Waypoints — January 31st, 2010

Waypoints is a weekly link roundup of GPS related odds and ends. Many of the links below are posted to my Twitter account, where you can follow me for GPS news briefs in a more timely manner.

iPad & all things Apple

• ZDNet misreads Apple specs and stokes the flames
• GPS Business News explores what the iPad means for location-based service providers
• Good discussion and video of iPad mapping capabilities; I like Street View but don’t like having to go back and forth for settings
• The NYT asks "Is the iPad the Final Nail in the GPS Coffin?" Stupidest thing I’ve seen them write in a long time
• Dual Electronics iPod touch GPS cradle ship date now set for late February
• Zagat To Go 3.0 iPhone app adds augmented reality

The business of GPS

• TomTom EASE hits Amazon at $119.99
• Garmin nuvi 1860 shows up on UK site; Via Navigadget
• Garmin Forerunner 405 $50 Rebate Offer
• Analyzing the impact of Nokia’s free navigation

Garmin

• Garmin Oregon 450 screen not any better than the 550? (in German) Via @gpsfix
• Northwest Trails v 1.54 is now available
• Garmin releases the .fit SDK (Edge 500 file format)
• Here’s a video showing some new Approach G5 features
• Buried in the news release is the fact that Garmin will expand their golf course coverage to Europe this year
• Nine part tutorial for creating topo maps for Garmin receivers
• Garmin Connect : the Dashboard in detail
• Meanwhile, @gpsfix says Garmin Connect "still can’t split tracks if you forget to reset odometer before starting a activity on your Oregon, Dakota, Colorado."
• Using G-Raster to create Garmin Custom Maps 

GPS in the news

• A shockingly negative perspective on geocaching – via @podcacher
• Crews use GPS to rescue fishermen from Wisconsin lake
• New Panasonic LUMIX Camera with GPS

Maps and imagery

• A Year of Global Shipping Routes Mapped by GPS; via @gatorguy2
• Penn State Public Broadcasting to develop Geospatial Revolution video series; via @drjerque
• Garmin custom maps for Haiti – Port-au-Prince area
• Satellite imagery providers look to speed turn around time
• Microsoft Will Fly Michigan but the imagery will not be public domain
• Dorset County (UK) lets public use online maps to suggest cycling network routes; via @viewranger

Google

• Mike Dobson on improving Google Maps through user-generated content
• I found out that Google Mobile App has a Twitter account
• New Chrome extension for Google Maps: highlight an address on any web page for one-click access to map or directions

Mobile GPS

• Android to be #2 phone OS by 2013?
• Rogers rolls out fix for GPS / 911 problems
• TeleNav patents location-based blogging system
• WHERE update allows for user generated content
• Lowrance is looking to add send to GPS functionality for geocaching.com

Firmware and map updates

• Garmin Approach G5
• Garmin Dakota
• Garmin nuvi 360 BMW3
• Garmin nuvi 12xx
• Garmin nuvi 13xx / 14xx
• Garmin Oregon
• Garmin Oregon 550
• Garmin Zumo Honda
• Mio map updates now available for Mio C-series models (C220/S, C320, C520 and C720t)

All the news that doesn’t fit

• Why Navigon has better Junction View coverage than Garmin
• SkyCaddie SGX can know which club you pull from your bag
• According to @gpsreview, DePN Manager enables you to view and download tracks from your DeLorme PN-40 to a Mac
• Why Twitter Wants to Know Where You Are: Local Trends is just the beginning

GPS reviews

I’ve updated my review and resource pages with the following links:

• Garmin Dakota 20 – Here’s a four part video review of the Dakota 20
• Garmin Edge 705 – CycleSeven talks about getting an Edge 705
• Garmin Forerunner 310XT – Video demo from Garmin showing wireless wellness tracking
• Garmin nuvi 1390T – reviewed by the Smarter Gadgets Blog
• Garmin nuvi 1690 – itechtalk and PocketGPSWorld both review the nuvi 1690
• TomTom XXL 540S – CNet Australia dishes on this wide screen model