Posted on December 14 2004
Maps are cool. And if you’ve been following what’s happened among online purveyors of mapping services like Terraserver and MapTech, you’ve seen the increasing quality of data cross-referencing GPS coordinates and digital aerial photographs. Now Magellan is doing 3D topographic maps for the PC that synchronize with a GPS reciever. In other words, you can identify a location from a 3D perspective on your desktop (or wirelessly connected laptop in your off-road vehicle), enter it into your hand-held, and go find it (and get back to your rig). If you like to hike and fish, it sounds like a lot more fun than finding yourself in the maze of contour lines on a 3-foot wide topo map. The new service is a cooperative venture between Magellan, Trails.com and NavTech.