An Up-to-Date List of Free GPS Software

The link bellow may be the most complete list of free GPS software available. It has two sections: 1) Totally Free GPS Software, and 2) Free Trial or Demo GPS Software. Surprisingly, the first section is much longer than the second.

Here's the link: Free GPS Software - An Up-to-Date List

I had no idea there was that much out there! Thanks Marvin.

Hey Alan_! It's good to see you here !

Thank You Marvin!

Thank you Marvin

Marvin:

Thanks for sharing this.

Mike Flannigan

The list compiled by maps.gps.info.com is indeed very good. If you scroll down to the very bottom of this page (or any other page of this forum), you will find in the footer a link named "Resources". It is a list of very good sites that offer information on various topics of mobile computing (maps, GPS, laptops, mobile computer mounts, RV-ing, off-roading, CarPC, etc.) The list of web site is growing.

Hi,

I will travel to Europe in a couple of weeks, and would like to use my portable computer with a Bluetooth GPS receiver to help me in my driving across Spain, Portugal, and Italy. After doing research on this forum, I will follow the recommendations and will buy the following device,

BT-Q818X: Qstarz BT-Q818X Bluetooth GPS Receiver (66 ch MTK2, 42hrs, 5Hz Hardware Switch, Dual USB/Bluetooth)

Is there a recommended GPS software (for both Windows and Apple Mac OS X) with Turn-by-Turn directions? (preferably free)

Thanks!

Hi conquistador,

to Laptop GPS World.

The Qstarz BT-Q818X GPS receiver certainly looks like an excellent choice. But I'm not sure about *free* navigation software for Windows and Mac that would include *free* map data for the above mentioned countries in Europe. I don't think any of the programs on our laptop GPS software reviews list are free. When are you planning on traveling? Microsoft AutoRoute 2010 has been scheduled to release on November 17, 2009. It will have a free 60-day downloadable trial version. AutoRoute is a Windows application but people use it with Bootcamp or Parallels on Mac computers.

I haven't tested the following, but you could look into the free software available at http://navit.sf.net and maps from http://cloudmade.com (download a routable navit map). If you (or anyone else) tries this free solution, please do give us some feedback on it.

Thank you for your reply. Microsoft AutoRoute 2010 seems like the best option for me and the timing is perfect since I will be start my car journey in Spain/Portugal on November 19.

Even if you have trouble finding the boxed product on store shelves due to its newness, you should by then be able to download a trial version from Microsoft if their release date holds up. If AR is like Streets and Trips with regard to trial versions, you will be able to access a full-featured version for 60 days free use. The only wrinkle is a splash screen that appears when you load the program asking whether it is Trial or Purchase. One click gets you going to the trial version.

That is not a major inconvenience; I kept using the trial version of S&T 2010 even though I purchased the box right up until nearly the end of the trial period.