Hiker Tech: New Handheld GPS Released at CES 2012

LAS VEGAS — Weekend warriors and novice hikers: You’ve got a new tool to guide you in your exploration of the wide world.

Magellan released its newest handheld GPS, called the eXplorist 110 GPS receiver, at the Consumer Electronics Show this week.

Magellan says the new unit, priced at $130, is perfect for people who simply are trying not to get lost in the woods. Recreational hikers, fishers looking for that perfect spot and geocachers can hang the receiver around their neck or clip it to a carabiner and know their location within 10 to 15 feet(3 to 5 meters), Magellan said.

The water-resistant receiver has a 2.2-inch (5.6-centimeter) color screen, a SiRFstarIII GPS chipset, weighs 5.2 ounces (147 grams) and runs on two AA batteries, which should give 18 hours of use.

The eXplorist 110 is pre-loaded with Magellan’s World Edition map, which has road networks for more than 200 countries and shows rivers, parks and other natural features. A compass on the home screen lets users quickly confirm their direction. The home screen also has customizable navigation fields such as latitude, longitude, elevation, odometer and distance to end.

The eXplorist 110 supports paperless geocaching adventures, the treasure hunting sport, so that seekers can see clues about their next treasure on the receiver’s screen.

The device can also track where you have been, creating a trail of digital breadcrumbs should a hiker get lost. Just don’t forget to mark where you parked your car.

Article provided by OurAmazingPlanet, a sister site to Laptopmag.com.