GPS

GPS could drop off the map as British boffins work on a new location technology that navigates by signals from mobile phones and Wi-Fi. Defense firm BAE Systems is testing Navsop, a navigation system that goes where others can't.

Navsop figures out where it is from a GPS signal, then learns about different signals including medium-wave radio frequencies, mobile phones, televisions, and Wi-Fi to find its way around.

Read more of "Navigate by Wi-Fi and TV signals with GPS rival Navsop" at Crave UK. … Read more

Microsoft's update to the My Xbox Live app 1.5 brought along support for controlling an Xbox 360 straight from an iPhone. (The update was rolled out across all iOS platforms, but for whatever reason, this feature only works with an iPhone.) Here's how to get it to work.… Read more

Google unveiled a full 3D version of Google Earth today.

The service allows users to move around, rotate, and interact with 3D images of cities. Google said it expects the service to work for a few major cities for Android and iOS in the coming weeks.

"We're trying to create magic here," said Peter Birch, product manager for Google Earth. "It creates the illusion you're flying over the city.

The service is expected to cover the location of 300 million people by the end of the year, Birch said. The ultimate goal is to get … Read more

Navigation apps for iPhone and Android are becoming a dime a dozen, and most people find Android's own Google Maps navigation more than adequate. But these apps rely on a data connection, downloading map data as you go. ALK Technologies will be offering a new, free edition of its CoPilot Live navigation app with maps downloaded to the phone.

Although most people use navigation in urban areas where there is a data connection, the advantage of maps stored on the phone is less wait time for your current location to show up on the screen. And if you do … Read more

Let's get one thing straight: this is not a dictatorship. You may have noticed that just below every bright red CNET editors' rating is a cool blue user rating. And just below every review is a place where you, dear user, can make yourself heard by writing a short, sweet user review! Sometimes the editors and the users agree, sometimes we butt heads, but both views are important to the big picture.

Nowhere are user reviews more important than in the GPS category. The core function of the device and the accuracy of its map data relies heavily on the geography and topography of the area where it's operated. A GPS navigator that performs perfectly near the CNET offices in San Francisco may not be as accurate in another city with more tall buildings blocking the sky. On the other hand, maps that aren't 100 percent accurate for our testing area may be perfect near you. That's why it's so important that we hear from our readers.

With that in mind, I've rounded up a selection of the portable navigation devices with the highest average user ratings. If you've got a favorite GPS navigator, pop over to our GPS reviews list and leave a rating! … Read more

Getting from points alpha to bravo is cool. Getting there without going through a mind-numbing traffic jam is just the cat's pajamas!

These days, any old portable navigation device can accomplish the former, but the best differentiate themselves with their almost omniscient awareness of the roads between where you are and where you're going. A good traffic monitoring system can not only save you time, but can also help save you money at the pump and reduce your environmental impact by reducing the amount of fuel wasted idling.

With that in mind, I've rounded up a selection of the portable navigation devices with the best implementation of traffic data and avoidance technology, and even a few quirkier implementations of the tech below for your perusal. … Read more

A growing number of devices aim to track Alzheimer's and other patients who have a tendency to wander. Of course, many of these devices must be remembered to be worn to be of any use.

GPS-fitted shoes, then, seem like one of the most obvious accessories given shoes are generally required for, well, wandering.

Shoemaker Aetrex, with the help of GPS device makers GTX, is now selling its GPS Shoe after it received FCC clearance in September 2011.

The shoes themselves, available for men and women with either straps or shoelaces, go for $299.99 a pair, while the monthly service plan runs $30 to $40.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--I had my first encounter with Escort here at CES this week, and I'm not talking about looking for a date or an inexpensive sedan from the 1990s.

Escort is an Ohio-based company that's been making radar and laser detectors for decades now. This week, its "ticket protection social network for drivers," Escort Live, won a 2012 Innovation Design and Engineering award at CES.

The system is made up of the same kind of radar detector with which you're probably familiar, along with a Bluetooth-embedded "SmartCord Live" cord that connects to your … Read more

Magellan isn't afraid to get a little sweaty, as the GPS manufacturer is getting into the fitness tech game.

Known for its in-car navigation systems, today Magellan introduced its first pair of GPS fitness watches for runners, cyclers, swimmers, and triathletes. The Switch and Switch Up will be on display at CES 2012, with expected availability for spring 2012.

The Switch is designed primarily for runners, according to Magellan, and offers a 1.26-inch monochrome display, a high-sensitivity GPS receiver, and embedded ANT+ technology, so you can connect to third-party heart-rate monitors, foot pods, bike sensors, and so forth. … Read more