We're (so) looking forward to the day when we Americans don't have to look longingly at the amazing navigation units that pop up every month or so in South Korea, but until that fateful day arrives, we'll continue drooling courtesy of the Easycar U7. This screen-dominated conglomerate features a 7-inch LCD, DMB TV tuner, 19-millimeter thick frame and an integrated multimedia player / text viewer. All that for just ₩199,000 ($191)? Nah, we're not envious at all.

[Via Techie Diva]

Dying to get your eyes and fingers all over Mio's GPS-incarnation of KITT? Can't hardly wait to hear the voice of the voice of the original KITT barking directions at you? Well you're in luck, friend. Radio Shack has apparently begun taking pre-orders for the Knight Rider-branded satnav, which they claim will be available to own come September 24th. Ready to go? Get your credit card out, then prepare to be $269.99 lighter and 40 percent nerdier.

[Thanks, Jason]

There's nothing wrong with Alpine's new $550 PND-K3 Portable Navigation System, which was first unveiled at CES this January, there just isn't anything too stand-out either. The unit runs a 4.3-inch screen, sports maps of North America and related islands, includes a 3D view and 6 million points of interest, vocalizes turn-by-turn directions and street names, does Bluetooth hands-free and has moderate MP3 and WMA capabilities off its SD card slot. The "big" feature here is menu and map customization via 8 selectable color schemes, but the lack of live traffic info this price range isn't winning Alpine any points. If you're finding all this appealing, you should be able to pick one up as of today.

In no way are we insinuating that farming is ever "easy," but a new headset designed for cows could make cattle herding a much less stressful experience. The Ear-A-Round headsets are the product of a project involving the USDA and MIT, and essentially, the GPS-infused devices would transmit stereo sounds directly in a bovine's ears in order to guide and direct his / her movements. Strange though the head-worn gizmos may look, the built-in solar panel should keep it juiced up and ready to dictate on command, giving farmers the ability to track and herd from the comfort of their computer desks. The overriding goal here is to "improve animal distribution on the landscape," though we can think of quite a few other positives to having such a robust virtual fencing system.

[Via Core77]

Okay, so the vast majority of you won't be needing a navigation unit that also provides pertinent information while cruising several thousand feet above your nearest freeway, but for the amateur pilots out there looking for the best of both worlds, take notice. Bendix/King's AV8OR is a self-proclaimed handheld Multi-Function Display, which gives pilots "enhanced situational awareness" by providing "real-time satellite weather information, topographic terrain and aeronautical navigation information." You'll also find more traditional GPS capabilities suitable for ground transportation routes, and the 4.3-inch display ought to be large enough for most. 'Course, the $749 price tag will likely keep most non-pilots at bay, but those thinking of picking up an ultralight aircraft probably won't flinch at such a comparatively minute figure.

Garmin's Oregon 400 nav comes in a few different flavors depending on how you like to experience the outdoors, but the essential 3-inch touchscreen package is the same, and it looks like it's a winner -- the folks at PC Magazine just put the 400t variant through its paces, and found that it's an "excellent hiking companion." Of course, for six bills you'd damn well better get a sensitive GPS receiver with quick acquisition times, but the 400t also impressed with solid battery life on just two AAs and easy set up. Of course, as an outdoor-centric PND, the highway guidance features are a bit lacking compared to devices like Garmin's Nuvis, but if you're looking to tromp around the woods in style and you've got cash to spare, it sounds like the Oregon series is worth a look.

Somehow this doesn't surprise us. According to a statement released ahead of Garmin's Q2 earnings call, the company says it will be delaying the release of its Nuvifone from late 2008 until the first half of 2009. In the press release, the satnav-maker says it has "found that meeting some of the carrier specific requirements will take longer than anticipated," and claims it is "working toward making necessary design changes to meet their requirements." Here's hoping the bump stems from these minor niggles with carriers, versus trouble with the phone itself, which was running only a partially operational OS last time we saw it.

[Via GPS Tracklog]

Navigon's 2150 Max isn't revolutionary in terms of design nor specifications, but it does feature a rather delicious list of features for just £229.99 ($458). All-too-trusting UK motorists can look forward to a 4.3-inch display, pre-loaded maps of 39 countries, built-in Bluetooth, text-to-speech and support for live traffic information. Oh, and in case our header was unclear, it's shipping this very moment in time.

[Via BIOS Magazine]

Your morning iPhone news fix: looks like Apple's seeded a beta of firmware 2.1 (not to be confused with the supposed 2.0.1 that will fix the myriad bugs and issues with 2.0), which may have some new GPS features that would imply turn-by-turn directions. No argument from us if Apple really is including new Core Location hooks for tracking your direction and speed, which would both be needed for doing proper GPS navigation.

Another bit which may or may not make it into 2.1 is copy/paste. We're still both hopeful and skeptical, but supposedly in the new version of the WebKit framework exists commands for "plugins," "copy," "paste," "cut," and some others. We can't confirm if these really exist (and if they do, we don't know how they've actually been there, or if they're simply holdovers from the desktop WebKit frameworks), so don't hold your breath. Also supposedly making its first appearance in the 2.1 beta code: Apple's push notification service.

Oh, and by the way, if all this has whet your appetite for the device, sounds like today will be a bad day to try and snag one. Apple's retail site shows absolutely zero iPhone availability in the US, so if you're jonesing then check out eBay or the seedy looking dude on the corner with the overstuffed trenchcoat.

Update: Looks like the stores have been updated in the last hour, many have stock. Game on!

[Thanks to Cameron and everyone who sent these in]

Read - Apple all out of stock
Read - New GPS features seeded?
Read - 2.1 getting background push?

For those who spend just as much time getting lost in the forest as they do on the highways, Garmin's nüvi 500 holds quite a bit of promise. Combining four modes covering cycling, boating (optional), driving and walking, this waterproof navigator has nearly every walk of life covered. GPS Magazine recently got to spend some time with the Q3-bound unit, and not surprisingly, it came away very impressed. On the roads, this device performed just as admirably as any other Garmin unit. When traveling off the beaten path, things were just as great. The only real knocks on this were the added bulk / weight and the omission of text-to-speech, but true adventurers aren't apt to care about that when consolidating four GPS devices into one.

[Thanks, Fletch]

Only John Koller knows how serious John Koller, Sony's senior marketing manager for PSP, was when mentioning that GPS-enabled games could eventually hit the PSP, but he definitely threw it out there. Speaking about the forthcoming GPS add-on for the PlayStation Portable, Koller stated that said module "changes the dynamics of GPS but also changes the way developers think about games on PSP, because you can start integrating GPS into it." He continued on by mentioning that Sony's own first-party studios were "already looking at a number of things [involving GPS in games]," and concluded by asserting that a GPS game could land on the system as early as next year. Considering just how long we've been waiting for the add-on, we're not holding our breath on the titles.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

Sure, Garmin's new nüvi 500 series can get you from point A to point G on paved and well-lit highways, but that's not the (whole) point here. Instead, these rugged (and waterproof) navigators are geared up to take to the trails, waterways and sidewalks with one-touch transitions between driving, bicycling, boating and walking modes. The 500 includes road maps and topographic maps for the lower 48 US states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, while the 550 touts comprehensive street map coverage of the US and Canada. Both devices boast a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a removable, rechargeable battery, Garmin's "Where Am I?" feature and geocaching support to boot. As for USers, you'll find the 500 and 550 on sale in Q3 for $499.99, while those across the pond will see the nüvi 550 land this September for £299.

[Via GPSTracklog, thanks Rich]