GPS

One piece of advice that should've been obvious to participants of last weekend's Rental Car Rally from Long Island City, New York, to Montreal, Quebec: use GPS.

Or so I figured, as one member of a three-person team equipped with a MacBook, an EVDO card, a GPS navigator, a backup GPS navigator, and a radar detector to know when authorities were nearby in case we, uh, pushed the speed limit a little bit. (We only used that in New York state, though, because radar detectors are illegal in Vermont and Quebec.)

The surprising truth? A large number of the driving squads had nothing but paper maps on them, making the overnight rally--with six backroad checkpoints, most of which were marked with nothing but a set of coordinates, to ensure that you couldn't just take I-87 the whole way--a pretty difficult affair.

But even with GPS, there was some head-scratching when everyone's Garmins and TomToms navigated them right to the shores of Lake Champlain and recommended that they take a ferry. The gadgets were right: teams that drove onto the Grand Isle ferry arrived in Montreal hours before teams that chose to drive around the lake.

As for the teams that opted for maps over GPS, most of them made it...eventually.… Read more

For the most part, the only person you can socialize with on a handheld GPS navigator is the chick who tells you to turn left after 100 yards.

Garmin wants to change that. The device manufacturer has partnered with location-based app company ULocate to bring its Where.com software, previously available only on compatible cell phones and carriers, to some of its devices. (It hasn't said which ones specifically.) This will give Garmin owners access to Where's own Buddy Beacon software, which shares users' current locations with friends. It can be hooked up to Where's Facebook application, … Read more

According to an MSNBC report, we'll be waiting a long time until the iPhone 3G's GPS feature lives up to its true potential. Three of the biggest GPS companies say they're interested in working with Apple, and one has even run their application on the device. But TomTom, Garmin, and Magellan won't reveal any firm plans.

"We have made our navigation system run on the iPhone; it looks good and works very well," said Dutch-based company TomTom, in a statement to MSNBC. "We will have to look more closely to Apple's strategy … Read more

Clear Channel announced today that its Total Traffic Network (TTN) expanded to include 15 additional coverage areas, upping its total to 95 urban areas in the United States and Canada. This Clear Channel service is used in ASUS, Garmin, TomTom, Navigon, and Mio Technology GPS devices along with BMW and Volvo factory-installed navigation. Clear Channel delivers its traffic information over the Radio Data System Traffic Message Channel, using an FM signal. The new coverage areas include Charleston, S.C.; El Paso, Texas; Honolulu, Hawaii; Modesto and Stockton, Calif.; Spokane, Wash.; and Tallahassee, Fla.

By contrast, Clear Channel's biggest competitor … Read more

There are many uses for GPS beyond in-car navigation. After all, there are times you could use some route guidance no matter what mode of transportation. Yet, you don't see too many multiuse GPS on the market, and we're beginning to see why. A while back we took a look at the Magellan CrossoverGPS, an all-in-one portable navigation device for car, boat, and foot. It was fine but limited in what it could offer boaters and hikers; plus, it was a sluggish performer. The newer Garmin Nuvi 500 is also a hybrid GPS, and it offers a better … Read more

This week, not one but two reader questions. Woo--getting crazy up in here. I kid, but hopefully, you're finding these posts helpful, and if you've got a question about your own, feel free to hit me up at bonnie.cha@cnet.com. That said, on with the show.

Q: Starting to look at GPS navigation devices, and don't know much about them. One of the vehicles that I may be using it in, does not have cigarette lighter. Since I have seen handlebar mounts for bicycles, I am wondering if these units are like cell phones and … Read more

The Archos GPS in-car holder ($129) transforms your existing Archos 605 WiFi portable video player into a full-fledged GPS navigation system. For Archos 605 WiFi owners whose GPS needs are strictly in-car, the Archos GPS in-car holder is a great value compared with a similar priced standalone system.

Read the review.

Alpine Electronics has made a name for itself with its in-car audio/video and speaker solutions, but when it comes to portable navigation devices, the company has a little ways to go. However, it's hoping that will change with the new Alpine PND-K3.

The in-car GPS sports sleeker design than the company's previous PND, the Alpine BlackBird II, and features new map visuals and an updated user interface. The PND-K3 also comes preloaded with Navteq maps of the United States and Canada, text-to-speech functionality, and integrated Bluetooth for hands-free calling.

Other notable features include a 4.3-inch touch … Read more

Ladies and gents, we have a new low. Buy.com has the refurbished Magellan Maestro 3100 GPS for just $78.99 shipped. Granted, that's the price after a $20 mail-in rebate, but it's still the best deal on an automotive navigation system I've seen yet.

The Maestro 3100 offers a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 2D and 3D map views, 750,000 points of interest, and multi-destination trip planning. That's about it in the feature department, however: Don't expect text-to-speech capabilities, a media player, or any other advanced options. This is a system designed to navigate you … Read more