Freenex blends GPS, media, TV in new nav unit
updated 04:20 pm EDT, Fri May 18, 2007
Freenex Vitas 7000
Freenex today rolled out its VITAS 7000 GPS system for travelers who need maps and entertainment in a single device. Like most high-end systems, it relies on a 7-inch touchscreen and has secondary entertainment functions such as MP3 and movie playback, a 3D navigation mode, and an FM transmitter for broadcasting its sound to a larger car stereo. The 7000's addition comes through digital TV, Freenex explains. A DMB tuner can not only pick up digital broadcasts and claims a distinct picture-in-picture mode: owners can place either the TV feed or the map in a separate overlay at different sizes, letting passengers watch shows without interrupting the driver's route.
Given its local-only DMB receiver, the new VITAS model is likely to remain in Korea in its current form, where it ships for $589. The company does business worldwide, however, and ships the D-Vision 700 within the US. [via AVING]
