Google Earth Plus / GMaps with Magellan Garmin Etal?

[CrazyViking]

aka NooB hopes/disappointments

 

Initially I was under the false newbie hope that GPS devices would seamlessly accept Google Earth images or Google Maps downloads. I expected to be able to download a route map from a Google search to my next destination, or to transfer that excellent aerial image from Google which I have zoomed into my desired perspective for my next hiking trip. All the better if I could follow up a trip by plotting my hike with geotagged photos etc.

 

Well…no cigar or brass ring so far. Google Earth Plus does have “Verified support for Magellan and Garmin devices only “ but “Does not support export of tracks or waypoints to a GPS”.

 

I had tentatively decided to get a Colorado as my first GPS but then I ran across a couple articles from CES2008 discussing Google working with Magellan to integrate into a high-end automobile device (Magellan’s Maestro Elite 5340+GPRS).

 

And this quote from naturalsearchblog.com:

 

“John Hanke, Director of Google Maps & Earth is quoted, saying, “We’re pleased to be partnering with Magellan to provide users with detailed, relevant local information while on the road.”

…But for now seems to be local search info only, not about preloading routes from home.

 

Soooo…The question I have is who is going to provide the capability to download maps/tracks/routes/images from Google to handheld GPS first/best??

 

I suspect this could be a firmware change on a Colorado/Triton/PN-20/Onix400/PSP/PPC/ etal with vector and raster overlays. It could be 3rd party? It appears that all the manufacturers are extremely anxious to allow only their licensed content on their model GPS (e.g. Garmin not even allowing previous map owners to transfer map licenses to newer equipment).

 

Am I S.O.L? Or should I just wait a few..years? (e.g. technology is always changing…I note the British pending launch of their geolocation system Beta satellite which after implementation could offer centimeter scale locating)

 

Thanks in advance to those who respond!

[+rpminmn]

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but there are a few utilities out there that will covert a google map route info into a gpx file which can be transferred to a GPSr.

 

for example...

GPSPlanner

Marengo

Google2GPX

GMapToGPX

 

-bob

Edited March 7, 2008 by rpminmn

[CrazyViking]

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but there are a few utilities out there that will covert a google map route info into a gpx file which can be transferred to a GPSr.

 

for example...

GPSPlanner

Marengo

Google2GPX

GMapToGPX

 

-bob

 

Thanks for the info rpminmn! I was unaware of the resources you pointed to. By way of your shortcuts I got into an interesting resource page at:

 

http://www.topografix.com/gpx_resources.asp

 

Looks like I have a weekend or two more research into figuring out how to do this properly. (Have given up hope on drag-and-drop map routes) The marengo-ltd.com link seems to approach the problem I’m trying to solve, however if I try to print out the hybrid map of a trip I create, only one quadrant of the graphics was printable directly to .PDF for me and the waypoints are not attached to the graphics for cutting/pasting into Photoshop. Looks like a hijacked screen shot is the simplest approach and then cropping to images for reference during the trip while using the GPS with the GPX xml scripts the site generates. Nice step forward though

 

The GPS Utility program looks great also, I’ll give it a try ASAP.

 

And “H*ly Mapmaking, Batman!”…nice edit adding the GMapToGPX link, that looks even better for street destinations (maybe not too good for hiking trails). I’ll be sure to try them tonight.

 

Thanks Again! For sharing your Wisdom. Hope U have a Gr808

 

æpa heróp

[+rpminmn]

glad to have helped. Just giving back a little of all that I've gained from reading these forums.

 

btw, here's another one to add to the list... http://toporoute.com

 

-bob