Blogs

It is possible to use GPX files, or GPS Exchange files, to quickly import track data and waypoints into an Android GPS app. This example will show you how you can do this in BackCountry Navigator. 

Since it is a highly requested feature, I've been spending a lot of time lately on refining our GPS tracking solution for Android. Tracking, also known as breadcrumbing, automatically marks a series of GPS points as you travel with GPS on. 

Our Android GPS Software allows you to download maps for offline use on Android. You can download a section of topo maps, aerial photography, or other maps for use when you are offline, on a hiking trip or other outdoor activity.

What happens, though, when you go offline when downloading? Whether on wifi, 3G or roaming, you may find that there are times when a file download is interrupted for a temporary loss of connectivity.  

BackCountry Navigator is now available on the Android Market! This GPS app brings offline topo maps to your Android phone.  

In the past week, more than 1000 people have been able to try it, including several who were familiar with our Windows Mobile product.  

When you find BackCountry Navigator on the Android Market, you will first find an app called BackCountry Navigator DEMO. This you should install first. It will allow you to try BackCountry Navigator for a number of days. 

In this week's build, we have simplified the process of downloading multiple offline maps for Android, including topo maps, aerial photography, and other map sources.

Canada Topo Maps are coming to Android! Two kinds of Canadian topographic maps for Canada can be viewed and used as offline maps for Android using the BackCountry Navigator GPS software. 

BackCountry Navigator gives you a choice of topo maps, also known as topographical maps, for use in outdoor recreation such as hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing.

Today is Take Your Daughter to Work Day. As a guest blogger, eight year old Sierra comments on using Android gps software in hiking and what she has learned about topo maps and gps. 

Sean Ansley has announced his intention to hike the Pacific Crest Trail with BackCountry Navigator. His hike will be a good demonstration of using mobile phone software as a topographic gps in hiking. He will be starting on April 20th at Crazy Crook monument. 

Although the pamphlet is not yet published, the Boy Scouts of America have released the requirements for the Geocaching Merit Badge. As part of this Merit Badge, boys learn about safety and geocaching ettiquette, the use of a GPS device, and steps for finding and logging a cache. 

I just created my first YouTube Video about using topographic maps on an Android phone. In the process I learned some things about how effective a video can be in demonstrating a concept like the use of topo maps.  

Using a simple tripod, I managed to focus a home video camera on the screen of my Android phone as I viewed topographic maps in BackCountry Navigator. I didn't actually star in this video, since you don't see a person's face, but you do get a good view of the Android phone screen with a topo map on it, as well a finger coming in from nowhere scrolling the map on the screen.