Product Review
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Safer driving with the Astrata Dax
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20 June 2010 - New Sunday Times
ASTRATA Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Gophers Technologies Sdn Bhd have collaborated to come up with the Astrata DAx, a premium in-cab driver assistant unit.
One of the leading fleet management system and service providers in Malaysia for commercial vehicles, Astrata, is well known for providing high-end tracking and telemetic systems to fleet owners.
The company understands the need for a front-end system to aid drivers prevent speeding and infringement of company safety policies.
Gophers, using its technical expertise in the field of in-car navigation, designed and built the Astrata DAx device specifically for commercial vehicle operators.
Housed in an unassuming, GPS device body, the DAx uses its GPS functions to calculate the speed and position of the vehicle.
If a driver approaches the set speed limit or exceeds it, the device will give off audio and visual Warnings, prompting the driver to slow down.
"Many of the complaints we received from drivers is that' speedometer readings are often wrong due to its calibration’, says Tong Pow Mun (picture), director and general manager of Astrata Malaysia.
"The DAx device uses GPS to accurately determine the vehicle's speed, and it will save
fleet owners a lot of time and money on recalibrating their speedometers”.
Thanks to its GPS tracking system, drivers will also be alerted to approaching authorised rest stop or accident-prone stretches of the highway.
With the DAx connected through the vehicle's ignition system, the system will begin logging once the vehicle is started.
Before they drive off, the drivers will be reminded to check the vehicle's functionalities according to the company’s standard operating procedure.
One notable feature is the DAx fatigue management, in a form of a countdown timer, which helps drivers to keep track of and prompts them when their next mandatory rest time is due.
"A safety supervisor has told me that the DAx device has helped his drivers cut down on speeding violations as the visual and audio prompts help them keep track of their speed”, says Tong.
"This device can improve vehicle safety and driver efficiency”.
Besides alerts and warnings, the DAx also has "Black-Box" functionality where GPS data is logged at one-second intervals for up to seven days, stored in the DAx internal memory bank or an SD card.
This data can be used for detailed incident and accident investigation when required.
Astrata will programme the DAx to the parameters given by a company.
"Fleet operators have to provide us the information such as speed limits, accident locations, rest hours, and authorised rest stops”, said Tong. "Astrata will customise the device settings”.
The DAx device is designed to be utilitarian, only showing speed, time and driver prompts.
Astrata has already sold more than 200 units before its launch. Among the buyers are Lord Sebarkat, Sani United, MK Haulage, G-Force and LTS Haulage.
"We needed a tried and proven platform for the DAx. Only Gophers met our standards”, says Tong.
The DAx device will be retailing at RM1,200, exclusive of installation.
For more information on Astrata and the Astrata DAx visit www.astratagroup.com, call 03-21637833 or email joann@ astratagroup.com
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No Excuse to Get Lost Now
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June 2010 - PC.com
Gophers VISI-O LITE
Sometimes we have to rely on technology to especially on the road when we get lost on the way and gave up on the map. Gophers has come up with a solution to that problem with a GPS navigation system that gives you MapKing Landmark map software of Peninsular Malaysia and MalsingMaps of West as well as East Malaysia including Singapore. Featuring a 5.0” widescreen display, it plays multi-format audio and video including MP3 and MP4. The device features 3D Landmarks, junction view, land guidance and voice navigation in English, Malay, Mandarin and Cantonese. You can search road names, locations, points of interests and favourites with 2D and 3D map display as well as multiple route options. Look at for the review on page 91.
Losing yourself while driving is the worst thing that can happen. Imagine, bringing your in-laws to the Cameron Highlands, and you need to go to a particular place that can only be found using a map ... or GPS. There are several makers of GPS devices on the market; one of them is a proudly local brand, Gophers. Today, we will be seeing their latest model for sale, the VISI-O Lite.
First off, the looks. While it will not be featuring itself in any vogue magazine, the design itself is quite stylish and it can fit in any car decor. The large 5 inch screen looks fabulous on the dashboard, with the included screen mount. The screen is clear and sharp ... unless there is a bright sunlight shining on it, and then it washes out. But then it is the nature of TFT LCD screens so it is not something to worry about.
The screen is a resistive touch screen, which is accurate enough to be used with your fingers
(it worked really well with my big fingers). Navigating the device is also easy, thanks to the large icons and click area which allows users to press the intended functions fast and easily. This also helps when playing back media on the VISI-O Lite as it supports video and audio files. It even has a FM tuner when you want the audio prompts to be heard via your car audio system rather than the built-in speakers.
The VISI-O Lite uses the latest Mapking software for its navigation duties and uses the Malsingmaps for its map data. The map itself is accurate about 99%, but it can be updated easily via an easy download and onto the included SD card. Also included in the software are lane prompts - a visual aid where the system will show you where to enter a ramp on a highway for example - perfect for those who are visiting a location for the first time. For the record, I managed to get a clear satellite signal just less than 15 seconds after a cold start.
However, there are some annoyances I found when using the Gopher. For one, the startup sounds (in fact all of the sounds) on the device sounds very tacky, and loud. While you can turn down the volume in the settings, it also turns down the audio prompts volume at the same time. Not very good if you ask me.
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The Bare Necessity
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March 2010 - PC.com
Gophers Quatr-O Lite
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Get that property!
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October 2009 - Property Issue 10
Relax. With a Gophers GPS showing you the way, you can locate the property you're looking for, wherever it may be. Houses. Condominiums. Shops. Offices. Industrial parks. In the City. Outstation. New areas. Almost anywhere! Gophers uses satellite technology to guide you (it speaks to you in your language!) to your destination. No more wrong turns. No more asking strangers for directions. No more being late because you lost your way! Just put a Gophers GPS in your car. Turn it on. Select a destination . And within seconds you're on your way.
YES! NO fees. NO installation. NO subscriptions.
Just buy and use. GOPHERS GPS Navigation Systems will guide you there!!!
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Quatr-O GPS Lite
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March 2010 - Pro Tuners Volume 3
After a year of releasing their 'QUATR-O' lineup which bagged PC Magazine's "Gold Choice Award" last August, Gophers will be releasing the latest addition of the 'Lite' version this month. With economic practicality in mind, the QUATR-O Lite takes a more straight-forward approach, featuring mainly the basic navigation and software functions from the original version. Functions like Bluetooth capability, FM receiver, wireless reverse camera and external radar detector interface have been left out since not everyone would utilize them. Utilizing MapKing's latest 3D navigation software on its SiRF Atlas IV 533mHz GPS server, the device is reasonably effective and accurate when it comes to getting you places, as well as pin-pointing your location and speed.
The interface may take some time to get used to it, but it is quite easy to operate once you get the hang of it. You can count on the vibrant 4.3in touch screen and powerfully built-in speaker to feed you with sufficient audio/visual information that you need. It is easy to see that the device's solid built and sturdy mount was carefully thought out, designed for shock absorption and durability. Despite this being the Lite version, it still retains software and multimedia features like the speedometer function, games, media player and other goodies. As far as our consideration goes, the Gophers QUATR-O Lite would be one of the more 'worth-it' GPS gadgets in its price range.
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