Waypoints – June 20, 2007

Odds and ends from the past week or so.

GPS Hardware

• Apple may be making a GPS for Mercedes.
• Increased vertical accuracy in GPS receivers may allow your unit to know which level of a stacked freeway interchange you are on.
• Garmin has posted a Rino mini-site ahead of the launch of their Rino HCx line.
• Broadcom has agreed to acquire GPS chipset manufacturer Global Locate.
• A 44 channel chipset.

GPS maps, software, firmware and data

• City Navigator 2008 has reportedly started shipping, but don’t expect the free update you may have gotten in the past. More on Garmin policy changes here.
• Garmin has posted new firmware updates for the eTrex, Camo and Summit, and for the nuvi 660.
• NAVTEQ has released a new world map, and maps of Turkey, India and key eastern and central European countries including Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia.
• TeleAtlas has announced places2protect.

GPS in the news

• GPS shock collars for cows. Hmm, I hope position accuracy improves by then or those cows are going to be hard to train and really stressed out!
• Australia looks to GPS to reduce speeding.

GPS for golfers

• Send GolfTraxx a .kml course map and they will send you the course of your choice for free.
• Scripps News looks at GPS golf applications.
• More on GPS for golfers.

The business of GPS

• GPS Business News thinks TomTom’s Map Share may be bad news for map providers.
• 20% of Europeans use GPS, placing them significantly ahead of U.S. consumers.

GPS and cell phones

• PNDs trump cell phone navigation.
• A moderately positive review of Trimble’s AllSport GPS application.
• The newest version of TeleNav GPS Navigator offers social networking, gas prices and reviews.
• How to pair a Bluetooth GPS receiver with your BlackBerry. Via Digg.
• Why cell phone navigation is slow to take off in Europe (registration required).
• MobileTracker for Blackberry phones has been updated to version 1.2.0. Via Digg.

Virtual globes

• Bungee connects your GPS to any version of Google Earth while GEtrax lets you plot track data on Google Earth. Via Allory.
• Getting your photo removed from Street View.
• Use Google Earth to track the countries, states and counties you have visited. Or you can show visited countries or states here, without Google Earth.
• The most recent Google Earth imagery update is now available on Google Maps.
• Here is a Google Maps-based package tracker capable of tracking UPS, USPS, FedEx, and Airborne/DHL. It will even generate a personalized RSS feed. Via Navx.
• Searching for user-generated content in Google Earth.
• Can Google Earth save the Amazon?
• Second Earth, a story about virtual globes and virtual worlds. Via Google Earth Blog.

Updated GPS reviews

• Garmin Edge 305 review – Here’s a UK-based mountain biker’s perspective on the 305.
• Garmin eTrex Legend Cx review – Hike Alberta has published a Legend Cx review.
• Garmin Forerunner 205 review – Offcamber.com reviews this popular unit.
• Garmin nuvi 200 review – The GPS Guy gives the nuvi 200 a 4.6 out 5.0 rating.
• Garmin nuvi 250 review – The first consumer-authored Garmin nuvi 250 review has been posted at Amazon.
• Garmin nuvi 350 review – This review gives the ever-popular nuvi 350 a near-perfect 4.9 out of 5.0 rating.
• Garmin StreetPilot c330 review – The GPS Guy rates this unit at 4.5 out of 5.0.
• Garmin StreetPilot c580 review – GPSInformation.net does their typically thorough job of a review.
• Magellan Maestro 3100 review – CNet reviews this unit, giving it a 6.0 out of 10 rating.
• Magellan Maestro 4050 review – The first consumer-authored Magellan Maestro 4050 review has been posted at Amazon.
• TomTom ONE XL review – GPS Lodge has posted a full review. SiliconRepublic has posted a review as well.

All the news that doesn’t fit

• The problem with vanity addresses and GPS.
• A neat (non-GPS) map of subglacial Antarctica.
• GPS will ultimately play a bigger role in commercial air travel. More here.