Waypoints - March 23, 2008

Waypoints is a weekly posting of GPS odds and ends, news briefs, etc.

TomTom

• Win a TomTom ONE
• TomTom hypes Map Share and the rate that changes are recieved
• More TomTom phone rumors

GPS hardware

• An HP iPAQ 314 review
• Garmin posts some Forerunner 405 screenshots
• Here's a review of the Solmeta GPS for digital cameras
• DeLorme PN-20 is chosen by a railway for its track maintenance crews

GPS software

• GPSInformation.org is reporting major improvements in Garmin's City Navigator Mexico NT 2008
• A CoPilot Live 7 review
• Garmin has posted new versions of its Communicator Plugin (the Mac version too) and Project Bobcat Mac software (Via Allory)

GPS firmware

• Garmin has posted new firmware for the eTrex Legend, Vista, Venture/Mariner, the StreetPilot c510, c530, c550, c580 and the zumo 550 
• There's a new round of firmware updates for TomTom devices too, which apparently fix some TMC problems
• Lowrance has posted new firmware for the XOG (Via Allory)

Cell phones and GPS

• Here's a review of Trimble's Geocache Navigator
• And a review of the entire Trimble Outdoors GPS Pack
• Golf tracking on your BlackBerry
• Here's another Garmin Mobile XT review
• Here's an interview about a point and identify technology

The business of GPS

• Garmin takes the worldwide lead in GPS sales from TomTom
• Meanwhile, Navigon climbs into the number four position in the U.S.
• One billion GPS chips to ship in 2013
• Garmin thinks someone will launch a "Wikipedia of maps," according to Motley Fool
• It's beginning to look like the TomTom / Tele Atlas deal will fly

Traffic

• INRIX says lifetime traffic is going to be standard (free registration required)
• MapQuest has added INRIX traffic data

Virtual globes

• Lots of countries get new road coverage in Google Earth
• Meteor crater discovered with Google Earth
• Deer blogs his location in Google Earth

All the news that doesn't fit

• Panbo covers some cool marine mashups
• How to match owners to recovered stolen GPS units
• The final installment of The Big List of Free GIS Programs
• The Map Room carries a story on a shaded relief world map
• Free Geography Tools starts a series tackling Garmin POIs

Updated GPS reviews

• Garmin Colorado 300 review - GpsPasSion has posted a thread of user reviews
• Garmin Edge 305 review - Top Ten Reviews looks at this cycling GPS
• Garmin Forerunner 205 review - Singletracks review this runner's unit
• Garmin nuvi 660 review - Technical Itch reviews this ever-popular nuvi
• Garmin nuvi 760 review - The Washington Post reviews this unit
• TomTom ONE XL review - Gadget Guy gives an Australian perspective

Comments

[4billhilly4]

Do we know when the Garmin 405 is being released?

I just posted a blog entry with the rumor that the date is 4/21 (around Boston Marathon time). Hope I'm right.

http://blog.jr.com/the-garmin-405-is-coming/

[Rich Owings]

I believe that Garmin has said right after the Boston Marathon. GPS Now, a usually reliable source, now says early May. Of course, these things do change. ;-)