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National Geographic Maps web-based TOPO! Explorer (NG TEX) aims to be the iTunes of electronic mapping. Like iTunes, the application is free, and, like songs, a 1:24K USGS Topographic Quad, including satellite imagery, is only $1 (vs. $8 -$10 for a paper Quad without satellite imagery). If you own a Magellan Triton GPS it's fairly simple to download that map to your GPS. In the field, the maps look just as good on the Triton GPS as they do on your computer. Like iTunes, the NG TEX application works and looks the same on Mac and PC.
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Companion forum thread to:
National Geographic TOPO! Explorer Mapping and Magellan Triton Series GPS
As an early adopter of this application, I was very disappointed. NG released the program, hyping its capabilities, but the application was in less than beta shape. In short, it should not have been released. They were aggressive with updates, but all those did was fill in holes which should not have existed to begin with (one could not even print a map in the first 2 or so versions, and even more than that on a Mac).
That said, many people complained, and NG provided a FREE copy of any state version of TOPO! to those who had forked over the cash, and have done much to make the program good since.
I was eager to buy the Triton 500 when it first came out. Firstcomers reported features that didn't work and promises by Magellan to issues fixes in a later firmware release. The NG Topo integration is what caught my attention. I'm glad I waited. It sounds like both fell short on release expectations. I still haven't sprung for the Triton yet. I'm still reading paper. The bright side is that it doesn't require batteries or firmware updates.
What does it weigh?
I mean the Magellan that it is designed to be used with
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