Buy Portable GPS

Hardware: # Adopt MTK II latest chipset with high sensitivity -165dBm and 66-Channel tracking # Ultra lower power consumption up to 42hrs operation # Less than 15-Sec. AGPS fix support: download almanac data to realize faster TTFF and positioning under warm start # Stand-Alone travel recorder to log up to 200,000 records (*) # Easily switch Travel Recorder to LOG mode or NAV mode (Navigation + Log) # Support button push manually to memorize your location immediately # Update Rate 1~5Hz changeable by utility provided # G-Mouse + Bluetooth in one: wired and wireless GPS receiver # Fast Position Fix ,Cold start 35s, Warm start 33s,Hot start 1s # Auto On-Off function for smart power control # Personal/Portable Navigation (PDA, Smartphone, PC, etc.) # QZSS, DGPS(WAAS+EGNOS+MSAS) support Software: # Support Multi-mode setting to record data (Vehicle, Bicycle, Jog) # Provide Travel Recorder PC Utility V4 with built-in Google Map, Multi-language support, and Visualization UI # "Wizard interface" for Utility to easily manage importing and exporting tracks # Provide RaceChrono 5Hz software for high speed sport racing # Auto track split function helps you organize your travel path # Support Track Edit function allowing you to remove unnecessary waypoints # Track playback function, changeable different track color and name # Active NMEA protocol VTG / GLL manually via Qstarz setup tool # Output your travel record as GPX / CSV / NMEA / Google Earth file format. # Draw your navigation path immediately on Google Earth as default # Support GeoTagging function for digital photo and generate KMZ file easily # The waypoints would be decreased when the more options of Log Format are selected

User Reviews about Q-1000X: Qstarz BT-Q1000X Bluetooth Data Logger GPS Receiver (66 ch - 1-5Hz Update Rate - AGPS - 200 - 000 Waypoints)

I had done a lot of research before settling on this GPS logger. I knew it did not come with Mac drivers or software. I also knew the included PC software was weak but the logger received such high reviews for sensitivity and longevity. I am very happy with the performance of the logger. It is definitely accurate and seems to log for hours on end. I have not yet taken a long trip. But I have big plans of it on my next cruise in Jan 2011.

I found the BT747 software suite to support Bluetooth transfers natively on my Mac. It was a little challenging to get it installed and running. But it works and it works reasonably well allowing me to create GPX, KML or many other file formats. There are plenty of Mac and PC software packages to perform data mashups and photo geotagging. A little frustrating is the lack of good paid or free GPX editors. I know GPX is just an XML file but to edit the points based purely on GPS coordinates is a nuisance.

In summary, I give this unit high marks on its intended purpose. The main caveats are in terms of software which works but could be better. -- Easy to use

Rated for 48 hours, it actually lasts a week or more with 1-2 hours usage a day.

It is a huge improvement over using any of the built-in GPS of phones with quick, accurate, and highly-sensitive locks, ESPECIALLY over the horrible Qualcomm GPSone that's currently in all HTC phones.

Works quite well with Google Maps, Garmin Mobile XT, CameraAware Buddy, Navizon, and so on. Forget hacking your phone's registry to get less lag and better GPS response. Just get this, and break the HTC/Qualcomm shackles of the heater/battery-sucker crud known as GPSone.

Does not conflict with your Bluetooth headset, so you can sync both to your phone at the same time. Registry hacking in Windows Mobile phones may be necessary in order to configure the GPS sharing (known as GPS Intermediate Driver) to use the Qstarz on an external com port. -- absolutely great!

I have used several GPSs over the years and this one takes the cake. It went on a trip to Ireland the Scotland with me and performed so well I am thinking of new ways to push it to see where it might fail.

First it locked on just about anywhere, inside airports while in my luggage, inside the overhead bin on the plane while inside my luggage, inside cars while in my pants pocket, in buildings, in hotels, in pubs large and small. It locked on everywhere, and when it did not it just kept me in the same location until it did find a lock, meaning it did show me bouncing all over the place when I was really just sitting still.

Secondly the software is OK, I did use it for downloading the data, setting up the GPS, exporting to GPX and Google Earth, and some preliminary review of the days events, but really that was it. So I cannot talk to how it does anything else, nor do I much care. It does what I needed it to do very well with no problems or complaints. I ran it on XP SP3 on 2 machines and it had no issues of any kind.

Thirdly it lasts FOREVER. I left it run almost 2 days, nearly 42 hours, before it died. 42 hours. That is amazing. Plus since it charges via USB I can charge it ANYWHERE. I can charge from my laptop, desktop, car charger, wall charger, even from those little engergizer 2xAA battery thingies. I even made a charger from a USB cable and a 4xAA battery holder. So I can charge this from rechargeable batteries as needed without connecting to my laptop.

Forthly it stores a lot of info. I have easily almost 2 weeks of time, in 1 minute increments about 10-16 hours a day, stored on here. You cannot erase from it , it just overwrites the old stuff, so I can see all the way back to when I first got it still, plus the 9 day Ireland/Scotland trip, plus all the flights to and from, plus misc playing around with it. It is all still on there. Amazing.

The one thing you really really really do have to do though if you plan to geotag photos, and I know you already know this but just listen anyways, is to sync the camera clock to GPS time (in your home timezone if possible). My camera time drifts, I had synced it before maybe 6 months ago when using the Garmin GPS around home, but I was 5 minutes off, which would be fine except that my shots of a given church were blocks away, my shots of the Cliffs of Moher are geotagged from the parking lot, etc until I corrected for the drift. There is no way to tell what time this GPS thinks it is, but since all GPS receivers use the same time it is a simple matter of syncing to any GPS or just to a reputable Stratum 1 or 2 time source online.
-- awesome

My goal was to get a GPS data logger for geotagging my photos when taking 1-2 week long trips. After comparing GPS data loggers for weeks, I finally settled on the Qstarz BT-Q1000x for several reasons:
-Highest accuracy with the MTKII chip
-Long battery life (rated for over 40 hrs, depending on which mode you run it).
-Replaceable battery (Uses standard Nokia cell phone battery readily available for less than $5 online)
-Locks on to satellites quickly (my old Garmin eTrex would take several minutes when sitting under the open sky. This unit locks within a few seconds *indoors*)

FORM & FUNCTION:
Less than 2.5" on the long side, this unit is smaller than my Sony Ericsson cellphone. A rubber back allows it to sit conveniently on my dash - but it operates just as well in my car's cup holder or in the recesses of my camera bag.

It operates in two tracking modes: logging and bluetooth+logging.
* The logging feature simply records location+elevation at specified intervals. This can be changed by software on the PC to record at time intervals or distance intervals or time and distance intervals ("every 15 seconds or 30 meters"). The unit can *track* 5 times per second (Hz), but will not *LOG* 5Hz. So if you're wanting a unit that will record your skydive or rollercoaster ride, this is not your unit.
* Bluetooth+logging allows your bluetooth PC (or PDA) to connect to the unit and use it as the GPS for your mapping/navigation software. I bought a $3 bluetooth USB dongle and had no problem getting the Q1000x to connect to my Microsoft Streets & Trips via bluetooth and show me exactly where my desktop PC was located (as if I didn't know already :)
* Pressing the Waymark button will record a waymark in the log.
* You can tether the unit to your PC or PDA with a USB cable. Bluetooth is an option, not a requirement.

OPERATION:
Turning the unit on and tossing it into the glovebox lets me track the car's location as I drive around. Doing the glovebox test was important to me as I want a unit that can track where my tour bus might take me when touring foreign countries. The unit would occasionally take a minute or so to get its first fix, but so far, I've not noticed any serious issues with losing fix.

SOFTWARE:
There's lots to mention here, but the main thing that I liked is that I point the software to a directory of photos, and it searches that directory and all directories under it to find photos with the appropriate time stamp in the EXIF. It then plots out my trip on a scaleable map (Google Maps, Google Earth, etc), with the photos in place. It even gives me a "play" button that plays a cursor along the trip line. It also allows me to export the trip, with photos, in a set of HTML files so I can upload the whole trip to my website.

For details, download the manual off the website because there is a lot of info for this plain-looking unit. It goes well beyond my expectations and is well worth the $105 I spent for it.

I understand the iBlue 747+ is an identical unit, but doesn't include the software. For me, the software is well worth the extra $20. -- Excellent accuracy, long life