So I've got to sit in an office and wait for million years for someone I don't want to talk to, to tell me things I don't want to hear. Sure your life is pretty much the same. So like any other like-minded geek, I try to find something to fiddle with to keep yourself awake. The infamous phrase in our house is "Using something for other than it's intended purpose".
If you aren't already aware, there's something called MioPocket that unlocks many GPS's, givng you the full Windows CE embedded operating system (and a bunch of freeware apps) that you simply copy to an SD card, edit a config file or two at worst, and go. Doesn't void the warranty, it's a little wonky at times but it's loads of fun to have someone look over your shoulder as you act like it's nothing that you are playing touchscreen DOOM on your Magellan.
I got my wife one on sale for around $75, I think it was two years back, for Christmas. She drives a lot, but now she uses her phone GPS so the Magellan doesn't get used often... as a GPS. I do however play games on it now, with MioPocket, cute toy.. and pop out the SD, reboot, and it's back to factory. I only discovered MioPocket after I was interested if the SD slot on the bottom could be used to update the maps or something. Little did I know, it's a bootable drive under a WinCE embedded PC. I (like most people) thought GPS units were mostly one-trick ponies.. not true.
The thing is, with WINCE .NET, it conceivably might have the ability to HOST USB communications.. and even if it doesn't, the software suggests that all the GPS information is there available, which might be able to be sent out over a virtual serial port (on the USB connection on the device.. also with MioPocket, the GPS can be used as a slave device to a PC). I play stuff on MioPocket, but it's mainly as a laugh... but then I started to think about how great it would be to connect it to the Arduino.
Anyone seen/done/thought of doing something like this? I keep on coming back to the idea that it's one heck of a matchup to an Arduino if we can get them to talk.. touchscreen, OLED, GPS, realtime, etc etc etc... and if it's CE, that means it's .NET.. or at least MFC. Do you see where I am going ? These can be had cheap, I'm sure.. it was under a hundred two years ago. That's a lot of great stuff to hook to an Arduino.. and if there's a viable communication channel on that USB port (or heck, I'll sneak a little connector on the back, she'll never notice, right?) it'd be easy to use. MS irritates me too, but at least in this case, well-documented API's for WinCE abound and might make development of a GREAT matchup possible. If there's the ability to handle a standard USB host that can recognize the fairly standard "virtual serial" port of the Arduino, it's just software from there on in.
http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=136798
Thoughts?