Once again a GPS device has been blamed for a car accident.  A man by the name of Jose Silva apparently “did what he was told” by his navigation system, turning right onto train tracks in Bedford Hills, New York getting stuck in the process.  Of course a Metro-North railroad train was closing in (it wouldn’t be any other way), but he managed to flee his vehicle before the train smashed it to smithereens.  No one was hurt in the accident, but unfortunately it brings fuel to arguments by some advocating that GPS units are making us all stupider.

via nyt

Yesterday TomTom launched a new subscription map service, boringly dubbed “Map Update Service”, to provide customers with quarterly map updates. A one country map subsciption for entry-level PND’s such as the TomTom ONE and TomTom ONE XL will cost €39.80 in Europe, while TomTom’s higher-end GO models will be priced higher thanks to more advanced features such as IQ Routes (historical speed data).

It’s been interesting to watch PND makers invent new ways to monetize over the past year. TomTom’s new update service is very similar to Navigon’s FreshMaps map updates. The only difference being Navigon uses NAVTEQ data, while TomTom uses in-house TeleAtlas data. Garmin, while missing from the paid map subscription landscape so far, recently cut subscription fees for TMC real-time traffic data on its nuvi 7×5 series models in exchange for ad-support.

Ludovic Privat from GPSBusiness News points out that this could be a defining trend in the future PND market. He says that up until now, we’ve tended to buy a new PND when its come time for updated maps or features. But with thinning profit margins for manufacturers, the hardware is becoming the entry point for making money in the software field. Meaning for a company like TomTom, it’s more lucrative for you or me to hang on to that $150 TomTom ONE for a few years, paying TomTom annual subscription fees, rather than buy a new TomTom PND. Sure a PND costs more for us, but TomTom also has to pay more to manufacture it. Now that they own TeleAtlas, the map data is readily available, and the accompanying map update software doesn’t have to be rewritten millions of times for each device. Ultimately this is where company’s like TomTom, Navigon, and Garmin will make their money.

Welcome to the new PND business.

via gpsbusinessnews

TomTom’s looking to get a little more personal and intimate with voice-guided turn-by-turn directions, adding Sex and the City’s Kim Cattrall to the growing list of celebrity voices that can be downloaded to their GPS navigators via Navtones.  Samantha Jones, one of the more sexually uninhibited characters on the City, and played by Cattrall is the personality behind the voice adding lines like “Don’t touch my Manolos” to the traditional “Turn left in two blocks”-type directions.  The new voice will cost $12.95 and €9.95 and download instructions can be found at TomTom Plus Services.

Garmin’s Edge 705 line of GPS navigator and bicycle computers will now include a special edition Team Garmin Edge 705 model with the same orange and blue argyle design you saw on the pros’ bikes in the 2008 Tour de France.  Aside from GPS navigation with City Navigator mapping, turn-by-turn directions and millions of POIs , the Team Garmin Edge 705 has tons of features specific to cyclists including a heart-rate monitor, speed and cadence sensor, and the ability to share data with fellow cyclists wirelessly using ANT+ wireless technology.  Check out the full release after the jump for all the details!

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Navigon’s 7210 GPS has launched in the United Kingdom. With a minimalist yet effective design, the Navigon 7210 has a widescreen 4.3-inch SmartDisplay that melds into the frame. The guts of the 7210 consist of a 600 Mhz processor, 64 MB of internal memory, 2 GB of flash memory, lithium-ion battery, and car charger with an integrated TMC antennae. The PND also has all the high-end navigation features you’d expect including Landmark View 3D, Voice Recognition Pro, Reality View Pro, Lane Assistant Pro, Emergency Help, and Favorites.

One interesting feature we haven’t seen before is Curve Warner, a database of 55, 000 dangerous curves in the road, from which the Navigon 7210 draws to warn you both on the display and acoustically. You’re warned well in advance so that you’re not looking at the warning on your 7210 as you drive off of the road!

Anyway, the Navigon 7210 is now available in the United Kingdom for £279.99.

via pocketlint

GPS Lodge has an in-depth review of the Garmin nuvi 755T and despite some initial apprehension regarding the effect of ads on its usability, it was found to be a more-than-fair tradeoff for free realtime traffic.  And there was really nothing negative to say otherwise.  Navigation was solid, advanced features like Lane Assist were effective and it was a definite recommendation for anyone looking at higher-end GPS units.  So keep your eye on it when it hits shelves October 1, it might be worth the $500.

Pre-Order The Garmin nuvi 755T from Amazon

Via GPS Lodge

Pioneer will be letting loose four new AVIC models in Japan in late October-AVIC-HRZ099, AVIC-HRZ088, AVIC-HRV022, and the AVIC-HRV011.  All four models feature a 7-inch LCD display, 40 GB HDD, 1 seg TV tuner AND, get this-playback DVD/CD/WMA/MP3/AAC/DivX files.  Not to mention they’re all iPod-compatible.

The flagship HRZ099 boasts an 800 x 480 screen resolution, but the other models only push out 480 x 234 pixels.  And for those that appreciate the value-added multimedia features of these GPS systems, both the HRZ099 and HRZ088 feature a 50 Watt built-in amplifier.  From the 11 to the 99, prices run from 189, 000 yen to 262, 500 yen.

Pioneer via Akihabara News

We’ve heard of GPS art before, but with all the Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin hype lately this has to be the best example I’ve ever seen.  Duke Wheeler, owner of an Ohio farm, commissioned an artist to draw a portrait of Palin, enter it in a GPS system and then carve it out in the farm field with a John Deere tractor.  The total drawing took somewhere in the area of 8-10 hours and as you can see from the picture above, it’s impressive.

via myfoxtoledo

Palm’s Treo Pro is now available in the United States.  It’s got GPS, WiFi, email, web browsing, UMTS/HSDPA network capabilities and perhaps most importantly it’s unlocked so you can insert any SIM card and use anywhere with GSM coverage.  The sleekly designed, business oriented Treo Pro runs Windows Mobile 6.1 is available from Amazon for $521.99 with free shipping-and there’s a free Mobal GSM SIM card with $20 of bonus air time thrown in for good measure.

Buy The Palm Treo Pro From Amazon!

Garmin’s nuvi 265T, nuvi 265WT and nuvi 275T, announced earlier this summer as the latest additions to Garmin’s 2×5 series, are up for pre-order on Amazon.  Shipping October 15, they’ll sell out pretty quickly so if you want first dibs, it’s best to pre-order now.  Just hit the respective links…

Garmin nuvi 265T-$299.99 with free shipping
Garmin nuvi 265WT-$349.99 with free shipping (widescreen)
Garmin nuvi 275T-$399.99 with free shipping (comes with North American and European maps)