I’ll never forget 1996. The winter that hit New York that year was absolutely ridiculous. The city basically shut down due to the epic snowfall that happened seemingly overnight. My friends and I had snow ball fights that resulted in some serious injuries, we built tunnels that homeless people then proceeded to urinate in, and we even jumped off a second story fire escape to see if the powder would break our fall. The boots I wore during that time were made by Columbia, and they kept my feet both warm and dry. Like I said, it’s a memory I’ll never forget.
The company is now looking to expand beyond outdoor wear by creating an iOS and Android app called “GPS PAL”. Similar to how Nike created a service for people to keep track of their runs, Columbia has made a service for people to keep track of their hikes. Have I tried the application out yet? No, but then again I just heard about it a few minutes ago. Seeing as how hiking, both through forests and through urban jungles, is a hobby that me and my girlfriend regularly do, I’ll be sure to check out “GPS PAL” the next time we go out on a tour of Helsinki.
Judging by the screenshots and the video above, it looks like GPS PAL is a prettier version of Sports Tracker, but focused more on media capture and slow paced outdoor activities. You know what I’m talking about, when you’re out on a hike or a walk and see something that you just need to grab a photo of so you can share it. Yesterday I was on just such a walk, and there are now three photos on my Facebook wall of a car from the 1950’s, a pair of swans, and an oddly named new brand of candy.
Anyway, check the app out, let me know if it’s any good.
[Via: Engadget]