Qstarz BT-Q1300 Travel Recorder Nano

[Neal S]

Have you ever found yourself on the road and needing travel directions? I typically use Windows Live Search to get turn-by-turn directions while on the road, but I've sometimes found that when I need directions I've left my mobile GPS at home. The Qstarz BT-Q1300 nano is a keychain GPS and data logger. Is it a worthwhile investment that might help prevent such situations? <a href='http://pocketnow.com/index.phpa=portal_detail&t=reviews&id=1099'>Read on</a> for the review!

http://pocketnow.com/images/rating/4half.jpg

<b>The Good</b>
<li>Very fast signal acquisition</li>
<li>Convenient slim keychain design</li>
<li>Simultaneous navigation and data logging</li>

<b>The Bad</b>
<li>Requires additional software for navigation</li>
<li>Simultaneous data logging and Bluetooth navigation is not possible</li>
<li>Case will tend to show scratches quickly</li>

[bluetoof]

Great review it's refreshing to read reviews on gadgets related to mobility and not just the devices themselves. One thing I may have missed. If I want to use this as a "data tracker" I just put it somewhere and make sure it's in the correct mode and it'll track the data til the battery dies? Then I connect it to a computer and the Qstarz software will know how to get it off the gps? File format? What if I track then turn it off then track again are those two different files? Also does it delete the last track somehow? Thanks. I've never used a GPS for that but always wanted to. And this one is uber small.

[Neal S]

Thanks for the kind comments, bluetoof.

Here's how the BT-Q1300 (and the other Qstarz data loggers) works as a data tracker:

You switch into data logging mode (for the BT-Q1300, you hold the power button for a couple of seconds), and the device records GPS location information in its internal memory. The rate at which data is recorded can vary from 1 to 5 Hz, depending on how you have configured the device using the included PC configuration software. A maximum of 200,000 data points can be recorded, so that's somewhere between 10 and 55 hours of recording (battery life on the BT-Q1300 runs around 12 hours).

As you switch in and out of data logging mode, new points are simply added to the log. When you want to review your travel, you connect the device to your PC and use the included software to download the data log. The software will help you split up the data records into separate trips. Once you have the data records downloaded, you can review them using Google Maps or Google Earth. As an alternative, you can export the data log into one of several file formats for use in other programs.

You can configure the device in one of two ways should it run out of memory for data logging. Either you can stop logging data, or you can begin overwriting the oldest records in the log. If it's essential that you not lose any data, you'll just need to be sure you keep an idea of how much data you've logged and periodically download from the device. For most uses, a 1Hz data rate is more than sufficient, so you'd have plenty of time to spare between downloading sessions.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Neal

[bluetoof]

Cool thanks. I think I'm going to get one.

[Neal S]

During my initial review of the BT-Q1300, I was unable to perform navigation and data logging simultaneously. However, it has been brought to my attention that this device should be capable of simultaneous navigation and logging.

Upon further testing, the BT-Q1300 will, in fact, perform data logging while providing navigation information over a Bluetooth connection! :cool:

I'm not sure why I couldn't get this to work during my initial testing, but I have had no problems since trying it again. Way to go, Qstarz!

Neal S