Waypoints – October 13, 2007

Waypoints is our weekly link round up.

GPS in the news

• Here’s a blind guy who plans to use his GPS to help him through hike the Appalachian Trail solo!
• Is GPS hotter than cell phones, iPhones, iPods, the PS3 or Wii? (PDF)
• OnStar will soon be able to slow a stolen vehicle.

GPS hardware

• A nuvi 760 demo.
• Win a Magellan Maestro 3100.
• TomTom and ProClip join forces to bring you non-windshield mounting systems. Via GPS World.
• How to swim with a Forerunner.
• Looks like the Lowrance XOG may use a high-sensitivity chipset after all.
• Here’s a GPS mouse that really is a mouse.
• Laptop GPS World is a new site devoted to the somewhat cumbersome world of GPS navigation on your laptop.
• A review of the Netropa Intellinav 3.

GPS firmware, software, data, etc.

• Garmin has posted firmware updates for the eTrex Venture HC/Summit HC, the nuvi 200, 250, 260 and 270, and the Rino 520 and 530.
• Garmin has also posted a new beta version of its POI loader for Macs.
• TomTom presents a Map Share FAQ.
• Halloween voices for your TomTom.
• GeoTourGuide features Garmin format tours you can download, forums, tools and more. I’ve added a link to them on my Custom POI resource page.
• Geotagging options.
• Seamless ortho-imagery.

GPS and cell phones

• Garmin navigates Brazil with BlackBerry.
• A BlackBerry Curve 8310 review.
• Teens don’t want GPS on their cell phones. GPS Business News looks into why.
• Over 3 million people in the U.S. use cell phone navigation, but it sounds like the adoption rate in Europe is lower.
• Sure, you can already have free GPS mapping
  on a cell phone, but this article still closes with a good point…"the combination of ad revenue and wider usage generally
  trumps fee-based services."
• Hands on with the ATT Tilt.

Classes

• Garmin aviation seminars. Via Garmin Blog.
• GPS for boaters classes in New Jersey.
• Google Earth Pro classes.

GPS business news

• A reminder to Nokia/NAVTEQ and TomTom/Tele Atlas that there is still plenty of room for another road navigation data player to enter the marketplace.
• This guy thinks Nokia’s purchase of NAVTEQ is a great move.
• I posted earlier this week about rumors that Microsoft would buy Garmin. Here’s more on Garmin as a takeover target.
• Five reasons why Microsoft should buy Garmin.
• OpenStreetMap sets its sights on the U.S. Via Digg.
• Comparing OpenStreetMap with other data sources.
• Garmin continues its march across the European continent, buying up distributors faster than you can say vertical integration.
• Garmin to move back into India.
• The U.S. gets another PND manufacturer — Carpoint.

Virtual globes

• Community maps in Google Earth and Google Maps.
• Adding more user content to Google Earth.
• Chicago, Portland, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Tucson and Philadelphia are added to StreetView.
• Look up is a new feature in StreetView.

Updated GPS reviews

• Garmin eTrex Venture HC review – A consumer-authored Garmin eTrex Venture HC review has been posted at Amazon.
• Garmin eTrex Vista HCx review – GPSInformation.org has posted one of their typically thorough reviews.
• Garmin nuvi 200 review – I’ve added a link to a Garmin nuvi 200 demo.
• Garmin nuvi 200W review – I’ve added a link to a Garmin nuvi 200W demo.
• Garmin nuvi 250W review – ComputerActive has posted a hands-on review of this widescreen navigator, giving it five stars.
• Garmin nuvi 260 review - I’ve added a link to a Garmin nuvi 260 demo.
• Garmin nuvi 350 review – Raanan.com reviews this perennial favorite.
• Garmin StreetPilot c530 review – Bob Atkins has posted a review of this very reasonable priced model.
• Magellan Maestro 3100 review – UsedShoe reviews this basic model.
• TomTom GO 720 review – LapTop Magazine gives 3.5 out of 5 stars.
• TomTom ONE 3rd edition – I’ve updated my TomTom ONE review with links to the 3rd edition product page at Amazon, consumer-authored TomTom ONE 3rd edition reviews at Amazon, as well as the first one posted at CNet.