Enable the new Download Offline Maps lab to make sure you never get lost in an unfamiliar area without a data connection, but also check out two existing mobile Google Maps labs you may not have known about.

Access to Google Maps on smartphones has helped millions avoid getting lost when they visit a new place, but until now it only worked if you had a data signal or Wi-Fi. The Download Map Area feature lets you prepare for a trip by choosing a spot in Google Places and downloading the maps for a 10-mile radius of that spot. It’s a great way to prepare for your family trip at Yellowstone or a honeymoon in Paris. Keep in mind that the download only stores base map tiles and landmarks, so you’ll still need a data connection for directions, Satellite views, Places, and 3D Buildings.

Also consider two other existing labs for Google Maps for Android:

• Measure, once enabled, will give you a red tape measure icon just above the zoom buttons. After tapping that icon you just tap two points on your currently visible map and Google Maps will calculate the distance between the two.
• Scale Bar gives the Android version of Google Maps the feature that we’ve enjoyed on the web version for years. There are approximately 20 levels of zoom from the range of 2,000 miles to 20 feet, and it’s not always apparent which scale is currently displayed. This helps you figure out if what looks like a short walk down the street is really too far away for comfort.

To access any of these labs on your Android phone, choose the menu within Google Maps and select More and then Labs. Android tablets already have the menu button in the upper-right corner. The Download Map Area lab requires Android 2.1+ and the latest version of Google Maps.

“Download map area” added to Labs in Google Maps for Android | The Official Google Blog

Via Lh

Harnessing the wealth of OpenStreetMap data, MapQuest has launched an “Open” version of itself, allowing anyone to add restaurants, fix errors, define the best directions that real drivers know, and otherwise improve the mapped world around them.

If there was any way MapQuest could differentiate itself from the seemingly ubiquitous Google Maps, this is a pretty good stab at it. OpenStreetMaps has more than 300,000 registered users worldwide, and offers results that speak to both local knowledge and dedicated contributors’ fixes. Not every area is quite so filled out, of course, but you can learn a thing or two looking around the Open version of your town. And if you don’t like what you see, you can file a bug.

MapQuest Open is free to use, and free to edit and modify.

Send an email to Kevin Purdy, the author of this post, at kevin@lifehacker.com.

Android: Google Maps on Android has always been great, but today’s update brings it to a new level of awesome, adding 3D maps, compass mode, and offline caching so you can get anywhere you need to go—even without internet.

We’ve been waiting for this update ever since Google previewed it last week, and it’s everything we hoped it’d be. You can now explore maps in three dimensions, showing you 3D representations of buildings, and using your phone’s compass to automatically rotate the map so it always faces the same direction you are. The screenshots may make it look gimmicky, but the ability for Maps to more accurately represent what you’re seeing in real life makes navigating a breeze, no matter where you are. Plus, it’s worth mentioning that this version of Maps is fast—way faster than the last version. Moving around maps and zooming in and out is so smooth it’s blowing my mind a little.

A possibly even cooler feature is offline caching, which allows you to use that awesome turn-by-turn navigation we love so much even if you lose internet connection. In fact, it will proactively cache large map areas based on where you spend the most time—meaning Maps is extremely fast and reliable in the places you need it most. It can even reroute your turn-by-turn directions without connection, so you don’t have to worry about getting where you need to go when you have crappy 3G coverage. By default, it only caches when connected to Wi-Fi, but there is a setting to allow prefetching on non-Wi-Fi connections as well. Hit the link to read more, or just head to the Market to update it and try it out for yourself.

Google Maps 5.0 is a free download for Android phones. Android 1.6 devices can get Maps 5.0, but most of the new features (including 3D maps and offline caching) requires 2.0 or above.

Gimmicky or not, its a neat idea.

We’ve posted a few reviews of the Android Geocaching, but I saw this one and thought it was well written, via Talk Android.

If you don’t know what geocaching is, let me break it down for you in simple terms:  High-tech treasure hunting with GPS devices.  Basically, somebody hides an item (called the cache), anywhere in the world, and then gives out the GPS location for the next adventuring treasure hunter who then leaves something for the next person to find (hopefully!).

Sound like fun?  Well then you can join this global game by grabbing the just released Geocaching.com app by Groundspeak Inc.  It’s a bit pricey at $9.99, but well worth the fun if you are into this sort of thing.  Here are a few of the app’s features:

• Search by current location, address or GC code
• Filter your finds from the Geocaching.com search results
• Access geocache details, including description, photo gallery, attributes, recent logs, hint and inventory
• Look up Trackable details, including item goals, while on the trail
• Save geocache listings, including maps and photos, for quick retrieval and offline use
• Log geocache finds and post notes in the field
• Download active pocket queries for use while outside of network coverage
• View geocache web pages on Geocaching.com without leaving the application using embedded web browser

Hit the jump for the QR and full press release.

(more…)

Techno Geeks – Bre Pettis and Joe Garland have posted a fun video/article on just how easy it is to build your own GPS using a few simple components.  Now I somehow think there was a bit more done than what we see in the brief video, but it is fun to watch and if you have the winter geocaching blues it might be a good project.  As they indicate schematics and code are available on the magazine website if you are so inclined.

The highlight of the video is of course the geocaching adventure that you take with them using the device.  First time not so much luck so they decode the clue and eventually find the magnetic key holder after some banter about Les Miseables.

Check it out at NirvanaSoftware’s blog.   The title is How To: LCD and GPS Localizer

Garmin has released a new device called the chirp, a wireless beacon designed specifically for geocache hiders. The $23 electronic gadget is a little wider than an inch and when hidden inside a geocache or attached nearby can communicate with compatible wireless-enabled Garmin handheld devices to provide additional hints and multicache coordinates.

The chirp is programmed by Garmin handhelds, such as the Oregon and the GPSMAP® 62st, is password-protected to ensure that only the owner can update the data and has an easily-replaceable battery that will last up to a year. Because it was designed by geocachers, it has been built to be durable and waterproof to survive an outdoor placement. The device is not recommended to be buried or hidden inside metal containers or in water. Compatible Garmin devices are expected to be able to detect the chirp within ten meters, assuming an unobstructed view.

Will the chirp become the biggest innovation in geocaching in years? Or will its current reliance on Garmin-manufactured products doom it to a rare novelty status, like Wherigo caches?

Earlier today, Garmin introduced a new GPS watch in their fitness series, the Garmin Forerunner 110. As the product number indicates, this fitness watch with GPS is targeting the entry level portion of the fitness market and is designed to be super easy to use.

Garmin will be showing off the watch at the Paris, Boston, and London marathons and then it will become available for sale to the public. Described as “affordable”, pricing is expected to be about $250 for the base model. While style is subjective, they look pretty ugly to me– but that doesn’t mean I might not want one.

Under the hood a SiRFstarIVTM GPS chip is used, and the battery should last up to 8 hours in GPS mode.

“Forerunner 110 fills the needs of runners of all levels by focusing on simplicity without sacrificing accuracy,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “Within seconds of stepping outside, you simply press start and instantly know your distance, pace and time – all without any complicated setup or excessive accessories.”

There are options available to add a heart rate monitor and some will be bundled with the monitor. Calorie consumption can be computed from the heart rate monitor. Current pace can be displayed either averaged over the current lap/mile or over the entire run.

Hands on with the Magellan eXplorist GC

The Magellan eXplorist GC is a new introduction designed to do one thing well – geocache! It has a 2.2” color (non-touch) screen, 18 hour (rated) battery life and a highly detailed  worldwide basemap. And while it isn’t designed for backcountry navigation, it can accommodate 500 waypoints and a 5,000 point tracklog. Really though, the eXplorist GC is a one-trick pony aimed at geocachers, with a low and sure to be discounted MSRP of $199.99.

UPDATES

I’ve got several updates to add:

• “Send to (Magellan) GPS” functionality is live.
• As noted in the comments, it’s a lot easier to get to geocache descriptions, hints, etc., than I said
• I’ve also been told that Magellan is working on a lighter colored background that should improve legibility in bright sunlight

Paperless geocaching

The eXplorist GC is set up for paperless caching, allowing you to have all the relevant information (difficulty, terrain, description, hint, recent logs, etc.) in your hand without needing to print out reams of information from geocaching.com. That’s a common feature in the Garmin Colorado, Dakota and Oregon series, but this unit goes even further. The eXplorist GC lets you filter caches, similar to the way the Lowrance Endura series does, as shown below:

Perhaps the best way to show the extensive geocaching features of this unit is with screenshots, so I’m including quite a few. A filtered list of caches is shown at left. Below, you’ll see the detail screen for an individual cache.

Loading caches

A 30 day premium geocaching.com membership is offered with purchase of the eXplorist GC. It appears that geocaching.com will soon have a Magellan option for sending individual caches directly to the GC, though that is not currently available. I was able to drag pocket queries to the eXplorist GC using Windows Explorer without any problem.

Pre-loaded caches

Promotional literature says that the eXplorist GC is “pre-loaded with the most popular geocaches in the world.” The unit I tested had 1,000 worldwide caches on it. And they really do seem to be the most popular — there were no caches for the 500,000 population metro area I currently work out of, but there were several caches for a theme park 70 miles away! The pre-loaded caches here are a minor attraction. This is not a Geomate.jr type unit.

Navigating with the eXplorist GC

The map can be viewed with or without a compass superimposed on it. The former is shown at right. To access this feature go to Map > Menu. The third choice toggles between Map and Map + Compass.

The compass can be set for smart or standard mode (Tools > Settings > Map Options > Current Location Icon > Smart Arrow). In Smart mode, the compass arrow will change colors – green means on course, yellow means off course and red means that you are moving away from the destination.

One downside here is the use of a standard rather than electronic compass, meaning that you need to start walking before the compass can accurately register the direction to the waypoint.

Accuracy was comparable to other high-sensitivity units. I tested the eXplorist GC side-by-side several times with the Garmin Oregon 450. Generally, at the cache, the units reported within one foot of each other.

Other navigation capabilities

The Magellan eXplorist GC supports waypoints and navigation to them. A record of your track can be displayed and downloaded. There is no provision for routes (multi-destination routing) or track navigation. Waypoint projection is supported (manual bearing entry required; no sight n’ go). I’ll also note that when I dropped a GPX file into the waypoints folder, the waypoints showed up on the GC but their names did not!

I asked Magellan about other capabilities and was told that the GC “does not support topo maps or turn-by-turn at this time.” It wouldn’t surprise me for those capabilities to be added in the future, to the GC or perhaps a forthcoming eXplorist model. There is no slot in the GC for an expansion card, although according to the specs, approximately 500 MB of onboard memory is available for user data (the unit I tested showed 720 MB).

Magellan eXplorist GC interface

The interface seems relatively intuitive and shouldn’t take too long to get used to. The face of the unit has a click stick surrounded by four buttons – menu, back, zoom in and zoom out. There are five icons on the start screen – geocaches, map, tools, dashboard (shown at right) and waypoints. The number of data fields and their content can be modified for the map and dashboard screens. Input response time was fast in most cases. I noticed a delay occasionally, but not that often.

In some of the geocaching screenshots above and below, you’ll notice icons in the lower left and lower right corners of the screen. The one on the left displays the map, showing your current location, the selected geocache, and a route line connecting them. The one to the right begins navigation.

Magellan eXplorist GC basemap

While there are no topo maps on the eXplorist GC, it appears to have an incredibly detailed basemap. A spot check of locations around the globe indicates that it probably has the entire NAVTEQ road network pre-loaded. Very nice!

Magellan eXplorist GC hardware and build quality

The unit is nice and compact, weighing in at 5.2 ounces with batteries. It’s rated IPX-7 in terms of waterproofness. The battery compartment and USB port seem well sealed. It uses a standard (non-proprietary) mini-USB cable. There is no memory card slot. The eXplorist GC feels solid and is easy to operate with one hand; the buttons all seem quite responsive. Perhaps the biggest surprise on the hardware front is the inclusion of the time-tested SiRFstar III chipset, which manufacturers have recently been avoiding like the plague, due to patent issues.

The image below compares the size of the Garmin Oregon 450, Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx and the eXplorist GC. It is not intended to compare brightness, which is very hard to do on film. A discussion of that subject follows.

Magellan eXplorist GC display

I was expecting a very bright display since this isn’t a touchscreen model. But touchscreen units like the Garmin Oregon series suffer more due to their high-resolution display than from the touch screen layer.

The GC’s specs state that it has a 240 x 320 pixel resolution display. They don’t give screen dimensions other than diagonal, but my measurements (34 mm x 45 mm) gave me a count of 50 pixels/square millimeter. I checked this because the more I used it, the more questions I had about the display. This is quite high BTW; the Garmin Oregon comes in at 40 pixels/sq. mm.

While brightness isn’t the only issue at play in legibility, I will say that it is comparable to my Garmin Oregon 400t and 60CSx in the shade. The GC is at its weakest in full sun, likely due to the high-resolution screen resulting in less reflected light. Like the Oregon, it’s fine if you get it at the proper angle, which shouldn’t be too hard for geocachers since they hold it in hand. Users will soon find that they intuitively tilt the unit for optimum display.

What’s worse is legibility. Magellan has simply used too small of a font (to compensate for the small screen size) for my aging eyes. While the display is fine in shade or indoors, text is too difficult to read in bright sun. To give you some idea of this, the image below shows a cache description from the eXplorist GC on the left and Garmin Oregon 450 on the right.

Pricing and availability

The Magellan eXplorist GC carries an MRSP of $199.99 and is expected to be available in April 2010.

Magellan eXplorist GC pros

• Paperless geocaching
• Geocache filters
• Intuitive interface
• Focuses on doing one thing (geocaching) well
• Awesome preloaded worldwide basemap (roads)
• USB (non-proprietary) interface
• Innovative compass features

Magellan eXplorist GC cons

• Difficult to read in bright sun, especially so for text
• Occasional lags in menu response
• Not very suitable for backcountry, non-geocaching use
• Lacks advanced features (electronic compass, Wherigo, touchscreen, topo maps, ability to load aerial imagery)

Recommendation and conclusion

At $199.99 MSRP, the Magellan eXplorist is the lowest cost paperless geocaching GPS receiver on the market. I have no problem recommending it as an entry level unit in that arena, though folks over 40 may want to think twice and check it out under bright sun before taking the plunge. This is the best handheld introduction Magellan has offered in years. My biggest issues with this device, font size and work flow, can both be fixed with firmware updates and I’m hoping Magellan will do so. They could have a real winner on their hands if they do. And if my suspicions are correct, we may soon see new eXplorist models with expandable memory, topo maps and turn-by-turn routing.

More Magellan eXplorist GC reviews

• This Magellan eXplorist GC review shows more screen shots and has a section on file structure
• Geocaching Podcast has posted a “first looks” Magellan eXplorist GC review
• A “first impressions” review of the eXplorist GC has been posted at Groundspeak, the geocaching.com forum

Other Magellan eXplorist GC resources

• A new Magellan eXplorist message forum has already been set up for the GC
• The official Magellan eXplorist GC web page
• A Magellan eXplorist GC “buzz” page
• A Magellan eXplorist GC FAQ

Compare prices on the Magellan eXplorist GC at these merchants:

• Check the current Magellan eXplorist GC price at Amazon
• This is a new product, but I’ll add more links as it becomes available

Geocaching is basically a game of treasure hunting. When I first heard about it a year ago I had no idea how remarkably popular geocaching is. It’s a game played by untold numbers of people throughout the world. The idea is to locate hidden containers, stashed outdoors, anywhere and everywhere you could imagine. These containers are called geocaches.

Using GPS devices, such as the Geocaching app by Groundspeak Inc, explorers young and old set out to locate the hidden treasures. Many of the caches contain logs that each “discoverer”  signs—adding their name and the time and date to the list of treasure seekers that have come before. Once you’ve located a cache and marked your find, be sure and put it back in its hiding spot for the next budding explorer to try and discover.

Geocaching (the app) is an excellent tool to have in your arsenal when striking out on your geocache explorations. There are a multitude of features and options with the Geocaching app.

The feature I enjoy the most is Find Nearby Geocaches, one of the first options you’ll notice once you open the app. Using “Find Nearby,” Geocaching will identify your current location and then provide you with a list of Geocaches close to you. As I sit here now I can see that “What Time is It” is 1.0 miles W, and “Global Warming” is 1.2 miles SE from here. These are just two from the list of the closest 15.

There are other ways to search available on the search page such as By Address/Postal Code, which allows you to enter an address manually or pull one from your contacts list. Search By GC Code, Trackables, and Pocket Queries. All of the information is being accessed through Geocache.com. Users are constantly updating the database that you are tapping into as they document their experiences out on the hunt.

Once you’ve selected the geocache you’re setting out to locate the Geocaching app takes you to that geocaches home page. There you can see information such as who hid it, GC Code, difficulty, terrain, size and date hidden.  You also have the plenty of other options here; such as adding this geocache to favorites, read a description, view recent logs and hints. But the main thing to do from this page is launch the Navigate To Geocache.

Upon opening the navigation page you have various ways to view your navigation. Mine initially opens into a street map view showing my location and pinging arrows to the geocache location. There are other views available also. I happen to like the satellite view. As you navigate closer you’ll notice the distance meter decrease. There is a “view compass” option that comes in very handy as the large compass fills your screen alongside information such as your current longitude and lattidude, destination coordinates, your distance in feet, direction headed, and accuracy of information (within 43 ft etc).

I set out on a sunny afternoon intent on tackling a geocache with a 3 star difficulty, handy Geocaching iPhone app in hand. I navigated to the location and the compass had me 0.0 ft away from the hidden treasure.  The accuracy meter gave me an additional 8ft to play with. The hints were good but not spoilers. I spent a good 45 minutes to an hour looking along with my trusty 12 year-old sidekick. Arrg! Unable to locate the hidden booty, the treasure remains untouched for the next intrepid explorer to uncover.

We decided to search for another and the Geocache app gave us a new list of geocaches close to us. We selected one with a less difficulty rating and set out to find it. Using most of the tools available to us including the hints, we were able to locate our geocache. My sidekick logged his name and we were again worthy pirates who live to search for treasures again another day.

Geocaching is mostly about being outside, exploring, the hunt and camaraderie of friends. The tools you use to accomplish your goal add to the experience. From what I understand many geocachers are equipped with fancy GPS systems. Hey to each their own. I found geocaching fun and I guess one could spend hundreds of dollars on a GPS if they wished. But for about ten bucks Geocaching iPhone app by Groundspeak Inc is worth every penny. The opportunity to hang with my son and have him want to hang out with me in search of hidden treasures, priceless!

via /

Google Maps is a great service that helps us out in getting directions to places we plan to go. However the service is completely online. This means that in order to look up the directions of someplace, we need to have internet connected to our computer. Now suppose that we have already used Google Maps to view our required map and need to view it again.

Obviously Maps will reload the same map, requiring bandwidth of our internet connection.

Would it not be more convenient if we could save images from Google Maps so that we can view them later offline, without sacrificing any bandwidth? With GMapCatcher we do just that.

GMapCatcher is a great freeware program compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems. The download file is sized at 9MB; once downloaded, the installation is quite standard and one has the application up and running in no time. Here is what the application looks like while running:

In the location bar we enter the area of which the map we want to view. If we have viewed the map of the location earlier, then we can check the OFFLINE mode box which will use the saved files to generate the maps.

Suppose I enter “Moscow” in the location bar and click on OK, here is what I will see:

We can double click on the red circle to zoom in. The slider on the left can also be used to zoom in and out of the map. If we want to save a file, we can click on the DOWNLOAD button to do so.

While downloading a file we can set the exact latitude and longitudes obtain the exact area we require.

GMapCatcher gives its users the feature to modify various options.

Amongst other options, we can set the default level of zoom and the default folder for saving files.

GMapCatcher is a better way to browse Google Maps than the doing so using our internet browser. It makes later offline browsing quite convenient. All Google Map users should give GMapCatcher a try; after using it, use the comments to let me know what you think.

Via /

via:

Magellan is launching a new device that is totally devoted to geocaching: the Magellan eXplorist GC. I am intrigued…

As a former Magellan user and frequent Magellan defender, I am happy to see this development and I hope it works out better than the Triton series did. Of course, I have a brand new Garmin Dakota 20, so I’m not in the market for a new device right now.

The purchase includes a premium membership at Geocaching.com and it talks about seamless connection to the site, so thats a good thing, but I’ve always been a Garmin boy

Anybody else read up on this one?