To me a GPS is an extremely important tool that I use a lot. I use my GPS to mark locations where I take rock and soil samples, I record my tracks so I know where I’ve been and how to get back there later and I record important geographic or man-made changes in geographic features. And of course use my GPS to keep me from getting lost.

Sometimes I have it pretty easy and there’s a lot of resources around because I’m marking where we’re doing a lot of work. But most of the time I’m trekking around in really hot weather, in barren terrain that’s very far off of the beaten path. There are very few people around to offer me help if I ever need it. It’s hot, it’s dangerous, and I’d be in a serious life-threatening situation if I were to ever get lost. I rely on my GPS not only to collect data but I also rely on it to help keep me safe.

It helps to stay safe by not carrying more than what I have to. I normally carry some food, a couple liters of water, some candy, my camera, a hammer, a small pocket knife, 20 or so thick plastic bags with tie straps, my backpack, cellular phone, old style compass, keys and of course I’m carrying my GPS.

The list of what I’m carrying looks reasonable. Not too bulky, not too heavy – but as I’m hiking I’m putting rock samples in those plastic bags I’m carrying. I’m marking the location of where I picked up the rocks and taking a picture of the area and the place where I picked them up. If you haven’t guessed it by now – I’m using my GPS while prospecting for minerals. Sometimes I’m one of the guys that goes in and finds the place to explore before there’s ever a thought of a mine being there.

Since I’m picking up rock samples along my way my backpack is getting heavier all the time. Sometimes I’m doing a 20km (12.5 miles) round-trip hike in 35C (95F) or hotter weather. Under the conditions Im using my GPS in – even the shirt I wear is heavy.

One of the reasons I like the Trimble Juno is because it’s a handheld computer. The Juno runs the Windows Mobile OS and while I’m a Mac user I have to admit that the Windows Mobile OS is actually pretty good. My GPS is not only a GPS, I can open spreadsheets with it, take notes with it, add custom programs to it, look at reference pictures that I put on it and I can even play music or movies on it. My GPS is a multi-functional device but it’s not as multi-functional as I’d like it to be.

I’d like to have a reasonable camera in my GPS, it’d save me from having to carry one and the extra effort to get it out of my backpack after taking a sample. The camera should take pictures that include of geographic reference to where the photo was taken (geotagged).

Both the new Juno SB and the Juno SC now have the functionality I’m looking for.

The two new models now sport a 3 megapixel camera that will geotag the pictures it takes. Trimble upgraded the body style so that the device is a little more rugged too. Being rugged is pretty important, since it’s pretty likely you’re going to be using this thing outside.

The only real difference between the two new models is that the Juno SB has a 3.5G cellular modem. This feature actually, that you’re going to pay an extra $200 for, would have been far more useful if it were a full fledged cellular phone. I have to give Trimble a thumbs down on that point – why wouldn’t you have given it phone functionality too?

All in all, both the new Juno models look pretty good, but I’m not going to pay the extra $200 for the 3.5G modem – that additional feature isn’t going to keep me from having to carry my cellular phone.

Lately, it seems that Trimble has been trying to break into the consumer GPS market by teaming up with some cellular service providers to offer software services to the cellular provider’s clients.

So far AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Blackberry, T Mobile, Sprint and Alltel Wireless have jumped on board with Trimble. Or maybe Trimble has jumped on board with them.

Trimble has created a new division of the company and called it Trimble Outdoors. With Trimble Outdoors you can plan outdoor trips and use your phone for GPS navigation, tracking your fitness performance, geocaching, and sharing your experiences with others. All of the applications are available on the Trimble Outdoors site, but having them isn’t going to be cheap!

Trimble offers three different software applications that are built with different activities in mind. You’re going to end up paying $5-$6 per month depending on the software application that you choose.

AllSportGPS - The AllSport GPS software application turns your cell phone into a full-featured GPS-enabled trainer and workout tracker for cycling, mountain biking, running, walking and other sports activities.

The AllSportGPS phone application in combination with the Trimble Outdoors web site provides you with a complete solution for tracking, analyzing and improving your fitness.

Trimble Outdoors – The Trimble Outdoors™ application lets you use your cell phone to find your way and document your trips for hiking, backpacking, fishing and other outdoor activities.

The phone application in combination with the Trimble Outdoors web site provides you with a complete solution for using your phone to find your way, creating multimedia trip journals that you can share, researching and planning trips, and sending your trips wirelessly to your phone.

Geocache Navigator – Geocache Navigator™ on your mobile phone offers you a fun and easy way to enjoy a hugely popular hide and seek game called geocaching (also known as “GPS treasure hunting”).

With Geocache Navigator™ you can geocache on-the-go. Leave behind your GPS device, cables, and paper printouts! It’s easy to use for beginners and powerful for advanced geocachers. Just grab your phone, seek and enjoy.

Don’t be surprised about Trimble trying to lock you into using their software product as they’re famous for doing this already with their GIS software products. When I bought my Juno ST I was surprised to learn that there was no useable GPS software on the device or the software disc that came with it that was of any real value to me.

So what are the alternatives? There’s actually a LOT of alternatives, many of which are much cheaper than what Trimble and partners are offering their packages for. But it depends a lot on your device too.

If you’re a Nokia user and your phone has GPS capabilities you can go over to the Nokia Sports Tracker web site and get yourself all hooked up over there.

Handheld, standalone GPS users can use Zone Five Software’s SportsTracks Software which will accept a wide variety of devices and all your information is kept on your PC and the software integrates with Google Earth so you can even “fly through” your route in 3D.
TrailGuru seems to still be in the startup stage but they seem to have a lot of potential. You can use their web site by uploading your tracks or use the site in conjunction with their iPhone application that’s available at the iPhone App Store.

For those of you who want to try Geocaching you’ll find that a Basic Membership on the Official Geocaching Web Site is free.

I’m thinking that Trimble should stick with the professional GIS software/hardware market because there’s not a real big chance that they’re going to keep up in the fast moving consumer GPS market with only a few pieces of software and nothing that’s completely their own.

The Juno is basically a handheld mobile computer running the MS Mobile 5 operating system with the Trimble GPS hardware integrated into the device. The only thing more that I would like with this little machine is phone capabilities and maybe a 3 megapixel digital camera that supports GPS information in the photo exif data.

Trimble has been in the world of positional and field measuring hardware for a long time and has a reputation of being some of the most durable and accurate hardware used in this market.

The Juno ST has not been available for a very long time – I believe it is their first attempt to enter the general user marketplace with their GPS products. With a price tag of about $600 the Juno ST is priced well below their other equipment which starts at about the $4,000 point and continues upwards to about as far as you can imagine.

Since the Juno ST handheld has the MS Mobile 5 operating system you also have to your avail all of the other features that a mobile computer gives you. Spreadsheets, documents, notes, internet, email and instant messaging are all at your finger tips. Of course you’ll need a WiFi connection to use some of the features offered by the handheld device – so if you’re out in the field in the middle of nowhere you probably won’t be able to use the features associated with Internet Connectivity. If your hauling around a lot of gear you can forget about having to bring your MP3 player by loading up your handheld’s SD card with your MP3 collection before you leave.

If you’d like a full feature list of the Trimble Juno ST handheld computer all the information is available on the Trimble Juno ST web page.