Destinator and Merian Scout Create Guide

30 August 2007, 12:22pm

Munich, 30 Aug 2007 - MERIAN Scout has turned to Destinator Technologies to provide
the navigation software for its new MERIAN scout NAVIGATOR – the world’s first travel guide that integrates satellite navigation, tourist information and audio information in a single device.

Travellers can now take just a single device on their journeys in the knowledge that the MERIAN scout NAVIGATOR will deliver them quickly and safely to their destinations whilst providing the richest information, both visually and audibly, along their route. When on foot, Navigator also provides users with walking tours around historic sites and cities.

All useful travel information is provided with a geocode that can be activated when the user comes within reach of the interesting landmarks and features. Thus - for example - audio commentaries are played automatically when walking or driving by one of these attractions.
This feature is based on the latest version of the Destinator navigation software developed by Destinator Technologies. It not only provides the user’s position via satellite, but also the navigation information for the location of the relevant local tourist content. Destinator can also integrate the pre-installed multimedia travel guide within the navigation, including all of the comprehensive travel information in text, picture and voice.

The MERIAN Scout NAVIGATOR’s multimedia travel guide features more than 1.5 million points of interest (POIs) such as airports or gas stations plus over 30.000 POIs especially selected by the editors of the magazines “Merian” and “Feinschmecker” - including tourist landmarks, hotels, restaurants, shopping or leisure activities. In addition,
there are more than 800 especially recorded ‘drive-by’ and ‘walk-by’ audio guides regarding tourist highlights in Germany - in total about 30 hours of recordings.

The ‘drive-by’ guides are audio guides for special tourist highlights which are indicated by special brown signs on the German motorways. Tourist highlights in cities are included as ‘drive-by’ audio guides.

In order to calculate the best time to play audio guides, MERIAN scout NAVIGATOR uses its embedded SiRF Star III GPS receiver to identify its current position in relation to the motorway off-ramp leading to the landmark. The actual speed of the car is also considered so that the driver still has time to take the right exit to the landmark.

The MERIAN scout NAVIGATOR uses Navteq maps with full European coverage (Q1/2007) which are pre-installed and includes TMC with TMCpro as an option. The MERIAN scout NAVIGATOR is immediately ready for use after unpacking and offers the fast routing and rerouting which Destinator is renowned for.

Press Contact:
Destinator Technologies
Colin Ashcroft
PR Manager
Tel.: +49 89 960 571 0
Fax: +49 89 960 571 10
eMail: cashcroft@destinatortechnologies.com

www.destinatortechnologies.com

Geo: International