25
Jul
2006
RouteBuddy – GPS on Mac
RouteBuddy is a new GPS and mapping program of Mac OS X. It looks really slick, with a nice interface. They even promote the use for in-car navigation and mapping.
It’s a little expensive, at $100, plus about $50 for each set of maps you want to buy for it. It seems like for $100, you should at least get 1 set of maps for free to start. This kind of pricing isn’t really aimed towards a hobbyist or someone who just wants to ‘play around’ with maps.
There are numerous other mapping solutions for the Mac, none with as smooth an interface, but run much cheaper with similar functionality. Here is a quick list as well as their own blurb and pricing.
- USGS Topo!
- View any point on the topographic map in 3D or draw a route and see a 3D fly thru of your route. $60
- GPSUtility
- GPSUtility displays GPS data including speed, bearing, position and satellite information. Free
- GPSy
- connects your Macintosh to a broad range of Global Positioning System (GPS) navigational units and has advanced mapping, logging, and data transfer features. $50
- TrueNav GPS and Go
- Expand your digital hub by connecting global positioning system (GPS) devices. Experience the wealth of information that GPS devices are able to provide to your Macintosh. Include location information with your data. $50
- MacEnc (by GPSNavX)
- charting and navigation application that allows the use of the free NOAA S-57 ENC marine charts on your Mac. $99.95
- GPSRouteX
- auto-sequencing GPS route navigation application for Mac OS X. Full support for GPSd, import/export Google Earth KML files, import/export GPX files, create your own routes and waypoints, even use your laptop with Google Earth driving directions to give you spoken, “turn-by-turn” driving directions! For a more complete description, check out the feature list.$29
- GPSNavX
- for the boater that wants to take the Macintosh aboard for real-time display of position on full color marine Softcharts and BSB raster charts.$60
- Mac GPSPro
- transferring Waypoints, Routes, Tracklogs, and GPS satellite Almanacs. MacGPS Pro works with almost all brands of GPS receivers for a real-time display of GPS information on a moving map on the Macintosh screen. It allows import of maps from a wide variety of sources. These maps can be viewed with no GPS receiver connected, or used in real-time as a moving-map display of your current position and velocity. $50
- TopoDraw
- allows you to draw new waypoints and tracks directly onto a 2D map simply by pointing and clicking. You can also use TopoDraw to present navigation data gathered with your Garmin GPS unit on a 2D map.$12.95
- Route66
- contains more than 6,500,000 streets in the US & Canada, ROUTE 66 Route USA 2004 contains no less than 4,000,000 Points of Interest in over 60 categories like hotels, restaurants and petrol stations, most of which together with their addresses and telephone numbers. What is more, ROUTE 66 Route USA 2004 also provides support for GPS, enabling you to establish your exact location using satellite navigation and ensuring that you will never lose your way again.$40
- TerraBrowser
- Terrabrowser is an internet browser for satellite photos and topographical maps which are obtained from the Microsoft Terra Server. $15
- RoadNav
-
Roadnav is an in-car navigation system that can run on a variety of operating systems like Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.
Roadnav can obtain a car’s present location from a GPS unit, plot street maps of the area, and provide verbal turn by turn directions to any location in the USA. Roadnav uses the free TIGER/Line files from the US Census Bureau to build the maps, along with the GNIS state and topical gazetteer data from the USGS to identify locations. Free - Trail Runner X
- TrailRunner is a route planning software for all kinds of long distance sports like running, biking, hiking, inline-skating, skiing and more, with geographic display of your workout area. Exports to cellphone or iPod Nano. Free
There are also some nice frameworks and utilities for working with GPS:
- MacGPSBabel
- utility for converting between GPS formats
- FourCoordinates
- Cocoa Framework for interfacing with GPS devices
- GPSd
- daemon that allows multiple connections to a GPS unit, GPSdX is a Mac-specific version
- NoSweat
- interface to the Garmin Forerunner
- gps2gpe
- GPS to GoogleEarth converter
- LoadMyTracks
- LoadMyTracks downloads Tracks, Routes, and Waypoints from GPS receivers (including those from Garmin, Magellan, and Timex) to your Macintosh. From these, it can create GPX files (for use in software that understands GPS output) or KML files (for use with Google Earth and Google Maps).
I’ll try and do an overall review of the various applications later.
My name is
July 25th, 2006 at 10:29 am (#)
Don’t forget about gpsdrive http://gpsdrive.kraftvoll.at/
July 27th, 2006 at 7:42 pm (#)
Here is another one for your list. I just released iPhotoToGoogleEarth which exports your GOS tagged images from iPhoto as KMZ files ready for sending to anyone with Google Earth.
August 2nd, 2006 at 5:33 pm (#)
Although it isn’t primarily designed as a GPS mapping program (it is a wireless network scanner), you could easily include KisMAC in the list, as it has excellent map importing, moving map display, and GPS track logging.
Incidentally, gps2ge’s home page is now located at http://www.grandhighwizard.net/gps2gex.html
Have fun with the reviewing… it’s certainly encouraging to see how many apps there are out there now!
August 31st, 2006 at 10:26 am (#)
I have a MacBook Pro and considering purchase of a Garmin Street Pilot III model c320. Has anyone managed to make this work with OS X please and if so, how ? Thanks
September 1st, 2006 at 9:06 am (#)
Shayne, I believe that GPS should work if you buy a Keyspan USB-to-Serial adapter (the cable that comes with it connects the GPS to a serial port, not to a USB port… so you connect the included cable to the Keyspan adapter, and connect the Keyspan adapter to your computer). Then it *should* work fine. However, it’s worth considering buying a cheap USB or Bluetooth GPS “mouse” such as the Holux GM-210 (USB) or GPSlim-236 (Bluetooth)… at least the USB one won’t cost much more than a Keyspan, both are easier to put somewhere with a good sky view, and they both definitely work well with all Mac GPS software.
August 23rd, 2007 at 5:30 am (#)
Hi,
since this article was written there have been many changes to RouteBuddy, there are also many more to come. Currently RouteBuddy 1.3 is on offer and RouteBuddy 1.4 waits in the wings with many new features and greater connectability.
There are three main points to clear up here:
1) Price
Essentially you get what you pay for.
RouteBuddy is the only modern up-to-date Digital Road Mapping application for the Mac and one whose feature set is growing all the time. There are many differences between us and the other applications listed, more below..
2) RouteBuddy is a Road Map Mapping application, whereas the majority of the applications above are not. RouteBuddy also uses high quality, high definition and up-to-date vector-based road data from Tele Atlas whereas the others don’t.
3) RouteBuddy is unique.
RouteBuddy has been built from the ground-up so that it will be able to use many types of maps, vector and raster for example, within the same application. To do the same with any of the above would mean buying more than one, maybe several applications, to suit all the data a user wishes to own and use and still not offer access to modern road map data..
RouteBuddy has been built to work seamlessly and easily in a ‘one app fits all’ way.
More here from another posting: http://tinyurl.com/2obmk7
If you wish to know more then please visit our Forum to search, make comments or ask questions: http://forum.routebuddy.com/
Thanks for reading..
Neil
January 24th, 2008 at 6:52 am (#)
RouteBuddy 2.0 “Like iTunes™ for your GPS”
Geo-data and Map management on a Mac made easy.
RouteBuddy 2.0 was released at Macworld San Francisco 2008 and a free demo is available from http://www.routebuddy.com
February 7th, 2010 at 5:53 am (#)
Don’t waste your money on RouteBuddy. You STILL can’t buy Topo maps for half the states. The speed of mapping display reminds me of when I had a 286 running DOS. Whatever that program does to calculate routes is flawed. I tell it give the shortest route and it gives me the longest distance. I tell it give me the fastest route and the stupid software takes me off the interstate for no reason. No matter what I do, I can’t keep the route on an interstate. The user interface is not intuitive at all and it will be a frustrating experience to learn how to use the software. There are plenty of alternatives available, many are FREE. Buyer Beware!
December 14th, 2010 at 8:33 am (#)
That’s a strange post Rob, we’ve had all the USGS Topo maps on our store for a very long time now.
If you are having trouble with routing, or any other function, then we can usually sort these issues out if you contact support directly. Posting here is about as far from support as you can get, and then we can’t help you, or any problems you have, at all.
BTW – Free or cheaper software does exist but they don’t have the features, support or even use vector road maps, let alone Topo maps.
The support email is: support@routebuddy.com
Neil Wilson-Harris
—————-
CEO RouteBuddy Ltd
August 19th, 2011 at 1:47 pm (#)
RouteBuddy 3.0, for both Mac OS X and Windows is now available.
- With embedded satellite maps layered over both road and topo maps.
October 6th, 2011 at 9:12 am (#)
RouteBuddy 3.1 is now in the wings. Much faster and more features for Topo and Road map users.
~ neil
Neil Wilson-Harris
————————-
CEO RouteBuddy Ltd