Trimble Outdoors apps

[Al_HikesAZ]

Great article in the Arizona Republic about Trimble Outdoors. Some of us know Rich Rudow from climbing, canyoneering or Grand Canyon circles. He is the General Manager and is quoted in the article.
http://www.azcentral.com/business/artic ... iasts.html

Trimble sells its applications to fitness and outdoor enthusiasts. It uses global-positioning technology introduced under its parent, Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Trimble Navigation Ltd. The same navigation satellite system that makes jobs easier for engineers, construction surveyors and fleet managers is being tapped by runners, bikers, geocachers and off-roaders. It's even helping map the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

But Rich Rudow, Trimble Outdoors general manager, is quick to point out his customers don't need to be techno-geeks.

"You hit 'start,' sweat and 'stop.' It's that easy," he says. "You don't need a Ph.D. in GPS to understand how it works. The app does everything for you."

Consumers can use their GPS-enabled cellphones to navigate trails and highways, track workout performance, geocache, and create, manage and share those experiences with others.

Trimble Outdoors started five years ago as the only consumer arm of Trimble Navigation. Its apps are popular enough that its user base is growing by 30 percent a quarter, said Rudow, who spends as much as two months a year in the Grand Canyon testing the company's technology while descending down slot canyons.

To keep up with growth, the company's 15 employees will be moved to a larger space next month at Elliot Road and Hardy Drive.

Thanks to Chris Forsyth for pointing out this article.

[Tough_Boots]

Another nice thing about Trimble is that you can download free GPS routes from their site once you sign up for a free membership. So if you're not hiking in AZ and don't want to pay for info or a site you're only going to use a couple times, there's a good chance you can get it there for free. I used their routes on a couple hikes in Georgia this month.

[sneakySASQUATCH]

Sounds like they have come along way. I spent two years with a Trimble approach plus in the Bell 206 and always found it ironic that the welcome screen said welcome to the new age of aviation and then a barely sunlight readable dot matrix non moving map screen would come up. I and everyone I know would carry some kind back up because they froze up when you needed them ie. Low vis., hazy cond., and sometimes from interference from the helidecks themselves. I was unaware they did anything but aviation. Interesting.