SOFTWARE DELIVERING TURN-BY-TURN STREET NAVIGATION IN RECREATIONAL GPS HANDHELDS

At CeBIT Booth, Thales Navigation, a leading global provider of GPS solutions including Magellan consumer and Thales Navigation professional products, is demonstrating the first turn-by-turn, audio-prompted, street-routing and guidance software designed to provide street navigation functionality on a rugged handheld GPS receiver. Magellan MapSend DirectRouteTM allows Magellan customers who use GPS receivers for recreational purposes - like hiking, biking and fishing – to now create travel routes to city street addresses and thousands of points of interest.

There are two versions of MapSend DirectRoute:

* One for the continental United States and Canada for all compatible Magellan GPS receivers.

* One for Europe for Magellan Meridian Color GPS.

This software was developed in direct response to Thales Navigation research that revealed more than half of Magellan customers want to use their handheld GPS receivers for occasional street navigation in addition to pedestrian and recreational activities. MapSend DirectRoute, in addition to the MapSend marine and topographic software, enables one Magellan GPS receiver to be used for a variety of applications.

MapSend DirectRoute is sold alone or as part of a GPS bundle in the United States. The GPS bundle is currently available in Europe and the software will be available this summer. The software, contained on two CD-ROMs, features a database with more than 35 categories of downloadable points of interest, including restaurants, petrol stations, ATMs, hotels, parks, airports, tourist attractions and more. With access to the most current, sophisticated map data, users can upload the map area they choose, within the limits of the available memory in the receiver or, for a total of 64 MB on an optional secure digital (SD) memory card.

Users have three easy ways to route: by moving the cursor to a destination on the map screen, by entering an address, or by searching points of interest by name. MapSend DirectRoute calculates the shortest time street route, and then provides visual guidance and audible prompts to notify the user of each maneuver.

The creation of MapSend DirectRoute ushers in a major advance in mapping software that enhances the versatility of Magellan handhelds and complements the advanced built-in functionality like never before. For more information, on the latest GPS News see auto gps.

Author Notes:

Alexander Cornvell contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.handheld-gps-reviews.com.  A wealth of information about Global Positioning Systems for commercial or personal use.