Woman blames GPS for turning 38 mile drive into 901 mile tour of Europe
This week in GPS is a weekly link roundup of (mostly) GPS related odds and ends, from GPS Tracklog and other places around the Web. To get a few of the biggest stories as they break, follow me on Twitter. The lead image above is a map of the route taken by a woman whose 38 mile trip to Brussels turned into a 901 mile drive. Her excuse? Her GPS of course!
From GPS Tracklog
GPS deals page
First a housekeeping note: I’ve switched to a single page for GPS deals, allowing me to post more ephemeral sales. Deals will no longer show up in your RSS feed, but I will tweet most new deals. Right now I have deals posted for the Garmin nuvi 2495LMT, GTU 10 GPS tracker, eTrex 10 and a 20% off coupon for Garmin fitness accessories.
Our posts from the past week:
- Garmin’s Android strategy
- Garmin quatix marine watch unveiled
- POLL: Do you want your GPS to say recalculating? (Included in the comments: A reminder that you can change what it says on many Garmins)
- UPDATED: 2013 Garmin nuvi 42, 44, 52 models now shipping; new estimated dates on others (I’ve updated this post as more models have become available in the last few days)
- Magellan eXplorist 350H for hunters
- More Garmin nuvis bite the dust
Garmin
- Water resistance issues with the Garmin fenix?
- This video notes that you can turn off Real Directions in the nuvi 2013 line
- Another Garmin Oregon 600 series promo video
- Hacking Garmin nuvi dashboards for more data fields
- New Garmin Edge models get activity profiles
- A video showing the connected features on the Edge 510 and 810
- Panbo on the Garmin quatix ‘aquatics’ watch
- Garmin introduced two pet products – electronic dog training collars
- One reader pointed out that these are shock collars:
@gpstracklog Lets just clarify that, they are electric shock collars, banned in some countries & opposed by dog trainers and welfare orgs.
— Paul 🇺🇦 🇪🇺🌈🏳️⚧️ 🔶 (@AceBlaggard) January 14, 2013
- To clarify further, they apparently have “stimulation,” tone, and vibration modes
- Here’s a couple of videos: Delta Sport e-trainer combo and BarkLimiter
Updates
- Software updates this week: Garmin Express, fenix, nuvi 24×5/25×5 and Magellan eXplorist GC
- ExpertGPS v 4.68
GPS in the news
- Faulty GPS leads former high school teammates to rescue of drowning man
- Thai government to police accuracy of GPS maps
- Hackers claim new air traffic system can be hijacked
GPS tracking
- Programming
GPSglitch sends numerous owners of lost smartphones to Nevada man’s house - Chicago alderman wants GPS tracking of all guns
- Justice Department Refuses to Release GPS Tracking Memos
- Dog, GPS tracking help officials find unresponsive man
- Police catch thief with GPS tracker put inside TV? More info here
- Last-minute addition saves stranded snowmobilers
- NYC police to ask pharmacies to stock GPS pill bottles to track thieves
- 8 Small Business Types That Will Benefit Most From GPS Tracking
Geocaching
- Geocaching stats via Geocaching Journal
- Hiding your very first Geocache
- A visit to the original cache
Satellites and such
In three years, the cost of RTK #GPS #GNSS receivers is going to be so much less than today. So many new apps will be developed around it.
— Eric Gakstatter (@GPSGIS_Eric) January 17, 2013
- And in case you’re wondering what RTK is
- Two Galileo Satellites Begin Transmitting Navigation Messages
- China mandates Beidou in commercial vehicles
- More on the UK’s use of eLoran
- Lockheed Martin Awarded $100M Contract To Sustain Ground Station For Global Positioning System
The business of GPS
- Oh ye of little faith: Fast Company questions worth of Google, Apple & Nokia map investments
- Lance Armstrong’s confession could help cycling, Garmin team leader says
- INRIX offers broadcasters traffic info
- GPS Shoes Expand Into Canada
- Patent wars: Garmin requests new Inter Partes review process
Going mobile
- Navigon for iPhone gets Editors Choice award from PCMag.com
- On the road mileage registration with TomTom WEBFLEET Logbook
- For programmers: Taking advantage of Android’s GPS API
Just geo
- Google didn’t kill the donkey
- A bit confusing at first, but still cool – What’s on the other side of the Earth? Via Google Maps Mania
- Jonathan Crowe book review: On the Map
- Everything You Need to Know about Landsat 8
All the news that doesn’t fit
- Magellan SmartGPS device “could arrive by April”
- Engadget writer doesn’t like the TomTom Via 1530
- Test: Dropping the Leikr watch on a marble floor a few times
- Chrysler to offer dealer-activated navigation systems
- Do you run/race with a sportswatch?
- DC Rainmaker: A history of products destroyed in review testing
- New Oakley goggles include GPS, music, phone controls
- Too bad we can’t get this in the US: New TwoNav Sportiva2
Updated GPS reviews
I’ve updated these review and resource pages with the following links:
- Magellan eXplorist 510 –Gear Diary reviews this handheld
- Magellan Switch Up – PC World Australia on this sportswatch
About Rich Owings