END of the road for PND!!

[sharui787]

We see it coming..but faster than expected. Esp if the smart phone price is keep coming down - fast.
why buy an expensive PND, while u can get a smartphone with large screen and free Navi and unlimited download for similar price?

interesting reading really.

http://www.telecomcircle.com/2010/04/free-navigation/

http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/c ... -dedg.html
http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/marke ... =184656347

at the local scene.
I think my other friends in the GPS market also see it too.
Now Index memory Corporation, the disty for Toshiba thumb drive has being appointed as the master channel partner for M3asia tech.
Question is. Are they or others off loading now before it is too late? if it is . Smart move indeed!

Garmin is joining the fray too. a Nuvifone smartphone
http://www8.garmin.com/nuvifone/

Unless PND is selling at RM300? or something even cheaper?

Share your thought.

[silverbeauty]

Today's convergence devices have so much features squeezed into them making them heavily used. However, battery technology is lagging behind and has not caught up vs device technology and a flat battery is likely to be a frequent annoyance for anyone who uses a converged device to its fullest potential. The Apple iPhone is a good example. Great implementation of technology but the battery .....

[AW*]

surprising coincidence i read this thread and then happened upon the following article in The Sun's Tech Today column:

TIME OUT :: Tech Today
Navigating through mobile phone


GPS navigation software for the mobile phone received a big boost with the advent of the smartphone but is this trend a gimmick or a real help?

Along with the pay-to-download versions, there are also navigation software packages available for free, but there is one thing they all have in common: none of them can match the quality of a conventional GPS navigator and should be regarded as an addition.

To turn your mobile phone into a navigator, it must be equipped with a GPS receiver.

"That’s a basic requirement," explains Florian Stein from the German technology magazine Connect. The receiver tells the phone where it is positioned within a few metres.

In addition to a GPS receiver, you will also need navigation software installed on your phone. Some free versions provide functions such as live information on traffic jams but they can’t be installed on all phone models.

Nokia has a free software package for its customers called Ovi Maps with information on 70 countries. However, Ovi Maps can only be installed on certain types of Nokia phones.

When choosing free software, take into consideration that there may be costs to pay later. Many free programmes do not install maps on the phone and have to download the graphics from the provider every time you enter a new destination. That can lead to extra phone charges.

If you only occasionally need to quickly orientate yourself in a new location, then you probably do not need navigation software at all.

A free service available on most smart phones is Google Maps and will satisfy most basic needs.

"But it’s only useful for short journeys," says Stein.

Almost all of the big navigation software makers offer programmes for mobile phones.

iPhone users have a range of offers to choose from in the App Store. Navigon can be downloaded onto Android, Windows and Symbian phones.

In some countries, T-Mobile customers can even download a free version of the software.

Smart phones have a relatively short battery life and are often drained of power after two hours when used to navigate. It will also need a good holder.

Most portable navigation devices come equipped with a car mount but a smartphone user will have to make do with a universal holder that does not always fit a phone 100%. – dpa

Updated: 09:44AM Mon, 24 May 2010

[bcg]

I don't think so.

Camera with RM10k still people willing to buy. Bintang Maju, Fotokem, Foto Shangri-la.... still survive till today. Why?

Ipod, Creative, still selling their music players like crazy. Why?

Sony phone, Nokia phone, Samsung phone, Apple phone, Blackberry phone, Motorola phone, come with music player, camera, Windows, why not everyone just buy the phone will do? Rather to buy laptop, PC, mobile then MP3 player & DSLR camera?

hmmm, there are always ways to do businesses. There are always things certain people like just normal, certain people like advanced, certain people like showing off, certain people like quality, certain people.........

I'm sure, Ipod selling RM900 still people are willing to spend.

Iphone selling RM2000 still people are willing to buy.

CSL selling RM500 some people buy.

Mercedes still on the road. I still can see BMW on the road. Why not just buy Proton Saga will do.

Because they understand and love car.

Just like all of us understand and love GPS.

bcg

[drsec]

I will not go and buy a Swiss Army knife just to cut vegetables or to saw a plank of wood.

[arzd]

Oh well.

I carried my handphone almost everywhere. Just can't help my self not to drop it every now and then. Lousy me!

Friend of mine drop his N#### phone. Can't remember the model. He complained than the navigation effected.

Definitely stick to PND

[bcg]

I will not go and buy a Swiss Army knife just to cut vegetables or to saw a plank of wood.

Yea. Same to me. But still Swiss knife selling everywhere. Still people buying it. JJust to hang at their bag. May be it serves some purposes.

Still I bought Garmin, Papago & Sensonic. Because I love GPS. Some may think, I am wasting of money.

bcg

[simonysc]

I prefer to use my nuvi 750 over mobile xt installed in Nokia 5800. First the battery life of the phone wont last long if used as a gps device. 2nd, phone gps receiver is not as accurate as designated gps device, sometimes slow in locking to satellites. 3rd, third party hp mounting are crappy and poorly built that shake a lot. Nuvi 7xx & nuvi 3xx series have the best mounting coz the charging cable was attached to the bracket itself, relief the hassle of pluging or unpluging the cable. Just mount on the unit and start using.

[alihms]

There are some devices which lend themselves well with convergence. Phone, music player and PDA and converge well. Some other devices do not. Handphone camera for instance can never replace the real one. It just does not have macro, telephoto, wide lense features, low lighting picture taking capability, control on Depth of Field and so on. These are essential features to photographers.

GPS on the other hand blends well with the convergence. I suspect, in the near future, dedicated GPS units are probably used only by specialists (ex. explorers, researchers and perhaps soldiers). The rest of us will carry all in one devices. Cars in the future will come equipped with in-dash navigator, further reducing the necessity of standalone GPSes.

So, hold on to your dedicated gps devices while you can. 10 years from now, they will be curio items just like a walkman is today.