A keychain GPS for your smartphone?

[slitchfield]

Proporta do seem to snap up some of the best accessory ideas. They've just launched a 'Keychain GPS', weighing only 30g, with SiRF III chipset and USB (and 12V) charging. They claim it'll work from within a pocket, briefcase or handbag, meaning that provided you remember to keep it charged, you can pretend your Bluetooth-equipped smartphone has its own, private, invisible GPS.

Read on in the full article.

[Tzer2]

Gosh, that's enterprising of them!

I suppose one day all phones will have a GPS chip inside them, but for the moment this seems like a very good solution.

[zoltan82]

so far i like my N96 GPS.. i think GPS receiver as separate device will go out of fashion

[dougalzene]

Yes, once they put a more powerful GPS chip inside the mobile, which won't be too far away I'm sure. Problem is battery drain - I quite like separate devices only for the reason that if one dies the other doesn't (directly). A powerful all-in-one is a dream - I guess just couple it with a Freeloader and walk about in sunny climate to keep it all powered up - doh, separate device.

Nice! I usually prefer all integrated in one thing, but a key chain GPS is even better than an integrated GPS. With this small external GPS I can use it with any hardware I'm working on at any time.

Any price?

[Tzer2]

"Nice! I usually prefer all integrated in one thing, but a key chain GPS is even better than an integrated GPS. With this small external GPS I can use it with any hardware I'm working on at any time."

Good point! It saves having to buy several GPS phones.

Tzer2,

According to the NCIS tv series, all mobile phones (in America) already have GPS built-in, which makes tracking the bad guys very easy!!!

[Tzer2]

"According to the NCIS tv series, all mobile phones (in America) already have GPS built-in, which makes tracking the bad guys very easy!!!"

Aha, so NCIS is just as good as CSI at portraying policework in a realistic way. :-)

Even if every phone did already have GPS, it wouldn't make tracking them any easier as GPS units are just receivers. It would be like trying to track someone who has an FM radio.

In fact GPS is totally irrelevant because the police can already track all phones as the network knows exactly which mast you are using at any one time. Nowt to do with GPS at all.

A quick look at the manufacturer website:
* Ex. VAT: £ 51.02
* Inc. VAT: £ 59.95

n/m

So how long until GPS is accurate enough to help me find my misplaced keys? I suppose it could already help you figure out what bar or friend's place you left them at when wasted the night before...

[Tzer2]

"So how long until GPS is accurate enough to help me find my misplaced keys? I suppose it could already help you figure out what bar or friend's place you left them at when wasted the night before..."

You want one of those 1980s keychains that whistles, not the GPS keychain. ;-)