Filed under: Digital Cameras, GPS

The highlight of an otherwise lackluster PMA 2008 came not from Nikon, Canon, or any of the other big name companies, but rather General Imaging: GE’s new camera division announced that it will release one of the world’s first point-and-shoots with embedded GPS. Well, to say that the E1050 has true GPS would not be totally accurate — but the very features it lacks are what make it possible to incorporate geotagging capabilities in the first place. You see, this model only contains a GPS radio courtesy of New Zealand-based Rakon, but no baseband chip to process the data in order to create a “fix”; rather, an NXP Semiconductor spinoff called Geotate provides server-connected software that does the heavy-duty calculations once photos have been transferred over. This results in almost no hit to battery life or endless waits for a solid fix.

It works like this: every time the shutter is triggered, the camera’s memory card briefly captures the raw data from the GPS radio, associating it with each photo. Then, once the pictures have been imported into Geotate’s proprietary client, auxiliary location data is downloaded from a central server, which is then synthesized with the camera data using local resources to establish actual coordinates. What’s more, the Geotate software hooks in to Wikipedia as well as the popular mapping and photo-sharing services, giving you real-world information about your shots while also allowing you to map them out and upload to Flickr, Picasa, and friends.

Geotate tells us that besides the E1010, we can also expect to see the platform incorporated into future cams designed by Taiwanese OEM Altek, with such a reference design pictured in the gallery below, along with one for a geotagging peripheral that snaps into a DSLR hotshoe. In the longer term, Geotate hopes to embed its low-cost solution (all that’s needed is a small radio and some flash memory) in all sorts of products, from PCs to sneakers to soda bottles. And that’s where the name of the company comes from: Geotate stands for “GEOgraphic noTATion,” with the ultimate goal being the creation of an ecosystem in which we search not by “what,” but by “where.”

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, Verizon Wireless, GSM, EV-DO, CDMA

The 8800 series is perhaps the most uptight, business-oriented model currently in RIM’s lineup, owing in no small part to the fact that it lacks a camera altogether. Seems a bit strange then to launch the 8830 in a shockingly casual, let-your-hair-down shade of red — but hey, we’re glad they’ve taken the plunge, and we imagine it’ll actually sell quite well against the original silver. Verizon’s red 8830 features the same specs as its blander brother, including GSM / GPRS on the 900 and 1800MHz bands for international roaming and EV-DO for when you’re on home turf. Look for it to hit Verizon’s online store tomorrow for $299.99 on contract after rebate.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This

Filed under: Handsets, Android

Stick this one firmly in the rumor category, since all the verbiage that’s been thrown around about this story still traces back to one single source: a slightly ill-informed article done up in MarketingWeek in the UK. The article cites unspecified “senior industry sources,” and goes on about how this is Dell and Google working closely together on what is more or less the “Gphone.” Since we have no reason to believe Google is going to jeopardize its Android OS by getting extra-friendly with one specific manufacturer, the primary weight we can give to this rumor is that fact that Dell picked up a former Motorola executive, Ron Garriques, to run its Global Consumer Group early last year. Other rumors have cropped up over the years about Dell moving in this direction, so it certainly wouldn’t signal the apocalypse if a Dell-branded Android phone does show up at this rumored unveiling at 3GSM, but giving how early on Android is at the moment, we’ll believe it when we see it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, GPS

Geotaggers, take note: with PMA today Sony is upgrading its CS1 GPS unit to support geotagging video footage through new versions of its Picture Motion Browser and Image Tracker software, giving it an armband, and renaming the whole thing GPS-CS1KASP. (It’s out again next month for $150.) Also happening tonight are two new dye-sub printers, the FP95 and FP75, which will run $200 and $150 in April, and feature 3.6 and 3.5-inch displays, respectively, HDMI out, and a filter function on the 95 for kooky effects like fish-eye and sepia.

Read - Sony updates CS1 [Via Let’s Go Digital]
Read - Sony intros FP95 and FP75 [Via Let’s Go Digital]

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, Features, GPS

Well, ask and ye shall receive. We wrangled some of the Garmin folks to get a better view of the nuvifone, and wouldn’t you know it… we did! Check the gallery below for some close-up action with a non-working model, and comparison shots of the device with the iPhone. The phone feels light and lean in your hands, we should note, and we’re told that the model we were handling was close to what the final weight will be — it’s a pretty impressive and clean design once you see it up close. Enjoy some pictures you can actually see.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: 1% [?]

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, Features, GPS

Well, ask and ye shall receive. We wrangled some of the Garmin folks to get a better view of the nuvifone, and wouldn’t you know it… we did! Check the gallery below for some close-up action with a non-working model, and comparison shots of the device with the iPhone. The phone feels light and lean in your hands, we should note, and we’re told that the model we were handling was close to what the final weight will be — it’s a pretty impressive and clean design once you see it up close. Enjoy some pictures you can actually see.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, Features, GPS

We’re not sure it was a real great idea on Garmin’s part to put its new smartphone / GPS / iPhone wannabe in a darkly lit room, on a bright pole, with a shiny globe around it… but hey, it’s not our company. Needless to say, it was pretty difficult to get a shot of this thing, and impossible to get it in our hands. Imagine if the Samsung Blackjack was all screen, and you can pretty much get an idea of what this little guy is like in person. Check the gallery below for our attempt at photos.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, Features, GPS

We’re not sure it was a real great idea on Garmin’s part to put its new smartphone / GPS / iPhone wannabe in a darkly lit room, on a bright pole, with a shiny globe around it… but hey, it’s not our company. Needless to say, it was pretty difficult to get a shot of this thing, and impossible to get it in our hands. Imagine if the Samsung Blackjack was all screen, and you can pretty much get an idea of what this little guy is like in person. Check the gallery below for our attempt at photos.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS

We know, it’s not like the nüvifone is a total surprise any longer, but just in case you tend to rest easier after digesting information straight from the source, here goes. Garmin’s recently (and abruptly) announced handset obviously marks the firm’s first solo foray into the cellphone arena, and according to Cliff Pemble, the firm’s president and COO, it’s the “breakthrough product that cellphone and GPS users around the world have been longing for.” That being said, the unit will feature a 3.5-inch touchscreen with a trio of primary icons — Call, Search and View Map — along with an internet browser, HSDPA support and preloaded maps of North America and / or Eastern and Western Europe. Furthermore, it houses “millions” of POIs, doles out turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions and becomes Garmin’s first device to include Google’s local search capability. As for pricing and availability? We’re looking at a Q3 2008 release, but we’ll have to wait things out before finding out a price and who exactly will be carrying it. Check out the gallery below for shots of the device and its UI, and head on past the break for lots more dirt.

Continue reading Garmin gets official with its nuvifone

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS

That’s right folks — Garmin has just announced its new iPhone-like smartphone, the nüvifone. The device features full browsing, PIM, phone and of course, GPS functions. It’s an HSDPA, quad-band phone, also equipped with WiFi, Bluetooth and a somewhat familiar ultrathin design with full touchscreen support. The unit will use Garmin’s proprietary OS which is based on the UI its GPS units utilize, and sports a 3.5-inch LCD display… not unlike certain PNDs you know and love. There’s no word on price or release date, though the company swears we’re going to be hearing about it soon.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This