Waypoints is an occasional posting of GPS shorts from the blogosphere and beyond.
GPS in the news
- Over at GPS Tracking Systems, I covered a story about Mercedes-Benz ignoring two court orders to track a vehicles following a fatal hit and run. Thanks to Engadget for picking it up.
- Rent an RV, get a GPS.
- Using a GPS to create a corn maze.
- Using your GPS while driving may soon get you arrested in Spain.
Points of Interest (POIs)
- I’ve updated my POI resource page again, adding a link for a TomTom POI forum.
- Share POIs with Mapicurious.com. Via Garmin Developer.
GPS maps and software
- Mio C310x map updates are now available, and you can’t beat the price.
- RouteBuddy, a GPS mapping application for Macs, is up to version 1.3.
- TrainingPeaks.com releases a Mac and Windows device agent. Garmin devices are supported for both platforms.
GPS hardware
- Want to see the inside of the nuvi 200 series?
- A new heart rate monitor / GPS watch.
- Just for fun…The Hipster GPS. Via The Map Room.
- Navigating on a Nokia N800 Internet Tablet.
Tools
- Reviews of photo geocoding software iTag, Locr and two other geotagging solutions.
- Creating waypoints from the USGS Geographic Names Information System.
- ITNConv is a GPS data converter that may be especially useful for Europeans as it includes some formats more common there. Via Ogle Earth.
GPS Cell Phones
- I keep seeing lame articles talking about the demise of PNDs, due to cell phones. This one actually makes sense though.
- An updated list of Bluetooth phones compatible with the TomTom ONE XL.
- Garmin makes it easier for owners of Blackberry phones to use Garmin Mobile.
- Mobile GMaps version 1.35 has been released and it includes GMap-Track.
- Directions from your cell phone.
- Mobile social networking goes mainstream with the Loopt / Sprint partnership.
- Live Search for Windows Mobile version 2 has been released. Via Digg.
GPS for golfers
- GPS golf software for your Blackberry.
- Borland’s CEO likes the SkyCaddie.
- More on GPS for golfers.
TomTom
Aerial imagery
- Free sources of aerial photos.
- Post-Katrina aerial imagery.
Geocaching
- Paperless caching with an iPod for Mac or Windows.
- My former hometown takes a commercial approach to geocaching.
Satellite news
- An interesting article that includes a discussion of China’s development of their own GPS, speculating on their reasons.
- The US and EU are discussing allowing GPS and Galileo to work together.
- The feds are getting ready to fund GPS III.
The business of GPS
- Broadcom finalized their acquisition of GPS chipmaker Global Locate.
- Garmin continues working on vertical integration in the European market, going after their top Spanish distributor.
- Garmin expands their operations in Oregon.
Virtual globes
- NASA’s Earth at night comes to Google Earth.
- Tour driving directions in Google Earth.
- Using geo-search in Google Maps.
- My Maps + Mapplets = Google Maps Mashups 2.0. More from the Google Earth Blog and Google Maps Mania.
- Russia on Google Maps.
- geoXtract is a geocoding application that Ogle Earth reports "takes spreadsheet data and outputs it as a Google Map or KML."
- A Virtual Earth blog. Via The Map Room.
- View KML files on Google Maps. Via Ogle Earth.
- A review of some route mapping sites for cyclists.
Updated GPS reviews
- DeLorme PN-20 review – DeLorme posts a YouTube video how to for the PN-20.
- Garmin StreetPilot c320 review – Associated Content posts a brief review of this older unit.
- Garmin StreetPilot c580 review – Rich Menga reviews this unit with MSN Direct services.
- Garmin zumo 450 review – A consumer-authored zumo 450 review has been posted at GPSNow.
- Magellan Maestro 4050 review – GPS Magazine has posted one of their typically in-depth reviews, pronouncing it "HAL 9000′s dumber, less evil cousin."
- Magellan RoadMate 3000T review – Consumer-authored reviews are being posted at Epinions.
- Mio C520 review – Apparently, I overlooked CNet’s review when I posted, so I’ve added a link.
- TomTom GO 910 review – I’ve added a link to this GpsPasSion look at the inside of a TomTom GO 910.
- TomTom ONE XL review – TrustedReviews has reviewed the European edition of the ONE XL. PC Mag chimes in from the US.
- TomTom reviews – I’ve updated my Tom Tom reviews with this comparison chart and links to TomTom forums on YourNAV, GpsPasSion and TomTomForums.com.
All the news that doesn’t fit
- BlinkGeo is a new geospatial social bookmarking site with a GPS category. Via AnyGeo. So if you see a post here that you like, go ahead, Blink me!
- Maybe we’ll see neighborhood level searches on our GPS units in the not too distant future. Could come in handy. Here’s another source of them.
- Win a SkyScout GPS planetarium.
- Slashgeo returns from the dead.
- TMC is coming to Canada.
About Rich Owings
Updated the map page to use Google maps. You can now link right to Google maps and enter your address for directions, zoom in and out, use the terrain setting or satellite setting.