GPS reviews, news, tips and tricks
The geocaching one-trick-pony Geomate.jr may be about to get a second life. We reported back in January that the product had been discontinued, but if you login to update your Geomate.jr today, you’ll get a message saying the page is temporarily out of service. The interesting part is that the page is “signed” by Brand 44.
Looks like Motorola is going after Garmin’s sports market pretty aggressively. After successfully launching the MOTOACTV Fitness tracker and music player, they are now announcing the MOTOACTV Golf Edition
UPDATE: As of February 9, they have revived the update zone, at least temporarily.
Sad news today for geocachers on a budget – the Geomate.jr will no longer be sold and the Update Zone service has been discontinued. Keep reading for all the gory details along with how to get a new pocket query into your Geomate…
The Nike+ SportWatch
The MOTOACTV GPS Fitness Tracker and Music Player
The Satmap Active 10 TREK
UPDATE: We now have a dedicated Nike+ SportWatch page with links to hands on reviews.
In perhaps the biggest surprise yet at CES by a major GPS player, TomTom has partnered with Nike, announcing the Nike+ Sportswatch GPS. This is the second time I’ve heard “game-changing” from TomTom this year, and I’m inclined to believe its hyperbole, unless they mean they’ve entered a new market heretofore dominated by Garmin. It appear that this isn’t a one-off deal, as the most telling line from the news release is this quote from Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director, TomTom Consumer:
“It is part of TomTom Consumer’s strategy to move into the fast-growing sports and fitness market.”
UPDATE: Read my hands on review of the SPOT Connect
I should have seen this one coming. The folks that brought you the SPOT Satellite Messenger and SPOT Communicator have announced the SPOT Connect – a satellite communicator that pairs with your smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing you to send text messages, email or even post to Facebook and Twitter from the middle of nowhere. Pretty nice when you need to tell the spouse “twisted ankle, will be late” or summon search and rescue when you break your leg in the backcountry.
UPDATE: I’ve posted my hands on review of the Satmap Active 10 TREK.
The Satmap Active 10 is finally coming to the US this week, as the Satmap Active 10 Trek. National Geographic is partnering with Satmap to offer TOPO! state series maps, Adventure Maps and Trails Illustrated maps. The unit will include a basemap, but I expect that most users would want to add some of these other options, which could make this one expensive unit, since the maps will retail for $99.99 each, on top of the $369.99 for the unit. Lets see, that’s a hundred bucks for the Carolinas, another hundred for an upcoming trip to California, and I can’t stay away from Utah. Sorry guys, raster imagery is nice, but unless I’m misreading this, your map pricing model is DOA.
I don’t often write about GPS receivers that aren’t available in the U.S., but I’m making an exception today with the TwoNav Aventura. For one thing, the company is on the lookout for a stateside distributor, so we may see it here yet. Another reason is it will accept just about any kind of map – more on that in a moment. The Aventura is a dual-use device, but it’s the handheld possibilities that excite me, so if you’re an outdoor type, I encourage you to read on.
GPS Tracklog is written by Rich Owings, author of GPS Mapping.
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