Weekly Daily Giz Wiz, Week of June 27th, 2011, Netcast 1320 - Mini-Mid-Year-CES.

Add GPS to many devices that don’t have GPS built in.

The people at Dual were very unhappy on the way Leo & I talked about their XGP150. So I removed my description of the device and replaced it with those from Joanna Lukins, Director of Marketing, Dual Electronics Corporation. These are her comments:

• Please note that the XGPS150 is not a stand alone GPS. You cannot really use it by itself. It is a Universal GPS Receiver that works with many of today’s most popular electronics adding GPS capabilities to these electronics and allowing them to do more. 
• The XGPS150 works with iPad, iPod touch, iPhone and other Bluetooth-enabled smart phones, tablets and laptops, including Windows, Android and OS X devices.
• While there are devices that already have GPS capabilities built-in, the XGPS150 will benefit both: those that don’t and those that do. In the case of the iPad, there are Wi-Fi only (no GPS) and Wi-Fi + 3G iPad devices. Many consumers chose the Wi-Fi only iPad because they are significantly less expensive.
• Why would you want to add GPS to your iPod touch, iPad or other smart phone or tablet? Mainly because having GPS capabilities will allow this device to be used with apps that require location information. You will open your device to many new uses. For example, you would be able to turn your iPod touch or an iPhone into a range finder with apps for golfing. You could use it with Geocaching apps, and apps for fitness and outdoor activities which allow you to track and record your route and your speed. Most social networking apps, including Yelp, Gowala and Foursquare also require location information. The large screen on the iPad is great for navigation in the car, on a boat and even on an airplane and there are many apps available on the AppStore with built-in maps for navigation that don’t require Internet access. The XGPS150 is ideal for travel – take it with you and use it with one device or switch between devices – set up takes only a couple of seconds. And all accessories are included.
• The XGPS150 has its own built-in rechargeable battery that lasts 8.5 hours and recharges with the included USB cable (12V adapter also included) It is only 2” square and very light so you can easily take it anywhere you go. The non-slip pad makes it easy to use it in a car, on a boat or in the airplane’s cockpit, and there is also an armband for outdoor activities. And here is how the XGPS150 benefits a device that already has GPS capabilities:

1.  It is a lot more accurate than for example the GPS inside the iPad or an iPhone, which is important for many applications including navigation, geocaching, golfing, etc.

2.  It does not drain the device’s battery, as it uses its own rechargeable battery that lasts for 8.5 hours of continuous use and even longer when not used non-stop. So you can turn off your device’s GPS by putting it in an airplane mode and use the highly-accurate GPS from the XGPS150

3.  It is wireless, and it can be positioned up to 33-feet away from the device it works with, with the optimal view of the sky for best GPS performance. So when you are in the car for example, position the XGPS150 right next to the car’s windshield on the dash board, while your iPod or iPad can be close to you for easy viewing and access.

Here is the direct link to the product on the company website:

http://xgps150.dualav.com/

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