May 31, 2004
Route Finder Software Uses Power of Latest Phones
Privately-held Dutch firm Route66, one of Europe's biggest sellers of CD-ROM-based car navigation kits for use on personal computers, said it would sell road maps of an entire country and the necessary navigation software on a tiny memory card that can be inserted into the latest advanced phones, reports Reuters.
"It is the first time detailed maps for countries such as France or Britain are stored and used on a phone.
The software works on advanced phone models from Nokia, Samsung, Siemens and Sendo which cost between 400 and 500 euros before subsidies.
As part of the 399-euro package, which includes a satellite positioning module, users can opt to receive free traffic information, which the route finder can use to avoid busy areas.
Also on Friday, French mobile phone service provider Orange launched a $ 610.- (euro 499) route finder service. It sends directions of a specific journey to handsets over the air, and does not work with a map stored on the phone. Sweden's WayFinder has a similar package that does not use a specific mobile network".
The Permanent Link to this page is: http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2004/05/003983.htm
