GeoDiscovery Geode GPS Springboard Module For Handspring Visor

Other products by GeoDiscovery

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004ZB7T
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1999

Product Description

Amazon.com Review
Handheld GPS receivers are growing in popularity as the hardware shrinks and the accuracy grows. Handspring Visor owners can slap a GPS module into their palmtop and find their location on their onscreen maps. GeoDiscovery's curvaceous and translucent Geode module offers some nifty design features to keep you from getting lost, but you'll first have to find the money to bring this device home.

A great extra that helps offset the price is the two MultiMediaCard (MMC) slots. MMCs can hold up to 64 MB of additional storage space each, enabling you to store detailed maps and information about almost everywhere you're planning to go. Unfortunately, the MMC slots aren't currently supported, although GeoDiscovery hopes to have them functional within a couple of months. As with other enhancements, this support would require only a simple flash upgrade for the software.

The GeoDiscovery Web site has an excellent map-finder tool, with detailed maps of cities and highways for all 50 states. Just download the file, synchronize with your Visor, and the maps are usable by the Geode. There are also downloadable guides, such as the National Park series for $4.99 each, with details like park hours, ranger station locations, and other pertinent content.

After loading our Visor with appropriate maps, we headed out for a weekend camping trip. The first time we used the Geode, we had to calibrate the compass by turning around slowly. It took a while for the calibration to take, as well as for us to get our first satellite lock. But after that initial setup, we were able to get and hold a lock in less than a minute (rather typical for GPS receivers). We did have trouble maintaining a connection while in our car, but by holding the Geode closer to a window the connection stayed up more consistently.

Because the Geode uses the new Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), it can provide extremely accurate location readings--within three meters--and we noticed this during our tests. The tiny roads that led to our campsite were displayed on the Geode, with our location on the map coinciding exactly with a slight bend in the road.

One of our main complaints about the Geode is the lack of street labeling. You have to click on a road or highway to see its name, which can make it difficult to use for navigation. On slower Visors, it can also take several seconds for the map to redraw when you're zooming in or out.

Another caveat is the price--it's more expensive than some standalone GPS receivers. But if you're into lots of map storage, the MMC memory slots may make the Geode worth the extra cost when they come online. --J. Curtis

Pros:

• Memory expansion slots
• WAAS support
• Lots of free maps to download

Cons:

• Pricey
• Streets aren't labeled until clicked

Amazon.com Product Description
The GeoDiscovery Geode GPS Springboard module for Handspring Visor is an interactive travel guide that easily snaps onto your Handspring Visor. It incorporates a GPS receiver, a digital compass, and two memory expansion slots. The SiRFstar II-based 12-channel global positioning system receiver has an integrated antenna that enables the Geode to receive L1 C/A (course acquisition) signals from any of the 24 GPS satellites orbiting the earth. The Geode uses SiRF's FoliageLock technology, which provides a high level of signal sensitivity and performance even in canyons, between buildings, and in dense foliage. It also incorporates dual multipath rejection that eliminates stray data from reflected signals. This feature boosts GPS accuracy in many environments where the radio signals can bounce off rocks or buildings before reaching the Geode.

Further enhancing the GPS accuracy of the Geode is the implementation of the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) developed by the Federal Aviation Administration. It is a geographically expansive augmentation to the basic GPS service. WAAS improves the accuracy, integrity, and availability of the basic GPS signals to approximately 2 meters in the United States, northern Mexico, and southern Canada.

The Geode runs on two AA batteries and includes two MultiMediaCard slots capable of holding at least 64 MB each of storage for maps and trip information. Additionally, it includes a digital compass and a temperature sensor.

The GeoDiscovery software runs on any Handsping Visor with Palm OS version 3.0 or higher. The GeoView Mobile software enables users to browse information linked to interactive maps and interactive travel guides. It can show you where you are on a moving map, provide navigation assistance, and help you bookmark your favorite places.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best GPS Module Out There, January 23, 2001

By	"bitbangr" (Garden Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews

First of all, "electronics fan from dallas" doesn't know what he's talking about. WAAS does indeed exist, and the GPS receiver in the Geode is definitely capable of utilizing WAAS to enhance accuracy.

The Geode, although pricey, does appear to be the best GPS module for Visor. It has the fastest time to first fix, a magnetic compass built in, tons of storage space for maps (up to 128 Megs), very nice mapping software, and long battery life (over 20 hours on two AA's).

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Geode has not grown as promised, June 21, 2001

By A Customer

I already posted review for this(see "Any Problems Due to Old Visors!" March 16, 2001 by an electronics fan from Boston). In it I gave the Geode five stars and addressed some of the problems for which the Geode was being blamed which were really Visor and Visor Deluxe Problems (i.e. RF shielding). Sadly, I now have to go back on my old review in light of recent events. My Geode still works great but as of mid-May Geodiscovery has gone into a near death state. The company may or may not return to operation. As a result the improvements on the Geode have ceased still without MMC card support, reduced power consumption, color maps (for Handspring Prism), NMEA compatability or future firmware upgrades. Thus the parts of my previous review that lauded the Geode's extensibility must now be rescinded since it is a fair bet that no future improvements to the module will be made [unless it goes open source :)]. In light of this I recommend the Magellan GPS Companion for Handspring Visor. Magellan and Garmin (which makes the handheld eTrex) are established companies that won't be going away anytime soon. At this time it represents the best solution for a GPS springboard module. Geodiscovery had a lot of promise but they tried to rebuild the wheel from scratch and failed. Well I'm gonna try and hack my Geode now since the upgrades aren't gonna happen by themselves.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Form and unfunction!, April 25, 2001

By	Jason Javan (Cambria, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I first had the Magellan which I returned because of the fact it could use up a lot of memory for the maps so I got the Geode with nice memory expansion slots. Well they still haven't released the software to use those dual 64MG slots.. it is impossible to maintain a lock in a car even with an RF optimized Visor (even if you screen the module with foil!). And it just eats batteries like no tomorrow. Coupled with poor mapping software that only gives you the streets if you ask.. Yes it does get a lock quick but even with the lastest 'flash upgrades' it is far from being worth $300. Give it a couple of years and if they improve power usage, mem slot usage and better locking from a car (where I need it most) then I will come back to them otherwise give this a miss.

I was right to start out with Magellan since they've be doing this for a long time and it works in a car! True it feels light and plasticky with no mem expansion (just keep about 2MG free and you'll be fine) but it works and half the cost!