The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), going on now in Las Vegas, has been all over the news. Hundreds of new product announcements are timed for this show. Once upon a time, this show was mostly about stereo equipment. Now with electronics embedded in so many products, attendees see everything from refrigerators to cars there. The Engadget blog has had more than 400 posts in the last several days!
We're excited to be there for the first time in some years, demonstrating TOPO! and how it works on a Magellan Triton GPS.
NGMaps Sales Manager Alisha Daniels demos TOPO! + Triton at CES
2 comments:
Triton and NG topos.
Are there any other manufacturers that can download NG raster topo maps? I've been using the NG topo series for several years for outdoor lesiure activities, and they are undoubtably the best out there- I have the Delorme topo and Flyfish editions, Garmin topo, and Magellan topo. The real-world feel of the NG topo series really helps identify the areas to scout much better than any vector-based topo.
When Magellen announce that Tritons would be able to download NG 24k topos, it seemed that I would'nt need the laptop balancing next to me while looking for appropriate bird habitat. After a couple of days using the 300 and 400 in wilderness areas in northern Wisconsin, I'm returning both Tritons. The problems include-a) Super short battery life- 3 to 5 hours.
b) Units hang while downloading data maps.
c) They dont seem to turn off- but go into a "suspend mode".
d) topo downloads take nearly quarter hour for half a state download. The 300 basically limits download size to about half an average county (not enough when using car to scout areas).
e) Cant get street overlay to download onto either Triton- just the raster map.
f) Black zoom, etc. buttons can't be depressed with gloved hands (the glove insulation spreads pressure over too wide an area) - they are too small and hard to push- you'll need to use your fingernails.
g) Silver selector ring too small for gloved hands to push accurately.
h) Raster map display does'nt scroll to bottom of last raster image file name- so you can only guess which file it is you're loading.
The 400 has the sd slot on the outside under a peel-open piece of rubber- it does'nt seem like a waterproof solution- I'm not sure whether the sd slot is sealed from the inside of the unit.
i) As you navigate into an area where ratster map is loaded, the screen turns black until at level 3(I think) you are completely in the raster area.
CD doesnt have the vantage point software on it - you have to get online and download the software- and the laptop needed the cd again (after Vantage point was already installed)to recogize the second Triton.
j) It (Vantage point or Triton)won't recognize my older Magellan topo maps.
It was no faster to acquire hot in heavy boreal forest than my friend's Garmin.
First of all, thanks for being a loyal TOPO! user.
Wow, that's quite a list! I am aware that the first batch of units shipped without the Vantage Point software and while it's an inconvenience for sure, I want to say that will not be the case going forward.
From your description, some of the operations with maps did not work as well as in our experience, so perhaps there was some technical problem with the unit or firmware that could have been addressed.
To answer your question, first it should be noted that Triton is the first line from a major manufacturer to offer raster support. I've only heard of two other manufacturers who each have one unit that do. Both have closed systems.
We (and our many thousands of users) would be pleased if other manufacturers decided to make their units open to our maps. Fortunately, all the major manufacturers permit TOPO! interactivity with waypoints, routes and tracks.
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