The addition of a digital compass to the iPhone 3GS has turned it into an essential city navigation tool for many pedestrians, but what if you’re more commonly found on a bike? Japanese firm Ubiquitous Entertainment have put together a prototype called iPhone ARider, which uses a retractable head-mounted display and a 3GS to show live navigation to a biker.
Video demo after the cut
Many cars today come with in-dash navigation systems pre-installed. For those vehicles that didn’t get in-dash navigation from the factory, several aftermarket in-dash units can be added that look factory. Pioneer offers a couple really cool in-dash navigation devices.
Magellan’s hefty 7-inch PND, the RoadMate 1700, has now got a price and a release date, with the touchscreen navigator arriving for preorder on Amazon. Set to hit shelves on October 10th, according to Amazon (while Magellan themselves seem to think it’s already on sale), the WVGA PND will cost $299.
The TomTom app for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS has gone on sale [iTunes link] through the App Store, with versions for the US and Canada, UK and Ireland, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand all available to download. Prices range from around $74 for the Australian mapping to $132 for the Western Europe setup; that doesn’t include the nifty in-car dock which has a separate GPS receiver and hands-free kit integrated.
If you’ve been waiting for the GPS device of the future, you’ll be pleased to see the latest concept from designer Art Lebedev. Called the Navigarius, this GPS offers up a round screen and an interesting form factor to set it apart from standard fare.
Real-time crowd-sourcing navigation app Waze has cleared Apple’s App Store approval team and appeared for download, promising not only free turn-by-turn directions but peer-based traffic and road-condition updates. Waze relies on GPS and cell-tower triangulation from other users to determine traffic flow, with server-side processing of the best route for you to take.
Video demo after the cut
From one iPhone PND app to another: details of TomTom’s upcoming iPhone cradle and its pricing have emerged, courtesy of a premature listing on Handtec’s site. The accessory – first announced back at Apple’s WWDC in June – includes not only a windscreen mount but a charger, amplified speakers, hands-free kit and separate GPS dongle.
CoPilot have released their CoPilot Live navigation app for the iPhone, and unlike rival apps which require monthly subscriptions, it’s available for a one-off cost of £25.99 ($44). CoPilot Live includes landscape and portrait orientation modes, turn-by-turn directions, auto route-recalculation and 3D mapping, together with voice prompts.
Garmin launched their latest GPS line up today with the Dakota 10 and 20, both devices are intended for outdoor used. They even sport a rugged format meant for use on hikes and other outdoor activities.
Both models feature a touchscreen and 850MB of memory. They can be synced with PCs and Macs for geocaching. The Dakota 10 has USB for data transfer, but the 20 sports wireless connectivity.
It also has a microSDHC card slot. Both come with worldwide maps and terrain maps plus the City Navigator NT maps. Expected to ship in August, these GPS devices are set to cost $299 and $349, respectively.
AT&T have released the iPhone version of their Navigator PND program through the App Store [iTunes link], offering turn-by-turn directions on the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. The Telenav-developed app supports both verbal and on-screen guidance, speech recognition, traffic alerts and full 3D mapping.
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