e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

[Tinroad]

Re AVN, etc:
In May of this year, Fujitsu debuted the AVN8802D. The AVN stands for Audio-Visual-Navigation, which describes the infotainment capabilities of the unit. It can play CD or MD audio, DVD videos, and provide visual maps via VGA display of mapping data stored on CDs and location data from the GPS receiver; it has no MP3 capability. ( See http://www.fujitsu-ten.co.jp/release/2002/200205201.htm )

The new AVN9902HD adds MP3, two 20 GB hard drives and a Memory Stick reader to the package. Presumably, one of the hard drives is for storing navigational data, etc, while the other drive is for storing MP3 files. Since we only got ~$250 per unit for our contribution of 4000 widgets, IMHO we just supplied the MP3 drive ('MP3 Changer'), probably by either modifying HDs supplied to us by Fujitsu or by supplying the circuitry necessary to control that drive. Since the AVN9902HD sells for a bit over $3000 in Japan, I seriously doubt that we built the entire unit. As to whether voice nav made it into the production unit, there is insufficient data (at least in English) to make that determination at this time. Maybe the topic will be clarified Thursday.