30th Anniversary of the First Launched GPS

Some 30 years ago-on February 22 to be précised, the first GPS was launched into space with the launch of NASTAR 1 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. And so it happened that this Feb. 22 was celebrated to mark the occasion.

According to Col. David Madden, GPS Wing Commander at Los Angeles Air Force Base, "the Block I satellites, launched between February 22, 1978, and October 9, 1985, paved the way for an operational system that has revolutionized the way we go to war".

To mark the occasion, Rockwell International made a special "first-day-of-issue" card for each Block I launch and arranged for the Vandenberg AFB post office to stamp them with the date of the launch. The Block I contract, F4701-74-C-0527, was signed in August 1974. The first satellite launch was 42 months later, and the first four satellites launched within the space of a year — all in 1978.

Madden also said that "Next year will see the 20th anniversary of the first officially operational Block II satellite, launched February 14, 1989. Mission II-1 was a momentous occasion, starting the full operational constellation that the world now relies upon for precise navigation signal in space."

Philadelphia Cabs’ GPS to be fixed

Owing to several complains lodged by cabbies about the inconsistency of the global positioning system installed in taxis, the Philadelphia Parking Authority officials has finally agreed to fix this anomaly once and for all.

Some two years back cabbies have been ordered to put GPS system in their taxis and almost the same period there have been several complaints about inaccuracy in the installed GPS device.

Many a time drivers have to rely on their instincts since they do not get good directions from the device and this has also impeded the authority from monitoring their location.

The head of the PPA's Taxi and Limo Division, Jim Nye said that a solution is on the way through a vendor called VTS has installed fixes which will be tested for two months for consistency.

GPS Mislead Drivers in N.J. City

It has been confirmed that some drivers in Secaucus, N. J. City were led astray by the use of the GPS technology. Such drivers drove their vehicles into dead end road despite obtaining contrary information from their GPS device.

The fact that this electronic maps does not show a gate that separates residential and industrial areas has misled truck drivers relying on GPS devices and online map to show them the route to an industrial area are instead running into a road block.

Some of the residents who experienced this rather unpleasant occurrence complaint about the nuisance such truck could be while trying to route their way back to their destination. According to Mayor Dennis Elwell, residents on Fifth Street started complaining about trucks clogging their street about a year ago as GPS devices increased in popularity. Some drivers have to call police to open the gate because their trucks are too big to turn around.

While speaking in defense of the GPS makers, Garmin International spokesman Jake Jacobson says the GPS maker has to receive a request or complaint and go through a thorough process before maps can be changed. Therefore GPS maps might not contain the most recent information as regards road block.

The GPS-enabled KT610 Symbian Smartphone

At the GSMA Mobile World Congress LG Electronics announced that it will soon make available its new product, the GPS-enabled KT610 Symbian Smartphone. This, the company believes is a prove to the world that they are not just about flash and touch screen but can also offer functional devices  with respect to GPS and related services.

As a Symbian Smartphone with an integrated GPS, the device is designed to meet the needs of the business o its customers with such interesting feature that sports a a candy-bar-style form factor that opens up to reveal a 2.4-inch screen and full QWERTY keyboard.

In addition, there is a small display and alphanumeric keypad on the exterior of the phone. Inside, the machine is running Symbian OS 9.2 (S60 3rd Edition) and is HSDPA capable.

Other features include multimedia capabilities, push e-mail and a full web browser.

Residents Warned Over GPS Theft

GPS devices have become the target of the undergrounds as proved by the recent wave of car break-ins. To that respects, the Shrewsbury Police Department has called on residents to be more vigilant about the way they carry their GPS devices and were equally advised to try as much as possible to remove GPS units from their vehicles when they are not in use.

The Spokesman , Pratt Alfred, a Shrewsbury Police Lt said in a press release that for more than five weeks there have been reports of car break-ins amounting to about fifteen and they were all cases of stolen GPS units. In most cases, the thieves got access to the vehicles by smashing out windows and many of the units were in plain view from outside the vehicles.

It has also been noted that daytime thefts have mostly been in high traffic areas on or near Rte. 9, such as commercial areas or shopping malls. The nighttime break-ins have happened in residential areas.

While promising to do their best to protect residents, police recommend residents remove their GPS units, wire and mount from their vehicles while they are parked and also advise residents to document all serial numbers on GPS systems for recovery.

Pratt concluded y saying that anyone with information on the break-ins should contact Detective Steve Brady at (508) 841-8459.

GPS-A must have for Vehicle Owners

If you are a vehicle owner and probably considering owing a GPS device, here is you need to know about those increasingly ubiquitous GPS navigation devices for your car: Prices have plunged dramatically in the last year, transforming them from exotic toys for gearheads to a mass-market consumer product every driver should take a serious look at.

The good news is that quality GPS units are available now for less than $200, down from $800 or $900 less than a year ago. Within each brand, the cheapest, no-frills models navigate every bit as well as the pricier ones. Beyond that, you're paying for bells and whistles - most of which are far from essential - and map coverage.

Fletcher Previn, editor-in-chief of GPSMagazine.com - a good place to go for unvarnished advice - says you can't go wrong with one of the big three brands: Garmin, Magellan or TomTom, in that order of preference. After trying out a Navigon unit, I'd put that brand on the list, too.

Once you've chosen a brand, it's just a matter of finding the cheapest model with the features and map coverage you want:

● Text-to-speech, also called "Speaks street names": This is the one feature absolutely worth paying extra for. With it, your GPS will tell you to "turn left on Mission Street," rather than just "turn left in 200 yards." It adds $50 to $75 to the price of a basic unit, and it's money well spent.

● Maps: Most basic units cover only the lower 48 states. If you also want Canada, Alaska and Hawaii (and sometimes Puerto Rico and Guam), you usually have to upgrade to a more expensive model.

● Screen size: Basic units have 3.5-inch-diagonal screens; you can pay more and get a 4.3-inch screen. A little to my surprise, I've concluded the larger screen isn't worth the extra cost.

● Traffic reports: In theory it's a great idea - real-time reports are beamed to your GPS unit, which then detours you around traffic jams. But in my experience - and that of Previn - it doesn't work very well. Rather than being "real time," the traffic information, which sometimes requires a separate subscription, is often as much as half an hour old, causing your GPS to reroute you around jams that no longer exist.

I-mate Unveils Two New Devices

At the just concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, i-mate, a Smartphone maker revealed that it is ready to launch two new products that the company believed is going to sweep the GPS and mobile telephony market.

The number one product is the Ultimate 9502 which happened to be the new flagship model in the Ultimate range. Being a 3.5G, it boasts faster-than-3G internet connectivity (HSDPA/HSUPA), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, built-in GPS capabilities and a color VGA display.

I-mate revealed that the 9502 runs Windows Mobile and offers integrated support for Direct Video Out, should you want to connect it to a monitor or projector to watch videos on a larger screen. Being able to run video conferencing calls and display presentations straight off the phone makes the Ultimate 9502 "a viable alternative to a notebook".

The other product is the slimline i-mateUltimate 8502 handsets which sports a full QWERTY keyboard, a magnificent 2.6 inch touchscreen and built-in GPS with Microsoft Office Mobile.

However it seems the company is not too in a hurry to make the devices for commercial consumption since pricing and availability has not yet been revealed but it is expected that these will be made available by next month.

TCS and Allion Collaborate to Offer Location Solution in Asia-Pacific

Recently, TeleCommunication Systems, Inc (TCS) has entered into an agreement with Allion and this involves the implementation of the TCS Xypoint® Secure User Plane for Location (SUPL) Server to deliver Location-Based Services (LBS) to Asia-Pacific users by the later.

TCS is a leading provider of mission-critical wireless communications while Allion is a world leading Information Technology (IT) testing organization; it therefore expected that their collaboration will consolidate on each other's services.  TCS Xypoint SUPL Server enables Allion to deliver Assisted Global Positioning System the (A-GPS) services for innovative commercial location applications over the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) air interface. Further, it supports interoperability across all SUPL-capable devices and multiple positioning technologies

These technologies include handset-based A-GPS, handset-assisted A-GPS, cell ID and enhanced cell ID and as put by the President of Allion, Summer Chien, "The TCS Xypoint SUPL Server provides us with a key advantage to quickly and effectively offer precise location services in the Asia-Pacific region. The reliability and flexibility of TCS' platform allows us to confidently provide value-added LBS applications to our wireless carriers and enterprise customers."

It is interesting to also note that the TCS' Xypoint SUPL Server conforms to the standard for Internet Protocol (IP)-based A-GPS location as defined by the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). Specifically, the Xypoint SUPL Server supports the OMA SUPL 1.0 standard to enable innovative location applications such as navigation and fleet tracking. TCS software and services help network operators differentiate their service offerings and create new revenue opportunities. Allion is relying on the TCS Xypoint SUPL Server to initially deliver Location-Based Services in Taiwan and then will expand to offer a variety of precise location services via UMTS throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Offering his own comment, the Chief marketing Officer of TCS, Timothy Lorello said that the contract marks their first SUPL in-network deployment in the Asia-Pacific region. He concluded by saying "TCS continues to demonstrate innovation and market leadership in developing and delivering the location-based solutions subscribers demand while opening up new lines of revenue streams for our customers. We believe Allion's creative approach to providing LBS services to enterprise customers will successfully demonstrate the value of Location-Based Services in the region."

GPS Misled Drivers

It has been confirmed that the GPS has misdirected about two drivers using the unfinished EastLink freeway after their cars' satellite navigation systems told them it was open for business. Confirming this is BuilderThiess John Holland, which is currently building the $3.8 billion toll road for ConnectEast.

According to the company spokewoman, Megan Cusack, who said the company became aware of this problem in mid-January. She said "We contacted navigational companies to advise them that they needed to rectify their products to indicate that EastLink is actually closed."  However she said the motorists who had driven on the road had not driven far.

A State Government spokeswoman said rumours circulating in the media last week that EastLink would open at the end of next month were inaccurate.
"There is still quite a lot of work remaining," the spokeswoman said. "EastLink remains on schedule to open in mid-2008, well ahead of the original completion date of November 2008.
"There are still a range of works to be completed on the roadway and inside the tunnels, making an exact opening date too difficult to predict."

Sprint Introduces New Features to its Users with Social Networking and GPS.

Sprint customers have a variety of ways to land a Valentine or keep in touch with loved ones while on-the-go, including MySpace comments and updates. In fact, MySpace is now delivering more than six million text alerts per month to Sprint customers who want to keep up with all the latest gossip and happenings on their MySpace profiles via the Internet on their Sprint phones.

It is a well established fact that the dating game is changing as mobile technology becomes more mainstream. While the traditional dozen roses and box of chocolates may not be going away any time soon, those tokens of affection may easily be accompanied by Fast Flirting, CellFlirt and more, sent from a mobile device. Now that text and picture messages are a part of everyday life, a new trend is emerging - mobile dating. For the first time, those looking for love can use the Match.com Mobile application to access millions of online profiles and make plans with Mr. Right, or at least Mr. Right-Now.
Little wonders Kevin Packingham, the vice president of wireless product management, in a statement offered "On Valentine's Day people want to connect with their loved ones, no matter how busy they might be, and Sprint phones are the perfect way to do that. You can find the closest gift shop using Sprint Navigation, send pictures or ringtones, and even get text alerts letting you know you have a new comment on MySpace. Sprint customers can use their phones to share the love."

Indeed, these helpful tools on Sprint phones make dating and maintaining relationships easier, as customers can get what they need, when they need it - even if that's during those few minutes after classes or between meetings. Each service enhances the customer's mobile experience, along with making it that much easier to keep their Valentine happy on the big day, or any day.

For those in need of some romantic help can send more love by visiting www.sprint.com/sendlove and using tools such as the TXT Romantifier for some smooth suggestions to turn a phrase. Customers can visit their favorite Sprint retail store or click their way over to www.sprint.com for more ideas on how to send some lovin' to their favorite people with pink and red phones or other fun applications.

Nokia Announces Navigator Phone with GPS

In line with its promise made sometime last year that it will focus more on location-based services and launch more services with GPS capability, Nokia has just released its new 6210 Navigator with many promising GPS features. This new product is the company's next version of mapping software and it has already started to offer this beta version of Nokia Maps2.0 the Nokia Beta Labs Web site.

Among the new features embedded in the 6210 is the pedestrian navigation which is called Walked, this component gives travelers visual turn-by-turn directions, location information, and descriptions of surroundings like buildings, streets, and parks. With the built-in compass in the mobile phone, users can easily the direction of which they are heading. Another similar feature is the called Drive present in the Nokia Maps and which is a car-based navigation components. The Nokia Maps 2.0 which provides turn-by-turn visual and voice directions requires a phone with GPS capability, or an external GPS module connected to a mobile device.

The acquisition of Navteq, a digital map maker, has put Nokia in the edge and the company has been busy developing new devices and software to compete with popular GPS system makers like Garmin, which recently launched its own personal navigator-phone hybrid. The company also said it will introduce a mass market version of Nokia Maps in the first half of this year for mobile devices based on the Series 40 platform.
In line with its push into personal navigation, Nokia this week introduced its first GPS-enabled mobile phone with an integrated compass and Nokia Maps 2.0. The phone also comes with a self-mount car kit for car navigation, assisted GPS for accessing satellite views, and local maps pre-loaded on the device's 1-GB memory card.

Expressing his expectation on the 6210 Navigator, the VP of Nokia's location based services group, Michael said "By combining the integrated compass of the Nokia 6210 Navigator, with the speed and accuracy of assisted GPS, Nokia Maps 2.0 provides a unique experience with which other, less accurate, mobile navigation applications can't compete."

In addition to the features mentioned above, the 6210 Navigator comes with a 3G support for high-speed Internet browsing, 3.2-megapixel camera, MP3 player, and FM radio.

Nokia will start shipping the 6210 Navigator in select markets in the third quarter of this year with a somewhat reasonable price of EUR 300 (about $435). Its multimedia phones, such as the N82 and the N95, cost a lot more. Nokia didn't stop there. It also announced the 6220 classic, the N78, and the N96 -- all three phones come pre-loaded with the latest version of Nokia Maps. The announcements were made at the Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona.

GPS Records Success despite fall in Stock Value of SiRF Technology

The latest report on stock activities on Wall Street of the last quarter might after all not be a favorable one especially to investors who stake their lot on SiRF's values. It was revealed on Monday night that the last quarter of the just concluded year that there were some shortcomings on the values traded for that quarter and as if that was not enough the guidance report made available for the first quarter of this year is not too impressive and some financial analysts reacted to this as far below what they had expected from such company of that caliber.

Not too long when trading of SiRF' stock closed at $16.27 per share on the Nasdaq, the company published its quarterly earnings for the last quarter of the old year and this has been the policy of the company to release financial news before or after the closure of the markets.

In a related story, in the after-hours trading a sell-off ensued and the price of SiRF stock nosedived, opening today at $8.15 per share. It continued to drop today; late this morning (Eastern Standard Time), SiRF shares were selling at $7.87 per share, a drop of more than 50 percent since Monday afternoon's close. In that time some 28.6 million shares had changed hands; the stock's normal trading volume is 2.68 million shares in a day.

According to the report, SiRF's net revenue for Q4 was $100.4 million, an increase of 35.3 percent from $74.2 million reported in Q4 2006. Net revenue for the year was $329.4 million, an increase of 33 percent from $247.7 million reported in fiscal 2006. Gross margin in Q4 2007 was 48.1 percent, however, as compared to 54.7 percent in the year-ago period. For the year SiRF posted a gross margin of 50.9 percent, as compared to 54.8 percent in fiscal 2006. Net income for the most recent quarter was $700,000, or 1 cent per diluted share, based on 64.3 million diluted weighted average shares outstanding. This compares with net income of $9.1 million, or 16 cents per diluted share, based on 56.1 million diluted weighted average shares outstanding, in the last quarter of 2006.

However, GPS chip maker were able to record a profit for the Q4, and based on 55.5 million diluted weighted average shares outstanding, the resulting net loss for fiscal 2007 was 10.4million ( about 19 per cent diluted share.)

While commenting on the report of the Q4, Michael Canning, SiRF president and CEO, said that "This was a good Quarter for SiRF fueled by strong seasonal demand for GPS location-enabled consumer products, and we reported record growth in revenue and units. However, our gross margin performance was negatively impacted by a combination of competitive market pricing and a shift of product mix".

ViaMichelin and Navigon Collaborate to Offer PNDs

With the primary objective to offer the French market with a line of Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs), the French company ViaMichelin has teamed up with the German company, Navigon and they have agreed to co-brand the product with both their names.

According to statement made available by Via Michelin CEO, Alain Cuq, where he said that the "agreement will provide economies of scale which are made necessary by heavy pressure on PND prices and by relying on Navigon for PNDs, and by developing more partnerships, ViaMichelin will bring its travel assistance services to more consumers every day, making use all types of digital technologies."

AS a subsidiary of tire-maker Michelin ViaMichelin specializes in maps and travelers' guides and it recently announced that it planned to exit its self-branded PND business. Navigon, long known for its OEM navigation software, just launched its own brand of PNDs last year.

Already, the two companies have concluded arrangement on how to market the product. The co-branded ViaMichelin-Navigon PND range will be launched in France by the second quarter of this year with the expectation of extending the offer to other countries later on.

Garmin’s Entrance into Smartphone Market Confirmed

That Garmin has entered into the smartphone market is no longer a speculation, it is a fact that has come to stay and this was made available by Garmin itself on Wednesday evening.

With its Nuviphone which comes with powerful features, Garmin is ready to contribute its own quota to the smartphone market.

Garmin revealed that it will make the Nuviphone available by the third quarter of this year with the promise that it is going to be a "work of art in features, design and functionality". The device features a 3.5-inch touchscreen; 3.5G cellular connectivity, including data, Internet, e-mail, and messaging capabilities; a built-in camera and multimedia file playback functions; and of course GPS-based navigation.

As a hybrid product, Nuviphone combines features of cell phone, a Web browser, and GPS into just a single device. The device features a 3.5-inch touch screen ; 3.5G cellular connectivity, including data, Internet, e-mail, and messaging capabilities; a built-in camera and multimedia file playback functions; and of course GPS-based navigation. The home screen consists of three major features namely; call, search and view map synchronized to function as cell phone, Web browser and GPS respectively

According to the company, when Nuviphone is powered on, the touch screen display reveals three primary icons for calling, searching, and map viewing functions, according to Garmin. When the Nuvifone is docked onto a vehicle mount, it automatically turns on the GPS, activates the navigation menu, and enables hands-free calling.

Garmin also said that the Nuvifone shares the navigation capabilities found in the company's line of Nuvi PNDs. The device also includes Google local search capability, the first Garmin device to do so, as well as access to Google's Panoramio, the search engine company's photo sharing site. It will also feature access to Garmin Online, an online service offering real-time traffic reports, fuel prices, stock prices, sport scores, news reports, local events, and weather forecasts, according to the company.

The company promised that details about the pricing and market would be revealed in due time.

The GPSmap 60SX, a Garmin Handheld Device

The Garmin GPSmap60CSx is quite a device as a handheld receiver to be desired if you are the type that would want to try out such a relatively portable gadget. Not only does the GPSmap60CSx have all the features of a high-end outdoor handheld, but it has additional features of those similar devices that are found in a car navigation system to boot.

To start with, the receiver has a microchip described as its brain; this provides the bulk of its features. The microchip is supplied by SiRF, a company that specializes in advanced GPS technology.  It provides high sensitivity to detect satellite signals even in urban canyons, enables fast start-up, and connects with the thousands of points-of-interest stored in the unit's database.

Just like other high-end handheld receivers, the GPSmap 60CSx has an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter. It stores 1,000 waypoints, 50 reversible routes, 10,000 tracking points, and 20 saved tracks. It accepts MicroSD cards with detailed maps, has a colored screen to mention a few.

Furthermore, the gadget has automatic routing capability so that the route to a destination can follow the roads in the receiver's electronic maps.  This feature, usually found only in car navigation systems, makes the GPSmap 60CSx useful for road travel.  However, this usefulness is limited by the small screen size. It is next to impossible for the driver to see the screen while the receiver is positioned on the dash to pick up the satellites. And even though the GPSmap 60CSx provides a turn-by-turn list of directions to alert the user when the next turn is approaching, it does not talk to you like some car systems.

Another feature is its ability to provide an extensive list of points-of-interest (POI) which although is not quite useful if you are in the wilderness, it would however be appreciated if you are just returning from the wilderness and need to get gas, food, a hotel, or even a museum, it would assist in finding the nearest POI available.

With its ability to set the page sequence, by simply pressing the "page" button to tell the machine to show a different screen, you can either add or subtract screens that are shown by pressing the "page" button. If you have only a few favorites, you can save button presses to cycle between them. Almost any screen can be added to the page sequence list.

 

If you are interested in picking one, just have a look at the key specification below to be sure of what you are actually after;

Display: (WxH) 1.5" x 2.2" (3.8 x 5.6 cm) 
Size: (WxHxD) 2.4" x 6.1" x 1.3" (6.1 x 15.5 x 3.3 cm)
Weight: 7.5 ounces (213g) with batteries
Battery: 2 AA batteries; 18 hours typical
Data storage: 64 MB microSD card
Environmental: Rated waterproof to IPX-7 standards
MSRP: $ 482.13

Compare Garmin GPS prices at Twenga

PN-20, a Terrific PND from DeLorme

DeLorme, stormed the GSP markets with its new PN-20 which is described as a new different breed from other devices with similar functions owing to its unique features embedded by its manufacturer. The PN-20 is a personal navigation device (PND) designed to function as a traditional hand-held mapping unit and at the same time performing other GPS functions.

With a sturdy housing built for rugged environment, it is waterproof and therefore users need not to worry about rain. And also with weight of 5.12oz and a dimension of 2.43" x 5.25" x 1.5", the PN-20 is very small and lightweight thereby making it quite portable and easy to carry about. The display, at 2.2", initially seems small after looking at the 4.3" PND widescreens, but it does the job and the transflective TFT color display stays readable in the sun. More to the point is that you wouldn't take a widescreen where you would take this little unit.

Other features of this terrific device include a battery type 2 x AA alkaline with 14 hours run time, a mass storage of 75MB flash on-board. SD slot for an additional 2GB with Delorme's popular Topo USA 6.0 CD included. With this feature, it is possible for users to setup Topo and aerial maps as well as waypoints on their desktop and download them on their PN-20 before embarking any adventure.

The PN-20 is built to hold 10 tracks at 10,000 waypoints per track, about 1000 user-defined waypoints, 50 routes and downloadable USA street maps and built-in highway-level world map. The device is sold at the rate of $369.95 only.

GPS Maker Garmin Enters Mobile Phone Market

Garmin, well known for its overwhelming innovations in the GPS world has decided to enter into the race of providing mobile phone services and its debutant product is a hybrid device named the Nuvifone which was unveiled early this week.

As a hybrid product, Nuvifone combines features of cell phone, a Web browser, and GPS into just a single device. With these combinations, its users have many options when it comes to applications since it afford them the ability to do much more. As a result, the home screen consists of three major features namely; call, search and view map synchronized to function as cell phone, Web browser and GPS respectively.

The device can be mistaken for iPhone with its slim form factor, 3.5-inch touch screen, and on-screen keypad. As a GPS personal navigator, Nuvifone has been built to function in that respect while the built-in-third generation cellular technology hat is embedded into the device ensures its high-speed data access.

Additionally, the phone's GPS works with the built-in camera to take pictures that are automatically tagged with latitude and longitude. Users can e-mail pictures to others, who can then navigate to the location where it was taken. Once the nuvifone is docked onto a vehicle mount, the GPS turns on automatically, the navigation menu is activated, and a person is then able to make hands-free calls while simultaneously using the navigation function.

While speaking on their achievement, theGarmin's president and COO said "This is the breakthrough product that cell phone and GPS users around the world have been longing for -- a single device that does it all,"

The phone comes with maps of North America and Europe, as well as a built-in database with millions of points of interest. It works just like Garmin's standard GPS devices, offering turn-by-turn audible directions.

Plan is on the way to make the phone available by the third quarter of this year; however they have not yet revealed the specific markets and the pricing details.

AT & T and TeleNav’s GPS Solution Employed to Improve Life’s Quality in NYC

A mobile GPS solution developed by AT & T and TeleNav, the pioneer company of GPS navigation service for mobile phones in the US, is currently being used in New York City to keep the city clean and improve the quality of life of people in the city.

The solution which is in response to the SCOUT (Street Conditions Observation Unit) program launched by Mayor Michael R., to ensure that NYC is safe and free from unwarranted activities. In this program, inspectors report street conditions by using the TeleNav Track solution on their GPS-enabled BlackBerry8800 mobile handsets, which use the AT&T wireless network, as they drive through the city.  TeleNav Track provides the inspectors with customized wireless forms for easy data entry on their BlackBerry handsets, and the GPS technology helps management identify where SCOUT inspectors have been. This information is then wirelessly captured by AT&T's nationwide(1) wireless data network.

From which it is sent to the 3-1-1 Customer Service Center, which sends the information to the appropriate agency for corrective action, including the city's Department of Sanitation, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Buildings and the Department of Parks and Recreation.

In a statement made available by the Mayor, he said that "This new team, equipped with GPS technology, will bring an extra set of eyes to our city streets. Whenever I'm driving through the city and see a pothole or garbage on the street, I'll pick up the phone and report the problem to 3-1-1, just like thousands of citizens do every day. Now, we'll deploy a team of veteran city workers to do the same while armed with new technology and their knowledge of quality-of-life concerns in our city."

According to him,  the  SCOUT inspectors will observe and report conditions, including: illegal dumping, street potholes, graffiti on buildings, missing traffic signs, dangling or down traffic signs, open fire hydrants, down newspaper boxes, property damage in parks and damage to bus shelters and sidewalk shed ads. About 15 inspectors were selected and most of whom will drive three-wheeled scooters and travel every city street once a month.

In his own observation, co-founder, president and CEO of TeleNav sHP Jin said that "Thousands of organizations are now using TeleNav Track to leverage mobile GPS technology and create more efficient processes. We are proud that, using AT&T's advanced wireless data network, we can provide New York City with a solution that will make a difference in the community."

"New York City is an outstanding example of a technologically savvy municipality that is using an intuitive and easy-to-deploy wireless data solution to enhance the quality of life for millions of residents," said Chris Hill, vice president of Government Solutions for AT&T's wireless unit. "AT&T's wireless network and TeleNav-equipped BlackBerry handsets help improve the city's processes and leverage its 3-1-1 center investment by capturing valuable information from remote SCOUT crews."

Motorola- First Member of the E-GPS Forum

Being of innovatory spirit, Motorola is the premier member of the just inaugurated Enhanced GPS Forum which is led by CRS. The Forum is established with a view to encouraging equipment makers and operators to work together to accelerate development of location technologies which its proponent believes will elevate development of GPS services.

According to a statement made available by CRS earlier this month to EE Times, it intends to set up an independent industry group to evaluate and foster enhanced GPS. The company also previewed an enhanced-GPS technology that integrates software-based GPS with cellular measurements that it will demonstrate at the World Mobile Cobgress in Barcelona next month.

The initial focus is on evaluating hybrid technologies that enhance GPS by combining satellite measurements with timing measurements taken from cellular networks and on establishing the underlying infrastructure to ensure full interoperability of this technology. CSR says it is keen for handset manufacturers, location technology companies, network infrastructure providers and mobile network carriers to join the effort.

Blackberry Pearl 8110 Developed by Rogers Wireless and RIM

The Blackberry Pearl 8110 is the latest Smartphone introduced by Rogers Wireless in collaboration with Research In Motion (RIM).  This Smartphone is probably a step ahead of its contemporary with great features that combines messaging capabilities, GPS and multimedia features.

The device is housed in a sleek casework of dimension 107mm x 50mm x 14mm and a relative size of 91 grams. The device also has an anhanced cersion of RIM's SureType keyboard sytem, which includes an enhanced visual interface, a spell checker and a word completion.

BlackBerry Maps and support for TeleNavGPS Navigator, which provides audible turn-by-turn directions; 2 MP digital camera with built-in flash, and 15 fps video capture capability; enhanced noise cancellation to combat background noise; low-distortion speakerphone; Bluetooth 2.0 support; "advanced" media player for music and videos (it allows playlists to be created directly on the handset) with 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, and support for the Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP), and dedicated volume controls; externally accessible microSD/SDHC expandable memory slot; support for downloading music directly to the smartphone through  Rogers MusicStore; instant messaging with BlackBerryMessenger, GoogleTalk,  and Yahoo! Messenger pre-loaded with option to customize these applications to suit its users.

 Other accessories that come with the device include a stereo head set, travel charger which is quite portable, and a quite large capacity of 1GB microSD memory card.

 The device is priced at the rate of $249.99 with different plan rate as long as three years.