[NEWS] Top 5 Tips for Mobile Professionals

[phillynews215]

GPS devices are overrated, why you shouldnât try to obsessively plan tech purchases, and more advice gleaned from seven years of tech reporting.





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[roopull]

I agree wholeheartedly on his thoughts about GPS devices.
They are, in my opinion, nearly useless toys.

Allow me to take this opportunity to bash GPS devices.

Firstly, they're no cheaper than pay-by-the-month services cell phone companies provide for your cell phone. Obviously, you have to fork out the initial cash for the device, but unless you NEVER travel ANYWHERE that roads are being built, you're going to have to fork over $100 or more a year for new maps. Broken down by month, that's about the same or more than most of the services your cell phone companies offer.

The maps suck.
No, really, they do.
I've used Tom Tom, Garmin, and a few others with up to date maps, but the maps suck when compared with Google or Bing. But, you say, the Garmin gives me turn by turn voice prompted directions! GREAT! AWESOME! Who gives a crap if the directions take you 20 miles out of the way or - better yet - take you to the wrong place?

You will never learn how to get to where you're going. They're a mental crutch. Unlike maps, there's little mental involvement in your navigating. You just type in the directions & you're babied to where ever you're going. For you guys who use these things, you know what I'm talking about. You use your GPS to navigate to some place you've never been before in an area you're not familiar with & then a few weeks later, when you need to return there, you have NO IDEA how to get there. Had you used a map, you'd stand a better chance at remembering.

And that typing thing. Bing, Google Maps, and many of the services offered by cell phone companies can access your contacts & search the web. Bing is the best at this... you almost NEVER have to type in anything. Push a button, speak your destination, and voila! There are your directions! No typing at all! No planning your route on your PC, transferring the crap to the GPS & then heading out. Just... get in, speak, & drive.


The clencher, for me, is that, AS NAVIGATIONS DEVICES, they're inferior!

Bing and Google
Are more thorough.
Are more accurate.
Have more features (specifically Bing)
Are free if you own a smartphone
Are always up to date


When you consider that Google now offers voice-guided turn by turn on Droid and will certainly offer it to others, I really cannot fathom any reason to buy a GPS device. And, if Google doesn't offer voice for WinMo and iPhone, Bing certainly will for WinMo before long... along with their upcoming video-trip-preview feature.


GPS devices suck.


My 2 cents, anyway... and worth exactly what you paid for it. :-)

[mzlady26]

Originally Posted by roopull

I agree wholeheartedly on his thoughts about GPS devices.
They are, in my opinion, nearly useless toys.

Allow me to take this opportunity to bash GPS devices.

Firstly, they're no cheaper than pay-by-the-month services cell phone companies provide for your cell phone. Obviously, you have to fork out the initial cash for the device, but unless you NEVER travel ANYWHERE that roads are being built, you're going to have to fork over $100 or more a year for new maps. Broken down by month, that's about the same or more than most of the services your cell phone companies offer.

The maps suck.
No, really, they do.
I've used Tom Tom, Garmin, and a few others with up to date maps, but the maps suck when compared with Google or Bing. But, you say, the Garmin gives me turn by turn voice prompted directions! GREAT! AWESOME! Who gives a crap if the directions take you 20 miles out of the way or - better yet - take you to the wrong place?

You will never learn how to get to where you're going. They're a mental crutch. Unlike maps, there's little mental involvement in your navigating. You just type in the directions & you're babied to where ever you're going. For you guys who use these things, you know what I'm talking about. You use your GPS to navigate to some place you've never been before in an area you're not familiar with & then a few weeks later, when you need to return there, you have NO IDEA how to get there. Had you used a map, you'd stand a better chance at remembering.

And that typing thing. Bing, Google Maps, and many of the services offered by cell phone companies can access your contacts & search the web. Bing is the best at this... you almost NEVER have to type in anything. Push a button, speak your destination, and voila! There are your directions! No typing at all! No planning your route on your PC, transferring the crap to the GPS & then heading out. Just... get in, speak, & drive.


The clencher, for me, is that, AS NAVIGATIONS DEVICES, they're inferior!

Bing and Google
Are more thorough.
Are more accurate.
Have more features (specifically Bing)
Are free if you own a smartphone
Are always up to date


When you consider that Google now offers voice-guided turn by turn on Droid and will certainly offer it to others, I really cannot fathom any reason to buy a GPS device. And, if Google doesn't offer voice for WinMo and iPhone, Bing certainly will for WinMo before long... along with their upcoming video-trip-preview feature.


GPS devices suck.


My 2 cents, anyway... and worth exactly what you paid for it. :-)

I agree with you on that one all the way and if anything that was worth more than 2 cent, lol!

[roopull]

Thanks.. ya' type out a rant that long, it's nice to know at least someone listened! LOL