Nick Projects

Recently there was an article on Forbes about how the GPS industry is getting hammered.  Basically,  cell phones are providing much of the same functionality and most people who own GPS systems won’t upgrade.  I agree with both of these points which is why I would like to throw out some ideas for the failing GPS manufacturers everywhere so they can build some better tools for the world to have.

Forbes Article

First:

Dump the idea of buying a GPS device,  instead think car companion. I need a GPS for 3 things: Finding places that I haven’t been before, Finding things along the side of the road when I’m traveling, Getting traffic updates.  My GPS doesn’t actually provide the third function  and I don’t care enough to upgrade it.

• It has an LCD and processor of some kind show digital pictures while I’m driving.  Most people keep GPS devices plugged in all the time weather they are using them or not so instead of being an eyesore  show me something worth looking at.
• Make it a power hub. I have a GPS, an MP3 player, and a cell phone that sometimes needs to be charged and I’m lucky enough to have 2 outlets in the front of my car.  The car companion should expand this number so I can plug in all of my stuff at once.
• Become a media hub as well. Let me plug in my ipod or other device and then rebroadcast the signal in FM and through an auxiliary out.  This way all of my media only takes a couple of cables.  Not to mention it’s way easier hit buttons on a big GPS screen than an Ipod screen while driving.  (not that I do that)
• Add blue tooth and WIFI to the thing. Most people can extend their wireless networks to their vehicles this means that their car companion could be downloading pod casts and other interesting driving content while people have their cars parked over night.
• For the blue tooth add a speaker phone and also allow it to work for internet updates. There are plenty of 3g phones that aren’t Iphones and people who will want basic internet functions not hand held web glory.  Use the blue tooth to allow non-iphone users to play Pandora and other web based streaming media from their car companion rather than their phones.  Cell phones stole your glory;  Take some of it back.

• Add some cool safety functions: Ok,  so we assume you can talk to your cell phone.  Lets kick some OnStar butt.  Find a way to monitor for crashes and automatically dial for help.  If you really want to be cool invent your own satellite based service that does the monitoring so you don’t even rely on cell phones.
• On the safety note, build in a blood alcohol tester.  Also build in some spy tools so that parents can monitor their kids driving habits and locations.  Finally,  put in a time lapse camera so the device captures a rolling 20 minutes of video.  That way if someone runs into you,  you have proof.
• Build in a radar detector. Again,  if I use it in the car it should come with the companion.  Radar detectors are great too, because cops keep updating their technology so people need to update their detectors too.
• If you want to make the coolest radar detector I can think of.  Find a way to broadcast the status information.  If I’m on the freeway and a car 1 mile ahead of me picks up a cop,  make that show up on my GPS screen, and the screen of the person 1 mile behind me.  Make it so your products create a virtual radar web on the freeway protecting users from tickets.  Also set ignore points,  if 7/11 always trips my detector use the GPS to ignore the notice when I drive by 7/11.
• Add position synced todo items.  (I think there’s an iphone app for this).  Sometimes you need toilette paper,  but drive by the store because you always forget about it on your way home.  The GPS should be able to remind you about this while your driving past the store so you don’t forget.  Also the GPS should partner with advertisers to display sales as people are driving by stores.  If Walmart has TP on sale maybe that should pop up on my screen a few miles from the walmart exit.  Finally in a synced world my wife should be able to go to a website and set reminders for me.  So she knows I will be notified when I drive past the supermarket.
• Build a developer API. One of the best things apple did was make it so any programmer and their brother could develop an application and sell it through the ipod store.  Do the same thing,  make it so anyone can expand the car companion and people won’t complain so much about missing features.
• Finally,  build in a solar charger. The device should not constantly draw on vehicle power.  Make it so it charges in the sunny parking lot at work.  That way it has a fresh battery when I need to sync it at night.

There…. That should keep you bussy for some time.  Quit whining about the lack of market for your device. Build a device for the market and you can keep your niche.

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