Comments on: Colouring your street directory green…

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:19:10 +0000

Chris, They already make a phone turn by turn product called Whereis Navigator, only on telstra tho. I think the reason people keep the GPS on is to alert them about speed cameras!

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 03:09:10 +0000

In all reality, with the integration of GPS & mapping into smart phones (and open-platforms like Google’s Android phone OS), the portable GPS is likely to die before it defeats paper maps.
If the iPhone were able to give turn-by-turn map directions, this would have already happened.
If a map-maker like UBD really wanted to make a green product, they could consider making an application to install on your phone to give turn-by-turn & live traffic updates. Trumpeting about green publications is just re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:38:07 +0000

I’m guessing the GPS bashers are people who never use them. Some people enjoy going for a drive and not having to worry about where to turn or which way to go.
How many people are driving somewhere unfamiliar and have there wife with a UBD on their lap giving them directions.

This is the electronic equivelant, and when you’re given the wrong directions instead of abusing you’re wife you can abuse the GPS. A real marriage saver in my books.

By the way I dont agree with people who have them stuck to the windscreen 24/7. You only really need to use them when you’re unsure of where you are going, just like a UBD. I found it invaluable when I was buying a house (driving to 10 houses in one day). I definitely could see the advantages for taxi’s, pizza delivery drivers, couriers, sales reps, etc etc.

I look at people using a UBD, turning it upside down and stuff, and say what tossers, get with the times and get a GPS, pretty soon they’ll be as cheap as a UBD anyway.

As for the person complaining you have to update a GPS every year, umm ditto for UBD. (some GPS have free updates). Every year new estates and roads are being made. Thats why they release them yearly.

By: lembit liiv

lembit liiv — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:42:51 +0000

we use gps for service technicians going from job to job( locations stored in favourites) it calculates time to next appointment and new route required. It saves time, and staff suffer less stress.

By: toddly

toddly — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 08:08:33 +0000

I reckon GPS’s are the latest wank factor.

Phone, GPS, etoll, make up mirror all in use (mostly) needlessly and blocking the view of the road (except most etolls are behing the mirror.

I still use a paper book when I actually need to go somewhere Im not familiar with. I use copied stripmaps on the motorbike. My Amish GPS.

Otherwise I enjoy getting lost. You meet the nicest people and have great experiences.

Then again I suppose I dont look at all cool without all that crap on my screen!

By: Brandon

Brandon — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:59:00 +0000

while i personally can get nearly anywhere using road signs and everywhere else by looking at a map before i leave i do see there advantage for some people
couriers? truck drivers? and taxi drivers? the GPS nav-system would prove to be a most valuable asset to these people, or people like my friend, who always had her boyfriend to drive her around, now not with said boyfriend, doesn’t really know how to get where she wants to go, but with a GPS she can be [reasonably] confident of not getting lost,

technologies i would be worried about are; lane keeping technology (if you cant stay in your lane get off the road) and mercedes new radar brake assist (if you dont know how to stop your car get off the road)

By: Julian Edgar

Julian Edgar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:33:21 +0000

More clearly expressed oral directions with better phrasing and intonation; device must have inbuilt compass because it immediately knows vehicle orientation changes; good route selection.

Shortcoming is long time to recalculate routes after you take a wrong turning.

By: doctorpat

doctorpat — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:59:38 +0000

Could you elaborate on how the old VDO Dayton is superior? Better route choice? Clearer directions? More up to date maps?

By: Julian Edgar

Julian Edgar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:49:08 +0000

Just a general comment about in-car GPS nav systems.

I first got one about 8 years or so ago – a VDO Dayton system. I still have it. It is far better – FAR better – than any portable GPS I have used and better in most respects than current Lexus systems (as an example of a system used in an expensive car).

That really puzzles me – I thought by now we’d see really trick GPS nav systems; instead, a typical system is going backwards. (But of course they’re a LOT cheaper these days.)

So the people with a GPS suction mounted to the windscreens who appear not to be able to find their way around are, in general I think, using a far inferior GPS to that existing 8 years ago!

By: dan

dan — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:40:49 +0000

try a brisway, imho they are shitloads better than the ubd
easier to read, and heaps more points of interest on them