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How to: Use a GPS watch, XML and Satellite photos

Posted by timothy on from the before-these-things-are-manditory dept.

ptorrone writes "Engadget.com has a How-to article about using a Garmin Forerunner 201 watch and XML to export a runner's tracks and place them over Hi-Res Satellite photos. The author plans to run 10 miles, in 10 cities over the next 10 weeks and print out all the images."

5 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. Sounds like a perfect way… by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...to ruin a good run. I find running to be a perfect time to check my type-A personality and my obsession for order and understanding at the door and get good and meditative. You can embrace your inner geek the other 23 hours of the day.

    1. Re:Sounds like a perfect way… by Seehund · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Agreed.

      I mean, "why"?? Does he run in really complex patterns so he can't remember them and draw them on a map by hand? What's he going to use the maps with his joint cartilage destroying routes superimposed on for?

      Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an ugly thing. Combined with a fetish for electronic gadgetry it gets expensive, too.

      Then I RTFA, and saw that it was an art project, and it all makes sense (well, it's explained anyway). Maybe this little detail could have been mentioned in the Slashdot story? :P

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  2. Do This by illuminata · · Score: 1, Insightful

    We need somebody else to do the same exact thing in the same exact cities, but only have your trail surround his.

    Then, you'll go down in history as the person who won the largest simulation of Tron light cycles ever!

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  3. Re:Sounds like a perfect way by TheDancer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because this device allows you to time your splits to make sure you're running at your target pace without "pre-measuring" your course. Granted, to some people this isn't important, they're just running of the joy of it. Others--while also running for the joy of it--are running to train for upcoming races, and making sure you're on pace become very important. However at the same time it's fun to run different routes so you don't get bored with the course. This let's you run any course (provided you can get Sat signal) and stay on pace.

    Plus you can do all those other geeky things in the 23 other hours, like automatically download the XML tracks, and plot it on sattelite imagery.

  4. Re:GPS my cat by Tribbin · · Score: 2, Insightful

    OK, so then you know where your cat is.

    There is no way you are gonna catch your cat.

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