Nokia joins the GPS rush hour

Nokia is the latest consumer-electronics firm to use GPS to follow the money. The Finnish cell-phone maker today announced its entrance into the red-hot car-navigation market with the unveiling of its Nokia 330 Auto Navigation system, which will rely on digital maps from US-based Navteq, rather than those from Tele Atlas found in the new Nokia N95 phone.

The Nokia 330 is expected to compete directly with higher-end GO devices from TomTom, but the list of potential rivals and devices in the GPS market, especially in Europe, is growing all the time. Last week, Dual Electronics, a company traditionally associated with in-car audio, released its second GPS navigation device , while the past few months have seen the release of new devices from Dash Navigation, LG, and Route 66 (which is also partnering with Nokia on the 330), as well as a raft of new GPS products from Sony, including one announced today that can be programmed using gestures.

Source: CNET News.com