Garmin® Astro™ GPS Dog Tracking System

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), announced the Astro GPS Dog Tracking System, designed specifically for sporting dogs and their owners. With the Astro, there’s no wondering where your dog is or what he’s doing,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “There is no subscription or setup fee required to use the device, and when you consider Garmin’s heritage of innovation and reliability, it’s easy to see that the Astro GPS dog tracker is a one-of-a-kind device.”The Astro system has two components: the dog’s transmitter (called the DC 20) and the user’s handheld receiver (named the Astro 220). The DC 20 is mounted into a lightweight neoprene harness that straps to the dog’s collar, around its chest, and behind its front legs. Users can also thread the unit directly onto a standard one-inch collar (a third-party e-collar is recommended for proper mounting) so that the unit fits on the back of the dog’s neck.The system requires very little configuration straight out of the box. Once the transmitter and receiver acquire a GPS signal, the receiver automatically lets users know the location of their dog. Unlike existing radio telemetry collars, the Astro features a dog page that shows the precise direction and distance to a dog – even indicating if it is running, sitting, on point, or treeing quarry – and does it all without the annoyance of beeper collars.The Astro also has a map page to illustrate where a dog is and where it has been – in relation to the hunter – and allows hunters to determine if they have covered nearby ground. For even more detail, hunters can download their waypoints and tracks – as well as their dogs’ tracks – to MapSource® or Motionbased.com™ for analysis on topo maps or Google Earth after the hunt.The Astro can track up to ten dogs per receiver at once, and the collar gives location updates as often as every five seconds. In flat, unobstructed terrain, the Astro transmitter and receiver have an effective range of up to five miles. Battery life is 17 hours on the rechargeable collar and greater than 20 hours on the receiver, which is powered by two AA batteries.For those who enjoy keeping track of bird flushes, Garmin invented the Covey Counter™. Now hunters can mark the precise location, time of day, and elevation where they encountered their quarry. In addition, users can easily note the number of birds flushed and how many were taken. The Astro also comes packed with new hunting-specific icons, to easily mark and identify bird flushes, food plots, tree stands, cover, ATVs, and other outdoor-related features.Besides being a state-of-the-art dog tracking device, the Astro is also a full-featured handheld GPS based on the GPSMAP® 60CSx – Garmin’s flagship outdoor navigator with a sunlight-readable color display and a highly sensitive GPS receiver that works even under a thick tree canopy or in deep canyons. So when the hunting season is over, the Astro can pull double-duty for hiking, boating, or car trips.The Astro has a card slot that allows users to insert optional pre-programmed topo maps or road maps, which can be invaluable in an unfamiliar area. Topo maps give hunters an idea of the most productive areas to hunt, while road maps feature the same basic functions as an automotive GPS navigation unit – even in rural areas. The optional road map data can also give directions to motels, gas stations, restaurants, and even veterinarians.The Astro also calculates area, which is ideal for determining the acreage of a piece of property or the exact size of a food plot. The unit has location-specific sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset tables (ideal for determining legal hunting hours) and a hunting and fishing calendar that suggests the best times to be out in the field.The Astro GPS Dog Tracking System includes a DC 20 transmitter, Astro 220 receiver, harness, user’s manual, power/data cables, Trip & Waypoint Manager CD, and a carrying case. The Astro is expected to be available in June 2007 .

Raymarine’s 45STV HD Reels in High Definition Capabilities

Merrimack, N.H. and Miami International Boat Show, Miami, Fla. – February 15, 2007 – Raymarine, Inc., a world leader in marine electronics, today announced the availability of the 45STV HD Satellite TV Antenna System, a High Definition (HD) system for Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) compatible satellite television receivers. The fully automatic, marine stabilized antenna allows users to enjoy High Definition programming, exclusively from DirecTV, beamed to their vessel while at the dock or on the high seas. Composed of the 45STV High Definition Antenna and the HD Antenna Control Unit, the system delivers exceptional functionality and entertainment with its razor sharp HD digital programming. Expanding on the 45STV system introduced in February 2006, the new 45STV HD features a Dual Low Noise Block (LNB) design that supports multiple receivers, allowing the captain to monitor the weather on the helm display while others enjoy the game on a monitor below deck. The 45STV HD includes technologies, such as DBT (Dynamic Beam Tilting) and WRS (Wide Range Search), to provide uninterrupted HD satellite television reception in almost any weather condition. With a footprint of 19.2 inches in diameter and a weight of only 31 pounds, the 45STV HD makes crystal-clear HD satellite television reception a reality for vessels of all sizes. The HD Antenna Control Unit (ACU) also features a LCD display and keypad for manual programming. “The coveted High Definition experience is finally available to boaters with the 45STV HD, bringing an entirely new dimension to enjoyment on the water,” said Terry Carlson, president of Raymarine. “We initially incorporated the popular HD technology into our HD Digital fishfinders in 2003, representing a huge leap forward from analog technology. We’re thrilled to be expanding our HD capabilities by now offering consumers access to this in-demand technology via their onboard TVs.”To complete installation of the 45STV HD, customers will need to purchase and activate a DVB compatible satellite TV receiver and install a television monitor or other suitable video display. Systems with more than two televisions will require the use of an active antenna multi-switch, which is sold separately.

NANOV announces its new 20.1” Waterproof Outdoor LCD TV

Nanov Display, Inc, a manufacturer and marketer of security and marine products announces its development of 20.1” waterproof outdoor LCD TVs – Model Number: NKLT201DGWP, the industry’s first immersable liquid crystal display television. The addition of new products is further evidence of the company’s commitment to provide innovative technology as a display supplier in the Security and Marine industries. NANOV’s quality products are designed and engineered to complement today’s advanced product development using an engineering team of boat builders and experienced TV manufacturers. Nanov Display products are made by South Korean TV manufacturers.
Major features of this product are:
• High Brightness: 1000cd/m2 to view outdoor sunlight circumstance
• Aluminum Housing: Heat transfer and protection from salt corrosion
• Poly Carbonate glass: protection from scratching
• Waterproof: Vacuumed circuit boards
• Connectors: Rubber shielded connectors

Nanov Display, Inc plans to market new products products which are used in swimming pool areas at hotels, outdoor back yards at home and Oceanside shops, restaurants and bars in addition to cockpit areas on yachts.

Garmin Teams with Ford to Sell nüvi Navigators

OLATHE, Kan./February 6, 2007/PR Newswire — Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), today announced that Ford Component Sales, LLC, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) will begin offering the nüvi 680 with MSN Direct and the nüvi 360 – two award-winning personal navigation devices – in Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury dealerships across the United States.“We are delighted to help Ford offer its customers the most advanced personal navigation devices available,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “Selling GPS navigation at the dealer level gives Ford the ability to offer its customers one of the hottest emerging technologies today – and it’s available to customers when they’re already in a buying mood.”"We want to provide our consumers the latest in portable navigation technology, and Garmin has the products that fill that need," said Mike Suchodolski, Ford Licensed Accessories manager. "Consumers can now get another great automotive product through their local Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealership, and enhance their overall driving experience. The MSN Direct services and dynamic trip routing are amazing and they can save you time. Consumers will also love the other great features the nüvis have to offer."The nüvi 680 is Garmin’s top-of-the-line navigator that features a super-bright 4.3-inch touchscreen and dynamic data from Microsoft’s MSN Direct network. The unit receives up-to-date traffic incident and flow information for major cities across the United States. Once a motorist programs a destination into the device, MSN Direct traffic data helps select a route that saves drivers time by avoiding traffic accidents, road closures, and construction.The nüvi 680 with MSN Direct also receives gas price data from over 100,000 gas stations across the nation. Drivers will always know where to get the best prices – and save time and fuel by using their unit to navigate directly to the station of their choice. In addition, the nüvi 680 features current weather conditions, three day weather forecasts, and even displays movie show times for area theaters.Ford will also offer the nüvi 360, a smaller (3.5-inch display) navigator that does not display MSN Direct data. Both devices incorporate easy-to-use turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions that speak street names — making it easy to find your way anywhere in the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico. The two nüvis feature Bluetooth wireless technology – allowing users to send and receive phone calls through their device (for supported phones). Both units also feature an MP3 player, audio book player, language translator and travel guide capability, currency converter, world travel clock, and more.The Ford-branded nüvis also feature a custom splash screen and database of Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealerships and Quick Lane™ service centers across the US. The units will be sold in a special Ford Official Licensed Product branded retail box. The portable unit easily mounts to any Ford Motor Company vehicle, and can be used for pedestrian navigation as well.The Ford-branded nüvis will be available at the end of March. Ford dealerships will display interactive point-of-purchase displays and collateral materials that highlight nüvi’s many features.