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GPS use not high in US

Source - Computerworld

GPS services available in cars, over the phone and in handheld devices are used by only 17% of adults in the U.S., despite recent technology improvements and falling prices, according to an independent survey released today.

"Overall penetration remains relatively low for GPS services," said Milton Ellis, vice president of technology research at Harris Interactive in Rochester, N.Y., which conducted the poll of 1,325 adults from May 29 to June 5.

A continuing decline in the price of stand-alone GPS units might help boost adoption of the devices, Ellis said. Some in-car systems can cost $1,000 to $2,000, while handheld units can run between $250 and $800, according to analysts and a Web survey of several vendors. However, Ellis said the "sweet spot" for many prior popular technologies embraced by consumers has been in the $200 to $500 range.

Ellis said the survey findings show that network service providers and vendors of GPS devices need to focus on promoting the convenience of using navigational tools that have real-time access to Global Positioning System satellite technology. For example, it can be more efficient to use a device that offers real-time directions to an address than it is to look up the directions online and print them out before starting a trip. More >>

Source - Computerworld

Wireless 4G Technology Beginning To Shape Up

Source: In-Stat

[In-Stat reports on the 4G contenders -- LTE, UMB, IEEE 802.16m WiMAX - and the drivers that will influence the uptake of each of these technologies.]

Although an official definition of wireless 4G technology will not be released until the 2008/2009 timeframe in the form of the ITU's IMT-Advanced requirements, there are already clear contenders for the designation, reports In-Stat (http://www.in-stat.com). The primary 4G technologies of the future are expected to be Long Term Evolution (LTE), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), and IEEE 802.16m WiMAX, the high-tech market research firm says.

"Companies are extremely uncomfortable talking about '4G' technologies, since the ITU has not defined 4G yet," says Gemma Tedesco, In-Stat analyst. "However, each of the contending 4G technologies has a cheerleader, with Ericsson touting LTE, Qualcomm preferring UMB, and Intel touting 802.16m WiMAX."

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• Two widely expected requirements for 4G technologies are that they be OFDMA-based, and that they support 100Mbps for wide area mobile applications.

• With the dominant worldwide technology currently being GSM/EDGE, and HSPA and EV-DO handsets not expected to be dominant until 2012, 4G technology roll-outs will most likely start in the 2010-2012 timeframe.

• It is widely believed that mobile operators will initially deploy 4G very slowly, relying on their EV-DO or HSPA networks to provide for more ubiquitous coverage.

• Drivers of LTE, UMB and 802.16m WiMAX adoption will include the following: the re-allocation of older spectrum for 4G technologies; the resolution of any WiMAX IPR issues; the creation of FDD profiles for 802.16e WiMAX; the uptake rate of 802.16e in Mobile PCs; the uptake rate of 3G cellular in Mobile PCs; the continued evolution of the mobile handset; and an increase in the uptake rate of wireless broadband technologies into portable CE devices.

• Realistically, initial implementations of LTE, UMB and 802.16m WiMAX may fall short of throughput and other expectations, with later enhancements, or even some type of technology combination, actually bringing real 4G to the table.

Source: In-Stat