Can you summarize the history of navigation and how it relates to today's technology?: For as long as man has been mobile the need to know how to get from point A to point B and back to point A has been important. About 3500 B.C. man began sailing ships to travel and carry goods from one place to another. Travel in those times was limited to coastal travel; ships stayed within view of the shore and did not venture into open waters ("Early Navigation Tools," n.d.).
Improved mapping technology that that can be licensed to web sites and electronic device manufacturers will be a driving force as well in the GPS and PND industry.
What will be a likely future for PNDs?
With the ability to find and map locations available through many devices like in-car navigation, internet mapping services, smartphones, tablets, and a host of other sources. Devices dedicated strictly to navigation are rapidly fading into oblivion.
Walk into any electronics store and the choices for buying a PND are rapidly dropping along with the prices. Like the Palm or the VCR the PND will not exist in the very near future. Mobile communication will all but take over this industry.
In an article by Andy Brudtkuhl he points out, “If I was a PND manufacturer not focused on the future of mobile computing / mobile web services I would do so right away because that's what all the competitors should be working on. While R&D is working on mobile solutions I would only target frequent drivers or partnering with auto manufacturers to create brand awareness. I really like what Garmin has done in this industry by personalizing their brand and targeting nontraditional GPS / PND owners like soccer moms” (Brudtkuhl, 2007).
Apply as many TCOs to Personal Navigation Devices as possible.
This prompt doesn't seem malicious.