The announcement furthers the efforts of Motorola, IBM, QNX Software Systems, and Embedded Planet to establish MobileGT as a standard automobile-computing platform, just as the PC serves in offices. Target applications include dynamic navigation, speech-based driver interfaces, virtual dashboards, and others. The MobileGT group, however won’t win the car computer battle without a fight. Microsoft, aligned with partner Clarion and others, is touting its Windows-CE-based Auto PC for the same role. And CellPort Labs also offers an auto-computing platform, although it is also based on a QNX OS. All of these computer-industry stalwarts must also realize that the auto industry likes to develop such technologies in house.

TravelPilot uses GPS, CD-ROM maps, an electronic gyroscope, and your car’s sensors to track your every move. The info gets analyzed by a map-matching program and displayed even when satellite signals are partially blocked. If you get diverted because of an accident or traffic jam-or your desire to ramble—TravelPilot quickly calculates alternate routes and usually knows its location to within one car length.

The RNS 149 employs Blaupunkt’s DigiCeiver digital radio and preamplifier technology, which performs all processing in digital after receiving the analog radio signal. The faceplate folds down to reveal the CD player, and an optional steering-wheel-mounted remote lets you control the works with a few easy passes of your thumb. The RNS 149 is $1799.95; the CD-ROM maps are $225 each.

Coollogic, for example, recently released a set-top box called the Internet Ready 7200. Based on Coollinux AE, the company’s Linux-based OS for Internet appliances, the device employs National Semiconductor’s MediaGX processor and can connect to the Internet using a dial-up modem or—via Ethernet—cable or DSL. The box comes with Netscape’s Web browser and supports Java applications and all major plug-ins.

Coologic aims to sell Coollinux AE to OEMs in the Internet device market, but also sees a lucrative market for the device itself among ISPs who want to expand their customer base to non-PC homes.

Ravisent Technologies, meanwhile, has introduced Nucleo, a reference design that gives high-volume TV and monitor makers a foot in the door of the interactive-TV market. According to Mike Harris, Ravisent’s co-founder and chief technology officer, Nucleo helps TV and monitor makers transform their products into consumer Internet appliances. The design features a standard card-edge connector that simply plugs into a mating connector in the host product. Nucleo supports both dial-up and Ethernet Internet connections and provides video output to TVs and monitors.

Then there’s TeleCruz Technology, whose TC702 chip lets TV makers build support for Internet browsing and enhanced-TV functions into new analog and digital televisions. The platform utilizes OpenTV’s Device Mosaic 4.1.0 browser, which includes an ATVEF (Advanced Television Enhancement Forum) client—enabling the delivery of synchronized broadcast and Internet content over both analog and digital video systems using terrestrial, cable, satellite, and Internet conduits.

Working with companies such as Sony, Western Digital, Cirrus Logic, Toshiba, and Zenith, TeleCruz claims it has developed the only platform cost-effective enough to be workable for television OEMs and ISPs. As an indication of the growing desire among ISPs to capture the legions of television-centric consumers, one of Telecruz’s first customers is AT&T WorldNet.