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PRODUCT REVIEW
DeLorme's EarthMate GPS
By Chris Guella
Months ago, I started using my Palm device to hold graphics files and maps from Yahoo. Since then, things have changed. Most importantly, I have been using DeLorme Earthmate, DeLorme Street Atlas USA, DeLorme Solus Palm device software and my Palm device as navigation tools and as a means to plan and follow trip plans. There are other uses for this technology, but I focus on navigating the great American highways.
I travel regularly, so I was able to test the system in a number of states in both city and suburban settings. Frankly, I do not know how I lived without this collection of tools for so long. In this article, I'll introduce you to the power of navigation using GPS (i.e., the Global Positioning System) combined with the appropriate software for your Palm device and laptop or desktop PC.
This is the "everyday application" of GPS we were promised when the technology was introduced. My experience should be helpful in illustrating the benefits as well as a practical view of how you may want to apply these tools to your own needs.
GPS Pilot solutions
I believe that what DeLorme offers is unique for the Palm device, however I recommend that you consider your own requirements and how well they align with the DeLorme products before purchasing theirs or any other vendor solutions available. This is especially true for other types of navigation such as air travel, pilot navigation and map creation. Another company, GPS Pilot (at http://www.gpspilot.com), has a selection of application-specific Palm device tools that meet a different set of needs:
- GPS Tracker creates maps for backpacking, boating, hiking;
- Flying Pilot gives you dynamic pre-flight and in flight navigational tools;
- GPS Compass gives you real life compass direction coordinates, time and speed;
- Topographer enables modifying, importing and exporting positional data between a Palm device and a PC machine;
Most of the GPS Pilot software will work with standard GPS devices as well as the DeLorme TripMate GPS. However, I reviewed the newer EarthMate GPS, which uses a proprietary output format and is not compatible with the GPS Pilot software.
Find your way
Have you ever traveled by car, had to travel to a business meeting in a strange city or town, tried finding a friend's new house, or searched for an obscure boutique or store with nothing more than an address or street? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, you may want to consider a combination of some of the navigation tools I discuss in this article.
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