Clarion MiND MID Gets GPS Focus

Clarion's MiND MID, refreshed for Computex earlier this year, has had another polish and been rolled out at IDF 2008 this week.  The company now appears to be shifting the focus of the MiND a little, away from a pure MID and describing it more as a GPS device that also has internet browsing and media functionality.  While that could be dismissed as mere semantics, it might help give Clarion an edge selling the MiND to a public more familiar with touchscreen GPS devices than than they are with MID.Check out the video demo of the Clarion MiND after the cut

Under the hood lurks the usual suspects: Intel's Atom CPU (here running at just 800MHz), WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0, together with a GPS receiver, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of flash-based storage.  The touchscreen is 4.8-inches and 800 x 480 resolution.  The MiND lacks any sort of 3G or WWAN data connection, and Clarion intend users out of WiFi hotspot range to tether their cellphones (either by cable or by Bluetooth) for a connection.

Software wise, the MiND runs a Linux OS with homegrown navigation, media and document viewers.  There's also Google Maps and Google Earth, a MySpace and YouTube viewer, and an email client.  The navigation software comes with Points of Interest, and uses the onboard amp and speaker for real-time POI and turn-by-turn directions.  Further POIs can be found online.

Clarion apparently intend to launch the MiND in the US in October; they are yet to discuss price, but previously mentioned the $700 mark.  The company has not discussed the 3G version announced at Computex.

[Release via CrunchGear; Video via UMPC Fever]