Mobile > GPSEssentials

The CSIRO has developed a new wireless localisation system with the ability to track, sense and communicate in areas where GPS and other wireless technologies cannot work.

TomTom International has upgraded its route-finding software for its latest GPS (Global Positioning System) devices because the previous generation picked the fastest route only about half the time. The software also offers drivers more guidance on which lane to choose at complex junctions, displaying images of the road signs they should follow.

Microsoft has released an API that allows Web sites to send location information to GPS navigation devices as part of an expansion of its MSN Direct services.

Among all the new features the manufacturers of GPS receivers introduced at Cebit this year, one thing they haven't cracked yet is how to navigate around the myriad halls and alleys of the trade show, which sprawls over 240,000 square meters of exhibition space. With the reorganization of the show this year, and the closure of Hall 1 for refurbishment, getting lost can be a serious problem even for seasoned show-goers.