Waypoints – May 17, 2007

Welcome to the Mother of all Waypoints edition of Waypoints, for there is a ton of news to report. That will teach me to go 12 days without doing this!

GPS craziness across the pond

• Care to inject your kids with a GPS tracking chip?
• You may have already seen this — girl drives onto train track, stops, gets hit by train. Blames her GPS of course.

TomTom

• The TomTom GO 910 has won the Engadget GPS device of the year award, sweeping both the editors and readers choice awards.
• Did TomTom tell a fib about WAAS?
• TomTom HOME gets a Vista update.
• TomTom will release a simplified GPS — the DumDum (satire).
• Buy a TomTom at Best Buy and get a free Navtones voice download.

Garmin

• Garmin launches GPS Academy.
• Wanna preview the newest Garmin TV ad with Yao Ming?
• Garmin reminds us that you can "try before you buy," but you have to rent a car to do it!
• Garmin intends to acquire its German distributor.
• GPS Magazine reviews the Garmin Travel Guide.
• Garmin will offer 100 scholarships annually, worth $5,000 each, for students studying electrical or computer engineering.
• Garmin has posted firmware updates for the nuvi 310, 350, 360, 370, Quest, Quest 2, StreetPilot c310, c320, c330, and c340.

Other GPS Hardware

• Mio C220 reviews on GpsPasSion.
• A cool concept device – an e-paper GPS navigator. Via Digg.
• GPS Magazine reviews an Otterbox, designed to ruggedize and protect various consumer electronics devices.
• MSNBC compares several GPS units — the Garmin StreetPilot c580, Magellan Maestro 4000, TomTom GO 910, Harman Kardon GPS-500 and Navman N40i.

GPS satellites

• Galileo is generating signals. Or is that its death knell?
• I want my MTV GPS. My very own. Satellite.

GPS and cell phones

• Sprint doesn’t want you using Google Maps for Mobile. Via Digg.
• Ask Mobile GPS makes a big play for the mobile market. Via Digg. Here is a review and commentary.
• Mapping software options for the Blackberry 8800.
• CNet reviews the Palm GPS Navigator car kit, giving it a 7.0 out of a possible 10 rating.
• Blogging China on a Nokia N95.

Do it yourself

• Connect your Garmin to a Nikon D200.  Via Ogle Earth.
• If that’s too easy, try building your own quad copter to take aerial photos.
• A DIY GPS jammer. Via Digg.

Maps, data and software

• Canadian vector data is now available for free.
• A list of free GPS software. Via Digg.
• HP announces mscape, a location-based experience software suite and website.

GPS and Macs

• GPSNavX — a marine / Mac solution.
• Linking your Mac and Magellan eXplorist.

Virtual globes

• Yahoo Maps moves to a new platform. The Yahoo Maps upgrade includes directions in Europe.
• US Forest Service boundaries in Google Earth.
• Terrain-shaded relief in Google Maps.
• Embedding Google’s My Maps on your own web page.
• Half of all Dutch people have used Google Earth. They must be WAY ahead of the U.S.
• Google has established its own blog for Google Maps and Google Earth. Via Google Maps Mania.
• Google Earth version 4.1 has been released. Via Using Google Earth.
• Show township and range in Google Earth.
• Ever wonder where you can meet someone halfway between two locations?
• Change the default start location in Google Earth.

Updated reviews

• Garmin Forerunner 305 review – GearDigest compares the Forerunner 305 with the Timex Bodylink.
• Garmin nuvi 200 review – The first user reviews are showing up on CNet and Amazon. Also, note that the nuvi 200 is now available at GPS Now.
• Garmin nuvi 360 review – GPSLodge has posted a review of this still popular unit.
• Garmin nuvi 670 review – I’ve linked to a hands-on review at GpsPasSion, detailing one user’s experience in Europe.
• Garmin nuvi 680 review – I’ve posted a link to a couple of mini-reviews of the nuvi 680 written by consumers. GPSInformation.net has updated their nuvi 660 review to include the 680 as well.
• Garmin StreetPilot c580 review – Matthew Miller of ZDNet tried the c580 and liked it a lot.
• Garmin zumo 450 review – The first user-written review has been posted at Amazon.
• Lowrance iWAY 600C review – PCMag.com gives a 3.5 out of 5 star rating. Meanwhile, GpsPasSion has started a user-written review thread.
• Magellan eXplorist 100 review – GeekDad calls this unit "kid-friendly."
• TomTom ONE XL review – The first consumer-written review has been posted at Amazon.

All the news that don’t fit

• GPS helps track down a 10 year old boy for a heart transplant.
• Low-key auditory cues for navigation anyone?
• Don’t leave your GPS in your car, and take down that mount!
• Philadelphia boosts tourism with geocaching.
• Here’s an interesting read on the need for open-source marine navigation.
• Sounds like navigation is a nightmare in Managua, GPS or not. Via Digg.