Van-Tastic: VZ Navigator Gets Traffic Avoidance, Gas Finder, 3D View [Cellphones]

Verizon’s latest VZ Navigator update adds popular features already found in other mobile navi software like Telenav. The big one is traffic avoidance: in 75 cities, routes will be plotted using reliable historical traffic data along with realtime reports from Navteq Traffic. VZW doesn’t say how frequently the realtime reports are updated. Also coming to the update are movie-and-event local search—no word on info provider—and a gas finder, with not just locations but up-to-date pricing at many stations as well. Normally, my instinct is to say, “Don’t tell me how to drive, fool!” but traffic avoidance, that’s some jibba jabbrin’ T could actually put up with. Press release and list of cities after the jump.

VERIZON WIRELESS UNVEILS TRAFFIC AVOIDANCE AND OTHER NEW FEATURES ON POPULAR VZ NAVIGATOR SERVICE

LAS VEGAS and BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - From CTIA WIRELESS 2008, Verizon Wireless, the owner and operator of the nation’s most reliable wireless voice and data network, and Networks In Motion (NIM), the award-winning wireless navigation and hyper-local search company, announced today that the newest version of VZ NavigatorSM will be available in April on select consumer phones and Windows Mobile devices. With the new VZ Navigator (Version 4), customers in 75 cities from coast to coast will be able to access traffic incidents, traffic updates and find detours around traffic congestion and accidents; more cities are expected to be added in the coming year. In addition, VZ Navigator will offer 3D perspective view, a movie and events finder, weather reports and forecasts, and gas prices at nearby gas stations.

Powered by Networks In Motion, Verizon Wireless’ VZ Navigator service is a location-based service (LBS) application that utilizes GPS technology and real-time information feeds. When the new version launches in April, customers in 75 cities will be able to access the new traffic integration feature. In these markets, routes will be calculated using both historical and real-time reported traffic information - the historical information will allow customers to see on average whether the traffic is impacted by traffic lights, heavy traffic or school zones. VZ Navigator’s historical data covers over 750,000 miles of roads in 48 states across the nation, making travel time estimates more accurate. The incident and flow information will tell customers how traffic is flowing, and will include details about reported accidents, disabled vehicles and congestion. NIM’s Traffic Tracking Center continually monitors conditions along the customers’ routes, sending proactive alerts to drivers about conditions ahead of them on their chosen routes. Detour options allow for comparison of ETA and conditions, before selecting a new route. Traffic information is powered by NAVTEQ Traffic.

Lee Daniels, vice president of consumer product development for Verizon Wireless, said, “Real-time reported traffic information and more allows our customers to truly transform their wireless phones into powerful navigation systems, at a fraction of the cost of other GPS devices. When Networks In Motion adds additional functionality to our VZ Navigator service, it enhances our customers’ overall wireless experiences.”

Other new features customers can expect to see on VZ Navigator (Version 4) include:

* Local Movies and Events - Customers can now search for show times, critics’ ratings and other details for movies, concerts, plays, sporting events and other social events based on the physical location of their phones.
* 3D Perspective View - Enhances navigation by displaying maps from angles customers would see through car windshields, making it easier to visualize turn-by-turn directions.
* Gas Finder - Provides customers with information on the location of gas stations close to their physical location and even provides gas prices at many gas stations in the area. Once a customer selects a station, VZ Navigator can also provide turn-by-turn directions to the selected gas station.
* Weather - Provides current weather conditions and forecasts based on the physical location of their phones without manually inputting an address.

Pricing

The newest version of VZ Navigator (Version 4) will be available next month for $9.99 for unlimited monthly access or $2.99 for one-day use on select Get It Now®-enabled phones in the Get Going section under Travel & Guides or Featured Apps. In addition, VZ Navigator (Version 4) will also be available on select Windows Mobile devices. Airtime or megabyte charges and specific terms of use apply when browsing, downloading and using the application. Traffic integration is only available in certain areas. Verizon Wireless customers who currently have a subscription to VZ Navigator can get a free upgrade by simply selecting Options from the main screen of VZ Navigator then selecting Check for Updates. For more information on VZ Navigator, visit www.verizonwireless.com/vznavigator.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

VZ Navigator’s traffic capabilities will be available on most major highways in the following markets at launch:

Alabama

* Birmingham
* Mobile

Arizona

* Phoenix
* Tucson

Arkansas

* Little Rock

California

* Fresno
* Los Angeles
* Sacramento
* San Diego
* San Francisco
* San Jose

Colorado

* Colorado Springs
* Denver

Connecticut

* Hartford

Florida

* Jacksonville
* Miami
* Naples
* Orlando
* Sarasota
* Tampa
* West Palm Beach

Georgia

* Atlanta

Illinois

* Chicago

Indiana

* Indianapolis

Kentucky

* Louisville

Louisiana

* New Orleans

Maine

* Portsmouth

Maryland

* Baltimore

Massachusetts

* Boston

Michigan

* Detroit
* Grand Rapids

Minnesota

* Minneapolis

Missouri

* Kansas City
* St. Louis

Nebraska

* Lincoln
* Omaha

Nevada

* Las Vegas

New Mexico

* Albuquerque

New York

* Albany
* Buffalo
* New York
* Rochester
* Syracuse

North Carolina

* Charlotte
* Greensboro
* Raleigh

Ohio

* Cincinnati
* Cleveland
* Columbus
* Dayton
* Toledo

Oklahoma

* Oklahoma City
* Tulsa

Oregon

* Portland

Pennsylvania

* Allentown
* Harrisburg
* Lancaster
* Philadelphia
* Pittsburgh
* Wilkes-Barre
* Wilmington

Rhode Island

* Providence

South Carolina

* Greenville

Tennessee

* Memphis
* Nashville

Texas

* Austin
* Dallas
* Houston
* San Antonio

Utah

* Salt Lake City

Virginia

* Norfolk
* Richmond

Washington

* Seattle
* Spokane

Washington, D.C.

Wisconsin

* Milwaukee

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China Had Better Turn Off Its Firewall During the Olympics, Or Else [Censorship]

With the Olympics coming up, the pressure is mounting on China to turn off its countrywide firewall so journalists can cover the games uninhibited. While it’s a part of the “host city contract” that Beijing agreed to when accepting its role as host of the games, whether or not China will actually follow through has come into doubt with recent censorship surrounding China’s human rights abuses in Tibet. Oh, and, uh, Mr. T doesn’t approve of censorship or human rights abuses. Fool. Am I doing this right? [Reuters]

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Palm Centro hits the magical one million mark

Filed under: Cellphones

Palm’s miniscule and wallet-friendly Centro has managed to reach one million units sold since its launch last September. It got its legs working as Sprint and AT&T’s gateway smartphone at that fantastic $99 pricepoint, and now it’s making a bid for world domination in major markets in Europe and Asia. The one million sales have it nipping at the heels of recent superstar smartphones, the two million plus HTC Touch and the four million plus iPhone, not bad company in the least.

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CTIA Wireless 2008: We’re Here! [Ctia 2008]

iPhone killers, product spam and Windows Mobile 6.1 oh my! It’s CTIA 2008, and we’re here, so there’s lots more mobile (and hot hands on) action where that came from. [Giz at CTIA 2008]

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Toshiba introduces 17.1-inch Satellite L350 Series

Filed under: Laptops

Certainly not the first 17-inch Satellite to emerge from Toshiba’s lair, the L350 Series is aimed squarely at the budget set who still have a thing for screen real estate. The entire family packs a WXGA+ (1,440 x 900) resolution TruBrite panel, Vista Home, a dual-layer DVD writer, integrated WiFi and a built-in webcam with microphone. Based on model, you can also get up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 200GB hard drive, GMA X3100 or ATI Radeon X1250 graphics set, three Sleep-and-Charge USB ports and your choice of an Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 or AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 CPU. If you haven’t already pieced it together, it’s not the specs list that’s impressive here — it’s the $749.99 starting price tag. You get what you pay for, you know.

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Filed under: Robots

HPI Japan just conjured up GR-001’s new best friend: the G-Dog. The DIY, four-legged robot with a taste for jugulars and what appears to be a sword for a tail stands just 5.3-inches tall and features the same control unit and sensors of his bipedal buddy. Presumably, G-Dog will only respond to street-wize greetings of “Whut up Gee?” and “‘Sup Dawg?” at which point he’ll lubricate his turf (aka, your carpet). G-Dog is expected to terrorize Japan sometime in July for around $1,000. Backside front, after the break.

Continue reading HPI’s G-Dog sniffs out your human wreckage

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Via [Engadget]

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Filed under: Robots

Although Pleo just got upgraded to v1.0.2 earlier this month, UGOBE is taking the Life OS to 1.1 and adding a laundry list of features to boot. Initially available for install only through an SD card (download via USB should hit within a few weeks), the update enables your favorite dino pet to sit, sing a variety of melodies, call for attention, get sick (coughing / sneezing) and change attitudes based on how much attention it gets. As these things always go, there’s also the promise of a few unannounced inclusions (”strange habits,” as it were), and it should be noted that previous downloads — Holiday, Love-struck, MySkit, Yapt, etc. — will need to eventually be re-downloaded in new versions to be compatible with the Life OS 1.1 update. Give the read link some attention to check out the changes, and fire up the download while you’re over there.

[Thanks, Caaahl]

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Via [Engadget]

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LG Vu for AT&T Finally Gets All Official [Lg Vu]

LG’s touchscreen Vu hasn’t exactly been a well-kept secret by any means. But now it officially exists for AT&T, in two flavors: one with mobile TV support, one without. It’s got HSDPA 3G goodness and a full HTML web browser, which is hopefully snappier than the last time we saw it. As is popular these days, the touchscreen has haptic feedback, plus three navigation keys. We’ll be putting this head-to-head against any other iPhone-throne pretenders we find at CTIA, if there are any. Vu will be out in May, but perhaps as some kind of April Fool’s Joke, AT&T is not revealing prices, making this almost, but not quite, a complete non-announcement. [AT&T; Beauty Shot (sans T) from Akihabara News]

LG MOBILE PHONES OFFER A NEW VU INTO MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SLEEK TOUCH SCREEN HANDSET DEBUTS AT CTIA

SAN DIEGO, APRIL 1, 2008 — LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A. Inc. (LG Mobile Phones) announced today at CTIA Wireless 2008 the availability of the new Vu™ by LG, a sleek and stunning touch screen handset with a view into mobile entertainment’s newest offering, AT&T Mobile TV. With a large three-inch interactive touch screen accompanied by a minimalist scroll bar design, simplicity is only skin deep. The Vu by LG, offered exclusively through AT&T, is equipped with video, music, and camera features, in addition to offering first-time access to AT&T Mobile TV.

Running on AT&T’s 3G network, the Vu offers access to AT&T Mobile Music which provides fast access to downloadable music from eMusic and sideloading compatibility from Napster-to-go and any unrestricted MP3 audio file in addition to streaming digital radio by XM Radio. Loaded with AT&T Video Share, Instant Messaging, and HTML web browsing with touch navigation, the Vu offers the best of AT&T’s features in a stylish and fashionable handset.

“The Vu makes a strong statement about aesthetics and functionality thanks to its sleek, smooth exterior and its intuitive, three-inch touch screen technology,” said Ehtisham Rabbani, vice president of product strategy & marketing at LG Mobile Phones. “We believe consumers will also embrace the robust entertainment options available via the Vu - benefiting so many busy lives on the go.”

“With all of the entertainment and features of the Vu, including AT&T Mobile TV, this phone is a true remote control for your mobile life,” said Carlton Hill, vice president of Product Management, Voice Products & Affiliate Marketing for AT&T’s wireless unit.

The AT&T 3G network offers download speeds between 600 and 1,400 Kilobits per second (Kbps) and is available in over 265 markets, increasing to nearly 350 by the end of 2008, including all of the top 100 U.S. cities.

Additional features of the Vu by LG include a 2.0-megapixel auto focus camera with video record, and Bluetooth® capability for music, TV and voice. To enhance AT&T Mobile TV experience, the Vu by LG also includes an extendable TV antenna for increased reception. Please visit the LG booth (#449) to check out the Vu and other innovative LG handsets.

The Vu will be available through select AT&T retail locations or at http://www.att.com/wireless beginning in May 2008. For LG’s complete handset line-up please visit: www.LGmobilephones.com.

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Buckle-less Belt Goes Against All T’s Principles [Leather Gear]

Yeah, me again. I got into the Gizmodo office using a trebuchet Hannibal and I constructed from a drainpipe, a coupla ball bearings, some old tyre rubber that I ripped with my bare hands and a buckle-less belt. Now this ain’t no infomercial brought to you on the QVCQVT shopping channel, but I am Mr T and I approve this message. When I first heard about the Buckle-less belt, I thought, “What the hell is a buckle-less belt? Is it like a zipless fuck?

(Sorry Momma, I know you don’t like me to cuss, but it’s it’s a quote from a famous book by a learned author, you know?) And yeah, I guess you’re surprised that I read Erica Jong. Hell, I’m surprised I read Erica Jong. I like her. If you don’t know her, she wrote a book way back in the Seventies, when I was still in ‘Nam—or was I in military prison, framed for a crime I did not commit?—memory’s a bit woozy these days. Anyway, this book, it’s called Fear of Flying, so of course I picked it up. Well, Face gave it to me, actually, said some ladyfriend of his had recommended it. So, I starts reading it, thinking it’ll cure all my travel woes. Nope. No, it had absolutely bugger fuck nuthin’, sorry Mamma, to do with gettin’ on a plane. Well, it sort of is, but it mostly isn’t.

But T’s getting off the subject here. Don’t push him off the buckle-less belt. It’s made by Sruli Recht, it comes in three sizes—three, four and five cm—and four colors, three of which I approve (flesh, bone, rust) one of which I don’t (ash, don’t smoke, kids. And respect your Momma). It’s cut using a jet of water and made in Iceland. Oh, and before I go, get one thing straight, fool, I don’t like Ice. I don’t like Ice-T. And so it goes without saying I probably don’t like people from Iceland. [Cool Hunting]

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Video of the iPhone Pwned project in action

Filed under: Cellphones

Those crafty kids on the iPhone Dev Team have already hacked the 2.0 firmware, but now they’re getting ready to release the oh-so-creatively-named PWNED tool, which takes iPhone hacking to the next level by patching the bootloader to let you load any firmware image you want — even images not signed by Apple. That means custom patched firmware can now be loaded directly from iTunes, which simplifies the jailbreaking / unlocking process tremendously, and also means that a patched version of the 2.0 firmware is coming soon. We’re putting the tool through its paces right now and we’ll have a hands-on with it (and the Dev Team’s patched 2.0 firmware) as soon as we get it all working, but check out some highlights after the break, and hit the read link for more info.

Update: Looks like PWNED / Pwned Tool / Pwnage Tool / Pwnage / whatever they’re calling it is being delayed for a week. Bummer. Thanks, Neophytos.

Continue reading Video of the iPhone Pwned project in action

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