The Datus car navigation device is low end . . . .
Datus announced they were coming out with this at the November COMDEX meeting, although at that time they said it would be priced between $1000 and $1200, and would have a 5" LCD screen, not a 4.1" screen. It is being manufactured in South Korea, so I doubt Trimble is involved (and for one other reason that will become evident).
The device is a handheld run off the car engine; it plugs into the cigarette lighter. Although it has voice commands, this does not sound all that convenient for single driver situations. It is using Navigation Technology mapping (this is typical of US/Europe car nav units). It does not have a gyroscope. It was reported to be only accurate to 1/4 of a mile (!) (I find this hard to believe, since who would pay for a car navigation product that gets you close, but still too far away from your destination to find it?) I don't believe that TRMB would be involved in something that imprecise.
It will not be commercially available until May, and then will really be marketed to the delivery, shuttle and limousine markets. It's not expected to be available for true consumer markets until 1999, when the price is expected to go down to around $500. It's using a Windows-compatible format in hopes of tying in to better mapping, etc., in future products. It has paging, etc., capacities as well.
By the way, I hear from my brother that the CARiN product is being sold in New Jersey at Pep Boys, which is at least a regional chain, not related to Circuit City.
David |
