There's a new little toy I've started throwing in my camera bag--a GPS receiver. It's not what you're thinking. There are no movings maps. In fact, there's no readout at all. This GPS receiver, smaller than a pack of Tic Tacs, doesn't tell me where to go; it shows where I've been. I'll explain how that enters into photography in a second.
I found the i-gotU (among the worst named products of this century) on eBay; it's available widely online at electronics outlets too. For $40 or so, including shipping, you get the receiver, a small USB holster for charging and data transfer, and a software CD.
The i-gotU itself features a single button and two hidden LEDs. That's all you need, because as it finds your position using the constellation of GPS satellites, it's also recording it on internal memory. Back home, the data is quickly pushed to your computer.
If you carry the i-gotU while you shoot, and the clock on your camera is reasonably on-time, your photos can be geotagged. That means the major photos sites, and even Google, will properly place them on the map.
I lent mine to a friend, who carried it and his camera as he snowmobiled through Vermont. I now have documentary proof that he's crazy enough to hit 80 mph on snow!
The i-gotU is not without its shortcomings: When you turn it on, make sure to leave it in the clear until it's latched onto a few satellites. Once that's done, it works fine in your pocket. Forget step one, though, and you'll find yourself missing data points.
The time interval between fixes, which you can set, is really more a suggestion than a hard-and-fast rule. Does it make a difference that I knew where I was about every 26 seconds instead of exactly every 15? Probably not. I'm told this has to do with the battery-conserving sleep mode it goes to between sightings.
Speaking of battery--shades of iPod--it can't be changed. I have no idea what the reasonable life expectancy is, but hopefully when it gives up, the next generation will be here and be cheaper!
Post by Geoff Fox
