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[Torokun]

Possible?

 

[XOXOXO]

You're not the only one to ask that question: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/GPS

The OLPC design includes GPS capability. It is called a USB port and there are 4 of them. They can be used for an astounding variety of peripherals. For instance, using a USB-Serial adapter one of the cheap GPS bricks will work with the OLPC. Or you could add a USB Bluetooth adapter and a cheap GPS brick that uses Bluetooth. I have a Nokia N70 telephone with Python and Bluetooth and I bought one of the cheap Bluetooth GPS bricks. After a few hours with Google and Python I was able to write a script to grab and save GPS locations over Bluetooth. I imagine it would be just as easy to do on the 2B1.

Its already been done by some dude. I'm sure with the thousands of geeks getting their XOs, code will soon be available.

[Wayan Vota]

Ha!  That's a great idea.  I never thought of it in all my OLPC daydreaming.  I think I'll highlight this post on OLPC News too.

[pgf]

i bought my xo specifically for this purpose.  i'm the current maintainer of RoadMap (http://roadmap.sourceforge.net), and i currently run RoadMap on a device with specs very similar to those of the xo (but slower).  i expect to have RoadMap working on the xo pretty quickly -- that is, if the xo every shows up.  ;-)

(the killer feature of the xo for me is the sunlight-readable screen.  i run RoadMap on my motorcycle, and even with a super-bright backlight, my current device is hard to use on a bright day.)

paul

[Torokun]

So... this is possible eh?

I was half joking when I posted it.

I really wish XOs came with touch screen...  It would make the interface design way more intuitive...  Even for the GPS mod.

[pgf]

i agree.  the lack of a pointing device when in tablet mode will be the biggest UI issue when porting RoadMap (and many other graphics applications).

paul

[Alex Guichet]

I would love to see that feature on my XO! I'm just starting to drive and so I'm excited to see that i may only have to buy a USB dongle and no full featured GPS...

WOO!

[pgf]

To set expectations, RoadMap is not a "full-featured" GPS program in the sense you're probably thinking.  It's full-featured if you compare it to a typical 5 year-old GPS unit.  No auto-navigation is the big missing feature, and it's unlikely to happen anytime soon, since the available free map data doesn't support it.

paul

[JB]

I would love to see some links to the necessary hardware like in the auto power supply thread.

In fact, the GPS unit and the auto power supply would work very well together.

[decibel]

With the ruggedness and portability that the XO offers, I imagine it would be a geocacher's best friend as well. Even though it doesn't have bluetooth for on-the-fly web access with your cell phone's data plan, being able to review notes, hints and logs that you can save to the machine prior to heading out geocaching is hard to ignore.

[fvan]

Don Hopkins, who ported Sim City to the XO and was instrumental in getting the code released is an XO evangelist and works for Tom Tom in Holland. When interviewed a few days ago at a Dutch OLPC  supporters gathering he said, and this is a quick translation:

"Tom Tom is very interested in the XO technology, and I see  a possible technology swap, Tom Tom is very curious about  the rugged, energy friendly hardware, specially the screen. In turn, Tom Tom could support OLPX by supplying low resolution maps A very handy feature since the next version of the XO will have GPS, kids will be able to put themselves on the map."

http://www.webwereld.nl/ref/rss/49092  link to original article in Dutch.

[John_G1G1D1]

Next XO will have GPS?  Sweeeeet.  Maybe it could e-mail us telling us where it is in the shipping chain.

[intelliot]

With the ruggedness and portability that the XO offers, I imagine it would be a geocacher's best friend as well. Even though it doesn't have bluetooth for on-the-fly web access with your cell phone's data plan, being able to review notes, hints and logs that you can save to the machine prior to heading out geocaching is hard to ignore.

interesting point! i have gone geocaching a few times, but not recently. maybe the XO is what i need to push me out there again.

[kidatari]

GPS would definitely be the killer app for the XO.

One of my main reasons for participating in the G1G1 program was because of the possibility of a GPS app. Exciting!

[Torokun]

Found this while browsing...

I wonder if we can have something like this work with XO...

http://www.gearlog.com/2008/01/ces_2008_spectecs_minisd_gps_u.php


Hm...  It will be hard to make that plug in below the screen...

I guess we have to wait for some sort of USB GPS dongle...