New Garmin series supporting aerial photos, maps.

Reports in the US indicate that Garmin is introducing a new type of GPS unit which allows users to upload aerial photos and scanned maps.
As the report says, it is high time that Garmin did this. If the report is right it would allow us to scan a map, put it onto the GPS and then navigate from it.

http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2007/12/more-on-the-gar.html


This would be particularly useful in Ireland, north and south. Support for GPS mapping is weak here with no "official" vector maps currently available for off road navigation, a far cry from the situation in many other European countries. Garmin are reported to be working on no doubt proprietary map or maps based on OSI data - but when?

OSI Trailmaster does provide an option for using its mapping with PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) but ownership of these is not widespread, generally they are not ruggedised and they usually require a separate GPS to give location information. Not good. All requiring separate batteries. Anyway Trailmaster does not cover some areas of interest and support for the product is weak.

Assuming the new Garmin Colorado becomes available in Ireland and if it lives up to its promise this will give us another way to get mapping onto a GPS.
It will also be useful for going abroad. Perhaps it would be possible to get good enough mapping off Google Earth.


Basic, better than nothing, contour maps are available for suitable Garmin GPS units at http://www.mountainviews.ie/mv/index.php?ids=resource_view