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Press Release: May 10, 2005FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Gumballers guided across Europe by CoPilot Live Sat Nav LONDON , UK � May 10, 2005 ? ALK Technologies, developer of the CoPilot Live Mobile Phone Sat Nav system, announced that it is the official navigation supplier to the Gumball 3000, the world�s most glamorous rally which is set to hit Europe in May 2005. Celebrities such as Quentin Tarantino, Owen Wilson, Daryl Hannah, Jodie Kidd and Caprice won�t need to worry about directions or getting lost as they set off from London to negotiate the twists, turns � and parties during the week-long, 3000 mile, 17 stop grand tour of Europe. This year, the Gumball rally starts in Waterloo Place, Central London on 14 th May, visits Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Dubrovnik, Sicily, Rome and Florence and finishes in Monaco a week later, just in time for the Grand Prix � and Naomi Campbell�s Birthday Party. The 115 participating cars will be fully equipped with the ultimate driver�s assistant: CoPilot Live mobile phone voice-guided satellite navigation, supplied on T-Mobile�s amazing �SDA� Microsoft Windows Mobile powered Smartphone. With the exact itinerary unknown to the drivers, Gumballers will be given a destination at the beginning of each day which they simply key into the phone and start driving. The system immediately works out the complete turn-by-turn route, providing voice guidance all the way to the door. Drivers will be able to choose a voice to suit their mood, including, in true Gumball style, a �Burt Reynolds� VoiceSkin developed specially for the rally by sound-alike sat nav voice specialists Locutio Voice Technologies. Incredibly detailed NAVTEQ street level maps of the entire 3000 mile route, including the latest maps of Hungary and Croatia, are preloaded on the phones, so there�s no need to take paper maps. Happy Monday�s Bez, who drove a black cab on last year�s rally, will have �The Knowledge� all the way across Europe! CoPilot Live�s seamless borderless routing will take Gumballers right across the continent. It even knows the correct side of the road to be driving on and the right direction at roundabouts. If anyone does happen to miss a turn � or tries a sneaky short cut, the system�s intelligent route recalculation will instantly work out the best new route, so there�s no need to worry about getting lost. The system also contains the locations of thousands of petrol stations, car parks, hotels - and even speed cameras, providing local knowledge all the way. In addition to Satellite Navigation, Gumballers will be able to use these powerful Microsoft Windows Mobile-based SDA Smartphones to access their e-mail; surf the web; take pictures; download and play music from the Internet. They�ll even be able to keep in touch with one another via MSN Messenger. It is rumoured that Gumballers will take advantage of CoPilot�s built-in real-time tracking service to enable others to monitor their exact location on a map over the Internet � The SDA Windows Mobile Smartphone with CoPilot Live Satellite Navigation, as used by the Gumballers, is available exclusively through T-Mobile. www.t-mobile.co.uk For more details about CoPilot Live Mobile Phone Satellite Navigation visit alk.eu.com The special edition Burt Reynolds sound-a-like VoiceSkin is available free of charge to existing CoPilot Live Smartphone and PDA based users from www.voiceskins.com About ALK Technologies Ltd ALK?s award-winning CoPilot® Live GPS Navigation solutions transform phones and Pocket PC PDAs into powerful satellite navigation systems with the additional benefit of integrated real-time location-tracking and messaging via the Mobile Network. ALK has close partnerships with leading mobile operators, device manufacturers, automotive manufacturers, systems integrators and technology leaders. European Partners include T-Mobile UK, Motorola, Microsoft, BMW Group, Ford, SEAT, Scania, Mio Technology NAVTEQ and TBS. ALK is the official navigation sponsor to the Gumball Rally, and received Microsoft Partner of the Year 2005 award for Mobility Solutions Sales and Marketing.
About Gumball 3000 Described by Vogue as the most �glamorous rally� that has ever existed, the attraction transcends social barriers, regardless of status or wealth, and has come to represent an aspiration and attitude expressive of living life to the full, with an �air of rebellion�, �notoriety� and a �free spirit� that rarely exists elsewhere today, for many �Gumball is not just a rally, it�s a way of life!� This year the most amazing collection of cars and people from all over the world are taking part; with our ever present hip hop star to supermodel and skateboarder to billionaire diversity, driving everything from Ferrari Enzo�s, Pagani Zonda�s, Lamborghini�s, Porsche GT�s, to old Aston Martin�s, Rolls Royce�s, and even the General Lee. About NAVTEQ NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 1,500 employees located in over 100 offices in 20 countries. Its European headquarters are in Veldhoven, Netherlands. # # # The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
For more details, visit www.alk.com or alk.eu.com |
