GPS

Zoombak Cuts Prices on GPS Locators

by jessica on Mon, 2009-02-09 00:30

Zoombak just announced they have reduced the price of their entire line of GPS Locators by $50. Zoombak’s compact, assisted (A-GPS) locator system uses a satellite-enabled GPS and a location network server to track your teen driver, recover a stolen vehicle, find your lost pet, among other things.

The Zoomback GPS Locator can be installed in your car or left portable for use in boats, bicycles, motorcyles etc. Go to Zoombak.com to track your vehicle in real time and view its location history (for a monthly fee).

Zoombak’s MSRP list is as follows:

Zoombak Advanced GPS Universal Locator, now $149.99
Zoombak Advanced GPS Dog Locator, now $149.99
Zoombak Advanced GPS Car and Family Locator, now $199.99

Google has Latitude

by jeff on Thu, 2009-02-05 10:47

This is one of those ideas that we have all had, and just wondered when someone was going to build the application. Latitude from Google is one of those applications that might scare some. It is a unique application because it provides Twitter-esque real-time GPS tracking of friends and family. All from the comfort of your computer or cell phone.

Google has done well with the resources available to them. I hope that the founders remain friendly, and stay away from the dark side. What’s next? If the founder of PayPal can build an electric car, maybe the Google founders will build the flying car we all thought would be available today.

This is a great application in moderation, and I look forward to using this service. Don’t leave your cell phone lying around – or password protect the device. Here are some privacy setting tips if you decide to use the service. If my kids had cell phones, I would request they use this service. This would be a great service for groups of vacationers in strange cities or towns.

Google certainly seized the day when the cell phone manufacturers started building GPS into the devices. There is no cost for this service, just like most Google products and services. My favorite is Goog-411.

Google's announcement

FR60 from Garmin Takes Fitness to Another Level

by jeff on Mon, 2009-02-02 13:21

The user-friendly FR60 system is an advanced fitness watch which interfaces with other ANT+™ compatible fitness devices such as heart rate monitor, a foot pod that monitors speed and distance, or third-party fitness equipment. The FR60 is swim friendly too! Plus, cycling enthusiasts will like the handy bike mount for measuring bike speed and cadence.

The best part about the Garmin FR60 is the integration with Garmin Connect — Garmin’s online training site. When you pair your FR60 to Garmin Connect you can automatically log your workout, track, share and compete with friends across the country (i.e.; who ran the quarter mile faster).

There is both a men's version and women's version. The men’s FR60 weighs 1.6 ounces, and the women’s model weighs 1.4 ounces. The Garmin FR60 has a starting price of $129.99 and will be available the 2nd quarter of 2009.

Garmin FR60 Fitness Watch Gets You Connected On the Road, In the Gym

February 2, 2009--Garmin today announced its newest fitness watch that sets the standard for wireless connectivity, the FR60. The latest breakthrough in Garmin’s expansive outdoor recreation and fitness line, the stylish and intuitive FR60 was announced in conjunction with the 2009 ISPO Winter trade show in Munich.

“Indoors or out, it’s easier than ever to set fitness goals and track your progress with the fashionable yet affordable FR60,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “While you exercise, the easy-to-use FR60 accurately tracks your time, calories burned, heart rate and other data from linked fitness equipment. Once you’re done and within range of your computer, that information is wirelessly transferred and stored for later analysis.” Read more

Add new comment

Keep Your Travel Costs Down

Whether you're a "road warrior" whose job involves many hours of driving or a commuter who takes the occasional driving trip for business, it's more important than ever to keep traveling costs down given the state of the economy.

This is an excellent time to cut back on time-wasting costs by planning ahead, searching for deals and maximizing your gas mileage. Here are some suggestions:

Sign up for repeat-usage deals: Many national hotel chains offer frequent-stay programs, which allow a business traveler to build up points that turn into overnight stays for no charge.

Plan pre-route travel: Driving in an unknown city can bring about an unwanted headache without planning ahead. Use a navigation system or the internet-based traffic service Traffic.com to avoid traffic jams, detours, construction delays and time lost to being lost. Traffic.com information can be accessed from your cell phone by calling (866) MY-TRAFC (866-698-7232). Read more

1 comment

Car or Standalone? Which GPS is Right for You?

Map reading is an all but obsolete skill -- especially in the younger generation -- due to the wonderful invention of the global positioning system or GPS. The global positioning system has made driving simpler for the most part, but it isn’t flawless. What technology does and what it is supposed to do often varies. Let us examine the success and shortcomings of the GPS system both in car and on phone.

Many simple GPS units dedicated to direction and nothing else can be pretty directionally challenged. The inaptly named Never Lost is well known for disregarding any construction and attempting to lead travelers onto closed highways and streets. Users can get very frustrated, and very lost, indeed.

However, anyone who has ever used two or more brands of GPS can tell you that the same destination does not always mean the same directions. Cloud cover can even cause a loss of any directions at all. The more dependable models (where cloud cover is concerned) tend to be those built into cars or on cell phones. Read more

Add new comment

Locate T-Rex with eTrex from Garmin

by jeff on Mon, 2009-01-19 11:38

Many fossils of yesteryear are still in the ground – not yet discovered. How cool would it be to find one and geocache the exact location? Well the popular eTrex from Garmin is an affordable way to have the best GPS handheld to identify the specific location. If you like to hike, hunt or spend hours in wooded areas, this latest version of the eTrex from Garmin is just for you.

The eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H are made specifically for thick canopy areas. The vertical canyons also play havoc on most GPS receivers, but not the latest eTrex that have an MSRP of $149 for the Legend H and $199 for the Vista H. There is a fast USB interface on these units so you can load detailed topo maps from a computer onto the 24 megabytes of internal memory. If you enjoy hiking, I recommend getting a Garmin eTrex which will certainly make your excursions a lot more interactive.

Garmin BaseCamp

by Joe Stewart on Fri, 2009-01-16 11:10

BaseCamp is Garmin's new software for planning and later displaying outdoor activities. It will be great for hikers and geocachers.

The topo maps render in 3D in addition to the normal 2D view. Track Draw builds a track to simulate the route. This conveniently can project a view to show the elevation change of the planned route.

There is photo support but not much detail yet how geotagged photos are viewed and managed. For a nice integration feature, tracks can be viewed in Google Earth. Users of geocaching.com can bring data from there into BaseCamp too.

It will be released for PC and Mac at the end of the first quarter 2009. It will be part of the Garmin TOPO U.S. DVD's and as a free download for existing users of TOPO U.S. 2008. For more information, go to www.garmin.com.

Garmin Updates eTrex Models

January 15, 2009-Garmin announced today the eTrex Legend H and the eTrex Vista H – low-cost handheld navigators that include several new features considered vital for today’s outdoor adventures.

First and foremost, the units include a high-sensitivity GPS receiver, which makes satellite acquisition faster and helps ensure a solid lock, even in dense tree canopies or vertical canyons that hikers, hunters, and geocachers often experience. The eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H also feature a fast USB interface and 24 megabytes of internal memory for loading detailed topo maps from a computer. The eTrex Vista H includes an electronic compass and barometric altimeter as well.

“The eTrex Legend and Vista models have long been considered standard equipment for anyone who wants to make the most of their outdoor excursions,” said Dan Bartel, vice president of worldwide sales. “Now, entry-level customers can get some of the latest features for the same price as the previous versions, making the units attractive for those wanting a rugged and reliable GPS for under two hundred dollars.”

Both units contain a basemap of North and South America, containing major lakes, rivers, cities, interstates, national and state highways, railroads and coastlines, which can be viewed on the units’ high-contrast 2.4-inch (diagonal) grayscale screen.

The eTrex Legend H has a manufacturer’s retail price of $149.99, and the eTrex Vista H has an MSRP of $199.99. For more information, visit www.garmin.com.

SOURCE Garmin