Looks like both TomTom and Garmin might be having a bit of a bad day to put it mildly, thanks to the announcement of Google Maps Navigation. As the graph shows, things are not looking good. Nope. Not at all.

GPS makers can at least take some comfort in the fact that the new Google Maps Navigation is available on Android 2.0 at the moment, which requires you to have a specific phone to download the maps real time. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

One of the things that I have never felt compelled to do is geotag images that I take with my digital camera. I am not a big world traveler and if I take pictures, they are usually within a 30-mile radius of my home and I can remember where they were taken.

If you like to geotag your images GiSTEQ has announce a new device called the PhotoTrackr Mini DPL900 that is smaller and faster than the original PhotoTrackr. The new device is about the size of a flash drive and adds new software features to the mix.

Say you’re a bad guy. A villain. The Joker maybe. You want to taunt Batman, but you need a new gimmick. Aha. Tell Batboy that there’s a bomb in this GPS Puzzle Box that will go off in exactly one hour. But here’s the catch Batbrain, you can only disable it by opening the box. And the box will only open at a specific location. So after Batman gets the box and zips to the location in the nick of time, he’s able to open the box. Inside he finds not a bomb, but a pop-up Joker face. Meanwhile, you’ve been gassing Gotham city, which is now yours.

Well, you could use this Puzzle box like that. It was built as a wedding gift by Mikal Hart. It only opens when it’s in a specific location, and the puzzle involves discovering just where that location is. There’s a button and an LCD display on the lid. When you press the button, the display shows you how far, in kilometers, you are from the goal location. It doesn’t give you directions, so you need to triangulate and you can only press the button 50 times.

Here’s one for you weary road travelers who use your iPhone 3GS as your main navigation device while driving. TomTom has introduced a car kit for the iPhone 3GS in the UK Apple Store and it’s available for pre-order.

It will run you £100 along with an up to a three week wait before shipping gets underway. For that price, you get the TomTom navigation app for your iPhone 3GS or 3G and a docking kit to keep your iPhone secure on your dashboard or windshield.

The most interesting aspect of the APSI C100 is that it features a large touchscreen display that can be removed from the dock and used as a portable media player. This gives you two gadgets in one and some bragging rights when your buddies are in the car.

The device can also be used as a remote to control your media system when connected to the dock in your car. Gini 3D software features all South Korea maps including accurate 3D renders of buildings and other structures. No info on pricing or if it will ever show up in this part of the world.

Garmin has released the Edge 500 cycling GPS device in blue and white, for cycling enthusiasts. The device offers data on actual positional and speed data as well as estimated calories burned and amount of climb or descent.

The Edge 500 can be also be paired with wireless sensors specific to Garmin or which support the ANT+ format. The Edge 500 boasts about 18 hours of battery life, and when its time, it can be recharged via USB. You can also send data to a Mac or Windows-powered machine through USB.

These days you can’t be too cautious about the safety of your child. And so Amber Alert has introduced their Amber Alert GPS 2G child tracking device. It will keep tabs on the little ones and give you peace of mind. The Amber Alert GPS 2G allows parents to limit their child’s boundaries with a pre-designated safe zone regardless of where they are.

The device also creates a “bread crumbing” trail of the children’s route by using a series of alerts and alerts you when they get to their destination safely. You’ll also get voice monitoring and the ability to monitor the vehicle’s speed.

FineDigital just unveiled their newest navigation device for the Korean market. It’s the FineDrive iQ Special. The FineDrive iQ Special will help drivers with the directions of course, but it also has a feature that helps drivers to study English while they are in the car.

The device comes loaded with eBoyoung’s Dictionary of English Conversational Expressions along with authentic native-speaker voice and A-B repeat function.

Sony’s new NV-U3DV navigation system should turn a few heads with its large 6.1-inch screen. But that’s not the only thing it has going for it. It sports a 480×272 resolution which will give you bigger buttons and more map space, along with some other unique features like Position+ G, which uses an accelerometer, gyro-sensor, and pressure sensors which help it figure out the direction of the vehicle.

Aside from those features, it has all the usual stuff, even mobile TV in Japan, live traffic information, and various guides from PetaMap. No word on a release in the states just yet, but those in Japan can pick one up in August for around $700.

Novelty GPS products are few and far between. Sure, we have the Knight Rider GPS, but do you really want to be re-living all of those car chase scenes while behind the wheel? Probably not a good idea if you are easily convinced that your car has rocket boosters.

So how should the average guy use GPS? I’m glad you asked. The official Homer Simpson voice skin for the TomTom GPS of course. It features Homer’s voice saying things like “Take the third right. We might find an ice cream truck! Mmm…ice cream.”

Anyone who has ever had an older family member in their lives who has Alzheimers, knows how difficult it can be just to keep tabs on them. It’s sort of like having a small child. They tend to live in their own world and can wander off the instant you divert your attention.

Rather than having to keep searching for lost Alzheimer’s patients, Aetrex Worldwide and GTS Corp have teamed up to put GPS transmitters inside shoes. A simple and brilliant solution. A wristband might be even better as some won’t bother to put on their shoes.

The Mio Explora K75 GPS phone is touted to be the first smartphone from Mio that will use their Spirit GPS navigation software to get you where you want to go. When combined with its 3.5″ screen, it will replace your stand alone GPS navigation system.

Some features of the Mio Explora K75 include : Qualcomm MSM7201A 528MHz processor, Qualcomm gpsOne GPS chipset, 3.5″ 400×240 WQVGA display, microSD memory card slot, VGA CMOS secondary camera, Built-in rotation sensor.

The TwoNav Aventura GPS receiver is interesting as it can accept virtually any kind of map without running into compatibility issues. It would be a good tool for those who want to scan and calibrate any type of map prior to uploading. The Aventura comes with a 3.5″ touchscreen display that will serve you for both handheld and automobile use.

It also has pre-loaded Tele Atlas maps and topo maps for most of the countries where it is sold. The display can be rotated in portrait or landscape mode. It’s also rainproof and powered by a SiRFStar III chipset, offering an SDHC memory card slot, an electronic compass, a barometric altimeter and it will provide up to 20 hours of battery life.

Pioneer is hoping to turn a nice profit on these four new GPS systems, so they can whether this tough economic time. They’ve announced four more in-vehicle GPS navigation systems. The AVIC-VH9900, AVIC-ZH9900, AVIC-H9900 and AVIC-T20.

All will make their way to Japan in early June. The first three on the list are pretty typical of what’s already on the market with 7″ WVGA touchscreen displays. The AVIC-T20 on the other hand is different, sporting an 800 x 480 resolution 5.8″ touchscreen display and the ability to receiving real-time traffic info via built-in 3G/HSDPA.

Are you one of those people who have to buy things just because they’re branded with Nascar Images? Well then this one is for the good ‘ol boys. If GPS had existed during the Dukes Of Hazard, this would have been the car’s GPS. Consider it KITT’s redneck cousin, saying things like, “Yeeeehaw” and “You might want to stop for that dead possum Bo”.

Dale Earnhardt Jr can handle the job with his soothing voice in this special edition Rightway Spotter GPS from Transplant and ALK Technologies. His voice will tell you distances, street names, and to “park it” when you’re there.