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GPS Wars: Does Verizon’s VZ Navigator 4 Compare To The Dash Express?

by Justin

With GPS-enabled wireless devices throwing the PND market for a loop, it’s about time a standalone GPS unit was pitted against a mobile navigational app. Over at Laptop Mag that’s exactly what’s been done with the internet-connected Dash Express pitted against Verizon’s VZ Navigator 4, tested on the LG Voyager. So who took home the belt? In terms of maps, Dash took top spot mainly thanks to a bigger screen. But despite the fact that the maps looked better for this very reason, VZ Navigator 4 on the LG Voyager actually won the screen and interface category thanks to its ease of use and intuitive nature. Round three pitted voice directions on the two devices against each other and once again VZ Navigator won, but only because there are more voice options to choose from.

We though local search would be a sure bet for victory for the Dash Express. After all it’s an internet-connected device and search is supposedly one of its stronger points. But lo and behold, VZ Navigator wins again with more accurate and relevant results. When it comes to real-time traffic info there is no beating the Dash Express. It’s constant cellular connection both sends and receives data on local traffic conditions and historic traffic data means current traffic condition predictions are nearly spot on.

Overall things don’t look so good for standalone GPS devices as VZ Navigator won the contest. It actually beat the Dash Express at its own game. But we will say that for real-time traffic data, the Dash Express is still the way to go.

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July 23, 2008 1 Comment

Pioneer’s AVIC-F Series Navigators Faulty?

by Justin

Pioneer AVIC-F500BT

Engadget has dug up some possible issues with the Pioneer F-Series navigators over at AVIC411. It seems that the problems run the gamut too, including everything from iPod connection problems, distorted voice commands, and even complete freeze-ups. Now this could be isolated, but why so many issues brought up in one forum? Is this part of a greater trend, one in which Pioneer actually releases a faulty product? Wouldn’t that be something, eh?

Via Engadget

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June 17, 2008 No Comments

Location Awareness Could Change The World Of Mobile Social Networking

by Justin

Socialight Article In Fast Company

Caroline McCarthy, chief writer for the social, figure that if there’s any reason why mobile social networking hasn’t taken off yet, it’s the lack of built-in location awareness. But with announcements lately, such as the 3G iPhone release, showing a heck of a lot more location awareness built into devices and services alike, McCarthy figures this could all change soon.

Many of the mobile social networks that have arrived on the market thus far have been new names in the tech industry, but bigger names such as Yahoo and their OneConnect service which is to launch in a few months, are showing that mobile networks aren’t just a fad in passing. But there are still barriers.

First off, it’s really only been the newest devices on the market featuring the technology needed to make mobile networking a hit. Many of us don’t have the phones, nor the data plans to make these types of services work. Another barrier is the fact that social networks already available, such as Loopt, are only available with certain cellular carriers and their compatible handsets. This is a huge problem when it comes to consumer adoption. There market is slashed exponentially right from the get go. Open platforms such as Google’s Android may change this however.

Probably the biggest barrier to consumer adoption of location-aware services, and in the future location-aware mobile social networks, is privacy worries. Most of us don’t like the idea of not knowing who knows where we are, and with cellphones being an extension of ourselves these days, our location can be broadcast to anyone at all times. Michael Sharon, co-founder of Socialight, thinks that once location-aware mobile apps go beyond the uncomfortable connotations of “friend-finding”, and toward a model that’s more geared to showing you what’s around you, privacy worries may fade.

And once it hits this point, look for it to evolve just as the internet did. That’ll be a different world altogether.