Clarion intros MAP680 and MAP780 navigators for Europe

Clarion intros MAP680 and MAP780 navigators for Europe

Check it, Europeans -- Clarion has just dumped a new duo of PNDs on the market, and they're both geared up to route you all over your humble lands. It appears that the only major difference between the MAP680 and MAP780 are the actual maps loaded in; the former is available in four regional versions, while the latter features a full 43 European countries. Specs wise, we're lookin' at a 4.3-inch widescreen display, text-to-speech, built-in TMC tuner, 3D display of buildings / POIs, lane assistant, Bluetooth (with phone book transfer and audio streaming), a 400MHz CPU, multimedia player and 2GB (MAP780) / 1GB (MAP680) of internal memory. No word on a price or any of that good stuff just yet, but feel free to get more acquainted with the pair in the gallery below.

[Via NaviGadget]

Gallery: Clarion intros MAP680 and MAP780 navigators for Europe

(Via Engadget.)

QStarz launch BT-Q818 eXtreme: world’s most powerful Bluetooth GPS

QStarz launch BT-Q818 eXtreme: world’s most powerful Bluetooth GPS

GPS manufacturer QStarz have announced what they’re calling the world’s most powerful Bluetooth GPS receiver.  The BT-Q818 eXtreme uses the 51-channel MTK GPS Module, and boasts adjustable position update rates from between 1 and 5Hz (e.g. between 1 and 5 updates per second).  That makes it particularly useful for high-speed applications in which position changes are rapid.

Battery life is also impressive, with QStarz quoting up to 32hrs of navigation time from a full 3hr charge.  This can be increased by use of the auto-on/off which shuts the receiver off when it’s not moving.  Both Bluetooth and direct USB connection are supported, and QStarz suggest cold start, warm start and hot start acquisition times of 36, 33 and 1 second respectively.

The BT-Q818 measures 72.2 x 46.5 x 20mm.  There’s no detail on release date or estimated price, unfortunately.

(Via SlashGear.)

ProLink ProStar GPS at Brickyard Crossing Golf Course

ProLink ProStar GPS at Brickyard Crossing Golf Course

ProLink Solutions announced that its Brickyard Crossing Golf Course located at Indianapolis, Ind. will now feature the ProLink Solutions ProStar GPS system which has to date, seen action at many of the world’s most famous golf courses. This is one nifty way a GPS system will be able to help folks out in everyday life instead of just offering you the best route to and from work. After all, having a GPS system with you on the golf course will greatly aid your game and help save time in the long run, as you know exactly where to walk to - I’d just make sure my maps were updated before I head out to the greens though.

According to Jeff Schroeder, Brickyard Crossing head professional, ‘Players at Brickyard Crossing rely heavily on ProLink GPS to help them negotiate the hazards and place the ball in proper spots. We consider ProLink not only a great amenity, but a necessity when it comes to keeping up pace of play, managing our carts, and handling large tournaments. It also helps the course maximize revenue through food-and-beverage functions, pro shop promotions and the advertising program.’

Brickyard Crossing did feature ProLink’s GameStar GPS system previously, and is part of the nearly 90% of courses who renewed their lease with ProLink last year. After all, golfers in a sense do enjoy the finer things in life, and ProLink won’t let them down with a patented 10.4″ high resolution colors display which is incidentally one of the largest in the industry. Features include easy-to-read graphics comprising distances to the pin and hazards, pro tips, pace-of-play timer and radial arc for cart-path-only holes. Golfers at Brickyard Crossing can also use the ProLink device to order food and drinks at the touch of a button without having to trudge all the way back to the cafeteria. Do leave a comment at the bottom of this post if you, being a golfer, have seen how GPS technology change your golfing life.

(Via Coolest Gadgets.)

TomTom GO x30 Series hits the UK

TomTom GO x30 Series hits the UK

TomTom has just released its GO x30 series in the UK, bringing the following specifications to the table.

• 4.3' widescreen 16:9 format LCD (WQVGA, 480 x 272 pixels) display


• 400MHz processor


• TomTom GO 930 Traffic: 4GB internal flash memory


• TomTom GO 530/730 and GO 530/730 Traffic: 1-2GB internal flash memory


• SD card slot


• High sensitivity GPS receiver


• Bluetooth connectivity


• Battery lithium-polymer (up to 5 hours operation)


• Dimensions: 118mm x 83mm x 24mm


• Weight: 220 grams

The TomTom GO 930 Traffic, TomTom GO 730, TomTom GO 730 Traffic, TomTom GO 530, and TomTom GO 530 Traffic will retail for £399.99, £299.99, £329.99, £249.99, and £279.99, respectively.

(Via UberGizmo, the Gadgets News Blog.)

XRoad to launch V7 in Korea

XRoad to launch V7 in Korea

Koreans will be getting the third iteration of the XRoad V7 GPS navigation system pretty soon, bringing the following features with you wherever you go :-

• 7' 800 x 480 resolution display


• Integrated FM radio


• DMB tuner


• Picture-in-Picture capability


• 4GB flash memory


• AU 1250 600Mhz Alchemy processor


• 128MB RAM

Guess this is one model that won't make it to the US just like its predecessors.

(Via UberGizmo, the Gadgets News Blog.)

Becker Traffic Assist 7977

Becker Traffic Assist 7977

Becker Traffic Assist 7977 was unveiled couple of months ago but it wasn’t until recently that it appeared on their own website.

The new Traffic Assist 7977 is their top of the line GPS navigation system with a 4.3″ touch screen display, live traffic information, lane assistance, and maps for all of Europe.

Becker 7977 takes SD cards, and can even access media on USB drives making easier to access images and audio files. It has bluetooth interface too; so you can connect your bluetooth enabled phone and take and receive calls directly on your sat nav system. In addition Becker has reality view that comes up when you are approaching freeway junctions, something very similar to Navigon’s Reality View.

Becker Traffic Assist 7977 is already making appearances at retailers across Europe but still no news on when it would be available in the U.S.

(Via NaviGadget.)

Altina A850 3D

Altina A850 3D

Altina just announced a new GPS navigation system for the Chinese market called A850 3D. As you can tell from the name it can render almost realistic images of roads; complete with buildings in 3D and can split the screen in half to also display a traditional 2D map.

The new Altina A850 3D uses a SiRF Star III GPS receiver and runs Windows CE.Net 5.0 in the background. The screen measures 4.3″, and the 1350mAh battery can last upto 4 hours on a single charge. You also have your SD/MMC slot for playing some basic multimedia files.

Not planned to be released in the U.S. unfortunately.

(Via NaviGadget.)