Cingular Unveils 3D Wireless Navigation System On Nokia PDA

Cingular Wireless on Monday made available on the Nokia E62 smart phone an enhanced version of the carrier's wireless navigation system that includes 3D maps and along-the-route searching for businesses and places of interest.

The Nokia E62 personal digital assistant measures 4.6 inches by 2.7 inches by a half inch, and weighs five ounces. The device is the latest to sport Cingular's enhanced TeleNav GPS Navigator, which is also available on the HP iPAQ hw6920 Series Mobile Communicator, the Cingular 8525 and 8125 Pocket PCs, and the Palm Treo 650.

The system displays turn-by-turn directions on color 3D moving maps that stop when the driver does. The maps show realistic images of streets the driver is approaching and passing. Users can pan and zoom the map, and also search for businesses and places of interest along the route.

The TeleNav GPS includes "fuzzy search," which means it will automatically fill in addresses based on current, commonly used locations. In addition, it will automatically revise keywords that the user may have misspelled.

The Nokia E62 is available for $100. The GPS service starts at $6 a month for up to 10 trips.