navigation

TomTom breathes new life into its line of portable navigation devices with this week's announcement of the totally redesigned GO series.

Now, when I say completely redesigned, I don't mean that TomTom has reinvented the wheel. The new GO series still uses the same touchscreen on a suction cup form factor that all dashboard navigators have used for a decade. However, the new models have a more rounded design than before and now use a glass touchscreen that is available in just three sizes -- 4.3-inches, 5-inches, and 6-inches -- all of which are pretty big. … Read more

Telenav's Scout navigation app is making the jump from living on your dashboard (or windshield) to living in your dashboard with today's announcement of Scout for Cars, an embedded in-dash navigation product that is being offered to automotive OEMs.

However, Scout for Cars is actually two products under one name -- Scout for Cars: Brought In and Scout for Cars: Built In.

We got a look at the product now known as Scout for Cars: Brought In as far back as CES 2012 (video). This low or no-price option for OEMs uses the driver's smartphone running the … Read more

Apple may be eyeing its own "Street View" type navigation system and one that offers a key benefit over Google's version.

Published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple's "3D Position Tracking for Panoramic Imagery Navigation" patent filing describes a navigation technology that looks and works like Street View. The system would display a panoramic image of a certain location on your mobile device, allowing you to virtually move around the area.

Google's Street View forces you to swipe your finger or tap on a direction icon to journey along … Read more

Your next Mercedes-Benz could be powered by Garmin -- at least, the navigation system will be. The GPS navigation provider announced today that it has been selected by Daimler AG to provide navigation for future a Mercedes-Benz infotainment system.

Garmin's announcement states that its navigation system will be "seamlessly integrated" into Mercedes-Benz' infotainment system, so there is the possibility that Garmin's work will blend and disappear into the Benz COMAND interface rather than appearing as a separate Garmin software as in Chrysler's UConnect system.

We've criticized the Chrysler Group's Garmin integration in the … Read more

Some people are pros at navigating the New York City subway system. Blindfold them, spin them around, set them loose, and they'll still get to their destination on time.

Others need a little assistance, and those people are about to get a high-tech helping hand thanks to a collaboration between the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Control Group, a technology and design agency.

The Control Group is going big by unleashing a herd of 47-inch touch-screen kiosks across some of the busiest subway stations in the city. Millions of riders each day will have the chance to see and interact with the screens. The interactive machines will replace the old-school maps currently in use.… Read more

Cost-conscious wireless consumers have figured out that you don't need to pay a hefty monthly data fee to a wireless carrier to still enjoy many of the apps and functionality found on smartphones.

Of course, there are limitations to going without a carrier data plan. For example, you can only access the Internet when you are in a Wi-Fi hotspot, which means you won't get coverage everywhere. And you will likely have to pay full price for an unlocked device. (You could always buy a cheaper one used or use someone friend's or family member's old … Read more

Microsoft has a vision for the future. People interact with large digital screens via voice and touch, presumably running future versions of Windows and Skype. For example, recipes are suggested based on what's in the refrigerator, and a video hosted by a professional chef walks a novice cook through the steps of making a dish. In another example, grandma can read bedtime stories to the grandkids remotely via a large screen.

The scenarios are part of a video showcasing Microsoft's new Envisioning Center, which opened this month on the company's Redmond, Wash., campus. The Envisioning Center is … Read more

Google is testing a new version of its home page that eliminates the controversial navigation bar that has sat atop its services for two years, the company said.

The version now being tested requires users to click a grid icon borrowed from Chrome OS for links to Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, and other products. The design, which was first spotted by blog Google Operating System, appears to be in an early stage of testing -- screenshots show the grid icon includes a redundant link to Google search, even when accessed from the search page.

"We're always experimenting with … Read more