Inspired with the very projection, TPL Trakker – a subsidiary of TPL Holdings – launched TrakkerNav, a navigation solution for Pakistan, here on Tuesday. The new product, a joint initiative of Pakistan’s TPL Trakker and South Africa’s Digicore, will provide users with the most comprehensive and detailed map of Pakistan, say officials.

“From a small pan shop at PIDC to the remotest wedding lawn in the city, TrakkerNav will get you everywhere,” CEO of TPL Direct Insurance, another subsidiary of TPL Holdings, Saad Nisar said.
He said about 61 million people are using in-car or personal navigation devices globally, adding this number is projected to cross 91 million by the end of 2014. There are hardly 400 people in Pakistan using such services, Nisar said, so there is a huge potential for growth.

TrakkerNav, which officials say will mark the start of a new era for road navigation technology in Pakistan, will cover more than 100 cities and major highways. The database also has 800,000 points of interest and will enable house address-based search in all major cities with 3D landmarks. Sygic, a renowned navigation software provider in Europe serving six million users in 44 countries, is TPL Trakker’s navigation software partner for the product.

Since its soft launch in May 2011, the product has been running in English for in-car devices, portable navigation devices and downloadable applications for iPhone and Android-powered phones and devices. The Urdu version will be launched in three months, Executive Director of TPL Trakker, Ahsan Sarwar, said.

“By 2013, we would like to map every town and city in the country; launch the app in regional languages and add live traffic feeds to the device,” Sarwar said and added they also plan to launch connected navigation for real-time updates by 2013. Sarwar said the product will be available by February 5. Though the cost has not been finalised yet, it will be around Rs12,000. It is a licensed product with unlimited access – a onetime buy, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, TPL Holdings CEO Ali Jameel said there is nothing better than a company like Apple endorsing the product. For the overall Pakistani downloads from Apple’s app store on January 23, Jameel said, TrakkerNav downloads were higher than that of Angry Birds, a frequently downloaded app.
He said their app remained number one for three weeks on top charts for iPhone apps grossing 8,000-10,000 downloads.

TPL Holdings also announced that it will soon launch two more companies, which are Financial Services and Centre Point. Ali Jameel hinted that they have found a niche market for the product and the real bread and butter of the company is the insurance and security vehicle tracking services they offer. “It’s a high-end value-added product,” said security analyst Norbert Almeida who tested the device before it hit the markets.

“I think this will work better for long runs and would work even better upcountry in Punjab where people travel frequently from city to city,” he said. “It can be of greater use to authorities and I could see tourists using it. It can also be used in reporting crime and by the media to map out crime,” said Almeida.
Trakker Product Manager Mohamed Owais said, “We have people from the armed forces and authorities who have used it personally and have great feedback and we think that working with security authorities would be very lucrative but we don’t have any official agreements at the moment.”

The company claims to have a record of recovering 92 per cent of stolen vehicles fitted with their tracking devices. In the past, thieves have managed to disable the system with jammers, but now Trakker says they have anti-jammers in the device and if someone tries to remove the device a tampering alert is sent and the car is immediately immobilised.

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Portable GPS Navigator combining the turn-by-turn directions of modern GPS navigation along with a rich media enhanced operating environment to give you the best user experience possible.

So much power in a handheld device. Introducing The GPS-C4320 portable GPS computer and media player with 2GB SD card included free - transforming the way you travel! The GPS-C4320 was designed to be versatile, yet rugged - to take with you anywhere, whether you're on crossing continents by car or hiking off the beaten path in the jungles of Peru.

World Class GPS Device: The GuideStar comes with Windows CE 5.0, the mobile operating system of choice to run today's most popular GPS software titles. Load in your maps and experience amazing features like lane assist, voice guidance, 3-D views, intelligent route planning, points of interest, real time traffic and weather data, map update and share, and emergency response to your location.

Feature-rich Media Player: This handheld wonder features a stunning 4.3 inch touchscreen TFT LCD screen to bring all your videos to life! You can play multimedia files like: XVID, AVI, MP4, MPG, MP3, WMA, BMP, and JPG saved on SD cards and USB thumb drives with the Guidestar.

Lots of Extras: Not only is the GuideStar an award-winning portable GPS device and multimedia powerhouse, it is also a remarkable eBook reader, gaming machine, and mass storage device! You can even pair your cellphone to it. Then using the unit's FM transmitter function, output your cellphone to your radio speakers, and talk handsfree - how cool is that?

Use it as a handheld or mount it in-car with the free car kit. The GPS-C4320 also comes with a cigarette adapter, AC adapter, USB cable, and everything you need to use it straight from the box! It powers on instantly, comes with an incredibly responsive touchscreen and is compact enough to fit in your pocket! Be Smart - Add to Cart! Buy one for yourself and a couple more for your parents and relatives. Then stock up a bunch for your online store.

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The leading manufacturer of wireless consumer electronics, Uniden has recently announced an aggressive expansion of six new GPS (Global Positioning System) products including units with an unique radar detection capability, ranging from 3.5 to 4.5 inches.

According to the company, these latest GPS devices also includes more innovative features including Bluetooth capability, text-to-speech navigation, preloaded NAVTEQ maps, 2GB of internal map memory, night view and pin point positioning accuracy down to three meters.

“With more than 40 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry and a solid understanding of consumers’ needs, Uniden’s expanding line up in the personal navigation arena is a natural next step for our growing company and its brand” said Brendan Morris, president of Uniden America.

The new Uniden’s MapTrax GPS devices that will be characterized by compact designs, large displays and cutting-edge technology is expected to debut at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2008.

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LightSquared and former FCC chief engineer Edmond Thomas on Wednesday said the GPS test devices that were used by a government agency to test its new network were rigged by “manufacturers of GPS receivers and government end users to produce bogus results.”

The company said that devices from GPS manufacturers, which have claimed LightSquared’s network interferes with GPS communications, were “cherry picked” in secret and that independent authorities were not allowed to partake or oversee the tests or test results. In addition, LightSquared said the tests focused on obsolete technology that is only used in “niche market devices” and that are “least able to withstand potential interference” from wireless networks.

After a list of the test devices was released to LightSquared, the company found that the only mass market device that reportedly failed the government’s tests -- which were run by the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Executive Committee (PNT EXCOM) -- actually “performed flawlessly during Technical Working Group” testing. The government also reportedly tested LightSquared’s network at a power level that is 32-times greater than the level at which it will actually operate.

LightSquared is relying on FCC approval to solidify a contract with Sprint to help build out the carrier’s 4G LTE network. Sprint most recently gave LightSquared an additional 30 days to gain FCC approval, but the government has said none of LightSquared’s proposed fixes will help it gain approval.

“Transparency is the only way taxpayers can be assured that the testing process is not manipulated to benefit one particular set of self interests,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday. “LightSquared is confident that a fair process will allow the company to move forward with its plan to deliver wireless broadband to hundreds of millions of consumers.”

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You know those futuristic-type movies where people don headsets and information is delivered directly to them – kind of like Arnie in the Terminator movies or the predators in the Predator movies? Well, the future is here. Canadian-based technology company Recon Instruments Inc. has developed a set of GPS ski goggles that deliver real-time navigation information, such as speed, distance, altitude and, of course, location. Information is viewed on a micro LCD display in a module that can be snapped into goggles and helmets.

According to articles on theglobeandmail  and theskichannel.com, the GPS module will include:

• Integrated maps and buddy tracking, so you’ll always know where your friends and family are on the slopes.
• Bluetooth smartphone and video integration, so you can access your music, receive calls and text messages and use the goggles as a viewfinder for the camera.
• Capabilities to stream videos among friends and view each other’s perspectives on the mountain.
• The ability to share information such as statistics, maps and trails via Recon’s online social network.

To achieve all this, the goggles, called Transcend, will use Google’s Android OS. Android will also allow developers to create apps for Transcend, which means that skiing could soon be secondary to all the distractions available on the slopes.

GPS systems have also come in handy for families on skiing holidays. Many parents worry about hitting the slopes while leaving their kids to fend for themselves in ski classes. The worry is that once the kids are let loose on the mountain side they could become lost or injure themselves and no one will know where they are.

As a result, ski resorts around the world have bought into flaik (pronounced flake), a GPS tracking system designed specifically for ski instructors and their students. A flaik, which the size of a pack of cards, is strapped to a student’s leg and acts as a beacon, letting the instructor know where the student is at all times. Should students wander out of bounds, the instructor is alerted and students are summoned or brought back.

The systems are programmable so instructors can set predetermined limits based on the competency level of the class. One of the added advantages of flaik is that it records information, so students can log onto the website and see how they did and measure their progress.

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Magellan RoadMate RV9145 is the latest GPS navigation system from the company that focuses on RV’s and trucks. It is going to sell for $399 according to their own website but we’ve seen other sites reporting lower numbers. Here are the facts for the RV9145: 7″ touch screen
A/V input The Good Sam club Trailer Life directory Customize your RV routes using your own vehicle’s length, width, weight and height auto night view  Preloaded Maps of US, Canada, Puerto Rico

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TomTom announced the revamping of its North American line of personal GPS devices at this year’s CES with the release of its Start, Via and GoLive units. Marketed as an entry unit for budget conscious consumers, the Start features lifetime traffic and map updates, spoken street names, lane guidance and IQ routes. The $119 Start system also includes maps of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as 7 million points of interest, and fuel prices when you sync your device.

The $169 Via is the middle-of-the-road option and features a slimmed down shell and Bluetooth connectivity. In addition to the capabilities included with the Start, the Via also offers instant routing and voice recognition and can be synced with users’ phones via Bluetooth, allowing them to make hands-free calls from the device.

Topping off the line is the $249 GoLive, which includes the same features as the Via, as well as a capacitive touchscreen and TomTom’s HD Traffic system. HD Traffic collects traffic data from other HD Traffic users and third-party companies in real-time, so if a user is stuck in traffic, HD Traffic will anonymously send your location and speed to TomTom’s servers, where it is checked against reports of accidents or construction to determine if there is a traffic jam.

Unlike other traffic services, TomTom’s HD Traffic uses AT&T’s GSM network to send and receive the information. As a result, TomTom says HD Traffic is able to update traffic information every two minutes. HD Traffic is also capable of mapping six million miles of roads compared with the 500,000 miles of roads mapped by other services. The GoLive also includes mobile apps such as Yelp, TripAdvisor and Google Search for address searching.

In addition to its three new units, TomTom has introduced version 1.10 of its iPhone and iPad app. The update, the company says, brings Facebook and Twitter integration to the app, so users can search and navigate via Facebook or share their destination via email, Facebook or Twitter.

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Have you ever made trips to commercial houses of GPS, yet disappointed for unable to succeed in exploring a best of the best GPSs.  Don’t worry, we have done the research over it for you, go ahead and see this review, it will be helpful to show all specs and configs of a best of the best GPSs, that is named as, Garmin nüvi 1350/1350T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic.

This GPS that is produced by Garmin is offered on the listed price of USD399.99, yet this series is offered on USD119.99 by Amazon.com.  This series of GPS is offered with free shipping incentive – a Super Saver Facility.

By availing the offer of Amazon.com, you will save a sum of USD280 (around 70 percent saving, on the listed price), then what are you waiting for?  This is a golden opportunity to avail.  Amazon is offering 68 new, 9 used on the price tag of USD9.99, whilst they are offering 3 refurbished series on USD125.95.

The series would be started to deliver from 24th June (means from tomorrow).  Thus anyone is interested in this series – he or she should place pre-order, in order to send anyone or many ones to them, before exhausting the stock.

The popularity of this series can be seen from this veracity that a bigger number of users and commentators have offered their 5 stars, hinting towards its usefulness and fruitfulness, thus there is no second opinion for this GPS. This series is truly best of the best GPSs. As far as the general survey about the liking of the people are concerned, over 1,308,815,530 like this product, is there any possibility of neglecting it, I think that no, not possible.

Let us know what finer features it carries along, which gives it a unique niche among other GPSs are, a series with broader and HD WQVGA touch-enabled display and slim in size having only 4.3in comparatively to other GPSs.  This greater series is having a lot of maps, points of interests exceeding 6 million, street names being spoken by aptly giving one-by-one direction.  You can do research over the internet, in case you need more features, than what functionalities, we have stated over here.

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Consumers’ embrace of smartphones is taking a bite out of many electronics categories—like point-and-shoot cameras, MP3 players, and GPS units. However, GPS maker Garmin is convinced there’s still a market for dedicated navigation systems, today announcing its new flagship nüvi 3500 GPS series. The units sport a large 5-inch touchscreen display, a super-slim design, and are packed with premium features like Digital 3D Traffic and Garmin’s latest Guidance 3.0 navigation engine to make route selection and changes more efficient than ever. Plus, the nüvi 3500 series will be compatible with Garmin’s new Smartphone Link app for Android, which enables Bluetooth-enabled Garmin navigation units to tap into things like traffic camera images, weather, and local fuel prices via a smartphone’s data plan. Even better for GPS users tired of being dinged for subscription services and fees just to keep using their devices—the price of Digital 3D Traffic service and free lifetime map updates are built into the device cost—no subscription required.

“The nüvi 3500 series rounds out Garmin’s 2012 line up of PNDs as the most full-featured, top tier navigators,” said Garmin’s worldwide sales president Dan Bartel, in a statement. “This series offers it all, from the thin and stylish form factor and large display to the most premium capabilities like Digital 3D Traffic and Smartphone Link compatibility”

The nüvi 3500′s Guidance 3.0 navigation engine is faster and more intuitive than previous versions, and builds in lane assist with Garmin’s photoReal junction view to help users through routes with realistic road signs and clear indications of what lane drivers need to use to get to their destinations. Garmin’s junction view feature now images nearly 60,000 junctions in the U.S. and Canada, which the company says is about 25 times more views than previous nüvi models. In the U.S., nüvi 3500 users get free access to Digital 3D Traffic (which the GPS pulls in via the HD Radio broadcasting system) to receive traffic updates as often as every 30 seconds. Altogether—across participating nüvvi owners, cell phone users, radio feeds, and other traffic data sources—the Digital 3D Traffic system checks conditions up to two billion times a month to identify and forecast patterns in traffic flow and take them into account in route planning.

The nüvi 3500 series will feature two units: the nüvi 3590LMT will sport Bluetooth (so it can be used with Smartphone Link for Android), along with voice-activated navigation, and free Digital 3D Traffic updates from the HD Radio system. The nü 3550LM will ship with free lifetime map updates. The nüvi 3590LMT will carry a suggested retail price of $399.99; the nüvi 3550LM will have a suggested price of $369.99. Both should be available in February.

Garmin Smartphone Link for Android is basically Garmin’s answer to deciding whether or not to build mobile data capabilities into their GPS units: they figure, why bother when so many GPS users are already carrying around a mobile-enabled device anyway? Smartphone Link enables Bluetooth-enabled nüvi GPS units to pair with an Android smartphone and use the smartphone’s data plan to get things like local weather and fuel prices, along with things like traffic cam images, news, and other information—and instead of being locked in a phone (which is safely in a console or in a pocket, not being used while driving, right?) the information is displays safely on the nüvi’s large color display.

The Smartphone Link app for Android is free; however, the services it taps into are not. Want live traffic information? That’s $19.99 a year. Live traffic camera images? $9.99 per year. Fuel prices and weather information? $9.99 and $4.99 per year, respectively. Altogether, that’s $50 a year, not counting use of your mobile data plan. Tempted? Check out Garmin’s promotional video:

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A research firm says U.S. sales of consumer electronics fell 5.9 percent this past holiday season, as smartphones cannibalize sales of standalone gadgets like cameras, camcorders and GPS navigation devices. The NPD Group says electronics sales, including TVs and PCs, totaled $9.5 billion in the five weeks ending Dec. 24.

Camcorder sales plunged 43 percent, and sales of digital picture frames fell 38 percent. GPS units slumped 33 percent. PC and TV sales slipped just 4 percent, bolstered by sales of TVs bigger than 50 inches. The figures were released Sunday as the consumer electronics industry gathered in Las Vegas for its annual trade show, the largest in the Americas and one of the largest in the world.

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