Garmin is integrating Microsoft’s Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT) into its Global Positioning System (GPS) devices to enable consumers to receive dynamic local information, including weather condition and traffic updates, movies listings, and gas prices.
Microsoft SPOT also announced plans to work with future versions of Microsoft Streets & Trips and Pharos Science & Applications Inc. to offer MSN Direct Navigation Services to their devices. In addition, Microsoft SPOT is working with Centrality Communications Inc. to integrate MSN Direct with its GPS reference designs, one built around Centrality’s Atlas-III processor and a second one for the higher-end multimedia Titan processor.
The MSN Direct service is delivered through Microsoft’s DirectBand Network using FM radio signals. The network covers about 70% of the U.S. population.
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