Waypoints - November 5, 2006

Shorts from the past week...

GPS Hardware

• Here's a thread at GpsPasSion about the new Lowrance iWAY 600C and its VGA screen.
• CNet reviews the Rand McNally GPS Navigator, giving it a 7.0 out of 10 rating.
• The New York Times compares the Garmin StreetPilot c550, an in-dash system and cell phone GPS.
• How to make the data display larger on your Forerunner 305 (or Forerunner 205).

Cell phones and GPS

• Hitch50.com documents the journey of two guys trying to hitch-hike through every state capital in 50 days. And they are tracking it all in real-time online via a GPS cell phone.
• PC Magazine reviews the Palm GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition, giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
• This article discusses technological hurdles for GPS-enabled cell phones.
• Here's a run down on some GPS navigation options for Cingular cell phone customers.

The business of GPS

• Oh my, we have definitelty reached a milestone in the commoditization of GPS -- Casio is now in the game.
• And another sign that GPS is moving towards mass-market adoption.
• Garmin wins their lawsuit vs. TomTom.

Data

• Earlier this week I posted a custom GPS data search engine. Here is a GIS data search tool that might interest some readers.
• GroupRider.com lets motorcycle riders "share routes, search through shared routes, and even download them as GPX files to import into your GPS device." Via Digg.

Gooogle

• Google Maps Mania links to WeatherBonk, which might interest the GPS crowd, since most of you like travel and/or the outdoors.
• Okay, so terrorists do use Google Earth.
• Integrate Google Maps into your blog.

All the rest

• Mapping-related Firefox extensions. Via The Map Room.
• I've used geneology as an example of GPS use, and now city governments are using it the same way many individuals do when pursuing geneology -- mapping cemeteries.
• GPS Tracking Systems posts an article on GPS wildlife tracking as a tool to avoid moose / car collisions.
• The New York Times has an article on geotagging. Via The Map Room.
• Dvorak: GPS is overrated.