ipod touch GPS cradle is now available

[+jezzie524]

I just ordered one for my touch. They are for sale on Apple store. $199 free shipping. I've been waiting 6 months for this thing I just hope it's worth the wait and price. Will post reviews once it arrives and I get to use it in the field.

[+leatherman]

OUCH!

 

My Droid came loaded with Google Maps. I bought the cradle on sale for $20. Apple really puts it to their customers.

 

You could have bought a dedicated car GPSr for about $75, with voice and prompts. Why did you go this route?

[+jezzie524]

I have sat nav in my car and I could have went a cheaper route but I'm an electronics junky and wanted to see how well this would work for paperless caching.

[+allory]

There is also the fact that the iPhone does come with Google maps and a gps chip built in. The cradle being discussed is an add on marketed by either Magellan or TomTom.

[+dfx]

You could have bought a dedicated car GPSr for about $75, with voice and prompts. Why did you go this route?

as i said elsewhere, apple users are used to paying for stuff that they could get cheaper or for free elsewhere (and usually in better quality, too), just not from apple. don't mind them, they like it that way. i guess.

Edited March 20, 2010 by dfx

[+RRLover]

It adds GPS to a device that didn't come equipped w/such, works with other venders maps

(as well as Dual's proprietary offering), and is marketed by Dual through the apple store.

There's many 3rd party vendors that sell their wares via that venue. All sniping aside;

I think it's an interesting product that has good market potential, geared towards those

who aren't ready to do an 'hard' upgrade by replacing a device, but want the added

functionality. I have an iPhone 3Gs with which that device won't work, my daughter has

a 2nd gen. Touch with which it will, she's not willing to "pop" for an iPhone right now, so

this device could scratch her niche.

 

Norm

Edited March 20, 2010 by RRLover

[+journey4truth]

Got the cradle and reported my initial impressions on my blog:

 

http://www.habitationofjustice.com/an-init...-the-ipod-touch

 

I have to say, it's perfect for every day caching, and less so for those hardcore 20 mile treks into the wilderness, where you're definitely better served with a beefed up GPSr built for such scenarios.

 

I'm using Geosphere on the iPod, and there's a way to cache the map overview while you're connected to the Internet by basically tapping around the GZ marker. Enough of the map gets cached so it's still useable even when you're offline.

 

For what it's worth, I tether my iPod wirelessly to my phone, so basically my phone acts as a faux mifi card, giving my iPod access to the Internet even in the thickest of woods. It's awesome.

 

I should note the cradle also includes a backup battery and a mic. It's now possible to use Skype and other apps requiring a mic (like Voice Memo and Shazam).

Edited March 24, 2010 by KingOfPain

[+RRLover]

Got the cradle and reported my initial impressions on my blog <snip>

Would you mind giving this app. a shot:

http://www.routebuddy.com/atlas/index.html

? And report back, . . . maybe over here :

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/macmap/

Too

 

Norm

[+journey4truth]

RRlover: I'll download it, but I can tell you right now that it should work with the cradle. Every app I've tested so far has been dead on, so I'm pleased.

 

Regardless, anything specific you want me to test for here?

[+RRLover]

RRlover: I'll download it, but I can tell you right now that it should work with the cradle. Every app I've tested so far has been dead on, so I'm pleased.

 

Regardless, anything specific you want me to test for here?

Uh, just function , app. seeing the GPS data.

Maybe a few thoughts on how the pair function together, or on just the app. alone.

I've not popped for the RouteBuddy data for my phone, just used the OSM stuff,

I'm kinda underwhelmed so far, but it does seem to be improving in my location.

My daughter has a genII Touch and asked if my BlueTooth 'puck' would work w/it

and sadly I had to burst the bubble. But if this Dual device works w/the RB stuff

it might be worth further investigation.!

Neil @ Routebuddy is also interested, as are a few others on that forum.

Another company's just taking too dadgum long. Although they were kinda nebulas

as to the life extent of their "Mac initiative". It's hard to tell if it's dead or alive.

 

Norm

[+journey4truth]

Had a chance to play around with RouteBuddy yesterday and it appears to work fine. Even gave me my altitude too. I noticed the accuracy meter never got better than 15 meters, but I think that's a software limitation of the app rather than hardware, since it was evident the accuracy was more precise than that.

 

You still need internet access if you want to use the online maps though, so I've been using my mifi card (actually a Verizon phone) to give the iPod access so it could use the street maps. Hope this helps!

 

Other than that, so far there's been one hiccup with the cradle having to do with connecting it to my car stereo and the charger at the same time, but I'm working it out with support and hopefully should get an answer soon. Nothing major though fortunately.

[+Cache Liberation Front]

/tagging interesting thread

 

(I sure would like to see the compass on Groundspeak's app work with this.)

[+journey4truth]

CLF,

 

The Groundspeak compass does work with it more or less, as long as you keep moving (just the same as any other GPSr that has no electronic compass and determines your bearing via movement). It was pretty jumpy the first time I tried it, but I'm going to give it another shot this weekend.