Trimble Brings GPS Closer to Consumer

GPS, or Global Positioning System, is often envisioned as the perfect consumer application. However, until recently, GPS has stayed relatively close to its roots in the military and specialized industrial applications. Trimble Navigation, a world leader in GPS solutions, is working to change this and has enlisted a powerful partner to help. Trimble will add GPS capability to Microsoft’s Automap Streets 4.0, a recently announced product that enables people to plan and navigate to their destination in real time.

In order to use the GPS features, Automap Streets users will need to purchase either the Mobile GPS Locator 110 or the Mobile GPS PC Card 110, both available from Trimble. The former is a device roughly the size of a computer mouse and attaches to a serial port on a laptop computer. In contrast, the latter is a PC Card device that fits into the appropriate slot found on most laptops. Microsoft and Trimble are clearly targeting this hardware-software combination at the high-end consumer that is tired of carrying bulky maps and asking for directions.

But with a price of US $495 and $595 for the Mobile GPS Locator and the Mobile GPS PC Card 110 respectively, real-time GPS may still be more the domain of mobile sales people and professionals who can justify not only the cost, but also trading the bulk of maps for the bulk of a computer.

Trimble Navigation
645 North Mary Avenue
Post Office Box 3642
Sunnyvale, CA 94088-3642
(408) 481-8000
(408) 481-2000 (fax)