The long-awaited new Satmap Active 10 GPS unit launched
last Thursday with a promise to 'revolutionise the way people use both GPS and
digital maps'.
Until now most GPS units have been resolutely user hostile when
used in stand-alone mode making them little more than an emergency
location detector. Used together with a PC and mapping software,
they're a lot more versatile, but can still be quite clunky.
Streamlined
The
Satmap unit looks to be refreshingly streamlined. It uses Ordnance
Survey Explorer and Landranger maps stored on SD cards and all the
software you need to use it, is already loaded on the unit
itself.
Entering a route is a simple matter of loading the card and using
a cursor to mark out your intended course on the large colour screen.
No need to hook it up to a computer or enter endless waypoint names,
just click, click, click and follow the route.
We've seen a demo and trust us, it was incredibly easy to use with
fast, near seamless zooming and really intuitive controls.
Stand-alone Unit
The unit itself can generate stuff like elevation profiles,
distance etc, which you'd normally need separate software to produce,
plus it's possible to attach multimedia information like images,
movies, text and audio recordings to a chose point of interest, so
you can add relevant information to the route.
The unit itself has been purpose-built with outdoor use in mind,
so it's weatherproof - OM routes editor Dave has already submerged
one in his wash basin without problems - has interchangeable Lexan
covers for the screen, an optional bike mount and protective
cases.
The unit comes with free high quality UK national road mapping as
standard and you can then buy further Satmap branded maps using OS
data on SD cards. All 17 UK National Parks are currently available
along with National Trails, regional and county mapping, all in
1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scale maps. You can also buy customised maps
centred on a postcode to suit your individual needs.
Positive Response
Richard Calthrop-Owen, head honcho at Satmap Systems Ltd., says:
"During the last few months we have previewed the Active 10 to both
trade and prospective users in the UK and Europe and we're really
delighted by the positive response.
'We have already taken pre-orders and with a global hiking and
cycling market estimated to be around 277 million people there is a
lot of pent up demand. The Active 10 is a first class GPS
mapping device but its use extends much further and we're looking
forward to developing applications such as the multimedia and POI
mapping."
Review Soon
We'll be bringing you a full review shortly, but if the unit lives
up to first impressions, it could be the best on the market. When
other units seem to be getting more and more complicated with added
features, Satmap seems to have focussed on real-world useability with
everything you need in a plug and play stand-alone unit.
We don't expect it to appeal to existing GPS users who revel in
the techy details of their GPS and mapping software interface, but
for anyone who wants a simple, streamlined, iintuitive mapping unit,
it could be just the ticket.
Price is £299 and Satmap will be available from a number of
high street retailers including Blacks, Field and Trek and the John
Lewis Partnership as well as online at www.satmap.com
and www.odrnancesurvey.co.uk
Kev Smith
