Archives for 2010

TomTom comes to Android; battles free navigation

October 20, 2010 By Rich Owings 7 Comments

TomTom is attempting to crack the free navigation roadblock thrown up by Google, sealing a deal to provide maps to HTC, one of the most popular manufacturers of Android phones. Initially available on the HTC Desire HD (shown at left) and Desire Z in Europe and Asia, HTC promises to extend the partnership to “a wide variety of future smartphones and geographies.”

The TomTom / Tele Atlas brand distinction has become more muddled lately, and it is unclear whether HTC owners will be getting just Tele Atlas maps or the option to add TomTom navigation. The maps will be included in HTC’s Locations interface, “while turn-by-turn navigation can be purchased and downloaded through HTC Locations or HTC Sync.” The image at left could be dated, and not indicative of what users will see, though it is currently on the official HTC Desire HD web page.

Filed Under: Android, Featured, Mobile Tagged With: HTC, Tele Atlas, TomTom

Archived trip logs on Garmin nuvis

October 19, 2010 By Rich Owings 36 Comments

Most newer nuvis can record your trip log (AKA tracklog, and yes, that’s where this site’s name comes from). But did you know you can go back and view 200,000 points worth of data? Well, it’s all there, under Garmin/GPX/Archive.

Filed Under: Auto, FAQs, Featured, Garmin auto GPS Tagged With: Garmin nuvi, Tips

Garmin nuvi 265W

October 18, 2010 By Rich Owings Leave a Comment

UPDATE: The nuvi 2×5 series has been officially discontinued. For current recommendations, see our auto GPS buyers guide.

The Garmin nüvi 265W is one of the second-generation models in the nuvi 2×5 series, which I dubbed the "best entry level GPS on the market." This series offers more mid-line features though; in addition to everything that made the 2×5 series a hit, the 265W adds Bluetooth for hands-free cell phone use. It includes pre-loaded maps of the U.S. and Canada, has a 4.3" wide touch-screen and comes with text-to-speech, so you’ll hear "drive one-half mile, then turn left on Oak Street," instead of just "drive one-half mile, then turn left."

Filed Under: Auto, Featured, Garmin auto GPS, GPS Reviews Tagged With: Garmin nuvi 265W

Garmin chirp wireless geocaching beacon

October 15, 2010 By Rich Owings 10 Comments

UPDATE: Now available at Amazon and REI.com

The Garmin chirp was announced this morning — a wireless geocaching beacon designed for multi-stage caches, although it seems to cry out for other uses as well.

Slightly larger than a quarter and weighing in at 1 ounce, the chirp has a one-year battery life and a range of 32 feet. It can transmit hints or coordinates for the next stage of a cache

Wireless-enabled Garmin Dakota, Oregon and GPSMAP 62/78 series units are listed as compatible. The chirp is password protected and provides the owner with stats showing the number of visitors the chirp has recorded.

Filed Under: Featured, Garmin handheld GPS, Geocaching, Handheld/Sport Tagged With: Garmin chirp, Geocaching

Garmin nuvi 1450LMT

October 12, 2010 By Rich Owings 242 Comments

The Garmin nüvi 1450LMT adds lifetime map updates to the nuvi 1450T (which already includes lifetime traffic). Introduced in 2009 (here is a list of more recent nuvi introductions), the 1450LMT also comes with a 5” wide screen and multi-destination routing, lane assist and junction view (pictured above).

Filed Under: Auto, Featured, Garmin auto GPS, GPS Reviews Tagged With: Garmin nuvi 1450LMT

DeLorme PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator review

October 12, 2010 By Rich Owings 93 Comments

UPDATE: DeLorme has discontinued the SPOT Satellite Communicator in favor of their own product, the DeLorme inReach, which offers two-way communication and works as a standalone device or can connect with the PN-60w or with the iPhone or Android smartphones.

A serious tool for backcountry adventurers

Call me crazy, but I love all day mountain bike rides where I go so far back that I’m unlikely to see another human; the more isolated and rugged, the better. I prefer to do these with my biking partner (the most wonderful wife in the world), but all too often I’m out there solo. What’s a crash-prone, wilderness-seeking, aging mountain biker to do? Get the Delorme Earthmate PN-60 with SPOT Satellite Communicator, that’s what. This combo (the two separate units are shown above) is the first consumer product to combine a GPS receiver with the ability to compose a custom message in the field and send it via satellite.

Filed Under: DeLorme handheld GPS, Featured, GPS Reviews, GPS Tracking Tagged With: DeLorme PN-60w, SPOT

Trip report – Rocky Fork, Tennessee

October 11, 2010 By Rich Owings 13 Comments

It was a little over a year ago when I learned about a new 10,000 acre public land acquisition located between Asheville, NC and Johnson City, TN. Described as remote, isolated and unmapped (as far as trails go), I knew right away where I’d be spending my play time for the foreseeable future. I’ve now completed most of the routes that can be mountain biked in Rocky Fork, and I’m happy to present my first trip report post since my son came into this world.

When I started out, there were no accurate trail maps of the Rocky Fork tract. Well no more. The clickable image below shows a fairly good trail map of the area (image captured from National Geographic TOPO software).

Filed Under: Featured, More GPS News, Trip report (TR) Tagged With: Rocky Fork

Garmin nuvi 1390LMT

October 10, 2010 By Rich Owings 46 Comments

The Garmin nüvi 1390LMT adds lifetime map updates to the nuvi 1390T (which already includes lifetime traffic). Introduced in 2009 (here is a list of more recent nuvi introductions), the 1390LMT also comes with lane assist, junction view and Bluetooth for hands-free cell phone use. All of the units in the 1200, 1300 and 1400 series come with customizable data fields and the ability to utilize the pedestrian and mass transit features on Garmin’s CityXplorer maps. They also have text-to-speech, so you’ll hear “drive one-half mile, then turn left on Main Street,” instead of just “drive one-half mile, then turn left.”

Filed Under: Auto, Featured, Garmin auto GPS, GPS Reviews Tagged With: Garmin nuvi 1390LMT

Garmin nuvi 1350LMT

October 8, 2010 By Rich Owings 23 Comments

The Garmin nüvi 1350LMT adds lifetime map updates to nuvi 1350T (which just includes lifetime traffic). A mid-range unit in a line of Garmin GPS navigators introduced in 2009 (here is a list of more recent nuvi introductions), the 1350LMT offers lane assist and lifetime traffic. All of the 1200, 1300 and 1400 series models come with customizable data fields and the ability to utilize the pedestrian and mass transit features on Garmin’s CityXplorer maps. They also have text-to-speech, so you’ll hear “drive one-half mile, then turn left on Elm Street,” instead of just “drive one-half mile, then turn left.”

Filed Under: Auto, Featured, Garmin auto GPS, GPS Reviews Tagged With: Garmin nuvi 1350LMT

GPS, bad maps and death

October 5, 2010 By Rich Owings 4 Comments

Well, it finally happened. A GPS with bad map data led someone into a lake at night, resulting in a drowning death.

Apparently, the GPS receiver showed an old road as passable, despite the fact that Spain’s La Serena reservoir was built in 1989. Fortunately the passenger was able to make it to shore safely; the driver was not so lucky.

Filed Under: Auto, Featured, GPS News