> > http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061109/ap_on_hi_te/ > autos_mobile_internet_1 > > Surf 'n' ride: Access the Net in the car > > By SARAH KARUSH, Associated Press Writer Thu Nov 9, 12:44 AM ET > > DETROIT - When Stephen Devine drove with his family from their home > in Massachusetts to New York City, he spent two frustrating hours > trying to find a place to park his 9-foot-high camper van, which > won't fit in most garages. In the end, his 17-year-old daughter > found a place to park online — and she didn't even have to leave > the van to do it. > > Devine's van is equipped with TracNet, a system that allows > passengers to access the Internet on a vehicle's video screens. > Launched in September by Middletown, R.I.-based KVH Industries > Inc., TracNet brings the Internet to the installed screens in a > car, truck, RV or boat. It also turns the entire vehicle into a > wireless hot spot, so passengers can use their laptops to go online. > > Devine — who also purchased KVH's satellite TV system, called > TracVision, when he bought his camper a month ago — said the value > of in-vehicle Internet became obvious at that moment in New York. > > "For me, that just paid for itself, because I was five minutes away > from going home," said Devine, of Hanover, Mass. > > KVH also makes TracVision, which provides satellite TV service in > vehicles and boats; TracPhone, a satellite communications service > for boats; and precision navigation and guidance systems for the > military. The company had 2005 revenue of $71.3 million, including > $49 million in mobile satellite sales. > > While TracNet is still very new, KVH spokesman Chris Watson said > there has been interest from owners of recreational vehicles and > boats. He also predicted the service would be a hit with car > services, which see it as a way to provide a new convenience for > customers. > > But KVH believes the demand has the potential to be much wider. > Watson cited research by J.D. Power and Associates which found that > more than half of full-size sport utility vehicles, 40 percent of > luxury SUVs and 40 percent of minivans now come with video screens. > > "Once a video screen shows up, people have a preference for live > content," Watson said. > > Art Spinella, president of Bandon, Ore.-based CNW Marketing > Research, which specializes in the auto sector, agreed. > > "A large percentage of folks under 40 would like to have in-car > access to the Internet, rather than just on their cell phone or > BlackBerry," he said. "If it's priced right, there's a market." > > The current price is $1,995 for the automotive version of TracNet. > The system operates on Verizon Wireless' high-speed network, which > costs another $60 to $80 a month. There is also a $10 monthly > charge for MSN TV, the service from Microsoft Corp. that brings the > Internet to TV screens. The consumer provides the screens. > > An MSN TV portal provides access to e-mail, instant messaging, > weather maps, chat rooms, news and other features. While Web sites > outside of the portal are fully accessible, most are not formatted > correctly for TV screens and may not look quite right, even though > the content is all there. Another limitation is the system's > dependance on the Verizon network: Where there is no cell phone > service, there won't be any Internet access either. > > As with TracVision, TracNet can be used on a screen visible to the > driver only when the car is in park. When the vehicle is in motion, > that screen automatically switches to navigation. > > Devine, 48, purchased TracNet for his camper van with both personal > and business uses in mind. He heads an architecture and > construction management firm and plans to put the camper at a job > site for a contractor to live out of. > > "If he wanted to go online and e-mail us or look up some > information," the contractor would be able to use the TracNet > system to do it, Devine said. > > Robert Ramsden, of Key Largo, Fla., said he purchased TracNet for > his boat as a way to let him cruise more and still manage his > business. The 67-year-old and his wife own four Intelligent Office > franchises, which provide "virtual office" services to businesses. > > Previously, if the couple wanted Internet access on their boat, > they would have to pull into a marina and hope it had wireless > access. TracNet has made that unnecessary. > > "It works really well," Ramsden said. "My wife and I both could be > on the boat with our laptops, and just log in, and use the wireless > capabilities of it." > > But Ramsden said the idea of mobile Internet in a car wouldn't hold > much appeal for him. > > "Our car is what we go back and forth to work in," he said. > >
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