Compass added to GPS for Ricoh 500SE Camera
GeoSpatial Experts have introduced an integrated magnetic compass/GPS receiver module for the Ricoh 500SE digital camera It had a sole built-in GPS receiver, which enabled the camera to acquire the location coordinates of each photo and embed them with the photo as an attribute without an external GPS device. http://sc.gpsworld.com

Microsoft unveils OS for portable navigation devices
Microsoft has introduced its first operating system designed for manufacturers of PND’s. Windows Embedded NavReady 2009, which is based on Windows Embedded CE, includes technologies for connecting
PNDs to online services, mobile phones using Bluetooth, and Windows-based PCs. www.informationweek.com

Toshiba announces laptop with GPS, Garmin software
Toshiba has unveiled Qosmio F55, the first Toshiba laptop with built-in GPS and Garmin’s navigation software. The built-in GPS system empowers users to determine their exact location in relation to their
destination within moments. www.i4u.com

MWg enters Indian market
Mobile and Wireless Group (MWg) has rolled out their entrance into the
Indian market and unveiled their latest Windows Mobile handsets, the MWg Atom V and MWg Zinc II. The MWg Atom V is a full-featured, touch-screen operated device with in-built GPS while the MWg Zinc II features a sliding keyboard and happens to be one of the first Windows Mobile 6.1 devices available in India. www.varindia.com

Asus brings its M930 mobile to India
Asus is launching its smartphone M930 in the Indian market. It features
2 screens, one is external for phone functionality and the larger one on the inside next to the QWERTY keyboard. It includes functions like GPS, HSDPA, WiFi, 2 MP camera with auto-focus, Bluetooth etc. www.khabrein.info

Tele Atlas unveils MultiNav development platform
Tele Atlas has unveiled Tele Atlas MultiNav, which provides digital map
database delivered with a smaller data footprint. It will decrease developers’ timeto- market by speeding the development process and allow a smaller run-time format for their applications. It also shall have map data enriched with qualified community content. www.teleatlas.com

Samsung launches iPhone rival
Samsung has launched a new touchscreen smartphone only three hours before Apple was unveiling its new version of the iPhone. Its called Omnia, looks similar to the iPhone, has a wide screen for viewing video and browsing the internet. It also comes with a 5 megapixel camera and runs Microsoft Windows Mobile software. www.smarthouse.com.au

Apple unveils new 3G iPhone - with GPS
Steve Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, announced details of new 8GB iPhone. The new phone also has GPS, which means it will be able to locate itself more accurately via satellite, and will offer more services tailored to the owner’s location, such as the ability to find nearby restaurants and businesses www.apple.com

Nokia launches N78 with GPS features
Nokia has launched N78 model with GPS features. A feature incorporated in N78 is it automatically tags location data to the picture, allowing users to save picture by date and by geographical coordinates. www.telecomtiger.com

Glofiish from Taiwan all set to enter Indian market
E-Ten shall introduce smartphone Glofiish into the Indian market soon. Initially the company is looking at launching its X610 model for Glofiish in the Indian region. It comes with windows mobile 6.1 professional, GSM/EDGE quad band and built in GPS & bluetooth capabilities. http://news.ciol.com

Garmin to debut in GPS phone market, teams up with Taiwanese handset makers
Garmin Ltd., shall soon debut a GPS phone codenamed Nuvifone in cooperation with Taiwanese handhelddevice specialists formerly hired by HTC Corp. The company shall make its phones available at telecom carriers like AT&T. http://news.cens.com

Google Signs Five Year Map Agreement with Tele Atlas
Tele Atlas, announced that Google™, has signed a long term license agreement with the company that gives Google access to Tele Atlas maps and dynamic content in more than 200 countries around the world.

The agreement spans Google’s current and future map-based services and navigation offerings across mobile, online and desktop environments. These include the Google Maps™ and Google Earth™ services and mobile applications such as Google Maps for Mobile™. The agreement also gives Tele Atlas access to edits for its maps from Google’s community of users, whose suggested changes can help the company further increase the quality and richness of Tele Atlas maps.

Space weather zaps GPS units, cell towers
Space weather specifically electrical distubances in Earth’s ionosphere -- can disrupt the accuracy of GPS units appreciably, a problem scientists are addressing. The ionosphere is the layer of the atmosphere extending upward from a height of about 60 miles. Its tenuous gas is electrically charged enough to affect radio signals.

GPS units calculate their locations by analyzing signals from a dedicated group of satellites, but those signals can be delayed or distorted while passing through the ionosphere, explained Anthea Coster, an atmospheric scientist at MIT. If there’s no sunspot activity, the average inaccuracy is about 16 feet (5 meters) for civilian handheld or car GPS units that only use one radio frequency. During sunspot activity, the inaccuracy can exceed 32 yards (30 meters).

Space storms, sometimes caused by sunspot activity, are also known to disrupt cell towers, causing dropped calls. Strong solar flares can disrupt all types of communications on Earth, including GPS, and even disable satellites. http://news.xinhuanet.com