Portable GPS Navigation Systems Are Poised to Become the Next Cell Phone

VISTA, Calif., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- It may be true that real men
don't ask for directions, but the time is coming when they won't need
to. No one will ever be lost again, because everyone will have a Nav
system.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060309/NYFNSM01)

At least, that's how it's starting to look, when portable Nav systems
can be had for little more than the price of a couple of iPods ... and
they can play MP3s too!

According to a Coyote Insight study conducted for Directed Electronics
(www.directed.com), 92 percent of Directed's thousands of retailers
carry Nav systems, and 96 percent of them see the Nav market as either
growing or stable.

Portable Navigation systems use Global Positioning System (GPS)
technology to place the user precisely on a map, which can be viewed
on a small color screen.

When you type in your destination, the Nav system will give you
audible turn-by-turn instructions to get you there. And it can also
guide you to a desired "point of interest" like the nearest gas
station, or a specific restaurant.

While driving, the Nav system calculates your location, speed and
direction information from the GPS satellite data and continuously
updates the map with your latest position.

Directed Electronics has been in the GPS tracking business for years,
allowing consumers to locate their vehicle at any time on an internet
map or over the phone.

Now Directed has entered the portable GPS navigation market with the
NAV350, an easy to use, plug-and-go model that comes with a 3.5 inch
color touch screen and the complete USA map on an SD Storage Card.

With 1.5 million points of interest and turn-by-turn voice prompts in
11 languages, the NAV350 (MSRP: $799.99) is ready to help men overcome
their number one problem!

Directed Electronics Inc. (Nasdaq: DEIX) is the largest designer and
marketer of consumer branded vehicle security and convenience systems
in the United States based on sales and a major supplier of car and
home audio, mobile video and satellite radio products. For more
information on the NAV350, please visit www.directedmobilemedia.com
SOURCE Directed Electronics Inc.