Warning: Undefined array key "upload_with_nude_flag" in /www/www_com/htdocs/get_weekly_feature_ad.inc.php on line 69
Welcome to GISWeekly! The 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week may not be a geospatially oriented affair, but it should be noted here because 1) it draws one of the largest crowds in the computer industry, and 2) geospatially or location-enabled products are showing up on their list of “Best of CES” and LAPTOP Magazine awards. Read about some of the navigation products demonstrated at this conference and others in this week’s Industry News.
GISWeekly examines select top news each week, picks out worthwhile reading from around the web, and special interest items you might not find elsewhere. This issue will feature Industry News, Top News of the Week, Acquisitions/Alliances/Agreements, Announcements, People, Services, New Products, Around the Web and Events Calendar.
GISWeekly welcomes letters and feedback from readers, so let us know what you think. Send your comments to me at Email Contact
Best wishes,
Susan Smith, Managing Editor
Industry News
Holistic Navigation
by Susan Smith
The 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week may not be a geospatially oriented affair, but it should be noted here because 1) it draws one of the largest crowds in the computer industry, and 2) geospatially or location-enabled products are showing up in their list of “Best of CES” and LAPTOP Magazine awards.
The CNET Best of CES Awards honor the hottest products that set the standards in consumer electronics. LAPTOP Magazine looks for the best mobile tech products.
Navigation systems are growing in popularity, as evidenced by Garmin’s gross profit margin of 50 percent and growing competition (Sony is entering this market). The cost of a GPS has gone down, although the cost of in-car navigation systems is still within the $600-$1200 price range.
Dash Navigation, Inc. announced on Thursday that it won “Best of CES” awards from both CNET and LAPTOP Magazine at CES for its Dash Express™, the first Internet-connected GPS device.
To summarize the press release, Dash offers a number of unique features with real-time two-way connectivity.
-The Dash Driver Network informs users of the best routes around traffic by using information generated from other Dash devices.
-Find virtually anything—people, places, products, and services—with Yahoo! Local search. --- Select your result and drive right to it.
-Automatically receive the most up-to-date maps and software.
-Wirelessly send the addresses you need from any computer straight to your dashboard.
-Get movie times, gas prices and more – right from the driver’s seat.
Dash Navigation Chief Executive Officer Paul Lego stated, “We can’t wait to get the product into drivers’ hands in the coming months as this market is growing so rapidly."
Thilo Koslowski, vice president, lead automotive analyst for Gartner, stated, “Ultimately, these devices have to be connected to the outside world in order to maximize the benefits for the end user. Consumers are looking for a more holistic navigation experience. We estimate that the demand will continue to grow and that by 2010, navigation devices will surpass 30 million units globally.”
Some, like Ford and Microsoft’s collaboration on in-car communications and entertainment, are kind of peripheral to the geospatial market, but embody geospatial capabilities, even if consumers don’t know it. The product unveiled this week at CES is called Sync, a service to include “a fully-integrated, flash memory system that enables drivers to call hands free and controfl a range of digital audio via voice commands and buttons mounted on the steering wheel.”
Based on an a Microsoft Auto operating system, this system is made up of an ARM 11 processor, 64MB of DRAM and 256MB of flash memory. The software will most likely be able to be updated via the USB port.
The interface for Sync-enabled cars will be a small text display that will be part of the instrument cluster. Drivers and passengers will use hands-free dialing, accomplished by pairing up to 12 different phones via an always-on Bluetooth connection. Many hands-free systems now have the ability to automatically copy phone books from cell phones or other Bluetooth enabled wireless devices, and this is the case with Sync. The system then “memorizes” the entries, which allows users to place calls via voice commands.
As with so many other consumer products these days, Sync will support Bluetooth audio for streaming digital audio from mobile devices such as iPods that hold music files. For in-car music, drivers can play music from their MP3 players, iPods, Zunes and others by connecting them to a USB 2.0 port. The standout feature for Sync is that it is able to play songs from a connected media player such as iPod, via a voice command. Imagine being able to tell your system to “play track Yesterday” by the Beatles, rather than having to scroll through the entire CD! Sync’s voice command capability also allows users to “find similar music,” relying on a series of algorithms to search for tracks that are like the music playing – clearly not a geospatial function, but a lot of fun anyway.
nüvi 670 Personal Travel Assistant comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator® NT street maps for both North America and Europe |
The nüvi 370 and nüvi 670 also include preloaded, detailed street maps of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and over 30 countries in Europe. These transatlantic nüvis are available with the standard 3.5-inch display (nüvi 370) or larger 4.3-inch widescreen display (nüvi 670).
Both the nüvi 370 and nüvi 670 come with an integrated traffic receiver that leverages available traffic service broadcasts to notify drivers of traffic congestion, accidents, construction, and weather-related delays. The nüvi will also automatically suggest alternative routes to avoid delays. In Europe, most countries provide real-time traffic broadcasts free of charge. In the United States, service for the nüvi 370 and nüvi 670 is provided by Total Traffic Network and includes the first three months of traffic service for free, after which the customer may subscribe to 12 months of service for $60.00.
The nüvi’s Bluetooth Wireless Technology capabilities and integrated microphone and speaker provide for hands-free mobile phone calls. This feature makes it possible for drivers to make and receive calls using the nuvi’s touchscreen interface, and access the phone’s personalized phone book, call history log, or the nüvi’s huge points of interest database. More than 200 Bluetooth phones are supported.
Garmin has also announced an Asian Americas version of its nüvi 350 and nüvi 660. These devices allow North American motorists who speak Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, or Taiwanese to access menus and text displayed in one of five Asian languages. In addition, the turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions are audibly announced in Asian languages. To date, Garmin is the only manufacturer to offer an Asian language interface combined with North American maps.
Soon, the entire nüvi product line will soon accept Garmin’s U.S. Topo and BlueChart® cartography. U.S. Topo cartography will provide access to basic information such as terrain contours, elevation information, trails, and rivers, available from Garmin’s website. BlueChart will show shaded depth contours, intertidal zones, spot soundings, port plans, and navaids with view range and coverage.
The nüvi 370 and nüvi 670 are expected to be available in February at an MSRP of $899 and $1099, respectively. The nüvi 350 and nüvi 660 Asian Americas versions are expected to be available in March 2007 at an MSRP of $599 and $899, respectively.
On the other end of the spectrum is a hobbyist’s GPS from Garmin (and probably not on the docket at CES, but well worth mentioning) is the Garmin eTrex Venture Cx. The Cx is a very good consumer level GPS, popular among those who may not want something really complex, or want to relax from a week’s worth of figuring out technology and just get out in the woods, and find a way back out of them.
The Garmin eTrex Venture Cx pocket handheld navigator has a full color 176 x 220 pixel display, expandable memory, and automatic routing capabilities, 500 waypoints, 32-hour battery life, and card slot. Additionally, the unit includes the following features:
-MicroSD card slot gives you the versatility of adding optional maps on the go.
-256-color, sunlight-readable display makes it easy to distinguish map details and see where you’re going
-Supports English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French languages.
-Provides automatic, turn-by-turn directions with optional preprogrammed City Navigator™ cards to navigate you safely to your destination
-Longer battery life for more hours of outdoor enjoyment
Suggested Retail Price: $246.41 U.S.D. (for domestic US market only)
Trimble introduced its GuideWorx GPS™ application, which further extends its Trimble Outdoors™ suite of GPS-on-cellular applications. GuideWorx GPS turns a mobile phone into a GPS device for both on and off-road navigation. Users will be able to use their mobile phone to get voice prompted turn-by-turn driving directions, as well as off-road navigation. They will be able to retrieve maps and other real time information and share it online.
Additionally, users can mark photos they take along the way and audio clips with GPS location information. They can then post these records to an online community as part of an automatically generated GPS-tracked travel log, and share them with family or friends using Trimble Outdoors’ free PC planning software.
The GuideWorx GPS application is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2007 on select Sprint (NYSE:S) GPS-enabled mobile phones for $9.99 per month.
3D Connexion's SpaceExplorer can be used by either hand comfortably and features an array of easy-to-reach function keys labeled and pre-programmed with commands from leading design applications. |
Top News of the Week
The Carbon Project, the world leader in geosocial networking, announced that its CarbonTools PRO, Gaia and ((Echo))MyPlace software now includes support for Microsoft Virtual Earth.
The Virtual Earth platform is Microsoft's next-generation mapping and location service. It combines exciting new innovations including bird's-eye imagery, satellite and aerial imagery, map styles and usability as well as enhanced local search. CarbonTools PRO is an extension to the Microsoft .NET Framework that supports advanced location content handling and sharing.
Alliances/Acquisitions/Agreements
Tele Atlas, provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location based solutions, and MCH GeoPoints, a compiler of geospatially-enabled institutional databases, announced an agreement to integrate MCH GeoPoints' data within Tele Atlas' digital maps and points of interest (POI) products. Through the agreement, federal, state and local governments and commercial enterprises such as insurance and utility companies will have access to the highly accurate and up-to-date information for their mission-critical, map-based applications.
DigitalGlobe(R), provider of the world's highest-resolution commercial satellite imagery and geospatial information products, announced that it is partnering with Lowrance, a world-leading brand in marine electronics since 1957, and GPS navigational systems since 1992. Under terms of the partnership DigitalGlobe will provide the satellite imagery for the Lowrance iWAY(TM) 600C portable navigation device (PND). The iWAY 600c with DigitalGlobe imagery is the first portable navigation device to give drivers unparalleled access to the world's highest resolution commercial imaging system. DigitalGlobe demonstrated its capabilities on the iWAY 600c at the International CES Conference.
LizardTech, a division of Celartem, Inc., and a provider of software solutions for managing and distributing digital content, announced its role as an associate sponsor of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo).
LizardTech has been a continual supporter of open standard initiatives such as JPEG 2000 and GML, and by becoming an associate sponsor of OSGeo, the company is demonstrating its commitment to supporting the open source community now and into the future. LizardTech uses a number of OSGeo's open source projects, such as the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL), to help build its expanding line of geospatial products. In addition, LizardTech's engineering manager, Michael P. Gerlek, is a founding member and vice president of OSGeo.
Announcements
BlueSky, the aerial survey company, has been awarded contracts to create detailed thermal maps for eight local authorities across the UK. The thermal mapping will be used to identify buildings with high heat loss, and therefore potentially poor insulation, prioritize remedial action and meet government targets for increasing energy efficiency and energy conservation reporting.
ESRI has expanded its 4-H Club geographic information system (GIS) grant program for 2007. The grants include GIS software, training, and supplemental materials. The 2007 initiative offers grants for both introductory- and intermediate-level GIS programs. The introductory level supports 4-H Clubs new to GIS and GPS technology. The intermediate level is for clubs that have successfully applied for and received software under a previous 4-H GIS grant from ESRI and have completed the requirements of submitting a Community Atlas project, participating in a GIS Day event, and completing a community service project.
Online real estate broker Redfin Corporation released a new version of www.redfin.com based on the Microsoft Virtual Earth map platform, offering home-buyers powerful new ways to explore a neighborhood. With this announcement, Redfin also more than doubled its geographic coverage in the Greater Seattle and San Francisco Bay Areas; and added online agent chat and more listing information such as homeowner's dues.
1Spatial (formerly known as Laser-Scan) is pleased to announce that the inaugural 1Spatial Conference will take place on 2nd-3rd May 2007 at the Ordnance Survey Great Britain Business Centre, Southampton, UK.
The 1Spatial Conference will be this year's premier event on the transformation, management and quality control of spatial data. Based around the theme of 'Fitness For Purpose', the conference will: -
-Explore the efficient use and reuse of spatial data within and across organizations
-Discuss effective data sharing
-Stimulate debate for delegates involved in establishing spatial data infrastructures
-Engage delegates with presentations, demonstrations, workshops and real-world case studies
-Provide delegates with an insight into all aspects of spatial data management and current best practices.
TerraGo Technologies announced it will bundle several of its mapping solutions used to create and distribute GeoPDF files into a special package for colleges and universities. The bundle gives campus labs an opportunity to install MAP2PDF® and other supporting technologies for use in educational programs at prices starting under $1,000.
People
TerraServer®, the leader in online imagery, has recently hired Brian Randy Funk as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). TerraServer® is an Internet mapping company which owns and operates the pioneering TerraServer.com website.
International Land Systems (ILS), Inc. is pleased to announce that Mr. Doug Baker has joined the company as Director of International Programs, becoming the most recent member of its innovative and skilled team of professionals providing solutions in land titling, land administration, land registration, and management of land-related information in the US and overseas. He will help drive the growth of the company’s portfolio of international programs, as well as provide project management of new and existing projects.
Analytical Surveys, Inc. (ASI) announced that Hank Cohn and Jonathan Rich have been elected to the Company's Board of Directors.
Jonathan Rich is executive vice president and director of investment banking for vFinance Investments, Inc., a diversified financial services firm with 35 offices throughout the U.S. and internationally. He served as senior vice president, and, later, as managing director of corporate finance at First Colonial Financial Group, where his corporate finance group was recognized by SNL Securities as a top-ten specialty finance advisor in the nation based on the number of transactions completed in 1999 and 2000.
Hank Cohn is executive vice president at Galaxy Ventures, LLC, a closely- held investment fund with a multi-pronged investment strategy concentrating in the areas of bond trading and early stage technology investments. Mr. Cohn acts as portfolio manager for investments. He serves on the board of directors of a number of companies, both public and private, advising on both capital raising and M&A activities.
Services
DMTI Spatial™ (DMTI), one of North America’s leading providers of Location Intelligence solutions, introduces a new service offering to accelerate their customer’s “Time to Value” with Location Intelligence data solutions.
New Products
3D Laser Mapping has launched a new mobile mapping system specifically designed to capture highly accurate 3D measurements of overhead telecom networks. The vehicle mounted WireFinder system uses the latest laser technology and specially designed software to accurately measure the position of telecom network assets, such as poles and wires. Offering an unrivalled technical specification the WireFinder also delivers operating efficiencies and reduced risk to personnel in the field.
Placeways, LLC and the Orton Family Foundation announced the release of CommunityViz® Version 3.2, the ArcGIS® extension for land-use planning. CommunityViz software is used by planners and resource managers around the world for scenario analysis and 3D visualization. Its low prices are made possible by the Orton Family Foundation. The new release of CommunityViz provides a suite of enhancements and compatibility with the latest GIS and visualization platforms, including ESRI’s ArcGIS 9.2 and Google Earth™ 4.
NAVTEQ has updated its popular online feedback tool and renamed it NAVTEQ Map Reporter (TM).
Acxiom(R) Corporation announced the latest innovation in the Personicx(R) family of household-level segmentation tools: Personicx MarketScape-X(TM), a web-based mapping and segmentation analysis tool.
Personicx MarketScape-X is designed to give clients quick and easy access to meaningful, actionable marketing information, along with reporting and segmentation tools to power their customer and market analysis.
Around the Web
Anytown, Online, by Bob Tedeschi, January 14, 2007, The New York Times (registration required) - Before the days of the printing press, town squares served as the main forum for exchanging community news and gossip. Now comes the virtual town square.
Upcoming Events
| Map World Forum 2007 | |
| Date: | January 22 - 25, 2007 |
| Place: | Hyderabad International Convention Centre
Hydrabad, India |
| MAP WORLD FORUM will be a medium of convergence of various stakeholders of global geospatial community and its integration with end users of geospatial information. Map World Forum will be a combination of activities in the form of seminars, workshops and panel discussions covering technology to policy to user oriented themes at global level. | |
| DGI Europe 2007 | |
| Date: | January 23 - 25, 2007 |
| Place: | QE II Conference Centre
Westminster, London, United Kingdom |
| DGI (Defence Geospatial Intelligence) is the annual European event for the Military Geospatial Intelligence community, bringing together government, industry, and military leaders together with leading suppliers and industry experts. | |
| GIS Integration Strategy and Direction | |
| Date: | February 7, 2007 |
| Place: | via WebEx
USA |
| Accela’s free Webinars (online seminars) offer valuable information for everyone from current customers to interested prospects. In addition to live Webinars, some events will be recorded and posted online for viewing at your convenience. Minimum requirements to attend are an Internet connection and phone line. | |
| ILMF 2007 | |
| Date: | February 12 - 13, 2007 |
| Place: | Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel
Baltimore, MD USA |
| The International LIDAR Mapping Forum (ILMF) has become the premier event for the LIDAR industry. This "Summit" is the gathering of industry leaders, pioneers, experts from government, academia, and professionals from myriad industries looking to invest in, and benefit from, LIDAR technology and services. | |
You can find the full GISCafe.com event calendar here.
To read more news, click here.
-- Susan Smith, GISCafe.com Managing Editor.