Is this the future for GPS; are you one step away from your next SatNav being subsidised by advertising companies?

After years of talk sprinkled with a good measure of hype, location based services are still dragging their feet. The GPS industry is still keenly looking for the most suitable business models, Amongst all the noise, is it possible that the push start needed lies in subsidised, even free, handsets?

adNav, a GPS marketing solutions company, has signalled its upcoming launch of Boomerang, an ad supported mobile concierge system integrated with GPS navigation aimed to help both business and leisure travellers while away from home. Scheduled to launch in November, adNav have announced their product at CTIA Wireless I.T. and Entertainment in San Francisco this week.

Powered by Tele Atlas digital map data and content, the system offers unlimited access to services such as restaurant, movie, event and city guides, weather, currency exchange calculators, live flight information and mobile Internet access connected via mobile networks and WiFi. It even contains mobile room service and games to while away the time in your hotel room.

Boomerang will be offered, depending on partner, at little or no cost to the end user.

"The Boomerang will revolutionize the interaction that consumers have with their travel service providers," said Mordy Loksen, Co-Founder and CTO of adNav. "By offering a product with constant connectivity, we have a multitude of exciting applications already and many more in the works that create an accurate, reliable offering that will enhance any trip."

Boomerang will be available to travel service providers through adNav’s partner hotels and car hire companies as an added value concierge service for guests. Local recommendations will be constantly available via a connection through the virtual concierge desk.

When a traveller arrives at an adNav partner hotel or car rental, they will be offered full functioning voice guided GPS navigation, including unlimited access to the web through WiFi and cellular networks.

Additionally, users will have access to hundreds of pages of geo coded city and restaurant guides allowing them to touch the desired destination in the city guide and receive directions through GPS.

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