Posts Tagged: gps

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20
Jun 09

Navigon Mobile Navigator for iPhone is here!

WOW, that’s one great app. Navigon is one of the best navigation apps for PDAs and car mounted GPS systems, and now it’s here for the iPhone:

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Get it in the iTunes Store: MobileNavigator Europe

It comes with maps for all european countries, and the price of EUR 75 is certainly ok for that. It will take 1.65 GB on your iPhone, and the introductory price is only valid until June 30th-

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4
Aug 08

iPhone 3G order: cancelled

Yeah, I know what you’re saying. But let me explain:

T-Mobile took my order without being able to give the slightest indication of a delivery date. Meanwhile I have been trying to sell my 16 GB 1st Gen. iPhone on eBay, without success. Starting end of June, I’ve had 3 buyers bail out (more on that in a separate post – eBay is seriously broken for sellers), so that iPhone is still with me.

I also happen to use a Huawei E172 USB 3G modem with a Vodafone 3G flat rate data tariff. A quick call got a cheap twin SIM card, without any additional monthly cost. With that in my iPhone, I’m pretty close to what I would have gotten with the 3G iPhone, less 3G, GPS and the WiFi flat rate.

I recently tried the non-GPS Google maps, and I was positively surprised how good the location functionality is, it’s totally usable for what I need it (for in-car navigation and geocaching I have two Garmin GPS units – that’s more than enough GPS for me).

Regarding WiFi, I have recently joined FON, which should supply me with enough bandwidth on the go.

I also updated my iPhone to a jailbroken 2.0 firmware, so I’m pretty much sorted.

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3
Jun 08

Map your home town: openstreetmap.org

I have a new hobby: fighting the monopoly of GPS navigation map vendors Navteq and TeleAtlas.

From openstreetmap.org:

“OpenStreetMap creates and provides free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who wants them. The project was started because most maps you think of as free actually have legal or technical restrictions on their use, holding back people from using them in creative, productive or unexpected ways. “

If you have a GPS device, you will know that the maps of your home town are probably not too accurate. It sometimes takes years before a new roundabout is included in a map update.

Now, in the same fashion wikipedia works, here’s your chance to help: let your GPS device track your way to work, export the data as GPX, and upload on openstreetmap.org. Then go into the editor and start adding as much detail as you can. Invite all your friends (they don’t have to own a GPS – they can add detail to your maps anyway).

Want to help? Go here and add me as a friend.

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1
Mar 08

CD-R on the deathbed, DVD next

Just read on Twitter: Hard drives cheaper than CD-Rs (in comparison) – CD-Rs just not worth the hassle.

True, when you think about it. Just got an external 160 GB 2.5″ drive for EUR 69.

My new car has a GPS system with a DVD drive. Wouldn’t it be a LOT cheaper for the manufacturer to shove that drive and deliver the maps on an SD card instead?

Same for car audio – do people really swap CDs or use a CD changer? I’d much rather plug an 8 gig SD card into a slot in the dashboard, or connect my iPod right away.

Food for thought.

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13
Dec 06

CNET remembers James Kim with “Livesaving Tech”

Urgh…

I’m not sure if I’d consider this good taste: only 6 days after CNET runs a James Kim obituary, they do an article on GPS devices that bears, of all things, the title “Livesaving tech“. How appropriate.

Then it goes on in the test:

“GPS devices might not help you get rescued if you’re lost, but they can help you avoid getting stuck in the first place.”

Sorry – not my cup of tea.

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14
Feb 06

Google Running logs

Here’s one for Martin:

“Google Running Logs is a software package that lets you automatically upload your runs from a GPS watch (like the Garmin Forerunner 201 or 301) to your web site to be displayed in a nifty Google Map. The map will show an animated view of your runs showing mile markers, pace per mile, and distance travelled. It also creates a KML file for viewing in Google Earth.“

Show us the maps, will ya?