Driving Detours Put a Damper on Thanksgiving; Televigation Lists Top Tech Toys to Make Family Road Trips Easier and More Fun.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2003 Getting lost, or having to divert di·vert v. di·vert·ed, di·vert·ing, di·verts v.tr. 1. To turn aside from a course or direction: Traffic was diverted around the scene of the accident. 2. from an original plan while en route to friends and family, are the biggest pet peeves pet peeve n. Informal Something about which one frequently complains; a particular personal vexation. Noun 1. pet peeve - an opportunity for complaint that is seldom missed; "grammatical mistakes are his pet peeve" for families hitting the roads at Thanksgiving Thanksgiving annual U.S. holiday celebrating harvest and yearly blessings; originated with Pilgrims (1621). [Am. Culture: EB, IX: 922] See : America Thanksgiving national holiday with luxurious dinner as chief ritual. [Am. Pop. , according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Televigation. In a poll of 304 drivers who regularly drive during the Thanksgiving break 48%, or 146, admit to having gotten lost on the way or being forced to take a different route than originally planned. Despite most drivers getting lost because it was their first time to a destination and the area was unfamiliar, 13% still lost their way after having been to the particular destination before. The other major problem experienced by 23% of drivers was having to navigate a new path, because road work or accidents blocked the way on their pre-planned route. An overwhelming 72% said they underestimated the amount of time it would take to reach their destination, with 'sheer volume of traffic' being the main culprit in delaying families. To help drivers and their families get to their destinations quickly and easily, Televigation has suggested five top tech toys to take along on the road: 1. Cell phones -- to update friends and family on progress or to request clarification on directions. Also for passengers in the car to chat with friends to pass the time. 2. MP3 players A digital music player that supports the MP3 format, which was the audio format that started a revolution in online music downloads and distribution. All portable music players, the iPod being the most popular, support MP3 along with one or more other audio formats. -- each family member can listen to the music of their choice. 3. Portable DVD player A handheld device with a built-in DVD drive and flip-over lid that contains a screen, typically 6" to 10" in size. It may support rear seat passenger viewing, in which case the unit is hung upside down from the back of the front seat head rest, and a switch flips screen content 180 -- allows kids to watch their favorite movies in the back of the car. 4. Game boy -- provides hours of entertainment for kids who need to be distracted dis·tract·ed adj. 1. Having the attention diverted. 2. Suffering conflicting emotions; distraught. dis·tract during a journey. 5. GPS-enabled cell phone -- mobile phone with an integrated GPS (global position system) which will navigate the family easily to any destination in the continental US. This is especially helpful if forced to take a different route than planned or if the driver is unfamiliar with the destination area. "There's nothing worse than having an extra long journey at Thanksgiving because you're not sure of where you are going, or a problem on the freeways forces you to take another route," said Salman Dhanani, senior director of marketing at Televigation. "GPS systems are a great way for people to navigate to where they are going. Many people think that GPS systems are either too expensive or too elaborate. The good news is that now GPS comes built into cell phones -- which means it's low cost and easy for anyone to use." About Televigation Televigation is the leading provider of wireless motion-based services, which include GPS navigation See GPS. and tracking. Televigation's technology can deliver voice-interface, feature-rich motion-based services over standard mobile phones and other wireless devices. The company's flagship product A primary product of a company, which is typically why the company was founded and/or what made it well known. For example, MS-DOS, Windows and the Microsoft Office suite have been flagship products of Microsoft. CorelDRAW is a flagship product of Corel Corporation. , TeleNav, is a navigation service similar to the GPS systems found in luxury vehicles, but integrated into mobile phones, costing a fraction of the price. Televigation was awarded first prize in the business and productivity category for Motorola's Developer contest at JavaOne 2003. For more information, visit the company's Web sites at www.telenav.net or www.telenavtrack.net. |
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