WWAN with GPS is too expensive; any ExpressCard solutions?

January 21, 2009 5:54 PM

Are there any ExpressCard/54 GPS cards?

I have a Lenovo X200 that's wired for a WWAN card (but doesn't have one in it). The machine has an empty ExpressCard/54 slot, and I want to add GPS capabilities. All of the WWAN cards with GPS that work with this notebook (Lenovo apparently whitelists a select few cards) are over $200.

Are there any cheaper ExpressCard/54 alternatives that just provide GPS?

posted by trokair to Computers & Internet (2 answers total)

Don't know about ExpressCards but for adding GPS to something Bluetooth is the most popular. You could get a keychain sized bluetooth GPS receiver (I bought this over a year ago and it kicks ass) and a USB bluetooth dongle for $100 total if your shopping skills are sharpened.
posted by GleepGlop at 7:59 PM on January 21, 2009

The only GPS ExpressCard I can find is in Sprint's card, which isn't what you want.

As GleepGlop says, there are a lot of inexpensive bluetooth receivers out there, and another option is USB receivers. I mean, you can't say much fairer than $35 including shipping.

If you're planning to use your laptop+gps for car navigation, you might want to start with a cheap receiver. Reason being, some people using laptop+gps for navigation find the laptop takes up the passenger seat, you can't operate the trackpad easily, and the vehicle's vibration slowly closes the lid as you drive. You don't want to spend a bunch on a laptop receiver only to wish you'd got a TomTom instead.
posted by Mike1024 at 12:45 AM on January 22, 2009