Gizmondo, subsidiary of Jacksonville, Florida-based Tiger Telematics has released further details of the location-based services to be made available via MapInfo Corporation.
The MapInfo location services platform, Envinsa, will provide a range of capabilities including mapping, routing and geocoding, which will expand the functionality of the Gizmondo to include functions such as Where Am I, Find the Nearest, Tracking, Geofencing, and Panic Button functionality.
Importantly, the same MapInfo Envinsa platform will be used to provide essential data for location-based games, like the groundbreaking Colors game where a player's physical location is represented, tagged and expanded in the game environment. The platform will also be used for providing 'closest participating store' information for users opting into the revolutionary new added-value Smart Adds system to be launched later this year.
MapInfo Envinsa is available for key Geographic markets globally and will be used to support Gizmondo services rollout initially in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy with other markets including the United States and Australia to follow.
The LBS functionality is just one of the areas that sets us apart from the competition, said Carl Freer, Managing Director, Gizmondo, Aside from the practical applications of satellite navigation and location-based services, this functionality on Gizmondo will take gaming in an entirely new direction.
The Gizmondo is powered by Microsoft Windows CE advanced real-time operating system, boasting a 2.8-inch TFT colour screen with a Samsung ARM9 400Mhz processor and incorporates the GoForce 3D 4500 NVIDIA graphics accelerator. It provides cutting-edge gaming, multimedia messaging, an MP3 music player, Mpeg4 movie playing capability, a digital camera and a GPRS network link to allow wide-area network gaming. Additionally, it contains a GPS chip for location-based services, is equipped with Bluetooth for use in multi-player gaming and accepts MMC card accessories.
The Gizmondo device and its games are currently launching in the U.K. and in North American and Continental Europe markets during the spring of 2005.
