[roopull]

True, Dash.

It's patent-warfare, and it's not a new game. Even if Pioneer believes it will eventually lose the battle, stalling the sale of the newest Garmin devices in the US would be a major victory for them. Generally, these corporations keep plenty of attorneys on hand, so having them file countless injunctions isn't actually an expense at all. This is a no-cost way to battle the competition.

I think it's silly, really. It's like bickering over table scraps while on board the Titanic... AFTER she hit the iceberg. The GPS navigation device market is about to tank & anyone in the industry knows it. Garmin's days in the car-based GPS device market are severely numbered. Sure, they'll likely survive by making devices for planes, boats & other devices, but the days of a GPS device suction cupped to your dash are about to be gone.


We technofiles have been chatting about "converged devices" for years, and while the PC and TV aren't on the cusp of becoming completely converged, GPS devices are. They're being sucked either into the dash via things like Ford/M-Soft's Sync or are being sucked into our phones.


So, why would a GIANT in the auto-electronics industry that dabbles in GPS be concerned with Garmin?



Behold... the G60. That's Garmin's little Nuvi-phone. See, Garmin, although a bit of a slow learner, has figured out that the only way they're going to keep their devices on your dash & under your Christmas tree is to merge their GPS devices with other devices. In other words, they're finally warming up to the "converged device" idea.

Converged devices? Garmin? That, no doubt, has piqued Pioneer's interest. Just when Pioneer thought they were going to knock Garmin out of the ring, they realize Garmin still has a little fight left. If they're going to do phones, today, what's going to stop them from making head-units for cars? If they do that, they're stepping all over Pioneer's bread & butter.


What to do... what to do... stall em!


Quick, someone file a copyright complaint & injunction!!!