Answer: Yes.

And it’s actually easier than you might think!

First, you’re going to need a laptop.  Chances are you’ve either got one or are planning to get one, otherwise there’d be zero point in you reading this in the first place.  You’ll also probably want a car power adapter with it so you can plug it in and run it off your car’s generated battery power as you drive.

Second, you’ll need a GPS receiver and mapping software.  They come in two flavors, USB and Bluetooth.  If you have a Bluetooth capable laptop, your receiver will generally be wireless. A USB, meanwhile, will have a cable.

Now, you’ll put the laptop in the car, and the receiver in the window, and now you have a GPS built right into your computer.  Even better, you can do it for under a hundred bucks.  You’ll never have a reason to get lost again.

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You know those black boxes that they have on airplanes? You know, the ones that you recover in the event of a crash to describe what was going on at the time the plane went down?  They’re also called flight data recorders.

Well, now there’s one for your car.  It’s called the Driving Reporter Gadget, and thanks to a combination of GPS and USB connectivity, your car will now keep a running record of where you’ve been, how fast you were going, and plenty more.  You can even watch your trip play out on the surface of the planet thanks to Google Earth.

This is probably one of those things that’d be great for parents, but could be misused so easily it’s not even funny.  I mean, seriously–what if people started putting these things under other people’s cars? Then they could watch everything you do in a typical day, or at least know where you go.

That’s one to think about.

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So TomTom’s beginning to realize that some people haven’t grown up with the internet and such and that they’re having some problems wrapping their heads around the whole GPS concept. To that end, they’re taking the bull by the horns and introducing the starter edition of the TomTom, the TomTom Start. It’ll run you a hundred and ninety nine dollars per (which is actually quite a bit more than other, more “advanced” models that have been out for years), and will offer a three and a half inch touch screen, a supposedly easy to use menu (though that’s subjective at best), and voice over for street names. In addition, the new gadget comes equipped with an EasyPort mount which, makers claim, can easily be slipped in pockets, bags and glove compartments, ostensibly so you can find your way back to your car should you go on a walking tour or something.  Not necessarily a bad idea, that. I’m not sure if this’ll be as “easy” as they claim, but it’s definitely something worth keeping an eye on.

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Now this is the kind of thing they banned briefly in Victoria not so long ago, so before I start I’ll give the normal credos:  it’s a bad idea to use your cell phone and drive at the same time, I’m not responsible for whatever you do in your car, yadda yadda, in perpetuity throughout the universe.

There.  Now that the lawyers have been sufficiently shot the bird, time to carry on.  Today we’re talking about the TomTom iPhone car kit, that basically allows you to use your iPhone as a kind of GPS by mounting it to your dash.  Now, it doesn’t JUST do that, because then everybody’d be enraged–it also functions as a twelve volt charger and a speakerphone.

None of this is a bad thing, necessarily, but for crying out loud.  A hundred and twenty bucks for what amounts to a car phone cradle?  That’s a bit excessive even with the added bells and whistles.  I don’t look for this one to do any too well.

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TomTom, which you may be surprised to know is actually based out of Amsterdam, just recently announced its newest line of navigational hardware, the GO I-90.  It’s a double DIN navigation and radio tool that allows for easy, point to point directions between any two points most anywhere in the world, as long as they’re somehow connected via roadway.

Oh, but this isn’t just another navigational device, either–TomTom brass promises that the device offers  “full radio integration with the car speakers for high quality audio when using spoken instructions, or making hands-free phone calls.”

So not only does it get you from point to point, it also lets you call ahead to tell that point you’re arriving.  That’s actually pretty cool.

As if that weren’t good enough, users will be able to add annotations to the maps via TomTom HOME and Safety Alerts, telling other motorists about accidents, road construction, and those pesky speed traps.  You can also hook your MP3 player to it.

There’s a lot to like about this device, and its ninety nine dollar price tag is just icing on the cake.

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For a while there, drivers in Victoria in Australia were about to be forbidden from using their cell phones as navigation devices while driving.

This actually may have been a good idea, if somewhat unenforceable–you’d have to actually see into every car to find out who was doing it, especially if they kept the phone below the window line–because, after all, most cell phones are distractions waiting to happen in cars, and distractions are just accidents that haven’t happened yet.

But VicRoads, the agency that oversees Victorian road use, realized they were sort of tossing the baby out with the bathwater, and instead agreed to allow the devices if they were in cradles or remotely operated.

This is probably all for the best anyway as, when it comes to car navigation, you really want something that announces your turns and such, not something you have to read, especially while you’re driving.  You want your attention focused as fully as possible on the road ahead, not on some LCD screen in your car.

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Nissan has recently announced that their new line of navigation systems will feature technology greatly increasing the systems’ use.

The new technology works to further protect the driver’s safety as it will warn the user of potential road hazards such as low visibility intersections, speed traps and school zones. Not only this, but if you don’t listen to the navigation system it will take control of the engine/transmission to curb your speed if you go too fast towards things such as toll booths or sharp curves.

This updated navigation system will reportedly make its debut on the Nissan Fuga which is set to his the Japanese market towards the end of the year.

via WorldCarFans

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Chinavasion Wholesale Ltd is now offering a line of GPS ready car DVDplayers. While an increasing number of factories and wholesalers in China are offering GPS capable car DVD Players, Chinavasion’s Rose Li warned buyers to pay special attention to the pre-installed software. According to Rose Li some Chinese car DVD suppliers offer sample or cracked software with their GPS car DVD players but fail to tell customers that they will not in fact get the fully licensed version of software. “The common practice of pirating GPS software by Chinese factories puts Car DVD importers in a difficult position,” according to Rose Li.

“Pirated GPS software is unreliable, cannot be updated, and can be illegal to import – that is why Chinavasion absolutely avoids such dubious practices.” Instead Chinavasion offers GPS ready car DVD players, ready to be loaded with the GPS software that suits the customers’ location and budget and gives the driver advice on how to find and install the GPS software. “At Chinavasion we are proud to give customers the information, technology and know-how they need to get from A to B”

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Daimler Trucks North America is ready to use a new cruise control system which will let it save important fuel amounts while providing both map and satellite-based route previews. That’s the Predictive Cruise Control system which will always try to search for an optimal route a mile in advanced. It will also adjust engine output according to the uphill and downhill gradients ahead. Then the computer will use all that info to come up with the optimum speed to use the momentum of the truck in order to save fuel economy. Any truckers out there interested in the new predictive cruise control system? Let us know what you think about it!

via gizmag

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Mio Technology Moov

Mio Technology has revealed four new models of its Moov line of portable navigation devices. The GPS manufacturer is unveiling the Mio Moov S700, Mio Moov S556, Mio Moov S500 and Mio Moov S300. All these new models come preloaded with the Mio Spirit navigation software. This revamped interface is designed to simplify searches and map views, including points of interest and other key navigation tools.

The company has responded to customer feedback by making the new search capabilities easier to search for POI close to your current location, destination, or along your desired route. The Moov series has also increased the POI database which now includes 12 million entries. Prices range from $199.99 – 299.99.

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BMW is said to be currently developing a new navigation system called ILENA. The ILENA stands for Intelligent Learning Navigation and it will probably replace the current iDrive system. The new system will apparently monitor your driving habits and it will adjust accordingly. ILENA should be able to better predict your routes and help you save some gas while doing that. The specificis aren’t really official yet but it seems that the navigation system will communicate with your Bluetooth phone to retrieve your preferences. When you will step in the car, the seat and the music will be adjusted according to your desires. The ILENA sounds promising but we have no idea when it’s going to be officially released.

via Engadget

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The major downside of built-in GPS systems is that they become almost useless with the passing of time. Well not exactly useless but after a few years you will surely want to get a new GPS system, one that knows how to play music and video files and that is touch-friendly.

That’s why Mercedes and Harman are going to develop a new system, a hybrid one, that will be built-in future Mercedes models but it will be supporting easy and fast replacement of an external PND. That means the standard design will be upgraded whenever you want to. The screen and controls will be mounted on the dash while a hidden processing box will carry the actual GPS system, music storage, playback, Bluetooth connectivity and all other features. This new GPS kit will be launched in the second half of 2010, and eight new Mercedes cars will carry it.

via Gearlog

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GPS in cars seems to be common and the next thing you would know, enhancing the graphics would most probably be the next step. Apparently, Audi had that in mind and that is why they have commissioned Nvidia to help them out. And in the process, Nvidia Graphics came up with a graphic chip that offers 3D maps including topography and landmarks for better navigation.

The inclusion of an automotive grade Nvidia graphics processing chip means that the Q5 can display 3D renderings of urban centers in its navigation system. Along with building outlines, some major landmark buildings will be rendered with textures, making them easier for drivers to recognize. Audi will also include topography into its maps, giving drivers a sense of what the terrain ahead will look like.

Audi has also upgraded the MMI hardware, adding a joystick onto the top of the console dial. The joystick is a welcome addition, as manoeuvring around the navigation system’s map used to involve using the dial to move the cursor along an X and Y axis, kind of like an Etch-A-Sketch.

(Source) CNet Australia

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The following gadget might be just what the doctor ordered for your traveling needs. In case you drive your car a lot and especially in case you’re always heading to a new direction, you might want to invest in the G-Fi. The G-Fi is a concept from PosiMotion. It’s the first router that won’t get you online. But it will get you GPS information to any of your Wi-Fi devices. That’s right, the G-Fi receives satellite signals and then gets them to your laptop, smartphone, MID, etc.

The G-Fi is as big as an iPhone and it can be neatly placed in your glove compartment. Its battery will get you 4 hours of life and it can be recharged via the included adapter or an USB port.

PosiMotion also have a couple of applications for the iPhone called the G-Spot (no it’s not what you think) and the G-Park which can be both used for free with G-Fi. But the G-Fi doesn’t come for free. As a matter of fact it doesn’t come cheap either. It costs $179. Too much?

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Besides the Ecto 1 we have the old Knight Rider present at SEMA 2008. KITT arrive to help our Mio sell its Knight Rider GPS system. The hottest thing about this, otherwise regular GPS, is the voice that guides you around the city. You are probably suspecting this already but the voice of KITT is giving you turn by turn directions. The GPS unit will sell for just $270, but tell us, would you get the Mio Knight Rider GPS just to talk to KITT?

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