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Hot Hardware: TomTom has a lot of weight on their shoulders. They’re consistently looked at as one of the top dogs in navigation, and thus expectations are extremely high. That’s particularly true on the iPhone and iPod touch, where TomTom’s app was the first major one into the App Store and the only one that Apple actually spoke of by name during a keynote.

In the past months, TomTom’s iPhone GPS app had slipped in terms of matching functionality provided by rivals, but a huge update has landed today that shoots it right back up to the top.

Version 1.3 of the TomTom iPhone app brings a few much-needed updates to the program, including real-time traffic, Local Search powered by Google and enhanced integration with the iPhone ecosystem. There’s also the addition of pinch-and-zoom, a new map update, automatic day/night modes, music fading (that keeps your iPhone or iPod touch music fading as text-to-speech commands come and go) and an “Add To ToTom” feature that allows you to save locations from other iPhone apps to your TomTom app.

All in all, it’s a worthy update if you’ve already got the app (free to download), but if not, the new version is available with U.S. maps for $59.99. Of note, the real-time traffic is a separate add-on that will cost you $19.99 for 12 months of service.

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Übergizmo: Navigon’s latest 2510 Explorer GPS navigation system will come with a sightseeing function, making it a suitable purchase for those who love doing plenty of traveling and prefer to rely on technology instead of the locals to tell them of interesting places to visit along the route. Apart from that, it will also provide additional information on historical sites accompanied by pictures, opening times for places and even a guide for scenic routes thanks to ViaMichelin. Battery life has also been improved to 4 hours. Read more…

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Wired.co.uk: You’re not crazy, and neither are we: The touchscreen on the Apple iPhone really is more responsive than the screens on the BlackBerry Storm, the Motorola Droid, the Nexus One and many other phones, even though all of these devices use essentially the same touch-sensing hardware.

Though handset makers buy their touchscreens as components from the same select pool of suppliers, a good touchscreen experience requires more than just hardware. It requires a bit of design alchemy blending software, engineering and calibration for the perfect feel. Few smartphone makers have managed to get that balance right, say experts. Read more…

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Übergizmo: Nokia might be the number 1 cellphone manufacturer in the world at the moment, but their market share is eroding slowly but surely no thanks to newcomers to the scene. Well, in a move that could see them claw back what used to be theirs, we have word that Nokia has agreed to partner with Alpine to offer integrated Nokia handsets alongside free Ovi Maps navigation into vehicle dashboard systems. Apart from that, you will be able to interact with widgets that monitor your fuel level as well as engine condition while you’re on the road. This development ought to see action in the near future, and we’re stoked.

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CNet Crave: Qualcomm and Audi are bringing the information superhighway to the actual highway. The chipmaker has developed a 3G Web connection for the carmaker’s Mobile Media Interface Plus in-car navigation and entertainment system, supercharging your sat-nav with the power of the Web. We took it for a spin.

Well, we sat in it and pressed some buttons, as the demo car was parked on the Qualcomm stand at Mobile World Congress. The system is being shown off at MWC in an A5 Cabriolet, but it will be available in shops on the A8. We got in and went “Brrrrrmmmm” until someone from Qualcomm agreed to talk us through the technology. Read more…

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BBC: One million people downloaded Nokia’s free navigation software during the first week of its launch, the company claims.

Ovi Maps have been downloaded 1.4m times overall since the application became available on January 21 2010.

It has been most popular in China, Italy, the UK, Germany and Spain. The service provides different direction information for drivers and pedestrians in 74 countries and 46 different languages.

“We’re averaging a download a second, 24 hours a day,” said Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia’s executive vice president. He added that the demand for location-based software was growing more quickly than the company had anticipated.

Research by Strategy Analytics suggests that Nokia has 39% of the global smartphone market. Both Nokia and Google now offer free-to-download navigation services, which is putting pressure on the sat-nav industry.

Dutch satellite company Nav4All announced that it is shutting down after its contract with Nokia subsidiary Navteq, a digital mapping company, was not renewed.

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BBC: Phone giant Nokia has launched a free map and navigation service for its handsets that analysts believe could challenge stand-alone sat-nav devices.

The service stores maps on the phone, cutting down the need to update and download new ones over the network.

Ovi maps will initially be available on 10 handsets and will offer so-called “turn-by-turn” navigation, similar to that in existing GPS devices. It can display local data from travel guides, such as Lonely Planet.

Users can also post their location to Facebook. Nokia said that it expects third-party developers to build new applications for the service.

“It’s like a giant mash-up environment,” said Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president of Nokia at the launch.

The firm estimates that it has already sold 83m phones that can use the service, which can be downloaded for free from its Ovi application store.

Mr Vanjoki said that it would be preloaded on all compatible phones offered by Nokia from 21 January.

Previously, Nokia owners had to pay for its premium navigation service. Analysts at CCS Insight said the move could be viewed as a “competitive response to Google”, which also offers a free live sat-nav for its Nexus One handset and the Motorola Droid.

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Electronista: Garmin will soon offer an annual subscription service, BirdsEye Satellite and Aerial Imagery, for some of its portable navigation devices that will show detailed, photo-based maps.

The software is raster-based, or compiled with aerial photos and images that are scanned, geo-referenced and overlaid onto the GPS receiver’s display.

These images, like Google Maps’ satellite view show actual buildings, vehicles, roads and other physical landmarks for easier navigation.

The images have 0.5-meter per pixel resolution in many areas of the US, and can be viewed at zoom levels from between 20 feet to 12 miles. The images are supplied by DigitalGlobe and users can overlay vector maps over them.

The service is compatible with Garmin’s Oregon, Dakota and Colorado series of devices. The service gives users unlimited downloads for a single Garmin device, which can be managed and viewed on a Mac or PC thanks to the free BaseCamp application. BirdsEye Satellite and Aerial Imagery will be available in March, priced at $30 (€20).

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BBC: Phone maker Nokia has said it will “defend itself vigorously” after Apple launched the latest salvo in an ongoing legal wrangle between the two firms.

On 15 January, Apple filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) asking it to block Nokia imports to the US.

It is the latest move in a series of legal proceedings that started in October when Nokia sued Apple.

The Finnish firm alleged that Apple’s iPhone infringed 10 of its patents. Apple countered by filing its own lawsuit against Nokia, saying the phone maker had copied certain aspects of the iPhone and infringed 13 of its patents.

In late December, Nokia filed a further claim with the ITC, alleging Apple infringed seven of its patents in “virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers”.

Apple told the BBC that it would not comment on its latest legal move. However, Nokia said it would “study the complaint and defend itself vigorously”.

“This does not alter the fact that Apple has failed to agree appropriate terms for using Nokia technology and has been seeking a free ride on Nokia’s innovation since it shipped the first iPhone in 2007,” a spokesperson said. Apple is also being sued by camera maker Kodak over technology used in the iPhone.

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HotHardware: Following in the footsteps of Google, Navigon, and Nextar, TomTom is promising free map updates for select GPS navigation systems starting in the second quarter of this year.

Although details as to which models will be included in this offer are scant at this point, TomTom tells us that the updates will be available to users by simply connecting their navigation devices to TomTom HOME.

Registered users will be notified of map updates as they become available.

TomTom uses Tele Atlas maps, which are generally updated on a quarterly basis.

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BBC: Galileo, Europe’s much delayed and costly satellite-navigation project, takes a major step forward on Thursday.

The first contracts are being awarded to the companies that will start to build the operational network.

The European Commission will purchase spacecraft, rockets and system management in deals totalling more than half a billion euros.

Galileo is intended as an EU version of the US Global Positioning System (GPS), but with significant improvements.

Its more advanced technology should give users quicker, more reliable fixes, and enable them to locate their positions with an error of one metre compared with the current GPS error of several metres.

European Commission vice-president with responsibility for transport, Antonio Tajani, is expected to announce the winners of the contracts in a media conference in Brussels at about midday.

One recipient is already known because it was the only bidder for the tendered work.

Read the full article.

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Electronista: Pioneer has expanded its line of vehicle products with several new receivers, a navigation system, and three amplifiers.

The AVIC-X920BT (European model: AVIC-F920BT for April 2010 launch) navigation system features a new interface claimed to offer advanced features while reducing the number of layers required for operation. Users can navigate the menus directly from the 6.1-inch touchscreen, while speech recognition technology enables the system to be controlled without physical interaction.

Along with the standard playback support for CDs and DVDs, the system also integrates 4GB of flash memory and a USB port for connecting an iPod, iPhone, or other compatible devices. Users can install an iTunes plug-in, MusicSphere, that analyzes music and creates playlists based on musical attributes.

The USB port also enables Pandora playback, although the service is currently limited to the iPhone. The iPhone requirement will be in place through 2010, although company executives claimed they are considering other options for the future. Pandora founder Tim Westergren, also present at the Pioneer event, expressed a similar desire to expand the service.

An ECO Driving function analyzes driving characteristics such as acceleration and speed, which are used to create reports estimating environmental impact. Users can view suggestions for improving fuel efficiency, while a Drive Score compares performance between trips on the same route.

Pioneer also introduced new double-DIN receivers, the AVH-P3200DVD, AVH-P3200BT, and AVH-P4200DVD; along with the AVH-P5200DVD and AVH-P5200BT single-DIN models.

The devices integrate touchscreen displays ranging in size from 5.8 inches to 7 inches, along with USB connections for attaching iPods and iPhones. Each integrates the company’s MOSFET50 50 Watt amplifiers driving four channels.

For further customization, the company has announced three new “GM Digital” Class-D amplifiers including the four-channel GM-D9500F and two monoblock models, the GM-D8500M and GM-D7500M. The 8500 variant produces 75 Watts across four channels, while the monoblock 8500 and 7500 push 300 Watts and 200 Watts, respectively, on a single channel.

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