on a map. The camera automatically embeds GPS data and is able to record the location of the object as well as the photographer. In addition the user is able to send images wirelessly via bluetooth or wi-fi. Achieving reliable GPS was essential for Ricoh in an applications where location accuracy under all conditions is critical to the workflow. Sarantel's GeoHelix is high performing, doesn't detune when hand-loaded and has proven reliability in all conditions from heavily wooded areas to urban canyons. And its omni-directional properties mean that satellites are detected regardless of the orientation of the camera.

Jeff Lengyel, Manager of Ricoh Digital Imaging Division comments, "We needed an antenna that was small, light weight and highly accurate. The GeoHelix was a natural choice which allowed us to integrate GPS quickly and without hassle." Ben Sandford, Vice President of Sales, Sarantel Ltd said "We are delighted to have been chosen by Ricoh in this application which is a first for us. Our technology is a perfect fit and clearly demonstrates where we can genuinely add value to our customers and their products."

February 26, 2007.-- GeoSpatial Experts announced the availability of the Ricoh 500SE GPS-digital camera in a new photo-mapping product bundle. Available through GeoSpatial Experts and its distributors, this bundle includes the GPS-Photo Link photo-mapping software, the Ricoh 500SE camera with attached GPS module, a 1 gigabyte memory card and a camera bag.

"Ricoh designed the 500SE digital camera with location-based photo mapping in mind," said Rick Bobbitt, President of GeoSpatial Experts. "Our clients can take this extremely ruggedized, water-proof camera with them into the field without any fear that it will break if it's dropped on the ground or gets wet."

In addition to an all-weather body, 8-megapixel resolution, and add-on lenses, the Ricoh 500SE comes with a detachable GPS module that automatically embeds GPS coordinates with the captured photographic images. The position of the GPS module on the top of the camera provides superior GPS signal reception compared with slide-in GPS cards. The new camera also offers a "GPS lock" function which records the location of the object being photographed instead of where the photographer is standing.

"The Ricoh 500SE is an all-in-one GIS data collection device," said Bobbitt, noting that it enables users to directly enter up to five data attributes which will be seamlessly attached to the digital photograph along with the location coordinates. The camera can even snap a picture of a barcode and store it as a photo attribute. These attribute fields remain with the photos as GIS layers when the files are downloaded into the GPS-Photo Link software for georeferenced display in a GIS.

Developed by GeoSpatial Experts, GPS-Photo Link is a digital image mapping software that saves time and money by automatically linking digital photographic images to GPS location data in the GIS environment. GPS-Photo Link creates web pages in which the watermarked photographs are integrated with satellite imagery, street maps, or other GIS-based mapping layer. New functionality added in the most recent software version enables users to display their photo locations as icons in a Google Earth map layer and add an arrow indicating the direction in which the photo was taken.

Another new function found in the Ricoh 500SE that will be beneficial to photo-mapping users is the built-in Bluetooth and optional WiFi wireless capability. This will allow users to instantly transfer images and attributes acquired in the camera to other handheld mobile devices, such as PDAs or GIS data collectors. Data can also be transmitted wirelessly from these external devices to the camera. GIS users can also utilize the Bluetooth connection to communicate with an external GPS receiver if they choose not to use the Ricoh GPS module attachment.

"The availability of the Bluetooth or WiFi wireless connection greatly facilitates transferring of photos to other devices," said Bobbitt. "This is the best geo-imaging camera on the market today."

February 22, 2007.-- Satamatics, the global provider of satellite-telematics, asset tracking and monitoring services, has launched its new "Reefermatics" service. The launch is a major step towards enhancing the company's offerings in the over-the-road long haul trucking and cold chain logistics sectors. The satellite-based solution is initially being targeted at the US trucking, rail and container industry.

The Satamatics SAT 201 integrated solution, used in Reefermatics, is the first satellite modem of its kind in the industry to run the refrigerated systems' microprocessors protocol in its firmware. This significantly reduces reliability issues previously experienced in the industry and greatly reduces the equipment cost for this type of technology.

Reefermatics' tracking system provides essential information on a refrigerated trailer's status, location, temperature set point, fuel levels, battery and history. Operating over the Inmarsat D+ satellite network, the new solution is also able to remotely start and control refrigerated systems. This combination of control, security and data monitoring allows cold chain logistic companies to provide the most reliable and protected services to the shippers of perishable and high value commodities and products.

Brian Hester, President & COO of Satamatics Inc. commented: "Up until now, remote refrigerated control and monitoring has been technologically complicated, requiring several microprocessors to communicate between the onboard microprocessor that runs the refrigeration system and then sending the resulting data through various satellite or terrestrial communication modems. Our goal was to reduce the multiple failure points in the communication of this critical refrigeration information. In doing so, we have created a highly reliable cost-effective system for less than the cost of cellular-based systems. Satamatics has the ability to deliver locally or globally critical cold chain logistics information, providing end users with real time information for better management, usage and protection of refrigerated cargo and the assets that move them."

February 22, 2007.-- Brunswick Corporation announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell Brunswick New Technologies' portable navigation device (PND) operations to MiTAC International Corporation. The purchase will be for the PND operations of the Navman brand. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Completion of the sale is subject to regulatory approvals.

Based in Taiwan, MiTAC is a leading manufacturer of personal computers, servers and mobile telecommunications devices. MiTAC has manufacturing operations in Taiwan and the People's Republic of China, as well as assembly centers in the United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany and Japan. Its products are sold around the world.

"We are pleased to have found a strategic buyer with expertise and technologies central to PND products," said Dustan E. McCoy, Brunswick chairman and chief executive officer. "We believe such a buyer is more apt to fully appreciate every segment of the business and will be able to focus on this business' technological expertise, helping it reach its full potential."

Brunswick announced in April 2006 its decision to pursue the sale of substantially all of its BNT business unit. PND is the second of three main areas of BNT operations to attract buyers recently. Navico International Ltd., based in Norway, recently agreed to buy BNT's marine electronics brands, including MX Marine, Northstar and relevant operations of Navman. Efforts to sell Navman's remaining fleet management operations continue.

February 22, 2007.-- Traveleyes, a company that specializes in organizing overseas trips for the visually impaired, now provides its clients with HumanWare's Trekker Talking GPS system. Recognized internationally for helping blind people move around, Trekker will offer more autonomy and independence to travelers using Traveleyes by enabling them to enjoy the places they visit even more.

The mission of Traveleyes, founded in 2005 by Amar Latif, who is himself visually impaired, is to offer people with visual impairment a wonderful travel experience without the usual restrictions and limitations. Before the emergence of Traveleyes, very few customized holidays were available for visually impaired people. Those that did exist were generally restrictive in terms of destinations, and often tended to be inflexible and very expensive. With Traveleyes, the visually impaired world traveler is no longer required to "tag along" as either a welcome or tolerated appendage to the peer-group holiday.

"I strongly believe that blind people do not just have to follow in the wake of the sighted, but that they can indeed be trailblazers," Amar Latif said.

The GPS Trekker system seamlessly integrates into Traveleyes' services, offering more than just a simple tour, but rather allowing blind tourists to actively and independently participate. Thus, with Trekker, Traveleyes globetrotters will have even more freedom and autonomy when visiting tourist sites. For example, they can make their way from their hotel to a museum by relying on the information provided by Trekker.

Introduced by HumanWare in 2003, Trekker is a talking GPS system that uses digital maps to help blind persons find their way everywhere in the world. The users can pinpoint exactly where they are, learn about area attractions, and find out in real time how to get to specific destinations. Fitting in the palm of the hand, Trekker offers the visually impaired greater freedom, raising their confidence in their ability to travel. It also helps them access and enjoy the most valuable and interesting opportunities their surroundings have to offer.

"Accessible travel guides, GPS technology and electronic tactile maps can now open up new horizons to the visually impaired traveler," Latif said.

February 21, 2007.-- NAC Geographic Products Inc. announced the release of the NAC Smart Tag DLL for Microsoft Office - an integration of the Natural Area Coding System with Microsoft Smart Tag technology.

Smart tags enable real-time, dynamic recognition of content and offer relevant options to people as they work to allow them to quickly access and analyze information. Microsoft has already included the smart tags for Financial Symbol, Address, Place, Date, Telephone Number, Time and Personal Name in its Office suite including Outlook email software.

Although Address and Place smart tags can correctly recognize most US addresses, they are not able to handle international addresses, not mention addresses in other languages and characters or locations without addresses.

Therefore, a smart tag for any area or any location in the world is urgently demanded. NAC Smart Tag is exactly such a tag based on a Natural Area Code (NAC) which always starts with "NAC: " followed by two character strings separated by one blank space. NAC is highly efficient which can specify an area about 1000km X 670km anywhere in the world with two characters, 35km X 23km with four characters, a square kilometer (1200m X 750m) with six characters, a building size area (40m X 25m) with eight characters and a square meter (1.3m X 0.8m) with ten characters. It is also language independent and covers all locations and areas in the world.

"Before the introduction of NAC Smart Tag, due to the lack of universal smart tags for all locations and areas in the world, referencing an accurate location is very inconvenient and therefore rarely seen in Office documents. But now with the help of NAC Smart Tag, referencing accurate locations and areas becomes so simple that people type the NACs of accurate locations in any Office document which will automatically turn them into smart tags highlighted with either underlined red dots or a colored cell corner," said Dr. Xinhang Shen, president of NAC Geographic Products Inc., "readers can simply click a smart tag to get the high resolution satellite image showing its exact location without the help of other software." Here is an example of a NAC Smart Tag:

NAC: 8KDB PGFD

If you have installed the NAC Smart Tag DLL on your computer, moving the cursor on it will pop up its action menu and you can click it to get the map of the NAC immediately.

Because of the convenience of using NAC Smart Tag to specify any accurate location or area in the world, police officers, journalists and other authors can include NACs in their reports or emails so that readers of the documents can conveniently get the maps of the exact locations whenever they want. All salespersons can store the NACs of their customers in an Excel spreadsheet or an Access table which can be used as an efficient tool to map any customer location on the list without the support of any GIS software.

NAC Smart Tags in Office documents can even be saved with the contents in web pages which can be directly published on the Internet to significantly reduce the work of referencing accurate locations for location sensitive stories. Search engines can even use the NACs to sort stories according to their locations.

People may say "Yes, NAC Smart Tag is amazing, but where can we get it for a given location?" If you have a NAC enhanced GPS receiver (GPS cepphones, GPS watches, GPS cameras, etc) such as Locamagic, you can simply click a button to get the NAC of your current location instantly. If you don't have such a device, you can also get it on NAC Lookup Service or NAC Enhanced Google Maps. You can even get the NACs of a list of street addresses in 24 countries through a batch geocoding service from NAC Geographic Products Inc. That means that everybody can use NAC Smart Tag and enjoy its convenience right now.

The FREE NAC Smart Tag turns Microsoft Office into powerful and easy-to-use GIS software for general users.

February 21, 2007.-- The European Commission adopted a Decision that outlines the mandatory conditions for using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology in the next generation wireless devices all across the European Union. UWB devices can transmit data at very high rates by 'spreading' the signal over very broad ranges of the radio spectrum. With rates comparable to devices connected by cable, UWB is an attractive technology for the increasingly bandwidth-hungry consumer electronics industry.

While the spectrum is already used by many sectors (such as mobile operators, broadcasters and the aviation community), the extremely low transmission powers of UWB signals ensure that harmful interference with these applications is avoided. With UWB, many electronic devices so far linked by cable, will have a wireless alternative offering the same data rates (up to 480 Mbit/s or the speed of USB wired connections available today). Devices will therefore be able to seamlessly 'speak' to each other whenever in range. UWB will provide this ease-of-use to users while operating in the existing spectrum, which is currently a scarce and often very expensive resource.

This Decision is a concrete measure implementing the Commission's strategy to make the use of the radio spectrum in the European Union more flexible and more efficient. The technical conditions in this Decision, which must be applied within the next six months throughout the EU's 27 Member States, were developed following extensive compatibility studies between UWB and all other spectrum users that could potentially have been affected. The studies were done by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) for the Commission.

February 20, 2007.-- Intermap Technologies Corp. announced an agreement to provide Microsoft Corp. with NEXTMap Britain digital elevation data for use within Microsoft's Virtual Earth platform. The agreement enables Microsoft to create and deliver a Live Search Maps product powered by the most current and accurate digital terrain model of Great Britain.

Intermap's 3D digital terrain model data will serve as the base layer or foundation for the placement and alignment of aerial photography and other geospatial layers. Images are draped over Intermap's three-dimensional foundation to create a unique and accurate user viewing experience.

"The increasing popularity of Internet mapping applications has soared over the past few years, and the quality of data used to deliver unique solutions and an outstanding user experience is what will separate providers in this space," commented Eric DesRoche, senior vice president of strategic business development for Intermap Technologies. "Microsoft is committed to delivering the most accurate and highest quality product on the market and our NEXTMap Britain countrywide elevation dataset will make this a reality."

The agreement also sets the stage for the future development of applications and solutions that rely on accurate digital elevation models that can serve a multitude of business and consumer needs around the world. These applications would have otherwise been unachievable prior to Intermap's creation of these 3D data sets.

As part of Intermap's worldwide proactive data collection efforts, Great Britain is currently in the Company's data library. Additionally, Intermap is now aggressively mapping Europe under their NEXTMap Europe program. The collection of the entire country of Germany is now complete and the remainder of Western Europe is scheduled for completion by the end of 2007. The continental U.S. is being mapped concurrently with the European initiative and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2008.

February 20, 2007.-- Inrix Inc. and TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) announced the enhancement of TCS' 20/20 Mobility Suite through the incorporation of Inrix's real-time traffic information.

The TCS 20/20 Mobility Suite provides enterprises with complete visibility into their mobile workforces, including proof of delivery and related information for managing outside-the-warehouse logistics. With the addition of Inrix's real-time traffic technology, 20/20 Traffic Alerts can monitor traffic incidents in the vicinity of the driver's planned route and alert the driver's wireless mobile computer when traffic incidents occur. The real-time traffic information, provided by Inrix in partnership with Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network, allows the driver to avoid potential delays due to traffic congestion or road closures.

TCS' Vice President of Enterprise Solutions, Doug Stovall, said, "TCS chose Inrix as its traffic data provider based upon the company's comprehensive market coverage, superior data quality and unique portfolio of innovative traffic solutions. TCS is committed to ensuring that our customers have the most accurate traffic information possible so they can manage their mobile workforces efficiently. Inrix's traffic content enhances the new traffic service feature of our 20/20 Suite."

"With the enhancements of its 20/20 Mobility Suite, TCS is continuing its leading-edge innovations in the enterprise Location Based Services market," said Bryan Mistele, Inrix president and CEO. "We are excited to partner with a market leader like TCS in providing easy-to-use and highly effective solutions for the mobile workforce."

TCS' 20/20 Mobility Suite with 20/20 Traffic Alerts is available today in most major cities in the United States. TCS' 20/20 Mobility Suite incorporates TCS' Xypoint Mapping Server and Xypoint Dynamic Data Server which provide integrated traffic-based routing, mapping and traffic information.

February 15, 2007.-- Global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan has selected GuidePoint Systems as the top-ranked stolen vehicle tracking system in North America.

Guidepoint said it has been chosen to receive Frost & Sullivan's 2007 North American Stolen Vehicle Tracking Best Bang for the Buck of the Year Award. The award recognizes Guidepoint as the #1 ranked product among more than a dozen of the leading North American original equipment (OE) and aftermarket suppliers of stolen vehicle tracking services that were considered for the honor.

To choose the recipient, Frost & Sullivan analysts track competitor features and prices within the industry by conducting interviews with all market participants and through extensive secondary research of proprietary data sources. Competitors are compared and ranked for relative position. Frost & Sullivan presents the award to the company that achieved the number one industry rank.

"Frost & Sullivan is pleased to recognize Guidepoint's ability to grow consistently, year after year, with the 2007 Best Bang for the Buck of the Year Award in stolen vehicle tracking systems," said Frost & Sullivan's Sathyanarayana K, research analyst. "We attribute this success to the company's service orientation, the positive relationships that it has built with dealers and distributors, and the unique hardware/software package that it offers to end-users."

Guidepoint integrates GPS satellite technology, advanced wireless, the Web and 24/7/365 response centers to deliver a variety of location-based services, including stolen vehicle recovery, driver safety and convenience, online tracking, and fleet management. Guidepoint is available at more than 1,000 new and pre-owned vehicle dealerships nationwide, as well as select specialty retail outlets and 12-volt stores.

In a report on the industry, Frost & Sullivan's analysts write: "The uniqueness of Guidepoint is designing a device that not only serves consumers and other end users, but also the car dealers, retailers, and distributors that sell the product. Guidepoint provides dealers and distributors a device that is easy to install and that can be reconfigured quickly and cost-effectively, based on market or customer demand ... The Guidepoint system stands unique among all competing devices, including original equipment and aftermarket products."

February 14, 2007.-- Leading Dutch research institute TNO announced the results of research that prove the positive influence of satellite navigation devices on driving and traffic safety. The study was commissioned by Aon, Athlon Car Lease, Delta Lloyd (part of Aviva Plc) and TomTom.

Key findings:

The use of a satellite navigation device improves the driver's behavior
The use of a satellite navigation system heightens alertness and reduces
Drivers who do NOT have the use of a satellite navigation solution have
The use of a TomTom satellite navigation solution reduces the amount of
The use of a TomTom satellite navigation solution reduces travel time
The use of a TomTom satellite navigation solution reduces the workload (the amount of effort it takes the driver to drive) of the driver when traveling through an unknown area to an unknown destination.

Alexander Ribbink, chief operating officer for TomTom, said: "We have always designed our products with safety as a key priority. All our tests have always proven that our products act as a genuine aid to driving. This independent research now strengthens this. TomTom owners benefit from increased awareness, a reduced workload, less stress, less time and distance traveled in getting to their destination. On top of that there are clear environmental and economic benefits. All in all, we provide drivers with the ability to keep their eyes on the road and get from A to B as safely and efficiently as possible."

Improvement of driving behavior

The research showed that when drivers use a satellite navigation solution they stop 25% less frequently and are stationary for 35% less time. Satellite navigation solutions also reduce the number of turns required to get to the destination compared to conventional navigation tools, such as paper maps or online route planners. What is also shown is that driving behavior has improved, with more than 50% fewer inappropriate actions, such as ignoring traffic signs. The driver can focus on driving rather than finding the way.

More alert and less stressed behind the wheel

The research showed that satellite navigation solutions heighten the alertness of drivers and provide them with an improved attention span, while also reducing stress. 78% of users have the feeling that they have everything under control when using a TomTom satellite navigation solution. They are more alert behind the wheel and more conscious of traffic behind them.

Less workload

The research proves that the workload of drivers is reduced when using a satellite navigation solution. The workload is 20% less when driving with a TomTom satellite navigation solution and involved less exertion. Driving while using conventional navigation tools, such as maps and digital Internet route planners, proved to present a more intense workload.

Reduction of mileage

The research proved that the amount of actual distance driven when using a TomTom satellite navigation solution is reduced by 16%. Time spent traveling is reduced by 18%. Because fewer miles are driven, fuel is saved, which is beneficial for both the car driver and the environment.

Reduction in frequency of insurance claims

The research proves that lease drivers who do NOT have satellite navigation make 12% more damage claims than those who do have satellite navigation.

About the research

There were three elements used to determine the answer to the central question "What are the effects of navigation systems on traffic safety?": a user survey; damage database analysis; and test drives. The research program was conducted in The Netherlands over a six month period and was completed in December 2006. The findings of this study show that satellite navigation solutions have a positive effect on traffic safety.

February 13, 2007.-- TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS), a leading provider of mission-critical wireless data solutions, announced the availability of its Xypoint- Secure User Plane for Location (SUPL) Server. The Company will demonstrate the TCS Xypoint SUPL Server capabilities during the 3GSM World Congress at space 2A106 in Hall 2. The SUPL Server conforms to the standard for Internet Protocol (IP)-based Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) location as defined by the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). The OMA standard uses a network's existing IP infrastructure to pass data between the Mobile Set (MS) and an A-GPS server to support next-generation location-based services (LBS).

The Xypoint SUPL Server supports OMA SUPL 1.0 standard to enable such innovative location services as navigation, fleet tracking and mobile marketing. TCS continued to show its leadership in Assisted GPS at the OMA SUPL Interoperability Test Fests held in 2006 that demonstrated the ability of the Xypoint SUPL Server to interact with handsets, using the SUPL standard protocols, as well as generate a location fix from a network server (MS-assisted fix) or within the handset (MS-based fix). TCS' successful performance at the Test Fests represents an important opportunity for Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) operators around the world to provide location services for public safety, child-finding, fleet tracking, locating points of interest and navigation. TCS provides Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)-based A-GPS precise location fixes for over 25 mobile operator networks around the world for public safety and commercial uses.

As one of the only companies to offer both hosted and in-network location solutions, TCS turnkey SUPL Server solution can be deployed within the operator's network or provided as a service from one of TCS' TL-9000 certified hosting facilities. With either approach, TCS can supply the entire location-based solution: a precise location engine; the Xypoint Location Platform to support privacy, roaming and billing; the Xypoint Mapping Server to provide maps, routes and location-sensitive points of interest; the Xypoint Reference Network to provide global assistance data needed for rapid precise location calculations; and a broad suite of applications. TCS roaming solution allows an operator to provide location fixes for its customers when they roam into other standards-compliant operator networks.

"TCS continues to lead the advancement of location-based services and demonstrates how the use of location technology provides important services and saves lives," said Drew Morin, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for TCS. "TCS provides tracking and navigation services to operators, enabling them to offer consumers the innovative location services that enhance their lifestyles and foster loyalty to their wireless service providers." TCS Xypoint product suite offers carrier-grade high availability and reliability over a wide range of networks, including GSM, CDMA, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and UMTS.

"OMA has brought together contributions from across the mobile industry value chain to create many location specifications," commented Fred Harrison, Vice Chair of the OMA and Chair of the OMA Interoperability Program. "As an OMA member and continuing Test Fest participant, TCS and all of the members of OMA are supporting the wide adoption and use of location-based products and services - agnostic of bearer networks, on any device and from any geographic region around the globe."

TCS' award-winning Xypoint Location Platform has a long history of providing reliable location service to wireless operators. Additionally, TCS proven GPS experience and successes in the location arena include 12 location patents and 60 location patents pending.

ABOUT OPEN MOBILE ALLIANCE

Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) delivers open specifications for creating interoperable services that work across countries, operators, fixed and mobile terminals. Driven by users' needs and the expanding market for data services, the member companies of Open Mobile Alliance stimulate the adoption of new and enhanced information, communication and entertainment services. Open Mobile Alliance includes contributors from all key elements of the wireless value chain and contributes to the timely and efficient introduction of services and applications.

February 12, 2007.-- TeleNav Inc. and Rogers Wireless announced that Rogers Wireless customers will be the first in Canada to have access to the award-winning TeleNav GPS Navigator. The service, which will be available for $10 per month for unlimited use beginning March 6th, provides turn-by-turn, GPS-enabled driving directions directly from BlackBerry handsets, including the new BlackBerry 8800, announced separately today.

Like an in-car navigation system, TeleNav GPS Navigator provides customers with access to full-color 3D moving maps, voice and on-screen navigation, and information and directions to millions of business listings in North America, including nearby Wi-Fi hotspots. Unlike an in-car navigation system, TeleNav GPS Navigator is conveniently available on mobile devices, includes automatically updated maps and business information, and can be used in pedestrian mode for turn-by-turn directions while walking.

Features of TeleNav GPS Navigator include: * Voice and on-screen turn-by-turn driving directions. Customers enter or use voice recognition to call in their destinations and TeleNav GPS Navigator computes their routes. As they drive, they will get up-to-the minute guidance and will automatically be re-routed if they miss a turn. They can also preview their routes before they begin driving and specify preferences including highways and streets. * Full-color 3D moving maps. Just like an in-car navigation system, the 3D maps turn, move and stop as the driver does the same, while also displaying a realistic image of the streets the driver is approaching and streets they are passing. Users can also pan and zoom around the map to view surrounding streets. * Biz Finder. Customers can look up businesses and services, including ATMs, restaurants, hotels, Wi-Fi hotspots and gas stations and easily navigate to them with the click of a button. * Spot Marker. Users can mark waypoints to help find their way back to a location or to mark points of interest. * Pedestrian Mode. TeleNav GPS Navigator can be used while walking, to help guide customers on long walks or through crowded downtown streets. * My Favorites. Customers can save as many addresses as they want for easy access and directions later.

"Our expansion into Canada proves that mobile-phone based navigation has become the first choice for many people across North America, said Dr. H.P. Jin, president, CEO and co-founder of TeleNav. "An increasing number of mobile customers are realizing that there is no reason to invest in expensive navigation devices or worry about printing out directions.

To purchase TeleNav GPS Navigator, Rogers Wireless customers can download the application directly from their wireless device beginning March 6th. It will be available initially on the BlackBerry 8800, the BlackBerry 8700 and the BlackBerry Pearl.

A Bluetooth GPS receiver is required for non-GPS enabled mobile handsets. Ongoing subscription to the service costs $10.00 per month for unlimited trips (a Rogers Wireless data plan is also required). For a limited time, TeleNav is offering customers the ability to use TeleNav GPS Navigator while traveling in the United States at no additional charge.1 An ongoing updated list of Rogers Wireless mobile devices that support TeleNav GPS Navigator can be found at www.telenav.com.

February 12, 2007.-- NemeriX, a leading fabless semiconductor company specializing in ultra low power semiconductors and solutions for GPS and location-based services, announced NeX - NemeriX's Extended Ephemeris solution. NeX enables mobile devices to acquire immediate positioning information "deep-indoors", in difficult garage scenarios, and in the harshest multi-path environments.

NemeriX's Extended Ephemeris is a key component of Assisted GPS (A-GPS) which enables GPS platforms to operate where direct satellite data is unavailable. The innovative implementation developed by NemeriX allows for transmission over a multitude of communication media to deliver maximum availability and unparalleled accuracy.

The compacted firmware enables quicker transmissions and uses less bandwidth than competing methods. With a time-to-first-fix ( TTFF) of less than one-fifth the time of competing solutions, coupled with increased positioning accuracy of less than 30 meters, NeX will enable handset manufacturers and service providers to develop new and differentiated location-based services.

Today's current Extended Ephemeris solutions require the implementation of a costly server network and client-side software. In a departure from its competition, NeX is offered free with NemeriX's GPS integrated circuits, and is also server independent, removing the need for additional servers and infrastructure and reducing overall system cost. NeX's unique architecture has the capability to be extendable to 21 days - 50 per cent longer than any solution on the market today.

Lionel J. Garin, Chief Technology Officer at NemeriX, comments: "NeX delivers out-of- coverage A-GPS, enabling our customers to offer GPS platforms with enhanced assisted operation outside of cellular coverage areas. This "position everywhere" technology enables positioning in the most difficult of environments, including deep indoor, enabling significantly enhanced quality of service and improved customer satisfaction."

February 12, 2007.-- NXP Semiconductors, the newly independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, and privately held Global Locate Inc., a leader in Assisted-GPS products and services, have announced availability of an A-GPS reference design based on the NXP Nexperia cellular system solution 7210 for EDGE/UMTS and Global Locate Hammerhead2 assisted GPS chip. Recently released, Hammerhead II is the world's smallest A-GPS receiver, combining LNA, RF Tuner, PLL and baseband functions into a 3.74 mm x 3.59 mm x 0.6 mm single die CMOS chip. Global Locate's patented host-based architecture and unique signal processing techniques result in sensitivity to -160dBm, and position fix times as fast as one second, exceeding industry standards.

The reference design software supports RRLP (Radio Resource Location Protocol), RRC (Radio Resource Control), and SUPL (Secure User Plane Location) standards for Assisted-GPS (A-GPS), allowing handset manufacturers to comply with mobile operator and government location requirements in North America, Europe and Asia without additional software development.

"Global Locate is excited to work with an established world-wide semiconductor leader like NXP. We believe this reference design will offer best-in-class performance at a compelling price point for NXP's customers," remarked Donald Fuchs, executive vice president of business development for Global Locate. "Due to the strong customer base of NXP, it is important for the solution to provide comprehensive coverage of all modes of GPS operation, including E911, LBS (location based services) and navigation applications."

Marc Humbert, product marketing, NXP Semiconductors noted, "Incorporating Global Locate's A-GPS protocol stack and chips into our 2G/3G platforms and performing interoperability tests with major infrastructure vendors over the next few months will allow handset manufacturers to significantly reduce their engineering efforts and shorten the time to market, while enabling emergency call and location-based services."

A-GPS overcomes the limitations of traditional GPS services. Standard GPS receivers must download data from GPS satellites. This often takes several minutes for a conventional GPS receiver to download the required data from the satellites before computing its own location. With A-GPS, the same data can be relayed via an A-GPS server within a matter of seconds. This dramatically improves the performance of the GPS receiver in the mobile phone.

Evaluation and development kits based on the reference design are expected to be available in the second quarter of 2007.

February 12, 2007.-- QUALCOMM Incorporated introduced gpsOneXTRA Assistance technology, an enhancement to its integrated gpsOne solution to improve Standalone-GPS performance. gpsOneXTRA Assistance technology delivers more accurate positioning with greater sensitivity than otherwise possible with standalone GPS receivers, especially in difficult areas such as indoors and in dense urban canyons.

"QUALCOMM's gpsOneXTRA Assistance technology means wireless users can benefit from positioning capabilities on their handset even in environments where GPS is not available, such as deep indoors," said Mark Frankel, vice president of product management for QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies. "By offering this technology on our chipsets, QUALCOMM is helping to ensure that wireless users can use their navigation, social networking, or other location-aware applications -- anywhere, anytime."

QUALCOMM's gpsOne technology supports multiple modes of Assisted-GPS (A-GPS), which leverages GPS satellites and the cellular network for highly reliable positioning capabilities, as well as Standalone-GPS, which expands the availability of positioning capabilities to areas where cellular networks are not accessible. The company's new gpsOneXTRA Assistance technology provides enhanced operation for Standalone-GPS by enabling a user to download a small assistance data file through a brief Internet access session. gpsOneXTRA Assistance technology provides benefits such as a faster time-to-fix and operation, indoors and in challenging environments for up to seven days. Network operators who have not yet deployed A-GPS systems can more quickly and cost effectively provide their subscribers with enhanced GPS performance on mobile handsets by leveraging QUALCOMM's gpsOneXTRA Assistance technology.

gpsOneXTRA Assistance will be supported as part of the gpsOne solution on select Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chipsets for both CDMA2000 and WCDMA (UMTS) networks beginning in the second quarter of 2007.

February 12, 2007.-- Motorola, Inc. announced its new Phone-based Navigation System T805 and Smartphone-based Navigation System T815, both featuring Motorola's new MOTONAV solution.

The T805 and T815 Navigation Systems with MOTONAV easily turn compatible Bluetooth enabled handsets into ultra-portable GPS navigation devices. Each navigation system includes a stylish Motorola designed GPS receiver, which provides precise locations, turn-by-turn directions, on-screen maps and clear spoken and visual instructions. The systems also boast a rich set of location-based services through MOTONAV.

The GPS receiver establishes a connection via Bluetooth wireless technology to a compatible mobile phone through automatic pairing, eliminating the need for complicated device discovery or pin-number entry. The receiver is enhanced by AGPS, providing users with quick start-up and location search and routing within seconds.

The MOTONAV location-based services help users to navigate to any destination including restaurants, petrol stations, schools and hotels. Users can also send their whereabouts to friends, family and colleagues, who can then view the location on a map or navigate to their location. Real-time traffic updates help drivers avoid potential congestion.

"Motorola is breaking new ground with our sophisticated new Bluetooth navigation solutions," said Ron Garriques, president of Motorola Mobile Devices. "Our T805 and T815 navigation systems, with the power of MOTONAV, deliver information when and where you absolutely need it most."

The compact GPS receiver fits easily in the user's pocket and comes complete with a car charger, universal phone holder and flexible mounting options. The T805 version comes with a 12-month MOTONAV national subscription, while the T815 includes MOTONAV loaded on a memory card.

February 12, 2007.-- Garmin has launched a solution to turn Bluetooth wireless technology enabled smartphones, PDAs, BlackBerry devices and laptops into navigators.

Garmin Mobile 10 gives you voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions while showing a moving map on your handset's display. You also have the ability to access real-time information such as traffic alerts and weather reports. It can be used either in a car or while out and about on foot.

Garmin Mobile 20 has similar features to the Garmin Mobile 10 and is designed to be a simple way to turn your phone into an in-car satellite navigation system. It works by placing your handset into a cradle, which can then be mounted onto your dashboard.

Both solutions work with a wide range of handsets. See http://www.garmin.com/mobilephones

Garmin Mobile 10

Garmin Mobile 10 works by receiving positional data via GPS (Global Positioning System) and communicates this information to mobile devices via Bluetooth wireless technology. To enable this to happen, the Garmin Mobile 10 package includes a GPS10x which is a small yet highly sensitive GPS receiver. This comes with a removable clip to make it easy to wear on your belt or use in a car and can be used with smartphones, PDAs, BlackBerry devices and laptops.

Also included is a DVD with Garmin Mobile XT software which provides the menu system to navigate and find points of interest. The City Navigator NT mapping of North America, Europe or a selected region provides you with the ability to navigate to your selected destination using voice guidance and a 3D map on the phone's display. These simply have to be downloaded onto a memory card and inserted into your handset.

Alternatively you can choose a package that includes a handset-specific memory card that has pre-programmed mapping and navigation software. This enables the user to simply slot the card in place and navigate straight away.

For those who want to use their Bluetooth enabled laptop as a satellite navigation device, the nRoute navigation software (which comes with the Garmin Mobile 10 package) makes this possible.

Garmin Mobile 20

Garmin Mobile 20 is specifically designed for use in a car or other vehicle. It works by inserting your handset into a specially designed cradle called the GPS 20SM. In addition to having a built-in high sensitivity GPS receiver, the GPS 20SM smart mount also serves as a Bluetooth hands-free calling kit, phone charger and phone cradle. It is easily mounted to a dashboard or windscreen.

As part of the package different charging cables are provided for a variety of handsets, an automotive mount to attach the Garmin mount to your dashboard and a memory card containing Garmin Mobile XT software and City Navigator NT maps. These are preloaded so all you have to do is slot the card into your handset to get the familiar Garmin menu systems by which to navigate your way around as well as mapping for North America, Europe or your selected region.

The result

Garmin Mobile 10 and Garmin Mobile 20 give owners the same high-quality map and navigation features found on other Garmin automotive GPS devices. You can search for a destination using a full postcode search and choose the shortest or fastest route for your journey. There are voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions with a 3D moving map displayed on your phone. The device also automatically recalculates a route if the driver misses a turn, and it will also notify drivers of their estimated time of arrival.

Both options allow the user to look up millions of points of interest such as restaurants, hotels and petrol stations. There is the capability for you to access real-time traffic information, weather reports, safety camera alerts and more. It is also possible to select a Pedestrian or Car mode in order to get the most appropriate route for your method of travel.

The choice is yours. The Garmin Mobile 10 is ideal if you want to navigate on the go, whether in the car or on foot. If you want a "plug and play" solution for your car without the extra expense of an additional system, the Garmin Mobile 20 provides the perfect solution.

February 9, 2007.-- SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, introduced the SiRFstarIII GSD3t, a Multimode Aided-GPS Satellite Signal Processor, in an extremely small-footprint, that brings industry leading SiRFstarIII GPS performance to price-conscious and space-constrained mobile devices such as cell phones. Available in an extremely thin package, less than 10 square millimeter in size, the GSD3t combines radio frequency, as well as analog and signal processing functionalities in a single 90 nm RFCMOS die. The GSD3t takes full advantage of SiRF's Adaptive Power Management and Trickle Power technology to deliver high performance while consuming very low power.

Minimizing the loading but taking advantage of the host platform resources, the GSD3t allows manufacturers to add GPS functionality to their products at minimal cost in terms of components and circuit board area, achieving SiRFstarIII performance in the most economical way. The GSD3t combines all baseband and radio-frequency functions of the SiRFstarIII architecture on a single die to create a host coupled GPS solution with market leading price/performance. Available in both WLCSP and FBGA packages, the GSD3t is able to deliver -160 dBm signal acquisition in AGPS mode and better than -160 dBm signal tracking capability to provide location data under the harshest outdoor conditions, and even in many indoor locations.

The accompanying SiRFNav software, utilizing SiRF's market tested and proprietary navigation algorithms, runs on the host processor in parallel with other host applications. The SiRFNav software supports autonomous GPS navigation, Multimode Aided-GPS navigation (both user plane and control plane) and SiRF's exclusive SiRFInstantFix, a service that minimizes the start-up wait time for GPS systems.

"SiRF once again leads the industry in using architectural innovations and advanced technology to address the needs of our customers for adding GPS to high volume, cost and space sensitive platforms, without making any performance compromises," said Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "By providing proven SiRFstarIII performance that consumers recognize and demand at attractive price points, SiRF is enabling its customers to drive GPS further into the mainstream."

According to Chadha, SiRF will be partnering with a number of wireless and other consumer platform providers to provide fully validated and tightly integrated solutions that make it very easy for customers to successfully adopt the GSD3t for their platforms.

The GSD3t handles all of the time critical aspects of obtaining measurements from the GPS satellites, and passes the pre-processed non real-time critical data to the SiRFNav software running on the host for further processing. The SiRFNav host software integrates easily with host processors and operating systems using minimal resource overhead. The GSD3t with SiRFNav standard software provides SiRF autonomous mode GPS navigation, and sets new performance benchmarks. Optional SiRFInstantFix technology eliminates the need to decode GPS satellite data from the satellites themselves, to deliver a faster time-to-first-fix (TTFF), even in weak signal environments.

The GSD3t also supports SiRF's patented SiRFLoc technology, the world's first multimode Aided-GPS solution, for powering mobile phones optimized for location-based services. SiRFLoc(R) technology improves GPS location capability in wireless system environments by utilizing various modes of wireless infrastructure assistance to improve weak signal reception. In Aided-GPS applications, the GSD3t can achieve TTFF in about 60 seconds at -160 dBm signal levels, typical of indoor reception environments.

The GSD3t's GPS performance is fully compliant with the industry-standard Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) TS25.171 and CDMA TIA916 requirements, with extremely fast assisted fix speeds that are often significantly faster than required by the standard.

February 9, 2007.-- SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, and Openwave Systems Inc., a leading provider of software products and services for the communications industry, announced an alliance to accelerate the adoption of Aided-GPS location technology by wireless service providers and boost the deployment of location- based services. The two companies have worked together to integrate Openwave's Location Manager with SiRF's SiRFLoc Multimode location server, which Openwave has licensed and will resell globally, providing communications service providers with a robust, scalable location platform they can build upon to launch a broad range of distinctive and popular location-aware applications.

The addition of the SiRFLoc Server to Openwave's portfolio of Adaptive Context products and solutions aims to simplify the adoption of A-GPS location technology by offering wireless carriers a "one-stop shop" for everything they need to build a location-aware infrastructure. By making it easier for carriers to adopt A-GPS, the two companies can help carriers more quickly deploy innovative, differentiated location-based services to subscribers and increase their average revenue per user (ARPU) through compelling, contextually aware content and services.

The reseller agreement enables Openwave to offer its customers a more comprehensive product portfolio for delivering accurate A-GPS location data to handsets and location applications, and provides SiRF with the opportunity to distribute its location server products through a leader in its industry. In addition to the SiRFLoc Server, Openwave will also offer the SiRF GPS Data Center, a software component required for obtaining precise GPS reference data.

"With Openwave's industry leadership, this alliance creates exciting opportunities for SiRF to expand its location server distribution through this new channel, and we look forward to working with Openwave to address the needs of carriers as the adoption of location technology in wireless networks becomes commonplace," said Kanwar Chadha, founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "Openwave's thorough understanding of the intricacies of deploying value added services in unique operator environments will enable faster deployment of location based services through their proven, reliable infrastructure."

SiRFLoc Server can be deployed by wireless operators or wireless application service providers, and is designed to support Multimode A-GPS (MS Assisted and MS Based) both in the control plane and in the SUPL compliant user plane architecture, as well as other advanced hybrid positioning methods. Depending on network loading, QoS and application requirements, SiRFLoc Server can dynamically mix various positioning methods and location service protocols. Taking advantage of SiRFLoc Server's best-in-class scalability and throughput performance, operators can efficiently expand their networks as user traffic increases.

"SiRF is recognized as a leading provider of GPS-enabled location technology, and addition of the SiRFLoc location server to our Location Manager will bring significant benefits to our customers," said John Trobough, vice president, product management, Openwave. "A subscriber's physical location is an important part of context and helps to define what is relevant to them. Context enables increased adoption of new services and allows the operator to explore and implement new business models such as contextual merchandising and targeted advertising and promotions."

Openwave Adaptive Context solutions and products are designed to help operators bring relevant content to consumers and their community via new technologies that adapt and learn as consumers' interests evolve. Openwave Location Manager provides the core gateway element within a service provider's network that makes location-based services possible, obtaining a subscriber's location and presence data from multiple sources, including A-GPS, and delivering it to location-based applications. Based on a subscriber's profile and behavior, targeted advertising for local services as well as localized content and information can be instantly available on a user's device. Today, Openwave software is used by more than 70 mobile operators and broadband providers around the world.

February 9, 2007.-- SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, and Skyhook Wireless, Inc., provider of the Wi-Fi Positioning System (WPS), announced that SiRF has licensed the WPS in order to create a single positioning system for wireless carriers that combines the best of both GPS and Wi-Fi technologies. This system, which is scheduled for release as part of SiRF's Multimode Location Platform later this year, promises to boost the availability and adoption of location-based services. The two companies will present a demonstration of the new hybrid GPS-WiFi location technology at the 3GSM World Congress 2007 being held February 12-15 in Barcelona, Spain.

The technology will be applied to special client software from SiRF for mobile handsets that synthesizes GPS and Wi-Fi measurements as well as to SiRF's SiRFLoc Server to enable it to establish precise positioning from these measurements. As handset makers roll out a new generation of Wi-Fi-enabled mobile phones to enhance both data and voice communications, the SiRF-Skyhook hybrid technology will leverage this hardware ecosystem to provide greatly enhanced positioning availability and accuracy for location-based services. Using this new technology, carriers can boost their revenues by offering enhanced location-based services that are easier to use, handset makers can better differentiate their products, and application developers can create exciting new services that work anywhere, even when GPS signals are not present. The system will benefit consumers by enabling them to more quickly and reliably perform tasks such as planning a trip, finding friends nearby or locating the closest ATM machine.

"Our strategy is to enhance consumer experience with location enabled content and services by combining multiple sensors and signals to provide accurate location information everywhere. This is the first time a single positioning system has combined both GPS and Wi-Fi location data to get us a step closer to achieving 100 percent availability of accurate positioning," said Kanwar Chadha, co-founder and vice president of marketing for SiRF. "By complementing our industry leading GPS performance with Skyhook's Wi-Fi positioning in our Multimode Location Platform, SiRF is continuing to broaden its product line and pursue its mission to bring the benefits of location awareness to mainstream consumers."

SiRF will be offering the new technology to mobile handset makers using SiRF's SiRFstarIII and GSCi-5000 chips sets, as well as to wireless carriers using its SiRFLoc Server, a carrier-class, standards-compliant, multimode Assisted-GPS location server that incorporates SiRF's patented multimode technology. Any SiRF-based mobile handset with a Wi-Fi radio subsystem built in will be able to take advantage of this new technology by including the client software.

"This partnership creates an availability breakthrough for location-based services, offering handset makers and carriers a new hybrid GPS-WiFi technology for anytime, anywhere location reliability," said Ted Morgan, founder and CEO of Skyhook Wireless. "Wi-Fi and GPS are ideal complementary technologies for mobile handsets, enabling a more comprehensive location solution and a more robust infrastructure for exciting new location-based applications."

February 8, 2007.-- TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS), a global leader in mission-critical wireless data communications, announced TCS Navigator, the next generation in personal navigation for wireless devices. TCS Navigator provides voice-enabled, hands-free, turn-by-turn directions from a wireless phone or smart phone and includes real-time traffic information, plus voice input for address entry, directory look-up for points of interest (POI) and a core set of personal navigation services.

TCS Navigator serves as the first navigation application available that provides both voice output for directions, in-application speech recognition for address entry and an innovative white label solution for operators to differentiate their location service offerings. Operators can deploy their own branded versions of TCS Navigator to leverage their brand equities and build customer loyalty around personalized navigation. TCS Navigator also provides a unique local search capability that makes it easy for consumers to find relevant POI. Wireless operators and their partners can customize the POI information and icons to create a uniquely branded look-and-feel throughout the TCS Navigator application.

"With the launch of TCS Navigator, wireless operators have the opportunity to increase revenues from location-based services," said Drew Morin, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for TCS. "With the addition of TCS Navigator to our hosted location solutions, TCS now offers an end-to-end solution that includes location applications and infrastructure that requires minimal operator capital investment."

Personalized location services continue to gain momentum in the wireless industry with operators vying to fulfill their subscribers' needs and subscribers demanding location services on their mobile devices. TCS' Navigator provides up-to-date, real-time information to users, delivering a positive interactive user experience.

February 8, 2007.-- Privately held Global Locate Inc., a leader in Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) semiconductor products and services, announced the availability of an A-GPS reference design based on Freescale Semiconductor's popular i.MX31 applications processor and Global Locate's Hammerhead assisted GPS chip.

Specifically designed for wireless portable products, Hammerhead's patented signal processing techniques and host-based architecture re-utilize existing resources in the i.MX31 applications processor resulting in significant cost reduction, sensitivity of -160dBm and position fix times as fast as one second. Hammerhead is the world's first single die CMOS A-GPS receiver, combining LNA, RF Tuner, PLL and baseband functions in the same IC.

The Freescale reference design is available for Linux and Microsoft Windows operating systems, and is designed to optimize high performance and low power navigation in the most challenging conditions, such as deep urban canyons where multipath exists and low signal environments where signal detection is difficult. An easy-to-use API supports standard interfaces such as NMEA and extended NMEA, which is designed to allow portable electronics manufacturers to quickly load a range of mapping and navigation applications on top of the pre-integrated software drivers.

"As a result of its high performance and low power architecture, the i.MX31 applications processor is being adopted in a broad range of wireless devices," noted Don Fuchs, executive vice president of business development at Global Locate. "Global Locate is very pleased to partner with worldwide semiconductor leader Freescale and bring best-in-class navigation performance to the next-generation of PNDs, PMPs, PDAs and other portable electronic devices featuring i.MX processors."

"Designing Global Locate's A-GPS software and state-of-the-art chips into our i.MX multimedia platforms enables consumer electronics manufacturers to significantly reduce their engineering efforts, lower their bill of materials and shorten time to market for advanced feature rich navigation devices," said Berardino Baratta, general manager of the Multimedia Applications Division for Freescale, "Prices for portable navigation devices continue to fall, fueling tremendous market growth. This reference design strengthens Freescale's portfolio, positioning us to become a dominant solutions supplier for portable GPS systems."

Evaluation and development kits for the reference design based on the i.MX31 applications processor are expected to be available from Freescale in the second quarter of 2007.

February 7, 2007.-- Omniscout, a division of WorldScout Corporation of Phoenix, AZ, launched the Omniscout Portable and Portable Pro GPRS/GPS devices.

The two models are the most sophisticated and effective monitoring and tracking devices on the market today. Equal in size to a small cell phone and weighing only 80 gr/2.8 ounces, they can be easily hidden in a vehicle or on a person. Both devices will determine and report the global location of any mobile asset, vehicle, or person where the Omniscout device is located with an accuracy of a few meters. The devices are a hybrid of two technologies, the Global Positioning System (GPS) and GSM/GPRS wireless communications network, which enables them to communicate a location and receive commands using the international (GSM/GPRS) wireless networks, used by most of the world's cellular communications companies. With a suggested retail price starting at (US) $499., both Omniscout models are available immediately at selected motorcycle dealers in the United States and Canada.

Products are available to media/analysts for evaluation from The Communications Group Inc., at 1-800-267-4476 ext. 36 or 23. "Motorcycle enthusiasts make significant investments in their bikes, from specialized chrome accessories, unique paint jobs to upgraded parts, which can cost in the tens of thousands dollars," says Robert Metz, President of Worldscout Corporation.

"The Omniscout Portable and Portable Pro give users an added degree of comfort because the system will immediately alert and notify the owner if it is being stolen or even moved without authorization." The motorcycle and RV market -- which includes motor homes, snowmobiles, watercraft, ATVs, and sport boats -- is quickly becoming the most frequently stolen in North America. In fact, 75,000 motorcycles are reported stolen each year in North America.

The Omniscout Portable and Portable Pro give motorcycle owners a way to protect their investments and fight back. Most similar devices suffer from an inherited GPS limitation where the satellite signal can be detected only if there is a clear view to the sky. The Omniscout Portable and Portable Pro use a sophisticated Assisted GPS (AGPS) system supported by Worldscout's proprietary, patent pending unique Adaptive Assisted GPS (AAGPS), enabling them to communicate with the GPS satellites to obtain the exact location of the device without a clear view of the sky, even from inside buildings.

Unlike passive theft prevention devices, the two new devices act independently to notify users about vehicle whereabouts -- every movement can be easily tracked and monitored. GPS location on demand, real time tracking, street level mapping, cellular connectivity and the most advanced geo fencing, remote controlling and monitoring functions are all available. Additional features of the omniscout Portable Pro system include: enhanced functionality including greater tracking options, speed alerts, geo fencing, AC, 12 volt Car and USB Charger, and Three Year Warranty with Accidental Damage Protection.

February 5, 2007.-- Air-Trak, Inc., a leading provider of location tracking solutions, introduced a suite of new tracking platforms for mobile workforces that deploy Windows-based laptops, Windows Mobile 5.0 handhelds and Smart Device phones. This new capability enables companies to add location tracking services to their existing GPS-enabled Windows devices easily and affordably, without having to purchase any additional hardware. These field-deployed units can record their locations accurately and continuously, and transmit tracking data in real-time over a wireless network or after the fact via any type of Internet connection.

"This is an ideal solution for mobile workforces that have deployed Windows-based devices because it allows them to get more mileage out of their investment by adding an industry-leading location tracking capability. The incremental cost of the tracking solution is very low, and the benefits are enormous," says Air-Trak CEO Greg White.

Expanding the Choice - and Utility - of Mobile Devices and Applications

In addition to running on Windows-based laptops with integrated GPS receivers (such as the Panasonic Toughbook), Air-Trak on Windows runs on devices configured with external GPS receivers. "We've always supported a broad range of end-user platforms, including cell phones, BlackBerry handhelds and vehicle-mounted units," says White. "Now we've taken that one step further by providing location tracking services for fleets that have mobile computing platforms."

Enabling Mobile Devices to Do "Double Duty"

In addition to allowing Windows devices to be tracked, Air-Trak enables mobile users to track the location of their other colleagues in the field. This type of "double duty" configuration is ideal for remote command posts, field managers or utility crews who need to know the exact location of other vehicles and workers. With the Air-Trak� Enterprise Display running on their laptop computers, these users can monitor other mobile resources in real-time on multi-layer maps, with the ability to zoom in and drill down to detailed information about each resource.

Continuous Tracking of Laptops for Greater Operational Efficiency

Just as Air-Trak In-Vehicle units can track the "idle time" and "loiter time" of a truck, the Air-Trak on Windows platform can monitor the activity of a field-deployed laptop. By reviewing the "turn-on" and "turn-off" status of the unit, as well as the "stationary" versus "traveling" status, companies can gain important insights about the activity and operational efficiency of their mobile resources.

Easy to Deploy

The new tracking platform, Air-Trak on Windows, is also easy to implement. The tracking software can be downloaded, installed and set up in a matter of minutes. Running in the background, the tracking software is invisible to the end user, and consumes very little computing power. It does not limit the use of the device's GPS receiver by other applications. Through an Air-Trak service account, the tracking data is available online, providing real-time display, replay and reporting features.

January 30, 2007.-- Tele Atlas, a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location based solutions, announced the availability of digital maps for Saudi Arabia and Egypt, bringing the number of countries that Tele Atlas maps cover to 64 across six continents. The total amount of road coverage in the company's database now stands at 21.3 million kilometers or 13.2 million miles, the same number of miles as 528 trips around the earth's circumference at the equator.

Tele Atlas digital maps feature detailed street-level and complete interconnecting road networks to allow application developers and device manufacturers in the personal navigation, automotive, Internet and wireless markets to guide users seamlessly across country borders. The announcement follows Tele Atlas' recent move to deliver digital maps covering Central and Eastern Europe and South Africa, and is in response to increased demand from global customers for highly detailed and accurate maps of all major countries around the world.

"Our growing base of customers and partners, among them Nokia, TomTom and Mio, want to deliver a comprehensive set of services to their wireless and navigation system users, wherever they are," said Tele Atlas Vice President of Product Marketing Basak Ozer. "Tele Atlas now delivers what we believe to be the most digital maps with the highest level of detail required to build and deliver fully functional, high performance navigation and local search solutions."

January 30, 2007.-- NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions, has announced a broader set of data to complement its navigable NAVTEQ map. This new map, named Entry Map, is focused on providing basic road coverage. Entry Map has been developed for applications in global Geographic Information System (GIS), fleet, and location applications for wireless and internet uses. It has been harmonized to the standard formats commonly used in NAVTEQ maps. Entry Map allows one-stop shopping and integration of map data around the world. Users will be able to visualize their location and plan a route on the road network through applications that use map display, geocoding and reverse geocoding functionality.

NAVTEQ's Entry Map portfolio combined with the existing highly accurate proprietary NAVTEQ Map provides the industry with a unique opportunity to source all their global map needs from one supplier. Application developers serving the GIS, wireless, and Internet industries are developing a growing range of new concepts and many are seeking global map solutions. These applications may range from map display and 'find me' products to more sophisticated solutions such as optimization of delivery routes that can aid fleet owners in boosting efficiencies, controlling costs, improving customer service, and enhancing revenue opportunities.

"Entry Map will enable NAVTEQ to address a large number of geographic areas previously under served by the digital map industry," stated Mary Hardwick, Vice President of Product Management, Europe, Middle East and Africa for NAVTEQ. "Additionally, because Entry Map can be edge matched to NAVTEQ maps, our customers will be able to rapidly develop the seamless global, regional and cross-country solutions users are demanding. The combination of these two digital maps in Europe for example, provides regional road network coverage from Portugal through Russia, and from Norway through Turkey."

The first release of Entry Map provides data for the following 18 countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Russia (Kaliningrad), Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Ukraine. The release includes road geometry on major highways and between cities in Eastern Europe and Turkey. Additional levels of roads including rural and residential roads and select Points of Interest (POIs) for major towns are also included where available. Complete global availability of Entry Map is anticipated for Q2/07.

January 30, 2007.-- Blue Sky Network, the global logistics solution provider for two-way linking and managing transportation assets via satellite, announced that it has begun initial shipments of its D2000M/MD product line. This conveniently sized satellite terminal provides customers with real-time position reporting of land-based vehicles and water-based vessels over the Iridium satellite network, as well as two-way messaging capabilities and GPS mapping, including Google Earth integration, courtesy of Blue Sky Network's interactive Web portal, SkyRouter.

The D2000M/MD addresses the needs of mobile asset managers including those working with large/small trucks, tractor-trailers, lone-workers, container ships and more. With its lightweight 2.2-pound form factor, it makes the most of limited storage space available on many transportation assets. Additionally, since its battery runs over 24 hours in a single charge, users without access to electricity can still maintain constant communication with their dispatch offices.

"Fleet managers are excited to use our product," said Jon Gilbert, president of Blue Sky Network. "It offers them a way to easily track their boats, trucks, cars and other various assets. The D2000 will prove to be an essential part of our customers' mobile asset management systems, vastly improving both safety and efficiency."

Building on the strengths of its aircraft flight tracking solutions, Blue Sky Network's D2000M/MD not only features next-generation technology from Iridium and much smaller form factor than previously available, but also is priced very competitively. The satellite asset-tracking unit is the size of a car stereo and can be easily installed on a vehicle or vessel for instant, global two-way text messaging communications.

January 30, 2007.-- LocatioNet Systems Ltd., a leading provider of mobile mapping and location applications, announced that it has launched 'amAze', a new free mobile mapping, navigation and local search solution for regular mass-market mobile phones.

amAze is the first mapping and navigation application of its kind for mobile phones and it is totally free to use for consumers. The application provides any regular, Java-enabled mobile phone with mapping, navigation and local search information to anywhere in Central and Western Europe and North America. An additional voice-guided navigation feature can be accessed using any bluetooth GPS device.

"amAze is a must-have mobile application for all consumers," said Ofer Tziperman, President of LocatioNet. "Navigation and the ability to search for local information are tools that we all need regular, almost daily, access to. Our trial phase has shown us how keen people are to download and use amAze."

amAze features the following benefits:

o Visual and voice guidance to any destination
o Search any location by its address
o Search and navigate to businesses listed in yellow pages directories
o Indicate any required location on the map
o View and use dynamic, high quality maps at various scales
o Calculate the fastest route between two locations
o Save and manage personal favorites list
o Covers Central and Western Europe and North America, without purchasing or downloading additional maps

amAze is being launched as a collaborative effort led by LocatioNet and including leading vendors in the fields of mapping, yellow pages, weather and other geographically related content.

The application is free to consumers and income is generated through advertisements and sponsorship which are intelligently integrated into the application. The user is served relevant and targeted advertising which enriches the user experience with more relevant information.

Tziperman continued, "We believe that we have produced a very innovative offering for consumers and partners alike. amAze will offer an outstanding free service to users, while our business model means that we can generate a healthy revenue stream."

Future versions of amAze will also feature high quality aerial photos, satellite imagery and topographical maps on a wide coverage as well as weather conditions. Additional regions will also be added to the mapping information.

amAze already supports about 100 Java-enabled mobile handsets with more handsets supported every week. Windows Mobile and Blackberry versions will be released soon.

Users can log into the amAze web site: www.amazegps.com to register and obtain their free copy of this useful mobile software.

January 23, 2007.-- Trimble introduced a new high-performance version of its popular AgGPS EZ-Guide Plus lightbar guidance system -- the EZ-Guide 500 system. The AgGPS EZ-Guide 500 features a large, easy to read color LCD display, data logging functions and multiple accuracy options. Lightbar systems provide GPS- based guidance for vehicle operators to steer tractors, sprayers, fertilizer applicators, air seeders and large tillage tools that require consistent pass- to-pass accuracy to help save fuel, increase efficiency and reduce input costs for agricultural operations.

The new EZ-Guide 500 features a large 7-inch LCD display, which is three times larger than Trimble's field-proven AgGPS EZ-Guide Plus or any other available agriculture lightbar display. The system has a built-in lightbar with a guidance LED array that is highly visible even in direct sun. The EZ- Guide 500 also offers advanced but easy-to-use guidance patterns, as well as real-time "where-applied" coverage mapping. The plan and perspective views allow users to see on screen, in color and real-time, the area they have covered in the field. With the data logging function, users can record the day's work and transfer it to a PC via a USB flash drive for creating printed maps and reports.

With its high precision dual-frequency L1/L2 Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, the new EZ-Guide 500 system offers users a variety of accuracy options without purchasing an external GPS receiver. Users can choose: 6-8 inch pass-to-pass accuracy using free Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) signals; 3-5 inch accuracy with OmniSTAR XP/HP subscription service; or 1-inch year-to-year repeatability using RTK corrections, based on crop and operation needs.

"The introduction of the EZ-Guide 500 is a significant milestone in bringing cost effective solutions to the farmer. Today's lightbar guidance users are increasingly demanding higher accuracy but moving to the next level is often cost prohibitive," said Erik Arvesen, general manager of Trimble's Agricultural Division. "This is because most lightbar products don't have the ability to be upgraded to higher accuracies without adding an external and more expensive GPS receiver. A high performance package build around the new EZ-Guide 500 is an economical solution, costing considerably less than comparable solutions available today from any manufacturer."

The new EZ-Guide 500 system is designed to provide GPS positioning and graphic display for use with Trimble's assisted steering, automated guidance and spray rate control solutions:

The AgGPS EZ-Steer assisted steering system can be connected to the EZ-Guide 500 system in approximately 30 minutes and can be used on hundreds of vehicle models.
The EZ-Guide 500 can also drive the Trimble AgGPS Autopilot automated steering system, which offers multiple accuracy options, including +/-1 inch repeatable accuracy.

With the addition of the AgGPS EZ-Guide 500, Trimble now offers a complete "good-better-best" range of guidance displays. These include the entry-level AgGPS EZ-Guide Plus, mid-range AgGPS EZ-Guide 500 and high-functioning AgGPS FieldManager display.

January 22, 2007.-- NemeriX, a leading fabless semiconductor company specializing in ultra low power semiconductors and solutions for GPS and location-based services, announced that Transystem Inc., has incorporated NemeriX' GPS chipsets into its i-Blue Wireless GPS Receiver.

The i-Blue Model 727 is a cost-effective, portable GPS receiver that sits on the dashboard of automobiles, and connects to laptops or PDAs via Bluetooth technology to provide comprehensive LBS services. Its performance is enhanced by NemeriX's 42 channel architecture, which delivers world-class GPS time-to-first-fix times in cold start mode. Powered by NemeriX technology, the Transystem i-Blue GPS receiver consumes 40-percent less power than other wireless GPS receivers, and extends its operating time for more than 27 hours.

The i-Blue 727 model features the NemeriX NJ2020 hosted GPS baseband processor, which combines unmatched power, performance and accuracy, with one of the industry's smallest form factors, which utilizes the memory and processor resources already available on the host platform of the wireless i-Blue receiver. As a result, the i-Blue GPS receiver is one of the highest performing, consumer-graded GPS receivers in the market today.

"NemeriX is enabling a new class of Bluetooth-based GPS applications and the i-Blue GPS receivers combine amazing performance, with efficiency that enables them to run for days, as opposed to hours," said Lew Boore, Vice President of Marketing for NemeriX. "NemeriX has built its reputation by providing the GPS industry's smallest and most efficient chipsets, and we're thrilled to continue our previous work with Transystem by powering their i-Blue offerings."

"We've selected the NemeriX baseband processors for a number of reasons, including performance; minimal power requirements; the ease with which they can be integrated into the i-Blue family, and ultimately, because of the overall value they provide," said Casber Hsiao, Director of Sales & Marketing for Transystem, Inc. "By leveraging NemeriX' innovative technology, we're able to deliver the industry's best-performing GPS receivers to our customers."

January 19, 2007.-- Navman, a leading designer and manufacturer of world-class global positioning system (GPS) technology, announced a tethered, ultra sensitive GPS receiver and antenna device, the Smart GPS Sensor. With an all-in-one design, very fast time to first fix, low power requirements and SiRFStar III technology, the Navman GPS3260 series Smart GPS Sensor is the smart way to provide location based capabilities to a variety of mobile applications from PDAs to commercial vehicles.

Easily adapted to automotive, scientific, commercial, government and leisure uses, the flexibility of the new Navman Smart GPS Sensor supports a host of individual applications. Common uses include inexpensive digital mapping and navigation programs on notebook computers, data gathering and logging for scientific, environmental and inventory applications on handheld computers, vehicle tracking on mobile data terminal solutions, and vehicular digital video recorders with GPS options.

"Navman's GPS3260 Series makes smart GPS antennas smarter by incorporating the best GPS performance into a simple plug and play design," said George Arnott, vice president of Navman's OEM Division. "With built-in user- selectable target application modes, the Navman GPS3260 is the best GPS product available for quick and easy integration into solutions for most any market."

A fully integrated GPS antenna and receiver, the Smart GPS Sensor features a 49.0mm x 41.0mm x 14.2mm form factor and includes an ultra-high sensitivity 20-channel receiver, as well as over 200,000 effective correlators for rapid satellite acquisition fixes and tracking even in weak signal conditions less than -159 dBm. The device provides fast acquisition fixes with less than 1 second hot starts, 32 second warm starts and 38 second cold starts (typical).

Featuring the same core firmware as Navman's Jupiter 30 series of products, the GPS3260 supports SiRFInstantFix, advanced power management modes, user selectable datums and SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS and MSAS) differential GPS. A built-in Lithium ION battery holds system data for rapid position acquisition and includes a green LED that indicates GPS fix. Units ship standard with a fixed 3 meter cable for the RJ11 (GPS3260) and a fixed 2 meter cable for the USB (GPS3261) connector models.

Fully waterproof (iPX7 submersible), the Navman Smart GPS Sensor is operational at altitudes up to 60,000 feet (18,462 meters), velocities up to 1000 knots, acceleration up to 5 G and within a temperature range of -22 degrees to 185 degrees Fahrenheit (-30 degrees to 85 degrees Celsius). The operating voltage of the device is 4.0 - 6.0 VDC and power consumption is a mere 63mA at 5 VDC. The Navman Smart GPS Sensor supports SBAS, multiple advanced power management modes for a plug and play GPS solution in battery powered applications.

January 17, 2007.-- Fastrax Ltd., the provider of open and portable iSuite OEM GPS Software Development Kit environments and programmable iTrax OEM GPS receivers, announced upgrades to the iTrax300, the company's industry-leading OEM GPS receiver.

The iTrax300 OEM GPS receiver module enables high-performance navigation in the most stringent applications and a solid fix even in demanding GPS environments. iTrax300 receivers are ideally suited for both industrial navigation systems and battery operated consumer products such as handheld computers, vehicle navigation devices, sports accessories and mobile phones.

The Fastrax iTrax300 module will be upgraded with the new SiRF GSC3e/LP chip, which reduces typical power consumption by approximately 35% down to 110mW. The new chip is pin compatible with the previous SiRF GSC3 chip, necessitating no changes to the operation and interfaces of the iTrax300 GPS module.

Simultaneously with the chip upgrade, the firmware of the iTrax300 receiver will be upgraded for several enhancements in navigation and robustness. With the new firmware version 3.2.4, navigation sensitivity will be improved to -158dBm and acquisition sensitivity to -143dBm.

"The iTrax300 receiver is generating significant interest among OEM companies around the world. To answer this growing demand, we are introducing these hardware and firmware updates as requested by our customers. Featuring 100% pin compatibility with the previous version, the new iTrax300 receivers will provide an unbeatable combination of even lower power consumption and enhanced navigation performance," said Mr. Matti R�ty, President and CEO, Fastrax.

The upgraded iTrax300 receiver modules will be available during the first quarter of 2007 from Fastrax distributors worldwide. Product naming of the iTrax300 family will remain unchanged.

January 16, 2007.-- Ricoh Corporation, a leader in business solutions, solidified its leadership position in providing cameras with integrated GPS technology by releasing the 500SE GPS-ready digital camera. Developed for outdoor location-based photography, the 500SE boasts extreme ruggedization and high resolution to meet the image quality and all-weather usability demanded by the mobile GPS photographer.

The camera's integrated precision GPS module provides for an all-in-one, easy- to-use device for geo-coding images and video at the time of capture. For applications that require even greater precision, the camera is capable of receiving NMEA data streams from external GPS devices via its on-board Bluetooth radio.

"Ricoh's design philosophy is to produce cameras that meet the unique needs of its target markets, and the 500SE was specifically designed to optimize map-based workflows. It provides the definitive process to easily integrate location-based multimedia files into mapping software and overcomes all of the detriments found in other methods of associating pictures or videos with a point on a map," said Jeff Lengyel, Manager, Ricoh Digital Imaging Division.

Once the captured "geo-images" and "geo-video" files are transferred to a PC, they are automatically converted to shape files or merged into geo- databases for instant integration into Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Points representing each file's position may be hovered over to display a thumbnail of the file, or clicked on to access the original image or video. In addition to storing GPS data in the image and video files, the camera also utilizes a user-configurable "data dictionary" to tag files with workflow-related information. These attributes become part of the GIS layer table for automated database integration.

The 500SE's waterproof and shock-resistant shell protects a high- resolution 8MP sensor that is image stabilized and has an ultra rapid shutter response. Additional features include GPS track log capability, GPS lock (to record the position of an object as opposed to the position of the photographer), and the ability to send images wirelessly to handheld devices via Bluetooth or WiFi.

The 500SE is available from Authorized Ricoh Geo-Imaging resellers. To find a reseller, or to learn more about the 500SE, please visit: http://www.ricohsolutions.com/geo/.

January 16, 2007.-- u-blox AG, the leading Swiss provider of innovative GPS receiver technology, announced that it has extended its AssistNow A-GPS service. The new AssistNow Offline service provides A-GPS assistance data that enables instant positioning over extended time periods without the need for mobile connectivity.

u-blox' AssistNow technology cuts a GPS receiver's Time To First Fix to seconds by providing assistance data that enables the receiver to compute a position instantly. While AssistNow Online, introduced in June 2006, uses mobile networks to provide the assistance data at each start-up, the new AssistNow Offline service works independently of networks and does not require server access for data downloads at start-up. The service provides assistance data valid for up to 14 days so users can update their assistance data files at their own convenience. AssistNow Offline uses AlmanacPlus assistance data, u-blox' unique differential Almanac correction method that achieves unrivalled positioning accuracy for long time periods.

"This new service brings instant GPS positioning anytime, anywhere," said Daniel Ammann, u-blox Executive Vice-President for GNSS Software. "Users can now benefit from always-on, accurate location services without having to worry about network coverage or waiting times."

AssistNow is scalable and supports a wide range of services, from single user GPS-enabled applications to complex multi-user, multi-terminal vehicle, goods or staff management systems.

This off the shelf service requires minimal installation and maintenance efforts and works on all Flash-based ANTARIS 4 GPS receivers. Users can choose between the basic "Free Service" and the "Premium Service" with defined performance and guaranteed service levels.

AssistNow Offline is available immediately in Beta; the production version is scheduled for the second quarter of 2007. To find out more about AssistNow, visit www.u-blox.com/technology/assistnow/.

January 15, 2007.-- SatPro's SureLinx 8100 is a dependable, fully-integrated D+/GPRS wireless controller. It sets the standard for reliable asset tracking and management systems at a low overall total cost. The SureLinx 8100 ensures that your applications are delivered with lowest cost message routing using GPRS when your assets are in cellular coverage, automatically switching to SatPro D+ satellite service where necessary, maintaining a critical life-line link to your assets. Assets moving anywhere in the world are visible and reachable at all times by your business operations.

The SureLinx 8100 is a compact device with quad-band GPRS and SatPro D+ satellite transceivers, GPS, discrete input/output feeds and a programmable controller. For special needs messages can be adjusted after time, distance, geocoding or all possible other parameters. A common controller for GPRS and D+ provides for uniform programmings. Trucks and container continuously move over national borders back and forth and leave thereby the GSM range, ships reach ports often and leave these again toward the ocean. All the same where these are, the global SureLinx 8100 network informs at any time.

Through its GSM coverage high numbers of messages can easily be send, but leaving this coverage the system automatic switches to the satellite network only sending out messages defined as critical by the systems owner.

January 15, 2007.-- CSR plc announced the company is to provide the most competitive Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for mobile handsets and network operators. CSR has acquired NordNav Technologies AB and Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd that, combined, will allow the company to provide software-based low cost GPS suitable for mass-market mobile phones and PNDs (Personal Navigation Devices). CSR will apply its own experience in embedding radio technologies into the mobile platform and expects its first Autonomous and Assisted GPS product offerings that support satellite navigation and other location-based services to be available during H1 2007, with cost expected to subsequently reduce to less than $1.

The two acquisitions enable CSR to offer a GPS solution to handset, PND and other portable device manufacturers, offering an important added-value technology. CSR's acquired patented GPS solution is a software-based architecture that allows an incremental price that falls to less than $1 of the overall BoM when used with CSR's Bluetooth technology. CSR's patented methods to reduce both the number of processor cycles and the time to first fix, give an extremely power efficient overall solution with less than half the processing requirements of alternative solutions, whilst remaining flexible enough to perform highly dynamic and accurate tracking. With availability during H107, the software GPS technology acquired from NordNav will also take up 80 percent less area than competing hardware solutions and is the lowest cost solution on the market, with a price that is set to fall to less than $1. This means that CSR's GPS technology is practical for mass-market mobile applications including low-medium end feature cellular handsets, Smartphones, PNDs, and other portable devices.

CSR saw that GPS solutions needed to be much smaller, lower cost, and less power - and processor - hungry to enable a dramatic increase in mobile handset attach rates for personal positioning and location based services. To ensure the technology is usable, it is also essential that it works in harmony with GSM/3G radios, that the satellite signal acquisition time is reduced, and that location fixes can be maintained in all environments - even indoors. CSR acquired NordNav Technologies AB and Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd to bring together the solutions to all these hurdles, and combined the technology with its own expertise in embedding wireless technologies into small and power sensitive mobile applications.

CSR has acquired Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd for its Extended GPS (EGPSTM) software algorithms for mobile handsets and network server software. These algorithms allow users to achieve a faster location fix (less than 3 seconds), and also provide GPS coverage in dense urban areas and even indoors where there is no access to GPS satellite signals. In addition to improved user experience, the faster fix means that in comparison to conventional Assisted GPS, power can be reduced by a factor of 10 or more.

With a combined GPS and EGPS software for handsets, CSR will be able to offer the most competitive, complete and technically advanced mobile GPS solution available to mobile handset, PND, and other portable device makers and operators. CSR's GPS technology will support the Galileo global standard.

Matthew Phillips, SVP of CSR's Mobile Handset Connectivity strategic business unit, commented, "At $5-$10, current GPS solutions are too expensive and just not practical for mainstream cellphone applications" Phillips continued, "There are also performance restrictions in terms of both handset and network that have meant that the technology is not appropriate for the mobile platform. The two acquisitions mean that CSR has removed the barriers for mobile handset makers and operators to provide location based services for the mass market."

January 10, 2007.-- Infineon Technologies and Global Locate, Inc. announced the successful development of the industry's smallest Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver chip for mobile telephones, smart phones and personal navigation devices.

Based on the successful Hammerhead(tm) chip, the new Hammerhead II chip is optimized for cellular handsets and mobile devices requiring high performance, low power and an extremely small footprint. The diminutive single-die chip measures only 3.74 mm x 3.59 mm x 0.6 mm, for a total footprint of less than 14 mm squared, resulting in the world's smallest GPS receiver. The Hammerhead II GPS receiver includes LNA, RF down-converter and signal processing baseband technology on a single RFCMOS die. The device utilizes state-of-the-art chip scale packaging technology, resulting in the most compact dimensions. The package features a 49-contact Ball Grid Array, further simplifying layout and assembly.

"The GPS feature can now be added to any mobile device with a total electronics bill-of-materials footprint of less than 50 mm squared. The Hammerhead II chip has set a new standard for compact design," said Thomas Pollakowski, Vice President and General Manager of the Connectivity Business Unit at Infineon Technologies.

"The Hammerhead II chip is the logical extension of our technical cooperation and outstanding partnership," added Donald Fuchs, Executive Vice President of Business Development for Global Locate.

Like its predecessor, the Hammerhead II chip embodies industry-leading performance, delivering sensitivity to -160 dBm and position fix times as fast as 1 second, exceeding 3GPP specifications. In addition, the software has been optimized for personal navigation performance, and includes sophisticated algorithms to mitigate multipath errors.

Hammerhead II retains the same core advantages as all previous Global Locate solutions by utilizing the commercially proven host-based architecture. The software is completely backward-compatible with Hammerhead, allowing an easy transition to the new, smaller part as changing form-factors require.

Availability

The Hammerhead II chip is sampling now, with production quantities available in February 2007. Infineon and Global Locate are jointly marketing the chip.

About the Hammerhead Chip

The Hammerhead chip is the world's first single-die CMOS GPS receiver. A product of the continuing partnership between Global Locate and Infineon Technologies, it supports mobile station-assisted (MS-A), mobile station-based (MS-B), autonomous and enhanced tracking modes. The Hammerhead chip provides the industry's highest sensitivity for deep indoor signal tracking, full support for assisted and autonomous modes, and highly accurate navigation in the toughest signal environments. Hammerhead's unique host-based software architecture minimizes device size and cost, and allows protocol messaging to be incorporated directly into the GPS navigation software. Additional information is available at http://www.infineon.com/gps.

January 8, 2007.-- Trimble introduced its GuideWorx GPS application, further extending its Trimble Outdoors suite of GPS-on-cellular applications and demonstrating the company's leading position in the location-based applications space. GuideWorx GPS transforms a mobile phone into a powerful handheld GPS device specifically designed for both on- and off-road navigation. For the first time, consumers can completely manage their outdoor experiences - from receiving content-rich trip planning information, to on-the-go driving and recreational navigation, along with sharing these experiences online, using one ultra-portable and cost-effective cellular device.

Adventure seekers, active consumers, and families alike will be able to user their mobile phone to get highly accurate, voice prompted turn-by-turn driving directions to assist in finding their destination, combined with off-road navigation and rich point of interest information to plan their outdoor activities. The turn-by-turn on-road navigation system for GuideWorx GPS, developed with Networks In Motion's NAVBuilder Developer Platform, allows users to retrieve maps and other useful travel data in real-time. To plan their off-road recreation, users can access a national database of points of interests while on-the go, and the free PC mapping software offers consumers the option to pre-plan trips that can be sent wirelessly to their GPS-enabled phone.

"Off-road navigation traditionally required the use of paper maps or dedicated and expensive handheld GPS units, while on-road navigation demanded either an in-vehicle unit or another portable device," said Rich Rudow, managing director, Trimble Outdoors. "By combining these two technologies, Trimble Outdoors has produced a unique, convenient and intuitive application that provides consumers with the ability to completely and seamlessly navigate their outdoor experiences. Whether the destination is on-road or off-road, GuideWorx GPS is the total navigation solution for GPS-enabled mobile phones."

With the GuideWorx GPS application, consumers can fully leverage handset convergence by marking photos they take and audio clips they create with GPS location information while on-the-go. These multi-media journey records can be posted to an online community as a part of an automatically generated GPS-tracked travel log, and shared with friends and family using Trimble Outdoors' PC planning software.

"Infusing voice-prompted, turn-by-turn navigation from Networks In Motion's robust NAVBuilder Developer Platform with Trimble Outdoors' core off-road technologies provides outdoor enthusiasts the first complete navigation solution on a mobile phone," said Doug Antone, president and CEO for Networks In Motion. "Whether driving in the city or hiking in the woods, GuideWorx GPS consumers can use the application to conveniently guide their outdoor experience."

The GuideWorx GPS application is the fourth GPS-on-cellular service offered through the Trimble Outdoors family of products. Trimble Outdoors will be showcasing their suite of applications ranging from fitness management, to geocaching and now on- and off-road navigation, at the Sands Convention Center during CES 2007 at booth # 72637.

Availability The GuideWorx GPS application is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2007 on select Sprint GPS-enabled mobile phones for $9.99 per month.

January 8, 2007.-- Privately held Global Locate Inc., (www.globallocate.com) a leading producer of A-GPS semiconductors and software, announced that its Hammerhead GPS solution and software have been incorporated into TomTom N.V.'s portable navigation device TomTom ONE.

Hammerhead, the industry's first single die, single chip GPS solution, will begin shipping worldwide in the TomTom ONE in January 2007.In addition, Global Locate's patented extended ephemeris technology known as Long Term Orbit will be made available through TomTom's exclusive QuickGPSfix service to further enhance the navigation performance of TomTom's devices.

Global Locate's host-based, GPS architecture approach means that both the TomTom software application and the GPS chip and navigation software application share the same processor resources. The result is a highly integrated product solution that delivers superior turn-by-turn navigation performance for users. The host-based approach reduces system redundancy, avoiding the need for multiple CPUs, memory system and other costly components.

"Host-based GPS solutions are often perceived as being relevant only for the cellular handset market," said Richard Najarian, Vice President of Sales and Business Development for Global Locate. "This new business initiative with TomTom shows that our solution delivers added value in other GPS product applications such as portable navigation devices, not just mobile phones."

January 8, 2007.-- Motorola, Inc. announced it is bringing world-class mobile navigation and location-based services (LBS) to the mass market. Working with Jentro Technologies and Destinator Technologies as software suppliers, Motorola will launch new navigation products in 2007.

The new products and mobile devices will be equipped with location-based services and navigation platforms that give consumers access to local point-of-interest searches, community tools and other LBS and value-added services. These features are made possible by Destinator's seamless integration and Jentro's mobile Internet platform which uses the Java client on a handset to communicate with a server-based backend -- thus enabling a complete phone-based navigation for the mass market. In addition, this new product portfolio will provide flexible, reliable solutions in personal navigation. Leveraging Destinator's fully adaptable navigation application, Motorola is able to customize product with up to 18 different languages and features for various regions and markets.

"We are developing new products with the location-based features people want," said Greg Estell, corporate vice president and general manager, MobileME, Motorola. "Jentro's unique technology and mass market knowledge, Destinator's experience and vision in location-based services, coupled with Motorola's leadership in form and function will deliver the best possible solutions in user-friendly devices."

"We are delighted to work with Motorola to create even more value for consumers," said Hans-Hendrik Puvogel, CEO of Jentro Technologies. "Our technology supports a wide portfolio of mass market phones and is poised to turn consumer interest in navigation into a viable commercial opportunity."

"Destinator Technologies is proud to be collaborating with Motorola to bring world-class navigation and location-based services to millions of consumers worldwide," said Brian Barry, CEO of Destinator Technologies. "Destinator is a partner of choice for global OEM's requiring leading-edge personal navigation software. Our goal is to work with Motorola to bring the success of dedicated navigation devices to a much larger phone market."

January 8, 2007.-- NAVIGON Inc., the leading navigation software provider, announced a strategic partnership with Zagat Survey to enhance the comprehensive point of interest (POI) information available on products directed by NAVIGON's MobileNavigator (MN) Premium software. As the world's leading provider of consumer survey-based dining, travel and leisure information, Zagat content will help consumers make smart, immediate decisions that fit their lifestyle needs.

Turn-by-turn driving directions, packaged with the most comprehensive listings available for personal navigation devices (PND), make this partnership an important industry first. Millions of consumers worldwide rely on Zagat Survey's ratings and reviews to make informed destination choices, and integrated with products Directed by NAVIGON, makes this best selling content even more accessible in the context of real-time travel.

"Zagat Survey aims to make our content available to consumers via every platform and technology they may find useful," said Nina Zagat, co-founder of Zagat Survey. "The NAVIGON partnership is another important step towards our goal of delivering trusted, reliable information to consumers when they want it and how they want it."

The five destination guides NAVIGON plans to incorporate into its MN Premium software include Zagat Survey's Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts and Spas, America's Top Restaurants, America's Top Golf Courses, and Nightlife in 70+ US Cities/Locales. Combined, these guides offer recommendations for nearly 25,000 top destinations across America in the familiar Zagat format.

"We are excited to introduce the Zagat information into products Directed by NAVIGON," said Andreas Hecht, NAVIGON's General Manager for the Americas. "Offering rich leisure and lifestyle information to consumers in some of the most popular cities in North America will provide additional value and differentiation to NAVIGON's roster of PND manufacturers, as well as offer a greater navigation experience for consumers."

Zagat information will be available first on the new P'9611 by Porsche Design Group, a best-in-class portable navigation device for the discriminating consumer. By Summer 2007, NAVIGON will begin incorporating Zagat content across the portfolio of devices that leverage the company's MN Premium solution.

January 8, 2007.-- TeleNav unveiled the first mobile phone-based GPS navigation service with intelligent traffic notification and rerouting functionality at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Sprint customers using TeleNav GPS Navigator, a turn-by-turn, GPS-enabled voice and on-screen navigation service, will have access to TeleNav Traffic, a new capability that regularly monitors traffic and proactively alerts users of slowdowns and incidents along their routes. With just one click, TeleNav Traffic will reroute users in order to minimize travel time, taking into account the latest traffic conditions.

"TeleNav is consistently making history in the U.S. when it comes to mobile phone-based navigation," said Dr. H.P. Jin, TeleNav's co-founder, president and CEO. "We were the first to launch a GPS navigation system on a mobile phone, first to launch 3D maps on a mobile phone, and are now the first to provide intelligent traffic and simple, one-click rerouting on a mobile phone. Not only have we met the quality and effectiveness of other, more expensive navigation systems, but we have exceeded them."

As travel incidents and road congestion occur, TeleNav Traffic alerts the user with a voice and onscreen prompt. Customers can press "0" to choose an alternative route or they can continue along the original route. TeleNav Traffic calculates and provides an ongoing estimated time of arrival to their destinations based on the latest traffic information. Customers can also view traffic-flow information on a map and see details of monitored situations.

Texas Transportation Institute's Urban Mobility study showed that traffic congestion causes 3.7 billion hours of travel delay a year in America. Additionally, a recent study from TeleNav found that 70 percent of people surveyed have been stuck in traffic and have wished for a method for finding a faster alternative route.

"Using mobile phones to guide drivers effectively through traffic is an alternative for consumers who do not want to invest in higher priced, dedicated navigation devices," said Thilo Koslowski, automotive vice president of Gartner's Manufacturing Industry Advisory Service.

"It is our goal to always provide Sprint customers with wireless technology that leads the industry. More importantly, we want to provide solutions that are relevant and solve real-life problems," said Charnsin Tulyasathien, manager of consumer applications for Sprint. "You only have to sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic once to appreciate how TeleNav can save you time and headaches. This will make a big difference for our customers on a daily basis."

TeleNav Traffic is immediately available on three Sprint wireless phones including the MOTORAZR V3m by Motorola, MOTOKRZR K1m by Motorola and KATANA by Sanyo. Sprint plans to offer TeleNav Traffic on additional phones in the future. A first of its kind in mobile phone-based navigation, TeleNav Traffic will be offered at no additional charge through June 30, 2007, for Sprint customers subscribing to TeleNav GPS Navigator on TeleNav Traffic-supported phones. After that date, TeleNav Traffic will be available for $3.99 per month.

TeleNav GPS Navigator is offered to Sprint customers for $9.99 per month for unlimited use. To purchase, customers can go to the Web on their phone and search for "telenav," visit the Sprint Digital Lounge at www.sprint.com/digitallounge or visit www.telenav.com. Through June 30, 2007, new downloads of TeleNav GPS Navigator on TeleNav Traffic-supported phones will include TeleNav Traffic at no additional charge. Current Sprint customers using TeleNav GPS Navigator on supported phones can access TeleNav Traffic by downloading the latest version of TeleNav GPS Navigator on their phones. TeleNav Traffic is available in most major cities. For more information, visit www.telenav.com/traffic.

January 5, 2007.-- NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital maps for vehicle navigation and location-based solutions announced the immediate availability of NAVTEQ Traffic Patterns, a database of typical traffic speeds on over 170,000 miles of primary and secondary roads across major US cities, including interconnecting highways. Application developers, fleet operators, automotive OEMs and device manufacturers may now use this information to further enhance the quality of navigation routing.

"The ability to see patterns in traffic creates opportunities for application developers to offer enhanced routing features for end users of navigation products without adding wireless communications capabilities. For example, if you know over the past several years a particular segment of road is typically slow between 9 and 10 am, you can begin to predict what might happen tomorrow. By knowing the pattern, you can suggest alternate driving routes much more confidently," said Howard Hayes, Vice President of Dynamic Content.

This new product delivers useful, accurate and typically attainable speeds for primary and secondary roads (function classes one through three) in major cities across the U.S. Historical observations from GPS probe data are aggregated, verified then matched to TMC (Traffic Message Channel) codes on the NAVTEQ map.

"By matching the data to location markers on our map and driving thousands of miles of roads to test for accuracy, NAVTEQ Traffic Patterns stands out from the crowd," added Hayes.

NAVTEQ Traffic Patterns gives product developers and service providers a reliable, easy-to-use data set for a variety of smart-routing applications. Those applications will put at drivers' fingertips the information they need to decide when and how to avoid typically congested areas.

From commuters to emergency service providers, NAVTEQ Traffic Patterns will:

Enable more accurate route planning
Improve trip time estimates based on likely traffic conditions
Provide an enhanced routing experience

January 5, 2007.-- Eighty percent of the USA's population now reside in areas where phone calls to the emergency services 911 service from a mobile phone now includes delivery of the caller's call-back number and location to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), a capability known as wireless enhanced 911 (E911).

This number represents an eleven percent increase in Phase II deployments over statistics released by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) in January of 2006. Another positive development is that over seventy percent of individual PSAPs are now Phase II capable, a thirteen percent increase from a year ago.

However, just under half of the nation's 3,135 counties, primarily located in rural areas, still cannot provide this critical service to their residents.

"We are pleased that the 911 community and the wireless industry continue to work together to provide this essential, life saving service to the vast majority of Americans," said NENA President Jason Barbour, ENP. "Progress is being made. However, it is troubling and unacceptable that nearly half of the counties in this country lack a PSAP that can locate 911 calls made from wireless phones."

Such a lack of funding was the driving force behind the introduction and passage of the still unfunded ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004.

"The public needs and deserves wireless E911 from coast to coast, regardless of where they live, work, or travel. Sustainable funding for 911 is a critical issue that must be addressed if all Americans are to enjoy the benefits of a fully functional 911 system. We expect the rate of Phase II deployments to slow down as the remaining counties lacking the technology are primarily more rural, under-funded areas. Thus, it remains critical that Congress provide funding to implement the ENHANCE 911 Act grant program, a grant program specifically designed with this issue in mind," said Barbour.

Several recent wireless 911 calls have been credited with saving the lives of lost hikers, a lost mountain biker and a man lost in a cornfield, not to mention the thousands of calls made to report accidents on roadways and crimes in progress. The wireless E911 statistics were published on the NENA website, measuring the number of counties, individual PSAPs, and total population covered by Phase I and Phase II wireless location technology. Phase I includes delivery of the caller's call-back and the cell tower transmitting the 911 call. Phase II includes delivery of the caller's location and call-back number.

January 5, 2007.-- Magellan, creators of the Hertz NeverLost and a leading global innovator of outdoor and vehicle navigation solutions, debuts its new Magellan CrossoverGPS at the London Boat Show, Mantsbrite stand, S150, presenting the world's first rugged, IPX-4 waterproof device designed to provide navigation for both driving and outdoor adventures. Available in January for less than �300, the traffic-ready Magellan CrossoverGPS will combine car navigation features, as experienced with the award-winning Magellan RoadMate series, and Magellan state-of-the-art outdoor handheld GPS receiver functionalities.

Preloaded with both street maps and topographic contour maps, the Magellan CrossoverGPS guides users from door-to-door in a car - and from point-to-point where the road ends - so they can enjoy driving, off-roading, hiking, geocaching, boating, fishing and more, all with one GPS device!

"As a pioneer of GPS navigation, Magellan has a long history and vast experience in both car and outdoor navigation. With the Magellan CrossoverGPS, we bring the best of both navigation techniques into an easy-to use device, competitively priced, that can address a multitude of travel needs like no other product," said Peter Rigby, Business Manager for Northern Europe at Magellan. "The Magellan CrossoverGPS can operate as a dedicated vehicle navigation system and an outdoor navigation device without compromising the performance of either operation. Customers can now rely on a single device to navigate whether on the road, in the great outdoors or on the water."

Magellan CrossoverGPS highlights:

A 3.5 inch color touch-screen display
Dimensions are 12.5 x 8.5 x 2.6 centimeters and weight is 235 grams.
Voice-and text-prompted turn-by-turn driving directions
IPX-4 water proof
Up to 8 hours battery life
Multiple outdoor navigation screens and fields: compass, altimeter, distance to destination, cross track error (XTE), estimated time of arrival.
A Sports Guard(tm) sleeve, for easy gripping and extra protection
Less than �300

On the road

The easy-to-use system features a 3-D birds-eye map view; the fee-free SmartDetour(tm) feature to help drivers route around motorway traffic; SayWhere(tm) directions with audible street names and optimized multi-destination routing for the quickest and most efficient routes when making several stops. Its searchable directory of nearly 2 million points of interest helps users easily find restaurants by cuisine type, airport, petrol stations, hotels and other useful businesses and services. The device is also the ideal travel companion with integrated MP3 player and photo viewer for added entertainment. In addition, users have the option to add real-time traffic capabilities to avoid delays and get to their destination faster.

Off the road, on the trail

Users can change the SD card plugged into their Magellan CrossoverGPS to switch from car navigation to outdoor activities or use the pre-loaded topographic contour maps to create and go to waypoints and routes or backtrack. The Magellan CrossoverGPS is compatible with all MapSend(tm) certified maps on SD-cards including topographic maps and BlueNav(tm) Marine charts. The outdoor navigation mode provides guidance using GPS coordinates for geographical locations, such as the latitude and longitude of a starting point and a desired destination. Other convenient features like the compass screen and the ability to save a base camp location, make the Magellan CrossoverGPS easy to use even for novice navigators. The integrated battery lasts up to eight hours when the device is in full use, and much more when on stand-by mode, which turns off the display while keeping the GPS tracking on.

On the water

By switching to the Marine mode, the CrossoverGPS automatically changes to nautical miles for distance and knots for speed. The Compass screen will show XTE (CrossTrack Error) and a Road Screen, which will show a black line on the map, will direct the user to the chosen waypoint. The user can zero in on the waypoint by steering the boat so that the black line remains in the center of the unit. If the difference between the heading and the bearing is such that the line is off screen, a large arrow will point either left or right to tell the captain how to correct his position.

Add Real-Time Traffic Capabilities

The optional Magellan TrafficKit enables the Magellan CrossoverGPS to display map screen icons that show traffic jams and conditions that impede the normal flow of traffic, such as accidents road construction and lane reductions. Drivers can be automatically rerouted around traffic. Drivers can also choose to see all or specific types of incidents, and can learn details about each by touching the associated icon. The TrafficKit will retail for �69.99 including VAT.

January 4, 2007.-- MapQuest announced MapQuest Mobile v2.5, offering a range of new features, including access to MapQuest's 15 million points of interest, multipoint routing, walking directions, customized routing options, and coverage in Canada. MapQuest Mobile, the #1 revenue generating downloadable application in the US1, is available in the US through 12 wireless carriers, and on 250 mobile phones.

In addition, MapQuest Navigator -- the GPS-enabled application featuring text and audio turn-by-turn directions -- is now available from Sprint (NYSE:S) on Sprint and Nextel BlackBerry� devices. The downloadable application features an in-car navigation-like system with a moving, full color map display while letting consumers receive phone calls. MapQuest Navigator for BlackBerry� devices is available for a 90-day free trial download at www.mapquest.com/mobile on the Get it Now link.2 Supported models include: the 8703e and 7130e powered by Sprint, and the 7520 and 7100i powered by Nextel.

"We're focused on offering mobile solutions to help consumers find places while they are on the go," said Alan Beiagi, Director of Wireless for MapQuest. "Enhancing our product offerings for mobile phone users and expanding our MapQuest Mobile coverage to Canada provides convenient and compelling solutions for subscribers to get to their destinations."

Among the new features of MapQuest Mobile v2.5:

Finding Places
Users can access the more than 15 million of Points Of Interest from the MapQuest.com database, including restaurants, hotels, gas stations and theaters.
Subscribers can search for a specific business or place by category, name or location, and click-to-call that business directly from the MapQuest Mobile application.
Navigate
Multipoint Routing lets users select multiple destinations to get a complete set of directions from point A to B to C, etc.
Pedestrian Navigation provides directions and maps for walking routes.
Reverse Directions lets users get directions back to the point of origin. Advanced Routing lets users choose the fastest or shortest routes, or those that avoid toll roads and highways.
Get Maps and Driving Directions
Directions can include advanced routing options (shortest time, shortest distance, avoid tolls, avoid highways, walking), and multi-stop routing. All maps, routes, multi-routes and places sent from Mapquest.com will be stored in a "Sent from Web" list.
Users can easily access their most recent locations and multi-routes, and they can save locations and multi-routes to a Favorites folder.
Users can store a favorite Businesses or Place in a "Favorites" list.
Canada Maps, directions and point of interest information is offered for all Canadian territories

January 3, 2007.-- AnyDATA Corporation has launched its newest product, the AGT-100D, a CDMA wireless GPS personal location device. The AGT-100D can be tracked using any existing Internet-based web application that currently uses assisted-GPS (AGPS) services for tracking. AGPS service is the same service used today for E911 location of cell phones by CDMA carriers, but now is commercially available for personal location devices. The AGT-100D is one of the first CDMA data devices to use the AGPS services for personal asset tracking.

Because of the low price and very small size of the AGT-100D, it can be used as a personal asset tag for locating people as well as valuable personal assets which may become mobile. The people-applications include locating your child, parent, employee, or a health-impaired person. Even family pets can be located. The personal-asset applications include locating all your mobile assets transported in a vehicle, or the location of the vehicle itself. Being able to locate the lost or stolen mobile assets reduces safety/security concerns for any consumer or business.

With the emergence of wireless-Internet capabilities on a variety of mobile devices, locating a personal asset just became even easier. Laptop personal computers and Smartphones can now run a tracking software application to access the location of the AGT-100D tag. Look for even newer location technologies to emerge to further enhance the uses of the AGT-100D.

"While location-based services have been available using GPS technology for quite some time, the AGT-100D personal asset tag using AGPS technology opens new markets of location applications such as locating your assets indoors away from view of the GPS satellites," said Ed Huelsman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for AnyDATA. "The AGT-100D is only the first of a whole new family of wireless devices and services being launched in 2007 by AnyDATA."

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