gps

Great local search apps for iOS

I was going through the app listings the other day and came across LocalScope, a unique local search tool that helps you find things near your current location. Obviously, many people already use Google Maps (no current version for iOS) for this purpose, and the Yelp-powered Apple Maps gets better every day, but after looking at LocalScope (reviewed below), I went on a search for other apps that tailor their results just for what is right around your area.

This week's collection of apps is all about searching for services around your location. The first gives you tons of listings and a surprising bonus feature for finding your destination. The second offers a slick radial interface and tons of categories to pick from. The third is LocalScope, and uses social data to find places, videos, and images from people around your location.… Read more

The Cheapskate Fifth-Anniversary Giveaway Spectacular, round one

It's my anniversary!

Five years ago this month (November 12, 2007, to be exact), I lucked into the best blogging job in the world. It was CNET's Matt Elliott who recommended me for the gig, Kelly Morrison who brought me onboard, and Margaret Kane who helped me through the Cheapskate's early stages. I can't thank them enough.

Of course, I'm most grateful to you, the readers. Sounds cliche, but it's true. So many people have sent me so many kind messages over the years -- words of thanks, words of support, and words of great deals for me to share! I actually keep a lot of those e-mails, referring to them when some crank tells me I'm a liar or an idiot. It's really gratifying to know that people value what I do, even more so when they reach out to tell me so.… Read more

GPS buying guide

I get it. Portable navigation devices (PNDs) are a bit archaic at this point. In a world where every smartphone and tablet has some sort of GPS receiver built into it and most cars offer some sort of navigation option, buying a standalone GPS navigator seems both superfluous and archaic.

Yet, the PND market is far from dead. There are still a number of good reasons to choose a standalone GPS device. So if you're interested, here are our top picks.

Garmin Nuvi 3490 LMT

The Garmin Nuvi 3490 is the flagship of Garmin's line of GPS navigators, … Read more

GPS apps that let you know where you've been

When most of us think about GPS apps for smartphones, we're thinking about navigation apps that help you to get wherever you happen to be going. However, there's a whole range of GPS logger apps that are designed to keep track of where you've been.

Tracking your historic position, movement, speed, and elevation is very useful for fitness, as evidenced by the selection of fitness apps below, but it can also be fun. For example, after exporting the .GPX data from a GPS logger app, it can be imported into Google Earth or similar software to create a 3D flyby or, as is the case in the image above, 2D virtual artwork on a massive scale.

… Read more

Goggles with built-in display let you ski like a boss

Who needs a ski resort map, when your goggles can tell you right where you are?

Next Monday, Oakley, one of the largest sports optics makers in the world, will unveil its $599 Airwave ski goggles, an all-new product featuring a small built-in heads-up display that mimics what appears to be a 14-inch screen seen at a distance of five feet.

The display, created using what is called "prism" technology, shows a wide range of imagery and information, including where a skier is, where their friends are, and even data about the last jump they took, or the … Read more

iPad Mini Wi-Fi version lacks GPS found in similar tablets

The iPad Mini Wi-Fi version is missing one key feature found in many other 7-inch tablets -- GPS.

Looking at the Location specs for the iPad Mini on Apple's Web site, the cellular edition shows built-in GPS. But the Wi-Fi version doesn't include that feature.

At yesterday's iPad launch event, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller seemed to enjoy comparing the iPad Mini with Google's Nexus 7 tablet. Schiller proclaimed the iPad Mini the winner due in large part to its bigger 7.9-inch screen size.

But the Nexus 7 comes with GPS. I've used the … Read more

Get a Magellan GPS with lifetime maps and traffic for $84.99

When it comes to behind-the-wheel navigation, I still prefer a dedicated GPS to a smartphone app (especially "smart" ones like the new Apple Maps -- just saying).

Of course, I'm a little spoiled now: I want a big screen, real-time traffic data, and all the map updates I can eat.

Ta-daaa: Today only, and while supplies last, Tech Woot has the Magellan 3065T-LM 4.7-inch GPS with lifetime maps and traffic for $84.99, plus $5 for shipping. Elsewhere it sells for $30 to $40 more.

Unlike a lot of the discount navigators I see these days, … Read more

GPS shoes give directions on top of your toes

GPS shoes already exist, but they've been more about tracking the wearer than giving directions. A project by U.K. artist Dominic Wilcox solves that oversight by putting directions right at the tips of your toes.

The prototype leather shoes were made by hand in old-world style by Stamp Shoes, but with some decidedly new-world technology tucked inside courtesy of interactive arts and technology expert Becky Stewart. … Read more

Five free and mostly free iPhone navigation apps

Although there was much anticipation of Apple's native navigation app for iOS 6, reports of its performance revealed many flaws. If Apple Maps is not everything you had hoped, fear not, there are alternatives. Other companies have been doing navigation a lot longer than Apple, and their apps show much more refinement. Most are basically free, but you will need to pay a little for features such as voice prompts, traffic data, and downloadable maps.

Here are five free, or mostly free, iPhone navigation apps. … Read more