MapQuest 4 for iPhone now offers free voice-guided GPS navigation!

 
Google Maps Navigation already offers it, as does Nokia (NYSE: NOK)’s Ovi Maps, and now MapQuest is getting into the free turn-by-turn, voice-guided GPS navigation game. MapQuest has announced that its MapQuest 4 for iPhone app has been updated to give users voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation service for absolutely free! The app will track your iPhone via GPS and alert you when you approach an exit, turn, or other navigation directions. It’ll even reroute you at the push of a button when you miss an offramp.
Google (NSDQ: GOOG) provides free GPS nav service on Android OS-powered phones, which gives Android phones a strong appeal among tech-conscious types on a budget. Nokia also offers free sat-nav through its clunky Ovi Maps for those of you still using Symbian-based phones. Now, the iPhone can lay claim to having a free voice-guided GPS solution of its own.

MapQuest 4 also sports power savings controls. Since using GPS on the iPhone 3G and 3GS can severely tax the battery, the app allows for three levels of power management. With power-management off, the app will keep the handset display fully lit and powered on, preventing the display from locking and shutting down. With low power management enabled, the app will allow the display to dim to save battery power, but will prevent it from locking and turning off altogether. With full power management enabled, the display will dim and turn off like normal.
If you have an iPhone 3G or 3GS running iPhone OS 3.x, you can download MapQuest 4 for free from the iTunes AppStore. Seeing as how it’s free and offers services that you normally have to pay through the nose for, we’d say it’s totally worth the few clicks it’s going to take you to download the app.
credit:http://www.intomobile.com By Will Park

Police Blotter: GPS used to fight speeding ticket

Police Blotter: GPS used to fight speeding ticket

 

An Ohio man is trying to beat a speeding ticket through an unusual defense: claiming that his cell phone's GPS records show he was driving under the speed limit.
Jason Barnes received two points on his license and a $35 fine for allegedly driving 84 mph in a 65 mph portion of Interstate 75 in March 2009. But he says that his employer uses GPS tracking on his Verizon Wireless phone to detect speed limit violations--and those logs prove he wasn't speeding.

So far, Barnes hasn't had much luck. An Ohio appeals court ruled last Monday that there was not enough evidence about how Verizon Wireless GPS alerts worked to toss out the speeding ticket.
"We find that the credible evidence clearly supports the trial court's judgment that Barnes was traveling in excess of 65 miles per hour on Interstate 75," Judge Stephen Shaw wrote on behalf of the three-judge panel. "We cannot find that the trial court, acting as the factfinder in this case, clearly lost its way and created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the conviction must be reversed."
The panel gave more weight to the prosecution's evidence, which included police in an Ohio State Highway Patrol airplane saying they calculated how fast Barnes was driving (no radar gun was used). Barnes claims the logs showed he was traveling at 50 mph, saying the relatively slow speed was because of heavy truck traffic on I-75 at the time.
"Barnes presented no evidence from a person with personal knowledge regarding how the GPS calculates speed, whether there is any type of calibration of the equipment used to detect speed, whether the methods employed by his particular company to detect speed are scientifically reliable, or the accuracy of the GPS' speed detection," the panel said.
It's possible, in other words, that the case could have turned out differently if Barnes had hired an attorney and taken additional steps to demonstrate how Verizon Wireless' GPS tracking worked.
That's happened before. In 2007, an Australian man successfully used GPS data downloaded from his car to show that he was traveling at or below the speed limit. The speeding ticket was eventually thrown out, as was one in England.

credit:http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20001248-38.html

Argyle Style for GPS with Team Garmin(R) versions of Edge(R) 500 and nuvi(R)

OLATHE, Kan., Mar 16, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. /quotes/comstock/15*!grmn/quotes/nls/grmn (GRMN 35.59, -0.32, -0.89%) , the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced new limited-edition color schemes for the aerodynamic Edge 500 and nuvi navigation devices, unveiling argyle designs inspired by the iconic orange and blue patterns of professional cycling's Team Garmin-Transitions. The argyle Edge 500 and a new neutral Edge 500 in black and white will be launched at the Tour of California, included in unique team promotions and also made available at participating local cycling specialty retailers. The argyle nuvi models will be sold exclusively at Tour of California, May 16-23.
"Fashion, function and fun intertwine with these argyle designs, perfect for a lighthearted road trip or a hardcore road race," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales. "Team Garmin has used Edge technology to win professional races around the world, and these new models help us spread the spirit of the Argyle Armada to even more handlebars and dashboards."

Budget-friendly and weighing a mere 2 ounces, Edge 500 features a high-sensitivity GPS receiver, requires no calibration and can be switched quickly between bicycles. It also connects wirelessly with ANT+(TM) compatible third-party power meters. Edge 500 tracks speed, distance, time, GPS position, elevation, calories burned, climb and descent. All of this data can be displayed, shared and analyzed on maps and charts at Garmin Connect(SM). For extra-precise climb and descent data, Edge 500 uses a barometric altimeter to pinpoint changes in elevation. And thanks to a recent software update, available as a free download at www.garmin.com, owners of any Edge 500 can now design workouts with multiple steps based on time, distance, calories, power output or heart rate. This feature also allows them to establish workout targets based on speed, calories, cadence, power output and heart rate.
The sleek and slim Edge 500 combines more data than ever into one device. In addition to syncing with compatible power meters, Edge 500 also pairs wirelessly with Garmin speed/cadence sensors and features advanced heart rate-based calorie computation when used with a Garmin heart rate monitor. Edge 500 also displays temperature readings, changes time zones automatically and alerts riders if they're moving but the timer is not running. With up to 18 hours of battery life, Edge 500 features a low-profile, quarter-turn mount that fits easily on the stem or handlebars. The new argyle Edge 500 is packaged with Garmin's premium soft-strap heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor, bike mount, AC charger and USB cable. The neutral Edge 500 comes with the bike mount, AC charger and USB cable, and it can be paired with the other optional accessories when purchased separately to best suit each specific cyclist's needs.
Thanks to Garmin's Edge products, recreational cyclists have been able to use the same technology employed on the Pro Tour. Now two new promotions help them get a step closer to feeling like they're in the peloton. Throughout the month of April, Slipstream Sports and Felt Bicycles are giving subscribers to Garmin's fitness email newsletters a chance to buy a team replica Felt F1 -- the same model that Team Garmin's pros ride. This bike is built by team mechanics and comes packaged with an argyle Edge 500, full team kit and team casual apparel and is only available while supplies last. Team Garmin fans also can go the extra mile with their argyle at the Tour of California, where this new Edge 500 will be bundled with a replica Team Garmin jersey from Pearl Izumi. For details about these and other exclusive packages and promotions, visit www.garmin.com/teamgarmin and www.slipstreamsports.com.
Also in limited availability at Tour of California, nuvi will get an argyle makeover. Featuring either a 3.5" or 4.3" touchscreen, the argyle nuvi 1200 and argyle nuvi 1300 showcase the familiar intuitive interface, turn-by-turn directions with spoken street names, and the expansive database of more than six million preloaded points of interest, such as restaurants, hotels, gas stations and coffee shops. Travel is made easy through nuvi's ecoRoute fuel-efficient navigation, enhanced pedestrian options and ultra-thin design for unmatched portability.
Cyclists and fans can track Team Garmin's featured rides -- or download, analyze and share activities of their own - by participating in Garmin Connect, an online community of more than 20 million activities around the world. Garmin Connect displays metrics such as time, distance, speed, elevation and heart rate. This information is shown through charts, illustrations, reports and a variety of map representations including street, photo, topographic, and elevation maps as well as the popular Google Earth application. Garmin Connect users can search for activities in their area and try the activities for themselves by uploading the data to Garmin devices.
Edge 500 is the latest breakthrough from Garmin, which has spent more than 20 years developing technologies and innovations to enhance users' lives, making Garmin a household name in the automotive, aviation, marine, wireless, outdoor and fitness industries. For more about features and availability, as well as information about Garmin's other products and services, go to www.garmin.com, www.garmin.blogs.com and http://twitter.com/jakesjournal.
About Garmin International Inc.
Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. /quotes/comstock/15*!grmn/quotes/nls/grmn (GRMN 35.59, -0.32, -0.89%) , the global leader in satellite navigation. Since 1989, this group of companies has designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications -- most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin's products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin, nuvi and Edge are registered trademarks, ANT and ANT+ are trademarks and Garmin Connect is a service mark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
About Slipstream Sports
Founded in 2005, Slipstream Sports LLC is a highly progressive sports management company dedicated solely to promoting the ethical growth of American cycling.
About Team Garmin-Transitions
Team Garmin-Transitions is dedicated to promoting ethical sporting and developing the next generation of cycling champions. Team Garmin-Transitions competes in a full schedule of professional cycling races in the U.S. and Europe. Additional information is available at www.slipstreamsports.com.
Notice on forward-looking statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company's future product introductions are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 26, 2009, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of Garmin's Form 10-K can be downloaded at www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6215044&lang=en
SOURCE: Garmin International Inc.

NYC Grabs Cabbies' GPS Data, Busts Open $8M Taxi Scam

In New York City, a cab driver can be your best friend, regaling you
with tales about the Big Apple of yore, and blasting Boston for an epic
sing-along. He or she can also be your worst enemy by innocently
proclaiming the credit card machine is "broken" after the ride has
ended, forcing you to trek to an ATM, and thus allowing him to get off
tax-free. Apparently, however, the truly seedy side of New York cabbies
has been revealed by GPS, and amounts to a scam of nearly $8.3 million.
Apparently, drivers have been flipping the switch that denotes the
type of ride a passengers is taking in order to fraudulently change
the $0.40 city rate to the $0.80 charged to passengers traveling in
Westchester and Nassau counties. After one rider complained, a
commission was established, and began collecting GPS data from cabs in
order to review trip locations and rates throughout the city. The
commission's findings? A whopping 1.8 million improper fares charged
throughout the city, or the biggest fraud in taxi history.
Now, before you get your collective commuter panties in a bunch, there
is a little bit of a silver lining here. The commission had to sort
through 360 million trips to get its data, meaning the overall fraud
numbers are a paltry percentage. In total, 36,000 drivers activated the
lucrative rate change at least once, but they weren't necessarily all
purposefully deceitful. As cabbie Rana Singh told the New York Times,
"You're driving, your fingers are small, the buttons are tiny."
Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers
Alliance, also told the times that she believes it's a "systematic
failure on the part of the meters and technology." That's perhaps true,
for those among the 36,000 that messed up once or twice. However, the
commission discovered that over 3,000 drivers implemented the hike more
than 100 times. One driver was found doing it to 574 passengers in just a single month.
Agency officials are reportedly ordering cab manufacturers to create a
notification system for when the rate goes into effect. In the meantime, just like anything in New York City,
two lessons can be learned here: a couple bad apples can ruin it for the rest of us; and always know how
much something costs (and, then, what you are actually paying
for it). [From: New York Times]

GPS Study: Walmart Top US Destination; Md. Drivers Use It Most Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/03/10/urnidgns852573C400693880002576E300016DB5.DTL#ixzz0hqmWNuVX

New Global Positioning System (GPS) data released today by GPS-navigation provider TeleNav offers a number of insights into the behaviors--and preferences--of U.S. drivers.

The data, collected randomly from millions of U.S. TeleNav users throughout 2009, suggests American drivers are most frequently searching for big-box retailers like Walmart and Target, as well as a quick caffeine fix via Starbucks. And on a state-level, residents of Maryland are by far the most frequent users of GPS for navigation.

TeleNav customers employ the service via mobile applications for popular smartphones like Apple's iPhone and Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry, as well as via standalone GPS navigation units, like TeleNav's Shotgun.

The top "states" for GPS-based navigation in 2009 were Maryland, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, North Carolina and California, according to TeleNav. In fact, Maryland residents used TeleNav for twice as many trips per month than the national average, according to the company.

TeleNav says its users conduct millions of GPS-based searches a month. The leading U.S. city-areas for GPS-searches were Los Angeles, Dallas/Forth Worth, Chicago, Houston and Atlanta.

And Americans are using TeleNav frequently to help find popular retailers; the most sought-after U.S. businesses in 2009 were Walmart, Starbucks, Target, Best Buy and Bank of America.

Additional noteworthy data includes the most frequently searched for types of food--Pizza in Chicago and Chinese in New York; along with the cities in which drivers most often used GPS to avoid traffic and locate the cheapest fuel--Los Angeles and Phoenix, respectively.

For additional information on TeleNav and its 2009 national GPS usage data, visit the company's website.

And if you're a BlackBerry smartphone user, check out my tips, tricks and best practices for getting the most out of TeleNav for BlackBerry.

Copyright (c) 2010, IDG News Service. All rights reserved. IDG News Service is a trademark of International Data Group, Inc.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/03/10/urnidgns852573C400693880002576E300016DB5.DTL#ixzz0hqmKzIvC

Petraeus Expects Iraqi Leaders to Remain Inclusive

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2010 – Despite sectarian and ethnic differences across Iraq’s political landscape, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus said he expects new Iraqi leaders will continue their previous government’s efforts to employ inclusive coalitions to bridge those divides.

Today marks the second democratic, parliamentary elections held in Iraq since the fall of the late dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003, Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, told CNN’s GPS television news program host Fareed Zakaria.

Petraeus said he would like to see the new Iraqi government be as inclusive as the previous one. That is to say, he said, the new government would continue “to be generally representative of the people, responsive to all the people, and to continue the progress that has been achieved over the course of the last couple of years, again, in the economic, social and political realms.”

The way forward in Iraq, Petraeus said, depends on continued accommodations between Sunnis, Shias, Kurds and other members of Iraq’s diverse sectarian and ethnic population. Iraq’s population is majority Shia Muslim.

“All progress that has been made [in Iraq] to date -– all of the legislation that’s been passed and so forth -- has all required cross-sectarian, cross-ethnic coalitions,” Petraeus said.

Petraeus also expects continued employment of such coalitions in the running of the Iraqi government.

“Because, when you do the math, there’s no way that a prime minister will be elected without a cross-sectarian, and indeed, cross-ethnic coalition developing to elect that individual” and other key legislators.

In a statement released by the White House today, President Barack Obama congratulated Iraqis “for casting their ballots in this important parliamentary election”

Obama praised Iraqis “who refused to be deterred by acts of violence” and exercised their right to vote. Iraqi security forces are responsible for maintaining security for today’s election. There have been reports of some deaths due to insurgent actions.

“We mourn the tragic loss of life today,” Obama continued, “and honor the courage and resilience of the Iraqi people who once again defied threats to advance their democracy.”

Meanwhile, Petraeus told Zakaria, there are now about 96,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. That number, the general said, is expected to decrease to about 50,000 U.S. forces by the end of August.

“And, of course, with the new government in place, there will be the dialogue” between the U.S. and Iraqi governments on future security agreements.

Other topics Petraeus discussed with Zakaria included Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the issue of homosexual service within the U.S. military.

Regarding alleged Iranian aspirations to obtain nuclear weapons, Petraeus said he’s not sure whether the Iranian leadership has yet made the decision to actually develop such devices.

However, the general said, it’s important to realize Iran has been working to acquire “all of the components of a program to produce nuclear weapons” and the means to deliver them.

Many Middle East nations, including Israel, Petraeus said, look at alleged Iranian efforts to acquire nuclear arms as a “worrisome” development. That’s why, he said, the United States and its allies are considering employing stricter sanctions against Iran if it doesn’t come clean about its nuclear aspirations.

Turning to Afghanistan, Petraeus said counterinsurgency operations in Marja have gone well.

“This is a clear, hold and build, or re-build, depending on the damage done, and transition,” Petraeus said of the Afghan-coalition operations in Marja that began Feb. 13.

In order to be successful, he said, the Marja operation has to be seen by the Afghan people as a means of bettering their lives.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has been fully involved in details of the Marja operation, Petraeus said. Karzai, he added, also “has rightly” called into question what occurred when Afghan civilians have inadvertently become casualties of war.

Turning from Afghanistan to Pakistan, Petraeus pointed to the Pakistani government’s realization that internal extremists are directly threatening its existence. Pakistani military forces have been engaging extremists operation in the country’s Swat Valley region.

“That has been a very impressive counterinsurgency operation,” Petraeus said of Pakistani military forces’ gains made against insurgents in Swat Valley.

Pakistan’s leaders, Petraeus said, are realizing the truth of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ assertion that Taliban, al-Qaida and other extremists operating in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region share a symbiotic relationship and belong to a syndicate of terrorism that threatens all law-abiding nations.

Zakaria asked Petraeus about his stance regarding the possible repeal of the 1993 “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law by Congress regarding homosexuals serving in the U.S. military. Defense Secretary Gates has directed a 10-month review to determine the potential impacts across the military if the law is repealed.

Petraeus observed that he’d once served with some CIA officers of both genders who’d been reputed to be homosexual. The general implied that the two CIA officers’ reputed sexual preference didn’t seem to negatively impact their work performance or professionalism.

Petraeus said he’s slated to appear before Congress soon to provide his views about homosexuals serving in the military.

“You, know, I think this is something that can be worked through, frankly,” Petraeus told Zakaria. Other nations’ militaries that allow homosexual men and women to openly serve, he noted, employ “very sensible and pragmatic policies.”

credit:www.defense.gov

Your GPS cellphone makes a Star Trek communicator look like a kid's toy

By Scott Edmonds, THE CANADIAN PRESS


WINNIPEG - So, you've got GPS on your smartphone and can tackle the trip to Uncle Charlie's new house in the suburbs with a fresh sense of confidence.
But are you ready for a trip down the Amazon?
"Interesting, I'd love to do that test," laughs Christ Peralta, head of social location services for Nokia.
"That's a real interesting use case. I wouldn't advise it," says a slightly more definitive Ken Kershner, vice-president of software at Research in Motion's subsidiary Dash.
OK, it was just a thought. And perhaps smartphone GPS isn't ready for the jungles of Brazil, but both men suggest it's perfectly designed for the more urban jungle most cellphone users must deal with every day.
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It's a worldwide navigation tool, supplied courtesy of the U.S. military, that relies on 24 satellites that transmit their location and the current time.
Signals arrive at GPS receivers at slightly different times based on how far away each satellite is from the receiver. With at least four satellite signals, a receiver can then calculate its position. Hand-held GPS receivers are usually accurate to within 10 to 20 metres.
It's old hat now and in use for commercial navigation, helps hunters find their way in the woods and leads fishermen unerringly back to that hotspot they found last year. It continues to grow in popularity as the cost of receivers comes down.
Cellphones have had GPS locators in them since 2005 because the United States decided it wanted to be able to track cellphone location for emergency purposes after Sept. 11, 2001.
While initially the feature just sat there, cellphone manufacturers were quick to make good use of the application. Besides finding out where you are, or where you're going, you can also keep track of your children, post your location to Facebook or find a lost phone.
Manufacturers are always on the lookout for new ways for customers to use their cellphones and there seem to be few limits on the applications. Smartphones already make the old 'communicator' that once seemed so slick on "Star Trek" look like a kid's toy.
"I think the key is to find out what consumers want," says Peralta. "The second step is to make it easy out of the box."
He says that's what Nokia is trying to do with its latest offering for its smartphones: the preloaded Ovi mapping system that makes them into more effective GPS units.
Onboard maps in a GPS-enabled smartphone mean it can function as an independent GPS unit, without connection to a cellphone network.
That's a key feature for anyone who wants to use their GPS-enabled phone while travelling and doesn't want to incur hefty roaming or long-distance charges.
"It can be a travel companion when you travel abroad . . . or can help you rediscover your city," says Peralta. "There are features that require online connections. . . but the consumer has the choice."
All of the new Ovi-loaded Nokia GPS smartphones can function without connection to a cellular network, he says.
Just how popular is the GPS feature in cellphones? A recent Angus Reid survey for Nokia found that 38 per cent of Canadians use some form of GPS device, but most use a traditional portable unit. So far, only eight per cent use it on their cellphone.
But that's already twice as many as use an installed in-car device. The survey of 1,000 people is considered accurate to within plus or minus 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
There have been suggestions that cellphone GPS might someday replace stand-alone devices. Kershner says it can replace the stand-alone units, "in some uses."
"It depends how much value you place on GPS." And, he adds, how much you're willing to pay. Cellphones are pretty near the bottom of the price point, considering what else they offer.

But function is also important and all GPS devices have their requirements and capabilities. The most expensive can cost thousands of dollars and are also the most accurate, using other aids to further refine position to within a metre in some cases.
But what if you want to use your GPS-equipped smartphone in your car, for example.
First, there are power requirements that have to be met. Turning on the GPS chip in a phone means it uses power faster. So if it's being used in a car, it needs to be able to connect to the car's power supply.
If it's used in a car it also has to have a large enough screen to be seen easily or have a good text-to-voice feature, so you can hear the instructions to get to your destination (these are what's generally known as a 'turn-by-turn' GPS guidance system). And be sure to check for d
ap-l
BC-20100303-US-FEA-Food-Tiny-Wine-Bottles, Budget
code:8
Budget
Eds:TastingRoom as one word is cct.
See Photos
CP Lifestyle, Beverage, Retail, Food
Vintners hope tiny tasting bottles will pay big dividends in wine marketing
By Michelle Locke

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NAPA, Calif. - Thousands of people visit the Domaine Carneros Winery each year, snapping pictures in front of the 18th-century-style chateau and sipping wine on the terrace overlooking a sweep of green vineyards.
Now, the winery hopes to extend the experience with new sample-sized bottle kits that aim to send the tasting room experience home - you read the tasting notes, you sip, you rekindle those sensory memories. All without ponying up for a full bottle of untried wine - or stripping down for an airport security check.
"You can stay in Iowa or New York or Miami, wherever you are, and you can have this experience come to you," says Eileen Crane, CEO and founding winemaker of Domaine Carneros.
The idea seems simple enough. You try sample sizes of drapes, mouthwash and wallpaper. Why not wine?
But test-driving wine isn't as simple as opening a big bottle and pouring it into a bunch of little ones, says Tim Bucher, CEO and founder of TastingRoom Inc., which launched last year and is making the 50-millilitre samples for Domaine Carneros.
For one thing, wine is sensitive to oxygen. So if a little bit is exposed to a lot of oxygen, which is what would happen if you merely poured wine through a funnel, that will change the character of the wine. Beyond that, each winery has its own method of bottling, such as "sparging," in which bottles are filled with an inert gas before filling to ensure the right conditions.
Bucher's process involves a patent-pending technology called Total Anaerobic Sample Transfer Environment - TASTE - that aims to replicate what the winery does on a miniature scale. Transfers are conducted in a sealed, zero-oxygen chamber, similar to a semiconductor "clean room," and the goal is to come up with something that duplicates the tasting room experience.
"For us it was never about taking wine from a barrel and just putting it into a smaller vessel. That would not capture the real product that wineries are selling," Bucher says.
While it's hard to say for certain this hasn't been done, sample-size wine bottles appear to be new, says Robert Smiley, director of wine industry programs in the Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Davis. It's too early to say whether the kits will be successful, but they sound like a good idea, he says. "I'm all for innovation."
For Bucher, the power of try-and-buy wine grew out of his experiences at his own winery. Going over the books, he realized, "Wow, my tasting rooms are gold. I asked myself how could I scale my tasting rooms intergalactically."
Another player in the small-is-big trend is San Francisco-based Crushpad, the do-it-yourself winery where individuals can select fruit and supervise the making of small batches of wine to get the vintner experience without the farming headaches (and sizable capital investment).
Crushpad's "Tiny Bottles," also 50 millilitre, use an oxygen-free transfer system and are being used in conjunction with Brixr, a web-based tasting service.
At Domaine Carneros, the kits will be available in the Napa Valley tasting room - price about $25 - and also will be offered to wine club members as a convenient, low-cost way to try wines. Domaine Carneros is primarily known for its sparkling wines, so the six-bottle kits are being used to showcase its lesser-known still wines.
"We think it's a wonderful way for people to reconnect with the winery," says Crane.
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TastingRoom: http://tastingroom.com/
Domaine Carneros: http://www.domainecarneros.com
Crushpad: http://www.crushpadwine.com/
Brixr: http://www.brixr.com

credit:technology.canoe.ca
 

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