Tuesday, November 24. 2009

Update: TomTom: If you can't beat 'em, cut the price

Today TomTom added another incentive to get folks buying PNDs: turn in an old one for a discount on a full price new on at TomTom.com. While the "trade in" prices are considered generous by Consumer Reports (some up to 50% of current sale prices for new versions of older units) it's a bit tricky since the full price new products may be two or three times the current doorbuster holiday prices. So, do your homework! (Oh, and the TomTom iphone App is not eligiable for a rebate.)

- Consumer Reports

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Satellite Navigation, TomTom at 17:06 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0) |

Wednesday, November 18. 2009

Garmin Offers Process to Put Your Maps on its Devices

Essentially Custom Maps allows you to upload georeferenced JPGs onto your device. Per the press release:

The first step to creating Custom Maps is to save your existing map in JPG format, either by scanning a paper map or converting a digital file. The second step is to georeference your new map image, which can be done easily by using Google Earth to line up key landmarks with those depicted on the map. The final step is to save your Custom Maps to your Garmin device and you’re ready to go explore. To see these steps in further detail, to find and share maps with other users and to join discussions about Garmin Custom Maps, visit www.garmin.com/CustomMaps. Custom Maps should only be created from maps that are in the public domain, for which you hold the copyright, or that you have permission to use from the copyright holder. The original map’s accuracy in scale and illustration is also an important factor in creating quality Custom Maps.

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Satellite Navigation at 06:58 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) |

Friday, November 13. 2009

Why are Milwaukee Fire Dept GPSs Not Working?

The short answer is potholes. While some devices are damaged when other things are placed on top of them, most are damaged when the vehicles hit potholes when heading to a face a fire or other situation. No word on how the city hopes to prevent such damage in the future.

- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Satellite Navigation at 06:00 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) |

Thursday, November 12. 2009

TomTom iPhone App Update

This is probably a good time for an update considering Google's new Android-based free Google Maps Navigation and the talk it may come to other platforms, include the iPhone.

Among the goodies in a new free update, now pending approval in the AppStore:

- ext-to-speech (TTS) for spoken street names and POIs as part of the device's directions
- graphic lane guidance
- links to emergency services
- an iPod inside the app to play and manage music (thus getting around the challenge of running but one app at a time)
- map update
- dataset of "safety cameras"

- C|net Cartech Blog

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Satellite Navigation, Apple at 08:44 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) |

Friday, November 6. 2009

Garmin: Sitting on Hands or Smart Like a Fox?

GPS Business News asks if Garmin is sitting on its hands after Google's announcement of free navigation for Android. Alas the article is behind a wall, but the question is a good one. (And I'm sure the analysis is, too.)

But I have only public sources to cite and this one is interesting. Steve Chuang writing in Taiwan Economic News suggests Garmin is going for #1 in Taiwan in 2010 by launching three new devices. It'll try to move from #2 and pass Mio at #1. TomTom is #3. Part of the plan is using "preloaded maps of Taiwan, in a bid to use the self-developed maps to boost its brand recognition with local consumers. " In the past the company licensed maps from a publishing company, but now is creating the maps itself. Further, "Institutional investors indicated that by focusing more on independently developing PND maps for Taiwan, Garmin is likely to threaten the leader Mio in the market and may outstrip it by the end of this year."

There are also reports indicating that brand name satnav and white box satnav manufacturers may drop prices to $US69 and $US49 for the holidays to compete with Google.

- Taiwan Economic News
- DigiTimes

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Satellite Navigation at 08:24 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0) |

Wednesday, November 4. 2009

Quote of the Week

"Satnav maps from Tele Atlas AND Navteq incorrectly show Ashdown Terrace in South Tidworth as a through road with a connection to Station road, see here when in actual fact it is a dead end."

The story is from PocketGPSWorld and details how locals have put up sign to help prevent trapped trucks. The funny part? "Tele Atlas AND Navteq." Why is it not "and" or "and" - since AND is Automotive Navigation Data, yet another data provider! Or, did they mean that AND also has it wrong?

Posted by Adena Schutzberg in Satellite Navigation at 09:34 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) |