Any suggestions.... I have no connection to the internal GPS after updating to RX-44_2008SE_2.2007.50-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM

only if I use my external Bluetooth i.trek...

Also, anyone know "IF possible" how I might use my TomTom (palm, maybe garnet-vm) mapping software...hey, if you do not ask....

Maemo Mapper don't work with built GPS receiver

Thats not true, it does work and there are other posts in the forum that confirm how to make it work more reliably if memory serves me correctly. (Need to search a little deeper into the forum posts to find details)

For example, I can start the provided map application on my N810 utilising the built in GPS and whilst MAP is running I can also start Maemo Mapper which then auto magically is connected to the GPS unit too.

Quite handy being able to compare Map and Maemo Mapper capabilities at the same points it time ;-)

Sorry if this is too obvious but do you have the
gps settings in maemo-mapper set to

GPSD host 127.0.0.1

First Maemo Mapper works very nicely on the N810.

Somehow your gps settings got changed. It looks like you checked GPSD host. That is bad with N810.

Open Maemo Mapper -click on menu - settings - GPS
make sure bluetooth is checked. check ok.
click on menu again - GPS - Enable GPS should be checked.
click anywhere off the menu to close it.

I hope I explained this clearly and it helped.

On the N810, in the Settings dialog of Maemo Mapper, enable the "Bluetooth" option and leave the corresponding text field blank.

According to the published SDK API, this is supposed to cause Maemo to search for any GPS-enabled bluetooth devices in the area, but for some crazy reason, on the N810, this configuration causes Maemo to use the internal GPS receiver. Sorry, I know it's confusing, and I have no explanation for it.