Loading multiple maps to Garmin devices
Loading supplemental maps (such as the free topos from GPS File Depot) to Garmin units often confuses people. If you use MapSource or MapInstall to load a map, it works fine. But load another map, and the first one you sent is overwritten. Here’s how you get around this… Older Garmin units For older models, [...]
Garmin eTrex 10, 20 and 30 announced
UPDATE: Garmin UK has confirmed that the eTrex 20 and 30 will support BirdsEye imagery. UPDATE 2: Read my hands on review of the Garmin eTrex 20. Garmin has announced three new models this morning, the Garmin eTrex 10, 20 and 30, updating the popular eTrex line with paperless geocaching and other new features. The [...]
Waypoints — May 29th, 2011
Waypoints is a weekly link roundup of (mostly) GPS related odds and ends. To get many of these stories as they break, follow me on Twitter. Memorial Day weekend GPS deals There are some great sales going on right now, so I’m leading with them. Most links go to our GPS Deals site. GPS sale [...]
Garmin BirdsEye Topo US and Canada
UPDATE: It’s now live and available, and I’m enjoying the hell out of it! Yesterday morning, I noticed there was a new product, Garmin BirdsEye Topo US and Canada, on the Garmin website. Pretty sweet – for thirty bucks, you can load USGS and NRC topos to newer Garmin handhelds for a year. I’ve been [...]
Bad Elf GPS for iPad, iPod and iPhone
The Bad Elf GPS Receiver plugs into your iPod touch, early generation iPhone, WiFi iPad or iPad2, allowing you to start using your beloved iOS device for navigation and all sorts of geo-goodness. I’m not yet an iOS user (though an iPad 2 is on my wish list), but the Bad Elf is so popular [...]
Preserving cellphone battery life in the backcountry
I imagine that a lot of our readers are trying out their smartphones in the backcountry, using mapping applications for navigation. One of the problems with this (and there are several), is that few things will drain your battery faster than your phone searching for a signal where there is none, or where reception is [...]
Waypoints — May 22nd, 2011
Waypoints is a weekly link roundup of (mostly) GPS related odds and ends. To get many of these stories as they break, follow me on Twitter. Garmin Montana Garmin 24K topos will generate spoken directions on the Montana series, but not text-to-speech I added quite a few updates to the tail end of my Garmin [...]
Garmin GPSMAP 62s on sale
REI has the Garmin GPSMAP 62S GPS on sale for $279.99 through May 30. This is a great price, a full $70 lower than the best deal we’ve seen before. Don’t let that end date fool you though; the last time they had a great sale (on the Oregon 450), they sold out.
4” multi-use Garmin Montana series announced
UPDATE: I’ve posted my full hands on review of the Garmin Montana 600. I’ve also got pages up for the Montana 650 and 650t. Garmin is announcing a new handheld line this morning, the Garmin Montana series. Three models, the Montana 600, 650 and 650t, make up the line, which feature the ability to rotate [...]
SPOT Connect review
Hands on with the SPOT Connect The SPOT Connect allows you to communicate with loved ones and social media, or call out search and rescue, even from remote wilderness areas without a cell phone signal. Like the DeLorme PN-60w + SPOT Communicator, the Connect allows you to compose messages on the fly, but instead of [...]
