TechLuver.com

Chicago, IL – NAVTEQ on Wednesday, Dec 12, announced that its stockholders have approved the previously announced merger agreement entered into with Nokia at the special meeting of stockholders held earlier today.

Over 75% of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock eligible to vote, representing over 99% of the total votes cast at the special meeting, were voted in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement.

Adoption of the merger agreement by NAVTEQ stockholders satisfies one of the conditions to completion of the merger between NAVTEQ and Nokia. Completion of the merger is also subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of the other closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement. More at Navteq.

Amsterdam — December 05, ‘07 — Today, TomTom, the world’s largest navigation solutions provider, announced it is teaming up with Google Maps so users can search for and send business addresses directly from the Google Maps’ website to TomTom devices. This results in a richer and more personalised navigation experience.

“The ability to search, find and send information from the web to a TomTom is something we have been investing in for some time now. We are pleased to work together with Google Maps on this personalization functionality,” says Eric Pité, Vice President Product Management at TomTom.

How does it work?

Google Maps local search pages have expanded their ‘Send to’ feature with the option ‘Send to GPS’. With just one mouse click TomTom users can instantly benefit from this service without needing to download complicated zip files.

Google Maps allows TomTom users to search for business addresses and transfer them from the Google Maps website to their TomTom device by clicking on the ‘Send to GPS’ button.

The selected information is transferred to the TomTom device when the device is connected to the Internet via TomTom HOME, the free software application TomTom offers its customers. Drivers can then navigate to their new destination, as well as view the location on the map of the TomTom device or save it as a ‘favorite’ on the device for later use.

The tie-up would for instance allow TomTom users to plan a city trip by searching for accommodation, restaurants or museums using Google Maps on their computer and then transfer the places they want to visit to their TomTom device.

TomTom’s devices do include so-called “points of interest” — such as restaurants, petrol stations and parking garages — but if a user has not regularly bought map upgrades, such data can become out of date.

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Nov 30, ‘07 — EU governments agreed Friday to jointly complete the development of the much-delayed Galileo satellite navigation project after mollifying Spain, which had demanded a bigger stake in the venture, the AP reported.

Spain was the lone holdout in a 26-1 vote at an EU meeting on moving ahead with the $5 billion undertaking.

In seeking unanimity, the EU later won Spain’s approval with a deal that said a secondary ground station - planned for Spain to monitor emergency services on Galileo channels - may one day be a full-blown ground control station if Spain pays for that upgrade.

The European Commission set a Dec. 31 deadline for final approval of the satellite program. When completed, by 2013, it is expected to rival the American global positioning system, which also is satellite-based.

On Nov 23, EU governments agreed to a taxpayer bailout for the project, several months after a consortium of private companies walked away from it in a financing dispute. Most of the €2.4 billion ($3.56 billion) needed to complete the project will come from unspent funds originally earmarked for agriculture

Tokyo — On Nov 28, Toshiba Corporation announced the latest additions to its market-leading lineup of 2.5-inch hard disk drives (HDD) for automotive applications: an 80GB drive offering the industry’s largest capacity, and a 40GB drive.

The drives will be used in such applications as car navigation systems, and will be released in industrial and retail versions. Sample shipping of the drives has started and mass production will start in March 2008

Toshiba’s line of automotive HDDs enable a variety of applications, such as GPS navigation, digital music and video, and other telematic systems. With an altitude specification of 5,500 meters, the rugged MK8050GAC and MK8050GACE drives meet the operating extremes of a road environment. More at Toshiba here and here.

Brussels — Nov 28, ‘07 — The European Commission has opened a detailed investigation under the EU merger regulation into TomTom’s proposed acquisition of Tele Atlas, both of The Netherlands.

TomTom produces portable navigation devices (PNDs) and Tele Atlas is one of two producers of navigable digital maps, a crucial input for PND manufacturers.

The Commission’s initial market investigation has indicated that the proposed merger raises serious doubts with regards to vertical competition concerns. A decision to open an in-depth inquiry does not prejudge the final result of the investigation. The Commission now has until 17 April 2008 to take a final decision on whether the proposed transaction would significantly impede effective competition within the European Economic Area (EEA) or a significant part of it.

Tom Tom is active in navigation software and manufacturing of PNDs and is the market leader in the EEA. Tele Atlas is one of only two producers of navigable digital maps offering a complete coverage of Europe and North America (the other being U.S firm Navteq).

After a preliminary review, the Commission has identified serious doubts that the acquisition by TomTom of Tele Atlas might, in the light of the duopoly market for navigable digital maps and TomTom’s strong position on the market for PNDs, lead to a significant impediment of effective competition within the EEA.

Navigable digital maps are essential inputs for producers of PNDs. The proposed acquisition raises vertical competition concerns because TomTom acquires one of the current two map suppliers that provide maps for the whole of Europe. The Commission’s in-depth investigation will focus, inter alia, on assessing whether the transaction would increase the costs of other PND manufacturers for navigable digital map or limit their access to these maps, and as a consequence harm consumers. More at European Commission.

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands — Nov 26, ‘07 — Cisco announced today that Amsterdam ArenA, a premier multipurpose sporting and entertainment venue and home to AFC Ajax football club, has turned to Cisco to help make the famous stadium smarter.

With the deployment of Cisco Internet Protocol (IP) technology, the stadium is introducing several innovative services for the 2 million visitors it attracts each year. Visitors will be able to reserve seats from home, get access to real-time travel and parking information, and pay for tickets using their mobile phones. Spectators and sports fans can more easily access all stadium-related services and the organisation can deliver improved visitor service at every event.

Henk Markerink, director of the Amsterdam ArenA said: “The most important goal of the Amsterdam ArenA is to further improve the customer experience, which includes focusing even more closely on the entire service provision chain, from the moment the customer buys tickets, as they travel to the ArenA, the visit itself, to the time he or she is back at home and wants to book tickets again.

We aim to introduce the first services in the middle of next year.”

Integration with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology will make it possible to offer location-specific information to visitors as well.

Markerink added: “The Amsterdam ArenA depends strongly on its transport links. The public transport connections are perfect and the accessibility for motorists is fine, with four motorways nearby and parking for more than 11,000 vehicles. But if the area around the ArenA wants to grow further, then we need to improve mobility.

We also plan to send information to car navigation systems and mobile phones about the best route to take and where to park.”

Cisco has equipped a number of sporting arenas with similar intelligent networks, including the world-famous Bernabéu stadium in Madrid, the Allianz Arena in Munich, Ascot racecourse in the UK and the Misano racetrack in Italy. Thanks to a comparable ‘connected stadium’ infrastructure, the Amsterdam ArenA will be able to extend its reputation as a world-class multipurpose venue and business centre.”

Cisco technology to be deployed at Amsterdam ArenA includes Cisco Catalyst 3750 Series Switches, Catalyst 6500 Series Switches, Aironet wireless access points and CiscoWorks LAN Management Solution. More at Cisco.

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Nov 23, ‘07 — The European Union’s troubled Galileo satellite navigation system will be financed from leftover EU funds, EU ministers decided Friday, after Germany and three other countries that had opposed the arrangement relented.

Most of the €2.4 billion ($3.56 billion) the EU says is needed to complete the project will come from unspent funds originally earmarked for agriculture, officials said. Some €300 million (US$445 million) was also earmarked to launch the EU’s new technology and innovation institute, meant to rival the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The decision means Galileo — which nearly folded after a consortium of private companies tasked with developing it failed to make progress — will be completed. It is to give Europe its own satellite navigation, ending its dependency on the U.S.-run Global Positioning System.

Germany got on board after the EU’s executive Commission proposed new tender rules meant to ensure the multibillion-euro project is not dominated by a single company.

In Berlin, a German Transport Ministry spokesman welcomed the Commission proposal, saying it would secure competition and could lead to benefits for German companies.

A source close to EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot said the project segments would include satellites, launchers, ground mission infrastructure and control, system software, and other tasks.

There would be the possibility of two tenders to build 26 satellites that make up the system, which is expected to have 30 satellites in total. “The bidder will have to put an offer for all 26, but then we will contract only for a first batch of 10, for example,” the source said.

AMSTERDAM, Netherland – Nov 18, ’07 – Two days after Garmin dropped its effort to buy Tele Atlas NV, TomTom NV said it would begin an offer of $43.88 a share for the digital-mapping company.

The other global map maker, Navteq, has agreed to be acquired by cell phone manufacturer Nokia Oyj for $8.1 billion.

The period in which Tele Atlas shareholders can tender their shares will begin on Nov. 19 and end on Dec. 18, the companies said in a joint statement on Sunday.

Tele Atlas will hold an extraordinary shareholders meeting on Dec. 7 to discuss the offer.

TomTom Press Release:

“With reference to the press release of 7 November 2007, TomTom NV and Tele Atlas NV hereby jointly announce that TomTom is making a recommended public cash offer for all of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares with a nominal value of EUR 0.10 each in the capital of Tele Atlas.

Highlights
- The Offer is a cash offer for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Tele Atlas of EUR 30.00 per Share.
- The acceptance period commences at 9:00 hours, Amsterdam time (3:00 hours New York time) on 19 November 2007 and will end at 15:00 hours Amsterdam time (9:00 hours New York time) on 18 December 2007, unless extended.
- Tele Atlas will convene an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to be held on 7 December 2007 during which the Offer will be discussed.
- The Boards fully support the Offer and recommend the Offer to all Shareholders for acceptance.
- A condition to the Offer is that the number of Shares tendered for acceptance under the Offer, together with the Shares that are held at that time by the Offeror, represents at least 80 per cent. of all issued and outstanding Shares as set out in the Offer Memorandum.

The Offer
TomTom is making the Offer, subject to the terms and restrictions contained in the offer memorandum dated 18 November 2007.

Shareholders tendering their Shares under the Offer will be paid, under the terms and subject to the conditions and restrictions contained in the Offer Memorandum, in consideration of each Share validly tendered and delivered (geleverd) a cash amount of EUR 30.00.”

More at TomTom, Tele Atlas.

Cayman Islands — PR Newswire — Nov 16, ‘07 — Garmin Ltd. announced today that its subsidiaries, Garmin International Inc and Garmin Corporation, have signed a six-year extension to their agreement with NAVTEQ, a leading provider of digital map data for location based solutions and vehicle navigation.

The agreement allows Garmin to continue using NAVTEQ data through 2015, with an option to renew for an additional four-year period. In addition, the parties have agreed to pursue expanded points of cooperation that will result in improved mapping quality and coverage worldwide, and will drive further device innovation into the future. The parties did not disclose specific details of the agreement.

“Garmin has partnered with NAVTEQ for many years. We utilize their map data in the majority of our products and we have always appreciated their commitment to the market,” said Garmin CEO Dr. Min Kao. “Extending our agreement with NAVTEQ ensures the availability of quality mapping data for our customers, and provides a basis for enhanced cooperation which is a win-win for both Garmin and NAVTEQ. We believe the outcome creates the best value for Garmin, our customers, and stakeholders.”

In addition and with reference to the press release dated October 31, 2007, Garmin also announced today that in light of these developments it does not intend to pursue its offer for Tele Atlas N.V.

Garmin is a leading, worldwide provider of navigation, communications and information devices with subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Brazil and Singapore with pending acquisitions in Denmark, Italy and Spain. More at Garmin.

ISLIP, NY — AP – Nov 15, ‘07 — GPS tracking devices installed on government-issue vehicles are helping communities around the country reduce waste and abuse, in part by catching employees shopping, working out at the gym or otherwise loafing while on the clock.

The use of GPS has led to firings, stoking complaints from employees and unions that the devices are intrusive, Big Brother technology. But city officials say that monitoring employees’ movements has deterred abuses, saving the taxpayers money in gasoline and lost productivity.

“We can’t have public resources being used on private activities. That’s Management 101,” Phil Nolan, supervisor of the Long Island town of Islip.

Islip saved nearly 14,000 gallons of gas over a three-month period from the previous year after GPS devices were installed. Nolan said that shows that employees know they are being watched and are no longer using Islip’s 614 official vehicles for personal business.

Some administrators around the country emphasized that the primary purpose of the GPS devices is not to catch people goofing off but to improve the maintenance and operation of the vehicles and to design more efficient bus, snowplow and trash-pickup routes. Among other things, the devices can be used to alert mechanics that a car’s engine is operating inefficiently.

Still, in Indiana, six employees of the Fort Wayne-Allen County Health Department lost their jobs last year after an administrator bought three Global Positioning Satellite devices out of her own pocket and switched them in and out of 12 department vehicles to nail health inspectors running personal errands on the job.

Employees were caught going to stores, gyms, restaurants, churches and their homes. (And the administrator was reimbursed the $750 she spent.)

In Denver, 76 vehicles equipped with GPS this year were driven 5,000 fewer miles than the unequipped fleet had during the same period the year before. Denver plans to outfit police cars, snowplows and trash trucks with GPS soon.

“It’s growing by leaps and bounds,” said Chris Ransom of Networkcar, one of the country’s leading providers of GPS systems. “I’d say we’re seeing double-digit growth among the municipalities, whether it’s statewide or down to the local county.”

Houston officials say they have used GPS on garbage trucks to design more efficient trash-collection routes, reducing fuel costs and other expenses. This winter, the New Hampshire Transportation Department will begin testing GPS devices in some sand spreaders. More at AP.

Garmin and TomTom have settled their intellectual property suits that were pending in the U.S., UK and the Netherlands. The settlement may enable both firms to divert more resources and attention on another battle: fighting for the right to acquire Tele Atlas, a digital map publisher.

CAYMAN ISLANDS/November 15, 2007/PR Newswire - Garmin Ltd. announces today a confidential global settlement of all of its intellectual property litigation with TomTom.  The settlement resolves all of the pending intellectual property litigation including cases in the UK, Netherlands, Wisconsin, and Texas. The parties did not disclose details of their agreement.

Garmin, based in the Cayman Islands but with operational headquarters in Olathe, Kan., makes products that use global positioning system data and leads the market for navigation devices in the U.S.

TomTom, based in Amsterdam, is the European leader in similar devices.

Garmin sued TomTom in federal courts in Wisconsin and Texas, claiming it infringed on Garmin patents. And Garmin asked courts in the Netherlands and United Kingdom to invalidate registered designs and patents claimed by TomTom.

TomTom countersued in Wisconsin, claiming Garmin infringed on three patents TomTom bought from Horizon Navigation Inc., based in Santa Clara, Calif., which makes in-vehicle navigation devices.

A year ago, Garmin won the first round when a court in The Hague, Netherlands, refused TomTom’s request for a preliminary injunction against Garmin for allegedly copying a European registered design it owned.

The lawsuits were seen as an ill-time distraction for both companies. They come at a time when the GPS market is growing rapidly and reaching critical mass in many developed markets.

Earlier this year, Garmin overtook TomTom for the global market share lead in delivering GPS systems, shipping 1.85 million units in the second quarter, a 25 percent global market share, according to research firm Canalys.

TomTom was close behind, with 1.81 million GPS systems shipped, a market share of 24 percent. Those two were far ahead of the rest of the pack, with the top five rounded out by Mio Technology, Magellan and Navman. In Europe, TomTom has 30 percent of the market and Garmin about 17 percent. Garmin has long led in the U.S. with more than 50 percent market share.

Tele Atlas is the last remaining independent publisher of the digital maps that power GPS systems following Nokia’s purchase last month of Navteq in a deal worth $8.1 billion. More at Garmin.

Amsterdam, 12 November 2007 – TomTom today announces the availability of the new TomTom ONE XL High Definition Traffic (HD Traffic) in the Netherlands. This unique portable navigation device combines smart navigation software with the world’s most advanced traffic information. Where traditional traffic information providers in the Netherlands cover approximately 45% of highways and provide no traffic information of secondary roads, TomTom’s new High Definition Traffic monitors the entire main road network, which covers all highways and the vast majority of the secondary (N) roads. TomTom High Definition Traffic – how it works
TomTom’s new High Definition Traffic uses anonymously collected and processed traffic data using multiple sources and techniques:

• Traffic data generated by the movement patterns of mobile phones in cars, via Vodafone’s Dutch GSM network
• Third party information provided by traffic authorities and road operators

Via the Vodafone network, a live connection with the TomTom HD Traffic centre delivers traffic data to the TomTom XL HD Traffic every three minutes, twenty times an hour and five times more often than any other traffic information available on the market.Availability and Price
The TomTom ONE XL HD Traffic is available in shops in the Netherlands from November 2007 and includes a 12 months High Definition Traffic subscription. The recommended retail price of the TomTom ONE XL HD Traffic is €399 Euro.

Specs
- Highly Sensitive GPS Receiver
- 4.3″, 480×272 TFT 64K Color LCD Touch Screen
- Internal Memory 1GB
- GPRS Modem with built-in SIM card for live data connection
- SD slot
- Internal Lithium-Ion battery (2 hours operation)
- 119×86x27 mm, 230 grams

More at TomTom

AMSTERDAM, Nov o7, ‘07 – TomTom, the world’s biggest maker of navigation devices, raised its offer for TeleAtlas, the mapping company, by 41 per cent on Wednesday and bought 28 per cent of the target’s shares in a bid to see off a challenge from US rival Garmin.

Garmin sparked a bidding war for Tele Atlas last week with an unsolicited €2.1bn bid that trumped TomTom’s initial offer. The Dutch company raised its cash offer for TeleAtlas to €30 a share, valuing TomTom at about €2.9bn.

“We are now well positioned to buy Tele Atlas”, said Harold Goddijn, chief executive of TomTom. “We are now their biggest customer and their biggest shareholder.”

The bidding war for Tele Atlas comes at a time of consolidation in the digital mapping industry. Tele Atlas, like TomTom based in the Netherlands, is one of only two large global providers of digital maps. Navteq, its competitor, was bought by Nokia for $8.1bn in September.

Tele Atlas shares rose 18 per cent to €31.80, above the offer price, signalling investors believed Garmin may raise its offer. TomTom shares fell 1 per cent to €56.

Garmin and TomTom both want to own a mapping company to keep down the cost of maps and develop new products. Sales of navigation devices are set to double this year from 16m in 2006.

“The whole navigation and mapping industry is still relatively young.” Mr Goddijn said. “This is not the endgame but I think it’s an important transition phase in the industry.”

Santa Ana, CA–BUSINESS WIRE– V7, the exclusive house brand for Ingram Micro Inc, and the maker of world class IT and CE global solutions, today launched two advanced functionality Portable Navigation Devices (PNDs), redefining value and utility for GPS customers.

The NAV730 and NAV740 GPS PNDs are targeted at value-conscious GPS consumers and commercial fleets. Both are portable navigation devices featuring V7 Navigation Software with turn-by-turn, text-to-speech capabilities that allow users to see and hear where they are and how to get to their destination.

The NAV730 and NAV740 come with many features typically available only in higher-end priced models, including a 3.5-inch 320×240 TFT-LCD high resolution display (NAV730) or 4.3-inch 480×272 TFT-LCD high resolution display (NAV740). Both models are touch-screen enabled with an easy-to-use, intuitive graphical user interface and turn-by-turn voice instruction including text-to-speech. Featuring an attractive, lightweight and slim (only 19.8mm thin) design, the NAV730 and NAV740 can easily slip into your pocket, making them truly portable navigation devices.

The new V7 NAV730 and NAV740 feature 400MHz CPUs for faster map redraws and enhanced AV capabilities, SD card technology for expandable storage, preloaded maps, and a built-in high performance multimedia (audio and video) player that supports the most popular audio, video, and digital picture formats (MP3, WMA, OGG, MPEG4, AVI, WMV, GIF, JPG, TIFF). Easy-to-install mounting hardware and auto adapters are included as standard products. Both units carry a two-year warranty. Suggested retail price is $199 for the NAV730 and $299 for the NAV740. More at V7 – NAV740, NAV730.

Oct 31, ‘07 — Navigation device maker Garmin has made a $3.3bn offer for digital map provider Tele Atlas, trumping a bid from rival Tom Tom.

US-based Garmin is offering 24.50 euros for each Tele Atlas share, 15% higher than the 21.25 euros-per-share offer made by Tom Tom back in July. Analysts said they expected Tom Tom to return with a fresh counterbid.

Both Tom Tom and Tele Atlas are based in the Netherlands, and Tele Atlas is Tom Tom’s main map provider. Garmin’s move comes after Tele Atlas’ only global competitor, US-based Navteq, agreed earlier this month to be bought by Finnish firm Nokia for $8.1bn.

Petercam analyst Eric de Graaf said TomTom made a strategic error not to build a stake in Tele Atlas before, but could not afford to lose out now.

“The only logical conclusion can be that TomTom takes the next step and significantly raises its bid,” De Graaf said, adding TomTom should bid at least 27 euros per share, with a knock-out bid being closer to 30 euros. Both TomTom and Tele Atlas said they would study Garmin’s proposed offer and gave no further comment.

Garmin is planning to launch its offer by December 4, the scheduled expiry date for TomTom’s offer, and has secured financing commitments. The offer will be conditional on at least 66.67 percent of Tele Atlas shares being tendered.

When Nokia unveiled its offer for Navteq, analysts said the move was most problematic for Garmin, which is mainly supplied by Navteq, as it could fall behind because TomTom or Nokia would have first access to new technology and could integrate it more tightly.

Moscow–October 26, ‘07–Less than two months after its failure, the Proton rocket returned to flight, successfully delivering a trio of satellites for the Russian global navigation system, GLONASS.

The Proton-K rocket equipped with Block DM upper stage and carrying three Uragan-M (GLONASS-M No. 18, 19, 20) satellites lifted off from Pad 24 at Site 81 in Baikonur Cosmodrome at 11:35:24 Moscow Time. According to a representative of the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, the upper stage successfully delivered all three spacecraft to its nominal orbit with the altitude 19,100 kilometers above the Earth surface and the inclination 64.8 degrees toward the Equator.

At 15:07 Moscow Time, satellites successfully separated from the Block DM upper stage. Ground control then conducted two communication sessions with the spacecraft at 15:15 and 15:40 Moscow Time.

While Global Position System, GPS, has been one of the most recognizable symbols of space applications around the world, much less known was the fact that Russia also attempted to build a parallel network of satellites designed to provide accurate navigation.

As its American counterpart, the Russian satellite navigation system, known as GLONASS, was born at the height of the Cold War for primarily military purposes. The GLONASS network could be used to determine coordinates and the speed of an aircraft, a vessel or any other vehicle across the globe.

GLONASS network:  A fully completed GLONASS system should contain 21 active and three spare satellites spread over three orbital planes at the altitude of 19,100 kilometers and inclination 64.8 degrees toward the Equator.

The Proton rocket equipped with Block D or Breeze M upper stage is capable of delivering a trio of satellites into orbit, from which two satellites later maneuver themselves into final orbits.

When completed, the GLONASS constellation is designed to provide 100 meters accuracy with its “standard precision” C/A signals, which are deliberately degraded, and 10-20 meter accuracy with its P “high-precision” signals, originally available exclusively to the military. At the end of 2004, the head of the Federal Space Agency, FKA, called the separation between military and civilian frequencies in the GLONASS system, “awkward” and promised to provide the access to the high-precision navigation data to all users.

Russia’s GLONASS system, which uses Soviet Cold War-era military technology, is designed to compete with the Global Positioning System, or GPS, and is being jointly developed with India. GLONASS satellite launches had been put on hold after September’s rocket failure. More at RussianSpaceWeb here and here

BROOKLYN, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 22, ‘07– adNav, a GPS marketing solutions company, announced today its upcoming launch of Boomerang, an ad supported mobile concierge system integrated with GPS navigation. The Boomerang system offers tools and applications such as restaurant and city guides, weather, currency exchange calculators and mobile internet access connected via cellular networks and WiFi to assist an every day traveler to enhance their navigation experience while away from home.

The product will be available at adNav partner hotels and car rental agencies as an added amenity for their customers and guests. Partners’ services will include concierge recommendations and constant connectivity to the concierge desk. Boomerang is currently scheduled to be available first by early November in San Francisco, with launches in Vancouver, Canada and NYC to follow before the end of the year.

Through the integration of an advertising interface, adNav will supply the Boomerang through their partners at a minimal fee to the end user eventually being free. In addition to full functioning voice guided GPS navigation, the Boomerang will include unlimited access to the web through WiFi and cellular networks. Users will have unlimited access to live flight information, weather, language translator, currency exchange calculator, tip calculator and, of course, games.

More at BusinessWire

“Keep Up the Pressure! 24 Hour Strike on October 22 Begins at 5 AM.” Says New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA). New York, NY — October 22 ‘07 — In opposition to a plan by New York City, requiring taxicabs to let customers watch TV and pay with credit cards, as well as allowing drivers’ employers to track them with GPS, about 10,000 cabdrivers are expected to strike on Monday; the strike by NYTWA is the second in less than two months.

“There are several dead zones throughout the city where the credit card machine simply does not work,” Bhairavi Desai, the executive director of the NYTWA, said at a news conference Sunday. “A passenger may swipe it and jump out of the cab … but then three minutes later the message comes on the screen that the credit card was declined. Who’s going to compensate the drivers?”

“The contingency plan we have created will ensure that New Yorkers, as well as visitors to our city, are able to travel without serious disruptions,” said Office of Emergency Management head Joseph Bruno. NYTWA, which claims to represent about a fifth of the city’s 44,000 licensed cab drivers, is opposed to the new technology, which is being phased in as yellow cabs come up for inspection.

The touch-screen monitors let passengers pay by credit card, check on news stories, map their taxi’s current location and look up restaurant and entertainment information.

“We are not going to back down,” Bhairavi Desai, the alliance’s executive director, said in an interview with the New York Times. The strike has a twin objective of utilizing revenue from a planned medallion auction to come up with health care and retirement benefits for cabbies.

Sanyo is introducing NV-HD880FT, its new ‘Gorilla’ car navigation system at ‘The 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007′. The new ‘Gorilla’ will feature 8″ Touchscreen, 30GB HD, 2 TV Tuners and a FM transmitter. The NV-HD880FT will be available on November 26, ‘07 for approx $1943 in Japan, no word on the US release.

More at (google translated) Sanyo

Mio Technology, makers of Car & PDA Navigation and GPS PDA Phone, has added a large 7-inch touch screen GPS navigation system C728 to its lineup.

C728 Specs & Features:

• OS: Win CE .Net 5.0
• CPU: Samsung 2443-400Mhz
• GPS Chipset: 20-channel SiRFstar III
• Memory: ROM 2GB, RAM 64 MB, SD Card Slot
• 7″ 800 x 480 (QVGA) TFT with Touchscreen
• Bluetooth 2.0, Mini & Standard USB 2.0
• Photo Viewing, Audio & Video Playing Support

More at Mio Technology

According to Nokia press release, Nokia and NAVTEQ today announced a definitive agreement for Nokia to acquire NAVTEQ.  Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia will pay $8.1 billion net of NAVTEQ existing cash balance.

More at Nokia…