Waypoints – January 20, 2007

I’ll start this edition of Waypoints with GPS reviews that I’ve updated in the past week, then move on to GPS stories in the news and more.

GPS reviews

• DeLorme Earthmate GPS PN-20 review – I’ve added a link to the excellent review posted at GPSReview.net.
• Garmin nuvi 350 review – The nuvi 350 is reviewed by This, That and the Other Thing.
• Garmin nuvi 360 review – I’ve linked to a very brief review posted on iJourney.
• Garmin zumo 550 review – I’ve added a link to a zumo review posted by Gaj-It.com.
• Magellan eXplorist 200 review – GunMuse has posted a review of this unit.

GPS in the news

• The Chinese fired a missile, shooting down an aging satellite,
  and setting off a round of concerns that other countries’ satellites
  (including GPS birds) could be in jeopardy if a space arms race ensues. Or maybe they didn’t shoot one after all.
• A GPS theft sting operation.
• And if you’re going to steal a cell phone, you better make sure it’s not also a GPS tracking device.
• I wonder if the TomTom that Wal-Mart gave to Prince was one of their many returned GPS receivers. Can you say re-gifting?
• Indigenous people using GPS in the Amazon.
• Can your GPS save the environment?

GPS software, firmware, data and maps

• I’ve added MTBGuru.com to my GPS data search engine.
• NAVTEQ has launched Map Reporter, so you can report mapping errors and changes.
• The Garmin blog gives us a close look at their travel guides that include restaurant reviews. Looks great but I think it should be standard (and pre-loaded) on a nuvi.
• Garmin has posted firmware upgrades for the nuvi 610, nuvi 660, 76Cx, 76CSx, 60Cx and 60CSx.
• Garmin has also posted updated Mobile XT for Palm OS software and a new version of nRoute.
• Lowrance has posted an iFinder H2O firmware update.
• Thanks to Allory for the info on the above firmware and software upgrades.
• Meanwhile TomTom has released version 6.56 for the TomTom ONE.
• DigitalGlobe will provide satellite imagery for the Lowrance iWAY 600C.
• Free Geo Tools continues to generate solid content with posts on using GPS Trackmaker as a way to transfer data to and from Google Earth, and a post on exporting GPS data to GIS.
• Mapopolis is discontinuing their PDA software.
• MAP THIS! is now supported has been hacked to work on PSP. Via Engadget.

GPS hardware

• Details on the new Garmin Forerunner quick-release bike mount.
• PSP navigation on a motorcycle.
• The Sydney Morning Herald compares four GPS devices. The winners were the TomTom ONE and Garmin StreetPilot c510. The losers were the Mio Digiwalker C510 and Navman N40i.
• Ricoh releases a new GPS-ready camera.
• A Bluetooth mouse-type GPS with a Traffic Message Channel (TMC) receiver.
• GPS navigation on a Nokia Internet Tablet.
• File under rumors…A Palm GPS Navigator 3 kit may be forthcoming.
• The Sportsman’s Blog lists their top ten favorite new products from the SHOT Show and the top three are GPS receivers!
• SureShot will unveil their next generation golf GPS later this month. You can read more about GPS for golfers here.

Cellphones and GPS

• Using your Treo as a GPS navigator. Via Digg.
• Here’s an interesting article on mobile social networking. Via Digg.
• ComputerWorld reviews MapQuest Navigator (AKA Telmap Navigator) for Sprint-Nextel handhelds.

Googley

• Google Maps Australia gets its own domain. Via Google Maps Mania.
• Google Earth Blog goes over some basics in setting up Google Earth options.