(Click here for a larger view of the Glospace SGK-70)Although it had been allowed to fall into disrepair,
GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is being revamped, and three new satellites for the system were launched on Christmas Day. First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov
told the Associated Press this brings the GLONASS satellite fleet to 18 and will allow it to provide service over the entire Russian territory soon. It will not, however, be available worldwide until at least 2010.
According to Glospace, the SGK-70 includes a 12-channel GLONASS receiver and a 20-channel GPS receiver. The dual circuitry allows the device to provide positioning data should either satellite network become unavailable for any reason. Or, says the company, both GPS and GLONASS can be used at once for greater accuracy.
The device has an SD/MMC slot and comes with a 512MB card that includes detailed maps of the Moscow area. The SGK-70 can also receive traffic data from the
Smilink service, and then provide onscreen displays of detours or accident locations, according to the company.
Glospace says the SGK-70 uses a Samsung S3C2440 processor clocked at 400MHz, and it has 64MB of RAM and 64MB of flash memory. Its seven-inch touchscreen display provides a resolution of 480 x 234 pixels.
Unlike many GPS devices, the SGK-70 does not include Bluetooth or an internal battery. However, it does provide an FM transmitter that can send audio to a car radio, plus an A/V input that accepts video from an external TV receiver.
The SGK-70 also offers both USB host and guest ports, so the device can be connected to a keyboard, external hard drive, or digital camera, Glospace says. Dimensions are specified as 7.4 x 4.7 x 1.2 inches (188 x 119 x 31 mm), and weight is 15 ounces (435g).
AvailabilityThe SGK-70 is being offered for sale now, although the initial production run has reportedly sold out. It costs 11,990 rubles (approximately $490).
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