Re: my first GPS - suggestions?

Joe Parsons wrote:

On 11 Jul 2005 05:35:09 -0700, "bob bookouri" <bookouri@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:


For what you need, if you do have a notebook computer in your car,  I
think you would be happier with one of the USB units for the computer.



Don't you think that'd be rather cumbersome, compared to any of the standalone
units?  If one is always alone in the car, it might be practical, but that's not
always the case.

If you want the data collection, driving history, storing of pre-planned complex routes with multiple stops or via points, etc., etc., then a laptop works best. I have done it a lot with a laptop laying on the empty seat. A glance over is not much more distracting than checking a mirror.

With a passenger, it can lay in a lap when needed and the passenger talks you along. If not wanted or needed, it was folded shut (not suspended, no automatic shut down, just the screen blanked) and laying against the side of the transmission tunnel until needed. The GPS is still powered up and it will wake up with a current position as soon as you open the display.

Riding shotgun, with a laptop in my lap and Street Atlas 9.0 running, I managed to become the undisputed champion of FreeCell solitaire and could even ignore my wife's driving habits. Try that with a standalone. :>)

I'm beginning to wonder if there are people driving with their gaze fixed on their dash mounted GPS to make steering corrections and turning decisions. When alone, I use the laptop occasionally and briefly to make sure I know what and where the next turn is and then I have my head up and "out of the cockpit". And then there are the hundreds of "where am I?" and "are we almost there yet?" glance overs.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)
.

Quantcast