| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| tahir |
SatnavAnyone got any experience of portable sat nav? I have to get one for someone at work, the only one I've ever heard of is the TomTomGo |
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| Andy B |
Re: Satnav
Oh ! I thought this was going to be a thread on Indian spices. |
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| tahir |
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| jema |
If you ask me, this is a technology to avoid like a 1mp digital camara a few years back.
In another year the prices will have fallen massively and the technology will be smaller/smarter/faster etc. Anything bought now, will look very lame. |
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| tahir |
It's for a user that needs it now. Next year will be too late. | ||
| dougal |
There are big differences based on the intended application.
Basic GPS might be ok for finding your way back to the carpark when hill walking... (Battery life important) Next up you add a map overlay. Then combine it with road info and route-planning software. These things, being intended as car-powered, tend to eat batteries when unplugged. For maps and road routes considerations include cost and availability of updates, level and type of detail (filling stations?, pubs?) which is impacted by the amount of data storage capacity... They don't work all that well in cities, or in trees. (They need to 'see' quite a lot of sky to acquire the satellites. And GPS itself has an issue with satellite numbers - they are getting a bit marginal http://www.itweek.co.uk/itweek/news/2142864/gps-users-plan-outages While looking for a link to that story, I found http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/ which looks useful. I investigated such things previously, but my requirements changed, ahem, and I never got one... EDIT: correct link posted !! (oops) |
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| tahir |
Thanks Dougal | ||
| ele |
we've got a tom tom go !
It's been pretty good, no problems at all in cities with reception, or in the wilds of Scotland either. Only problems have been; Driving on brand new stretches / redone motorways it gets a little confused. Sometimes it asks you to get into a lane that's not actually necessary (like if there is an exit and it doesn't want you to take it , it sometimes asks you to get in the right lane, not a wrong instruction just overly complex) It's not very good at micro-detail, so it's still useful to have a few simple instructions for the last 100metres. I am married to a gadget ADDICT ! (and he claims, expert) |
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| High Green Farm |
Tahir
There are a few good offers in the Telegraph today. (Of course I don't read the Telegraph - I was just holding it for someone else! )
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| tahir |
Ooerr! I'll see if I can borrow one. |
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| marigold |
My local Somerfield is advertising a Micromaxx portable satnav for "only" £249.99 while stocks last.....
No idea if that's any help, but thought I'd mention it 
'scuse me being a Luddite though, but what does anyone "need" a portable satnav thingy FOR?? 
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| dougal |
As you indicate 'need' is somewhat subjective. BUT - for walkers, especially in unfamiliar territory, or boat users, a basic gps can be a real safety aid if you should get caught by bad weather. - car navigation systems really can be a great help if you often have to drive in unfamiliar territory - making sales, service or delivery calls for example, especially once you get off main roads - and you have no "navigator" on board. Even driving in unfamiliar territory, with a navigationally unskilled, or unwilling ("I get sick if I have to look at a map") crew/family, the robot can take a whole lot of stress out of the situation... And if its *not* built-in to the car ("portable"), you can use one system in whatever car you happen to be travelling in, hire, are issued with, etc... |
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| jema |
I'd like nothing more than for a voice telling me where to go (well I get that a lot, but in a navigational and correct sense) especially when I am in a busy town/city I don't know.
I'm dying to play with one, but I try and be very strict about not buying bleeding edge technology that will be hopelessly outdated within months of buying. If you look in the small print of some of them for sale now. You will find they hold only a small set of maps internally and so you have to download to them from your PC 
This is absurdely naff. By mind next year, you will probably have the complete map of the UK and Europe on board as standard. |