Archive for March, 2010

when GPS fails

Mar 31, 2010 , , ,

I always take my Android phone with when I go running. I have the My Tracks App. That’s how I keep track of distance/speed/elevation etc. It can automatically upload my stats to Google Docs and Google Maps. A couple of weeks ago my myTouch 3G’s GPS just wouldn’t get a satellite fix – I thought “I’ll just start running – since I’m outdoors it’ll find where I’m in a minute or two”. Well I was wrong. Google claimed this was where I ran that day (make sure you zoom out a few levels):


View Track 70 in a larger map

It looks like I was running up to 350mph at times while being 4000ft under the ocean (click red end point to see stats). Wow. I believe that’s faster than Usain Bolt!

So anyhow the next day I turned my GPS again for some maps and had the same issue. Then I thought it was time for a reboot. No problems with getting a GPS fix since then.

If you have some crazy tracks like this please share.

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MapQuest offers free GPS navigation for iPhone

Mar 31, 2010 , , , , , , ,


As you know may already know we’ve been keeping a good track of all the GPS navigation apps for the iPhone. We had already mentioned MapQuest there but this is worth mentioning again since they just released MapQuest 4 Mobile for iPhone – which is totally free.

We say it was time for iPhone users to get a taste of free GPS navigation. Android users have Google Maps in the U.S, Nokia users all around the world have Ovi Maps – now one our first internet favorites (late 90′s?) MapQuest comes to the rescue for iPhone users.

You can’t compete with free! Here are the features:

  • new voice guidance speaks to you and informs you of upcoming turns
  • new automatic re-routing
  • power savings mode – medium setting for continued voice guidance when the screen dims
  • walking directions (pedestrian mode)
  • landscape mode
  • save maps and routes on MapQuest.com and retrieve on your iPhone

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Garmin Forerunner 110 – everything you need to know

Mar 30, 2010 , , , ,


This could be one of the best/simplest GPS training watches ever made. Called Garmin Forerunner 110 – this GPS watch actually looks good and compared to other Garmins this one is kind of affordable.

Forerunner can display your time, distance, and pace. Pace can be shown in two ways: Either per lap or mile, or over the whole run (you were running right?) Forerunner can even talk to a heart rate monitor – sold separately – then calculate your calorie consumption based on your heart rate.

As far as hardware and specs Forerunner 110 can store 200 hours worth of activity and last up to 8 hours on a single charge. It uses SiRF StarIV GPS receiver with HotFix technology so you can get a satellite fix before your 25 second warm up is over.

Not a lot of features but it looks like Forerunner 110 is designed to get the job done quick and easy without costing much. $250 to be more precise.

It will be debuted in April at Paris, Boston and London marathons and then will be available at stores.

Check out the videos…

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Logic Instrument FieldBook is rugged and does GPS

Mar 28, 2010 ,


Logic Instrument just introduced FieldBook, a ruggedized GPS capable handheld computer with Windows OS. It is actually very versatile allowing for various configurations such as WiFi, Bluetooth, web-cam, RS232 port, RFID, barcode scanner, video input, and more. There are 15 different configurations of such I/O ports and expansion slots.

Also FieldBook can pretty much take anything you can throw at it including itself – it can survive a 4 foot drop and operates from -20C to +50C in rain or dust-storms making this device MIL-STD810G compliant.

The barebones FieldBook comes with a 7″ sunlight readable 1024×600 px WVGA display with resistive glovetouch screen, a 1.6GHz Atom CPU with 2GB RAM and even a G-Sensor with a protected 120GB HDD. It has a relatively big 2500 mAh hot swappable battery that can last up to 5 hours which can be powered with 115/230V AC or any wide range 10-30 VDC adapter.

We’re guessing this would cost at least $2000 – but do not worry. It is not really for end-consumers like you and I – it is mostly for the DoD just guessing from the specs.

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Magellan iPhone/iPod Touch car kit giveaway winner is…

Mar 28, 2010 , , , ,


OK, we have our giveaway winner for the GPS embedded Magellan iPod/iPhone car kit.

There were 83 entries and out of those the lucky winner was commenter #20 – Randy – who said:

I have the Magellan app and would love the car kit. I would absolutely love it from this giveaway!

Here is how he got it…

Randy check your inbox for an email from navigadget.com. The other 82 of you can check it out on Amazon :)

UPDATE April 13th: Winner never returned our email. Now the winner is:

kinoppyus who said:

Sounds appealing. Love to have one…

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navigadget now has a mobile theme

Mar 26, 2010 , , , , ,

If you’re looking at this page from a popular mobile device you should already be seeing our new mobile theme. We just installed it earlier this week and would like your feedback on it.

It should load a lot faster since it doesn’t load images for the main page and it should look familiar since we went with the popular iPhone app look.

The screen capture to the right is from a myTouch 3G Android using drocap2 application.

You should still be able to leave comments to this post just like the regular theme. Come on you already text ~ 100 times a day… You can drop us a short line.

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NAVIGON for Window Mobile phones

Mar 26, 2010 , , ,


As you know NAVIGON has been out for the iPhone for a while but they’re just now announcing it for Windows Mobile devices for North America.

Navigon GPS navigation system – MobileNavigator – was showcased at CTIA in Las Vegas, NV. It saves all the maps on board so there’s no need for a data connection to get directions or even search for POIs.

Some of the features of this WinMo GPS navigation system from NAVIGON include reality view, lane assistant, text-to-speech, day and night mode, landscape view support, and of course the preloaded maps we just mentioned… via

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Magellan RoadMate 3065

Mar 25, 2010 , ,


Magellan RoadMate 3065 must be coming out shortly in the U.S. since it just made it through FCC. One of the biggest features that puts RoadMate 3065 ahead of the others is that it can “wake up” at a preset time to download traffic information for you so you can make a more advised decision at the beginning of your trip rather than during.

However it sounds like this is going to be a premium feature yet we still don’t know how much it will cost or how it will download traffic data. What do you think? 3G or WiFi? – I mean your garage is possibly is in your home WiFi range – that could work most of the time…

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Kyocera Zio M6000

Mar 25, 2010 , , , ,


Looking for a new Android powered device with GPS capabilities? There’s a lot out there. Kyocera Zio M6000 is yet another one. It was announced yesterday at CTIA Wireless 2010 trade show and it supports CDMA2000 1xEV-DO rev. A 3G band.

There’s nothing too spectacular about the specs, especially compared to Sprint HTC EVO 4G we mentioned yesterday but they’re still pretty decent.

You’ve got the 3.2MP camera, 512MB memory, digital compass, microSD card slot, A-GPS of course, 1130mAh battery, 3.5″ touch screen, 3.5mm audio jack, bluetooth, WiFi, and more… then why is this exciting? The price: It is going to sell for something around $200 – with no contracts. That’s the cheapest Android phone we’ve heard of so far. Thanks Kyocera.

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iTag finds your Android phone

Mar 25, 2010 , , ,

A new service was just announced today. iTag. It finds your Android phone – when you lose it. It runs in the background. Apparently the service is completely for the first 10000 users.

It sounds very promising – keep in mind it is still in Beta.

For now it works in the U.S. and Canada on Android phones but the coverage and the supported handsets will expand.

Here are the features of iTag:

  • Ringing the phone from iTag.com, even if it is set to silent or vibrate
  • Alerting the owner if someone switches the phone’s SIM card – you’ll get their number
  • Locking the keys so no one can use the device
  • Backing up and restoring the phone’s address book
  • Ensuring security of private and confidential information by permanently deleting all the phone’s data
  • Sending a message to a friend that is closest to a lost phone, allowing them to help retrieve it
  • Permission based mobile social networking features allows a consumer to see the location of friends and family

I was going to install it but the idea of running an app in the background constantly keeping an eye where I’m scared me a bit.

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