For the past four years, I have used a Sony GPS to geotag my photographs while shooting in remote locations.  The unit was a gift from my son and works very well.  I initially had issues with the unit being recognized by my Mac, but with my recent upgrade to Snow Leopard all is well.  One simply offloads the files and then converts them using free software, most notably GPS Visualizer.

Three days ago I discovered that GPS Visualizer automatically will upload your GPS tracks to EveryTrail, a free web application that displays your tracks on a map and allows you to insert photographs at points on the track.  One can email a link to the particular track so that others may view your trek.  It is totally free and only requires registration.

Both applications are simply very well done, easy to use, and free.  I am appreciative of both sites as they enable me to do stuff I never imagined possible.

Today I discovered that EveryTrail is available for the iPhone.  WOW.

What is means is that I can turn on the iPhone application, begin recording my track, take photos along the way, then upload the track and the photos to EveryTrail wirelessly.   So, I can see photos at each point along my trek and I can share it with anyone who is connected to the Internet.  Amazing stuff.

And, it is completely free.  That gets a five star rating from me.

BTW, the application is available for Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and Android phones.  So, you don’t have to use an iPhone to accomplish the same objectives.  Now that is amazing.

Take a look at how it appears at EveryTrail.

Nov 4

Map your trip with EveryTrail

In addition, the folks at EveryTrail have another free application for the iPhone, it’s a bike computer!

Bike computers are expensive to buy, but this one is free if you have the phone to run the application.  I had been thinking about buying one until now.  With this free application I get just about all the information one could want while riding.

If interested, you can get the download links from EveryTrail at this web address.

I highly recommend both.

Course, what this means is that I will no longer be able to lie about how high the cliff was that I climbed, or how far I walked on a trail in Scotland. Grumble.

But, it will allow me to record treks across Tanzania, hopefully sometime early next year.

I am not sure about some treks though, I have the desire to visit Cuba.  The Department of State won’t like that at all!

But thankfully I can get official USA permission to travel to Cuba as a free-lance journalist.