Waypoints – May 5, 2007

Odds and ends from the past week…

New GPS units hit the shelves

• The nuvi 200 series is starting to show up online. Amazon’s prices are fickle as can be, but here is how it stands right now. The nuvi 250 is $414.69 at Amazon, while the transatlantic 270 model is $517.39. GPSNow is selling the nuvi 270 for $499.95. The nuvi 200 has yet to show up. Confused about so many nuvis? Check out our Garmin nuvi comparison chart.
• Amazon also has the Magellan Maestro 4000 in stock for $365.56.

Firmware and software

• Got the DeLorme PN-20? If so, you might want to get the new firmware (version 1.2).
• Does your TomTom GO 510 or 910 turn off when you hit a bump? Install firmware version 6.51 for a fix.
• Garmin has introduced a slew of new software and firmware updates
  in the last week, including Training Center for Macs, the eTrex
  x-series, the nuvi 660, the zumo 550, StreetPilot c500 series, Edge
  series and some oldies — non x-series eTrex, 60 and 76 units, Quest 2,
  and Gekos. Rather than create a zillion links, I’ll let Allory show you the way. Or go direct to Garmin.

The business of GPS

• Looks like Magellan wants to help commoditize the GPS market. How long before we see $50 Casio GPS navigators?
• Look for more Garmin TV ads soon. They are going to spend 7% of second quarter revenue on marketing. That’s quite an investment!
• A stock picker likes NAVTEQ. I think he’s dismissing TeleAtlas a little too easily though. Via Digg.

Just maps

• Make your own topo maps using MicroDEM. Note that this is not a procedure for making custom topo maps for your GPS.
• Map symbol clip art for all you budding cartographers out there.

All the news that doesn’t fit

• GPS-assisted landings for airlines.
• Homeland Security has a favorite photo geocoder.
• A GPS camera for disaster recovery efforts.
• GPS on a UMPC.
• PPL Corporation has 17,000 acres of land open for public use, and now they’ve set up geocaches on it.

Virtual globes

• A discussion of using the Google Earth overlay feature to plan a mountain bike trip.
• A Google Maps mashup search engine. Via AnyGeo.

Updated reviews

• DeLorme Earthmate GPS PN-20 review – Also at GpsPasSion, they’re discussing the new firmware (version 1.2).
• Garmin Forerunnner 305 review – MSNBC reviews the Forerunner 305.
• Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx review – BMC Software’s CEO cops to using the 60CSx in this mini-review.
• Garmin nuvi 250 review – GpsPasSion has posted a Garmin nuvi 250 review thread.