Leadtek Research will continue to make the second-generation Blackbird portable navigation devices (PNDs) for Alpine Electronics of America, with shipment volumes expected to total 100,000 units in 2007.

Recent market rumors indicated that Leadtek might lose the Blackbird orders to rival makers in China and South Korea due to lower-than-expected sales of the first-generation Blackbird PNDs, which were made by Leadtek.

Total sales of the Blackbirds PNDs in the US and European markets reached about 30,000 units in 2006.

In contrast to the first-generation PNDs, the new GPS-enabled devices will be built using SiRFStar III GPS chipsets, instead of the Atlas II ARM9 chipsets from Centrality Communications.

Leadtek is expected to start shipping the new PNDs to Alpine Electronics by the end of March or in the beginning of the second quarter.

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