Pioneer’s latest Raku Navi GPS units take commands from hand gestures

Pioneer's latest Raku Navi GPS units take commands from hand gestures

An AR heads-up display wasn't the only navigation hardware Pioneer showed off at CEATEC 2012. The firm also took the opportunity to tear the wraps off a new line of gesture-controlled Raku Navi GPS units. With the infrared-powered Air Gesture feature, drivers can wave their hand in front of a device to pull up a menu with commands such as setting their home or a personal haunt as a destination or skipping to the next tune on a playlist. Once a hand is retracted, the menu will be replaced with the usual map interface. Though the solution isn't completely hands-free, horizontal hand waves can be assigned one of ten different functions. Japanese store shelves will be lined with two dashboard-embeddable units by mid-October, while four console-independent models will join them in early November. As of now, there's no word if the hardware will make the pilgrimage stateside.

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Pioneer's latest Raku Navi GPS units take commands from hand gestures originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Oct 2012 04:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia inks deals to be maps force behind BMW 7-series, bring guidance to new Garmin apps

Nokia inks deals to be maps force behind BMW 7series, bring guidance to new Garmin apps

While all the talk of late is about Cupertino's newfangled Maps application, Nokia's currently keeping busy by doing some behind-the-scenes legwork, including signing new deals with car and navigation system manufacturers. Most recently, the Finnish company announced it's partnering with BMW to power the "next-generation" navigation system in the upcoming 7-series, which will bring features like Enhanced 3D City Models and an Eco Pro Route that chooses the most fuel-efficient way to get you to your destination. In addition to the BMW alliance, though, Nokia has also teamed up with Garmin to bring Transit and Pedestrian maps in the form of an Urban Guidance feature that will be available on iOS and Android devices. For those interested in learning more, the pressers below will fill you in on all the nitty-gritty.

Continue reading Nokia inks deals to be maps force behind BMW 7-series, bring guidance to new Garmin apps

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Nokia inks deals to be maps force behind BMW 7-series, bring guidance to new Garmin apps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung announces Drive Link, a car-friendly app with MirrorLink integration

Samsung announces Drive Link, a car-friendly app with MirrorLink integration

Until self-driving cars become mainstream, it's best to keep eyes on roads and hands off phones. With this in mind, Samsung's debuting Drive Link, an app that balances in-car essentials with driver safety, complete with approval from the no-nonsense Japanese Automotive Manufacturers Association. It's all about the bare essentials -- navigation, hands-free calling and audiotainment from your phone-based files or TuneIn. Destinations can be pulled from S Calendar appointments or texts without trouble, and the text-to-speech feature means you won't miss a message, email or social media update. The best bit is that via MirrorLink, all these goodies can be fed through compatible dash screens and speaker systems. Drive Link is available now through Sammy's app store for Europeans sporting an international Galaxy S III, and will be coming to other ICS handsets "in the near future."

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Samsung announces Drive Link, a car-friendly app with MirrorLink integration originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 05:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Callaway upro mx+ will show you a real view of the golf course, won’t give you a mulligan

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While Callaway has been helping you navigate the golf course for awhile, all its imagery has been abstract; that's not much help if it turns out a patch marked "rough" on one hole is really shorthand for "crocodile-infested swamp." To that end, Callaway is launching the upro mx+, an upgraded version of its GPS tracker that uses real overhead photography to give a more realistic impression of the green, as well as to hint whether or not there's any chance you'll get your ball back if you mess up. Along with the static images, there's video flyovers to get a feel for the land at a perspective closer to your own. The updated touchscreen device also touts yardage calculation and an upgraded uexplore service for checking out scores and golf courses. The mx+ will carry a $249 price tag when it hits shops on May 30th, though the true-to-life graphics will freely emphasize just how much you're over par.

Callaway upro mx+ will show you a real view of the golf course, won't give you a mulligan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 02:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pioneer touts world’s first car GPS with augmented reality HUD (video)

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We've seen augmented reality, and GPS with augmented reality, but we haven't seen the two combined at the front of a car's windshield. A pair of Cyber Navi rigs from Pioneer promise to change all that, using an add-on, laser-projected heads-up display from MicroVision that shows driving directions just above the road itself, making sure that you focus on what's in front rather than squinting at the LCD off to the side. If you do need to look at that LCD, however, you'll get yet another augmented reality view if your car has a camera up front, more detail about the route and a new speed limit sign alert system. The usual rounds of DVD media, iPhone/iPod playback and 1Seg over-the-air TV tuning are also on tap. Buying either of the new HUD-equipped GPS units will require a deep wallet, some patience and an airplane trip to Japan, however -- the 2-DIN ZH99 and dual 1-DIN VH99 cost ¥300,000 and ¥320,000 ($3,770 and $4,021) respectively, and their late July release isn't known to include the US at this stage.

Continue reading Pioneer touts world's first car GPS with augmented reality HUD (video)

Pioneer touts world's first car GPS with augmented reality HUD (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 14:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Magellan RoadMate GPS units navigate by landmarks, steer clear of pesky traffic cameras

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It's been a long while since Magellan comprehensively updated its RoadMate GPS mapping units, so the company's making up for lost time in style by introducing no less than seven new models in one shot. The RoadMate 2210, 2210T, 2220-LM, 2230T-LM, 5220-LM, 5230T-LM (pictured) and 5235T-LM all bring in a new Landmark Guidance option to give directions based on landmarks, not just those occasionally impenetrable street numbers. Traffic Camera Alerts are just as new and help you stay on the sunny side of the law when speed cameras and traffic light cameras are nearby, albeit at the cost of $30 a year after the first year is up. As Magellan is wont to do, the new GPS range is dictated by screen size and what features you'll get for life: the 2200- and 5200-series units carry respective 4.3- and 5-inch screens, while the LM and T badges signify lifetime map updates and traffic alerts. The range's prices start off at $100 for a RoadMate 2210 and scale up to $170 for a fully decked-out 5235T-LM.

New Magellan RoadMate GPS units navigate by landmarks, steer clear of pesky traffic cameras originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 21:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TomTom’s new sat nav: perfect for your van down by the river

TomTom's new sat nav: perfect for your van down by the river

If you're prone to hitting the road in a trailer or camper, you probably know that the road isn't exactly made to accommodate to your less-than-dainty vehicle. In a bid to express its deepest sympathies (and, you know, make money), TomTom is unveiling a device made specifically for caravan owners. In addition to offering the standard TomTom Live features for keeping up to date with traffic and weather reports, the Go Live Camper and Caravan includes warnings for narrow roads, low bridges and the like, and it also highlights the nearest rest stops and other points of interest for road trippers. And because you probably trade in that motorhome for a smaller set of wheels on occasion, TomTom lets you switch to a different profile, complete with customizable specifications for size, weight and speed. The Go Live Camper and Caravan will set you back £349.99, and as the price indicates, it's currently only set up to handle roads across the pond.

Continue reading TomTom's new sat nav: perfect for your van down by the river

TomTom's new sat nav: perfect for your van down by the river originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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