I hear so many problems about gear on both ACV and ACM that I thought I'd
share some good news that happened to me today.
I was running late for a job interview and I had to get to Highlands Ranch
(South of Denver) from Longmont (way North of Denver). I wasn't familiar
with the territory down there, so I printed out a Google map with directions
to the address in question. Let me say at this point that I have absolutely
no dog in this hunt either for or against Verizon or Motorola.
Sure enough, when I got to a critical road split, I misread the somewhat
misleading directions and ended up way east of my intended destination.
Since my Google map didn't extend out this far, I started to call the people
at the interview for directions, but then I thought of VZW navigator, and
the relatively good reports here about its use.
So I pulled into a high school parking lot, navigated (no pun intended) to
Get It Now, and downloaded the day pass ($2.99) of VZW-N. In no time I was
connected to the service with my Bluetooth headset telling me where to go -
(nicely).
I wasn't as far out in the boondocks as I thought, and in a few minutes I
was directed perfectly to the right place. The service gave me plenty of
audio instructions; to prepare to turn left/right and so-and-so street in
0.4 miles - then turn at this street, then prepare to turn left/right at
another street in 0.5 miles. I couldn't go wrong!
I have been seriously considering a navigation system for my car, but now
that's absolutely out of the question. Even if I subscribed to VZW-N every
month, it would take more than three years to amortize a new car system.
What was especially fun was entering my home address on the way back, then
intentionally changing the route. After a couple "make the next legal
u-turn"s and "recalculating route"s, it let me choose to continue the trip,
and sent me home without a hitch.
Verizon isn't perfect in every way of course. But they sure did this one
right.
"Ed Sheehan" <NOedsSPAM@xmission.com> wrote in news:eenb6n$fv4$1
@news.xmission.com:
> Verizon isn't perfect in every way of course. But they sure did this one
> right.
>
>
Wonder what it says when you dip down the hill and the display says NO
SERVICE for 8 miles? Will it pick up where you left off or will it correct
the error sending you a different route because you missed the turn with
the dropped call....??
Thanks for the report. They ARE getting good GPS data to track you for the
CIA and FBI wherever you go.
--
There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.
You certainly are consistent.
Negativity, (and conspiracy paranoia) right on cue.
"Larry" <noone@home.com> wrote in message news:Xns9842CF5E98EACnoonehomecom@208.49.80.253...
> "Ed Sheehan" <NOedsSPAM@xmission.com> wrote in news:eenb6n$fv4$1
> @news.xmission.com:
>
>> Verizon isn't perfect in every way of course. But they sure did this one
>> right.
>>
>>
>
> Wonder what it says when you dip down the hill and the display says NO
> SERVICE for 8 miles? Will it pick up where you left off or will it correct
> the error sending you a different route because you missed the turn with
> the dropped call....??
>
> Thanks for the report. They ARE getting good GPS data to track you for the
> CIA and FBI wherever you go.
>
>
>
> --
> There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
> You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.
"Nessnet" <richard@nodamnspam.nessnet.com> wrote in
news:6OKdncJQDv3Dp5LYnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@giganews.com :
> You certainly are consistent.
> Negativity, (and conspiracy paranoia) right on cue.
>
>
Depending on something so intermittent as cellular phone service to
navigate across any area is poor, at best, and really stupid, at worst.
What he needs is a GPS navigator that doesn't depend on an intermittenly
connected radio link to some server run by faceless bureaucrats who only
provide intermittent service. There are many great navigators, without the
monthly ripoff charge. Garmin is my favorite because Garmin gives us such
great service on the yachts. Garmin is also very easy to deal with if
there's a problem...they simply send you a new one.
I'd hate for someone to read his post and think they're going to navigate
across the country on this toyphone service. Lots of places, even with
phone service, have no data service to feed it. They might get hurt being
lost like that....with NO SERVICE.
--
There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.
Larry wrote:
> "Nessnet" <richard@nodamnspam.nessnet.com> wrote in
> news:6OKdncJQDv3Dp5LYnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@giganews.com :
>
>
>>You certainly are consistent.
>>Negativity, (and conspiracy paranoia) right on cue.
>>
>>
>
>
> Depending on something so intermittent as cellular phone service to
> navigate across any area is poor, at best, and really stupid, at worst.
> What he needs is a GPS navigator that doesn't depend on an intermittenly
> connected radio link to some server run by faceless bureaucrats who only
> provide intermittent service.
I routinely travel in 5 states and the VZW cellphone service is best
described as consistently good.
There are many great navigators, without the
> monthly ripoff charge. Garmin is my favorite because Garmin gives us such
> great service on the yachts. Garmin is also very easy to deal with if
> there's a problem...they simply send you a new one.
Because maybe not everyone is interested in bagphones and diesel
generators. A very portable device that delivers an usable service is a
good thing. And as the OP pointed out it would take 3 years of the
"ripoff charge" to pay for a GPS system which would likely be obsolete
at that point.
>
> I'd hate for someone to read his post and think they're going to navigate
> across the country on this toyphone service.
> Lots of places, even with
> phone service, have no data service to feed it. They might get hurt being
> lost like that....with NO SERVICE.
>
And the guys point was that he didn't need to buy and carry extra
equipment around. Most people aren't going to navigate across the
country and if they do would have enough sense to realize a cellphone
device may not work in a few areas but the tradeoff is well worth it.
The phone can be in a dead spot and still work fine, because it's a gps
system. The only time it needs to see a tower is when it's updating the map.
It's unlikely you'll get so lost inside a huge dead zone that you can't
recover when the map is updated.
Still a no-brainer for many.
Ed
"Larry" <noone@home.com> wrote in message
news:Xns984359A0AD03Bnoonehomecom@208.49.80.253...
> "Nessnet" <richard@nodamnspam.nessnet.com> wrote in
> news:6OKdncJQDv3Dp5LYnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@giganews.com :
>
>> You certainly are consistent.
>> Negativity, (and conspiracy paranoia) right on cue.
>>
>>
>
> Depending on something so intermittent as cellular phone service to
> navigate across any area is poor, at best, and really stupid, at worst.
> What he needs is a GPS navigator that doesn't depend on an intermittenly
> connected radio link to some server run by faceless bureaucrats who only
> provide intermittent service. There are many great navigators, without
> the
> monthly ripoff charge. Garmin is my favorite because Garmin gives us such
> great service on the yachts. Garmin is also very easy to deal with if
> there's a problem...they simply send you a new one.
>
> I'd hate for someone to read his post and think they're going to navigate
> across the country on this toyphone service. Lots of places, even with
> phone service, have no data service to feed it. They might get hurt being
> lost like that....with NO SERVICE.
>
> --
> There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
> You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.
In article <1158690933.688048.63420@m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.c om>, jeb.hoge@gmail.com says...
> Larry wrote:
>
> > Thanks for the report. They ARE getting good GPS data to track you for the
> > CIA and FBI wherever you go.
>
> *snicker* Right. That little V325 obviously has more than enough power
> to beam location data to a geosynch satellite.
>
> Maybe with an uplink dish and an external power source...
>
>
Are YOU perfect? Is anything except Jesus....perfect?
It works.
I first enabled the bluetooth function by pressing the button on my headset
for three seconds. Once enabled, all spoken commands (and all sounds, for
that matter) came through the headset. There is a loudness menu item in the
navigator application. I have it set to high for when I want to use the
speakerphone to hear the directions. When I'm using the headset, I just
adjust the volume on the headset itself.
Hope this helps.
Ed
"Symp EL" <symp.el@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1158700940.818728.243700@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>
> Ed Sheehan wrote:
>> In no time I was
> connected to the service with my Bluetooth headset telling me where to
> go
>
>
> How did you get the "talk" commands to play through your BT? I have
> been trying to do this but can't get it to work.
>
Ed Sheehan wrote:
> I first enabled the bluetooth function by pressing the button on my headset
> for three seconds. Once enabled, all spoken commands (and all sounds, for
> that matter) came through the headset. There is a loudness menu item in the
> navigator application. I have it set to high for when I want to use the
> speakerphone to hear the directions. When I'm using the headset, I just
> adjust the volume on the headset itself.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Ed
>
> "Symp EL" <symp.el@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1158700940.818728.243700@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> >
> > Ed Sheehan wrote:
> >> In no time I was
> > connected to the service with my Bluetooth headset telling me where to
> > go
> >
> >
> > How did you get the "talk" commands to play through your BT? I have
> > been trying to do this but can't get it to work.
> >
Doesn't work for me. I wonder if it is a setting on the phone and not
the VZW Nav program....
Granted, I use a 76CSX for this purpose myself.
It is the best option - in my opinion also...
"Larry" <noone@home.com> wrote in message news:Xns984359A0AD03Bnoonehomecom@208.49.80.253...
> "Nessnet" <richard@nodamnspam.nessnet.com> wrote in
> news:6OKdncJQDv3Dp5LYnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@giganews.com :
>
>> You certainly are consistent.
>> Negativity, (and conspiracy paranoia) right on cue.
>>
>>
>
> Depending on something so intermittent as cellular phone service to
> navigate across any area is poor, at best, and really stupid, at worst.
> What he needs is a GPS navigator that doesn't depend on an intermittenly
> connected radio link to some server run by faceless bureaucrats who only
> provide intermittent service. There are many great navigators, without the
> monthly ripoff charge. Garmin is my favorite because Garmin gives us such
> great service on the yachts. Garmin is also very easy to deal with if
> there's a problem...they simply send you a new one.
>
> I'd hate for someone to read his post and think they're going to navigate
> across the country on this toyphone service. Lots of places, even with
> phone service, have no data service to feed it. They might get hurt being
> lost like that....with NO SERVICE.
>
> --
> There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
> You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.
On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 08:48:24 -0400, Larry <noone@home.com> wrote:
>Depending on something so intermittent as cellular phone service to
>navigate across any area is poor, at best, and really stupid, at worst.
>What he needs is a GPS navigator that doesn't depend on an intermittenly
>connected radio link to some server run by faceless bureaucrats who only
>provide intermittent service....
>
>I'd hate for someone to read his post and think they're going to navigate
>across the country on this toyphone service. Lots of places, even with
>phone service, have no data service to feed it. They might get hurt being
>lost like that....with NO SERVICE.
Maybe, like me, he already has one or more Garmin, Magellan, or TomTom units.
Maybe, like me, he also has several USB-interfacing GPS receivers that he uses
with MS Streets and Autoroute on a very small Sony laptop or a Toshiba palmtop.
Maybe, like me, he still wants to play with the VZ service, or simply to have it
available in case he's out somewhere and doesn't have any one of his more
expensive tools in his pocket.
Maybe you should stop trying to think for people who are much better equipped
for the task.
pltrgyst <pltrgyst@spamlessxhost.org> wrote in
news:fah2h2908t437ibdas1rka2m4qsng1hc9c@4ax.com:
> Maybe, like me, he already has one or more Garmin, Magellan, or TomTom
> units.
>
> Maybe, like me, he also has several USB-interfacing GPS receivers that
> he uses with MS Streets and Autoroute on a very small Sony laptop or a
> Toshiba palmtop.
>
> Maybe, like me, he still wants to play with the VZ service, or simply
> to have it available in case he's out somewhere and doesn't have any
> one of his more expensive tools in his pocket.
>
> Maybe you should stop trying to think for people who are much better
> equipped for the task.
>
>
Then, maybe not....eh?
--
There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.
"Ed Sheehan" <NOedsSPAM@xmission.com> wrote in message
news:eenb6n$fv4$1@news.xmission.com...
>I hear so many problems about gear on both ACV and ACM that I thought I'd
>share some good news that happened to me today.
>
> I was running late for a job interview and I had to get to Highlands Ranch
> (South of Denver) from Longmont (way North of Denver). I wasn't familiar
> with the territory down there, so I printed out a Google map with
> directions to the address in question. Let me say at this point that I
> have absolutely no dog in this hunt either for or against Verizon or
> Motorola.
>
> Sure enough, when I got to a critical road split, I misread the somewhat
> misleading directions and ended up way east of my intended destination.
> Since my Google map didn't extend out this far, I started to call the
> people at the interview for directions, but then I thought of VZW
> navigator, and the relatively good reports here about its use.
>
> So I pulled into a high school parking lot, navigated (no pun intended) to
> Get It Now, and downloaded the day pass ($2.99) of VZW-N. In no time I was
> connected to the service with my Bluetooth headset telling me where to
> go - (nicely).
>
> I wasn't as far out in the boondocks as I thought, and in a few minutes I
> was directed perfectly to the right place. The service gave me plenty of
> audio instructions; to prepare to turn left/right and so-and-so street in
> 0.4 miles - then turn at this street, then prepare to turn left/right at
> another street in 0.5 miles. I couldn't go wrong!
>
> I have been seriously considering a navigation system for my car, but now
> that's absolutely out of the question. Even if I subscribed to VZW-N every
> month, it would take more than three years to amortize a new car system.
>
> What was especially fun was entering my home address on the way back, then
> intentionally changing the route. After a couple "make the next legal
> u-turn"s and "recalculating route"s, it let me choose to continue the
> trip, and sent me home without a hitch.
>
> Verizon isn't perfect in every way of course. But they sure did this one
> right.
I am happy to report that using a free proxy server, I can now get Google
maps and driving directions for free. I'm still working on how to access
Gmail and my browsing preferences from the Google home page. WHen I hit
those I get http errors.
VZW Navigator - First time use 
Linear Mode
