For years I've enjoyed using various GPS tools combined with my cameras, especially my favorite but expensive model from Redhen. Recently I got to play with an inexpensive and easy to use alternative, the i-GotU GPS...

For under $70, the i-GotU GT-120 GPS from Mobile Action is a fairly inexpensive way to get started tracking where you captured your images and better yet quickly seeing them in a map on Google. It is a thumb-sized device with a single button. Simply turn it on, stick it in your pocket, and then when you get back from a day of shooting you connect the USB cable (unfortunately it uses a proprieatry cable to help make it more water resistant instead of a standard connector) to your PC and run the included software to import the trip log. For $10 more you can get the i-gotU Bluetooth version, the GT-200.

Google Maps Integration

You can then see the trip log on Google maps (due to some oddity at some zoom levels the map view of the track is offset by a few hundred yards, but if you zoom in tight enough it normally lines back up with the actual track as the device itself does record accurate data using its SiRF chipset). It couldn't be much simpler.[img_assist|nid=364|title=@Trip Screenshot|desc=|link=popup|align=center|width=0|height=0]

The next step is you can use their @trip software to actually embed the GPS data into the meta data of your JPEGs. WARNING: However this process will damage the vendor specific data in the image file (technically in a field called the Makernote), so I would not do it on your original images. I simply use use DigitalPro to create smaller JPEGs I can use for the geotagging step, but of course you can use an image management tool that batch converts your images to JPEGs.

@Trip Software & Online Service

The software is a very nice way to quickly see where you traveled and which images were taken where. To take that experience to the next level you can export your trip and your images into formats compatible with major online services like the KMZ format used by Google Earth. The software has a funky interface with lots of little buttons. Personally I'd prefer if they'd stuck closer to the windows standard, but at least each of the buttons has a very descriptive tooltip associated with it.

Or you can utilize the built-in integration with @Trips own online service where you can share your trip and look at the trips of their other users. @trip offers some cool features like virtual reality travel blogs.

YouTube Video showing a 3D Travel Blog from @trip

Double Duty

The i-gotU can do double duty, serving as an external GPS for your phone or computer, either using the USB cable or Bluetooth for the GT-200 version.

Bottom Line

The i-gotU is a handy little no frills device that does what it says it will--give you accurate and easy to use tracks that include your photos or videos. Keep in mind that it is a one button device with only a couple little LED lights and no display, so you're not going to get full GPS functionality from it (you can't use it to see where you are, set waypoints, plan a route or anything fancy). But its very simplicity makes it great to stick in your pocked & forget for the day. If you decide you don't want the track later it is easy enough to erase from the software.

[FCC ahoy: We received a review unit from Mobile Action to use in preparing this review]