Third time's a charm: Jobo re-re-launches photoGPS geotagger

You've got to be kidding us, right? Since February of 2007, Jobo has been dangling this unicorn-like geotagger in our faces and threatening to launch every six months or so, and right on cue, the company is back with yet another claim of "it's almost here." This time at Photokina 2008, the outfit is asserting that its $159 GPS-packing add-on, which automatically geotags images of any camera it's docked on, is just one month away from being released in the US. Or, the Windows version at least -- Mac users will have to wait until the end of this year. Or next. Or the next. Or maybe even the next.

[Via CNET]

[Tonicboy @ Sep 18th 2008 7:57AM]

With more and more phones coming GPS-enabled, this seems like an evolutionary dead end. Why not just integrate Bluetooth into the camera and get position from capable phones?

[Steven @ Sep 18th 2008 9:43AM]

GPS drains the phone's battery quickly, and I don't want to take my phone out each time I want to take a picture and wait a few seconds to get a fix. I guess I wouldn't say no to a camera with GPS built-in, though. I wish it was in Sony's new A900.
(Yes, I realize that there's still the TTFF delay.)

[Firstchoice Autofinder @ Sep 18th 2008 8:06AM]

sorry..not waiting

[F @ Sep 18th 2008 8:18AM]

Sorry about this post being off-topic, but I wonder how many people that visit this blog every day, including the self-proclaimed geeks, have actually been influenced by all the Under Armour ads to the point where they actually buy Under Armour products.

Anyone?

[tchansen @ Sep 18th 2008 12:36PM]

I don't even see advertisements anymore. If Adblock doesn't filter them out, my mind does.

[spam_from_engadget @ Sep 18th 2008 8:41AM]

I don't need a GPS on the hotshoe; I have one in my bag which has the advantage of recording my entire track, not just the locations of the photos. Matching the GPS track to the photos is straightforward.

What I would like on the hotshoe is a COMPASS, to record which way I was facing when I took the photo. This info can only come from something physically attached to the camera. Then I could automatically annotate the photos to say "view of X from Y", rather than just "view from Y". If I'm at some viewpoint - perhaps just at the side of the road somewhere, or on a path - it's often much more useful to know what the view is OF, rather than just where it's FROM.

[Tuig @ Sep 18th 2008 9:28AM]

Agreed... I carry a GPS tracker in my photo bag and store the whole track. Having it on the camera itself only adds value if it stores the data directly in/next to the pics on the memory card. Adding a compass is a great idea too. And why not a temperature sensor too for good measure?

[Simon Tooke @ Sep 18th 2008 8:49AM]

I think I'd prefer the Nikon GPS that'll just stick the info in the image. Works with Mac or PC or whatever, because it's already there. Though spam_from_engadget is right, a compass would be useful too.

[Lloytron @ Sep 18th 2008 9:24AM]

Is this actually of any use?

How is the thing powered? Seperate batteries and power switch? Seems like a lot of effort especially as phone scan do this already. Alternatively use a pen and write down where you are when you take the photo.

[goober_nut @ Sep 18th 2008 10:50AM]

Hooray for a unicorn article!!

[Jim Pollock @ Sep 18th 2008 11:08AM]

Here's something funny. I clicked on the READ button and checked out their press release. They mentioned that the device requires "...very little power, only 18 MegaJoules per picture". Further in the specsheet, it mentions that the recording time is 0.2 seconds. That means, each picture requres 90 MegaWatts of power.

Maybe that's the problem: they are still looking for a new battery technology with SERIOUS kahunas. I'm sure they meant MilliJoules or even MicroJoules. Not Mega.

Jim

[Nate @ Sep 18th 2008 11:46AM]

+1 for camera with BUILT-IN GPS. This thing is just silly.

[Hob @ Sep 18th 2008 12:45PM]

Attention guys: the MSRP is €159, not $159.

Check out the press release: http://www.jobo.com/web/uploads/media/2008_09_17_JOBO_launches_photoGPS_at_photokina2008.pdf

[Joseph @ Sep 18th 2008 1:01PM]

not sure why it requires a pc or mac. Can't it just dump it into the exif? Seems like this is a long time to wait over something that is readily avail. and the job doesn't even tag exif data?

[Joseph @ Sep 18th 2008 1:02PM]

edit: jobo not job

[maddood @ Sep 18th 2008 5:26PM]

There are other products out there doing this and it took this company that long to perfect this!!?!??!
GISTEQ has been shipping their Bluetooth PhotoTracker for a while now.

[ATOMISCHE @ Nov 23rd 2008 8:41AM]

I gave up waiting for Jobo and went with Visiontac (http://www.visiontac.com/v900_feature.htm) which works great, costs less, doesn't take up my hotshoe.