GPS Units

Technorati Profile

Indian device design house iWave Systems has unveiled a "military grade" PDA that supports SDIO WiFi and GPS receiver modules. The "iW-Rugged-PDA" is based on a Marvell PXA270 processor, and can run Linux or Windows CE, the company said.

Bangalore, India based iWave specializes in hardware/software reference designs for mobile devices. It previously shipped a generic PXA270 reference platform, as well as a video-centric handheld design based on TI's i.MX27 processor.

iWave called its iW-Rugged-PDA "the first rugged PDA that comes with SDIO WLAN and GPS." Originally created for an unspecified defense agency, the device is intended for use tracking users via GPS and WiFi. It can operate in "extreme outdoor and industrial environments," and was designed to meet MIL-STD-810F and 461E (461 EMI, EMC) specifications for resistance to drops, vibration, temperature extremes, and water and dust infiltration.

The iW-Rugged-PDA is based on a Marvel PXA270 processor clocked at 520MHz. It has 128MB of SDRAM. Storage is divided between 32MB or 64MB of NOR flash for the OS and applications, and 1GB of NAND flash for storage. The display is a 3.5-inch QVGA (240x320) color touchscreen.

I/O includes:
• 2 x RS-232 ports
• 1 x USB
• 8-key keyboard
• Audio I/O
• SDIO supporting GPS and 802.11b WiFi
The Windows CE version appears to include viewers for PDF, PowerPoint, and Word files; a media player; navigation software; clock; browser; and email client. Specifics regarding the application stack for the Linux version of the device were not provided.

Abdullah Khan, director of engineering, stated, "iW-Rugged-PDA [is] resistant to rain, shock, humidity, vibration, salt fog, altitude, and extreme temperatures."

Availability

The iW-Rugged-PDA appears to be a finished design available now for manufacturing. Pricing was not disclosed.

Panasonic rolls out it first GPS navigation device, a sleek new mobile navigation system for automobiles, in the United States. The device is Panasonic Strada also knows as CN-NVD905U.

The Strada features a 30GB hard drive with a DVD player that supports DVD-R/RW disks. It sports a seven-inch touch panel LCD and comes pre-loaded with NAVTEQ mapping data for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, plus detailed maps of 86 U.S. cities.
The navigator also features iPod Video connectivity. Panasonic claims that even passengers sitting in the back seats will be able to enjoy movies on the Strada's 7-inch LCD display. The GPS receiver also plays CDs in MP3 or WMA formats. The Strada will also have Sirius and XM satellite radio programs through your car's speakers, but you'll need to buy a tuner, an antenna and a subscription for the service.
Its driving related features include Bluetooth integration with a cell phone for hands-free driving and optional connectivity to a Panasonic rear view camera. Like other GPS navigation system it has the standard features of GPS navigator, including turn by turn directions in English, Spanish and French

Strada GPS already is a best-seller in Japan. It has incredible performance, slick design and a complete enticement system for your vehicle. Panasonic intend to really put it on the navigation market and establish Panasonic as a leader in the U.S. mobile navigation market.
The pricing for Strada is little bit higher in US market. It should be around $1,800 but with all the options, design and performance you sure to get an increasable device for your money.