Motorists using Magellan Navigation Inc.'s portable navigation device anywhere in the world will be able to connect with Google Inc. business listings and search functionality, the GPS maker announced Sunday.

The Magellan Maestro Elite 5340+GPRS, being unveiled at this week's International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, will be among the first global positioning system devices to feature GPRS cellular capability. Several other GPS device makers, including Dash Navigation Inc., are expected to show navigation products with connectivity features at CES, too.

The connectivity allows users on the road to get information such as real-time traffic conditions, local events or where to find the cheapest gas.

Destination addresses and other information can be wirelessly sent to the car-navigation device from PCs or Web-connected gadgets.

The Maestro Elite 5340+GPRS will be Magellan's premier GPS model, with a price tag of 1,299 U.S. dollars, is scheduled to launch by the end of March. The GPRS service will be available for a yet-to-be-determined monthly fee.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2008)