Waypoints — February 27th, 2010

Waypoints is a weekly link roundup of GPS related odds and ends. I had a hiccup with the plugin this week, so if you spot any broken links, please drop a comment and I’ll try to fix them.

GPS user FAIL

• This week’s edition of my GPS made me do it
• Smuggling pot? Don’t rely on your GPS if you’re near international borders
• And if you’re hiding a kilo of cocaine, don’t leave it near a geocache; via @locuslingua

The business of GPS

• New Magellan handheld to hit market soon?
• Lowrance Endura price drop coming
• Hmm, how long before we get a Garmin-Asus Android phone aimed at replacing our handheld GPS units? Puma leads the way in Europe
• Will the SiRFstar IV be the next hot chip or did manufacturers get burned too badly on the Broadcom patent dispute to re-embrace SiRF?
• Garmin Q4 2009 financials show 24% increase in outdoor/fitness revenue
• Interesting thoughts on free navigation in this MWC wrap up
• Navigon and Waze among reported acquisition targets in navigation industry
• New alliance seeks to challenge NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas

GPS in everything

• Casio EX-10HG geotagging camera expected to hit store shelves in October
• Nice discussion of how GPS cameras handle TTFF
• Philips to produce Android, GPS-enabled media player
• American Airlines tests GPS luggage tracking – this is laughable; last time my bags got lost the airline said they don’t even scan the barcodes on the luggage tags
• Maricopa County (AZ) will use GPS for tracking ballot boxes
• And everything in GPS: Mio to launch Moov V780 at CeBIT – Includes "digital TV;" no word on if it will be available it in the US

Geocaching

• It looks like Groundspeak may not have actually approved a third-party WinMo geocaching app, but its not banned from discussions now, so maybe they worked out a deal with the developer 
• Geocachers in the DC area may want to check out the Star-Spangled Banner Geotrail

Mobile / Location-based services

• Travis County (Austin), TX sheriff’s department entering own speed trap locations into Trapster
• Testimony from Congressional LBS / privacy hearings; via All Points Blog
• But is location data really as sensitive as medical data? ; also via All Points Blog
• How Waze calculates your points
• Engadget compares smartphone nav apps
• The 2009 Engadget awards saddle the nuvifone G60 with worse gadget of the year; GPS device of the year? The Motorola Droid!

GPS in the news

• Using GPS cameras to track Afghanistan cash; via @ogleearth
• Raytheon wins contract to improve GPS OCX (advance control segment)
• Jamming of GPS signals threatens vital services
• Yacht crash blamed on GPS – it’s really unclear why though

Google

• Google Maps gets a million corrections submitted every four days?
• Fusion tables are a way to store your map data in the cloud; MTBGuru has an example
• Google Maps avoid ghetto option
• How to navigate user photos in Street View
• Google told by EU to warn people before taking Street View photos; via @ogleearth

Firmware updates

• Garmin Edge 500 v 2.20
• Lots of Mac and Garmin Training Center updates this week; Allory has the links
• Garmin nuvifone G60

Miscellany

• New releases of Northwest topos, trails, and snow trails
• Transparent map lets you compare OSM with other sources; via @martinpinnau
• Wired tests the SPOT Satelite Messenger – they push the 911 button!
• Panbo on the Personal Locator Beacon that can send SPOT-like "I’m OK" messages
• Yes, Garmin Connect works on your Mac
• Free Geography Tools: Varying-Angle Terrain Views With Terrain Bender
• FGT also looks at the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names

Updated GPS and app reviews

• I’ve updated the following pages on GPS Tracklog with links to newly posted reviews:
• Garmin Edge 305 – The Rotor reviews this bike unit
• Google Maps Navigation – Another review of this Android app