Nokia N78 is another multimedia computer phone unveiled at MWC 2008 in Barcelona.The Nokia N78 offers various features, including integrated A-GPS, WLAN and high-speed HSPDA 3G connectivity, a 3.2MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and support for microSD up to 8 GB. As with most other Nokia A-GPS phones (except 6210 Navigator) you’ll have access to free maps from Nokia but for turn-by-turn directions and voice guidance you’ll have to spend more money.

Other features of the N78 include geotagging of photos and an integrated FM transmitter that allows music to be played on any FM radio, in a car or at home.

Nokia N78 will hit the market in Europe first in the second quarter of this year and will cost around 350€.

GPS navigation system manufacturer Nextar seems to have a new model in their lineup called Nextar I4 BC.

Let’s start with the basics: I4 BC has a 4.3″ touch screen, SD card slot for extra memory, pre-installed maps of 50 states and Canada, and 1.6 million POIs. In addition it has built-in speakers, and text-to-speech function.

And then the software has a couple of add-ons such as the speed alert system, MP3 player and JPEG viewer. What’s unique with I4 BC is that it comes with a rear view camera; a feature we’re not used to seeing right out of the box.

We hear the price ranges somewhere between $300 and $600

At Mobile World Congress today Eten revealed a new PDA phone with GPS, 3G+ as well as a keyboard: the glofiish M810.

M810 is in addition to its big brother the glofiish M800, but in contrast it will not have VGA (640×480), and the design changes with a different keyboard that has two Windows Mobile buttons.

Here are the rest of the features as far as we know:

• Integrated SiRFStar III GPS receiver compatible with A-GPS technology
• Quad band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), GPRS, EDGE Class B, Multi-slot Class 10, 3G and HSDPA (3G+) with 3.6 Mbps (850/1900/2100 MHz)
• FM radio
• integrated RDS/TMC traffic information
• Samsung SC32442 processor at 500MHz
• 2.8″ touch screen
• QWERTY
• 64 MB of RAM
• 256 MB of ROM
• Integrated 2MP camera with autofocus, flash and 4x digital zoom
• 0.3MP camera on front side for video conferencing
• Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
• MiniUSB 1.1
• microSD HC port
• Removable Lithium-Polymer of 1530 mAh battery
• Mobile Windows 6 Professional
• Dimensions: 11×5.9×1.8 cm

The Nextar I4-BC has a 4.3 touchscreen, and works directly from the box. All a user has to do is turn it on, and it figures out exactly where he or she is in minutes. The menu is simple to use, and easier still to enter an address and get going. The text-to-speech vocally guides the driver along the way, and recalibrates quite quickly if a wrong turn is made.

The best feature of the I4-BC is the included back-up camera. This tiny camera syncs wirelessly with the GPS device, and is powered by the brake light. This means that every time a driver shifts the car into reverse, he or she sees exactly what the camera sees on the GPS screen.

The Nextar I4-BC is available wherever GPS devices are sold. I have not seen a consistency in price, and have seen them for as low as $300 or as high as $600.

Here is a GPS tracking system designed for the elderly, chronically ill, and such. GeoSkeeper comes with quad-band GSM/GPRS module, built-in microphone and speaker, and of course the GPS receiver. What you can do with this is set geofencing for your absent minded grandpa and get a text message if they wonder to far.

Fitted with a distress button and integrated active GPS system, it can activate a warning signal when needed, provide accurate location tracking and get immediate assistance when and where it is needed.

geoSkeeper allows the user to make phone calls when in distress; it has speed dial buttons which can be programmed in to call a close relative or even a doctor. This GPS tracking system plus GSM phone just came out at an electronics show in Barcelona and we do not know how much it’ll cost just yet

Looks like the XDA Orbit 2 has just been launched into, well, orbit by O2 in the UK. Its predecessor, the Orbit hit the market a couple of years’ back, so here’s a new one for those who want to stay ahead of the technology curve. Some of the features available on this Windows Mobile 6 smartphone are :-

• Weight: 130g (including battery)
• Measurement: 110 (L) x 58 (W) x 15.5mm (T)
• GPS in-built (Global Positioning System)
• GSM: quadband (850/900/1800/1900)
• UMTS 2100/850/1900MHz
• FM Radio: 76-108MHz
• Standby time: upto 400hrs for GSM, upto 450hrs for UMTS
• Talk time: upto 7hrs on GSM and upto 4hrs on UMTS
• Media playback: up to 8hrs for WMA and 12hrs WMA
• Operating system: Windows Mobile 6 Professional
• Screen: 2.8″ 240 x 320 QVGA touch screen
• Internal antenna
• Memory: Micro-SD, RAM 128MB, RAM 256MB
• High Capacity Micro SD support (up to 32GB HC)
• Built in Bluetooth 2.0
• Camera: 3MP, auto-focus
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Navigation software: Copilot Live 7

VIC LTD has a new in dash car PC called NaviSurferII. What makes the Navisurfer so interesting is that it is probably the only car PC out there that fits in a single DIN slot in your car and still has a 7″ touch screen display.

NaviSurfer II comes in three different configurations - 40GB, 80GB, and 120GB with different RAMs as well. It it up to the user what kind of software - or even operating system will go on the NaviSurfer. Which means you can definitely have a GPS navigation software, or a rear view camera, or anything else you can think of.

The price isn’t all that bad for Navisurfer either, ranging between $580 to $660

Leadertone of China had a new GPS navigation system on display back at CES 2008 in Vegas this year.

Called LT-GPS9100C, this device features a 4.3″ screen from Innolux, 64MB memory, USB client and host, SD card slot, and integrated speakers.

To top it all off LT-GPS9100C also integrates bluetooth, almost making at a high-end sat nav system. And another good thing is that the battery is replaceable. There is no news about LT-GPS9100C making over here to the U.S. but from the screen shot we can see that it has already made it to Saudi Arabia.

Some Czech site is reporting on a new Samsung G810 that is going to embed a standalone GPS receiver chip.

G810 will support high speed networks (3.6MPs) and have a 2.6″ QVGA TFT display which work well with the 5MP camera with a 3x optical zoom (any other phones out there with an optical zoom?).

Expect this to be officially announced next week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and start saving about 580 € to cover the cost.

Here are the rest of the features:

• GSM/UMTS/3.6 Mbps HSDPA connectivity
• Symbian 9.2 OS with S60 3.1 UI
• 150 MB of memory and microSD memory card slot
• Wi-Fi b/g
• Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, USB 2.0 (microUSB connector)
• 1200 mAh battery
• Dimensions: 104×52.9×18 mm

Pioneer AVIC-F500BT - now known as NavGate 500 was just made official yesterday.One of the main innovations with NavGate 500 is the size of the screen measuring 5.8″ - which we believe is a record as far as portable nav systems go. NavGate will have 800×480 pixel (WVGA) resolution, just like HP iPAQ 310, and Garmin nüvi 5000.

NavGate 500 integrates a hands free Bluetooth kit from Parrot, an RDS/TMC module for traffic information, voice commands, a processor running at 600 MHz and of the course the SiRF StarIII GPS chip.

It will ship with maps from TeleAtlas covering 30 European countries including Greece, Poland, the Czech republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia, Romania and Turkey.

Another feature with NavGate 500 will be the ability to connect to your car stereo through Mosfet 50 amplifier which should provide a very good sound quality. Also AV, USB port, iPod connection, and an SD card slot are standard with NavGate 500 allowing you to connect various external audio and video devices.

Pioneer NavGate 500 will hit the market in May and will sell for 699 €