XM, the nation’s leading satellite radio service with more than 7.6 million subscribers, today announced that its real-time XM NavTraffic satellite information service for GPS navigation will add six new markets thus allowing XM NavTraffic subscribers in the U.S. to access the real-time traffic data service in 50 major North American markets. And this starts on March 31.

The six new markets include Fresno, CA; Jacksonville, FL; Montreal, QB; Salt Lake City, UT; Toronto, ON; and Vancouver, BC. Additionally, Portland, OR also has an expanded coverage with traffic flow data available allowing drivers to see how fast the traffic is moving.

XM NavTraffic provides detailed NAVTEQ Traffic information overlaid on the navigation road map, allowing the navigation system to show the traffic conditions between you and your destination. The service provides data on incidents, such as accidents and road construction, directly to a vehicle’s GPS navigation system via XM’s satellite pipeline.

Through the traffic data service, the driver is alerted to these blockages. Hence, he could change his route so as to avoid getting caught in traffic. Where available, XM NavTraffic also offers information that allows users to view an overlay of color-coded traffic flow information, representing the average speed of travel along the driver’s planned route. The traffic data is collected from data sources by NAVTEQ Traffic. Data sources include police and emergency services, road sensors, traffic cameras, commercial traffic data providers, eyewitness reports, and real-time aircraft surveillance reports.

XM NavTraffic offers considerable benefits including traffic flow speed information, indicating the average traffic speed along major highways, “Personalized Traffic Information” for current location and destination, visual presentation for clear “at-a-glance” communication, advanced notification of congestion along traveled route, and aids a driver to re-route around upcoming congestion.

“NavTraffic is available as a factory-installed feature on new models that include Acura MDX, RDX, RL, TL; Cadillac CTS; Infiniti G35 Sedan; Lexus LS 460 L, LS 460, LS 600h L; and Nissan Altima. Every time aficionados open Nissan doors to enter the Altima, they could be ensured of the reliable traffic information from NavTraffic. Aftermarket parts and handheld units from Alpine, Garmin, Kenwood and Pioneer Electronics also feature the NavTraffic. XM NavTraffic is expected to be available in 200,000 vehicles by the end of next year.

“Consumers demand new methods for saving both time and money in their daily lives, particularly on their commute with gas prices once again on the rise,” said Roderick MacKenzie, XM’s VP of Advanced Applications and Services. He added, “XM NavTraffic’s real-time traffic technology is a powerful and valuable tool, allowing commuters to reach their destinations quicker, spend less time sitting in traffic, and ultimately save money at the pump.”

If you are looking for a cheap GPS Satellite Navigation system then you will want to read further. There are many brands and types of GPS on the market to keep up with the latest technology as well as the consumer demand. If you are looking for a cheap satellite navigation for your car or even to be apart of your mobile phone you will want to take a look at some of the following brands.

First TomTom Sat Nav is one of the best models on sale today. TomTom has kept up with technology as well as providing you with a decent price for their models. The TT101 is just one of their Sat Nav systems.These systems usually sell for around 131 pounds depending upon where you purchase it from. This system gets you from your starting point to your destination allowing you to feel less stress when you are trying to navigate a new city.

Garmin Nuvi 250 is another cheap Sat Nav available on the market today. While they are little more than the TomTom Sat Nav they will get you to your destination with ease, providing you with a map and voice instructions.They also have a preloaded speed camera software to help you navigate those difficult speed changes in your area.The next Sat Nav system you will find worthy of purchasing is the Navman Sat Nav.The Navman also have preloaded speed camera software.You will be able to navigate any city with ease as well as purchase it for a lower cost.Generally you can find these models for 102 pounds or around there.

While cheap Sat Nav may seem like a bad idea since you want to get around the cities you will be visiting you will find there are many great models on the market that offer everything you need.

Helio Mysto (aka Samsung SPH-A523) is finally here and soon will be available with Helio, offering everything from GPS to bluetooth.

It’s reasonable to wonder about the fate of MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators), given the failure of Amp’d Mobile, Disney Mobile, Mobile ESPN, and XE Mobile within the past 18 months. Are they built around a flawed business model? Could Helio be next? No one can say for sure, but if Helio fails, it wouldn’t be for lack of sharp-looking handsets. After a shaky beginning with the awful Kickflip and needlessly expensive Hero, the company launched some top-notch designs,

Mysto Design and UI

First and foremost, the Samsung Mysto is beautiful. Its exterior shell offers a mix of gunmetal grays and sapphire blues with silvery accents. The keys have an aluminum-metal-looking finish with a white backlight. They’re flush against the surface, much like the keys on a Motorola Razr, and the handset’s large 2.2-inch screen is bright and crisp

For those who are wondering how the service here is in the United States you’d be pleased to know that Helio uses Sprint’s 3G network. If you get Sprint’s 3G network in your area, this phone will work quite well.

Ok, here you go, the first rendering of Helio’s new Mysto — AKA, the Samsung SPH-A523. Looking every bit as fine as Samsung’s U600 Ultra Edition slider (on the right), the Mysto busts EV-DO data, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, and a 3.2 megapixel camera up under that QVGA display while maintaining the U600’s 10.9-mm thin profile. Date and price? In time friends, in time

A regular English version of the Mysto will become generally available to all Helio customers in mid to late January. However, the Helio stores in Santa Monica, CA, and New York City will have a limited supply of the English versions of the Mysto available on December 26.

It also has GPS, a 2 megapixel camera, and it’s oh-so-sexy. We even heard they delayed the Mysto just to make sure everything was solid, and we’re pretty sure if you’re a Helio fan, you’re going to love it. Hit the jump for the hands-on madness!”

Impressively, during my tests the Mysto’s GPS radio instantly locked onto my location, even in my apartment—usually a dead spot for Garmin and TeleNav systems. The Mysto works with the built-in free Google Maps GPS as well as Garmin Mobile, which offers turn-by-turn voice directions, six million points of interest, current weather forecasts, and traffic alerts—the latter of which are sorted by proximity to current location.

Voice dialing on the Helio Mysto is also an extremely pleasant experience, thanks to the robust system, activated by pressing the ’send’ key for a few seconds, with the phone open. Through this menu it’s possible to not only dial contacts, but also initiate a text message (unfortunately, you cannot dictate the message currently), check various phone status levels, and go to a menu item. I was very impressed with the voice recognition system on the Helio Mysto

As compared to the past, the satellite today has moved miles ahead. Today, the GPS unit can work from any weather conditions with the availability of a signal from three to four signals. With this in place, the satellite is able to calculate the unit positions. The GPS does not require subscriptions like the case is with mobile phones, although some of the GPS have extra features which require a monthly charge. This includes real time traffic updates like it is with Garmins Nuvi that has free life traffic for the specific unit.

The parallel multi channel design deserve all due thanks for the accuracy that they have instilled in the GPS today. These satellites have features that enhance quick reaction. Not only do they lock onto satellites but they maintain their stand on lock in even a place that has a close proximity of buildings for instance a city. They have the capability to maintain signals to a level of not below eight satellites. If in any case they fall to the eighth signal connectivity is still experienced.

After the wide area augmentation was developed by the Federal Aviation Administration. There came a lot of dependency on it other than the purpose it was made to serve. It was originally aimed at augmenting the global positioning system to enhance the accuracy, availability as well as integrity. This came as a great advantage as it was later used widely to measure tiny variations in signals and most of the GPS receivers are heavily relying on this system today.

The stations in this case are quite vital because they are used in measurement as well as sending references of messages to the geostationary satellites which are WAAS enabled. Accuracy in this case is improved as computation takes place on the earth as a result of correction messages being send as data for the computation process. With the competitive market that we have today, much has been achieved since WAAS enabled GPS have proved accuracy working within proximity of three meters hence securing the best position in the market today. This GPS is capable of tracking your car by indicating the direction it is heading as long as you have the mapping that bucks “lane assist” direction. These satellites are currently rocking the market bearing in mind that we have no charges imposed on them than it is the case with cell phones.

The GPS systems has not only been useful in tracking but also in the field of political issues as it is widely used by different governments today in communication using radio call based devices. Countries are able to communicate securely via encryption and decryption of information. The advancement is still at a demanding pace and it is hoped to penetrate quickly in to the market.

Perhaps you have never taken a bus tour or you haven’t taken one in many years. You may not be aware that the bus companies that offer bus tours also use a variety of buses or motorcoaches that serve as transport for the bus tours. It is not one size fits all. The fleets of bus companies that provide bus tours include large motorcoaches, small motorcoaches and everything in between.

The larger buses are constructed to hold from 30 to as many as 58 passengers. These models include all sorts of features from AM/FM radio and CD or cassettes to DVD players with as many as four to six video monitors. Of course, they are all fully air conditioned with climate control and some include as many as 38 speakers for the audio system. The seating is plush too. Many feature theater seating and reclining seats as well as tables you can play cards on and individual reading lamps.

The newer motorcoaches this size, like Country Coach’s Intrigue 530, even include a standard 32-inch HDTV in the front overhead which can be worked by a universal remote. And it is also equipped with three-position passenger seats with four-way lumbar adjustments.

The 2009 Tribute 260 includes a Kenwood® AM/FM radio and CD player with two living room speakers. There is also a mini home theater system with DVD and 2.1 surround sound; 12 cubic feet two-way refrigerator with icemaker and stainless steel door; six-way power adjustable driver and passenger seats with three-point restraint and adjustable arms; and a Garmin GPS navigation system with XM Smart Antenna and color LCD touchscreen interface.

These coaches are also handicap friendly which includes wheelchair accessibility and the ability to accommodate two wheelchairs in the seating.

Coaches used by Yankee Line, for example, are equipped with individual headsets too as well as individual tray tables and GPS enabled map viewing on the passenger video screens.

If your group is larger than 58 and is more in the range of 84, then there are double decker buses. There are closed and open top variations and they also feature overhead reading lights and vents, and CD player system with 39 speakers.

Perhaps a motorcoach with the capacity of 30 to 58 or as many as 84 passengers is larger than you require for your bus tours. Then there are medium sized motorcoaches that accommodate 18 to 28 passengers. These motorcoaches include climate control, DVD and TV monitors, cellular phones, reclining seats and overhead reading lights.

Many of these models have extra wide seats and include a galley with refrigerator, coffee maker, serving counter and storage drawers. And they also have oak fold down tables. And some VIP coaches have three flat screen televisions; DVD and VHS system with surround sound; kitchen with microwave and dining facilities as well as two refrigerators and conference set up with tables.

You find that coaches that can accommodate 18 to 28 passengers are too large? Then there are smaller vehicles that accommodate eight to 13 passengers.

These motorcoaches come with AM/FM radio, CD and cassette audio systems as well as video capability which includes a DVD player and color television monitors. Each seat has an individual reading lamp and luggage compartments are above the seats and under the floor. Many also feature reclining seats and climate control and are wheelchair accessible.

Vans that are constructed to accommodate nine passengers, some constructed by Mercedes, are equipped with air conditioning and full stereo system. And there are mini buses like the one made by Ford that accommodates 20 passengers and features upholstered individual seating and full stereo system.

Then if you are concerned about the environment, some bus tours companies include hybrid coaches in their fleet. A hybrid commuter coach manufactured by MCI® for example uses the latest clean-diesel engine technology. It is constructed in a fashion that allows the passengers to sit high above the traffic in plush forward facing, high backed reclining seats. Each seat has its own LED reading lamp and overhead airflow control.

So not only is there a right style motorcoach to accommodate your group’s size, there is a right style coach to accommodate the specific trip — whether short or long. If your group is inclined to favor following the university’s football team to state-to-state away games or provide children a means of transportation to an overnight or day camp or provide a group of shoppers the right accommodations to visit area malls, there is a motorcoach that is styled, offers the appropriate features and include the proper amount of creature comforts.

Or if you are inclined to join bus tours that visit historic sights, provide transportation to an event with some stops at points of interests on the way, travel to cities in a tour within a region, and more then there is the proper motorcoach.

So when booking bus tours take into consideration the fleet of the bus companies you are researching. Ask them about their fleet. This way you are assured to get the proper match of vehicle to group/trip.

The Coachella Valley is a popular vacation spot for families. Palm Springs and nearby cities are the perfect antidote to congested big-city living.

The cities of this valley have made good use of irrigation water piped in to transform the harsh desert environment into a cornucopia of luxury resorts, golf courses ‘ some 120 at last count ‘ upscale shopping boulevards and palm trees as far as the eye can see. The fertile green lawns are carefully overseen by an army of landscapers and a drive through the neighborhoods of places like Palm Desert and Indian Wells is a window into the “good life” enjoyed by well-to-do retirees as well as upwardly mobile professionals.

Yet never far away from these meticulously maintained homes and estates is the raw desert ‘ a place where you can finally put space between yourself and other people, and enjoy what passes for a back-to-nature experience, even though minutes later you’ll most likely be luxuriating in modern, upscale accommodations designed to pamper you from head to toe.

On our most recent trip to the desert we based ourselves a few miles east of Palm Springs in Indio, a comfortable neighborhood, but perhaps less extravagant than some other parts of the valley. Out on the eastern edge of the Coechella Valley cities, this area is now undergoing a major transformation with several new housing developments that feature modern, spacious homes set alongside man-made lagoons and canals, all five minutes from the freeway. It is in this same area that a major new resort complex ‘ the Resort at Indio ‘ was built just in the last few years.

There are 453 condo units altogether and they’re built around a waterpark full of sprinklers, canals, ponds, pools and even a man-made river for inner-tube floating. The largest of two swimming pools is a gigantic 5,000 square feet. If you’re anxious to get some exercise, check out the backetball court, tennis courts, gym and recreation center. Golfers need go no farther than the Terra Lago golf course adjacent to the resort.

Given the recreational opportunities, it’s not surprising that the Resort at Indio is especially popular with families. During our visit on an unseasonably warm spring weekend, family groups large and small were taking full advantage of the pools and other facilities. Families were spending hours on the spacious deck poolside. Come mealtime, many would walk the short distance back to their condo units and fire up the barbecues available on their decks and patios. As you might expect, the accommodations are really vacation rentals, not hotel rooms ‘ each unit comes with a complete kitchen, multiple bedrooms, living and dining room areas. Since the resort is almost brand-new, everything’s in top shape with the latest appliances, colors and d?r.

As tempting as it was to just laze by the pool all weekend, we did want to get out and experience the desert. With daytime temperatures reaching mid-90’s, we headed out early in the morning when temps were more in the mid-70’s to mid-80’s. Our objective was the Pinkham Canyon Trail, within the Joshua Tree National Park, only a 20-minute drive from the resort. Our desert activity: geocaching.

For those who are not yet enlightened, geocaching is a relatively new activity in which you use your hand-held GPS unit to find “caches” or boxes of trinkets hidden in various locations. There can be caches in remote areas, or in developed areas, or even in amusement parks such as Legoland near San Diego. What it really comes down to is a kind of Easter Egg hunt for both kids and adults and, from what we’ve discovered, it is great family activity.

If you have a Garmin GPS, it has nifty software that interfaces with a major website – www.geocaching.com ‘ to make finding these caches relatively easy. Prior to heading out to the Pinkham Canyon Trail, we went to the website and found a dozen or so caches that were located in that particular area. The Garmin software enabled us to download the longitude and latitude of those caches into our GPS so that we could see where they were on our GPS map. Once we got in the general area of the caches, we just let our GPS lead us right to the locations of the caches.

Some caches are easy to find in easy terrain; others can be quite challenging and located in terrain that is hard to traverse. It was going to be a hot day, so we chose the easiest option – driving the 4-wheel-drive trail and finding caches along the way. We eventually found about two-thirds of them and, of course, our grade-school-aged kids were thrilled with each find ‘ even though nothing of real value was to be found. The idea is to take a trinket and leave a trinket of your own; it’s “treasure” only in the sense that you’ll treasure this activity with your kids. And it gave us the illusion, anyway, we had gone “into the wild.”

Another 15 miles east from the Pinkham Canyon Trial on Interstate 10 there is a great place to see some military history first-hand: the General Patton Memorial Museum at Chiriaco Summit. The museum is a testament to General George Patton, one of the military heroes of World War II, and also to his specific involvement with creating the Desert Training Center, a vast desert landscape set aside for tank training when U.S. troops needed to prepare for warfare in North Africa. While Patton only ran the center for four months when it opened in 1942, he was instrumental in choosing the site where it was located.

The museum tells the story of the training center, but it also is a collection of artifacts from several wars including World War II. It’s not in a fancy building and doesn’t compare, for example, with the World War II Museum in New Orleans, but it is a fascinating group of exhibits that brings visitors closer to the realities of war. Through its collection of photos and documents, the museum offers a historical account of Patton and his contributions to the U.S. military. There is a large assortment of items actually used in war, from German Lugar pistols to machine guns to gas masks to uniforms and gear worn by our troops in several past wars.

It’s as if someone put up a sign that said “Bring us all of your war memorabilia and leave it here.”

Outside the museum are several tanks and other Army vehicles that help visitors envision what tank warfare must have been like in World War II. And it was easy to imagine hundreds of these tanks doing mock battle in these miles and miles of open desert a little more than a half-hour away from today’s glitzy Palm Springs.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: Indio is located in the Coachella Valley, about 20 miles east of Palm Springs. The Resort at Indio is next to the desert foothills at the northern edge of the valley and adjacent to Terra Lago golf course.

WHAT: The Resort at Indio is a condo-style resort in which visitors can reserve condos much as they would reserve a hotel room. During our visit there were no restaurants on property, but a deli and an on-site Domino’s Pizza were scheduled to open in late spring 2008.

WHEN: Prime time of the year is late fall, winter and early spring because daytime temperatures are moderate during those periods. However, we’ve enjoyed Palm Springs even in hot temperatures by planning early morning outings and spending a lot of time in the swimming pool. Rates are substantially lower in summer.

WHY: The desert is a great place to escape civilization and it’s where you can always count on sunshine.

HOW: For more information on the Resort at Indio, phone 800-867-2095 or visit www.greatpricedcondos.com/id/. Rates range from $99 in low-season for a one-bedroom unit to $310 in high season for a three-bedroom unit. Patton Museum info can be obtained by phoning 760-227-3483 or visit www.generalpattonmuseum.com.

by, Jeff Sanders

by, Jeff Sanders
Garmin GPS Navigation Systems

Geocaching, what is it and how do I Join in the fun and Adventure of Geocaching

Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is an widely popular, high-tech treasure hunting game that has taken off in popularity, especially in the past few years. Many adventure seekers throughout the world are finding caches of treasure (called “geocaches” or “caches”) that have been left for them to find by fellow Geocachers. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, usually a Tupperware or ammo box containing a logbook and treasure. You hunt and locate geocaches with your GPS device, and inside you find treasures that other people have left. You can even leave your own treasure for the next person to find and share with a their friends.

Don’t think there are any geocaches in your neck of the woods? That’s because they are not in plain view but hidden, so you need to hunt for them. You also need the longitude and latitude (coordinates) of their location to be able to find them. There are over 800,000 active geocaches around the world and they can be found on all seven continents, including Antarctica. With that number growing rapidly, you are sure to find them in your own neighborhood, on vacation half way around the world, in urban locations and even way out in the woods on your next camping trip. Don’t forget to mark your car or campsite as a waypoint to ensure you find your way back. the

Typical cache treasures are not high in monetary value but may hold personal value to the finder. Aside from the logbook, common cache contents are unusual coins or currency, small toys, ornamental buttons, CDs, or books. Also common, are objects that are moved from cache to cache, such as Travel Bugs or Geocoins, whose travels may be logged and followed online. Cachers who initially place a Travel Bug or Geocoin often assign specific goals for their trackable items. Such goals might include a destination like to visit all seven continents or certain country’s. Occasionally an item of higher value is included for the first person who find’s the geocache, or in locations that are harder to get to or find.

How to know where to look for Geocaches

The GPS coordinates of the caches are published on Geocaching websites like www.Geocaching.com (also known as “Groundspeak”) and the original site www.Groundspeak.com. You can find the locations (coordinates) of geocaches, along with the details of their location’s so you know what to look for and how hard it is to find before you get there. After you find the cache you can share your adventure and photos with the rest of the geocaching community online. There are also many local geocaching chapters that cater to just a state or even city that have information on caches in that particular area. Most Geocaching associations and chapters hold annual functions or outings, much like a high-tech Easter egg hunt. That is a great way for the whole family to get out and have fun together. There are many blogs and forums that are dedicated to Geocaching where you can read about other Geocachers experiences, events and functions that are in your area as well as in other countries all around the world. They are also a great way to keep in touch with the Geocaching community and learn the in’s and out’s of Geocaching.

There is also a invitation only Geocaching community (www.TerraCaching.com). This isn’t so much to keep people out, but to delegate much of the responsibility for ensuring high  quality, legal and appropriate caches to the community itself. They use a complex, dynamic rating system which learns from members and actively encourages a focus on the quality, not quantity, of caches that members post to provide more fun, memorable and challenging cache hunts. To become a member you need two existing members to sponsor you. To start you just register a “starter account” and their system will automatically look for potential sponsors in your area, also you can post a message pleading your case to the “Applications for Sponsorship” section of the forums. They say that most new members who post here get sponsors within a few hours depending on time of day and the day of the week.

Caches come in all shapes and sizes. From a small vial the size of your pinkie that is only big enough to hold the paper with the log on it, to a five gallon bucket and even larger. Geocaches vary greatly in difficulty and location from simple caches commonly referred to as “drive-bys,”  to much more complex multi-staged geocaches with points containing the coordinates for the next stage along the way. The final stage contains the log book and trade items. There are even underwater caches and caches that are located 50 feet up a tree. There are even night time caches where you may need to shine a flashlight in a particular direction and fallow the reflectors to the cache. There is really no limit to how you can hide a cache, the only limit is to the imagination and that adds to the fun of the hunt.

Geocaching Guidelines and Etiquette

You want to be aware of local laws when hiding or hunting for that cache on public lands. You can get this information from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at (www.blm.gov). Be sure to go to the state and county that you are interested in. As for National Parks and National Monuments, in most cases you just need a permit for Geocaching from the National Park Service (www.nps.gov). Each National Park and National Monument has their own website, most of them have dedicated a page of that site to information on Geocaching in their park (if you can’t find it just call). Of course the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management are charged with the care of our public land, and as you can imagine they would need to know where these caches are located as well as how many people are hunting for them because of the delicate ecosystems they need to protect.

Of course you must follow all legal laws like Trespassing laws, so always get the permission of the land owner. Although each website has their own specific guidelines for acceptable geocache publications, in general once Geocachers find a cache, they follow these four simple and basic rules: (1) Fill out the logbook. (2) If you take something from the geocache, leave something of equal or greater value in return. (3) Return the cache to the exact position and condition in which it was found. (4) Be mindful of the environment, practice Cache In Trash Out. Believe it or not, the bomb squad has blown up a few caches. Yes we live in some crazy times. Someone not familiar with you or the sport of Geocaching might think something suspicious is going on and call the authorities. Even though hiding and hunting Geocaches is not illegal (provided you get permission of the land owner) not being aware of your surroundings and/or being stealthy could result in a perfectly good cache getting blown up.

What to look for in a Geocaching GPS receiver

All you really need is a GPS that can point you to a specific Longitude and Latitude position, something that most GPS devices can do. Though there are some basic features to look for that will make your Geocaching experience much more enjoyable. General features to look for when purchasing a GPS unit to geocache include: (1) Lightweight and compact, makes it easier to carry especially on long hikes and when you need to negotiate through rocks and trees (look for a wrist strap too!). (2) Waterproof, caches can be hidden under or near water and you never know when you might slip crossing a creek or river. (3) Long battery life, a must for those hard-to-find, remote caches. (4) Waypoint storage, that will hold more cache locations (don’t forget to mark your car as a waypoint to ensure you find your way back.) (5) Screen readability, should be easy to read in daylight and at night.

There are some more advanced features to look for that will make it even easier for you to find that big cache that include: (1) WAAS-enabled, that means your GPS unit will give you better position accuracy, within 3 meters (10 feet) 95% of the time. (2) Built-in digital Compass, they are convenient and come in handy when you get within 100 feet of your cache (you’ll need to stand still for a few seconds to get a direction reading). (3) Altimeter, shows how high up you are for those vertically hidden caches. (4) Mapping Capabilities, makes it easier to navigate when you can download maps to your unit and are able to see the terrain you will be trekking through, as well as when looking for places to cross rivers and things. Garmin’s Colorado and Oregon GPS receivers come with topographical maps already pre installed. (5) External antenna, for use under heavy tree cover or difficult terrain where it may be difficult for the GPS to maintain a strong lock on the satellite signal.

There are, what are called “Paperless Geocaching GPS receivers.” Garmin has worked with Groundspeak to enable their Colorado and Oregon handheld GPS receivers to be compatible with the “.gpx file.” This allows you to download cache data including descriptions, hints, waypoint information, and cache logs directly from www.Geocaching.com to your Garmin GPS unit via a USB connection to the computer, so you can eliminate printing out paper cache pages. In addition, Geocaching data can be transferred wireless between two Garmin users in close proximity. This make the Garmin Colorado and Garmin Oregon handheld GPS receivers truly a “Geoaching friendly” GPS receiver.

Groundspeak has also created a interactive Geocaching experience with their “Wherigo player” that combines adventure games with GPS technology. Imagine playing Zork, Secret of Monkey Island or Myst, but in the park around the corner, or on the beach during your family vacation. Rather than clicking the mouse and selecting a location to move your character, you physically move from one location to the next to advance the story. Rather than searching for puzzle clues on a screen, you look for them in the real life. Garmin is the first GPS manufacturer to include the Wherigo player already installed on their Colorado and Oregon handheld GPS receivers. Using Wherigo, you can create interactive tours, adventure games and puzzles that give you endless possibilities of adventure.

by, Jeff Sanders
Garmin GPS Navigation Systems