GPS reviews, news, tips, tricks and deals
The RSPCA has launched the new Trakapet GPS device to help pet owners keep track of their wandering furry friends. Pioneered by this Australian-based organization, the Trakapet sends updates to the owner and allows tracking through both computer and smartphone. The unit is small, merely 2 inches long, waterproof and only weighs 40 grams, which makes it good for smaller size dogs as well as large breeds. read more
Location sharing using GPS is quickly becoming popular, but most apps only allow you to share and track your own location. With the new Group GPS app, available for iPhone, users can create activity groups and track everyone who joins, no matter how far away they are. Have a friend who is constantly late or someone who always has errands to run elsewhere? Now it will be easy for you to catch up with everyone at concerts, trail rides, pub crawls or family get-togethers. The app was initially designed to help keep track of cycling groups, but the possibilities are nearly endless! read more
GPS sport watches have become quite popular in the last few years, but soon smart watches may replace them for versatility and style. ViewRanger, the popular mapping app for smartphone and tablets, has announced it is compatible with the highly anticipated Android Wear, allowing for more hands-free GPS navigation and tracking with your smartphone and smart watch. The app will be compatible and ready-to-run on smart watches from LG, Samsung, Google and Motorola. Similar to more expensive GPS watches, this app will turn your smart watch into a GPS, complete with information about your location and route, altitude, heading, waypoint distance, distrance travelled, height gained and a large navigational arrow that uses a compass function in the watch to point you in the right direction. read more
Geocaching, despite its growing popularity, is still something of an underground activity. If you are tired of getting strange looks from muggles while walking in circles looking for a new cache (and then the frustration of standing around waiting for them to leave so you can GET the cache after you have found it), this month is the perfect time to find a Geocacher event near you! read more
We have all heard stories of people who have nearly driven off cliffs or become hopelessly lost following wayward directions from their GPS devices, and so we began to wonder why–and it turns out we aren’t the only ones. An NPR article published last month outlines a study conducted in London testing how people made navigational choices walking through the winding streets of London’s Soho district. read more
When we set out to do a top ten from Amazon, we were surprised to find that Garmin Nüvi had pretty well taken over the market. Out of the top 20 bestselling GPS on Amazon, only 5 of them were not Garmin devices (four TomTom and one Magellan). And out of the 15 Garmin devices, only one of them was not from the Nüvi line (Garmin Dezl 760LMT, ranked 16).
The Nüvi line is very popular and we have written several articles dissecting the Nüvi line and comparing them in a chart for your convenience. The Nüvi line all have voice guided navigation, lane assist, turn-by-turn instructions and a bright, friendly screen. All devices with LM after the model number come with free lifetime maps. When purchased on Amazon, many of these units also include a mount for your windshield or dashboard. read more
Independence Day is tomorrow and, like with all American holidays, that means that retailers around the nation will have sales on items. We did a little bit of searching and found a few deals on GPS devices this weekend. read more
The TomTom Go series is sharp and has plenty of features.
In a bid to ramp up the competition with Garmin, TomTom has released the TomTom GO 500, the newest in the popular GO series, which features both lifetime map updates and lifetime traffic updates. The TomTom GO is the only navigation device that allows you to start navigating with two taps, and is also optimized for voice navigation, allowing you set your destination hands-free. The device also features a 3D interactive map with a touchscreen interface that looks a lot like a smartphone, alternative route planning to help you avoid traffic and allows users to change their route easily, and warns of traffic jams ahead of time. read more
The Bad Elf 2200 GPS Pro is a handheld GPS receiver and datalogger designed for iPod, iPhone and iPad products. Able to sync with up to five devices at a time, this simplistic device has a myriad of applications for adventurers such as sharing geolocation data with your entire crew, passengers, family members or anyone with an applicable device and marking waypoints without having to keep a GPS app running on your phone. read more
A new book titled Flying for GPS published by Len Jacobson explores the beginning and development of the global positioning system and commercial air travel during his 50-year career. The book covers GPS’s evolution from large and expensive military gear to today’s tiny GPS chips located in most cell phones. Unlike many GPS chronicles, Jacobson’s book is about user equipment more than satellites and technical explanations and outlines how a system originally intended for military aircraft has become a utility of everyday life. read more
