[aprssig] Messaging on the NUVI GPS

[The Bland Ranch]

I think we should have software for all these platforms.

What hasn't been mentioned about this is that the NUVI approach will enable hams
to use a gismo they already have AND the XYL will allow in a car.

Momma won't want to be displaced by a computer in the front seat, but she would
allow a NUVI navigator that has "additional features".

For a guy like me that travels frequently, the idea of being able to use my
NUVI, which I take anyway, to look at local APRS traffic is appealing. I would
not go to the extra trouble to haul a pC to do this on a biz trip.

Scott, I've been following this. Nice job. Making one of these setups may just
move up my priority list after I finish the Fender Bassman rebuild......

Chuck Bland
NA6BR

Quoting Kevin Sherwood <kshrwood at hotmail.com>:

> 
> New touchscreen hardware for small laptops is expensive, but there's a lot of
> inexpensive old hardware available that still works great.  Panasonic
> Toughbooks from the Pentium 3 era with daylight-visible touchscreens are in
> the $2-300 range (CF-M34), and tablet/notebook hybrids with Pentium M
> processors (CF-18) go for $700-1000.  Given that 99% of what people do will
> run on even the earlier machines, and it's only really games that demand the
> latest hardware, these are a cheap option.
> 
> They're also great b/c the fully rugged models don't have fans or vents,
> meaning they emphasize low power use over performance, so 6-7 hours on a
> battery is normal.  I bought them primarily for sailing, where power is a
> valuable commodity.  Finally they're light, with the models I have both being
> around 4.5 pounds.
> 
> Kevin
> KB3PLX
> 
> 
> --Forwarded Message Attachment--
> From: scott at opentrac.org
> To: aprssig at lists.tapr.org
> Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 09:37:55 -0700
> Subject: Re: [aprssig] Messaging on the NUVI GPS
> 
> Once you get to a certain level of features, then yeah, you need to 
> start considering commodity hardware.
>  
> On the other hand, there's something to be said for the KISS principle. 
>   My Windows Mobile smart phone is an absolute piece of garbage.  If I 
> use the camera, I've got a 50% chance of the phone crashing in the next 
> six hours.  The interface is sluggish, with enough of a delay on almost 
> everything (and no feedback) that you're constantly hitting buttons 
> twice because it didn't seem to take.  Leave it in the text message 
> screen and it freaks out every hour or so about server certificates.  I 
> would not use this device for anything important, and it's barely usable 
> as a phone.  (The old unlocked Motorola quad-band GSM phone I use while 
> out of the country - $20 on eBay - is vastly better at just being a phone.)
>  
> And as for the nuvi, the alternative would be to go with a small touch 
> screen PC, which isn't cheap, and you'd have a hard time getting it to 
> match the nuvi for plain old navigation use.
>  
> Scott
> N1VG
>