 |
The GPS & Location Targeting Trend Is Still In It's Infant Stages
|
If there is one trend that I truly believe in it is GPS and location awareness. This technology is another example of tech developed for the government and military which is finding consumer applications. Not only is GPS extremely helpful, but it will soon change advertising as we know it. The launch of the iPhone 3G with it's new GPS capabilities got me thinking about how this technology is really still in it's infant stages. Last year sent some GPS stocks soaring, but they look to have come back down to attractive levels. There are also a few hidden gems out there still waiting to be discovered by the market.
Garmin (GRMN)
 Garmin is one of the biggest names in GPS because they brought those dashboard turn by turn navigation systems to the masses. The HUGE runup we saw at the end of last year was driven by pure speculation that every car in America would get a new navigation system in their Christmas stockings. In an attempt to leverage it's brand and diversify it's product lineup, Garmin will launch the nuvifone in the third quarter of '08.
SiRF Technology Holdings (SIRF)
 SiRF develops the chips found in many GPS devices. Unfortunately the company was a victim of the big hit GPS stocks took at the beginning of '08. Last year, many of SiRF's competitors were swallowed up by big chip makers who were looking to integrate GPS into their other technologies. The stock isn't looking too attractive right here, but being the last independent GPS technology company around makes them an interesting play.
Navteq (NVT)
 You must have seen it at the bottom of your Google maps, "Map Data Provided By Navteq". This is the company that keeps the worlds maps up to date and accurate. They basically dominate the market and without them, none of this GPS madness would be possible. Their real time traffic data is a recent example of various products the company can offer in the future to attract customers and investors.
GeoEye (GEOY)
 GeoEye is big brother at it's finest. Soon this year, GeoEye will launch it's new satellite capable of taking the highest resolution images of any commercial satellite ever. GeoEye's images already show up on services like Google Maps and are used by many businesses for detailed data on large areas.
Local.com (LOCM)
 This is my favorite play because the stock is so cheap and has so much potential. While it is not a pure GPS play I think it will turn into one. Local.com is a search engine strictly targeted towards local searches. For example you type in your zip code, and pizza to find all the local pizza shops, reviews and ratings. While this is nothing new, data like this will be extremely important when everyone in the united states has GPS in their pocket. There will be no more typing in your zip code when the phone knows exactly where you are at any given time. Imagine sitting in a restaurant and the phone pulling up the reviews and ratings because it knows you are inside. I can see local.com getting bought up by a big phone manufacturer, service provider or even a competitor.
If you know of any other good stocks which will benefit from the trend in GPS and location targeting make sure and share in the comments below. |
|
|
|
Home
Ideas
Tech
Money
Marketing
Other
