GPS Tracklog

Garmin inks mobile social networking deal with GyPSii

Garmin has signed a multi-year deal with GyPSii, a mobile social networking company. The press release (PDF) says the deal is for a "range of Garmin products."  We can probably expect to see GyPSii on the forthcoming nuvifone, but is is unclear what other devices might utilize it. Garmin has previously been reluctant to develop connected PNDs, due to consumer resistance to a monthly service plan in addition to their cell phone contract. Nevertheless, this statement implies that either connected Garmin PNDs are on the way, or plans are underway for multiple nuvifone models.

CES 2008 - Enhanced MSN Direct

I spoke with some Microsoft staff at CES about MSN Direct. They've announced enhanced services including news headlines, stock quotes, local events and a "send to GPS" feature that can be accessed from maps.live.com.

That last one could come in quite handy. Though designed to help with trip planning at your PC, I can see calling my wife from the road and asking her to look something up and send it to my GPS (user-selected locations are sent via the MSN Direct radio network). The locations show up under the "Web Favorites" button displayed in the nuvi 780 in the image above. It may be a step shy of true two-way connectivity, but it's probably a lot safer for a solo driver.

Ten new cities get live traffic coverage

Clear Channel Radio has announced that its real time traffic network for GPS devices will now cover ten additional markets, bringing total coverage to 80 metropolitan areas.

The new regions include Baton Rouge, La.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Des Moines, Iowa; Ft. Pierce, Fla.; Greenville, S.C.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Huntsville, Ala.; Lexington, Kent.; Madison, Wisc. and Tulsa, Okla.

Is MSN Direct the best traffic service?

Is MSN Direct superior to TMC / TTN for live traffic info? Jack Yeazel of the well-respected site GPSInformation.net thinks it may be. He recently posted on the sci.geo.satellite-nav UseNet group:

"For a couple of months I've been comparing these two traffic sources in the Atlanta area with a nuvi 660 (TTN) and a 680 (MSN Direct)...

Well here, MSN Direct obviously uses more of the traffic monitoring stations than TTN, resulting in a more-detailed display of changing traffic conditions...  As for "reality", MSN Direct also seems superior...

(Not to mention that you also get Gasoline Prices, Weather  Forecasts, and Movie Schedules (not available with TTN) for $50 a year as compared to $60 for TTN)... And pardon for "beating this dead horse", you get one year trial subscription with MSN Direct as compared to three months with TTN."

Garmin opens up

Garmin has published an API and taken several steps to open Garmin devices to third-party generated content.

The Garmin Communicator Plugin API beta "allows developers to transfer location data – such as waypoints, track logs, maps and points of interest (POIs) – to and from a website and Garmin device." I find it especially interesting that maps are included in that statement. Perhaps we'll start seeing more third-party map providers now that Garmin has given them tacit approval. Geocaching.com and Motionbased.com are both using the technology behind this, though users may have to download a plugin to ensure that it works with their browser. Currently IE 6+ and Firefox 1.5+ are supported. Mac support is "coming soon."

Many of the other tools announced today move Garmin farther into the location-based services game:

MSN Direct services and a nuvi 680 bug

I’ve been playing with a Garmin nuvi 680 for the past couple of weeks, checking out MSN Direct services. I live a few hours away from a major metropolitan area, so I had to make a couple of trips to the city to try it out.

Along the way, I discovered a (to my knowledge) previously unreported touchscreen problem / firmware bug.

For all the details on the bug and on MSN Direct services, head on over to my Garmin nuvi 680 review page.

Location, location, location

This is beginning to look like the year in which location based services (LBS) will break out big time. In the past week, we've heard that the Dash Express will feature Yahoo! Local search, and that the Garmin StreetPilot c580 and Garmin nuvi 680 will both feature MSN Direct, giving access to traffic, weather, gas prices and movie times (see accompanying screen shots).

Other announcements are coming fast and furious. Garmin, which has used XM Radio's weather service and and now MSN Direct's, yesterday announced the acquisition of LBS provider Digital Cyclone. This gives them a developed weather product for cell phones and aviation, more options in personal navigation devices, and additional distribution channels in the wireless telecommunications industry.

Garmin StreetPilot c580

Garmin has announced the Garmin StreetPilot c580, a new top of the line device in the c500 StreetPilot series. The Garmin StreetPilot c580 features dynamic content from MSN Direct, including traffic, weather, gas prices and movie times. Offering content in 100 markets in the U.S., a full year of MSN Direct service is included with the StreetPilot c580. Following the trial period, it will cost you $49.95 a year or $129.95 for the lifetime of the device. MSN Direct service is delivered via an FM signal, using the included receiver.

Otherwise, the StreetPilot c580 seems identical to the StreetPilot c550. Here's the press release announcing the Garmin StreetPilot c580 and Garmin's other new MSN Direct connected device, the Garmin nuvi 680 . The StreetPilot c580 is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2007, at a sure to discounted suggested retail price of $857.13. I'm including a few screenshots of the new StreetPilot c580.

Garmin nuvi 680

Garmin today announced the Garmin nuvi 680, a new flagship GPS navigation device in the nuvi line. As expected, this new nuvi (couldn't resist) offers dynamic content from MSN Direct, including traffic, weather, gas prices and movie times. Offering content in 100 U.S. markets, 12 months of MSN Direct service will be included with the nuvi 680. After that it will cost $49.95 a year or $129.95 for the lifetime of the device. MSN Direct service is delivered via an FM signal, and the 680 comes with a receiver for it.

Otherwise, the nuvi 680 seems to be identical to the nuvi 660. Here's the press release announcing the Garmin nuvi 680 and Garmin's other new MSN Direct connected device, the  Garmin StreetPilot c580. The nuvi 680 is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2007, at a sure to be discounted suggested retail price of $999.99. I'm including a few screenshots as we get our first look at the nuvi 680.

Dash Express to feature Yahoo! Local search

Dash Navigation has announced that Dash Express will allow users to search Yahoo! Local. This announcement touches on two items from my 2007 GPS predictions post -- connectivity and restaurant reviews. From the press release:

With Yahoo! Local and Dash Express, local search in the car is becoming a simple and easy-to-use reality. When a user enters their search term into their Dash Express, the device wirelessly begins a Yahoo! Local search on the web. Within seconds, the results are formatted into address cards and presented to the user as a simple listing of nearby businesses. With the press of a button on the device, the Dash user is routed to their desired destination.

Yahoo! Local also allows drivers to use a wide variety of search terms to get relevant results. For example, a Dash user who types "croissants" will see a list of bakeries, cafes and stores in the area that sell the pastry. Another Dash user who discovers that the local hardware store is out of a needed plumbing item could type "plumbing supplies" from their car in the parking lot and see a list of other nearby stores with directions to each location. In many cases, relevant Yahoo! Local ratings and reviews are also presented to offer users instant feedback from other consumers about merchants and services.

"When you use Yahoo! Local search in your car, you will be amazed by the freedom that it delivers," said Dash Navigation Chief Executive Officer, Paul Lego. "For the first time, drivers will be able to leave their homes knowing that they can easily find whatever they need -- right from their car. It's that simple."

"Yahoo! is committed to providing innovative ways to help consumers find relevant information when, where and how they want it," said Paul Levine, general manager of Yahoo! Local. "Working with Dash takes us one step closer to that goal and provides consumers with another meaningful and relevant way to interact with our products."

About the Dash Express      

The Dash Express, scheduled for availability in California in the spring of 2007 and nationwide in the fall of 2007, is the first auto navigation device that will leverage two-way connectivity and the network of other Dash devices to provide consumers with the best routes based on current traffic conditions. This means that it gets drivers where they want to go -- in the fastest time possible -- and delivers the most relevant information -- right to their dashboards.