cheap GPS / buy a Microsoft product!

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From:  <phiscock-g851W1bGYuGnS0EtXVNi6w at public.gmane.org>

| - The factory direct web page has no mention of any hardware. Is the
| locator something they're bundling with the package? Or it's just
| something that comes with the software from Microsoft?
| 
| - Is there *any* linux software that will talk to the locator?

I bought the 2005-titled version of this package.  It came with a cute
hardware GPS unit that connects via USB (the cable is proprietary on
one end).

The unit was made by Pharos and you could buy directly from
them other ways of connecting.  I think that it is a Microsoft-branded
Pharos iGPS-360:
  http://www.pharosgps.com/support/igps360_spec.htm
(Pharos was the name of the famous lighthouse of Alexandria.  One of
the seven wonders of the world.)

I have made this work with Linux on my daughter's notebook.  It has
not actually turned out to be very useful: we haven't done the
homework to find useful maps.

Of course they might have changed the unit for 2006 but the
picture looks the same.  Besides, this link suggests that the 2005 and
2006 units are the same:
  http://www.pharosgps.com/products/accessories/GPS_Receivers/PXT13.htm
Click on "Enlarge Image" under the picture.  What you get is the upper
thing, not the CF adapter part.  And a USB cable.  Cute size.

Googling shows that this package is available from several US places
for US$39.95.  The 2007 version is more. For example, $59.95 here:
  http://www.compuvisor.com/microsoft-streets-trips-2007.html?gclid=CMH3x-Pcoo4CFRHzPgodEVDaxw

This article claims that the 2007 locator (that is the MS term for the
hardware part of the package) is "ten times more sensitive than its
predecessor in the previous version of Streets & Trips".  So you may
wish to pay more for the new one.  I have no idea if Linux will
support it.
  http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,127470/article.html
--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://gtalug.org/
TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://gtalug.org/wiki/Mailing_lists