Didn’t get that Garmin for Christmas you were hoping for? Not to worry: last week’s Consumer Electronics Show saw a stack of cutting edge new GPS gizmos that’ll help you dodge the green eyed upgrade monster for a while yet. Read on and find out what our picks were in our best of CES feature right here.
Google Nexus One
Google may have chosen its own California HQ to unveil the HTC built Google Nexus One last week, but there was no escaping it at the show. Everywhere you looked, someone was playing with one, and it’s not hard to see why with its teflon coat and gorgeous screen. Did we also mention it supports Google Maps Navigation, and CoPilot Live?
Ford Sync Navigation
The American car cobbler’s Ford Sync system got a whole handy new feature at CES 2010, with TeleNav getting onboard to provide satnav routing with voice guidance on an integrated 8-inch display. Now, supported motors won’t just juggle phone calls and play tunes, but get you from A to B without having to remember to take your PND off the windscreen every time you park, and since maps run off an SD card, it’s easily updated.
Garmin EcoRoute HDIt’s not the first green satnav idea we’ve seen, but from such a big brand, it’s a big score for the green driving awareness crowd. As you might have guess, the EcoRoute HD software uses a nuvi satnav to monitor your driving habits and gives you feedback to stop you burning through petrol so fast, but the twist is it pumps the data to the web for some smart analysis. Your car needs a data port for it to work though, so make sure you’ve got a new motor before you put down for one.
Sony Cyber-shot HX5V
Sony’s top end, beefy point and shoot not only have Transferjet built in for wireless pic slinging, but GPS too for geotagging. Just like a phone, you can automatically mark where you’ve taken a shot when you upload it, to pop it on maps on photo sharing sites and Google Maps alike. Unlike a phone though, the shots you take will also be very good.
Casio EX-10HG
Casio’s prototype on show takes camera geotagging to the next level. GPS signal is very week inside buildings, so if you happen to be inside a giant one like the Las Vegas Convention Centre, say, readings can be way off. The EX-10HG gets round that by using accelerometers, and adjusting once you get back outside. Smart, no? Fingers crossed this sees a wider release soon.
