Japan Launches GNSS Satellite

The “Michibiki” satellite completed a successful launch on Saturday, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said on Sunday.

Michibiki is the first of three satellites that will stay over the Japanese islands in a figure eight orbit. That should keep one overhead at all times to help correct/add to the GPS satellites that do not always provide complete coverage. The “quasi-zenith” orbit gave the project its name: Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS).

- PC World

Podcast: A Hallway Conversation: Can you Locate me Now?

Did you ever wonder how hardware makers insure their devices can locate you effectively via GPS, cell towers and Wi-Fi? How do they answer the question “Can you locate me now?” One way is to use in-lab simulations for testing. Executive Editor Adena Schutzberg spoke with Nigel Wright, Spirent’s Vice President of Marketing for Wireless about how their testing services work and are used.

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GPS Tidbits

China launched the fifth of its navigations satellites for its in development COMPASS constellation on Aug 1. It will be one of 35 satellites when the constellation is complete. Asian use of it is expected in 2012 with worldwide coverage in 2020.

- http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/39967/20100801/china-satellite-launch-gps-asia-pacific-coverage-communications.htm”>International Business Times

Oman’s police force is encouraging rental car companies in install navigation devices after a rise in the number of thefts of rented vehicles.

- Khalee Times

New South Wales, Australia police are reminding motorists to abide by road closures and take extra care on the roads during periods of bad weather and exercise caution when using in-car navigation devices. This after a family ignored “road closed” signs during a storm, got stuck and had to wait three days for rescue. They were following their GPS’ instructions.

- News.com.au

There’s altogether too much coverage in a promotion in Brazil that puts a GPS into a Unilever laundry detergent box. When the purchasers gets the box home (there are 50), they will a prize, a video camera. It will come to them. A website shows the approximate location of the winners and tracks the team giving out the prizes.

- C|net

“Gartner predicts that by the end of 2013, location or profile information from mobile devices will be used to validate and detect fraud on 90 percent of mobile transactions.” GPS among other technologies can and should be used to detect fraud per one blogger.

- Bank Infosecurity

GPS Tidbits

Singapore has put out a tender to us GNSS to solve its congestion problems on the roads. The current system uses “tolls” with “smart cards” but adding in new “toll booths” is simply costly and causes more congestion in other areas as drivers try to finder cheaper alternatives. The hope is that satellite managed systems will make the payment simpler and keep traffic moving.

- PC World

911 ETA is new software for smartphones and in-car GPS systems designed to “pre-alert” drivers of on-coming emergency vehicles. It will be tested by Denver’s West Metro’s Fire Department later this year. Smartphones will “buzz” and in-car GPS will speak a warning when the vehicle is within 900 feet - but that can be adjusted as the jurisdiction prefers. The system can be made to turn down the radio and open windows.

- Fire Rescue 1

Intel is developing a “black box” for cars that could do everything from video where the car has gone (to share with insurance companies after an accident), keep tabs on nearby cars (to help the driver from getting to close), take over the driving (when a car goes the wrong way down a one way street) and even report potholes (to local authorities).

- The Telegraph

GPS Tidbits

The US FAA will hold a 3-day public meeting on 10-12 August in Stanford, California to gather industry ideas on alternative positioning, navigation and timing (APNT) methods that could be used if global navigation satellite services (GNSS) are interrupted.

- FlightGlobal

NAVTEQ has installed kiosks in nine stores in two Mexican cities to show of GPS devices from Garmin, Mio, and Motorola, which all use the new company’s new maps of the country. NAVTEQ, is owned by Nokia, which is pushing the Ovi mapping platform on its phones.

- GPS World

Market research company iSuppli predicts the number of smartphone-based navigation systems in use will increase from 8m in 2009 to 81m this year, rising to 297m by 2014. Pre-loaded systems are expected to overshadow downloaded applications…

That suggests PND use is dropping.

- StrategyEye