u-blox releases revolutionary 1.8 Volt GPS module series for mass market handheld devices

The new GPS receiver modules NEO-5D and NEO-5G operate at 1.8 Volt and are specifically designed for battery powered navigation and tracking devices

Thalwil, Switzerland -- October 1, 2008 -- u-blox, the leading Swiss provider of GPS technology, today announced the release of two new revolutionary low voltage GPS modules NEO 5D and NEO 5G. They are the world’s first modules to operate at 1.8 Volt, which reduces power by 40% or more compared to its predecessors and enable a high level of performance with the lowest possible power consumption.

Based on u-blox' positioning engine u-blox 5, NEO 5D and NEO 5G offer the same features and connectivity options as NEO-5M and NEO-5Q. The modules come in a miniature 12 x 16 x 2.4 mm package and boast the SuperSense® acquisition and tracking sensitivity of –160 dBm. Their ROM-based architecture does not require a costly external Flash EPROM, making them ideal for high-volume consumer products.

While NEO-5D is optimized for low cost thanks to its crystal-based design, NEO 5Q offers KickStart, the ultra-fast weak signal acquisition technology that boosts acquisition performance and ensures fast positioning regardless of signal positions and antenna size.

“With the rising consumer expectations for smaller and more feature-rich portable devices with longer battery lives, we wanted to elevate performance standards and develop a low-cost GPS module that consumes the lowest possible power," explains Thomas Nigg, Vice President Product Marketing at u-blox. “While all alternative solutions operate at 3 Volt, our new modules support the commonly used 1.8 Volt in mobile devices. By doing so, the power consumption of the GPS module can be reduced by 40% or more.”

Like all of u-blox’ modules, the new NEO 5D and NEO 5G support u-blox’ AssistNow, the freely available service that enhances the time-to-first-fix to 1 second.

u-blox will be showcasing NEO-5D and NEO-5G at CEATEC JAPAN, 30 Sep – 4 Oct, Makuhari Messe, at booth 2A31.

Samples of the NEO 5D and NEO 5G modules are available in u-blox' online shop: www.u-blox.com/shop/index.html.

Further information about the new modules is available from: www.u-blox.com/products/u5modules.html.

About u-blox

u-blox is a fabless semiconductor positioning solutions provider for the automotive, mobile communications and infrastructure markets. u-blox develops chips and complete modules based on the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) including GPS and GALILEO. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Switzerland, the u-blox group is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has offices in the USA, in Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. For more information, please visit www.u-blox.com.

u-blox contacts

Thomas Nigg, Vice President Product Marketing
phone: +41 (44) 722 74 70, e-mail: Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! Du musst JavaScript aktivieren, damit Du sie sehen kannst.

Gitte Jensen, Corporate Communications Manager
phone: +41 (44) 722 74 86, e-mail: Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! Du musst JavaScript aktivieren, damit Du sie sehen kannst.