Panasonic announced will introduce it’s hybrid AR Navi device, c/w 1Seg Digital TV tuner, in Japan Oct. 8th http://bit.ly/bGqjk0

See the Dedicated Website Here [JPN]

Panasonic Announces Tabi Navi

Panasonic Corp announced Sept 7, 2010, that it will release the “Tabi Navi,” a new type of navigation device, Oct 8, 2010, in Japan.

The device is targeted at travelers who are 50 and older and enjoy walking around towns. It can also be used as a car navigation system. Panasonic plans to sell it at both home appliance retailers and auto supply stores at an expected price of ¥60,000 (approx US$717).

The Tabi Navi, which means “journey navigation,” comes with data on 80,000 commercial facilities such as restaurants, hotels and shops in 47 prefectures in Japan. It offers information on (1) the buildings around the user’s location, (2) the tourist spots that the user will visit and (3) the routes to the spots.

Moreover, the Tabi Navi is the first car navigation device that is equipped with a camera and can provide augmented reality (AR) services. It features a function to display the names of and distances to tourist spots and landmarks on an image taken by the camera (“Streetscape Camera” function) as well as a function to show the explanation about tourist spots photographed by the camera (“What’s This Camera” function). The Tabi Navi can be used to watch and record 1seg digital TV broadcasts.

Related posts:

1. KDDI to Launch EZ Navi Walk, a Full-scale Navigation Service
2. Time Machine Navi GPS Application
3. Zen-Citi Multi-Lingual GPS Navi
4. Panasonic PEAKS 3G Phone
5. Panasonic and Picsel Tie Up For SD Memory Cards

Some sage advise when entering new turf; Stop, Look and Listen.. it’s also good to secure a local guide. Japan is the cradle of mobile civilization – we have been dedicated to this space since 2001 – trust our archives here offer some useful material.

Domestic activities continue to set the pace, and sharp players are looking at global markets. We have hard-earned industry expertise and trusted network of contacts with access to advanced intell. and potential deal flow. Need a lift.. Ok, buckle-up!