Navigon with a Glympse icon showing in the lower right; note the countdown clock showing on the icon that tells you how much longer your location sharing lasts before shutting off.
Garmin has teamed up with Glypmse, the temporary location sharing App that allows you to transmit your location on the way to a destination. It's a great way to send your location to someone you're traveling to see, whether it's a night out, or a weekend trip. Don't worry, the location sharing is temporary, and you set that up before you send the notification. Glypmse is one of my favorite location based Apps, and it's good to see them team up with Garmin.
This new feature is available on the Garmin StreetPilot Onboard App (the one with the maps resident on your mobile device), and Navigon's mobile Apps.
Right now, Garmin is also offering a 25% off sale through the iTunes store and Android Marketplace. Prices for these Apps vary from about $25 - $45 depending on map coverage needed (East/West US to All North America)
More information and Press Release after the jump......
Amazon has a big push on their Kindles, but nestled in among all of those book readers is the Garmin Nuvi 50LM as the #5 Best Selling (at this writing) electronics device at Amazon. That's pretty good, considering all of the competition.
What makes the Nuvi 50LM a Best Seller?
It's a quality brand - Garmin is trusted
It's $99 - a nice price point for a 5" screened GPS
It comes with Lifetime Maps - update it when you connect it to your computer a few times a year. Roads change; update your GPS
It's got some convenient features, like Lane Assist with Junction View - tells you what lane to be in and when to exit, graphically.
If you're looking for a good GPS, might want to check out the Garmin 50LM.
Amazon is running Cyber Monday deals already today - there are some good ones to be had. The deals are running in the 40% off range for in-car navigation, and depending on the category, there are other deals that are up to 50% off. All pretty good.
If you are looking for an in-car unit, I would recommend the following features:
Lifetime maps - you can get updated maps for free when you connect your GPS to your computer. You can do this a few times a year to keep up with road changes.
5" screen - For about an extra $10, you can get the larger screen. The extra real estate will make data entry easier.
Advanced Lane Guidance - this gives you a quick look at what lane to be in when the highways get weird.
If you are really in traffic, and need to deal with it on a regular basis, I would recommend the higher quality traffic coverage that comes with the TomTom Go LIVE models. They use a GSM modem, and send out more detailed conditions that can get you around traffic on a regular basis.
Garmin Forerunner 410 is on sale as the deal of the Day at Amazon - 50% off its MSRP. Now selling for $150.
The Forerunner 410 is a watch form factor, with several heavy duty capabilities that give runners the data they need to track their training progress. This deal comes with an ANT+ wireless heart rate monitor, and the ability to upload the data wirelessly to Garmin Connect; their training and analysis site via the included "USB ANT+ stick".
Over the river and through the woods for Thanksgiving? Here are a few Apps designed to help you minimize Thanksgiving Traffic.
personally, I use all three together sometimes to get the best read. If you need to truly navigate around the traffic, buy the TomTom App. If you can dead reckon your way, you can use use the Inrix, because it doesn't navigate, but it does have high quality data. Waze offers both navigation and traffic, but the long distance navigation isn't quite as good as TomTom's.
Smartphones
1) Inrix Traffic App - It's free and it's backed by a powerful network of data feeds. I think it's accurate, but sometimes lags in picking up dynamically forming traffic jams. It's free and a must-have for a smartphone - available for iPhone, Android, BB, and Windows 8 - start at InrixTraffic
2) Waze - "Outsmarting Traffic Together" is their logo, need I say more? I like the fact that you can get earlier updates of fast forming traffic issues because of the user inputs. That means though that you need to have users ahead of you leaving you alerts that traffic is bad. Waze also has an underlying color-coded map for traffic issues. Its also a decent navigation App - I like it because people also alert you to speed traps! I use it in conjunction with Inrix - available for iPhone and Android - start at the Waze Website
3) TomTom Navigation with Traffic Subscription - It you're serious about smartphone navigation and traffic in one, bite off on TomTom navigation and upgrade to their HD Traffic for an additional $25. They alert to traffic along your route and then re-route you around it if possible. Save money by buying a regional product that only gives you what you need. Available for the iPhone - Start at the TomTom Website
If you are up for sharing and adventure, or checking out someone else's adventure that they have shared, you should check out the recently updated Garmin BaseCamp software. the idea is this; share your tracks, waypoints, and pictures with others to create an "Adventure", upload it and let others enjoy it on their GPS too.
Adventures can be hikes, bike rides, runs, motorcycle rides; you name it. If you want to lay down a GPS track while doing it, annotate it and share it, you can probably upload it. Garmin makes it easy, and has made BaseCamp the hub for your adventures. BaseCamp has come a long way, and was not on anyone's favorite list when it came out, but has gone through several rounds of improvements and I find it easy to work with now, and like its capabilities.
How to Create an Adventure in Garmin Basecamp
First, you need to go do something; hike, bike, run, whatever. Just do it and enjoy it. I took a walk in a local State Forest and recorded a track, along with a few pictures.
There are a lot of people who are using Traffic Apps these days, as well as using next generation GPS units that have connected traffic capabilities. We're not talking about the old TMC traffic that gives you a blunt look at what's on the road, and barely a warning where traffic is turning bad. We're talking down to the quarter mile, primary and secondary roads look at traffic speed versus regular speed limits.
Inrix comes to mind as a leading provider, but TomTom has also used their installed base of smartphone users to learn of traffic issues. Not only do they gather raw data from their installed base of users on smartphones, but they also assemble data from fixed sensors, and road coils to learn the actual speeds.
Today the Wall St Journal has a brief article explaining the technology, while also pointing out other providers like Clear Channel's Beat the Traffic.
Here's a great contest going on in the UK; Nestle has recreated a Willy Wonka-like Golden Ticket type promotion where once you open a winning bar, their team will find you and hand you a 10,000 GBP check. The winning bars has a GPS chip and a transceiver in them, which activates when you open the winning candy bar.
TomTom announced that they will be adding their TomTom Live GPS devices to selected models across Europe. No news on a US debut. The TomTom will sit on the dash in its own holder, and will be integrated into the car's system so that turn announcements are made through the vehicle's audio system, as the music is temporarily muted.
The TomTom Live devices offer HD Traffic (recently upgraded for more accuracy) as well as local search and weather.
A lot of people are going to finish off the summer season with a long weekend. Traffic is supposed to be heavy starting as early as Friday Morning. For many, that might mean sitting in traffic for a few hours - here are a few tips to help you avoid the mess:
Smartphones
1) Inrix Traffic App - It's free and it's backed by a powerful network of data feeds. I think it's accurate, but sometimes lags in picking up dynamically forming traffic jams. It's free and a must-have for a smartphone - available for iPhone, Android, BB, and Windows 8 - start at InrixTraffic
2) Waze - "Outsmarting Traffic Together" is their logo, need I say more? I like the fact that you can get earlier updates of fast forming traffic issues because of the user inputs. That means though that you need to have users ahead of you leaving you alerts that traffic is bad. Waze also has an underlying color-coded map for traffic issues. Its also a decent navigation App - I like it because people also alert you to speed traps! I use it in conjunction with Inrix - available for iPhone and Android - start at the Waze Website
3) TomTom Navigation with Traffic Subscription - It you're serious about smartphone navigation and traffic in one, bite off on TomTom navigation and upgrade to their HD Traffic for an additional $25. They alert to traffic along your route and then re-route you around it if possible. Save money by buying a regional product that only gives you what you need. Available for the iPhone - Start at the TomTom Website
Standalone GPS Devices
A lot of devices talk about good traffic, but you need to have a connected one to get good traffic data and insight into what the issue is. The old "TMC" traffic doesn't get a lot of resolution into events and only updates slowly. It's OK to get you alerted to an issue, but you can't easily pinpoint the issues and the severity of things. These are typically sold as "lifetime Traffic" models.
TomTom Live Models - I recommend any TomTom Live product that has HD Traffic - this is the big boy of traffic in a GPS, with feeds over the cellular network. They are a little more expensive, but come with some great connected goodies. The TomTom GO LIVE 2535M is a good example.
Came across this and thought that it might show off how SPOT trackers can help get the word out to friends, family and the world about where you are and what you're up to.
This trip happens to be on a lawn chair rig, by two men, one American and one Iraqi who decided to take a trip out of Oregon today. The Trip is expected to take them out of Oregon and into Idaho. With hundreds of 5-foot helium filled balloons, some ballast, a BB-gun and a SPOT tracker on board, the trip looks like it's going well. It's not the first time he's taken a lawn chair Balloon trip, and let's hope its not the last.
Garmin just announced their new wonder kid gps watch that gives you some amazing functionality in a little wrist-top watch. Not only can you drop breadcrumb trails on your route, navigate back to your campsite, and some of the regular things you've been able to do with write mounted devices for years (Think Forerunner 201), but also the unit has an Altimeter, Barometer and Compass - real tools to help you out there. The altimeter can help get you information about your trip, and some bragging stats, but the barometer can also help produce short term weather trends, letting you know when things might just turn worse. It's wireless ANT+ and Bluetooth capabilities can also help to talk to other Garmin GPS devices to share routes, waypoints and more, but also talk to wireless sensors like heart rate monitoring, or if biking cadence monitoring too.
Battery life is up to 50 hours on the trail and up to 6 weeks in watch mode. Price is $399.
More after the Jump on the Garmin Fenix. See the Garmin Fenix site at Garmin Fenix
With the explosion of smartphone apps that take advantage of the GPS capability, it can be tempting to rely on a smartphone to guide you on your backcountry trek, or even a quick day hike in the mountains. The trouble is that people don't plan on trouble, and a lost signal or low battery can mean a night in the wilderness leaving you wanting for that equipment you left at home because it was too heavy.
A few things I always bring on a day hike when I am relying on my GPS - a handheld, not my smartphone:
A backup map & compass - always useful if the electronics bite the dust
Second Set of Batteries - they are small, and will get you through day two with that GPS
Water - obvious, and variable depending on climate
Rain Gear with warmth layer - we hike in the White Mountains, and a quick rain shower, with a drop in temps when you are wearing a cotton T-shirt could mean disaster
First Aid Kit - I have a small one, that includes enough for a few people out for a few days. I took a NOLS Wilderness First Aid class recently, and it opened my eyes to what I needed.
Headlamp - Even on a day hike. We recently went out on a day hike, someone got injured and we found ourselves arriving at the trailhead at last light. We had one headlamp in a pretty big group. I am packing one from now on.
Knife - a wondertool in the hands of a survivalist, and not too bad for us normal folk.
A Smartphone with extra battery - Hey, let's face it, it's cool to be able to take pics, upload your GPS tracks instantly once the successful hike is done. Just make sure it's not your sole direction finding device. You probably don't go anywhere without it anyway.
Here's a related article that appeared in the Boston Globe today that talked about people relying on their smartphone and having a reality check when they do. Cellphones are changing how people experience the outdoors, sometimes for good, sometimes not.
If you spend any time outdoors, you'd probably appreciate a new Garmin eTrex 30 handheld GPS. The new eTrex 30 offers color screen in 64K colors, mapping capability with a 3-axis electronic compass, barometric altimeter, and the water resistance to take a dip in a stream or guide you though that occasional downpour that we've all been through when trying to make it to shelter. The contest is open from now through June 11, and is sponsored by Outside Magazine.
Someone is going to win, it might as well be a reader of GPSLodge.com.
At Outside Magazine - Enter to Win a Garmin eTrex 30 Handheld GPS
Cyber Monday GPS Deals Already Today
Garmin StreetPilot iPhone App Update - Upgrade Now! Ver 6.5.3
Garmin and Glympse Team Up on Apps
Continue reading: 
(at this writing) electronics device at Amazon. That's pretty good, considering all of the competition.
is a good example.
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