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Switched On: Zoombak puts your vehicle on the map
March 11, 2008
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment.
As demonstrated by last year’s purchases of map providers Navteq and Tele Atlas, companies are betting big on the future of location-based services. Knowing, processing, and integrating the location of people and things can be a valuable bridge between the digital and physical worlds, but today most of the activity is in the simple direction of cars from a location to a destination.
Zoombak offers a portable unit about the size of a Zippo lighter that integrates a GPS receiver and cellular radio that reports back on its location when queried. The company offers the unit in two packages — one for use in vehicles and the other for use with dogs.
The receivers in both products are identical and the packages are distinguished by their included accessories: the one for pets includes a collar attachment. Unlike that of one competitor, PocketFinder, the Zoombak receiver is not waterproof, but the company offers tips on how to make it better withstand the elements.
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Original post by Ross Rubin