Trimble Outdoors Change in Service

[fcoulter]

If you've been using Trimble Outdoors to share your hikes, they've just changed their services. You now have to have a paid account in order to upload you hikes to them. Then they can turn around and sell your hikes to other people.

Needless to say, I won't be uploading my hikes to them any more.

[AegisIII]

Just saw that today also. Looks like I won't be downloading from them anymore. Not a big loss, I downloaded maybe five tracks or so per month from them.

[KrisWagner]

Hey guys, Kris from Trimble Outdoors. You're correct. We introduced some changes and new products last week, including an Elite program that boosts the tools available on the website and in our Trimble Outdoors Navigator app (iPhone, Andoid) and MyTopo Maps app (iPad, Kindle Fire, Android tablets). The new features are outlined on this page: http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Elite/. We are pretty excited about the Elite program because it offers some unique solutions for hikers like you:

1) Offline Maps in the backcountry. You now can load highly detailed topo maps by national park or county into your phone or tablet. Many users told us they wanted so save LOTS of maps on their phone, so they can view big areas without a cell or data connection. So now our apps work anywhere off-the-grid and you can save as many maps as your device can hold. Let me know if you guys would be interested in a topo map bundle that includes all the AT or maybe the AT corridor by state.

2) We also introduced color-coded public land maps. Many people told us they want to know the exact lands that they are on and they were also looking for new access points into public lands. These maps help with this by providing public land overlays in 46 states. I know the AT access points are pretty well marked but I've found these overlays super useful when scouting access points in Colorado and I wish I would of had them when exploring places like Ramsey Draft Wilderness and Shenandoah.

3) Weather Maps. I'm sure many of you get frustrated when weather reports are only available for the closest city, not where you are going into the backcountry. Weather can be different in remote areas. That's why we introduced Weather Maps. Before you go, you can overlay real-time weather details (Doppler, wind, temperature) on your pre-planned trip on trimbleoutdoors.com or in our mobile apps. And, in places along the AT, where a data signal can be available you could pull in weather reports as you hike. Say, you're on a 3-day AT hike from Delaware Water Gap to Bake Oven Knob, you could pull in Doppler weather and other weather maps into our Trimble Outdoors Navigator app to see if any storms are blowing in.

4) Elite also includes all the Trip Planner tools that you mentioned above, plus all members get 20% all custom maps printed at MyTopo.com

For those of you who only need the map editing tools to import files or export files, you can opt to only get our redesigned Trip Planner. For $10/yr., you can continue to draw maps (waypoints, tracks), import GPS files, print maps at home, and store your trips. This helps us pay for ongoing map and server costs, and to keep the map tools updated everytime a new browser ver. comes out. http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/TripPlanner/

I hope this helps answer your questions, and that it gives you a deeper look into our new features. Please let me know if you have any questions. -kris

[fcoulter]

For those of you who only need the map editing tools to import files or export files, you can opt to only get our redesigned Trip Planner. For $10/yr., you can continue to draw maps (waypoints, tracks), import GPS files, print maps at home, and store your trips. This helps us pay for ongoing map and server costs, and to keep the map tools updated everytime a new browser ver. comes out. http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/TripPlanner/

I hope this helps answer your questions, and that it gives you a deeper look into our new features. Please let me know if you have any questions. -kris

One my issues in general with this change (and it's not just done by TrimbleOutdoors) is the Free Trial that's plastered on every page. There's nothing wrong with a free trial. The problem is that you have to hunt to find out how much it's going to cost after the 14 days.

Yes, I understand marketing. But hiding the cost turns off people from using the service, too. The jury is out on whether you will gain or lose more customers by hiding the price.

BTW, if I'm using TrimbleOutdoors to share my hikes, do the people I'm sharing them with also have to pay $10 just to see, not download, the hike?

[KrisWagner]

Thanks for your comments fcoulter. We're taking everyone's feedback and considering it all. You asked:


"BTW, if I'm using TrimbleOutdoors to share my hikes, do the people I'm sharing them with also have to pay $10 just to see, not download, the hike?"

Trip viewing to free to everyone. Our general rule is viewing is free and editing costs a nominal fee. Trips are also free to view in our mobile apps. -kris