NXP Software's swGPS SnapSpot tech for GPS photo tagging

Sony got a good jump on the industry with its proprietary GPS-CS1 device for geotagging Cybershot pics, but NXP Software's new SnapShot is playing catch-up at PMA this week, and it looks like the company has a compelling offer. SnapShot reduces power consumption of GPS tagging by separating the capture and the processing of GPS signals, allowing the chip to be only turned on for a short time while obtaining a signal, and then having that data processed by your computer to be imbedded in your photos as they download. Of course, this means you'll have to run your pics through the swGPS software, which can be a bit of a hassle, but no more a hassle than having a GPS module half your battery life. Unfortunately, what NXP doesn't have is a product: they're showing of a credit card-sized accessory module, which could also be easily embedded into a camera, but they're leaving it up to other manufacturers to take the ball and run with it. Until then, we always have our hacks.

[Erwos @ Mar 8th 2007 2:50PM]

And this thing gets a GPS lock instantaneously after turning on? Very impressive... or unrealistic.

[nicky @ Mar 10th 2007 9:34AM]

Hi Erwos - it looks like the technology takes a 100ms view of the RF at the same time as you snap a picture. Then they time stamp that 'RF image' and when it links up with the photo on the PC, there's some calculation engine that gets a lat/lon. I saw the demo at Vegas - looks like a no-brainer for someone like Kodak, but probably be a Japanese manufacture (judging by the interest at their booth). If they get it into a camera, I'll be able to sort my photos.

[Tom @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:47AM]

Speaking about "geotagging": do you know locr?

locr offers the ideal solution and makes geotagging exceptionally easy. locr uses GoogleMaps with detailed maps and high-resolution satellite images. To geotag your photos just enter address, let locr search, fine-tune the marker, accept position, and done! If you don't know the exact address simply use drag&drop to set the position.

For automatic geotagging you need a datalog GPS receiver in additon to your digital camera. The GPS receiver data and the digital camera data is then automatically linked together by the locr software. All information will be written into the EXIF header.

Use the "Show in Google Earth" button to view your photos in Google Earth.

With locr you can upload photos with GPS information in them without any further settings. In the standard view, locr shows the photo itself, plus the place it was taken. If you want to know more about the place where the photo was taken, just have at look at the Wikipedia articles which are also automatically assigned to the picture.

Have a look at www.locr.com.