10/28, 6:35pm
Google Maps helps GPS maker stock crash
Shares of GPS device makers Garmin and TomTom plummeted today through a combination of their quarterly results and the launch of Google Maps Navigation. Following both low guidance for Garmin's next quarter as well as poor results from TomTom, shares for the two fell 16.4 percent and 20.8 percent respectively and remained low through the entire trading day after news of Google's free, turn-by-turn mapping service became public.
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09/22, 11:30am
Kensington iPhone Sound Amplified Cradle
Kensington today provided users of any iPhone GPS app an option to improve the GPS navigation experience with a new peripheral. The Sound Amplified Cradle mounts to the windshield or a vent and passively doubles the volume of the built-in speaker to make spoken driving directions more audible. It's characterized as an ideal fit for NAVIGON's updated app but should also work for any iPhone mapping app that speaks its directions as well as in speakerphone calls.
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09/16, 8:20pm
Nav app customizes route based on traffic flow
(Updated with ETA) NAVIGON has expanded its MobileNavigator iPhone app to include an option for the company's Traffic Live feature. The system is claimed to optimize routes based on real-time traffic information and historic data. Real-time data is taken from over one million drivers, including commercial vehicles and regular drivers, to determine congested areas that should be avoided.
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09/10, 4:05pm
Adds text-to-speech
NAVIGON has launched a second, free update for the North American version of MobileNavigator for the iPhone. The app turns an iPhone into a GPS unit, with maps for the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. It works in both portrait and landscape modes, and has features such as intelligent address entry, signpost display and lane assist. It also displays warnings when exceeding speed limits.
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09/04, 5:05pm
Navigon intros car mount for iPhone
Navigon on Friday introduced a car kit for Apple's iPhone. Although full specs are unknown, the new model appears to be simpler than the TomTom version as it doesn't have extras like a speaker.
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07/29, 4:15pm
GPS Smartphones to top 77m
Smartphones from Apple and others should help the number of GPS-aware smartphones surge this year, according to a Strategy Analytics study. Shipments of the devices should spike a large 34 percent to 77 million phones and are chiefly credited to rapidly growing sales of devices like the iPhone, Nokia N97 or BlackBerry Tour. Many often have stronger mapping tools like BlackBerry Maps, Google Maps and Nokia Maps built-in, encouraging GPS use right away.
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07/22, 3:35pm
NAVIGON iPhone app
Following a month's delay, NAVIGON has launched a North American version of its MobileNavigator GPS app for the iPhone. The software replicates the functions of a dedicated GPS unit, providing turn-by-turn navigation using preloaded maps. The app can also display road signs, points of interest and lane guidance, using a choice of 2D or 3D views.
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06/12, 10:35am
Apple TomTom Buy In Rumor
Dutch shares of native GPS device maker TomTom spiked on Friday morning after speculation rose that Apple is mulling getting a stake in the company. Following Apple's WWDC presentation Monday that saw TomTom introduce an iPhone GPS app and a matching car kit, some investors claim to have heard that TomTom being singled out and its tight integration of software with the iPhone are advance evidence of Apple wanting to invest a minority amount in the European firm. The rumor is not universal, however, and some openly doubt the likelihood of such a deal.
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06/09, 9:40am
NAVIGON iPhone GPS App
NAVIGON today signaled its intent to compete against TomTom's iPhone app with software of its own. A version of MobileNavigator will use iPhone OS 3.0's support of turn-by-turn GPS to provide the same driving directions as many of its dedicated GPS units, including its Reality View, lane and speed assists, and its notification of road signs. Owners can play music from their device's existing library, plot routes based on contacts' addresses and auto-resume navigation after taking a call.
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05/04, 11:25am
NAVIGON Exits GPS in NAmer
NAVIGON today said it would quit its GPS device business in North America but may offer its software on the iPhone and other platforms in return. The company doesn't tell GPS Business News how quickly it expects to leave but says the decision stems from too-stiff competition at the low end of the GPS business. Where its business had been comfortable as long as large rivals like Garmin and TomTom kept their navigator prices higher, the push down to as low as $99 (for a TomTom ONE) has left NAVIGON with little way to differentiate itself.
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03/02, 8:35am
NAVIGON 7300T 4300T 3300m
NAVIGON today hoped to claim an edge on higher-profile GPS navigator rivals with three devices that each have at least one major new software feature. The 7300T, 4300T max and 3300 max all add a new MyRoutes feature that calculates as many as three separate paths to the same destination. Drivers can see the arrival times for each and pick a route based on their individual tastes. NAVIGON also claims a given device will remember the user's driving experience and will suggest a particular route based on driving patterns and when owners normally drive.
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02/20, 4:00pm
DealNN: Navigon GPS
Today at DealNN there is a wide selection of electronics from GPS units to Bluetooth headsets at discounted prices. Most notable today is the refurbished Navigon 2100 GPS navigator from eCost.com. This GPS unit is priced at $59 and features a 3.5-inch color touchscreen display with pre-loaded coast-to-coast maps of the lower 48 states in both 2D and 3D modes.
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11/10, 9:00am
NAVIGON 8100T
NAVIGON today launched its first 8-series GPS unit as both its highest-end device and as a claimed first for the industry. Through built-in 3D hardware acceleration -- still rare among navigators -- the device can render a bird's eye view with textured, dimensional terrain data from NASA that represents hills and also makes a distinction between forests and other regions.
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11/03, 9:55am
Navigon launches two PNDs
Navigon on Wednesday announced the release of the 5100 max personal navigation devices, spotted earlier this month at the FCC, along with the 2090S. Both units sport Navigon's newest software that can generate routes quicker and makes entering information faster and easier thanks to the company's SmartSpeller software. The 5100 max uses a 4.3-inch touchscreen display with a 16:9 aspect ratio that will display real-time traffic updates. Buyers get these updates for the life of the unit without having to pay any additional subscription fees or having to buy additional hardware.
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10/08, 5:00pm
Navigon 5100 max coming?
A new Navigon portable GPS system is expected to come to market in the next few weeks, as it has been spotted undergoing testing at the FCC on Wednesday. The new unit, to be dubbed the Navigon 5100 max, is expected to include Bluetooth connectivity, a 4.3-inch screen and text-to-speech capability. A lifetime traffic update service is also to be part of the feature-set, along with Zagat ratings for restaurants stored in the point-of-interest database.
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09/15, 8:00am
NAVIGON 2000S
NAVIGON today rolled out one more GPS device aimed at raising the very entry level. The 2000S has just a 3.5-inch touchscreen but carries the same software features as larger models, including the real-time appearance of street signs, a lane assist mode and a special emergency mode that supplies both nearby locations and phone numbers without the step-by-step process.
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09/03, 10:55am
NAVIGON 2200T
NAVIGON in the wake of IFA switched its attention back to North America with the launch of a budget GPS that has features that were once saved only for higher-end units. The 2200T makes good on a recent promise by the company to offer free traffic warnings for the lifetime of its devices and is currently the least expensive device of the type. Even entry-level customers can now reroute around traffic jams and accidents without having to pay for a subscription, the company explains.
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08/26, 12:05pm
NAVIGON 7200T
NAVIGON readied itself for the fall today by launching a replacement for its highest-end GPS unit. The 7200T brings both a new interface that the company claims is the fastest for entering a destination but also adds a detailed 3D view where landmarks are represented as true objects. The addition gives drivers a quicker way to recognize stops or turning points without reading street names or waiting for voiced directions.
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03/04, 2:55pm
NAVIGON 8100
As a companion piece to its 2100 max updates, NAVIGON today also unveiled the 8110. The GPS receiver takes the line above its normally budget-minded focus with a larger 4.8-inch wide touchscreen and a brushed metal shell instead of glossy black plastic. The mapper is also the company's fastest with a dedicated 3D graphics chipset, a 533MHz main processor, and 128MB of RAM, all of which contribute to a smoother experience, according to the GPS maker.
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03/04, 11:50am
NAVIGON 2100 max GPS
Matching introductions by other GPS navigation unit manufacturers, NAVIGON today updated the 2100 series with two new GPS units. The US-only 2100 max and the North America-wide 2120 max continue to be some of the lowest-cost 4.3-inch GPS units available but now add a DirectHelp feature that provides quick access to emergency services. Invoking the tool automatically finds nearby drug stores, hospitals, and car repair services, providing quick directions in cases where even slight delays could prove dangerous.
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