USB or Bluetooth GPS

[Chris Condit]

Revolutionaries-

I've been working on making what I call "Dynamic Digital Maps"  using 
Rev  (you're welcome to piggy-back using my DDM-Template to make your 
own, see URL below).  The DDM allows one to open jpeg map images in 
the DDM, and supply georeference information on the image, it so you 
can get latitude-longitude read outs as you scroll the mouse over the 
image.  Now that classes are out, I'd like to take some time this 
summer to build in the capability to track your location from a GPS 
system as you are viewing the map (that is, to have the GPS signal 
drive the cursor location instead of having the mouse do it).

I've been looking over various GPS devices, and see a couple that 
might work that use either USB or supply "Communication with Host 
platform Via Bluetooth Serial Port Profile" and wonder if anyone can 
give me a pointer as to which, if either I might be able to use with 
Revolution.

In January this year, Sarah Reichelt allowed that:
"The [...] problem is that Rev cannot talk directly to a USB port. 
For all the interface things that I do, I use serial ports and I 
connect them to my Mac using a USB to serial adapter. Once you 
install the driver for such a device, Rev sees it as a serial device 
even though it is connected via USB, so then the standard serial 
commands work fine."

I can get a Keyspan serial adapter to hook up to a GPS, but that 
seems like a more cumbersome way to go than straight USB or 
Bluetooth.  Especially so, since USGlobalSat has two GPS that are 
WAAS enabled (for higher accuracy), one that uses a USB (for $80), 
and the other that uses Bluetooth for $160.

Appreciate any help
cheers
Chris
-- 
Dr. Christopher D. Condit,  Associate Prof.,  Dept. of Geosciences    
Univ. Massachusetts,  611 North Pleasant St., Amherst, MA, 01003-9297
ccondit at geo.umass.edu  413-545-0272
My Web Page:  http://www.geo.umass.edu/faculty/condit.htm
Revolution Dynamic Digital Maps: http://ddm.geo.umass.edu