Gasoline pump maker Gilbarco Veeder-Root said Wednesday a new service will let drivers use Google Maps to get directions while filling up at the pump.

Mountain View-based Google Inc.’s mapping service will be integrated into Gilbarco’s Applause media system, which has been incorporated in its Encore pumps with color screens and Internet connections.

“Getting directions at the pump is safer than using Internet-enabled devices from the driver’s seat and far more reliable than just asking a stranger,” Kirsten Paust, VP of global retail systems at Gilbarco, said in a statement.

Participating stations will provide a color screen where users can go online to search for directions and landmarks. A hard copy will be available off the receipt printer.

Gilbarco plans to roll out early next month, initially at about 3,500 gas pumps. (via East Bay Business Times)

The modernized Global Positioning System Block IIR (GPS IIR-M) satellite, launched from Cape Canaveral on Oct. 17, has been declared fully operational for military and civilian navigation users around the globe, following a successful on-orbit checkout by a combined U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin team.

The satellite, designated GPS IIR-17M, is the fourth in a series of eight satellites that bring new capabilities to military and civilian users of the GPS system. Each satellite features a modernized antenna panel that provides increased signal power to receivers on the ground, two new military signals for improved accuracy, enhanced encryption and anti- jamming capabilities for the military, and a second civil signal that will provide users with an open access signal on a different frequency.

Lockheed Martin’s operations team conducted the on-orbit deployment and checkout of all spacecraft systems in just over six days, allowing Air Force Space Command’s 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) based at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., to conduct the navigation payload initialization. The satellite was subsequently declared operational on Oct. 31 for both civil and military users.

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Top Backpacker Destinations Australia
by Explore Australia Publishing

Publication Date – November 2007 / $29.95 paperback / 260 pages / 232 x 168 mm / Colour photographs
ISBN – 1 7411 7235 7

Top Backpacker Destinations Australia is the ultimate guide for budget-conscious travellers wanting to journey around Australia – and want to have fun doing it.

Focusing only on the ‘top’ destinations in every state, the guide has detailed chapters on each capital city and the best touring regions. There is information and reviews on attractions, tours, adventure activities, food, nightlife, budget-friendly accommodation and contact organisations.

With colourful images and colour-coded state sections, the guide is structured so that backpackers will make sure not to miss the best that each Australian region has to offer. The guide is also supplemented by introductory information, including air travel, money matters, working holiday visas and Explore Australia’s ‘Top 10s’.

The back section of the guide features a 40-page, fully indexed Australia-wide road atlas. This atlas section is great for backpackers interested in driving around the country, or for those who simply want a good understanding of the country’s geography.

• Includes all the information that any backpacker would need to journey around Australia.
• Strong focus on ‘top’ destinations, making it easier for backpackers to decide on the best places to visit. Aimed specifically at the backpacker/young traveller market, with information and reviews on adventure activities, bars, pubs and nightclubs.
• Practical information including contact organisations and websites.
• Fully indexed Australia-wide road maps.

Great price point at $29.95 and perfect for the huge backpacker/young traveler market.

via BBC News Online

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, has bought the travel guide publisher, Lonely Planet.

Lonely Planet, founded by husband and wife team Tony and Maureen Wheeler in 1972, publishes around 500 titles that are widely used by backpackers.

The purchase fits in with BBC plans to grow online revenues and expand operations in America and Australia.

Lonely Planet also produces travel programmes and its web site receives 4.3 million visitors a month.

The Wheelers, who owned the business along with John Singleton, will retain a 25% shareholding in the company.

“We felt that BBC Worldwide would provide a platform true to our vision and values, while allowing us to take the business to the next level,” they said.

The amount paid was not disclosed. The BBC said that the deal would strengthen Lonely Planet’s visibility and growth potential. It would also allow Lonely Planet users to access BBC content – such as Michael Palin’s New Europe.

After travelling overland from Europe to Australia, the Wheelers produced their first book, Across Asia on the Cheap, from their kitchen table.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, Oakland and London, with more than 500 office employees and more than 300 on-the-road authors.

Google Maps

Provides directions, interactive maps, and satellite/aerial imagery of the United States. Can also search by keyword such as type of business.

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