Outdoor Navigator For Smartphones

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.activemap.com/smartphone.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.activemap.com/smartphone.htm</a><br /><br /></div>Do you like hiking, biking, boating, fishing or are afraid that you might get lost in the woods near your house? Let Outdoor Navigator for Smartphones be your guide. Active Corporation has informed us that they have completed the porting of their popular <a href="http://maptech.com/products/outdoornavigator/index.cfm">Pocket PC</a> application on to the Smartphone platform. Outdoor Navigator lets you view off-road maps and charts on your Smartphone. Add a GPS device to the scene and you will never get lost in the woods. :) <br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-OutdoorNavigator.JPG" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />The product complete with access to over 60,000 full size maps, every nautical and topographical map in the US, will cost $19.95 and will be available for purchase in early 2005. Meanwhile, check out the <a href="http://www.activemap.com/smartphone.htm">product introduction</a> and if you are interested in beta-testing this product, please contact the company via E-Mail provided at the bottom of this <a href="http://www.activemap.com/smartphone.htm">page.</a>

[Santa Fe]

I am an outdoor guy. I spend a lot of time in the wilds on horseback or mountain bike. Two concerns about this product come to mind. My smartphone is almost unreadable outdoors (maybe newer versions are better) and if I have to bring along a GPS anyway why not use it. Modern GPS units are terrfic by the way.

I might try the product anyway.

[jsiegel]

My smartphone is almost unreadable outdoors (maybe newer versions are better) and if I have to bring along a GPS anyway why not use it. .
The newer screens are better. They seem to like direct sunlight more than indirect light.

The reason to use this instead of a normal GPS is the mapping data that you can display. The displays aren't line drawings of the coast or trails. They are the real topo maps from USGS - look at the screen shots and you'll see.

Also, a Bluetooth GPS can slide in a pocket, backpack, or kayak and connect to your Smartphone as long as you're within 30 feet of it. The days of having a cable between devices is, well, over.

[Santa Fe]

I use this to. http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexVistac/

Small, good maps and very readable. The only drawback is that I still have two devices (phone and GPS) to haul around.

[jsiegel]

The Garmin is a very nice GPS. But again, real USGS topo maps are much nicer to look at and are more accurate - Garmin just digitized their maps from the USGS ones.

Additionally, a single region of Garmin's add-on maps is way more expensive than Outdoor Navigator ($19.95) which comes with EVERY map for every state in the US.

Not only that (and not to pile on) but that Garmin is over $400 (retail). You can get a Windows Smartphone for about $150-$200 and a GPS for $130. That combination at almost half the price then gives you mapping, data management, AND a cell phone. (This doesn't even take into account that if you buy these things on Amazon you can actually get money back!)

These Smartphones are converging to provide the capabilities of all of the other handheld devices. They provide a platform that is too compelling to ignore...