u-blox has announced the release of two new revolutionary low voltage GPS modules NEO-5D and NEO-5G. They are the world's first modules to operate at 1.8 Volt, which reduces power by 40% or more compared to its predecessors and enable a high level of performance with the lowest possible power consumption.

Based on u-blox' positioning engine u-blox 5, NEO-5D and NEO-5G offer the same features and connectivity options as NEO-5M and NEO-5Q.

The modules come in a miniature 12 x 16 x 2.4 mm package and boast the SuperSense acquisition and tracking sensitivity of -160 dBm. Their ROM-based architecture does not require a costly external Flash EPROM, making them ideal for high-volume consumer products.

While NEO-5D is optimized for low cost thanks to its crystal-based design, NEO-5Q offers KickStart, the ultra-fast weak signal acquisition technology that boosts acquisition performance and ensures fast positioning regardless of signal positions and antenna size.

"With the rising consumer expectations for smaller and more feature-rich portable devices with longer battery lives, we wanted to elevate performance standards and develop a low-cost GPS module that consumes the lowest possible power," explains Thomas Nigg, Vice President Product Marketing at u-blox.

"While all alternative solutions operate at 3 Volt, our new modules support the commonly used 1.8 Volt in mobile devices. By doing so, the power consumption of the GPS module can be reduced by 40% or more."

Like all of u-blox' modules, the new NEO-5D and NEO-5G support u-blox' AssistNow, the freely available service that enhances the time-to-first-fix to 1 second.

u-blox will be showcasing NEO-5D and NEO-5G at CEATEC JAPAN, 30 Sep-4 Oct, Makuhari Messe, at booth 2A31.