Las Vegas-January 10, 2008-SkyGolf, the developers of SkyCaddie, the #1 rangefinder in golf, and u-blox, the leader in high performance consumer GPS receiver technology, announce the development of TruePoint™ precision GPS technology in an exclusive cooperation to provide unprecedented accuracy for golfers.
The SkyCaddie® SG5 rangefinder uses GPS to answer the oldest question in golf, “how far?”, without looking for markers or wasting time pacing off distances. It calculates distances automatically providing golfers with the information they need to play on more than 17,000 golf courses in more than 45 countries. The SkyCaddie is like having a professional caddie in the palm of your hand. SkyGolf’s patented IntelliGreen® technology also allows golfers to measure the full depth and shape of the green from any angle of approach and quickly calculate distances to up to 40 targets at a time, helping golfers gauge distances to hazards and choose the best club for their next shot.
At the heart of the SkyCaddie SG5’s rich functionality is a custom-engineered GPS receiver from Swiss GPS receiver IP manufacturer u-blox. A cooperative engineering effort between ublox and SkyGolf resulted in the advanced positioning technology TruePoint™. In the SkyCaddie SG5, TruePoint™ provides positioning accurate to under a meter and an ultra-fast time to first fix in a small, easy to use, hand-held device with extremely low power requirements. This breakthrough technology provides dramatically more accurate position calculations than conventional GPS receivers used in consumer GPS devices designed for less demanding applications such as hiking, hunting, and boating. The positional jitter and drift, which are inherent to other GPS positioning products and processes, is virtually eliminated, resulting in reproducible accuracy unheard of in consumer GPS devices.
"We have always provided superior GPS positioning in all our products and constantly strive to continue improving our products beyond those available to consumers. We were looking for a high-precision, reliable GPS technology for our newest golf rangefinder products to provide users with all the enhancements technology could bring to their game. We chose u-blox for their high performance GPS engine and experience, and integrated u-blox specific receiver algorithms which culminated in TruePoint™ precision GPS. This new technology, when used in combination with our high-precision golf course maps, gives golfers yet another level of accuracy improvement they need to play smarter, faster and have more fun," said Richard Edmonson, CEO at SkyGolf.
The size of a mobile phone and weighing just at five ounces, the SkyCaddie SG5 is small enough to be worn on your belt like a cell phone and offers a wide variety of user-configurable options, intuitive menus and a rechargeable lithium battery for longer battery life.
"This innovative device is set to revolutionize golfing in the years to come," said Brad Sherrard, Vice President Sales at u-blox America, Inc. "The combination of SkyGolf’s IntelliGreen technology, which offers users an eagle’s view of the green and many intuitive functions, and u-blox’ highly accurate and reliable GPS technology, with its exclusive TruePoint™ precision GPS technology enables the SG5 to calculate distances with unmatched precision. This makes the SG5 the perfect companion for amateur and professional golfers alike."
The SkyCaddie® SG5 is available from SkyGolf’s online shop (https://www.skygolfgps.com/SG_Pro_Shop_Home.aspx) and from Golf Retailers and Pro Shops in 45 countries around the world. (A high-resolution picture is available from www.u-blox.com/news/)
About SkyGolf
SkyGolf is a private company specializing in the development of innovative positioning systems specifically designed for use on a golf course. The systems, designed for golfers, are both accurate and easy to use. SkyGolf is leading a revolution that will change the way golfers play the game. Currently, more than 17,000 courses, including 90 % of all 18-hole facilities in North America are making the benefits of SkyGolf’s SkyCaddie available to their members and guests. This database of SkyCourses – golf courses that have been professionally mapped with SkyGolf’s proprietary ProView mapping process and are available for use with the SkyCaddie – is growing at a rate of 150 per week. SkyGolf estimates that at least 20,000 SkyCourses will be available by spring 2008 including more than 4,000 courses in the EU, South Africa, Asia, and Australia.
About u-blox
u-blox is an international company headquartered in Switzerland and listed on the Swiss stock exchange under ticker symbol UBXN. u-blox has subsidiaries dedicated to sales and customer services in the USA, Singapore and Hong Kong and additional representative offices in China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Founded in 1997, u-blox develops leading positioning technology, products and services based on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including GPS and Galileo, for the automotive and mobile communications markets. For more information, please visit www.u-blox.com.
Contact:
SkyHawke Contacts
Julie Davis, VP of Marketing
phone: +1 858 775 0795, e-mail: jdavis@skygolf.com
u-blox Contacts
Brad Sherrard, Vice President Sales, u-blox America Inc.
phone: +1 (703) 234 5293, e-mail: brad.sherrard@u-blox.com
Alicia Montoya, Communications Manager
phone: +41 (44) 722 74 86, e-mail: alicia.montoya@u-blox.com
