Despite the relative success of my 2009 predictions, I hesitate to forecast anything this coming year. The GPS navigation market is in flux, undergoing a major shift from PNDs (personal navigation devices) to cell phones. That change, in itself, is fodder for multiple posts, but it also makes this the most difficult year yet to forecast. But hey, at the risk of playing the fool, here goes…
Archives for December 2009
2010 GPS predictions
December 31, 2009 By 7 Comments
Garmin Oregon 450 and 450t announced
December 29, 2009 By 12 Comments
UPDATE: I’ve posted a hands on review of the Garmin Oregon 450
Garmin just couldn’t wait until the Consumer Electronics Show to start releasing new models. In a blog post this morning, they announced the touchscreen Oregon 450 and 450t handhelds. The only significant difference between them is that the 450t adds preloaded 1:100,000 scale topo maps for the entire US, rather than just the basemap found on the 450. These new units add a tri-axial compass to the feature set found on the Oregon 400t, so you don’t have to hold it level while navigating the wilds. The 450 series lacks the geotagging digital camera found in the 550 and 550t. At this point, those appear to be the major differentiators. The 450 series includes the recent firmware improvements that brought custom map capabilities to other Oregon models. I’ll update this post with product links once those are available. DONE! Thanks to @doc_nl:
A look back at my 2009 predictions
December 29, 2009 By 3 Comments
I haven’t decided if I’ll do a 2010 predictions post yet, but in the process of thinking about it, I decided to take a look at last year’s effort and see how I did. My comments as to the outcome are in italics following each prediction…
What to do with your new GPS
December 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Last year I posted some tips for folks receiving new GPS units over the holidays. Rather than repeat myself, I’m just going to link to those. Hopefully, they’ll help you get off to a good start with your new navigator:
Routine GPS backcountry prep
December 17, 2009 By 5 Comments
I often go through a fairly involved process when I’m prepping my GPS for a backcountry trip, and I thought I’d share what that looks like. I’ll start off with a few caveats…
- I like to explore remote areas, and my process will be overkill if you’re just getting ready for a quick hike on a well-trodden trail
- I tend to use multiple programs, as each has its own strengths and weaknesses
- Finally, this is geared a bit towards Garmin users, but I expect others may be interested in seeing the workflow and what data I use
Now that we’re done with that, let’s take it step by step:
SPOT 2 Satellite Messenger recall
December 16, 2009 By 59 Comments
Ruh roh! SPOT LLC has announced a voluntary recall of some of its second generation SPOT Satellite Messenger (SPOT 2) units. According to the company:
Spot LLC is dedicated to providing the highest quality and best performance products to our customers, therefore, Spot LLC will be conducting a voluntary return on any new model SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ (SPOT 2) purchased since October 1, 2009. During recent testing, we discovered that some of the new SPOT 2 devices might not meet battery and messaging operating specifications.
TomTom XXL 540-S
December 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment
UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For a list of current TomTom models and their features, please see our TomTom comparison chart.
The TomTom XXL 540-S
TomTom XL 325 SE
December 4, 2009 By 32 Comments
UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For a list of current TomTom models and their features, please see our TomTom comparison chart.
The TomTom XL 325 SE (Walmart) is identical to the TomTom ONE 125 SE, except that it has a 4.3” wide-screen, instead of the 125 SE’s smaller 3.5” screen. Both models include text-to-speech, so you’ll hear “turn right, Oak Street,” instead of just “turn right.” What they don’t have is Advanced Lane Guidance and IQ Routes (which can result in improved routing), features found on the ONE 140-S and XL 340-S.
TomTom XL 325
December 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment
UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For a list of current TomTom models and their features, please see our TomTom comparison chart.
The TomTom XL 325
Garmin Oregon 550t review
December 1, 2009 By 35 Comments
Hands on with the Garmin Oregon 550t
UPDATE: It appears that newer production runs of the 550 series models are now getting the brighter screen first introduced in the Oregon 450 series.
UPDATE 2: The Oregon series is compatible with Garmin’s new BirdsEye aerial imagery.
UPDATE 3: This model has been discontinued and replaced by the Oregon 650t.
The Garmin Oregon 550t is the top of the line unit in Garmin’s touchscreen Oregon handheld line, adding a 3.2 megapixel, 4x zoom, geotagging camera and tri-axial compass to the Oregon 400t’s feature set. It also comes with a battery charger and two AA NiMH batteries.
