CeBIT 2003
3. Navigation Software
Intro
Pocket CoPilot Live
Other Software
I don't have a lot of experience with shows like this, but after Comdex in 2002, it seems to me that such an environments are more "favorable" to hardware than to software, which requires more than just being displayed. Still I saw some interesting new developments.
Pocket CoPilot Live was
shown both on the Microsoft and NavTech booths, where I was given a detailed run
through by Jordan (thanks!). US readers might be surprised to see CoPilot
associated with NavTech, but while Travroute use their own proprietary maps in
the US, they use NavTech maps in Europe.
CoPilot is one of the more "mature" solutions on the market, having been through at least 3 iterations (v2 in 2001, v3 in 2002 and v3.5 in Europe in late 2002). It's always difficult to make a lot of changes to a successful software solution with a large installed user base, but while changes had been fairly incremental up to v3, the "Live" version does make quite a few strides, both at the UI and feature level.
To start with, here are a few screenshots:
Note the richer graphics on the driver screen
The messenger interface
Here's an overview of the new
features:
Compatibility
with all GPS receivers:
Up to now, CoPilot only worked in conjunction with their specially tuned GPS
hardware. Now that the GPS hardware market is maturing with excellent
performance being offered, this is a move that makes sense and a long awaited
one!
Real Waypoints:
Those who have read my PocketMap Navigator
review know how important I believe this feature is. While previously,
CoPilot offered stops to which you were guided successively, you are now guided
to the arrival (and provided with ETA) via the waypoints you've chosen. Haven't
seen it in action yet, but kudos in advance!
Navigation Information:
Scrollable - Much like on the Intellinav OEM's (MyNavigator or Routis, tapping the nav.info line will cycle through various info like Speed, ETA, Time (if memory serves) and unlike in previous versions this is also available in the Passenger Mode
In the bottom part of the screen, you now get ETA and Distance to Go at all
times
Live Features:
This is how Travroute describes it: "Our breakthrough "Live" technology is the next step in the evolution of navigation systems - a built-in communications capability that enables information-driven features such as vehicle location, messaging and other smart alerts "
Traffic info will be available in the UK and the in Germany later this year
Text messaging
and vehicle location for two-way communications:
You can exchange messages with a mobile unit and see the mobile unit
moving in real time from a laptop/desktop. I'm told details are still being
worked out on how this will operate, i.e. via a server or by running a server on
the laptop/desktop.
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The
big news here is the arrival of the
Intellinav OEMs, an excellent NavTech based solution. A full review will
soon be published on the site. The first one out of the gate is Socket's My
Navigator that they were showing bundled with the Emtac Bluetooth GPS.
Other new software releases include TomTom Navigator 2 an amazing software release that will be fully reviewed on the site and previewed here and here. Other major players in the PocketPC navigation market like Destinator and Navman SmartST Pro didn't show updates to their recently released software although a service pack is coming soon for SmartST Pro. Same thing for Navigon's BusinessMobileNavigator (currently the only TMC-enabled solution) for which SP1.1 is coming. Holux was also showing a brand new piece of software at their booth for which little is known for now. It apparently uses very recent TeleAtlas maps though!
To be complete, I'll mention that the PalmOS platform now has a more "dynamic" mapping program with active guidance end sound (a chime for now and voice in the near future) with Hekosoft's Digi-Map
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