Lowrance iFinder GO2 GPS

If you haven't bought into the GPS thing just yet because of expense, this just might geek you out. The iFinder features bells and whistles often found on much more expensive GPS units but not too many to boggle the mind. It offers 64MB of mapping detail, preloaded background maps, 100 retraceable routes and 1,000 waypoints. Despite the small screen size, the display is highly readable and shows maps and your route in vivid detail.

Cost: $100

Display dimensions: 2 1/2 inches by 1 1/4 inches

Overall dimensions: 5 1/8 inches by 2 inches by 1 1/8 inches

Batteries: 2 AA

Weight: 5.4 ounces

Information: www.lowrance.com

Website that shows GPS data on Google Maps

Wow, I just found a website that lets you upload your gps data onto a Google Map!

http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/map?form=google

It is a browser-based interface, but it also lets you print out the map with the points located on it. I was looking to see how to get the geopoints into the Google Earth desktop app, but this is pretty cool! The author must be using the Google Map API that Google offers - pretty darn neat.

Software for Mac OS X

I got a new Garmin 60CSx with the altimeter and compass! I'm going to use it for driving, and bike riding, and maybe some geocaching!

I purchased the MapSource software, and the City Select with the Trip and Waypoint Manager. I was saddened to see that it is Windows-only software, so I had to install at work where I have an old PC. So far, I've only used it to load in maps on my Garmin.

BUT, I have heard that Garmin is going to release Mac OS X versions of their software by year's end!

Until then, does anyone know of any 3rd-party software that can connect a Garmin with a Mac?

Passenger-carried GPS receivers and takeoff's and landing's

From USA Today and Ask The Captain - Meryl Getline

Why do passenger-carried GPS receivers have to be turned off during takeoff and landing and for some airlines during the entire flight?

Answer: GPS devices fall under the Federal Air Regulations governing Portable Electronic Devices, also known as PEDS. They fall under a category of electronic devices known as "non-intentional transmitters." Although their function is to receive and not to transmit, they do emit some radiation as do all electronic devices. The FAA makes no distinction between these "non-intentional transmitters" and intentional transmitters such as cellphones and two-way radios with regard to the regulation restricting the use of PEDS during takeoff and landing.

Individual airlines have the authority to permit the use of GPS devices when not in the takeoff or landing phase, however, and while some airlines do permit their use, others do not. Some airlines even provide GPS tracking as part of their entertainment systems. The subject of GPS use happens to be a popular question from readers, and the reader who sent me the following link has my thanks. Here you can see the various airline policies on GPS use during flight. Even a casual glance at this list tells you more airlines approve the use of handheld GPS devices during cruise flight than prohibit it.

I can't vouch for the accuracy or currency of this list, although I don't see any obvious errors, so it's a good idea to check with your airline before using your GPS during your flight. The last time I flew, as a passenger on Alaska Airlines, the flight attendants not only announced the airline's policy (which prohibited the use of personal GPS's at any time during the flight), but I noticed this policy appeared in their in-flight magazine as well.

Even if you're flying on a carrier you believe permits the use of GPS in cruise flight, if any crewmember asks you to turn it off you are still obligated by law to follow their instructions. Hopefully this would not be the case, but it could happen. All crewmembers are supposed to be familiar with their airline's policies, but policies do change on short notice sometimes and mistakes can and have been made regarding what's allowable and what is not.

Some airlines leave the decision whether or not to allow GPS use up to the captain, so check the link above and if this is the case, be sure to try to get permission before the flight starts and the flight attendants get too busy. Of course, the captain can overrule the use of GPS's any time, regardless of the airline's general policy. This is not a likely scenario, but it could happen. The captain always has the final word. However, if an airline's policy is to allow GPS use, it's unlikely he/she would either know or care if you're using your personal GPS.

Garmin GPSMAP 396 Interactive Guide by VFLITE

The GPSMAP 396 is a wonderful, powerful, navigation tool that the interactive guide by VFLITE capitalizes on. My only complaint, however, is that out of the 35 topics covered in detail, the training examples that follow are often far easier than the topic just explained. This is great for a non-pilot like myself, but much tougher examples should be given and mastered BEFORE taking the 396 on a trip. For this reason, I would recommend practicing well beyond the 2 hours it takes to complete this tutorial. The VFLITE Interactive Guide helps greatly in finding your way around the 396 and confirms that most Garmin units function in many of the same ways. It also is a great help in discovering and using the XM Weather features, which include putting precipitation in motion on the map page. Overall, I would recommend purchasing the guide as it will shorten the learning time needed to effectively use this nifty handheld GPS from Garmin.

How will the FAA plan to use GPS in the future?

GPS is an essential element of the future navigation architecture. Existing ground-based navigation aids have limited coverage due to terrain, and the majority of instrument approaches do not have vertical guidance due to the cost of siting and operating an Instrument Landing System (ILS). A satellite-based navigation system is needed that can provide global coverage, regardless of user altitude, and support precision approach operations at every runway without the need for costly ground infrastructure. Note that providing vertical guidance on an approach reduces the risk of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) significantly. This satellite-based navigation system must also be global, so that the level of safety can be raised not only within the U.S. but also in the rest of the world.

Without augmentation, GPS is already used as a supplemental means of navigation, in addition to conventional ground-based navigation. Augmented by the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), satellite navigation will provide en route, terminal area, and approach services, down to GLS precision approach. Augmented by the Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS), satellite navigation will serve all categories of precision approach.

A second civil frequency is the next logical step in modernization of the navigation architecture and providing improved satellite navigation services. Within the U.S., it will improve the reliability of satellite navigation, particularly against the potential threats of interference and ionosphere. Outside of the U.S., it will make precision approaches possible with even less infrastructure than is achievable with WAAS alone. In addition, additional operational benefits will be defined as the service is defined and applications for that service are developed.

A Review of the 3000T - By JAMES DERK

I've always been too cheap to fork out the money for a GPS system for my car even though I always get one when I rent a Hertz car. I have a GPS attachment for my Dell Axim handheld PC, but downloading the maps and getting all the wires set up in the car was always too much of a hassle to use it.

And I'm too cheap to own a fancy-enough car to have GPS installed by the factory in the dash.

So when Magellan offered me the chance to test out a member of its new Roadmate line of portable GPS units on a family vacation to Florida, I was happy to give it a whirl. It arrived in a plain box a day before I left with no user manual or instructions (it was a demo unit) so I had a real-world test of how easy the Magellan 3000T would be to use and set up.

If you've ever used the Hertz NeverLost system you would be familiar with this unit, which works much the same, right down to the same female voice telling you when to turn. (The Roadmate obviously is based on the same technology, but the Hertz system is far more advanced since it relies on a computer in the trunk.)

The 3000T, which lists for $599, is powered by rechargeable batteries or via the 12V adapter in the car. (You also can have it wired directly to the power supply in the dash if you're handy.)

Once powered on, the unit locates the satellites and orients itself. One thing that impressed me was the unit's ability to locate satellites even while being held by the passenger in a car; it didn't seem to need line of sight to the dash or even clear view out the windows.

The unit's 3.5-inch color screen was bright and easy to use. Using the touch screen you type in where you want to go and you're offered several options, including the shortest time (duh!) or most use of freeways, etc. Once you pick that, it selects the route it thinks is the best and off you go.

Sometimes the routes Magellan thinks are best are, shall we say, interesting, but I never found it to be totally off-base. Once in a while it will be a house or two off but that's more a fault of the map and not the device. You can subscribe to live updates that will route you around traffic delays and construction zones as well.

One fault I would have with the device is timing; sometimes it told me too late to make a turn off an Interstate for example. Also the device's female voice is sometimes too soft for a van full of people and the radio. However, it located gas stations, ATMs and restaurants automatically, which nearly paid for itself a couple times.

Is it worth 600 bucks? If I drove a lot I would definitely own a GPS and this one was a good one. In a few years you won't be able to buy a car without one and maps will be one of those odd things our kids will look at in antique stores.

You can see the details at Magellan's Web site at www.magellangps.com

Review of the Garmin StreetPilot c550

By Craig Ellison, PCMag.com

When Garmin announced its c500 series of automotive GPS navigation systems last March, it had some people scratching their heads. Why would anyone buy these devices when they're just a high-priced extension of the popular c300 series of value-priced GPSs? But PC Magazine was able to road test one of the first c550s available in the U.S., and I can tell you that the bevy of new features make the price premium a no-brainer.

The c550 ($799) is a portable GPS with a 3.5-inch QVGA touch screen. The only hardware controls on the device are the power switch and the volume control. All input is done via the touch screen. Like the c330, it runs either from the power adapter in your car or from its built-in rechargeable battery, which offers as much as 8 hours of battery life. It features the same simple interface found on virtually all current Garmin products. The main screen has two main choices: "Where to?" and "View map." It features a 3D view as well as the standard 2D North Up and 2D Track Up views found on virtually all GPSs. Like the C340, as well as the 2700 and 7000 series Garmins, the c550 also features text-to-speech voice prompts. Since the operation and menu system of the c550 are so similar to the c330's, we'll focus on the new features.

The most visible new feature of the c550 is the new antiglare screen, which uses the same technology as that found on the higher-priced 2700 series. It is nonreflective, has a wide viewing angle, and is visible even in bright sunlight. It represents a significant improvement over the reflective screen that we complained about on the c330.

The c550 also has a new, simpler mounting bracket: Instead of a suction-cup bracket, it has a ball-and-socket mount, which makes it easier to remove than the c330. The protective neoprene zippered case has a hole in its back; this allows you to mount the c550 to the bracket without taking it out of the case; you'll just have to unzip the case to start using it.

In addition to the new, greatly improved screen, the c550 has two new features that make it a really compelling product. First, the c550 is Bluetooth-enabled. When paired with a compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone, the c550 doubles as a speakerphone. Garmin claims that the c550 is compatible with over 200 models of phones, though all features are not fully supported for all phones. Garmin's Web site lists the supported phones and which features work for each model. Even without an instruction manual, I found that setting up the Bluetooth feature was a snap. In less than a minute, my LG VX8100 successfully paired with the c550. Unfortunately, the c550 didn't support phone list synchronization with my cell phone. A new "Phone" icon appears on the main menu screen when the c550 is paired with your cell phone. A touch on that icon brings up a dialing menu; from here you can find and dial from your list of favorites or the POI (points-of-interest) database, or you can dial a number manually. One disappointment: The creation of new favorite location hasn't been updated to include the option of adding a phone number. Once you enter a new favorite location, you can go back and add in a phone number, but it takes five screen taps to get to the correct menu. I suspect that this small UI oversight will be fixed in future releases.

Since the POI database is populated with phone numbers, it's quite simple to find, for example, a nearby restaurant and call for reservations. There's also a single "Call Home" icon, and?if your phone is fully supported and has the capabilities?voice dialing and call history dialing. On incoming calls, the screen pops up the phone number of incoming call (if available) and gives you the option of answering the phone, or ignoring the call. During a phone call, you can continue navigating, but turn-by-turn voice prompts are suppressed.

The third important new feature on the c550 is built-in live traffic data. Unlike earlier models that had a separate clunky, optional RDS receiver, the c550 includes an RDS traffic receiver that's built into the DC power adapter. You have to plug in only one cable?traffic data and power are all on the same connector. A new "traffic" icon appears on the main menu when the live data feature is active. A touch on the traffic icon brings up a list of traffic conditions, sorted in ascending distance from your current location. Traffic conditions include traffic, accident, construction, and road closure information. You can drill down for more information on each listed condition, or show its location on the map. If you have an active route planned on which there is a traffic alert, the c550 can automatically reroute around the problem. A three-month subscription is included with your purchase. After that, the subscription costs $60 for 15 months.

The c550 also includes a number of other new features which, when taken individually, aren't amazing, but in total add to its value. The c550 is now outfitted with two speakers rather than one and comes with an MP3 player. You can transfer your tunes to the internal memory (about 700MB are available), or play them directly from an SD card. I loaded close to 700MB of MP3s onto an SD card and played them while navigating. When it comes time for the device to give a voice prompt for an upcoming turn, the MP3 playback is automatically muted, as it is also during a phone call. I found no decrease in GPS performance when the music was playing. The c550 has both a stereo output jack and an external microphone jack for those who want better quality than that offered by the built-in microphone.

The c550 also has provision for customized cursor icons. In addition to the standard wedge-shaped cursor icon, the c550 ships with a car and a truck cursor icon for the more creative of us. Additional icons will be posted on the Garmin Web site. Garmin also addressed one of the weaknesses we found in the c330: A touch of the cursor icon now gives you a one-touch option of saving your current location as a favorite.

The security-conscious consumer can enable the Garmin Lock?a four-digit code that you can assign. Once this is enabled, you must enter the code each time you power up the unit. Should your c550 be stolen, the thief won't be able to use it. Should you forget your code, if you take the c550 to the location defined as "Home" it will unlock.

For bloggers who want to include map views of their travel adventures, the c550 can create screenshots. When this feature is enabled, a small icon of a camera appears on virtually every screen. A touch on the camera icon takes a 320-by-240 screenshot and stores it on available internal memory.

The c550 is a solid upgrade to the c330 and C340 GPSs. While the c550 does carry a $100-to-$200 list price premium over the older models, the new Hi Bright screen, Bluetooth phone, and live traffic capabilities make this a significant improvement over its predecessors.

Street Pilot C330 setup question

I really like the easy touch-screen user interface to the C330, and I was able to get my Home location set, but when I try to enter a location to navigate to, it always seems defaulted to Alabama!

How do I input/select the state??

Garmin's WebUpdater makes unit software downloads easy!

Since it's always best to have the most current operating system available downloaded to your Garmin GPS, the WebUpdater makes this surprisingly easy and allows downloads for every GPS they make.

Simply go to Garmin's website (or at GPSGAB Blog and click the link to Garmin Downloads) and install it on your PC. It's so easy to use that you really will have no good excuse to keep your GPS up-to-date!