Gmapped GPS on the DS: Two, two, two hacks in one
posted August 3rd 2005 8:27PM
We've seen a lot of hacks for Google Maps since Google released the Gmaps API last month. And we've seen a few for the Nintendo DS as well. Now, Alexei Karpenko, who developed the PassMe serial interface for the DS, has brought the two together with a hack that he says enables Google-mapped GPS on the DS. According to Karpenko, a small script lets the DS download specified maps via its internal WiFi card. Data is stored on a CF card crammed into a GBA Movie Player unit. GPS is provided via a PassMe-connected Lassen iQ GPS module from Trimble, and voila — GPS-enabled Google Maps on the DS. Clearly, this isn't something a casual gamer is going to hook up in an idle moment. But it strikes us as a nice — and maybe even useful — combo of hack-friendly software and hardware.
can we please please please institute voting or ignoring? please?
sorry for derailing but these crappy business analyses are just painful to read. i'm only a low-level business undergrad right now but i think your words just fried my brain, like obliterated it into a million pieces
back to topic: i am loving my ds more and more every day and am appreciating the hacks. keep them up.
1) I have both the PSP and the DS. I like the DS more because it has more useful potential than the glorified gaming system only PSP
2) you don't need to ask your "friend" to find out the price of a PSP standalone (and I have many friends myself in Japan, enough to wonder why would any respectable japanese person would associate themselves with a pompous ass like you). just goto www.biccamera.com and search for PSP-1000, you schmuck.
The price comes down to $180USD after FX
3) it's about profits as well as revenue. who cares if Sony sells for 250/unit? But the game sales figures is probably more interesting to watch because of watching. You should know this at the very least, since you're such a "hotshot" business person. Right? Are you really a business person? I know I am. I work in the financial sector looking at numbers everyday.
4) if you're so pimped up, why do you even bother posting here. shouldn't you be busy "running" your business, cleaning your house, washing your car, or doing something else more useful than trolling other ppl?
I'm not advocating the DS, just trying to clear the air of your BS, Jonathan. I'm also willing to bet you're just a scared little boy hiding behind a sig.
1) I have both the PSP and the DS. I like the DS more because it has more useful potential than the glorified gaming system only PSP
2) you don't need to ask your "friend" to find out the price of a PSP standalone (and I have many friends myself in Japan, enough to wonder why would any respectable japanese person would associate themselves with a pompous ass like you). just goto www.biccamera.com and search for PSP-1000, you schmuck.
The price comes down to $180USD after FX
3) it's about profits as well as revenue. who cares if Sony sells for 250/unit? But the game sales figures is probably more interesting to watch because of watching. You should know this at the very least, since you're such a "hotshot" business person. Right? Are you really a business person? I know I am. I work in the financial sector looking at numbers everyday.
4) if you're so pimped up, why do you even bother posting here. shouldn't you be busy "running" your business, cleaning your house, washing your car, or doing something else more useful than trolling other ppl?
I'm not advocating the DS, just trying to clear the air of your BS, Jonathan. I'm also willing to bet you're just a scared little boy hiding behind a sig.
Figured you all should read this...
http://www.cubed3.com/viewnews.php?storyid=4145
Should shut Johnathan up.
Yes Nintendogs is about doggies, but its a great games nontheless. Honest to fucking god the next time someone says its just a sad dog game deserves a smack! Its not like they just don't hand out perfect scores like candy out at Famitsu do they?
"OMG SIMS IS GHEY, OOO PPL...WHAT A GR8 GAME!!!111ONE"
Now rinse and repeat
"OMG NINTYDOGS IS GHEY, OOO DOGGYS...WHAT A GR8 GAME!!!111ONE"
Don't you fucking love fanboys?
Jonathon, your mom is laughing at you for being the biggest idiot on the planet, a position previously held by her ass.
Your talking about PSP and DS profits like every penny of the system goes to the company in the end, which is never true. You must subtract the cost of the system from the sale, to determine the final profit. The DS costs far less than what it's selling for to produce, because it uses older hardware. PSP costs a ton to create because of the drive, the Massive LCD, and the newer hardware. I'd be willing to bet that the PSP costs more than 250 to make because I could already guess at least half of that is just going to the screen alone.
I'll admit the PSP could become a decent game platform. But not until I see at least 10 interesting game series on it. Grand Theft Auto, not being something interesting. Right now however, I see no value in purchasing a PSP. Add everything up,
250 PSP
100 Nice enough card to hold all my crap
50 game
50 2nd game
20 Movie
Oh hell, I just spent 470 dollars, on something that will be scratched to heck, and probably won't be used by me. Face it, the PSP is not worth nearly 500 dollars, just for 2 games on it anyways. And to top it off, emulation on it right now, sucks. It's constantly made useless by Sony and it has limited compatibility in many cases. Mind you, the DS has both NES and SNES emulators aswell, and they're just about as bad. Nintendo however, isn't bothering to stop the emulators, because it's so damn hard to put them on the machine in the first place, and they can't update firmware. So, lets see, DS has many good games already, and they can just suddenly turn off your Emulators if you do get them working.
Hmm, everyones going crazy attacking Nintendogs? So it's a life simulator, something thats very popular at the moment. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PLAY IT, DON'T! It's that simple. It's like calling The Sims gay just because of the little diamond thing above their heads. So we're going to continue on with the Nintendo is kiddy arguement, even after Resident Evil 4, and the Metroid Prime series? And dont even start about RE4 going to PS2, cus you just know that the PS2 will not be able to handle the game perfectly on it's hardware.
The point is, both systems have the potential to rock, but as far as I see it, the DS is the clear winner of the whole battle when it comes down to what really matters. Games. The games I want to play. The games I want to buy. Buy what you want. Fanboys just won't be able to accept if one system is winning over the other, even if presented with blatantly obvious facts, so why bother? Just ignore the fanboys and get on with your life.
Is there a reason why you guys let the comments section turn into this troll fest?
I expected 54 comments on this maps thing, not the same old tired DS vs. PSP crap.
Jesus Christ - sorry if somebody may have said this before, but I finally got tired of wading through all the DS bashing, PSP comparisons and crap. I thought this was about a neat hack ..
Anyway, it got me thinking about how the confluence of GMaps, GPS, WiFi/cell and portable devices might ultimately affect the Garmins of the world. Garmin has great products, but they are still priced like a proprietary piece of technology, and it looks like it'll become easier and easier to liberate all of their technology bits and maybe repurpose things like the DS, PSP, Palms or whatever into a nice little multi-function device.
Whats wrong with DS be made in China!?!
It is $149 cause it is cheap to produce, anyone over 3 should be able to compute that!
Yeah, I should be made in the US of A with a union pay of $30/hr... Weee.....
The DS will cost $449, LOL.
Alright ladies, everyone needs to calm down. Some of you like DS's, some of you like PSP's. If you like a DS, buy a DS. If you like a PSP, buy a PSP. Don't try to convert Fan Boy's because it won't work. Everyone hold hands and sing along with me.
Jonathan, I really doubt you have a Masters in anything let alone a drivers license. If you have enough time to constantly post on this website you are not as succesful as you make yourself up to be. People need to stop wasting their time arguing on this website and step outside for once. You're drowning yourselves in this addictive piece of shit known as the internet.
1. Stop arguing like little girls, they're just video games
2. Jonathan, you need to take economics buddy, Sony and Nintendo do not MAKE 250 and 150 respectively for every unit sold, they don't just lay them, they cost MONEY to make. And AFAIK, Nintendo has been making more money on each DS sold than Sony did on PSPs ever since launch, which is why Sony changed to the cheaper Sharp screens, they were losing too much money!
3. They're both great systems, with weaknesses and strengths, but the PSP just isn't for someone like me. Sony systems almost always focus on RPG games, and RPG games bore the living shit out of me. When you have to take a 1-hour ride to school every day, and there are countless people to own or get own3d by I'd take Metroid or Mario Kart over an RPG.
4. Everyone that says that the Nintendo DS's touchscreen sucks, yes it does (I own one). Its USELESS in games like Metroid, I find it much easier to use both keypads, the d-pad for walking/strafing and the XYAB for looking around. Same goes for things like SM-DS. But in games like WarioWare and Nintendogs it serves its purpose well, to add another creative feature to gaming.
Forget whether the DS or PSP is better, that debate will only be finished in sales numbers for devices/games.
The neat part of the article is the maps piece. Although, I'm not so impressed with the navigation/maps on the DS.
What I think is really cool is the idea of using real maps in games...location based games (LBG as coined by one of the IGDA Mobile guys a few years ago at a conference).
Take a look at this article: Understanding and Innovation Needed for Location Based Games http://www.igda.org/mobile/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1122992735 for an overview
and this mobile games was just released throughout Europe http://www.undercover2.com for high-end and mid-range mobile phones but ideas from it could easily be adapted for offline play too.
You guys who flame eachother r children. I hav both the PSP and the Nintendo DS and i say both if em r great accomplishments. Im 14, paid for both, and ashamed of u people flaming eachother. U dont see freakin people flamin the psp for its hacks. C'mon u think the DS sucks, keep it to urself losers. Think the PSP stinks, F*** urself! gosh, just post something usefull or dont at all. The Nintendo has cool games like Advance wars DS and the psp Has medievil. Okay so just plz stop the freakin flame war. And dont talk about peoples moms. Thats just low.
I think this forum is way off topic now, I like the idea of this hack, for the people who don't have GPS in their vehicles, or wherever else it may be needed. If I knew how well it works, I would do it myself. Plus, I agree with #62, only children flame, and talking anout peoples moms is lame, its not like anybody has never heard a "your mom" joke before. So cool hack, lame flamers.
Jonathan
At least you where finaly honest when you admited your true reasons for your but humping of the psp....."HOWEVER, when I got my hands on the PSP, I was awed at how pretty it was, how expensive it felt and how incredible the graphics were. I also like the ability to watch UMD movies and listen to MP3's on it which are things the NINTENDO DS CAN'T DO."
i saw that as your reasoning eary on it feels expensive...lol...great. any way as for movies ou can watch movies on a game boy advance let alone the ds all you need is the movie play with is 25$ for gba and 80 for ds, and iv heard several times it works way better than the psp u dont need memory cards that cost a shit load it will hold a 2&1/2hr movie plus an hour of music up 2 16 people can get in on a ds game....please i cant even think of a reason to pick up a psp....oh but it feels expensive i forgot..your a retartd.
Johnathon, ur a real jerk. ds has got
to be the coolest thing on earth. PSP
is crap and u know it. so just shut up
about how pretty the psp is and just
accept it: ds is at least 10 times
better and actually has games that are
worthwhile. i havnt found a single
game thats any good for the psp. also
the touch screen rocks and adds a
great game experience.