11/02, 2:30pm
Garmin aera GPS devices for pilots, drivers
Garmin on Monday introduced a new series of portable GPS devices meant for use by pilots and drivers alike. Making up the aera series are the aera 500, aera 510, aera 550 and aera 560 touchscreen devices, which combine the simplicity of Garmin's in-car navigation units with the feature set and GPS accuracy necessary for pilots. The multi-mode devices switch between auto and aviation mode quickly.
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10/29, 5:05pm
Budget priced Magellan SE4 now shipping
A new Magellan GPS model, the SE4, is now available at Best Buy. The budget-priced SE4 has a 4.3-inch touchscreen and contains Navteq map data for 48 contiguous US states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The spoken turn-by-turn directions can guide users to one of the preloaded six million points of interest, and the device has the ability to route to multiple destinations.
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09/17, 8:05pm
Garmin nuvi 1690 to use AT&T for data connection
Garmin said on Thursday that it has teamed with wireless provider AT&T to provide the mobile data connection for its upcoming nuvi 1690 GPS mapper. The cellular access gives the nuLink feature integrated into the nuvi 1690 a connection to Google Local searches as well as updated local information that includes traffic, weather, fuel price, movie listing, flight status, local event and white page listings. Users can also connect with other Garmin users thanks to Garmin's Ciao social networking system.
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09/03, 1:45pm
New nüvi gets online search, social networking
Garmin on Thursday said it would soon begin shipping its latest portable navigator, the nüvi 1690. The device has a built-in wireless module that connects to Garmin's nüLink service which allows users to access Google local search as well as traffic, weather, fuel prices, movie listings, flight status and more information. They can also connect to Ciao!, Garmin's location-based social networking system. In the US, buyers will get two years of free nüLink access.
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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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07/11, 9:20am
Nokia finalizes NAVTEQ buy
Nokia has completed its purchase of mapping technology and software maker NAVTEQ after getting the European Commission's approval of the deal earlier this month. Navteq provides data used in a wide range of applications, including automotive navigation systems and web-based applications, such as Google Maps, Yahoo! and other sites. As part of Nokia, NAVTEQ will now continue to develop map data and its technology platform, focusing on adding context-aware services to the web functions of mobile devices, the company said. Such functionality will allow users to quickly and efficiently access data such as restaurant reviews and store hours from the Internet based on their location.
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07/02, 12:45pm
Nokia/NAVTEQ deal OK'd
The European Commission has approved an acquisition of map maker NAVTEQ, Nokia has announced. With this validation in hand, the company says it has met all regulatory concerns, and plans to complete the buyout within a matter of five days. "NAVTEQ will play a key role in our Internet services strategy," reads a statement from Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo. The acquisition will also likely save the company money on licensing, as it has previously had to pay companies like NAVTEQ for each use of a map on a phone.
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05/14, 4:30pm
TomTom OK to Buy TeleAtlas
European Commission officials today cleared GPS maker TomTom's plans to buy Tele Atlas. The government body says the buyout "would not significantly impede" competition in GPS navigators and attached no restrictions to the deal, which lets TomTom use an in-house source for its own maps. Although the possiblity exists for TomTom to artificially limit competition by blocking sales of Tele Atlas maps to outside companies, the existence of its rival Navteq makes that "unlikely," the Commission says.
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03/28, 12:40pm
Europe probes Nokia/NAVTEQ
The European Commission has begun a serious investigation into Nokia's planned purchase of NAVTEQ, Reuters says. The inquiry has an initial deadline of 90 days, with a possible extension to 125; in question is whether or not the deal violates any monopoly concerns. The Commission observes that NAVTEQ is only one of two major producers of digital maps for GPS services, which could give Nokia an unfair advantage in its cellphone business.
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