TeleNav releases Shotgun PND

Picking up where Dash left off, navigation software company TeleNav has released its first connected GPS device, the Shotgun.

Two weeks ago, Personal Navigation Device maker Dash, which made a mobile wireless GPS unit, announced that it would be leaving the device market to shift its business toward pure software solutions, as the PND market's growth has slowed dramatically.

TeleNav is taking the exact opposite approach toward GPS convergence. The company made its break in the personal navigation market by providing lightweight but highly functional GPS software for mobile handsets. Today, the company officially announced its first piece of dedicated hardware, an Internet connected GPS unit called the Shotgun.

With a GSM connection to Telenav Connected, the Shotgun has abilities that go beyond the traditional mapping and turn-by-turn directions of GPS-only devices.

Telenav Connected accesses live traffic reports, allowing the unit to plan re-routes on the fly based upon that information. An Internet Explorer and Firefox plug-in allows users to send addresses directly to their device so routes may be pre-planned without having to punch in anything when they get in the car. Points of interest can also be looked up, or feature updates can be done via cellular connection. Some of the first features expected to be added to the service include restaurant reviews, live address sharing with friends, live weather reports, and commuter email alerts.

The first three months of this service are free with purchase of the $299 Shotgun, but then a usage fee kicks in, which can either be pre-paid (amounting to roughly $10 a month) or paid monthly ($11.99/mo).