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26
Living Room / Re: GPS Unit Recommendations?
« on: May 21, 2010, 08:38 AM »
This is what I meant about common sense and why no one should trust 100% a GPS device:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/bradford/7962212.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8173308.stm

27
Living Room / Re: GPS Unit Recommendations?
« on: May 21, 2010, 05:59 AM »
You cannot trust a GPS unit (phone or stand-alone) 100%. You must also use common sense. For example, if the road configuration changes, it will be different from the map on the GPS unit, until the map is updated.

I wouldn't say that a cell phone GPS is "less safe", it is "less powerful". For example, my phone showed me that I am in an intersection which was actually about 20-30 meters away. This can be due to a poor map or because of weak signal, or both. But when traveling, especially outside of towns, I get indications from the phone in advanced and it is hard to make mistakes.

One advantage of cell phone GPSes would be that you can also use them when walking without creating a discomfort.

28
Living Room / Re: GPS Unit Recommendations?
« on: May 21, 2010, 03:29 AM »
I have a Nokia E52 smartphone with integrated GPS with 2 navigation programs installed on it:
1) Nokia (or Ovi) Maps -> which are free!!! and are quite good for western Europe, but only basic for eastern Europe (do not know for Australia, but I guess it must be as good as for western Europe/USA)
2) Garmin for smartphones -> the maps are better for countries not yet covered by Nokia Maps (I think it is the same map as for stand-alone Garmin GPS devices)

Both are offline, you can download the maps from the internet on your PC and then transfer them on your phone.

I am fairly satisfied with my phone, but I think that the GPS unit from the phone is not as powerfull as a dedicated one. So you can have less precision and more waiting for connection time than for a dedicated GPS (the position is acquired in about 2-3 minutes if I am in a open space). Also, the battery dies quickly when using the GPS (which is normal), but in a car you can connect it to 12V and load it by using a special cable which can be found at a Nokia distributor. And you have to find a way to mount it in your car, so you can see the display while you drive.

Some friends of mine have a Garmin GPS and they are very pleased with them (even though they had once or twice some problems).

In a big city such a device is an excellent tool.

But I do not rely 100% on them. I have a very detailed map of my country and when I travel somewhere I first study the route on it. I also study online maps and services such as Google Street View or www.norc.eu (in order to orientate myself in cities). So when I start traveling I have a kind of mind map of the route. But, this is only because I like geography and because I do not like to fully rely on technology.

29
Living Room / Re: Ergonomic mouse and keyboard
« on: May 02, 2010, 08:56 AM »
Thanks for the replies!

I try to have a correct posture at the desk, but I cannot stay in that position all the time. A vertical mouse seems a very interesting idea, I'll give it a try, and I will also try the Microsoft ergonomic 4000 keyboard.

30
Living Room / Ergonomic mouse and keyboard
« on: April 29, 2010, 09:07 AM »
Hi there. I stay many hours in front of computers, both at work and at home. A few months ago I started to feel pain in my right wrist, so I moved the mouse in my left hand. My left wrist now hurts also, so I decided to buy an ergonomic mouse and keyboard.

So, my question is, do you use such devices? Could you make some recommandations?

Thanks,
bgd77

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