Dual Electronics will ship in November one of the first kits to convert an iPod Touch to a portable navigation device.
The kit is designed to enable the estimated 24 million iPod Touch devices in the marketplace to receive a GPS signal for turn-by-turn directions and to also use other location-based service apps, said Dual president and CEO Jim Braun. TomTom’s recently introduced GPS kit, for example, only works with the iPhone and not the Touch.
The Dual system includes a snap-on module and a window mount kit plus a GPS app. The module snaps on the back of the Touch and includes a GPS receiver and rechargeable battery. It also has a built-in speaker to amplify voice prompts for turns, and it includes a mini USB port and audio-out jack to connect to a car stereo. It uses a NavAtlas turn-by turn app that is based on the G-Map app and also comes with a windshield mounting kit.
The Dual GPS Navigation & Battery Cradle offers pronunciation of street names, maps of the full United States and Canada, and 2 million points of interest at $179.
Magellan also introduced an app and kit that work with the iPod Touch and iPhone. TomTom’s iPhone-only kit is $119 plus $99 for the app.
