Chinese GNSS Beidou Offering Data

With its tenth satellite in orbit, Beidou, the Chinese equivalent to GPS, is "operational." China plans six more satellite launches before the end of 2012 and a total of 35 by 2020. 

If the translation is accurate, Chinese officials are unclear on how the systems works. 

Beidou now offered location, timing and navigation data to China and surrounding areas announced the project's spokesman Ran Cheng.

The interface control document is available in English (pdf).

- BBC

Who’s Got 40% of GIS Marketshare in China?

The same company being touted as China's Apple. Beijing-based Uni-Strong Science & Technology Co Ltd. And, no I've not heard of it either.

UniStrong's geographic information system (GIS) services has about 40 percent of the marketshare in China, said an Orient Securities Company Ltd report. The company's automobile navigation products, known as the renwoyou series, are the best-selling brands in the country,according to an Economic Observer report on Aug 5.

It's China Position navgiation service launched on July 28 and the company plans to use the Chinese GNSS Beidou to support future products based on an "app model" like Apples.

- China Daily

Update: Quote of the Week

Update: The BBC reports Mr. Smutny has been removed from his post.

via Vector1

—- original post 1/17/11—-

“I think Galileo is a stupid idea that primarily serves French interests.”

The head of a German firm OHB Technology, Berry Smutny said that according to a leaked US diplomatic cable. The company is working on Europe’s Galileo GNSS. “The cable originated from the US embassy in Berlin in October 2009 and was obtained by WikiLeaks and released by Norwegian daily Aftenposten. Mr Smutny denied saying that.

- News.com Australia

First GLONASS enabled Phone Coming in March

Russian company Sistema showed off a phone with a GLONASS chip on Tuesday. Sales are expected in March - perhaps March 1 or perhaps, per a joke from Prime Minister Putin, on March 8, International Women’s Day. (And, yes he said something about tracking husbands). The company plans to make 500,000 and to help boost GLONASS use, “Russia plans to introduce duties of around 25 percent by 2012 on the import of mobile phones without the GLONASS navigation system, as part of efforts to encourage worldwide adoption of the technology.”

- Reuters

German Gov Report: Galileo Will be Late and Way Over Budget

According to a report by the German government, which has been seen by the Financial Times Deutschland, Brussels now calculates that the project will face further delays and cost €1.5 billion-€1.7 billion ($2 billion-$2.3 billion) extra. On Thursday, the paper reported that the European Commission also expects the system to make losses in the long term.

That means it will be 10 years late (2017) and EU will need to subsidize it up to of €750 million per year.
- Spiegel Online