My first GPS

[susandennis]

So, I stopped at the company store while I was at Microsoft today and picked up Streets and Trips with the GPS.  I got to my meeting 30 minutes early so I set it up.  After my meeting I plugged it in. At first I could not figure out what it was doing or not doing and why.  It kept wanting me to connect to the internet (I later figured out that 1. that's not necessary and 2. the link goes to MS version of Google maps - not interesting and 3. how to disable it). 

But, after a bit, it actually kicked in.  Hilarious!  It knows where I are!  I don't even know have the time, but it knows.  It's going to be my new best friend.  I can go anywhere now!  Wow.  Cool. 

It's going to be perfect for South Carolina.  I have no clue how to get anywhere there.  Over the years I've probably spent as much on paper maps as I did on the gizmo and software today.  But those maps were never very much help and they NEVER knew where I was. 

Supposedly if you map a trip, this puppy will talk you through it.  That could be excellent.  Today I just watched it follow along.  It's just a miracle. 

I do have to take the big laptop with me, as it turns out, since I got work to do.  This is not all bad. Plus, Netflix sent me to road DVD's today - Season 1, Disc 2 of Alf and Happy Endings.  I'm set.

Comments

[laciann.livejournal.com]

We have a GPS, and it got us through Detroit, Chicago 3 times, Toronto ..... it REALLY works. The only weird thing - and I don't know if this is just ours or not, but almost without fail, it's first instruction will be "make a u-turn". If we ignore that and proceed down the road, it gets us to where we're going every time.

If you make a wrong turn, it re-calculates and gets you back on track before you know it.

[geordie.livejournal.com]

They have really improved in that respect, the old Magellan ones seemed to take it personally if you took a couple of wrong turns and would go into the loop tape of "please proceed to the highlighted route" in a condescending voice.

[geordie.livejournal.com]

I think you should be able to copy maps to your phone and connect it to that, if it's the right version of this that and the other and all the usual caveats.

The maps are really nice, I'll be taking it with me on Saturday along with the multi thousand dollar company paperweight (laptop). I hope the laptop and PDA can both listen to the GPS un bluetooth at the same time.

[susandennis]

My phone is Palm OS - so no go but good thought.

I have this vision of your laptop and your PDA duking it out over which route is the best... chips flying

[treebreeze.livejournal.com]

Wow..that sounds really great!

It all boggles my non-techie tree huggery little mind.

[gissa.livejournal.com]

According the Google Earth and a few of those other GPS satellite imaging programs, our whole town in Sweden is basically far away trees or a big fat blur. I can hone in on my childhood home in Michigan though.