Hey, just so you know ... this post is now about 25 years and 3 months old. Please keep that in mind as it very well may contain broken links and/or outdated information.
Now this is cool. The TripMate from Delorme is an inexpensive GPS (global positioning system) device that uses the government’s network of GPS satellites to pinpoint your position on the globe. Paired with Delorme’s Street Atlas software in your laptop, you can plan a trip, attach the Tripmate to the serial port of your laptop, place the Tripmate on your dashboard, and then watch yourself move on the map as you drive. The GPS calculates your heading and speed and even speaks when your next turn is approaching. Very, very cool.
The latest iteration of the Earthmate is smaller, connects via USB, and requires no batteries (drawing power instead from the USB port). It also has a colored LED to show you the status of the satellite acquisition mode. Maybe it’s finally time for me to upgrade.
Ah, no more lugging the laptop with me to navigate. Now I’ve got the Garmin StreetPilot c340.