Audi's system will use a UMTS modem to allow data transfer for the navigation system, downloading maps and integrating Internet search into the multimedia interface so a user can ask it to search for "Cabinet maker" and then pull the results up on the display. The onboard computer also matches street data with the Google Earth 3D terrain model to provide route guidance over the map.

A few years ago this was show at CES as a future concept. Well, the future is here.

The new Audi A8 – with Google at the leading edge of Connectivity

In early 2010 Audi will be bringing the next generation of the A8 to the starting line. The new flagship and its online services further demonstrate the brand's proverbial Vorsprung durch Technik, by bringing a variety of Google services and information to the luxury sedan via the internet. The services will be available in selected markets.
The new A8 has set the bar at new heights with regard to multimedia technology. Its multimedia interface (MMI) navigation plus features among other innovations, a highly evolved operating concept incorporating a touchpad – known as MMI touch. Also included are an integrated hard disk for navigation, phone and audio data and a graphics processor capable of generating high-quality, three dimensional images. The MMI analyzes navigation data predictively, relaying information to the control units managing the automatic cruise control with Stop & Go, adaptive lights and the 8-speed tiptronic gearbox so that these systems can precisely adapt their function to conditions well in advance.
Equally state-of-the-art are the Audi online services which allow the new A8 to retrieve up-to-date information from the internet via the optionally integrated GPRS/EDGE modem in the MMI navigation plus. The user can search online with Google for points-of-interest directly from within the MMI, the versatile search engine accepting such free text search queries as "delicatessen" or "shoe boutique".  The results are then displayed on the onboard map or used as destinations for route calculation.
Highly comfortable: Destination planning at home
The data connection enables a further comfortable feature. A8 customers can plan their navigation destinations in Google Maps or the Audi web portal at home or in the office and retrieve these on demand in the car.
In mid 2010 Audi will further enhance its suite of online services with a new UMTS modem. This enables faster data transfer as well as simultaneous voice and data connections, and allows Audi to set a world first with the integration of Google Earth in the MMI navigation plus. High resolution three-dimensional satellite and aerial imagery for the entire globe and a worldwide database of photos and information articles are only some of the fascinating new features. With Google Earth on the MMI's 8 inch LCD display the new Audi A8 allows its occupants to discover the world from above. The Google Earth imagery and 3D terrain model are combined with the detailed street network from the onboard navigation database as well as calculated routes in a seamless integration of online and offline content.
To use the new online services the customer simply needs to insert their SIM card in the MMI Navigation plus or pair their mobile phone with the MMI over the Bluetooth SIM-Access-Profile. Aside from the Customer's existing mobile phone data plan, no additional contracts are required.
First shown as a prototype with Google in January 2006 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas/USA, the new online services can be experienced in the new A8 as a result of a close collaboration between Audi and Google development teams worldwide.

Man, if dropping Canada cuts the price of an app in half, that says a lot about how much money we waste on international maps. They should offer this option to all of the countries they serve. However, there are plenty of cheaper versions out there, not to mention free Google Navigation. [iTunes via MacRumors via MobileCrunch]

That job description actually fits kind of perfectly with what Placebase did well in its former life—customization and tons of ways to layer multiple kinds of data sets onto maps, with an API that makes it easy to layer on said data sets. Here's more of the listing:

The iPhone has revolutionized the mobile industry and has changed people's lives and we want to continue to do so. We want to take Maps to the next level, rethink how users use Maps and change the way people find things. We want to do this in a seamless, highly interactive and enjoyable way. We've only just started.

As an engineer on the Maps team, your responsibilities will range from implementing low-level client/server code to implementing high-level user interfaces. You'll be responsible for implementing new and innovative features, fixing problems and enhancing the performance of Maps. You will work closely with the other engineers on the Maps team, other iPhone and iPod touch teams as well our partners in other companies.

Of course, it's also just as possible—if not more so—that Apple's sticking with Google for map data, and simply looking to add new and unique powers to its Maps application, to differentiate it from Google Maps on other phones (which in Android's case includes, exclusively, the awesome Google Navigation). [Apple via MacRumors via The Reg]

The cherries (and various other icons) are part of Waze's new "Road Goodies" program, which essentially turns the navigation service—which has, by most counts, gotten a lot better over the past few months—into a simple point-gathering game. The point of these points? Well, the treasures are placed wherever there are gaps in Waze's map data:

For instance, if there's an area where we detect a disconnect in two streets on the map, we'll place a goodie over there in what we believe is the point of intersection. Then, when someone heads over to munch the 'goodie', it will solve the disconnect, telling the waze system that these two streets do indeed intersect.

The points don't get you anything outside of Waze, ahem, street cred, so this is basically just a big ploy by the company to extract free labor from their user base. Which is fine! Though I feel Waze should probably scatter a few di, for when people start driving into deadly ravines in the name of fake treasure.

The new version of Waze is live in the App Store and Android App Market right now. [iTunes]

Debuting at $80 (and presumably climbing to $100 later), RoadMate recreates as much of the Magellan dedicated PND experience as possible, which means the interface is a full conversion—there's very little in the way of iPhone-ness here, even down to a replacement keyboard. In addition, it falls on the conservative side of the map storage debate, holding its data locally—great for when you might be in a bad service area, but not so great if you don't want to set aside 1.3GB of space for an app.

The rest of the feature list is appropriate to the price: spoken street names, simulated lane guidance, 3D landmarks, in-app music controls and address book integration are all there, as are a few newbies like a "Find Your Car" GPS function and a pedestrian mode, and a "OneTouch" menu, which is basically a panel of search shortcuts for stuff like pizza and nearby gas stations.

I can't pass judgment on this app without running it through its paces (which yes, we will do eventually) but it comes at an awkward time. While cheap apps have been nipping at the heels of more expensive, prestige brand apps for a few months now, Google's telegraphed their intention to nuke the hell out of everyone, someday, which can't be the best way to lead into a new product launch. RoadMate is available in the App Store now. [Magellan]

Google Maps Navigation
• Google Navigator for Android Review: Good For Free But Far From Perfect
• Google Maps Navigation: A Free, Ass-Kicking, Turn-by-Turn Mobile App

(An)Droid:
• Motorola Droid First Hands On: It's a Terminator
• A Visual Guide to Android 2.0: So Much Nicer
• No Android Version of HTC HD2 After All?
• GSM Motorola Droid Caught on Video
• How Motorola Stopped Sucking
• Droid Eris Doesn't Look Too Shabby for a Cheapo Android Phone
• HTC Droid Eris Might Be the Cheapest Android Phone at $99
• HTC Hero Among First To Get Android 2.0 Update

Reviews:
• $1000 1080p Projector Battlemodo: Optoma HD20 vs Vivitek H1080FD
• BlackBerry Storm 2 Review: Improving, But Still Mostly Cloudy
• Corsair Flash Voyager 128GB USB Drive: As Big and Fast As a Small Fish
• Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
• Samsung Moment Review: The ED-209 of Android Phones

The Copy/Paste Twins Saga
• I Want to Have Twins Just to Get Them These Awesome T-Shirts
• Twin Apple Fangirls Pwn Twin PC Clones
• The Origin of the Twin Copy-Paste T-Shirts

The Rest:
• 12 Things You Need To Know About Apple TV 3.0
• High Res Video of Ares I-X Launch
• http://gizmodo.com/5393755/an-astronaut-explains-how-well-fall-in-love-with-space-again
• Apple Tablet Will Restore Comic Books To Former Glory
• Build The Spirit Radio That Creeped Out Tesla Himself
• Behold, the BlackBerry* Watch: $150, Coming in February

The Game Changer

Brian already went through the details when he broke the news, all the features you need to know about. On paper, this baby sounds like it has everything the $100 apps have, and it's free (for Android 2.0 users). I won't go over all of the features again—live traffic, over-the-air maps, multiple visual layers, search along routes, etc.—so I encourage you to read that. This is what it feels to use the thing day to day, the wheels-on-the-ground perspective, and though it's certainly as powerful as billed, the experience itself is a little more sobering.

On Android 2.0, on the Verizon Wireless Motorola Droid I've been testing, Google navigation is part of the Car Home suite, an easy-to-read, easy-to-reach set of apps including map, turn-by-turn navigation, voice search, text search and contacts. However, as you can probably guess from reading that lineup, the lines are so blurry it can get confusing fast. The sane place to start is voice search.

Voices In, Voices Out

The surprise hit of Google's new software is the voice command. I said "Navigate to Cloud City" and it quickly launched the navigator, showing me a few options with "Cloud City" in the name. On top was my wife's favorite coffee shop (home of my favorite BBQ pulled-pork sandwich). I tapped it and got on my way. I have done this with street addresses, store names and categories like simply "barbecue" and it's worked fine. It's only when I tried text searching that things got iffy.

But voice command isn't the only voice feature that's awesome on this. The turn-by-turn lady may be a tad robotronic, but that's because she tells you everything, including street names and numbers. Text-to-speech is considered a bit of a premium among the iPhone apps (many have it or are getting it, but not all do), so to find it for free is impressive.

Searching Highs, Searching Lows

As I mentioned, the text search is not as smooth as the voice-activated stuff. That's because there are several different places to search, and at times they overlap in ways that make my head feel light. There's the basic directions view that iPhone users are used to seeing, where you type a destination with no predictive guessing on the app's part. Once you finish typing, it picks the most likely destination or offers you some options. Then there's the true "Search" window that gives you a keyboard and lets you type whatever you like, and tries to anticipate what it is you're typing by showing you similar past searches. And then there's a screen of all your past searches, that you can only get to by backing out of the main Search window. It's strange, and took me a while to figure out how to return to this little Narnia of a helpful screen.

If that's not chaotic enough, well, take away any browsable POI menus, any "go home" preset address feature, and any multi-stop trip planning tool. Scared yet? At least its only a few taps to your contacts—which you can fill up with all your favorite destinations—but only if you remember what those taps are.

Street View Blues

One of the things I was super excited about when Brian came back from his secret Google meeting was the Street View feature: When you came to a tricky intersection, Google would show you the actual intersection, and you would know just where to turn. Well, I live in Seattle, one of the biggest cities and certainly one of the most high-tech, and though I've driven with this thing on a few outings this week, I haven't once been shown a photo of an intersection. (Note: Brian says you have to tap the screen to see the picture as you approach an intersection, to which I reply, "Sounds suicidal, I'll pass.")

I do, however, see the photos pop up when I reach my destination, and without exception they've looked awful. Sure, you can flick them around once you've stopped, but I think this highlights the major trouble with Street View on a mobile platform.

Steady As She Goes

The driving directions are, for the most part, just fine. Re-routing is fast when you make an unscheduled turn, and the Droid phone appears to track the road as well or better than an iPhone. I have heard others talk of reliability issues, but frankly, that kind of evaluation takes weeks or months, and results can differ from location to location. Nobody outside of Google knows exactly what the reliability weak points are, especially since Google is using (from what I can tell) its own map data.

When you've navigated, you can pull up layers—traffic view, which shows you where the trouble's going to be; satellite view, which looks neat but I don't know how practical it is; and POI layers, like where the nearest gas or parking is. There's some customization you can do to this, but only in the 2D bird's-eye view.

The power comes when you select the Route Info screen (shown above), by popping up a menu while in your navigation screen. There you can see an icon with a solid arrow and a broken arrow, indicating alternate routes. Tap that icon, and you'll see your route plus two ghostly alternatives. By selecting one of the alternatives up top, you can re-route. The Route Info screen also contains the all-important turn-by-turn list, buried a bit more than I'd like, but clear and readable nonetheless.

Tooling around northeast Seattle has been fine. My gripes about the driving interface are mostly cosmetic: You can see the time till arrival, in hours and minutes, but you don't see a time of arrival, which I prefer. On other navigators and apps I've gotten used to seeing my speed in MPH and even posted speed limits, and Google doesn't show those either.

But at least the screen is clean and easy to read. If the screen stayed like this, I'd live.

Someday We'll Meet Again?

I spent a lot of time telling you what's wrong with the Google navigation app, but that's mostly because I get the feeling we'll all be experiencing it one way or another soon enough, be it on this exceptional Motorola Droid, other Android handsets or even on the iPhone. It's an extremely powerful program, but the execution isn't the best. Not by a stretch.

Still, if this was built in to the iPhone's Google Maps, or offered as a free download at the App Store, damn would it steal customers like a mofo. You might still see the occasional sale of a Navigon or a CoPilot, because of particular necessary features and because of the onboard map databases (which people who go off-grid prefer), but really, this thing would—and probably will—swallow the GPS app market alive.

Because of that, I am hoping Google's developers pay close attention to this review, too. The app is still in beta, but there's a lot of user-interface work yet to be done. Google: If you're going to knock everyone else off the mountain, at least give us an app worthy of a king.

Amazing voice recognition engine

Live traffic and alternate route planner

Text-to-speech

Good routing and fast re-routing

Satellite view and other views not always useful

Text search features are overlapping, confusing

Interface overall needs better flow

No POI category browsing or "go home" feature

No multi-stop trip planner

Fortunately, that is plenty of time for subscribers to the GPS information service to jump ship. You don't even have to wait for your subscription to terminate—just shut down your service anytime before the end date and receive a refund for the unused portion of your service. Check out the MSN Direct page for the full details. [MSN Direct via Electronista]

• What's getting it: It's Android OS 2.0 only for now. And will be available when devices like that ship. (Google demo'd the app to us on a Droid, FWIW.) Other platform support will be announced "by carriers and phone makers" when they're ready, but Google implied they are working closely with Apple now on it.
• How you tell it where to go: Addresses are input by either text or voice (using the same tech as in the iPhone's Google mobile app). But the app can take things like business names and restaurant types as well as soft queries like "that museum that has the King Tut exhibit" and return a list of suggested locations
• Traffic handling: The traffic data, as on Google Maps, is driven by multiple sources. Typically, this means data could be from local road authority services like the Bay Area's Caltrans department's highway cameras and services like Inrix, but also from cellphones using Google Maps.
• Price: It's free, and there are no ads. There's nothing like it in Apple's App Store that's less than $25 bucks a year.
• Turn-by-turn voice: There's only one English-speaking voice at the moment, but it does to text-to-speech, reading street names out loud.
• Does it work offline? Sort of. Maps cache along your intended route, so even if your connection dies along the way the route will still show you what you need to see, and text-to-speech voice synthesis of street names still works, too.
• Maps that never age: Like most cloud map services, you'll never need to update your map data, but you have to download route maps every time you head out (so you need cell service at the starting point).
• Unique views: It has satellite view, which is super cool for context on the street, but also, it has Street View. When you're supposed to turn, Street View images come up, overlaid with arrows. Same thing happens at your final destination. Since Street View images have metadata on direction faced and position, Google Maps Navigation intelligently draws the arrows where you're supposed to go. Sort of.
• Traffic UI: The traffic icon is simple—green, yellow and red according to flow of traffic, with your time of arrival next to the symbol. If you click on the traffic icon, the map zooms out to show congestion points along your route.
• Multi-destination routing? There's no way to setup multiple stops to help you plan a day's drive to many locations. But you can search for locations (gas, eateries) along your route, and those results will show up on the map as long as they're within a radius that moves long your path. You can also pre-determine your stops, and quickly queue up the next when you reach each destination.
• Navigate to point on map: You can tell it to navigate to a location by spotting it on a map and holding your finger down on that point.
• OS integration: You can bookmark locations as icons on your Android phone's home page.
• Layers? The data on the map, like traffic, satellite view and points of interest, are called layers. Google said it would be easy for them to add more layers, so its ostensibly possible to add things like Google Latitude support, and other neat tricks. Maybe they'll open up an API for it.
• Different UIs for different usage cases: There's a landscape and portrait mode, as well as a big-icon UI for dashboard usage.
• My fears on zero pricing, for the long term: If Google sells this in the App Store for zero dollars, those millions of bucks Apple makes off of GPS app sales will likely disappear. It's not for us to worry about until there's no more GPS competition except Google, and we're dependent on their pace of progress, but no competition is a bad thing. And it's a little strange that Google's search money is going to pay for a free map app that is competitive with stuff that costs $100 a year from full-time GPS makers like TomTom. Unfair is the word that comes to mind. But I can't say I don't want this app.

A visual tour of Google Maps Navigation:

With Google's increased focus on collecting map data (and less reliance on third-party map providers such as Tele Atlas) and Android 2.0's rumored turn-by-turn directions in the soon-to-be-released Droid, it's feasible that they are in fact making preparations to let out a new Google product.

Android and Me, who has dubbed this app as the Google Navigator (which seems like it would fit well enough with Google's naming pattern), predicts that we'll see it in 2010. Forbes doesn't care to throw out a date, but one thing's for sure anyway: A free app of this nature from Google could definitely shake up the mobile navigation game. [Android and Me; Forbes via Engadget]

Unfortunately for nerds, the woman isn't a robot—she still has free will. On the other hand, technology like this does have potential in navigational devices that don't require visual cues. [Kajimoto via Engadget]

Seth at ComputerWorld, who put this together, points to a post on GigaOm last year detailing the awesomeness of PlaceBase vs. Google Maps—mainly, customization and tons of ways to layer multiple kinds of data sets onto maps, with an API that makes it easy to layer on those data sets.

So maybe Apple wants these kind of intensive, custom geolocation mapping powers for the iPhone (and other stuff), or maybe Apple just wants to roll its own maps, so it's not depending on Google for the tiles. Which would actually go along with the same kind of independent streak we've seen in other areas from Apple, like designing custom chips for the iPhone (and maybe the Tablet) using its PA Semi acquisition, instead of using the same chips anybody can buy.

If Apple's got a new Maps app coming that's totally un-Googley, does that mean we can finally get a real Latitude app, since it won't confuse us anymore? Even if Google's tiles stick around in the iPhone Maps app for a while, Apple's definitely doing something with their new toy. [CW]

First of all, using a HUD while cycling is inherently dangerous—but the display is retractable, so it's not like an eye is dedicated to it at all times. Plus, the iPhone is actually mounted unprotected on to the top of your helmet. Doesn't seem like a good idea to me, but ARider is in the prototype stage, so there is time to work out the kinks before it becomes an actual product—if it becomes an actual product. [zikkir via Core77 via Slashgear]

Aside from a presumed, ritualistic bug-stamping, the app has gained a new text-to-speech feature, which tries its best to fully pronounce road names and locations as it barks driving orders at you. The update also throws in a clever, one-click internal control interface for music, meaning that you don't have to close the app to get music controls beyond that gimped popup display that we've all grown to hate over the years.

The location sharing function is a little less exciting (only email, really?) but with a $10 price lead on TomTom (at least in America) the whole package is looking pret-tay good right now. The update is free for existing users, and included in any new downloads. [Navigon]

NAVIGON Further Extends the Feature Set of its iPhone Navigation App
Second free update includes major additions such as spoken street names (text-to-speech), seamless integration of iPod functions, a location sharing feature and more

Hamburg/Germany, September 10, 2009 - NAVIGON AG, leading innovator in the navigation market, today announced availability of a second free update for the North American version of MobileNavigator for the iPhone. The update equips the NAVIGON app with a comprehensive set of innovative and sought after features.

The highly anticipated text-to-speech function lets the NAVIGON MobileNaviagtor announce street names in addition to turn-by-turn directions. It is the first on-board navigation app for the iPhone with this functionality. Instead of only stating "turn right", the app informs the user to "turn right on to ‘Main Street', enabling the driver to further concentrate on the road ahead and not become distracted looking for street signs. "With the addition of text-to-speech technology from SVOX, NAVIGON remains on the forefront of iPhone navigation options with the most solid feature set on the market," said Gerhard Mayr, Vice-President Worldwide Mobile Phones & New Markets at NAVIGON. "SVOX offers high quality text-to-speech technology, characterized by a natural and clear sound as well as a unique polyglot capability – the same voice can speak multiple languages like a native speaker," said Eric Lehmann, Chief Sales Officer of SVOX.

NAVIGON, from the outset is committed to not only setting the industry standard for navigation capabilities on the iPhone, but also integrates iPhone-specific functionalities. The new update is the next step in this direction with seamless integration of iPod controls. Drivers can now enjoy the full range of iPod functionalities with a simple one-click from map access to artists, titles, albums, audio books, podcasts and playlist selections. The feature also takes advantage of the shuffle, and automatic playlist generating technology within iPod. The driver can listen to songs again or leave it to the device to generate a random selection.

A new location sharing function makes it convenient to meet-up with friends and acquaintances, on the go. Users can share their own location, an address or a point of interest (POI) such as a restaurant or museum via email. If the recipients are MobileNavigator users, a simple link-tap provides the exact address. The navigation software starts automatically when the link is activated and guides the user directly to the destination, without having to input locations, and waiting for the search results. In addition, the app routinely changes the maps colors switching it between Day and Night Mode determined by time and location. This guarantees optimal display visibility at all times and allows drivers to recognize the route as quickly as possible to improve orientation.

The MobileNavigator transforms any iPhone 3G, equipped with the new Apple OS 3.0 operating system, and any iPhone 3G S into a complete navigation device. It is the only iPhone navigation app on the market featuring Reality View™ Pro which displays 3D views of complex highway interchanges and exits helping drivers to orientate. Also unique are the branded POI's along the route which make it easier to spot any points of interest that are on the way.

The NAVIGON solution sells for $89.99 in the Apple App Store and is equipped with maps of North America from NAVTEQ®. There are no subscription fees attached and no map downloads during navigation. The update is also already available for regional country versions of the MobileNavigator across Europe as well as for the Australian app.

From the images it looks like the GPS cradle has A/V hook ups and its physical buttons let you control the device for the times you don't want to rely on the touchscreen. The ejectable PMP seems to have 3D mapping and audio and video playback. One of the images shows a TV tuner hook up. No idea on how much on board storage it has. I'm hoping for a good 8 gigs. I'd love to be able to take this thing out of the car, load it up with tunes and vids, and then pop it back in for a road trip.

I wish I could say it was headed to the U.S. but it looks like the device is only meant for the Korean market at the moment. That doesn't mean I don't think it is an awesome idea that I want to be in car dashboards NOW. [Slashgear via PMP Inside]

That $99.99 one-off price isn't cheap considering dedicated GPS units can cost less, and here you're only paying for the software. Worse still, rival iPhone app CoPilot Live only costs $34.99, and it too provides 3D views, and spoken turn-by-turn instructions. Thankfully, neither make you pay an AT&T TeleNav-style monthly subscription.

Update: We now know the TomTom car adapter kit will work with the iPod Touch, but haven't confirmed its U.S. availability and pricing.

[TomTom Website | TomTom iTunes Link]

Application Description
For iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS

Tap and go: Using iPhones innovative technology, the TomTom app lets you tap your way from A to B – putting you in touch with all the best routes. Scroll through the menu, or pinch to zoom in and out on a map using the iPhone's multi-touch display.

Go your own way: Why follow the rest See your route, your way. Simply rotate from portrait to landscape to get an easier view of the road ahead.
Meet up with friend: Find an entry in your iPhone contacts list, and the TomTom app will find the way there. It's that simple.

Find a place to eat: Thinking of stopping for lunch on the way? Choose a restaurant, call to reserve your table, then find your way there-the TomTom app does it all.

The smartest routes: Is the shortest route really the fastest? TomTom IQ Routes will always calculate the smartest, most efficient route-saving you time, fuel and money. Only IQ Routes uses the driving experiences of millions of drivers to work out your route based on actual road speed date.

The world at your fingertips: Always be prepared for what's around the corner. The TomTom app comes with an up-to-date, detailed map-and you can add worldwide locations to suit you.
You can also make the most of your navigation experience with the TomTom car kit for iPhone. Check it on iphone.tomtom.com.

Map coverage statistics:
Detailed map seamlessely covers in the US and Canada with IQ Routes data for faster routing.

Countries fully covered (99.9%): the US (all states including Hawaii and Alaska) and Canada (all provinces) and Puerto Rico.

Languages: English, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish.

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.

I wouldn't take Handtec's pricing as gospel—they seem to have jumped the gun after all—but it does give some insight into what we might expect.

The listed price is a little higher than a basic stand alone device costs, but includes the iPhone app itself, along with the GPS-boosting car accessory—complete with windscreen mount, in-car charger, speakers, and hands-free rig. And as we've mentioned in the past, it's not inconceivable that the kit will also support the iPod Touch.

Of course, it still remains to be seen if TomTom will bleed users dry with an AT&T TeleNav-style monthly subscription, or go the one off charge route that CoPilot Live took in the UK. [Handtec via Daniweb via Techmeme]

People have a tendency to balk at charges like that, but that's not entirely fair—the software, seen here on T-Mobile's signature "Raw Venison Red" MyTouch, accepts voice commands, renders maps in 3D, and displays traffic, weather, POI and gas prices. It's really a full device conversion, and it's priced as such. It earned accolades on the G1, but you may as well just try it yourself; 30 free days should be long enough to gauge whether or not you want to shell out for it later.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – August 4, 2009 – TeleNav announced today that TeleNav GPS Navigator will be one of the first turn-by-turn GPS navigation services available to run on the T-Mobile® myTouch™ 3G with Google. TeleNav GPS Navigator will be available for a free 30-day trial beginning tomorrow, August 5, when the device goes on sale in retail stores and online. To sign up for the free trial, T-Mobile MyTouch 3G customers should visit TeleNav's website.

"TeleNav GPS Navigator on the myTouch 3G turns the phone into a powerful GPS device," said Sal Dhanani, TeleNav's co-founder and executive director of marketing. "We invite all myTouch 3G customers to take advantage of the free trial and let us know what they think."

TeleNav GPS Navigator on the T-Mobile myTouch 3G includes full-color 3D moving maps along with voice and on-screen turn-by-turn driving directions. Navigation is available in both landscape and portrait mode. If drivers miss a turn, they will automatically be rerouted. TeleNav GPS Navigator also includes speech recognition for both address entry and business search. On the T-Mobile myTouch 3G, customers simply press one button and say the name of a business or the address and TeleNav GPS Navigator will provide directions. Subscribers can also preplan trips online by accessing their account through My TeleNav. TeleNav GPS Navigator includes listings of more than 10 million businesses and services, including restaurants, hotels, shopping malls and movie theaters - providing users access to restaurant ratings and reviews as well as phone numbers for business listings.

Once on the road, TeleNav GPS Navigator monitors each specific route and will proactively search for known traffic congestion or incidents. Customers will be alerted to traffic problems, both audibly and on-screen, and can choose to find another route to their location by just pressing one button. TeleNav customers also have the ability to set daily traffic commute alerts. At the requested times, TeleNav GPS Navigator will send an email alert with a summary of current known traffic conditions and delays for their routes, helping users decide when to get on the road in order to avoid traffic congestion.

The service also includes frequently updated gas price listings so drivers can look for the cheapest gas in their area or along their route. Additionally, TeleNav GPS Navigator includes location-based weather information. Customers can see current weather conditions as well as a five-day forecast for their present location or for a destination of their choice in the U.S.

Finally, with advanced preference enhancements, TeleNav customers have the flexibility to choose whether to avoid high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes and toll roads. In addition, subscribers can pause and resume the navigation at any time they choose, as well as set the map display colors to a ‘nighttime' mode for easier viewing at night.

To sign up for a 30-day free trial of TeleNav GPS Navigator, T-Mobile myTouch 3G customers can visit TeleNav's website or contact TeleNav at 1.88.TeleNav.4 (1.888.353.6284) or at care@telenav.com.

For those that just can't be bothered to glance at a map or screen in order to figure out where to walk, Pull-Navi is perfect because it takes advantage of reflex:

The ear navigator, called Pull-Navi, has six helmet-mounted motors to pull the wearer's ears forward, backward, left, right, up and down. The designers say people follow its lead almost instinctively - pull left and they turn that way; pulling both ears forward or backward at the same time makes them speed up or slow down; and tugging up or down heads them up or down stairs.

Does this vaguely remind anyone else of how horses are guided? [Japan Times]

Image from KIDK

It was January of 2008 when we first caught wind of Garmin's widening ambitions, and grabbed our first joyful glimpse of the navigation-centric handset, followed by an (also joyful!) hands-on. But that was in February, nearly a year after the announcement. And also, again, that was February, about six months ago. The ASUS-built Nuvifone was uniformly impressive from the start—with a custom-built Linux OS, creative location-aware applications, clean styling—but it'll have a much tougher go of it in the age of app stores, especially against the 3GS, Pre, and Hero, which have pretty impressive GPS integration in their own right.

Sadly all we're learning today is that the G60—to be followed closely by the much less exciting Windows Mobile M20—is only shipping in Taiwan for now, which we can at least take to mean the product is finally ready. US release, decidedly not happening in Q3 of last year, is still unknown, as is the price. [Garmin]

Magellan(R) Unveils Next Generation Maestro(TM)

Magellan Maestro 4700 Boasts a New Design with a 4.7-inch Display, Voice Command, Bluetooth, and Highway Lane Assist

SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 6 /PRNewswire/ — Magellan, one of the leading GPS brands, introduces the Magellan Maestro 4700 GPS device. The ultra-slim device features a wide 4.7-inch color touch screen and includes many premium features to deliver a robust navigation experience for users. In addition to Magellan's OneTouch user interface, the Magellan Maestro 4700 device also performs advanced navigation tasks with built-in voice command capabilities and hands-free Bluetooth calling.

"The Magellan Maestro 4700 lets you keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel," said Mike Wagner, senior director of product marketing for Magellan. "We have incorporated voice command, Bluetooth, and highway lane assist to help you reach your destination with confidence. The large 4.7-inch screen is easily viewable in all lighting conditions. Thanks to our unique OneTouch favorites menu and our AAA partnership, the Magellan Maestro 4700 makes trip planning and traveling easier and less stressful."

The Magellan Maestro 4700 features several premium features including:

* Exclusive OneTouch(TM) Favorites Menu: Access favorite destinations and searches with personalized bookmarks. Reach your favorite cafe or restaurant in any city with a single touch. To meet consumer requests, the Magellan Maestro 4700 now offers an additional twelve bookmarks to save favorites.
* Bluetooth Compatible Hands-Free Calling: Make or receive calls using a compatible cell phone. Access your phone's address book to access up to 1000 numbers directly from your Magellan Maestro 4700. The noise-cancelling microphone keeps road noise down so you are heard clearly.
* Predictive Traffic: Analyzes past traffic patterns when creating a route to help you avoid known delays. Choose to stay on your current route or go with suggested less congested routes.
* Instant Access to All Points Of Interest (POI): Perform one search and get results from both the standard POI database and the Magellan-exclusive AAA TourBook(R) guide. Results are organized in a tabbed format.
* "Find Your Car" with Pedestrian Mode: Remembers the location of your car in parking lots, airports, malls, universities, amusement parks or stadiums. When your day is done the Magellan Maestro 4700 will automatically guide you to your car.
* 3D Landmarks: Displays visual cues to help drivers perform maneuvers and find destinations.
* Larger Fonts: Makes viewing easier and safer while driving.
* Intuitive, Context-Driven Touch Zones: Provides drivers with a completely interactive map screen.
* New Address Book: Makes adding an address a snap with smart address summary that lets users save complete itineraries.
* QuickSpell(R) with Smart City Search: Allows quick, single-address entry or convenient multi-destination trip planning, including route optimization.

The manufacturer's suggested price for the Magellan Maestro 4700 is $299.99. It ships with a windshield mount and cradle; 12-volt vehicle power adapter; USB cable, protective pouch, adhesive disk for alternative, on-dash mounting; and quick reference guide. For additional accessories, including cases, pouches, and other mounting options, visit www.MagellanGPS.com.

Map updates for Magellan products can be purchased separately.

About MiTAC Digital Corp.

MiTAC Digital Corp. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MiTAC International Corporation and promotes and sells products and services under the Magellan brand name. Magellan assists people to travel, work and play their way with leading portable navigation and positioning solutions across multiple consumer markets. Recognized as an industry innovator, the company is the producer of the award-winning Magellan RoadMate(R), and MaestroTM series portable car navigation systems, as well as the Magellan Triton(R) outdoor handheld navigation devices. MiTAC Digital Corp. is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. For more information on Magellan, visit http://www.magellangps.com.

About AAA

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its' founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.

The Magellan logo, Magellan, RoadMate, QuickSpell, Triton are registered trademarks of MiTAC International Corporation and OneTouch, Maestro are trademarks of MiTAC International Corporation and are used under license by MiTAC Digital Corp. All rights reserved. The AAA TourBook, Roadside Assistance are trademarks of American Automobile Association. AAA(C) 2009 All rights reserved. All other trademarks and registrations are the property of their respective owners.

[Magellan]

The recently released CATS.i measures just 45mm x 35mm x 12mm, and makers say it can be used to track cars, pets and even people. Given that they also claim this is the "most covert" tracking device of its type and is "almost undetectable when being worn", I'm not sure I want to know who their normal customers are.

The device uses a built-in GSM sim chip to report back its GPS data, either constantly or at set intervals, which can then be tracked online. It is battery powered but can also be hardwired to vehicles, or even solar power—though the makers don't specify how. Quad band GSM, GSP and RF ensures you should be able to monitor the people you are stalking—sorry, tracking—wherever they go. [Cats.i]

The downside, and it is a big one, is that the device will not be DSi compatible. Still, if you have no plans on upgrading this might be of some interest—although a release date and a price have not been announced. [ds-gps via Maxconsole]

This GPS unit, which is real, by the way, has gotten the whole Dale Jr treatment, complete with Earnhardt-oriented points of interest and the driver's actual voice, which dopily urges you to do things like "hang a left!" to "park it! we're here!" and to "back'er down!" On the practical side of things, it's $229 and runs Navteq's decent map data set. So, 88!

This seems like one of the first (if not the first) production vehicles to incorporate dual view, and allows the driver to use the GPS while the front passenger checks out a movie. Keep in mind that the acceleration from a 510HP vehicle probably doesn't mix too well with movie watching, so that passenger better have a good resistance to motion sickness or there's gonna be some lunch rovering, if you know what I mean. [Engadget]

In a patent filing recently published and dug up by Apple Insider, Apple lays out various methods, including weight, proximity and biometric sensors, for detecting a passenger in the front seat, and then allowing he or she to operate the nav while the car is in motion. It goes even further, though, by specifying means for the system to identify exactly who is touching it via biometric sensors, and then grant them access or not depending on pre-set safety settings. So if you don't want your 16 year old kid using the nav at all while in motion, just thumbprint him and program your Apple GPS.

Wait, what, Apple GPS? While apple has patented numerous techniques for pairing gadgets to cars, I'm not sure I've ever seen one that was so specifically geared toward an in-car device. Innnnteresting. Although this could obviously describe a way for a turn-by-turn iPhone 3.0 app to behave in-car.

So like all patent filings, which are written in a language so obscure as to make reading and parsing by anyone who is not a patent lawyer, take this with some skepticism. But as a concept, sounds kind of interesting—is the real iDrive coming? [Apple Insider]

Update: Some developers have told us that the reason G-Map has been pulled is that by including turn-by-turn navigation, it violated the terms of agreement—which is why it was the first turn-by-turn app to come out. So don't expect to see it back in the store. Just another case of something slipping through the wide cracks of Apple's app review processor.

The sole official explanation lies on the XROAD site, that "G-Map U.S. East and West are being reviewed for improvement and will be back in the App Store soon." But as we know, the iPhone 3.0 OS revealed yesterday has baked in turn-by-turn for navigation apps, so the timing is notable.

Is this the first app that's a casualty of the iPhone's new features (you know the landscape keyboard and MMS guys all wept during the presentation, and not with joy like most of us)? Wonder what the improvements are? Hopefully something to keep the coming flood of turn-by-turn apps at bay. [Kicking Tires]

Here's the major issue, which is worse if you live in Illinois: The app is a 900MB beast, so it's split into east and west sections of the US, which have to be purchased separately at $20 a pop. The funky dividing splits Illinois into north and south halves, with each map app getting a piece. The other bad part is that not every street is labeled, so you actually have to use the turn-by-turn sometimes, which doesn't have any voices to guide you.

But everything else is pretty gravy: It has "very clear, accurate and understandable direction," sweet 3D renderings of highway interchanges, an easy-to-use UI, awesome point-of-interest functionality, and it comes with a decent car mount. Bottom line is that for $40, it handily competes with a $200 dedicated navigator. So be scared Garmins and Magellans of the world, be scared. [Kicking Tires via Ray Wert's Go-Kart Blog, iTunes]

But no, seriously. What the hell is a "kosher" GPS unit? Apparently this kind of thing has been happening for a while, and has a pretty simple explanation. Many Orthodox rabbis discourage internet access, but do allow certain basic technologies like cellphones and, I guess, GPS devices. The Mio Ma'amin (translation: Mio Believer) is mindful of a variety of orthodox sensitivities, as it is stripped of online connectivity, contains a directory of thousands of kosher restaurants and Jewish points of interest, a bevy of prayer materials and a male, or rather, not female, voice.

It's a shame that intense religion is so effective at destroying irony, because most of this device's customers will never appreciate the humor in trying to divine the correct specs for your GPS unit from thousands-of-years-old documents printed on parchment scrolls. Oh well! The Ma'amin's going on sale in Israel for about $240. [Jerusalem Post —Thanks, Michael!]

While it's presented in the context of a workout or hiking route, you could use the app for just about anything, including drawing fun shapes on the map of your town, if you're so inclined. Along with the mapping, the app displays statistics in real time like elevation, distance traveled, speed, etc. My Tracks can also use Google Docs' little-known but very cool ability to receive the output of web forms in a spreadsheet, so you can track your routes and see your average speed over time.

It all gets demonstrated here by Jeff, the Google cyclist.

[Official Google Blog]

They're doing it to get bigger and badder as a single fabless semiconductor company that designs, but does not make, their chips. But what I'm feeling is a single-chip solution for Bluetooth and GPS, if not Wi-Fi and all the other flavors. One mobile chip to rule them all, possibly. Or at least one less extra chip in your phone/mobile thingy. If that leads to smaller, cheaper gadgets, I'm all for it.

SiRF AND CSR TO MERGE CREATING A GLOBAL LEADER IN CONNECTIVITY AND LOCATION PLATFORMS

Transaction Valued at $2.06 Per Share Representing a 91% Premium to SiRF Stockholders

SAN JOSE, Calif. - February 9, 2009 - SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc.
(NASDAQ: SIRF), a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, today announced a definitive agreement under which SiRF and CSR plc (LSE: CSR) will merge in a stock-for-stock transaction to create a global leader in connectivity and location platforms. The Boards of Directors of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction, which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2009.

CSR is a global leader in the Bluetooth connectivity business with core expertise in multiple connectivity technologies, while SiRF is a leader in the GPS location business with core expertise in GNSS and multifunction system-on-chip (SoC) location platforms. This strategic combination of market leaders will create a global company with significant commercial, operational and technical scale, uniquely positioned to capitalize on the large and growing multifunction consumer electronics market opportunity for connectivity and location technologies. Based on CSR's and SiRF's results for fiscal year 2008, on a pro forma basis, the combined companies would have had sales of approximately $927 million. The combination will create the single largest pure play provider of integrated connectivity and location platforms and will be one of the top 10 fabless semiconductor companies in the world. Customers of the combined company include four of the top five handset manufacturers, the top five personal navigation device makers, the top two auto-telematics suppliers, and other leading auto and consumer electronics providers. CSR and SiRF will have design and customer support centers located around the world.

Under the terms of the agreement, SiRF stockholders will receive 0.741 of a CSR share for each share of SiRF common stock they own. Based on the closing stock price for CSR on February 9, 2009, this consideration would be equivalent to $2.06 of CSR stock for each SiRF share, representing total consideration of $136 million. This represents a premium to SiRF stockholders of approximately 91% over SiRF's closing stock price on February 9, 2009. Upon closing of the transaction, SiRF stockholders are expected to own approximately 27% and CSR shareholders are expected to own approximately 73% of the combined company. The transaction is expected to be tax-free for SiRF stockholders.

Dado P. Banatao, Executive Chairman of the Board and Interim CEO of SiRF, said, "This transaction unites two market and technology leaders in their respective fields who together will be able to deliver a broad portfolio of innovative products that are critical to the rapid evolution of consumer electronics, mobile phones, mobile computers and automotive devices. Our market opportunity is being driven by growing consumer demand for greater functionality. Our ability to offer customers both leading edge location and connectivity technologies will be a key competitive advantage. Together with CSR, we can accelerate our strategic plans, realize growth opportunities faster than either company could on its own, diversify our revenues and capitalize on market opportunities to create value for shareholders."

Commenting on the merger, Joep van Beurden, CEO of CSR, said, "Financially, strategically and commercially, this is a compelling transaction. We expect it to be significantly accretive, to enhance the enlarged group's financial strength and cash position and to create new and wider revenue opportunities that neither party on its own could pursue as effectively. Strategically, this deal considerably strengthens our leadership position in the Connectivity Centre, a strategy which we believe encapsulates the way our marketplace is developing.

Commercially, there is a powerful, complementary fit between the technologies, skill sets and customer relationships of both companies and the way we both see our customers' needs evolving. Together we create a group substantially better placed both to meet the challenges of today and to emerge even stronger from the current testing market conditions."

Kanwar Chadha, SiRF's founder, Board member and Vice President of Marketing, said, "This merger unites two companies with a shared market vision and equally strong commitments to innovation, customers, shareholders and employees. CSR is the right partner to create additional growth opportunities for our company, and we believe that both our companies will benefit significantly by being part of a larger, dynamic and growing organization. Both companies have successfully competed against much larger companies in their respective fields, and we believe that this transaction, which combines our innovative technologies, will significantly enhance competition in the marketplace.

We will take advantage of the strengths of each company to take our business to the next level, and we look forward to working with the CSR team to ensure an effective and seamless transition."

Benefits of the Transaction

* Combined Product Roadmap Offers Compelling Next Generation
Solutions. The combined company will have significant R&D resources to deliver a broader portfolio of innovative location and connectivity solutions to customers. SiRF's and CSR's respective teams of industry-leading experts will drive innovation, including the ability to meet the significant customer demand for high performance location and connectivity features on smaller, lower power chips. R&D efforts will continue to support each company's existing product lines and will also be focused on the delivery of additional multifunction radio chips, which combine CSR's Bluetooth and other connectivity capabilities with SiRF's GPS and GNSS technologies.

* Enhanced Ability to Capture Growing Market Opportunities and Create Significant Revenue Synergies. Combined, SiRF and CSR will be well-positioned to capitalize on the large and growing market opportunities for each company's product offerings. The combined company will benefit from significantly increased scale to meet the demand for both connectivity and location services in a broad range of products spanning mobile phones, automobiles, personal computers, mobile internet devices, digital cameras, mobile gaming and other consumer electronics products. Furthermore, the companies expect to achieve significant additional revenue synergies beginning in 2010 and beyond through a combination of cross-selling opportunities, deeper penetration of existing customers, new product offerings combining complementary technologies and access to new markets.

* Combination Delivers Significant Financial Synergies. The companies expect a combination of CSR and SiRF will deliver significant cost savings from gross margin improvements and reduced R&D, sales and marketing and overhead costs. The companies expect that annual cost synergies of at least $35 million can be achieved through steps that can be implemented within 60 days post completion of this transaction.

* Enhances Financial Strength and Flexibility. The combined company is expected to have a strong balance sheet and cash position.
At the end of fiscal year 2008, on a pro forma basis, the combined company had $378 million in cash and no bank debt.

Following the close of the transaction, CSR's Board of Directors will be expanded to add two members of the SiRF Board, Messrs. Banatao and Chadha. Mr. van Beurden will lead the combined company as Chief Executive Officer with the remaining leadership to be comprised of executives from both SiRF and CSR. The combined company will be headquartered in Cambridge (United Kingdom), and SiRF's San Jose, California headquarters will become the headquarters for CSR's U.S.
operations.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, including expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, SEC registration of CSR's shares and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is also subject to the approval of SiRF and CSR shareholders.

CSR is currently listed on the London Stock Exchange. Upon closing of the transaction, CSR will provide a facility to enable U.S. shareholders to trade their shares.

Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as financial advisor and legal counsel for SiRF, respectively.

xGPS uses Google's map data and driving directions, adding a real-time navigation readout and a voice engine. You can also select a map area to download ahead of time, just in case you expect to lose your data connection during the drive. As you can see in ModMyi's video above, the app also supports a number of external GPS units, so 1st-gen iPhone and iPod Touch users can get in on the monotone fun too.

The project has been gestating for a few months now, but many vital features, including the voice engine, weren't implemented until this release. xGPS 1.2 is now will soon be available in Cydia. UPDATE: An older version without vocalization in current available in the repositories, but the newest version is expected to be publicly available within the week. [xGPS via ModMyi—Thanks, Aleksey!]

Old TomTom's had cellular data capabilities with very limited models, over bluetooth, through your cellular handset, but model support, but having this service built in, free for a year. The unit also records map data corrections, and in Wikipedia style. And I really have been liking TomTom's advanced lane guidance, which draws a pretty nice illustration of complicated turn offs.

This TomTom also uses "IQ Route" tech to measure arrival times, based on time of day and weekend vs weekday traffic patterns, gathered from users who dock and sync their navs with software. But, unlike Dash and Telenav Shotgun, it can't upload in real time, so you're not getting real time data for traffic jams from other users. (You get it from other providers.)

The device works on a GPRS network, leading me to believe its on AT&T, since they've been very into providing service for devices lately.

You can't really preview a GPS while sitting in a show room, but this seems like a decent device, given TomTom's move towards connectivity in it, and the hardware design is stellar, with a twist grip for the compact suction cup, and speaker grill in the back.

I would like the device to perhaps get some live uploading of traffic, but as we saw with Dash, that is a hard thing to master.

The main issue with AndNav2 is availability, as their site lists versions for Germany, France, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Ireland, but not the US. This could be an exclusion based on insufficient mapping data for the country, but in any case there's no reason that you couldn't install the British version and at least try it. The alpha release of AndNav2 is available here.

UPDATE: Nicolas Gramlich, the man behind AndNav, got in touch to let us know why there's no US version: logistics. Opening the app to running routes through North America would require a much larger server than the one they're using right now, for which the developers are trying to secure donations (you know, from you). And honestly, the app is free, so settle down, quit yer whinin', etc. [AndNav via MobilitySite]

The Financiapocalypse can't stop Christmas, but it can sure as hell suck some of the joy out of it. At the very least, it's probably making you reconsider just how much you wanna spend on toys for yourself and others this holiday season. You're probably looking to cut corners here and there, on dollar-store Christmas lights, iPod knockoffs and the like. That's all fine and dandy, but we've made a list of things you can't afford to cheap out on, because doing so will bite you in the ass later. Still, since we like you, we're also sharing how to save a bit of money in the process, so the whole not-cheaping-out thing doesn't hurt as much.

Graphics Cards

When you're configuring a laptop online, you get a ton of options unless it's a Mac (ooooo burn). Anyway, the popular wisdom is that juicing the processor is always the best way to allocate your dollars to boost performance, since more megahertz is more betterer, right? Wrong. Take this Dell Studio configuration here. Spending $75 on the discrete ATI Mobility Radeon is a way better buy than $50 200MHz upgrade to the processor.

The performance difference those couple hundred megahertz buys you is negligible, while a discrete graphics card from ATI or Nvidia will deliver serious performance benefits over Intel's integrated graphics crap. This is especially true if you do even light 3D gaming, HD video playback or anything else mildly graphically intensive like running Vista's Aero interface (oooo another burn). Also, if you plan to keep a laptop for more than two years, buying the graphics card makes it more future-proof, since Windows 7—and many resource-intensive apps—will grab hold of graphics cards for extra computing muscle, too.

Memory

Memory (aka RAM) is another place to sock your computing dollars instead of blindly bumping up the megahertz. Adding RAM almost always gives your computer a more noticeable performance boost for the same price (especially if you're going from like 1GB to 3GB), allowing you to multitask more and run crazier programs without dragging your computer down. And really, you shouldn't even try to run Windows Vista on anything less than 2GB. (If you can get 4GB and run Vista 64-bit, that's really magical.)

There is a trick to this, however. You don't buy the extra RAM as part of the computer configuration process, since your computer maker of choice will charge you by the arse-hairs for it. Instead, if you're comfortable doing an at-home installation, buy a laptop with the lowest amount of RAM, then buy it separately from Newegg, who even has a helpful tool to pick the right RAM that won't blow up your computer. Crunch the numbers first, of course, but chances are, in big RAM jumps, you will save money.

Another memory tip for those taking the not-as-hard-as-it-sounds cost-cutting step of building their own desktop PC: DDR2 memory is significantly cheaper than DDR3 memory ($60 vs. $120), and at equivalent speeds, the performance difference isn't very noticeable. Your best bet—following our not-skimping guidelines—is to get twice as much DDR2 memory for the same price.

Camera Lenses

The secret about DSLRs that Nikon and Canon don't wanna tell you in the middle of their arms race is that what really matters is the glass—the lens. A Canon 20D—or hell, an XT—with an awesome lens will take better pictures than a 40D with a crummy lens every single time. Besides, if you really want to maximize your DSLR's potential, you're going to need to expand beyond the kit lens that came in the box. It's literally like getting new glasses after a decade of avoiding the eye doctor. Unfortunately, like glasses, camera lenses are one of those things where price really does tend to be commensurate with quality. Don't expect fire sales.

Don't go crappy, instead go used. A used or refurbished lens is always cheaper than a brand new one. Of course, you should always buy from a reputable retailer with a good warranty and return policy, in case there's something wonky with it. (That applies for new lenses too, really.) Here's a list of places to buy used Canon glass. With older lenses, there might be a few caveats like the lack of autofocus, but as Charlie at Gadget Lab notes in his account of using some more "antique" Nikon glass, the experience with those limitations can actually be rewarding, and help you learn about more photography in the process. (And isn't learning why you got a DSLR in the first place?)

If the used route frightens you, another approach is to go with a cheaper camera, and spend the extra money on quality glass. And guess what? Just because a new camera model pops out every six to nine months, it doesn't magically make the older models take less excellent pictures.

Portable GPS Navigation Devices

What? The GPS navigation in your phone isn't enough? Okay, it probably isn't if you actually get behind a wheel to go places. There are lots of GPS navigation devices, and some of them look pretty good for pretty cheap. We're gonna get real specific with our advice here: Get a Garmin Nuvi. Every. Time.

We've road-tested pretty much every navigation device out there, from the smartest cellular connected machines to the dumbest WinCE systems falling off the truck from China, and time and again, we come back to the Nuvi. That's not to say you have to spend $200 more on a navigator. Maybe you could track down last year's top models that are now on sale. The maps wouldn't have changed that much in 12 months. Regardless, even if the Garmin is $25 or $50 more than the TomTom or Magellan on the shelf next to it, get the Garmin. The product will last longer and be more simple to use, resulting in your happiness and the happiness of the people stuck in the car with you. It's worth the extra scratch.

Headphones

Like liquor, strippers and accountants, when it comes to headphones, you get what you pay for. In this dimension there's no such thing as good $2 headphones. You might tolerate them because you know don't any better (or you are simply a knowing masochist) but I guarantee you, they sound like the Tin Man's rusty ass.

You may recall that our amazing, extensive no-BS headphones battlemodo breaks down the best and the worst in every price category worth considering, and is a great place to start. The trend of the piece, you might notice, is that you can't go wrong with Shures, which don't cost as much as some audiophile earphones, but generally have list prices starting at $100. Good news, my favorites for the money, Shure's E2c sound-isolating headphones, now can be had for $60 easy, or as low as $40 on sale. Some people prefer those to their current replacement the SE110 (the E2c's are slightly bassier), that list for $100 but sell for $75 at Amazon at the moment. I know that a few editors at Gizmodo prefer the SE110s, but either way, the "hundred dollar" headphones stomp the cheap-skate models.

That's the real point: The extra $40 for a good pair of headphones delivers such a fantastical world of difference—especially to those commuters and workout buffs who spend a decent amount of time wearing them—that it is very much worth the extra cash. The only "catch" is that you will finally hear how bad your MP3s sound if you ripped them at a super-low bitrate. MP3s under 192Kbps might need to be re-ripped, since you will hear actually, at long last, hear the compression.

Your Turn

Alright, that's five from us. Surely you guys have got advice on other gear and accessories you should never skimp on. If so, though, you better be prepared to share ways to buy them cheaper than list price. Retail is for suckers! Come on, let's hear from you in the comments.

More Advice for the Black Friday Fray:
• The aforementioned Ultimate Survival Guide.
• 5 Gadgets You Can't Skimp On (And How to Save Money Buying Them)
• Best of Black Friday Deals Complete Roundup">All the best deals in one place
• Plus these late breaking ones from Cupertino: Apple Black Friday Deals Include Some Decent Third-Party Discounts
• Warnings: 7 Crappy Black Friday "Deals" That Aren't Really
• How To Choose an HDTV on Black Friday (or Any Day)
• How to set up that new HDTV you just got.

Photochop Contest:
• Brutally Honest Black Friday Ads Showcase Retailers on the Brink

Why You Might Want to Avoid Shopping on Black Friday, altogether:
• 10 Reasons We're Doomed: Black Friday Edition
• WalMart Worker Trampled to Death by Deal-Crazed Black Friday Shoppers

[Complete Black Friday Gadget Coverage at Giz]

• Quad-band GSM, with GPRS and EDGE
• 2.8-inch touchscreen display, 400 x 240 pixels
• 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
• Internal GPS
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP
• Media player functions
• FM radio
• 2GB memory card included in the package
• Talk time: up to 240 minutes
• Stand by time: up to 300 hours
• 115 grams
• 112 x 49 x 12 mmOh, and it does have a fingerprint sensor aboard too, so you can protect your data in the case of casual theft. All that tech, design and the Porsche name means it carries a bigish price, though: somewhere between $750 to $800, apparently. Still, if you can afford a "real" Porsche, this is just a drop in the ocean, right? [Unwiredview via Navigadget]