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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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.-- Verizon Business announced an agreement with Thrane & Thrane to offer a portable satellite service to enterprise customers. Verizon Business is the first global provider to offer such a service in an easily available way to a wide range of enterprise customers.

Until now, this type of satellite broadband connection has largely been restricted to specialized applications by government or media organizations that operate in remote locations that lack a telecommunications infrastructure. The new service, Verizon Global Broadband Satellite Access, Powered by Thrane & Thrane, is immediately available to U.S.-based customers. It was announced in conjunction with the Mobile Business Expo in New York City. An audio podcast is available at: http://www.podtech.net/home/4381/verizon-global-broadband-satellite-access- delivering-mobility-and-portability "We collaborated with Thrane & Thrane to design this service for broad appeal in terms of pricing, speeds, ease of setup and use, and device sizes," said Nancy Gofus, Verizon Business senior vice president and chief marketing officer.

"Industries such as energy, finance, transportation, health care, manufacturing, mining, retail, and the public sector -- including emergency first-responders -- will find the service an attractive way to enhance mobility and backup continuity for wireline and wireless networks."

Customers will use a Thrane & Thrane EXPLORER terminal to connect to a broadband global area network (BGAN), which leverages geostationary satellites that offer extensive global coverage. This broadband satellite solution extends an enterprise's mobile and portable voice and data connectivity beyond where traditional wireless and terrestrial networks reach.

"This agreement opens up a new world of opportunity for enterprise customers," said George Spohn, vice president and general manager of Thrane & Thrane for the . "By bringing together the Verizon global network with Thrane & Thrane airtime and the small, easy-to-use EXPLORER family of Satellite modems, we can extend a company's reach with mobile applications that heretofore were only available on a custom individual-case basis."

Verizon Business' Global Broadband Satellite Access, Powered by Thrane & Thrane is available virtually anywhere in the United States and around the world.(1) Employees can access company data and make voice calls using the same device, making it an ideal solution to complement an organization's enterprise mobility strategy.

Key features include security (provides secure access to corporate VPNs); extensive global network coverage; dependable, reliable communications; ease of deployment and support; flexibility to support IP and circuit-switched data in a single/multiple-user environment; portability (service is accessible via small, lightweight devices similar to laptops); mobility; high-speed broadband connections; and durability to withstand challenging climate conditions.

According to Forrester Research's December 2006 report, "The State of North American Enterprise Mobility In 2006," spending for mobile voice and data services accounted for 26 percent of the enterprise telecom budget in 2006 and continues to rise. In fact, nearly two-thirds of the companies interviewed by Forrester in 2007 expect to increase mobile data spending.

Gofus said the mobile satellite service joins Verizon's already comprehensive suite of Enterprise Mobility solutions. "In today's business environment, there is an increasing need to stay connected regardless of geographic location," Gofus said. "Mobile satellite is another arrow in our quiver, and we don't intend to stop here. We will continue to innovate as we meet our customers' ever changing, always challenging global requirements."

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 9, 2007.-- Networks In Motion (NIM) , headquarters Aliso Viejo, Calif., announced an agreement with Nordisk Mobiltelefon AB (NMT), a mobile communications operator licensed in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland and Ireland, to provide mobile phone navigation and group finder services.

Utilizing NIM's LBS technology on GPS-enabled mobile phones, Nordisk will offer NMT Navigator, which includes turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions as well as local search of millions of points of interest and detailed color maps, and NMT Team Finder, which tracks friends, workforce, children or family, to its customers in Q1 2008.

We chose Networks In Motion because of its proven success in the U.S. and because they provide unique functionality, better maps and more effective user-interfaces than its competitors," said Johan Lodenius, co-founder of Nordisk Mobiltelefon AB.

By providing NIM's applications to our consumer and enterprise customers, we're able to offer unique applications for finding people or places, with extremely high availability, through our outstanding network coverage and high precision assisted GPS service."

As the leading provider of mobile phone navigation services to major North American wireless carriers, with the largest number of paid subscribers, Networks In Motion is now bringing its successful products and strategies to European consumers through Nordisk," said Doug Antone, president and CEO of Networks In Motion.

Mobile phone navigation has quickly acquired more than three million subscribers in the U.S. and is competing with personal navigation devices due to its convenience and price point, and we believe the same adoption rate is possible in Europe."

According to a recent research report by Berg Insight, "Mobile Maps and Navigation," the number of mobile subscribers accessing maps and downloading routes using their mobile handsets in Europe and the U.S. is expected to grow from four million users in 2007 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60.8 percent to reach 43 million users in 2012.

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/

October 2, 2007.-- ViaMichelin, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Michelin group, announced that its ViaMichelin Navigation X-970 portable GPS is now available in North America. The X-970 is the first such device to be integrated with exclusive Michelin content.

The ViaMichelin Navigation X-970 represents the ideal companion for demanding travelers, offering advanced functions such as text-to-speech (providing voice instructions of street names and directions) and Bluetooth that allows incoming calls to be accepted hands-free simply by clicking on the touch screen. The model also offers amplified sound thanks to a 3-watt speaker incorporated in the base. The ViaMichelin X-970 is also real-time traffic capable.

For increased safety while navigating, the X-970 features an easy to use touch screen interface with a super bright color display readable in full sunlight and a smart keyboard enabling fast, intuitive address searches. Turn-by-turn directions can be displayed split screen (mapping and schematic simultaneously) and are accompanied by a text-to-speech translation. The ViaMichelin Navigation X-970 is the only portable GPS navigation system to integrate exclusive Michelin Green Guide content, describing thousands of attractions across the and .

In addition, X-970 users can go to ViaMichelin.com, a leading travel assistance destination to find Michelin rated restaurants in New York and San Francisco, plan routes and book hotels throughout the and . All content from the ViaMichelin.com Web site can be sent for free to their ViaMichelin X-970 unit. Whether looking for fine dining or white glove accommodations, the Michelin Guides have been the guide of choice in Europe for more than a century and now their editors have turned their focus to which can be fully taken advantage of only with the X-970.

The X-970 features a slim, lightweight design (5.47 ounces) and size (4.25'' x 3.15'' x 0.79''), while providing a full-size touch screen (3.5'') for easy use and navigation. In addition to the Michelin Green Guides of hotels, the unit is preloaded with a directory of millions of additional POIs that allow users to easily find restaurants, lodging, gas stations, banks/ATMs and other businesses and services.

The X-970's sleek stylish design makes it fit in either on a caf� table or in a luxury car interior with ease. With ViaMichelin's slide and go car mount, the X-970 can quickly be moved from one car to another, easily fit into a shirt pocket and taken while walking or stowed in a locked glove compartment or hand bag for safe keeping.

Drawing on over a century of Michelin experience in travel assistance and enhanced mobility along with over 20 years of digital mapping experience, ViaMichelin develops digital travel assistance products and services for users throughout North America and Europe. Providing safety, quality, and performance to drivers with sophisticated and user-friendly solutions, ViaMichelin is one of the key players in the European GPS market. ViaMichelin.com is one of the most popular online travel assistance destinations in Europe, serving as a valuable resource for directions, hotel reservations and restaurant choices.

The X-970 is available on October 1 at J&R, New York City, J&R.com, Amazon.com, CircuitCity.com, and automotive stores throughout the The suggested retail price is $399 in the The real-time traffic feature will be sold separately as an option.

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 6, 2007.-- Sandia National Laboratories and the US Department of Energy (DOE) have agreed to release exclusively the rights to Patent 6,031,454 to Gentag, Inc. Patent 6,031,454 covers the non-military version of the Radar Responsive Tag technology and the wide-area geolocation of people and workers both inside and outside buildings. The patent was previously co-owned between Gentag and Sandia National Laboratories.

This unique field-tested technology allows geolocation of people over distances of up to 12 miles -- with a potential geolocation accuracy of three feet. In addition to its unique range, the technology can detect people either inside or outside buildings and can include sensor data.

Applications include emergency or non-emergency geolocation of small children in cities or amusement parks, patients or doctors inside hospitals, firefighters and other people in high-risk jobs, elderly with dementia, commercial travelers, hikers, boaters, etc.

The technology can be overlaid with the current cell-phone infrastructure or be stand-alone, can be incorporated in cell phones, or could even be embedded in clothes or high-value items.

"We are pleased to have secured the rights to this unique technology that complements our wireless-sensor-network patent portfolio," announced Dr. John Peeters, the founder of Gentag.

Dr. Mike Lovejoy, who was on the Radar Responsive Tag development team at Sandia National Laboratories, will work on the commercialization and miniaturization of the technology.

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 11, 2007.-- Speaking at the Canalys Navigation forum in Barcelona, Michael Halbherr shared insights about the current state of navigation and plans for updates and improvements for Nokia Maps. Launched in February of this year, the Nokia Maps mobile application and the Nokia Map Loader for PC's have each been downloaded over 1 million times. A key point highlighted by Halbherr, head of the location-based experience team in Nokia Multimedia was the evolution of Nokia Maps from the first version, announced in February, to the next phase, which is available for download today. "We have taken a lot of the consumer feedback that we received when we launched Nokia Maps and are feeding that into the next versions of the product," said Mr. Halbherr.

The updated Nokia Maps application has a new streamlined user interface with improved nearby search and detailed categories. "Many people were saying that they didn't know how much data they were using, so we have added a data download counter in the map view. We also added a GPS status indicator so that you know when your device is connected to the satellites." The updated version also comes with a bonus three-day trial Navigation license free of charge*. "With this trial users can try out the service over a weekend holiday or a short business trip and discover the convenience of having a personal navigation device integrated into their mobile."

"Speaking of streamlining things," added Halbherr, "We are happy to report that we have a new and improved PC Map Loader available for users to download." The Nokia Map Loader is used to conveniently side load maps on to the device before you need them. "The improved Map Loader transfers the maps up to 10 times faster than the first version and enables downloading the voice guidance files."

Both new versions of Nokia Maps and the Nokia Map Loader are freely available to download for selected devices at http://maps.nokia.com

Nokia is also updating the map coverage during the second half of 2007 to bring the total number of countries covered to over 150, with more than 50 of them navigable. "Our goal is to have the world covered," exclaimed Mr. Halbherr, "We want our navigation customers to feel assured that when they travel abroad, their Nokia device has the relevant maps for them. A map is like an insurance policy against getting lost, you need it most when you are lost, and when that happens, it is invaluable."

Nokia Maps is being integrated into Ovi. Ovi is the door to Nokia's Internet services, including the Nokia Music Store, Nokia Maps and N-Gage games. It will also be an open door to web communities, enabling people to access their content, communities and contacts from a single place, either directly from a compatible Nokia device or from a PC.

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 ad