iGPS360 add-on module for the iPhone and iPod touch is now available for order

We've had our doubts about this Orange Gadgets outfit -- the same folks promising that entirely-too-wonderful iControlPad -- but it looks like the company is making good on its first promised product, the iGPS360. The little add-on module brings GPS to your jailbroken iPhone or iPod touch, and is now available for order. Only 1,000 will be available out of the gate, at $75 (plus shipping) a pop. Since we haven't seen one in the wild, it's hard to know how well these modules will work, but Orange Gadgets has a pretty open development model, so feel free to page through the blog and see this thing through from concept to execution. Now, about that iControlPad...

[aardWolf @ Oct 17th 2008 12:01PM]

So, I can buy one of these, plug it into my iPhone 3g, and ... Nevermind.

[hexoDAT64 @ Oct 17th 2008 12:04PM]

You probably could, and then you might actually get a GPS signal

[bob @ Oct 17th 2008 12:40PM]

get hexo whos never used a 3g iphone lol, i know mine is better than any standalone gps device ive had, very fast pick up even inside my house.

[Andrew @ Oct 17th 2008 6:23PM]

Bob speaks the truth. The iPhone's GPS is very good.

[refriedbeans19 @ Oct 17th 2008 12:05PM]

WOW! No Apple news today? I'm absolutely shocked, Engadget!

[refriedbeans19 @ Oct 17th 2008 12:09PM]

i stand corrected lmao

[Jesse David Hollington @ Oct 17th 2008 12:13PM]

Just so we're clear, the keyword here being *jailbroken* iPhone or iPod touch. The current iPhone SDK does not permit any access by third-party apps to the Dock Connector port, so there's little hope right now of this particularly accessory ever being useful for a non-jailbroken device.

Further, since it relies on the iPhone or iPod touch to be jailbroken, I suppose it's fair that it's not Works-with-iPhone certified ;-) (not that it likely matters for a device like this, to be fair).

[PEZ @ Oct 17th 2008 8:16PM]

A more useful product for the itouch would be a 30pin gadget with a microphone, and jailbroken skype application :)

[refriedbeans19 @ Oct 17th 2008 12:18PM]

this is something i can give to my baby niece to chew on :)

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 17th 2008 12:24PM]

wtf?

[refriedbeans19 @ Oct 17th 2008 12:26PM]

i meant to post this on the wii post, i clicked on the wrong tab, damnit...

[edgadget @ Oct 17th 2008 4:52PM]

You should see the post he left about this device on the wii thread: "Will this fit in my bottom connector? It looks too big."

[refriedbeans19 @ Oct 17th 2008 3:25PM]

it was one of those "my bad" moments, dude

[happy_penguin @ Oct 17th 2008 4:21PM]

You're very strange. :)

[sethmo @ Oct 17th 2008 12:32PM]

Uberfail! Not just talking about refriedbeans19's poor mouse clicking skills :P

This reminds me of the MP3 player add-on for the Cybiko lmao! Yes, sadly, I bought one of those!

[thomas @ Oct 17th 2008 12:37PM]

does it come with software?

you can get dock gps modules for a while now at sparkfun sku: DEV-08796

[Felipe @ Oct 17th 2008 12:44PM]

why does it look like an xbox 360 memory card? it even has "360" in its name.....

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 17th 2008 12:48PM]

Uh, because its black and you have very poor eyesight?

[Steve C @ Oct 17th 2008 12:52PM]

@Lowest Ranked
You talk a lot of smack for someone that can't effectively use a web browser...

[Steve C @ Oct 17th 2008 12:53PM]

@Lowest Ranked
NM. my bad. That was refried beano.

Ah the irony.

[Pfmohr2 @ Oct 17th 2008 1:28PM]

lmao Irony indeed

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Oct 17th 2008 1:24PM]

Apple does not have any ability in their API now for apps to communicate to accessories. Until they do, I can't see what people could do with this. Perhaps jailbreak apps?

[Bob Gutterman @ Oct 17th 2008 2:25PM]

So without a wifi connection, how woud the itouch make use of this? Don't I need some data connection to receive the gps data?

[matt @ Oct 17th 2008 3:41PM]

This is the GPS reciver....

[Phoenix @ Oct 17th 2008 4:04PM]

I THINK he means to download the map data...

[Greg Mcp @ Oct 17th 2008 8:43PM]

You can cache up maps in Google Maps. Go and pre-view the general area you are visiting, and the maps remain in memory.

I hope and pray that someday Apple will open up the Connector to official apps, but until then if something like this still requires a Jailbreak, then so be it.
As someone else mentioned a microphone + Skype would be a great app too.

[chris @ Oct 17th 2008 2:24PM]

How does it google maps load on an ipod touch when you are not on wifi?

[jimbeam @ Oct 17th 2008 3:46PM]

@ chris,Bob

There are offline maps available they might use with the application that comes with it. If it comes with one?

[smokeonit @ Oct 17th 2008 5:20PM]

is there any real info on this device? will google maps on my iphone 2G (jailbroken/unlocked/osX 2.1) be able to acces the geo data??? or just apps that are installed via cydia??? i want to be able to use it with google maps, itrail and all other apps that access the geo-location data on the iphone... in my region the WPS coverage is excellent, but i'd love to have GPS with my when on the go, in a plane/train/whatever...

[Laughing Man @ Oct 18th 2008 1:08AM]

I am confused. They want me to pay them $75 to add iGPS to my aGPS enabled iPhone 3G. One that is too many G's to describe a feature on my phone. Second....isn't that kinda, well redundant?

[chickenator @ Oct 18th 2008 1:30AM]

errr...it's for iPod Touch and 1st Gen iPhone. both dun have GPS

[Phoenix @ Oct 18th 2008 2:56PM]

iGPS is just a name, not a technology.

And like chickenator said, it ain't for the 3G

[Laughing Man @ Nov 7th 2008 2:47AM]

Thank you, I had forgotten about the Gen 1's. Still a steep price point. And trust me when I say....some idiots will still buy this for a 3G iPhone.

[pw @ Oct 17th 2008 9:29PM]

Just a clarification (if anyone cares :P) Orange Gadgets doesn't make the the iControl Pad as suggested in the article. They're just planning to be the US distributor. From their site:

"If there is enough interest, Orange Gadgets will become a U.S. distributor for the iControlPad and you will be able to order yours right here."

[Chris @ Oct 22nd 2008 1:43PM]

There is another solution is from IGPSD , and they have already selling it since July.

It cost only 16USD , and it works with Holux GPS.

You can get it at http://store.igpsd.com/

some demo video has listed on their blog

http://igpsd.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/first-gps-program-for-iphone-2g-20-and-21/

http://igpsd.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/iphone-version-20-navigation-with-freemap-for-israel/