Global positioning systems

GPS in mobile phones The newest application of GPS technology sees it converging with the mobile phone. One item to look out for is the Wayfinder EuroNavigator (around £130), which comes built into a MMC (Multi-Media Card) device that plugs straight into your mobile phone, giving it GPS functionality. The unit covers the whole of Western Europe but there are some limitations. First off, it is only compatible with certain phones such as the Nokia 7650 and N-Gage, the Sony Ericsson P800/900, the Sendo X and Siemens X-1. Second, you will have to pay a subscription to run the unit every month. Another alternative is the ALK CoPilot Live Smartphone system (around £140) that’s been designed solely for Microsoft-based Smartphones. The system comes installed on a 128MB MiniSD card that plugs into your Smartphone and contains street-level maps of the UK, including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as maps of Ireland and continental Europe. The system itself provides detailed 3D maps of your route as well as giving voice directions for drivers. GPS on your PDA There are two routes to take when adding GPS to your PDA. The first option is to buy an add-on module that will give your handheld GPS functionality. There are a number of add-ons that are based on SD (Secure Digital) or CompactFlash memory, which just slot into your PDA's expansion slot, so be aware of what kind of expansion port your PDA has. If you are on a tight budget, one of the cheapest CompactFlash GPS systems is the SysOnChip GPS CF II (around £100), but you'll have buy your own mapping software separately, which could cost you an extra £50 or more. Alternatively, you could just invest in a new PDA/GPS package, which isn't as expensive as it sounds. You can purchase an Acer n35 GPS PDA complete with Destinator3 software for around £250 and this will give you all you need to have mobile GPS in the palm of your hand. So is Big Brother watching me? No – the satellites simply transmit locational information to your handset. No information is sent back to the satellites and you don't need a license or hand over any other identifying information in order to use GPS. Why would I want GPS? It's hardly going to help me find a tin of beans in my local supermarket. True – but you need to think about its implications in the wider world. If you go hiking or have a hobby that takes you off the beaten track, then a GPS device could be a life saver for you when you get lost. OK...so what else can it do? Well if you’re a motorist you can use GPS for navigation and avoid those inevitable arguments about upside-down maps and which side is left. Geocaching One of the more popular leisure applications of GPS hardware is geocaching. It sounds like something from a Star Wars movie, but geocaching is a bit like a high-tech easter egg hunt. The idea is that someone hides a box of goodies called a geocache and then posts the information on a website, allowing other geocachers to use their GPS hardware to find the treasure. There are a number of websites out there dedicated to this outdoor pursuit and we advise you check out the official geocaching website at www.geocaching.com. On that site, you can enter your postcode and find out if there's a hidden geocache near you. Once you’ve familiarised with the etiquette of geocaching, you can go out into the wilds of the UK and hide your own geocache for others to find. Sat nav: love it or loath it?

13th July 2007