First Turn-By-Turn, Route Calculation and GPS Guidance Solution For Palm m500 Series Premieres at CES

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Wireless Developer Network - Daily News

First Turn-By-Turn, Route Calculation and GPS Guidance Solution For Palm m500 Series Premieres at CES

URL(s): www.thalesnavigation.com

LAS VEGAS, CES, Jan 7, 2002 - Thales (tal-less) Navigation, a leading global provider of GPS solutions including Magellan and Ashtech product lines, will team up with Rand McNally, the leading mapping, routing and travel solution provider, and Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM), a leading provider of handheld computers, to introduce the ground-breaking Magellan GPS Companion(TM) for Palm(TM) m500 series handheld computers, featuring Rand McNally StreetFinder(R) Deluxe Travel Navigation Software and Magellan NAV Companion(TM) software. Shown for the first time during a press conference at CES today, this is the only GPS attachment and navigation software package able to calculate and download a route to a Palm handheld and provide audio-prompted, turn-by-turn GPS guidance on a moving map.

Available Spring 2002, the Magellan GPS Companion for the m500 series and Rand McNally StreetFinder(R) Deluxe will give Palm m500 users the ability to travel with the confidence of knowing where they are and exactly how to get where they're going. In addition to saving time, users save money by realizing premium benefits usually found in higher-priced handheld or vehicle navigation solutions.

"This offering brings together the undisputed leader in PDAs, the leading travel navigation software provider, and the leading GPS innovator, and has resulted in the most integrated all-in-one travel solution available to date for Palm customers," said Dean Senner, President & CEO of Thales Navigation. "Our Magellan GPS Companion and Rand McNally StreetFinder(R) Deluxe will provide an unprecedented level of convenience and extensive, up-to-date travel information. This is the kind of cutting edge solutions customers can continue to expect from Thales Navigation as GPS technology evolves into more mainstream, everyday applications."

"With StreetFinder(R) software and the Magellan GPS Companion, Palm users will always know where to go and how to get there when they need it most -- on the road," said Bob Denaro, vice president of the business-to-business division of Rand McNally. "This partnership allows Rand McNally to showcase its expertise in travel content and software development."

"The valuable capabilities found in the Magellan GPS Companion exemplify the remarkable power of expandability in the Palm m500 Series," said Paul Leeper, director of market development, Palm, Inc. "Not only are we thrilled that Thales Navigation is committed to building quality GPS products for Palm handhelds, but we're excited that customers will be able to combine the functionality of their Palm m500 series handhelds with Magellan's GPS Companion."

Consumers use StreetFinder(R) Deluxe software on their PC and an Internet connection to create route and travel information that can then be exported to their Palm. Maps are matched with satellite navigation information from the Magellan GPS Companion receiver to show the user's position on a map that shows the real-time movement of the user. The Magellan GPS Companion with StreetFinder(R) Deluxe software delivers in-route audio alerts on Palm m500 series handhelds to conveniently signal the next step in the directions, as well as a text version of the complete list of directions.

The Magellan GPS Companion features a lightweight, cordless, 12-parallel-channel GPS receiver that attaches to the back of the Palm handheld for fast position acquisition and satellite tracking, even in urban canyons or under trees. The additional use of Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) satellite correction signals ensures the most accurate position fixes possible so users can know their location within as little as 3 meters. The Magellan GPS Companion communicates with the Palm handheld through the serial port, leaving the expansion card slot available for map downloads. For added convenience during extended travel, an optional 12V power cable features a built-in battery charger.

The Rand McNally StreetFinder(R) Deluxe Travel Navigation software features street-level maps of the United States (excluding Alaska), address lookup and route calculation. Users can create custom maps and driving routes (Internet access required) on a PC and export via HotSync(R) to a Palm OS(R) device. The software has more than one million business listings and points of interest, including dry cleaners, banks and museums, and Mobil Travel Guide(R) rated hotels and restaurants.

Magellan's own NAV Companion software provides comprehensive navigation information so Palm users can turn their handheld into a traditional GPS receiver for finding their way in off-road areas. Great for customers who enjoy outdoor recreation activities, such as hiking, climbing, off-road driving and biking, NAV Companion provides an analog speedometer, a digital compass, and waypoint and route management capabilities so users can store location information and find their way to and from a destination that doesn't appear on conventional maps.

About Thales Navigation

Thales Navigation is one of the world's leading developers and manufacturers of positioning, navigation, communications and guidance equipment with global operations throughout the U.S. and Europe. Thales Navigation markets its Magellan brand GPS solutions in the consumer electronics, recreation, and automotive markets, and its Ashtech GPS and GPS+GLONASS professional products in the survey, GIS/Mapping, and OEM markets. Through its joint venture with Hertz, Thales Navigation has developed the Hertz NeverLost(R) vehicle navigation system. Thales Navigation's key innovations include the first U.S. commercial hand-held GPS receiver for positioning and navigation, and the first handheld GPS with industry standard Secure Digital Memory Card capabilities.

Thales Navigation, headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., is a subsidiary of Thales, a leading professional electronics company headquartered in Paris, France, with activities in aerospace, defense and information technology and services. For more information, visit www.thalesnavigation.com .

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