The price on this is excellent and us much less than any stand alone GPS unit. I do not need to woot on this because I wooted on Co-Pilot late in 2006 which is a similar software and similar plug-in USB and I have used it multiple times through my laptop. I love it! WOOT THIS IF YOU HAVE WANTED A GPS UNIT, BUT ALREADY HAVE A LAPTOP. Why pay more or rent one with each rental car? Everything you need is here.

The comment about the "optimize" feature just sold me. I do a lot of work promoting gigs and booking bands, and as such I've usually got 20-30 clubs that I need to drop things off at and meetings with owners at certain times. If this can optimize several stops to tell me which ones will be the closest, that's great. My car has a power outlet and my stereo has a 1/8" aux jack on the front, which means it's simple enough to connect, power, and hear, and it's a 14" laptop so it's small enough to place on a tray/arm bolted to the floor of the passenger seat.

Freakin' awesome. I missed this on the Woot-Off when it showed up and sold out in about ten seconds.

Now if we could just get a PDA for sale on here one of these years, I'd be all set!

bpgreen wrote:I bought this last time around (2005 then). The one time I really wanted to use it, I couldn't get a signal.

Even with the updated maps, it gives incorrect directions to my house. Oddly enough, it gives correct directions from my house.

How did you ever get home??????????????

magoon thank you so much for answering me!

gabis wrote:Don't care at all about the S/W, what I want to know is will the GPS unit work with my Linux based Car-PC, and is it any good? If not, any suggestions? I would actually like to stay away from bluetooth, so this seems reasonable.

First, you need a USB port on your Car-PC. The GPS unit puts out a standard GPS signal (NMEA 2.0 compliant), so if you have any generic GPS driver, you should get good results.

chfroglegs wrote:does this work with any regular palm pilot or only computers?

Computers only

How do you get the GPS to work with a Pocket PC that only has a SD slot (Toshiba E310)?

That doesn't include the GPS locator.

Wohlachee wrote:

This is not serial port it is USB, so unless you have a USB to 9 pin adapter, you are SOL for linux unless you have the hardware connection and drivers

By the way USB = Universal SERIAL Port....

mike240se wrote:

some people travel daily for work to clients places.

I work in an office and I use the Delorme version daily (sans GPS).
Great for creating maps for our construction crews and for trucking.
I also use the Delorme version at home for planning a route before I jump in the car and plug it up to the GPS.

Other people in the office use the MS streets and trips. They each have their pros and cons...why both are used on some desktops. older versions of Streets and trips are more recommended by coworkers for the features than the newer versions. which is probably why the Delorme software is more prevalent. Of course old maps are a problem. But then again, on Delorme I've noticed local streets built in 2003 (and some before) haven't been included in Delorme. So it makes me wonder about accuracy.

This is a great woot since it includes the GPS. And I'm tempted. But I have 2006 delorme at home so it's not a step up there...and we connect our Garmin to the laptap and use with the software on trips.

hobbie wrote:How accurate is the GPS unit? Software comes and goes, but that little device might be the only hardware I get for a few years, so should I shell out for the one in the '07 package?

Accurate to within 100 feet.

nefariouslover wrote:

I'm really sick of this style of Linux comments.

I don't ask you of your linux product comes with tech support so don't ask me if my m$ product comes free on linux.

Linux snobbery is one of the things that keeps me from even considering switching over.

I fail to see how that was snobbery. Idiocy, maybe, but not snobbery. The value is not in the software, but the hardware. Find me a cheaper GPS receiver of the same quality, and I'll buy that instead of wooting.

y8 wrote:

By the way USB = Universal SERIAL Port....

USB = Universal Serial Bus... notice the B

mockamonkey wrote:If you are going to get this, do not use the Microsoft Streets and Trips software. It is REALLY bad, and it got me lost. It cannot find simple places. It is just horrible. The GPS Locater works fine since it is not manufactured by Microsoft. USB plugs into your laptop. Will work with 3rd party softwares which are MUCH better.

To each his own but I have used S+T for the last few versions and really think just the opposite.

Just my hunble opoinion-c

xamarshahx wrote:How do you get the GPS to work with a Pocket PC that only has a SD slot (Toshiba E310)?

Pharos makes a CF adapter and a bluetooth cradle. Both expensive IMHO but do you have blue tooth?

I was looking for an SD interface but no luck.

-c

mcampane wrote:

It will.

Re; Axim X5 series PDA --
If you can figure out a way to plug in a USB GPS into a PDA that doesn't have a USB slot. There are USB/CF slot adapters, but according to the Aximsite.com forums, they are expensive and problamatic.

vwindependent wrote:
Any tips on what third-party software to get?

Check out GPSnow.com for background info galore.

Winona wrote:

Pharos makes a CF adapter and a bluetooth cradle. Both expensive IMHO but do you have blue tooth?

I was looking for an SD interface but no luck.

-c

I think u can get the bluetooth for the e310, but all this stuff makes it cheaper to buy a real gps unit.

hot chili wrote:Another thing to consider is the amount of time it takes to fire up a computer and load Windows plus the software. It's usually not a problem unless you stop for a nice long lunch or shopping break. You either pull the plug and use the computer battery, leave it hooked up a draining your car battery or shut down, pull the plug and re-boot when you get back on the road. Sitting in a parking lot waiting for Windows to load gets old.

You never heard of standby? My notebook battery will last over 48 hours on standby vs. 3-4 hours active.

I dont see any point to this. am i missing somthing.

kdrinkal wrote:Forget this crap. I like using my ONstar turn by turn navigation

Works great

This is a crappy woot

Have fun paying $200 per year.

magoon wrote:Is this software as good as TomTom or iGuidance or several other hot navigation applications?

The answer depends on your needs. Compare features & specs and decide if you want to pay an additional $x00 to get what you want.

I have used Pocket Streets on an iPAQ with a dashboard mount in the car. It works just fine.

kdrinkal wrote:Forget this crap. I like using my ONstar turn by turn navigation

Works great

This is a crappy woot

and if your kid wants to go somewhere and you don't want them to get lost, what do you do? lend them the WHOLE car?

vdubstar33 wrote:you dont need to be online for the GPS to work ?

The "receiver" receives signals directly from the "Global Positionaling Satellites (GPS)"

sumorez wrote:Now if we could just get a PDA for sale on here one of these years, I'd be all set!

You missed it. I got my iPAQ 6510 here on February 1 for $299.

Bluheart wrote:Maybe if I gave this info it might help?

The Samsung BlackJack is a slim, stylish mobile entertainment and organizational powerhouse. It plays: with Cingular Video and Cingular Music - exclusive TV content and your digital tunes. And it works: with Microsoft® Windows Mobile 5, Mobile Office TM applications, personal and corporate email and attachment support. And it does it all at break-neck 3G speeds. Only from Cingular.
Included Features
* Microsoft® Windows Mobile 5.0 Edition(TM)
* Cingular Music, Cingular Video and MEdia Net capable
* Windows Media Player® 10 Mobile
* Bluetooth 2.0® wireless connectivity
* Simultaneous voice and data capabilities
* Quad-band world phone with dual-band UMTS/HSDPA
* Slim design Smartphone with full QWERTY keyboard
* 1.3 MP camera with 2x zoom and video
* Microsoft® Direct Push for real-time email delivery
* View mobile versions of Microsoft Word®, Excel® and PowerPoint®
* Email - Xpress Mail, Good Mobile Messaging, ActiveSync, and more
* Synchronize your desktop and calendar wirelessly
* Hands-free loudspeaker and microphone
* Instant messaging capabilities

Now can anyone tell me if this will work with this phone?

i doubt it will. but it is ran on windows. do you know how much RAM it has? or if pda's even have ram or just on bord memory.

frebitz wrote:Re; Axim X5 series PDA --
If you can figure out a way to plug in a USB GPS into a PDA that doesn't have a USB slot. There are USB/CF slot adapters, but according to the Aximsite.com forums, they are expensive and problamatic.

Not necessary.

The GPS unplugs from the cable, and plugs into a CF adapter you can get for about $20.

kavinmehta wrote:Alright fellas i froogled it....it is available for $39.59 with free shipping at
http://www.atomicpark.com/xq/aspx/microsoft-streets-and-trips-2006/wt.mc_id.55/prodid.22308/buy.software/qx/productdetail.html

for the first time i have seen something that is more expensive on woot then anything out there....

Will we 'woot'ers all get rebates from the powers that woot?

markbnj wrote:

Will we 'woot'ers all get rebates from the powers that woot?

The Atomicpark deal doesn't include the GPS hardware (which is worth the price of the woot).

I was looking at this item as a GPS option, but didn't think it was worthwile. Unless you typically drive with a laptop and have that configured for use you're much better off buying a stand-alone GPS system or getting one that integrates with your GPS enabled Cell phone.

$50 isn't much, but it's wasted unless you typically use a laptop in your car or have a decent enough PDA with a car charger.

magoon wrote:How does the included USB GPS device compare to others on the market?
It is inferior because it does _not_ contain SiRFstar III technology which provides faster TTFF (Time To First Fix) and increased ability to maintain a lock in densely covered (urban/wooded) environments.

I am not 100% persuaded this is true. I found numerous references by Googling streets trips 2006 sirf star III. Maybe they were planning to offer a different receiver but decided to sell off their Pharos stocks first. Maybe they couldn't get it to work correctly.
Here's one from buygpsnow.com:
Globalsat Serial SiRF Star III GPS Receiver (BR-355) (Free NEW Arkon Mount) (Supports WAAS/EGNOS)

Note: the box shown on the front page reads NEW! Advanced GPS features - but doesn't specify what they are.

I don't get it ... what's the point?

Will the GPS unit work with Delorme Street Atlas 2006 (or 2007), and will Streets and and Trips read .dmt files?

I'll be on a support crew for a bike race from California to New Jersey this June, and I believe the race officials provide us with a copy of Street Atlas for navigation (at least, they did last year) and a .dmt file of the route. This could be a great deal for a GPS unit to practice with, since Delorme's Street Atlas w/ GPS unit bundles start at $99.

I have this program and LOVE it, it works with my pocket PC (You can load maps to a pocketpc using the built in "pocket streets" program.)

I think can hook my garmin GPS to my pocket pc or a my laptop and have no need for the M$ gps thing, though it would be nice since it is so small...

good product. I love it.

I use this all the time, works great. doesnt say street names but does tell you the distance. f-3 rerotes you if you get off course.i have 2007 so i dont know the difference between the two. i belive with the new updates it works with google earth.

hot chili wrote:Another thing to consider is the amount of time it takes to fire up a computer and load Windows plus the software. It's usually not a problem unless you stop for a nice long lunch or shopping break. You either pull the plug and use the computer battery, leave it hooked up a draining your car battery or shut down, pull the plug and re-boot when you get back on the road. Sitting in a parking lot waiting for Windows to load gets old.

The problem is not as bad as you've experienced. We use a laptop and CoPilot.
When we stop somewhere for dinner, a movie, or lunch, we unplug the transformer from the converter so we don't drain the car battery. Then we just close the laptop and it goes into standby mode. Most laptops will have enough juice in their batteries to store information in standby mode for at least five hours. Ours goes about eight hours before it goes out. That's plenty of time for the laptop to be "running" so you don't need to power up the sucker again when you operate it. The gps antenna or whatever hardware device you're using needs to be powered up again, but certainly that takes less time than to power up the laptop from a cold boot.

RonnyBoy wrote:

The problem is not as bad as you've experienced. We use a laptop and CoPilot.
When we stop somewhere for dinner, a movie, or lunch, we unplug the transformer from the converter so we don't drain the car battery.

you'd have to run this for days before you'd drain your car battery

TommyPappas wrote:
Not necessary.

The GPS unplugs from the cable, and plugs into a CF adapter you can get for about $20.

I travel a lot for work, and often have to drive around unfamiliar cities in rented cars. I just ordered this, and hope to be able to run it from my Dell Axim. Where can I get one of the CF adapter cables you mention?

Flame On!...bought one last year and as long as you can use it without wrecking, it's great.

Worth it for the USB GPS. I wooted for one. :D