What Happens When You Cross a Mouse with a GPS Receiver and a Flavor of Bluetooth?

One of the most important trends in technology nowadays is to pack as many features as possible into a single device, thus providing users with an extended level of functionality for pretty much the same amount of money. And a very good example comes from Navilock, a German manufacturer of various GPS-related devices, who has just announced the development of the BT-451 Bluetooth GPS Mouse, a device that, beside its basic function, doubles as a pretty powerful GPS receiver, capable of providing relevant positioning information even while indoors.

The most interesting thing about Navilock's cross-gadget is the fact that it "comes into play" only when the positioning function is actually required. In this manner, the user can save battery power on both the GPS mouse and the device it's connected to, namely a mobile phone, PDA, UMPC or portable computing system (notebook or laptop). Moreover, the BT-451 provides very good tracking performance (at least according to the manufacturers), as it incorporates a powerful internal antenna.

Actually, the GPS reception system is the most interesting and important part of the device from Navilock. The company has decided to go against the trend and, instead of using the very common SiRF Star III chipset, it went for the u-blox ATR0635 (a.k.a. ANTARIS 4) high-sensitivity GPS, which provides at least a comparable level of performance. Thus, the device sports a sensitivity level of -158 dBm, can "tap" into up to 16 channels and provides a maximum accuracy level of around 10 meters in 2D RMS mode and of around 2.5 meters with WAAS/EGNOS correction.

As most other devices of this type, the BT-451 is powered by a Li-Ion 1000 mAh rechargeable battery and is quite portable, since it measures around 71,20 mm x 41,80 mm x 21,80 mm. For now, it is available just for the European customers for around 80 Euro (110 US dollars), which is not exactly that high a price to pay for such an interesting and innovative device.

We are just a few, but there are many of you, Softpedia users, out there. That's why we thought it would be a good idea to create an email address for you to help us a little in finding gadgets we missed. Interesting links are bound to be posted with recognition going mainly to those who submit. The address is .