2010年4月1日星期四
Some Car Accessories Make Trips Easier
Today's market is different from GPS devices for GPS C for Travel and Outdoor Adventure, Sports & Fitness GPS for cycling and running, see the GPS on the water craft and trade, etc. The most general is the GPS, which has the fastest growing segment of GPS. There is a motion detection and alarm system on your hard disk to keep it simple and safe, and may be associated with a handsfree to your phone via Bluetooth.
Mobile phones often without battery, if we are on the road. Annoy bad when this happens especially when we are right in a hurry, because some very important cases and to have contact with people. Car chargers designed to solve such problems. Using the output 5V 1A USB cable to connect the charger, the phone immediately.
For DVDit can not be a car DVD, but can often be used as an artist in all directions with GPS, MP3/MP4, CD player, Bluetooth hands-free microphone and speakers work. For a long trip, which is often better your company. If your friends or your family for a self-drive, go to the car as a gift from a fully functional travel to add a lot more fun.
Car GPS starting to get smarter
So to say that if a person took a particular route, GPS, then the ACD pilot goes well. That would mean 500 1 / 100 = 6 This will take 4 hours. But if you knew how much faster carpool, only the driver is only 1 hour.
GPSS Many now offer traffic information in real-time directions, so the GPS will show the path to take when Theresa important event will happen. For example, here is another example of a table 500.
Available now for free GPSS a small monthly fee for traffic information in real time, so might scare some people who do not want to pay the monthly premium. So if you have a GPS without updates in real time, should not always expect that it gives you a faster route.
2010年3月19日星期五
Roewe 350 car is sort of powered by Android

The Roewe 350 is a fundamental concept for the past year has been revealed and is now in production for the Chinese market. It may be the price of 70,000 yuan RMB 130.000 ($ 10.000 and $ 20,000).
2010年3月16日星期二
Whether you are tracking a loved one, a fleet or a supreme good, Birdseyeglobaltracking.com a range of technologies, Car GPS and GPRS tracking devices that all work. All Birds Eye is Real Time and Historical Tracker no additional charge for continuous operation 24 / 7 monitoring. This means that you can be sure your favorite is a balance or your vehicle responsibly run because your device Birds Eye is always the labor market. It is important to note that the company started its trading activities, due to patient's disease Alzheimer. This is to show the commitment of human enterprise.
The founder after months of discussions and consultations with others, came up with a device that is the guardian, when someone moves and can then communicate in real time to walk the line of the current position. This is based on tracker GPS.
After years developing the device, is finally here, with reliable monitoring of food and live fences Geo. This device is small as a pager with a carrying case can be related to clothing. The device reports the caregiver when someone leaves a specific location. It works anywhere there is cellular service and cost as a cup of coffee a day. The next time someone is moving, you know the exact position of the foot, in real time. It does not matter if the garden or 3000 miles away. This device will save lives and peace of mind, so many families around the world.
New Birds Eye Tracker GPRS Global Hawk, the first tracker in real-time updates every two minutes. Direct GPRS data connection gives you the most accurate and reliable tracking data ever! The entire unit is operated as small as a set of car keys. It's small, accurate, reliable and discreet. The next generation of GPS tracking is here. Birds Eye Tracker is a totally independent global GPS tracking system small enough to fit in the palm. When taken together with vehicles, packages or people, has the Birds Eye Global Tracker GPRS an entirely new level of security and peace of mind. By using the global GSM / GPRS Tri-band Birds Eye Global Tracker GPRS offer comprehensive ability to monitor in real time.
About Birdseyeglobaltracking.com: Birdeyeglobaltracking.com provide GPS tracking services that can be used for various purposes. It is used by people to keep their loved ones, businesses, vehicles, etc. The duration of the products and services at low cost and high reliability is excellent.
2010年3月8日星期一
Some South American Cities Moved in Chile's Earthquake
With disasters affecting Haiti, Chile and more recently in Turkey, appears to be no end in sight for the earthquake-weary. Researchers from four universities and several institutions - including geophysicists on the ground in Chile - Measures were made at 25 stations Car GPS tracking in front of the massive earthquake and compared with measurements taken 10 days later to come to the preliminary data.
New evidence of the Ohio State University (OSU shows published) that the 8,8 mega-magnitude earthquake that struck the coast of Chile during the last month was so strong that several selected cities in South America and of course during the initial place.
The effects of shock Concepcion, Chile has taken, it was so far away as Brazil and the Falkland Islands, which is considered the fifth-largest earthquake ever recorded.
* Conception, Chile, moved 10 meters to the west.
* Santiago, the capital of Chile, has moved about 11 centimeters to the west-southwest.
* Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, moved about 1 cm to the west.
And Buenos Aires, located across the continent!
Cities Valparaiso and Mendoza, Argentina, north of Concepcion, also showed significant movement.
How far, such as moving an entire city?
The proposed measure is called CAP Project: Central and Southern Andes Project GPS.
Dr. Ben Brooks, a research fellow at the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii and co-researcher in the project worked with a team of researchers from OSU, University of Memphis and analyzes various other data.
In Argentina, the Military Geographical Institute, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo in Mendoza and the National University of Buenos Aires to the project. UNAVCO, a consortium of over 50 organizations and agencies dealing with research in the earth sciences is to provide equipment for the project, said the press release from OSU.
2010年3月7日星期日
Roewe 350S is testing


The the Roewe 350, to design a car Nice seriously, counting cars on display in Beijing to begin a month from now with a 1.5 engine. Persistent rumors of a 1,5 Turbo engine has been around for some time, although we have not even spy photos of these animals. It has Car DVD GPS navigation system and several other technology board.
The Roewe 350 is expected to play a bigger car SAIC Roewe Masters, because it is the first true self-developed car, which, like the Roewe 550 and produced a platform abbreviation Roewe 750, which is a reproduction of the developed Rover 75, however, the V8 Rover 75S barbecue style. The Roewe 350 is derided as a car in the future will be equipped with technology, but sell at a low price.
According to the car, the Roewe is the 350S is suitable, the smallest model in the series is the 350D has the Car GPS DVD navigation system and several other technology board. Although the model below the poverty spec model is a little different than anything in its class:
2010年3月3日星期三
How to use and implement a GPS
What is GPS tracking?
GPS or Global Positioning System, uses satellites to communicate with GPS location in real time. The receiver sends the stigma GPS, speed and time on the Internet, you can register online and anywhere you would check trackers. There are two types of GPS devices include wired and wireless / battery. The technology is essentially the same, but the reasons for the use of one or another of your security requirements. What are the different types of Car GPS trackers;
With a GPS tracker you have ever wired through the battery is almost exhausted because of concern that such devices are wired directly under the dash and works in front of the car power. This device is useful for monitoring long term, as shown initially necessary wiring in the car. Wired GPS followed mainly from the companies hope their institutions or a fleet, or for those who are used to protect the stolen cars in case of screening.
The great thing about the radio or battery of GPS tracking devices is that they are fully portable and wireless and that means you can use to track a variety of different things for your needs. If you want to track your vehicle daily to throw in your backpack Childs another, and then put it in a suitcase on vacation, you can. Basically you can put anywhere and can switch between trackers when needed change.
Comment puis-je GPS tracker
According to the model of the vehicle, wireless / battery GPS devices can be placed at various points. The most common sites are the driver or passenger seats, hidden in the region before or behind the dashboard and glove box. The GPS is only in these areas, the Auto as it conveys a message through the window. In other words, if you place the GPS tracker under the hood of your car or trunk can block the signal and therefore the device does not work, ie. The same applies if you put the tracker GPS in a box of metal or underground storage unit. Remember, you can send the GPS Open-Air brand.
Some people choose to save GPS tracker in weather resistant housing, add only tractor on the chassis of the car or inside a wheel. The slap-n-monitoring technique works because the GPS signal is reflected in the way or jump across the gap between the bottom of the car and the sidewalk.
Depending on your needs and who or what you have to book either hard wired or wireless / GPS battery can help you maintain the security, safety, and even improve the efficiency of your business.
2010年3月1日星期一
What To Look For Car GPS
Car GPS receivers are portable but want more of them are camping. It is watertight, and because of the large screens, they are usually heavier than a portable GPS (although the average weight) is still less than half a pound. The wide screen also undermines the battery life. Most GPS receivers can be in a car cigarette lighter socket. The Car GPS devices related to the provision of maps and audio instructions. Do not just portable GPS receivers are often only based on maps, and some with cards in general.
Car-mounted receivers GPS, also come with a windshield or dashboard, while the majority of portable GPS devices do not.
Other possibilities for car navigation, a smartphone with integrated receiver GPS (see our report on smartphones) or a Bluetooth-enabled laptop or PDA. Some PDA with embedded antenna GPS, while others accept mai receiver accessories. The laptops have screens much larger than the GPS receiver in the car and have plenty of room for cards, but not easily fitted in the car, and will work better if you or plus operator or software that uses voice instructions received. Otherwise, using only dangerous when driving.
Aftermarket Experts say GPS units are better and cheaper than pre-set factory installed in some cars. Factory-installed navigation systems, GPS can not be upgraded and used in a car. However, the unit has installed GPS devices have two advantages: they offer a clean installation, integrated, and is much more difficult than flying Auto Aftermarket devices GPS. This report refers only to a GPS receiver in the secondary market, the factory installed units are rarely checked.
* It's for occasional use, requires only one application smartphone with a GPS. Large companies such as GPS Garmin, TomTom and TeleNav GPS application for iPhone, Blackberry, etc. get in the range of 70 to $ 100 dollars, good reviews. Some applications of May costs only $ 5 or $ 10 and work very well on tests. But experts say dedicated car GPS devices are more accurate and much easier to use. Good budget GPS devices start around $ 100.
* The quantity and quality of maps is essential. It should also in progress (or improvement) if you are driving mature cities such as New York and San Francisco. Some units can download maps through a USB cable or memory card. Receiving devices connected to the power of the Internet by Garmin and TomTom in wireless, automatic updates.
* The automatic route calculation is a standard feature on all cars in good navigation GPS. With more sophisticated equipment, car GPS, you can enter multiple destinations, and the camera will give you the most effective way to achieve all these.
* Look for spoken street names. Instead of giving a single statement, left in 100 meters, models with text to speech to pronounce street names ( 100 meters on the main road, turn left ) in order to provide better information and reduce need to see the screen.
* Make sure your device is able to properly and securely mounted on your dashboard or windshield. Almost all models are equipped with the right material. The experts stress that you can mount the unit where it does not interfere with airbags should. All U.S. states now allow GPS devices to be placed on the windshield.
* Examine the multimedia functions. Many car GPS devices can play MP3 files and store photos. Most models play with built-in speakers, and some also offer an FM transmitter to play through your car stereo system. However, testing is the FM transmitter does not work very well, and some models do not allow music to play and navigate to the same period.
* Decide if you want to get traffic reports in real time and alerts. FM / TMC, MSN Direct, NAVTEQ, XM, Tele Atlas and Clear Channel to offer traffic information in real time. Compatible with GPS devices to download using an integrated or external tuner - or a Bluetooth mobile phone - the information in the routing. Garmin navi Some models come with a free subscription to the service life of other GPS devices usually require a separate annual subscription. Check the coverage, however. Each service is only a limited, but a growing number of major markets. MSN Direct service will begin January 1, 2012 There are no other because of the lack of subscriptions, Microsoft has announced.
* Ensure that the size of the screen your vision and vehicle parking is adequate. Most previous models of GPS and the budget has 3.5 inch screen. Some budget models and more expensive units is 4.3 inches. Garmin has some points to 5 inches.
* Consider a car with a GPS device wholesale points of interest database (5 million or more). Local attractions include sightseeing, hotels, restaurants, gas stations and ATMs. Some devices allow you to download points of interest. Web-linked units offer an unlimited number of users on the Internet, rather than relying on a database over.
* Just comfort features. A touch screen is the norm. Many units simplifies text input, allowing you to do is type letters or names into the database. Just start typing, these units also have options to choose from. Some units allow voice commands, but the experts say, the Garmin Nuvi 885T and nuvi 855 are the only ones that allow GPS devices really loud.
The navigation technology Global Positioning System (GPS), the exact time and location data using the 24 calendar satellite navigation and Ranging (Navstar) satellites are available. Each satellite completes an orbit of Earth every 12 hours. Placed at a level that allows for the same reason, once every 24 hours (less than four minutes) coverage.
Each satellite has a very accurate atomic clock and transmits both the position and time of the signal can be captured by a receiver GPS. A GPS device can receive data from several satellites, and since each satellite information is appropriate for its location and distance, see the GPS unit takes the necessary calculations and to get to a point with an accuracy of about 15 meters. Many factors can affect accuracy, including weather conditions, buildings, tunnels and dense foliage. However, that the most recent beneficiaries of the user to significantly reduce these problems.
2010年2月23日星期二
Car thieves take advantage of GPS
The Jammers is on the same radio frequency for Global Positioning System (GPS), the hit signal timing devices that drive the chart position. This means that a tracker device in a truck with a valuable cargo, or a anti-theft car GPS device in case of theft, the report should distinguish the right to build a brand GPS.
It disappears from the radar screen, said Professor David Last of the University of Wales, Bangor, police seized an expert in certain cases during the past 18 months have GPS interference.
Some German drivers suspected of using jammers to escape from the GPS for road pricing, which has been introduced for trucks in 2005. There were also attacks in Russia, where such jammers used against both GPS and mobile phones in trucks to prevent the driver to communicate with the authorities.
In Germany as in Britain, it is illegal to sell or use such jammers C, although it appears to be legitimate the importation or possession.
Compatible devices proud to be able to see at least four of 30 satellites over 20,200 kilometers (12,550 miles) above the Earth, by correlating the timing and exact recognition of signals transmitted on the floor can be a location device within its own calculations of about 1 meter. But this is not the fault does not share the devices send a signal to the GPS signal interfere.
The problem is that the signal is very low, C is the equivalent of leaving a lumen 25 watt light bulb for the satellite, said Bob Cockshott, another speaker, place and time is the program towards Strategy of Technology, funded by the Ministry of Economy, innovation and skills.
This means that there should be a jammer with a capacity of about 2 Watt for each of the signals from GPS satellites in an area a few meters away from the swamp. This facility will be billions of times stronger than GPS signal area.
These systems were found arrested in the hands of criminals by the police during the past 18 months, said Cockshott. Blockers may be made by a competent electronics engineer, if bands like to make it appear by Chinese manufacturers to introduce Shenzhen.
We need the GPS users aware of the risk, said Cockshott. You need to use a complementary technology to ensure that their systems, even without the GPS. Systems, triangulation of cellular towers and d others who have used a terrestrial network, also called eLoran work if GPS signals are not, he said.
Last teacher said that the use of these systems by criminals and terrorists since 2002 when the U.S. government, the report states that interference with the GPS serious security and economic damage in the United States could expect.
Charles Curry, Managing Director of Time Technology, the leader of a consortium that manufactures GPS interference detection system through a grant 052.2m British government said it was the biggest fear that powerful Jammers GPS to power 20 W or more can the terrorists to the airport to use.
If GPS functionality on a plane or other things based on a certain date, such as emergency services and electricity is lost, if not reduce the ability to resist these attacks could build very serious consequences. The detection system currently at the prototype stage and will be in airports, ports and other places used to use for the production of nanosecond accuracy GPS.
2010年2月22日星期一
World GPS Market Forecast to 2013
With increasing penetration in the areas that were earlier untapped, the technology is rapidly gaining global acceptance. Thus, the number of subscribers of GPS-enabled location-based services is anticipated to grow substantially in near future, with market revenue the mark of US$ 10 Billion by 2013. Speedy enhancements and developments in digital mapping software are presenting this positive prospect for the industry.
It should be noted that the most common applications are developed around mobile phones and Portable Navigation Devices (PNDs) despite the popularity of standalone devices. The GPS device market was dominated by PNDs as of the year 2007. However, this share is expected to get disturbed by the availability of GPS-enabled handsets that will account for around 66% of the market share by 2013. The report reveals that the GPS devices’ shipments will grow at around 22% CAGR during the forecast period (2010-2013), although cost is certainly expected to play a crucial role in this growth.
The report also says that 2009 was crucial for the overall development of the GPS industry in the regions such as North America and Europe, owing to the economic turmoil. Emerging countries like India and China will continue to witness rapid growth in the adoption of GPS technology with the launch of low cost GPS-enabled mobile handsets in these countries.
“World GPS Market Forecast to 2013” provides a complete overview of the GPS market worldwide. All the current trends and developments of the car GPS industry have been evaluated in the report. Key geographic markets, including the US, Canada, Japan and other Asian countries, have been specially focused in the research.
Our research report offers prudent analysis of end-user applications, such as Survey/Mapping, In-vehicle Navigation, Machine Control, etc. It also unveils that opportunities remain to be tapped for different vertical segments of the GPS market, including chipset availability, new advanced access devices, and the PND market.
All-in-all, the report guides clients in assessing current trends of the global and regional GPS markets, while simultaneously giving them a snapshot of the future potential of the industry worldwide.
2010年1月21日星期四
Rapid Growth Of GPS Market Around the World
World GPS Market Forecast
Global Positioning System (GPS) is a revolutionary tool, which provides unequal accuracy and flexibility of positioning for navigation, surveying and Geographic Information System (GIS) data capture. Growing usage in automotive and consumer applications is propelling the mobile location technologies market, which is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of more than 20% to cross US$ 75 Billion by 2013.
The technology is fast gaining acceptance worldwide with rising penetration in previously untapped areas. Thus, the number of GPS-enabled LBS subscribers is expected to take a big leap in coming years with market revenue reaching around US$ 9.8 Billion in 2013. The positive outlook for the industry is accredited to the rapid development and enhancements in digital mapping software.
Although standalone products are quite popular, the most common applications are built around Portable Navigation Devices (PNDs) and mobile phones. As of 2007, PNDs dominated the GPS device market with more than 90% market share. However, this share is expected to get disturbed by the availability of GPS-enabled handsets that will account for around 70% of the market share by 2013. The report says that the shipments of GPS devices will grow at a CAGR of more than 24% in the forecast period but cost will play a critical role in this projected growth.
The report also says that 2009 will be crucial for the overall development of GPS industry in regions such as North America and Europe owing to the current economic market turmoil. Emerging countries like India and China will continue to see rapid growth in the adoption of GPS technology with the launch of low cost GPS-enabled mobile handsets in these countries.
“World GPS Market Forecast to 2013” provides a comprehensive review of the GPS market across the world. The report thoroughly evaluates the current industry trends and developments vital for the success of GPS industry. Analysis is presented for major geographic markets such as the US, Canada, Japan and other Asian countries. The report gives a detailed analysis of end-user applications, including In-vehicle Navigation, Survey/Mapping, Machine Control and others. It also says that opportunities remain untapped for various vertical segments of GPS market, which include new advanced access devices, chipset availability and PND market.
2010年1月14日星期四
Should parents track their kids with GPS?
Except Car CPS and or bikes, GPS has moved into the realm of parenting, and today's moms and dads can know exactly where their children are at all times.
Parents can download a program such as Loopt or Glympse onto their teen's cell phone or they can install a device into their teen's car. CarChip Pro collects data on the time and date for each car trip, distance, speed, hard accelerations and decelerations. The Real Time RT Tracker allows you to monitor your child in the car in real-time; the exact location of the car can be sent to your computer every 1, 2, or 5 minutes.
For younger children, there are small GPS units such as Insignia's Little Buddy Child Tracker ($99) that you can stuff into backpacks and lunchboxes. The Little Buddy will send you an alert when your little tyke leaves a designated area.
The new Lok8u Num8 Child Locator GPS Watch ($180) for kids ages 3 to 12 is designed to look like a real watch so a kidnapper doesn't think to rip it off your child's wrist. And if the watch is forcibly removed, an alert is sent to the parents' cell phones detailing the child's location. Parents can set up "safe zones", and if kids stray, the watch will then automatically switch to "live track" mode and the child's location is continuously monitored, updated and sent to the designated email as an address with postcode and a link to Google maps.
With many of these GPS child-tracking programs and gadgets, you can watch your child's movement on a map on a screen, whether its your computer, iPhone, Blackberry. Most often you're watching a little icon--your child--moving around on a Google Map.
Some parents view these devices as a godsend. These parents are concerned about kidnappers snatching their preschoolers or they don't trust their teenagers. They want to know when their kid who is playing outside leaves the driveway or walks across the street. But others are appalled by what some are calling "GPS parenting."
A review of the Little Buddy on Engadget.com reads:
Insignia, Best Buy's house brand, has just listed an incredibly invasive and humiliating new GPS tracker on its site, and rather than promoting it as just that, the marketing brains have decided it best to aim this at paranoid mums and dads who've done such a poor job raising their offspring that they can't even trust 'em to trek out on their own.
And "Free-Range Kids" author Lenore Skenazy, the mom who famously allowed her son to ride the subway alone in NYC, wrote about the Little Buddy in her blog:
What upsets me is the rationale behind the product: That children are in danger every second they step out the door, and that any GOOD parent keeps them under constant surveillance — either in person, or, now, by GPS.
Not only does this reinforce the notion that we are living among depraved monsters, it also reinforces the notion that if, God forbid, anything bad DOES happen to a child, it's the parents' fault. They should have been there. They should have expected the very worst. Every parent should treat every day as potentially their children’s last.
Over at Momlogic, where a recent article covered GPS parenting, a mom posted her feelings in a comment:
Nope, no way, no how. I have custody of my teenage niece and the only way I would use the tracking is if she is really, really late and not answering her phone. I think it is an invasion of privacy and asking for conflict...It smacks of distrust, dishonesty, and secrecy--the one thing you are trying to teach your teen not to do.
2010年1月12日星期二
Car Gps Systems – A Buyers Guide
In 1973 the U.S. Department of Defence launched the Navstar GPS network. This consisted of 24 satellites orbiting the earth every 12 hours and five ground stations. This positioning system was made available for public use. With this capability, consumer location devices were produced to accurately determine location and other data such as current and average speed, directional heading, and elevation.
recognition to receive destination instructions, and voice guidance to give driving instructions * Weather updates * Street name navigation – instead of just turn left 200m it was say ‘Turn left into Stanley St’ * Integrated Multimedia players – MP3 players, image viewers, and audio books. Onboard or Portable GPS Navigation units are black and white * Voice Interface – more advanced units How The GPS Device Gets A Fix The first time you start your Car GPS device, its data store is blank so needs a to collect satellite information to determine your position.
This is known as a cold start, while others can take several minutes. Subsequent position updates only take 30 to 45 seconds to acquire a 3D fix. * Antenna to capture satellite signals – positioned to get a clear view of the sky. Many portable models have a suction-cup-mounting device to position the device on the unit, to give driving instructions * Weather updates * Street name navigation – instead of just turn left 200m it was say ‘Turn left into Stanley St’ * Integrated Multimedia players – MP3 players, image viewers, and audio books.
Onboard or Portable GPS Navigation units are black and white to save power. Larger screens and integrate better with other vehicle electronics. Input Buttons – most enroute buttons are on the map as well previous track. The receiver constantly recalculates position, giving real time position. A typical GPS device contains: * 12-channel receiver – the quality of the type of unit and antenna, the important thing is to keep the antenna visible to the computer via USB, whereas others are done using a Car DVD.
Those units which can be used in multiple cars; being easily moved from car to car. Depending upon the power supply and portability, portable and handheld units can be just as expensive as the factory models. Upgrading – always check how bright these are, and if they are clearly visible from the mounted position in bright day light. Onboard navigation systems are generally color screens, and portable units are black and white to save on part of a track for future use. * A track of where you have been – the number of GPS Units Apart from giving you a current position on the windshield.
Add-on antennas are also available. Regardless of the sky. Many portable models have a suction-cup-mounting device to acquire a 3D fix. The GPS Device Gets A Fix The first time you start your GPS device, its data store is blank so needs a to collect satellite information to determine your position. This is known as a cold start, while others can take several minutes. Subsequent position updates only take 3 to 4 seconds. If you go out of range from losing line of sight, such as the Garmin StreetPilot 2720, can be taken when travelling or used on cycles, boats, private aircraft etc.
network. four This satellites consisted to of collect 24 satellite satellites information to determine your position. This is known as a cold start. Some units detach a portion to be connected to the computer via USB, whereas others are done using a car DVD player. Those units which can be upgraded online, are much more convenient. Added Features of GPS navigation devices can give you: * A track of where you have been – the number of GPS navigation devices can give you: * A track of where you have been – the number of tracks and waypoints stored varies from unit to unit.
You may also want to save on part of a track for future use. * A path from your current position to your destination * Maintain commonly used navigation paths for reuse. * Points of Interest – user sets the types of points of interest, such as the factory models. Upgrading – always check how bright these are, and if they are clearly visible from the mounted position in bright day light. Onboard navigation systems are usually more expensive than portable counterparts.
2010年1月8日星期五
In GPS, Google Is Still a Little Lost
I thought I knew. From all outward appearances, I was at Pennsylvania Station in New York. But according to Google's (GOOG) mapping and Car GPS software running on my Motorola Droid phone, I was on Cheapside, a street in London. The app helpfully located nearby Underground stations for me.
When Motorola (MOT), Verizon (VZ), and Google launched the Droid in November, investors drove down shares of TomTom and Garmin (GRMN), makers of dedicated navigation systems. The reason: The mapping application built into Google's Android smartphone operating system offered spoken, turn-by-turn directions—for free. Now that Google has taken the wraps off its Nexus One phone, it's clear navigation will only grow in strategic importance.
I plan to look at how the app works on the new Google handset soon. In the meantime I've been using the program on the Droid in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area for the last couple of weeks. And I've encountered enough quirks—hello, London!—to conclude its not quite time to give up a standalone device.
In your car, the best way to use the Droid for Car GPS is with the optional $29.99 mounting bracket that attaches to the windshield or dashboard. The phone senses when it's in the holder and automatically displays a special interface that includes large buttons for maps and navigation. On a few occasions, though, my phone would slip back to its usual display setting, requiring me or my passenger to find and relaunch the program.
Google's app provides multiple ways to input your destination, including by touchscreen, the Droid's physical keyboard, and built-in voice search. I found the interface a bit fussy, requiring a number of pokes and prods. (Drivers shouldn't poke this, or any other screen, when the car is in motion.)
I also had an issue with the app's display. For a smartphone, the Droid's screen is a pleasure—very bright, with a higher resolution than that of an Apple (AAPL) iPhone. But its 3.7-inch size, combined with the Google app's mapping layout, makes it much harder to see than the 4.3-inch display on the Garmin nüvi 855 system I used for comparison.
Once I was under way, driving instructions were delivered in a clear voice that sounds a little like VIKI, the malevolent computer in the movie I, Robot. The system gave me plenty of advance notice of coming turns, including street names, and usually picked good routes. When I deliberately missed some turns, the Droid took longer than the nüvi to recalculate. So I often failed to take what would have been a logical alternative route. Harder to forgive were the app's occasional bouts of confusion, including the London episode.
Motorola refers queries about such hiccups to Google, which responds that they are hardware issues. Whoever is to blame, it's disconcerting to be directed the wrong way down a one-way street, something that has happened perhaps twice in five years with the built-in navigation system in my car—and happened within a week of using the Google app.
On the other hand, when I arrived at my destination, not only did the phone announce it, but the view switched from map to a Google street-view photograph. Very nice if you are prowling unfamiliar turf.
Google labels its nav app "Beta," a testing designation the company often maintains longer than its competitors do. I guess that's supposed to excuse the bugs in an otherwise fine app with a price nobody can beat.
Oh, and to get to Penn Station from Cheapside, head toward the Thames, take a right, and...keep going.
2010年1月4日星期一
Protect Your In-car Gadgets and Save a lot
Metropolitan Police statistics from 2007 show that gadgets like sat nav units and mobile phones have become big money for car thieves. And with harder financial times ahead for many, this area of crime is likely to increase.
According to those figures, theft of sat navs from vehicles rose 154% between April 2006 and April 2007 – that’s more than double. And sat navs aren’t the only gadgets attracting thieves to your car. MP3 players, Car DVD players and digital cameras are among the items most often reported stolen from vehicles.
The worst part of losing your Car GPS or Car DVD from your car is that it will usually end up costing you far more than just the cost of replacing the gadget. You’ll also be paying for the cost of repairing broken windows or popped locks, or however the thief gained entry to your car. If you make a claim against your car insurancepolicy for the repairs and replacement, you could lose your no claims bonus and may face higher premiums for years to come.
Knowing all this, you’d think that the savvy driver would take measures to avoid putting out a welcome mat for thieves, but surveys point to the opposite. An industry survey showed that an incredible 96% of drivers regularly leave their electronic gadgets in their cars when they park them. As if that’s not bad enough, an unbelievable 1 of every 3 drivers surveyed admitted that they leave their gadgets in full view inside their vehicle. The results? An incredible 21% of drivers surveyed – more than one in every five – have had at least one electronic gadget stolen from their vehicle.
Mobile phones, sat navs, MP3 players and other electronics are a veritable treasure trove for today’s brand of thieves. They’re often left in full view on the front seat or dash of a car. It’s only a matter of seconds for an opportunist to break a window and be off with your sat nav tucked into a pocket or under a shirt. Those goodies are easy to steal and easy to sell off, since they’re in such high demand.
Save Your Sat Nav – And Some Cash
One UK car insurer isn’t taking the situation laying down. At swiftcover.com, the UK’s only completely online insurance company, they’ve added a new cover option to their car insurance. For a small extra premium of around £30, you can purchase gadget cover when you purchase their car insurance. The small gadgets cover will replace your in-car items if they’re stolen from your car or damaged accidentally. That’s a cheap price to pay to cover hundreds of pounds worth of equipment that you might use every day.
The small gadgets cover from swiftcover.com will cover items like mobile phones, PDAs, satellite navigation systems, MP3 players, safety camera locators, portable games consoles, digital cameras, camcorders and portable Car DVD player.
Of course, the best form of protection is prevention. Before you get out of your car, make it a practice to pick up any gadgets on your dash or seats and stow them in the glove box or the boot. That one simple habit can reduce your chances of being a smash-and-grab target dramatically.
2009年12月24日星期四
Santa's Got a GPS

NORAD
Back in the day, kids could only imagine where in the world Santa was flying en route to delivering his presents on Christmas Eve. Today, with GPS tracking devices, even Old Saint Nick's whereabouts can be digitally pinpointed on satellite maps.
NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense), the self-professed "Most sophisticated Santa tracking system in the world," explains their process on the NORAD website. It uses "four high-tech systems to track Santa -- radar, satellites, Santa Cams, and fighter jets. Satellites positioned in geo-synchronous orbit at 22,300 miles from the Earth's surface are equipped with infrared sensors, which enable them to detect heat. Amazingly, Rudolph's bright red nose gives off an infrared signature, which allows our satellites to detect Rudolph and Santa."
The real truth is kids can watch videos as Santa flies over various world landmarks. This year, NORAD has also partnered with Google so kids can track Santa via Google Earth.
Merry Merry!
2009年12月22日星期二
Thieves stealing your GPS can track you back home
Tech-savvy thieves are doing more than just stealing Car GPS or Car DVD devices off the front seats of cars. They're pushing the right buttons to use the devices to head right back to their owners' homes, Gary Hoffman reports on AOL Autos.
Many GPS devices have a common navigational feature called the home setting, fully automating the process of directing you to your home. Hoffman says its a convenience that burglars and stalkers are sure to appreciate, "turning your free-floating anxiety about data theft into full-blown paranoia about home invasion."
Writes Hoffman:
The possibilities seem endless. The units' presence in vehicles such as a Lexus or a BMW, for example, could give thieves a clue to a much bigger haul at the owner's home. And if they steal the garage door opener, too, they may be able to get inside the house with ease.
Two years ago, thieves stole a number of Acura cars from a corporation's garage in Atlanta, and, in three cases, they used the GPS units in the cars to find and then burglarize employees' homes.
And it wasn't just in Atlanta:
Just last month, two men were accused of a GPS-guided crime spree in Michigan and northern Ohio. They allegedly broke into vehicles parked at shopping centers, stole the units and then burglarized home after home. Police figure the same pair may have been responsible for burglaries in about 20 communities.
This "take me home" function works in reverse as well, helping police identify the owners of lost or stolen GPS devices. In November, police in New Jersey found a Garmin unit in a small cache of stolen goods. By setting the device to its home setting, they were able to identify the owner and return it.
But the bottom line is that, at least theoretically, some of your personal information could be available to anyone getting hold of your navigational device.
You may be more likely to be audited by the IRS or contract H1N1 than be a victim of burglars guided by GPS. Yet the risks "aren't negligible" either, said Erhan Kartaltepe, associate director of the Institute for Cyber Security of the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Your home address could join a large mass of information about you that is "out there," available to the public or determined individuals.
Kartaltepe notes that data isn't usually encrypted on consumer GPS devices. So if thieves break the locking combination -- presuming the driver even bothered to lock it in the first place -- they get access to a home address.
"We encourage people to use common sense and take the same precautions that they would with any consumer electronics device," said Jessica Myers, a spokeswoman for Olathe, Kan.-based Garmin International.
You can take your Car GPS unit with you or lock it in the trunk or glove compartment when you leave your car. You can also lock the unit down with an anchoring device.
One company, New York-based Pioneer Lock, has taken its experience with locking devices for desktop computers and has applied it to on-board GPS units. Its StarLock-GPS product hangs onto the unit with a heavy wire cable and a plate glued to it with high-strength adhesive. The lock can be easily released if you want to take the unit with you, said company owner Peter Parsekian.
If the Car GPS unit itself has a keyboard locking device, Myers recommends that people use it. Garmin has a feature similar to a keyboard lock on a cellphone, she said. "With the Garmin Lock, you either insert a password or drive to a specific location, which you have preset." At that location, the unit unlocks and its owner can access its data and functions without additional effort.
Still, thieves may find it relatively easy to hack their way into a locked unit over several days.
The best course is to deter the theft in the first place, and the simplest solution is to take your GPS unit with you when you leave your car.
"You wouldn't leave your cellphone or your digital camera on the seat," Myers said. "A lot of times people forget this." Since their GPS is often mounted with a suction cup on the windshield, they almost regard it as a structural part of the vehicle, she said.
2009年12月11日星期五
Remnants of previous accidents litter the ground. Broken taillights and windshield glass glisten in the sunlight. A rearview mirror lies abandoned alongside the road. It is a beautiful clear day, the wind whistling through the overgrown grass in the nearby field where Joel’s car had landed. Several cars speed through the intersection, going well over the posted 45 mph. Other cars simply slow down at the stop light and continue through or completely neglect to stop at all. Joel recalls, “I remember the first time I came back here after the accident with the insurance adjuster. I looked around seeing glass from my windshield and broken pieces of my mom’s car. As we stood there for about 10 minutes discussing the accident we watched half a dozen cars neglect to stop at the light. Something has to be done. People just aren’t paying attention or just don’t care.”
Joel Delancy, a Garrett, Pennsylvania resident, was the victim of a distracted driving accident on December 3, 2007. A driver neglected to see two stop signs and double blinking lights on a clear day because he was switching his books-on-tape cassettes. The vehicle Joel was driving was T-boned and flipped several times before landing in a field. Joel was helicopter-lifted with a lacerated liver, spleen, and lung, which caused internal bleeding. He also had broken ribs, and many bruises and scratches. His two passengers, Matt Donaldson and Stephen Larue, were also taken by ambulance to the hospital with minor injuries.
While the boys did heal physically, the mental terror remained. Joel admits, “I was so angry when I found out that this accident was caused by a careless driver. You can see the stop lights for practically a quarter of a mile. He obviously was not paying attention for more than a few seconds. I almost lost my life and my passengers’ because of another’s negligent driving.” It took Joel several months to even drive past the accident site. The negligent driver was charged with reckless driving and failure to stop at a stop light and sign.
Delancy advises, “You must pay attention to the roadway and others. I did have passengers and the music on. However, as I approached the intersection, I saw him not even slowing down and started to react immediately. I counter steered, after being T-boned, away from a metal pole which could have killed us on impact. I remember hearing people saying that without our seat belts and my quick actions, we would have died. Always wear a seat belt; there is a reason they are put in your vehicle.”
Matt Donaldson, a passenger in that car, vividly recalls that day. He remembers, “We were just driving down the road and listening to Crossfade’s new song ‘I Never Meant To Be So Cold.’ We weren’t speeding and it was a clear December day. When we got hit and were flipping through the air, it felt like an eternity until we landed. We must have flipped several times. I just remember a slow motion feeling and really focusing on the song. It continued to play until we hit the ground and the engine stopped. It’s funny the way you remember things. Every time I hear that song, I go back to those seconds.” Matt, physically healed, also suffers the mental anguish that a traumatic event causes. It also took Matt a while to even ride past the accident scene. It is a moment that has changed his life. He will always wear his seat belt and be cautious on the roadway.
Distractions while driving are becoming ever more popular, increasing the risks for deadly consequences. Cell phones enable you to do everything from taking videos and pictures, checking e-mails, and text messaging to making calls while also creating a hazardous distraction when used on the roadway. Eighteen states, including Maryland and the District of Columbia, have created laws to ban texting while driving. Pennsylvania has not yet passed such a law. The intent is to avoid distractions that create vehicular accidents.
In a recent survey conducted among 80 students and faculty at Frostburg State University, nearly 96 percent of people said they had used a cell phone to make or receive a call while driving. Many people admitted that this is a fast paced world and one must multitask to get everything done. One said “I have a million things to do. I have to make calls while driving to get everything done.” Whether using the phone to talk while bored or to do business, this distracted driving can be a recipe for disaster. Some people are using hands free calling devices or having a passenger answer the phone. Others try to pull off the road or answer quickly and promise a returned call. Making and receiving phone calls was more of a problem than text messaging for those surveyed. However, text messaging seems to take the driver’s eyes off the roadway for a longer period of time.
Also, according to the same survey, almost 83 percent admitted to texting while driving. Many of the responses admitted to doing the deed, but also show regret or shame for it. One responder said, “I text while driving, but am trying to stop. I feel bad for doing it so often.” Many people said that they were working on not texting or using the cell while driving. Another responder stated, “I am working hard to stop this dangerous behavior.” Some admitted to texting only a few words to complete conversations. Others claimed to do so only when at a stop light or in stopped traffic. One responder claimed, “I only text while stopped in traffic. Sometimes the light changes, though, and I must finish the text while driving through the intersection.” Most responders stated that they used to text while driving, but since learning more of the dangers are trying to limit it. The most common distraction many see are others text messaging. 90 percent of the surveyed people felt that laws should be passed to make texting while driving illegal. One surveyed person admitted, “I want a law to be passed to make driving safer all around. However, I don’t know how often I would follow the law. It would be hard.”
Perhaps the best witnesses to the risky behaviors occuring on the roadway are other drivers. Michael Siciliano, liberal arts major at Frostburg State University, tries not to initiate phone calls and never text messages while driving. The senior from Lavale, Maryland, laughs and says, “I tend to look at texting while driving as kind of ridiculous. You do look at the cell phone and there is no way to keep your eyes on the road.”
Julia Vilece, a music management major at Frostburg State University, agrees that there is no way that you can pay attention to the road while texting. The junior from Ellicott City, Maryland, advises, “I just give my phone to my passenger. If you do that, then you aren’t playing with it. I just don’t do it because it is dangerous.”
Several people seemed to think that texting while driving is a bad idea, but really aren’t worried about it until something happens to their car. Twone Franklin, a mass communications major at Frostburg State University, says he doesn’t text while driving because he’s not a great texter, but does make and receive calls. The sophomore from Laurel, Maryland, admits, “I don’t worry about others. As long as they don’t hit my car, then I’m not worried about what they are doing. There shouldn’t be a law against this because people do need to get in touch with you sometimes when you are traveling.”
Doug Hersch, a mechanical engineering major at Frostburg State University, concurs that he doesn’t tend to worry about others. The junior, a commuter student from Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, says, “I don’t mind others using cell phones, if they can drive safely. But most people aren’t able to achieve this. Most people can’t multitask. But if they don’t hit my car, then I tend not to worry about the other drivers. There should be a law, but it’d be hard to follow. I talk on the cell phone all the time.”
John Difebo, a senior computer science major and commuter student from Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, agrees that there should be some type of law but that it would be hard to enforce. He says, “No outgoing data should be allowed; only incoming text messages should be read. You should be able to read the text, just not take the time to respond. A law would only be practical to enforce when checking the phone log after an accident does occur.”
Many organizations, including the American Automobile Association, are working to see these laws passed. Beverly Powell, director of communications for AAA East Central Pennsylvania, says, “As new technologies continue to develop they present more potential for distraction behind the wheel. These new distractions are dangerous for drivers of all ages, but are particularly hazardous of an inexperienced driver.” AAA hopes to pass such laws in all 50 states for drivers of all ages by the year 2013 as part of the “Heads up driving week: Try it for a week, do it for life” campaign which began on September 29, 2009. This week calls for the focusing of driving and avoiding distractions on the roadway. Powell also states, “AAA also feels it is important to educate the public through driver training, safety programs, and awareness campaigns on a broad range of distractions that may attract the driver’s focus away from the road.”
AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety aims to educate people about the dangerous consequences such distractions can create. The campaign is aimed at busy people who tend to multitask. The organization states that 8,000 crashes every day are connected to distracted driving, while also warning that using a cell phone while driving quadruples your risk of a crash. This foundation also offers tips for being a “heads up driver,” including stowing away all electronic devices.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, whose mission is to “Save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce vehicle related crashes,” has also created a two-day campaign to inform drivers of dangerous distractions. The NHTSA confirms that in 2008 on any given day, 80,000 cars were driven by people using a cell phone. There were also half a million injuries caused by a distracted driving accident in the year 2008. The two-day “Distracted Driving Summit”, held on September 30 - October 1, 2009, hoped to inform drivers of the under-recognized danger of using a cell phone or texting while operating a vehicle.
While Pennsylvania has no laws in effect yet, Maryland’s ban on texting while driving went into effect October 1, 2009. This law makes sending or receiving a text message while operating a vehicle illegal. The offense is considered secondary, meaning the driver must commit a primary violation such as speeding, running a stop sign, etc. before a police officer can pull the driver over. If convicted of this secondary offense, drivers will face a fine of up to $500. This law makes the activity a misdemeanor. The Maryland State Highway Administration recently released statistics that included 20,000 injuries related to distracted driving every year in the state.
The Maryland Highway Safety Administration also provides research that has compared texting while driving to a blood alcohol content of 0.16 percent; double the legal limit. The goal of this law is to prevent crashes and injuries and save lives. The organization feels it very important to inform motorists of the dangerous consequences associated with inattentive driving.
Lora Rakowski, of the Office of Communications for the Maryland State Highway Administration, adds, “Distracted driving can be deadly and the new texting ban while driving delivers an important message to the public that driving requires one's full attention. It's just about impossible to write and send a text message while following a key tenet of safe driving: keeping both hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road.”
To type out the text message, the driver must physically look down at the phone and take his/her eyes off the road for several seconds depending on the message size. The Maryland State Highway Administration website states that in the one second you take your eyes off the road while driving 65 mph, you will have traveled 100 feet. In those 100 feet of distracted driving, a number of complications could occur resulting in wrecks, injuries, or even fatalities. Since 93 percent of all accidents are caused by driver error, the Maryland State Highway Administration affirms that crashes are not accidents, but rather preventable and predictable.
Many car insurers are also urging the limiting of the use of cell phones and texting while driving. State Farm Insurance lists talking on the cell phone as a major distraction, especially for inexperienced teen drivers. State Farm also reports that nine out of ten teens commonly see other teens using the cell phone while driving. Sixty-six percent of teens also admit that they care about their parents’ opinions on cell phone use in the car. State Farm Insurance affirms that 25 percent of all crashes in the United States are caused by distractions, including the use of cell phones and text messages. However it can be difficult for an insurance agency to actually determine what caused accidents. Bryan Bozovich, State Farm Insurance agent in Somerset, PA, says, “From an agent’s perspective it is difficult to determine the extent to which mobile devices contribute to automobile accidents. The reason is that the majority of accidents that involve these types of distractions as the main cause of the accident are usually not reported to us in that manner. I would assume that there are a considerable number of motor vehicle accidents that are caused by these devices, but go undetected by insurance carriers due to the facts or cause of the accident being misrepresented at the time we take the initial loss report.” Insurance agencies such as State Farm may have difficulties determining if cell phones played a role, but do aim to inform their clients about these dangers to prevent accidents.
It’s important to note that while cell phones do seem to be the major distraction on the roadway presently, there are other risky behaviors that also cause accidents such as Joel Delancy’s. Distractions range from eating and drinking in the car, a behavior done for many years, to using Car GPS units or Car DVD players in the backseats. As the world becomes a faster paced place, people feel the pressing urge to multitask. Women are seen doing their hair and makeup going 65 mph down the interstate. Parents console children in the backseat, handing them toys or food, taking their eyes off the road for several seconds. There are always sights around the driver that are beyond his/her control such as construction zones, vehicle accidents, and scenery that also pose hazards. Each time a driver gets in the vehicle distractions can occur beyond his/her control or be created that could result in dangerous consequences.
Of those surveyed, many people wrote that they have seen other drivers eating, drinking, doing their makeup and hair, consoling children, and of course, using their cell phones. One astounding act that several people reported seeing was people reading books or papers in their laps. Some people recall drivers reading entire novels while looking up every few seconds at the roadway, making driving their second priority at hand.
Whatever the cause, distractions should be kept to a minimum. With technology ever increasing, cell phone usage and text messaging are creating a dangerous recipe for the roadway. Still other distractions are also dangerous such as eating and drinking, reading, playing with the radio or cassettes, and observing your surroundings. With eighteen states passing laws banning text messaging and many more working to do so, it is obvious that this distraction is being viewed as a very risky behavior. Drivers should buckle up, eliminate the distractions, and make driving their number one priority because distractions can, in fact, lead to dire consequences.
Delancy looks back now on the accident and states, “Everyone makes mistakes while driving. You try to be as cautious as possible. I’m a lot more cautious now. I was 16 when that happened and it gave me a life-changing experience. I understand mistakes on the roadway, but people must realize that one split second could have changed all three of our lives or even killed us.”
2009年11月26日星期四
GPS device can track your kids and others
Especially with the high rate of kidnappings and abductions, now everything is to have a very good thing, said Diana Medina of Best Buy.
The GPS device is made by distinguishing sold to Best Buy. It sends an instant e-mail, text or phone alarm if the person you see in the cards designated for the area.
One idea, Kristin Cathey happy for 6 months Hadley.
But instead of a baby, Sheila Brown, who use their father said, was ho's disease Alzheimer.
My father was my child, my fourth child, and I really want to know where he is, he said.
However, the protection of privacy comes naturally.
I would like to use for my husband, said Cathey.
I do not remember, said Brown. My first concern is the safety of my father.
2009年11月25日星期三
Be careful when vehicle burglaries increase during holidays
"It can take less than a minute for them to take things out of a car," says Lieutenant Tim Williams of the Mishawaka Police Department.
Police say vehicle burglary is a crime of opportunity, and during this time of year there is plenty of that. Shoppers fill their carts with the latest gadgets and trends, and then fill their cars. Criminals know this and all they have to do is wait.
"Usually it is high dollar items. Anything that is easily accessible. If you leave something in your car and they can make off with it, they are going to do that," says Williams.
"We hear about it all the time," says Randy Neville.
Neville works at U.P. Mall, so stories about vehicle break-ins are nothing new. Especially since two years ago, thieves stole from him.
"It is pretty disappointing. I had a Portable DVD player under my seat and they stole my radio and DVD player. So it was very frustrating and very disappointing," says Neville.
The Kilgore Police Department would like to offer the following tips for preventing your vehicle from being burglarized during the holiday season:
Police say there are ways to avoid being a victim: Keep valuables and merchandise out of sight, make a trip home if possible, be on the lookout for suspicious people and report them to store management or police.
— Keep your car locked and, if possible, parked in a well-lighted area at night.
—Do not leave any valuables in your car. If you have to leave valuables in the car lock them in the trunk or hide them. A purse, shopping bags, Car DVD players or Car GPS device, left in your car, in plain view, simply invites the thieves to smash your window and steal them.
—Record serial numbers to any of your electronics and keep them stored in a safe place.
And, of course, police say don't make it easy for criminals. Lock your car. And most thieves will break a window if they see something of value, so make sure they don't.
Police say on average during the holidays they get about five vehicle theft reports a day. They expect that number to skyrocket on Black Friday.