i-gotU GT-120 GPS Tracker: Review
We know a bunch of people who would like to have mobile devices that make their life easier or safer, but worry about having to learn technology before they can use the product. GPS is a useful and safety-improving - but relatively new - technology that would benefit from, say, Apple's design touch. Instead of Apple, Mobile Action Technology has introduced a dead simple GPS track recorder device for photographers and for people who enjoy the great outdoors.
The i-gotU GT-120 is a tiny GPS receiver that can log your travel route in its internal memory space. It doesn't matter if you are driving, walking, cycling, boating, hiking, or kayaking, the device constantly writes down your geographic coordinates as you move. When you stop recording and get back home, you can merge the location data with pictures you took along the way. The i-gotU comes with software application that lets you upload the track and the photos to a shared map on the Internet.
How to use the i-gotU GPS tracker - with Any Digital Camera or Camera Phone
With a GPS position tracker and a digital camera – also a camera phone will do – you can record your travel route and post the photos you took along the way on a map. This is what you need to do:
1. Make sure the time on your camera is correct. The camera automatically records time and date in the header data (EXIF) of each image.
2. Switch on your GPS unit before you start snapping photos. Make sure the GPS device can receive satellite signals.
3. Take pictures on your camera as you normally do.
4. Copy pictures from your camera or phone to a PC.
5. Transfer the tracks recorded by the GPS unit to your PC. The included i-gotU PC software will mark the geographic coordinates into the photos.
6. Let the i-gotU PC application post your photos and track to your Picasa photo album. There are other options for sharing photos on a map, but we found Picasa the best choice with the i-gotU.
An electronics product with only one button must be easy to use
Yes, there is only on button on the i-gotU GT-120. No display, no moving parts. And yes, it is easy to use.
It has, however, two dim lights - blue and red - that inform you what is going on. We learned to keep an eye on the lights, because both of them must be flashing when you are recording. The lights can also tell you when the battery is running low and other things. The battery is recharged via USB cable attached to a PC.
After powering on the device, it typically took some time before the i-gotU GT-120 could receive signals from GPS satellites and determine its location. If you have problems with receiving signals (and you have a clear view to the sky), power off/power on sequence may help. It helped our unit. Once the i-gotU had picked up the signal, it didn't let go, but persistently recorded coordinates from there on.
The unit is water resistant. The blue material around the edges is intended to soften the shock if the device happens to fall down. In any case, the unit is so light that it shouldn't brake down easily even if it falls down
Once you have recorded a track, you can hook up the i-gotU GT-120 to a PC via supplied USB cable (after installing the driver software for Windows). The i-gotU PC application was straightforward to use. The product comes without user guides or tutorials. There's only a brief getting started guide in the package cover sheet. Nonetheless, we survived without the guide. If problems arise, it is possible to check the product web site a-trip for help and also ask other users for assistance.
There are several options for sharing photos and uploading tracks to the Internet. With the i-gotU GT-120, we recommend Picasa. It was the easiest to use with excellent PC and web applications that are integrated with maps.
For the record, the i-gotU GT-120 doesn't have Bluetooth wireless connectivity for feeding location data to, for instance, a smartphone navigation application. Mobile Action is marketing another product (GT-200), that's like the GT-120, but with Bluetooth.
What we liked about the i-gotU GPS tracking device
- Dead simple to use.
- Straightforward PC software package lets you view your tack on the PC and upload photos to Flickr photo album and pictures and tracks to Picasa web album.
- The unit is so small that it is convenient to take along – just in case.
What we didn't like
- The blue and red lights that inform about what is going on in the device are too dim. In sunlight it is difficult to spot them at all.
- A lanyard is missing from the package. The best way to ensure the i-gotU can receive GPS satellite signals is to hang it around neck, attach it to bag, or jacket. There's a tiny hole in a corner of the unit where it is possible to hook a string or lanyard.
- Another product that comes with Bluetooth costs $10 only extra. Perhaps it would make sense to embed the low-cost Bluetooth option in the product as well.
Value for the money: 4.5 out of 5
The i-gotU GT-120 GPS tracker and the included PC application is such an easy-to-use product that even people who are wary of technology, should find it convenient and useful product. Photographers, travelers and people who enjoy the great outdoors may carry the tiny device with them practically all the time and let it track their route. For sharing the fun with friends, we recommend establishing a photo album at Picasa service. The i-gotU software package has been well integrated with Picasa and you get access to Google Earth via Picasa as well.
Competitive products
Other solutions for recording geographic coordinates for use on map applications are, for instance, the ATP Photo Finder, Holux M-241, or the Qstarz Travel Recorder.
i-gotU GT-120 key features and specifications:
- GPS receiver based on SiRF StarIII 65nm low-power chipset.
- Storage capacity for 65000 waypoints. For instance, 30 days worth of tracks if the logging interval is 15 seconds for 8 hours a day.
- Includes a PC application that can synchronize photos taken on a digital camera and display them on a map on the PC. The application lets you upload photos and tracks to Picasa, Google Earth (via file export), or Flickr (photos only).
- GPS coordinates can be saved in KML (for Google Earth), CSV or GPX format.
- Tracks and photos can be transferred to Google Earth via KML file export function.
- USB cable included for transferring recorded tracks to a PC.
- Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery gives battery life up to 30 hours. Recharged via USB.
- Operation temperature from -10 to +50C degrees.
- Dimensions: 44.5 x 28.5 x 13 mm. Weight: 20g.
