Oct/Nov 2006

Palm is one of the latest mobile phone manufacturers to come up with a navigation package, which has been launched in America with its Treo 650, Treo 700w and Treo 700p smartphones. Whilst available only in the US and Canada at the moment, it could give a hint of things to come over here.

Interestingly, although the host device is a phone, the system doesn't download maps over the air. Instead, the Tele Atlas maps are preloaded on a 1GB slot-in card, which marries with on-board TomTom Navigator 6 software. So Palm is aiming to make money from the package itself, not any resultant airtime charges.

The one external component is a Bluetooth-enabled SiRFstarIII GPS receiver, which "pairs seamlessly" with the Palm phones, the company says. In use, the system offers the usual visual and voice instructions to the user.

Features include trip planning on the basis of preferred arrival time; speed-limit information; and navigation to names on the smartphone's contact list.