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NewLaunches.com: Philips has unveiled its internet based TV service, NET TV, for the customers in the United Kingdom.

Initially it will be targeting the high-end TV lineups enabling partnered internet contents to be displayed and browsed through a user-friendly and a simplified web-TV layout.

Currently it includes, You Tube, Tom Tom, eBay, MetreoGroup, Funspot, MyAlbum and Netlog.

Contents from these are optimized with Philips-friendly web-TV app and are accessible via remote control on a home-network wired LAN (8000 series) or a wireless connectivity (9000 series).

The Net TV is said to be live from April.

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Techradar: A host of gadgets have been awarded gongs in the CES Best of Innovations 2009 awards, including some smaller names snaffling the title.

ECLIPSE’s AVN726E In-Vehicle Navigation System has beaten the likes of Garmin and Tom-Tom to pick up the award of Best In-Vehicle Navigation/Telematics/ITS, while JWIN Electronics Corporation’s i1166 has been voted the best PMP thanks to its 9in screen and iPod / DVD playback abilities.

Greener products have also got their day in the sun too, with the ChargePod docking system for laptops and mobile phones and the 4Home Energy EM-3200 energy management solutions picking up the Portable Power and Eco-Design and Sustainable Technology awards respectively.

The awards also honoured the LG Dare, which is doing very well in regions such as the US, with a 3.2MP camera and a decent touchscreen too.

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Venues: Tourism agency VisitBritain has signed a new partnership with TomTom, to put points of interest (POIs), such as quality assessed accommodation, attractions and tourist information centres, onto TomTom’s satellite navigation systems.

The fruit of the collaboration is a unique download service that combines all relevant information in an ultimate ‘on the road’ tourism kit.

Business and domestic visitors to the UK can easily access and transfer this information to a TomTom device through a unique ‘Add-to-my-TomTom’ button on the website.

The details include the best route to over 5,000 attractions, 17,000 types of accommodation and 500 tourist information centres.

Specific icons will appear on screen when visitors draw near to the relevant attractions, tourist information centres and accommodation.

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Silicon.Com: This is one of the vans used by mapping company Tele Atlas to gather images and data that eventually ends up on numerous navigation devices.

The Dutch company is one of two major European mapping organisations – the other being Navteq – that provide maps to sat-nav manufacturers.

Customers include Google, Mercedes Benz, Navman, Nokia, Tom Tom, Via Michelin and Pioneer.

As part of the mapping process the company uses a fleet of 22 vans to map individual streets and landmarks across Europe.

More images here.

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Tech.co.uk: TomTom yesterday revealed details of its new ONE XL range of sat-nav devices. The new batch come with a super-sized 4.3-inch high-quality touch screen and a sleek new design.

The TomTom ONE XL is also traffic ready, meaning that drivers have easy access to traffic information via an RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver accessory or a subscription to TomTom Traffic.

TomTom ONE XL owners will also have access to all TomTom PLUS services including safety camera alerts, real-time traffic and weather reports, updates on road conditions and the TomTom Buddies feature.

TomTom ONE XL will be available from all major retailers across Europe, as well as the US, Australia and South Africa from May 2007, retailing for £249GB (around €370).

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