TomTom HD Traffic widget brings real-time traffic information to personal and social networking sites

TomTom, the world’s leading navigation solutions provider, today announces the availability of the TomTom HD Traffic widget, a personal traffic application for the Internet, also known as a gadget. It allows users to receive the latest real-time traffic information directly to their own personal web pages, including Facebook, Bebo and iGoogle, and can be installed free of charge from www.tomtom.com/widgets.

TomTom’s HD Traffic information has been personalised so it can be added easily to usersÕ favourite web pages, providing continuous updates of the latest traffic situation at a glance, said Corinne Vigreux, TomTom’s managing director. “It illustrates our commitment to making TomTom’s leading traffic service available to as many people as possible.”

Fiona Herring, product manager for iGoogle, said, “This is a really useful tool; I think it’s great that TomTom has built this gadget. It’s an example of how gadgets can provide really useful information in an easy-to-access way.”
A widget or gadget displays web content from external sources and can be embedded into a blog, social network site or other web page. Once users have installed the free TomTom HD Traffic widget and added it to their preferred web page(s), they can tailor the information to see the latest traffic delays on their route, or in their region, in both minutes and miles, in their preferred language. The precise traffic delay times can help drivers to plan their day more efficiently, as they can decide the best time to set off on their journey, for example.

The HD Traffic widget is available now for customers in the UK, Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland, and uses TomTom’s unique High Definition traffic technology to deliver the most accurate and detailed live traffic information directly to users favourite web pages.

Mio Explora K70 beauty

Mio is mainly a GPS manufacture, but if the technology is there, why not build some cell phones ?
Here is Mio Explora K70 powered by a 528 Qualcomm processpr, with a Windows MObile Pro 6.1 OS, HSDPA enabled and full touchscreen display.

Mio Explora K70 specs :

• 3.5″ inch touchscreen WQVGA (400×240)
• HSDPA, HSUPA
• WiFi
• Bluetooth A2DP 2.1
• 3Mp dicital camera
• Qualcomm’s MSM7201A 528MHz processor
• 256Mb ROM
• 128Mb RAM
• microSDHC
• accelerometer

source

Useful GPS

The guys from Signce Studio thought about a GPS that can really be useful and interacts with you in a easy way.
There are 2 different types of working for this GPS : target mode and cruising.

The target mode should get you from point A to point B as fast as possible.
The cruise mode should let you discover new POI (points of interests).

The software looks nice, but there are already on the market GPS devices with speed/easy/normal/economical modes.

Anyway - it looks nice.

Check more pictures after the break.
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GPS - what to buy - GSM32 guide - Part I

Summer is here and the holiday vacation is getting closer and closer.

If you want to go at seaside, in the mountains, or just visit your friend - if is by car, you’ll need a GPS.

Built-in your car, a standalone GPS or a PDA - 80% of drivers have such a device.

But, there are always the questions :
Which GPS is better ?
Which GPS is faster ?
Which GPS suits my needs ?
Which GPS is easier to use ?
Which GPS features more gadgets ?
Which GPS has an easier software ?
-=- WHICH GPS SUITS ME ? -=-

Here at GSM32.com we have a member without a GPS and an entire continent to drive.

Next we’ll present his story, in parts, from the beginning to the end of the trip.

Starting with : INTRODUCTION
GPS history lesson ( science mambo-jambo)

Basically a GPS is a radio system similar to LORAN or Decca Navigator which were invented in the early ‘40. During the second world war, USA launched the Sputnik in 1957 to spy and listen radio transmissions. They also discovered that because the Doppler effect, the frequency of the signal was getting stronger or weaker due to distance. (wikipedia and google for Doppler and duuuuh the signal is stronger if you are closer to the source) . They saw that a position of the satellite can be determined by that Doppler distortion. The first navigation system was functional in 1960 with generosity of US Marine, with 5 satellites and named Tranist was able to offer the exact positioning once an hour. In 1970 Omega Navigation System was the first navigation system in the world.

These days there are 24 satellites (+ 7 for more precise data ) in the sky based on the same technology from the ‘60

GPS stands from Global Positioning System.

GPS : How does this s^&* work ?

A GPS device just takes the signals from space emitted by the 31 satellites, and translates them. Basically you need 4 satellites to get a good reading of the position.

Why 4 satellites ? :

1. longitude
2. latitude
3. altitude
4. time

You have in space 31 satellites - 6 x 4 (in all world places) and 7 more to help you for the best information. The GPS receives the signal and data, calculates them and there you go, it shows where you are.

In GPS there are 3 variables :

1. satellites
2. control
3. you

1: and 2: Satellites&control (Scientific mambo-jumbo)

There are currently 31 satellites in a way that there are at least 6 of them available for you wherever you are. Thy are at an altitude of 20200km and in one day they complete 2 cycles around the world. The trajectories are followed by USA Airforce and NGA (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) and the satellites are controlled by them. (a fine job they are doing, must admit)

3: User (aka You)

You “have” a GPS device that is tuned to “listen” to those satellites, an antenna, a receiver (SiRF Star III), a processor, stable watch (most of the times crystal based oscillator) and software. The GPS connects to the satellites in channels - remember 4 are enough, but now you find 12 channels (most of GPS and PDA’s) and even 20 channels.

HINT -=- some of the most awarded GPS devices are Asus R700 and from PDA’s Asus 696. Most of the PDA’s have also a GPS receiver. Now your mobile phone also might have GPS (if you are a Nokia Fan, ex: 6111 Navigator, N95, N82, so on…. some of them include also A-GPS - aka Assisted GPS)

GPS with sign language

GPS Ranger is a multimedia GPS device with a 4″ LCD screen. This gadget targets deaf and hard of hearing people . It reveals an Austin,Texas tour completly in ASL (American Sign Languag). In addition to presenting the main atractions it also contains warnings like “don’t feed the bears” etc. Creative in its simplicity and usefull in its content, it places itself amongst the most interesting gaget we’ve seen today.

Via navigadget