I broke my Microsoft USB GPS receiver today...

So I was driving for work today and had some jerk pull out in front of me. Needless to say, my laptop slipped off the seat and broke my GPS receiver in half. Does ANYONE have any idea where I can buy just the receiver? I called Microsoft and couldn't get past the first 7 people that couldn't speak proper English. Thanks!!!

Hi LarryO,

Welcome to Laptop GPS World.

I think I'll give you a link to a manufacturer of excellent vehicle mounts for laptops, before I give you a link to a place to buy a new USB GPS receiver .

Here it is: RAM Mounting Systems, Inc.

RAM is well known, but there are others, too. A RAM laptop mount may set you back $200, but it is well worth it. If you are looking for a less expensive solution, just search the web for "laptop vehicle mount", and you will find various products.

The USB GPS receiver that you broke is made by Pharos. I'm not even sure if it is at all possible to purchase it without Streets & Trips software. (Pharos has a website that is too difficult for me to navigate.)

The Pharos made USB GPS receiver, GPS-500, has suffered similar faith in the hands of many users. You may be better off buying something that is a bit physically stronger.

There are many choices, starting from as low as $35: GlobalSat BU-353, Navisys GR-300, Deluo Navstick, etc, etc, etc. Or you could get a BlueTooth GPS receiver, and avoid the unit being attached to your laptop at all.

eBay.

LarryO, send me a PM and I'll send you a replacement.

Thank you so much for your help. I am in the process of buying a new car, so once that happens I will be buying a laptop mount for that vehicle. I really appreciate the time you took in your response. It seems someone might be sending me a free replacement, but if that doesn't pan out I will for sure use the resources you gave me. Thanks again!

Larry

... and that someone is a fellow forum member, who happens to work on Streets & Trips at Microsoft, and who was very kind to offer a helping hand . So I'm sure it will pan out .
Chrisngrod just posted his first experiences with his RAM mount in the following thread: Just got the RAM mount for my FJ

Thanks for the link Marvin.

I concur that the RAM will set you back a little financially. Probably one of the best solutions though. Another one some people used for the FJs is the Jeniko unviersal mount (www.jeniko.com).

Another solution might be to go BlueTooth.

Pharos is now selling a very neat BlueTooth cradle/sender for the receiver. If your laptop is not BT-enabled, you can buy sender USB dongle for $30 or less. The more expensive ones are very small and can stay on the laptop full-time, with the GPS receiver living in the car full-time.

I have a couple of extra receivers your welcome to have one, my company I work for always buy new streets & trips with gps receiver every couple of years, I use pharo bluetooth unit it work great, no cable to use

Unfortunately you don't seem to be able to order just the Bluetooth shoe. That would be nice to be able to convert my existing GPS-500 to Bluetooth without having to buy the entire receiver plus adapter.

...ekn...

Untrue. That is how I came by mine.

* Arthur, that's a very kind offer. I'm imagining you must be a large company with many mobile workers.

* SpadesFlush, you are correct, but it is so difficult to locate various products at the Pharos website that I would say Ken is perfectly correct, too.

I understood Arthur to be talking about the BT/USB receiver but I hope you are correct.

I appreciate what you are saying about Pharos. The website has been reorganized since I bought mine and I am not sure I could find it again. They are quite friendly on the telephone so that might be easier route to go. But I am told there are several good GPS/BT devices so those might be more profitable to explore. If I were doing it all over again, that's what I would do. Whatever, I like my GPS antenna wireless.

I was unable to find one. All I could find was the complete package. As you mentioned further along about alternatives, I have an iTrek M7 with Bluetooth that I quite like so it's not a big issue for me.

...ken...