Globalsat, Sarantel Bring GPS Navigation To PDAs

Globalsat Technology Corp. of Tawian will use Sarantel Limited's antenna for a receiver that turns PDAs and smartphones into navigational instruments.

Sarantel's geoHelix global positioning satellite antenna and Globalsat's new SD-502 DSIO GPS receiver come with built-in memory, providing internal storage for maps. The companies claim the tools, combined with a SiRFStarIII chipset, allow the antennas to work regardless of orientation.

Microsoft and other companies are offering GPS with mobile technology, but Sarantel and Globalsat said their product, unveiled in England, provides more reliability because of its omni-directional reception.

Sarantel Limited's parent company, Sarantel PLC, is based in Wellingborough, England.