From digest.v7.n1330 Tue Mar 17 20:30:20 1998
From: Jim Sun <glove1_at_email.msn.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 18:02:35 -0500
Subject: Re: GPS nav systems <GPS>

While on the subject of GPS nav systems, I've found the Delorme Tripmate solution most cost-effective if you have a notebook computer.

pros:

1. high res display; a typical notebook has 800x600, much more than any

   of the dedicated kits that I have seen. And believe me when you need any street level details, high res is a must.

2. detail: I've found the street level detail most helpful; after all, it's rare to

   get lost on major highways, which usually are well-marked.

3. low cost: less than $200 for the software and GPS receiver (not including

   the notebook computer, of course). The software includes the entire US on CD. map data can be downloaded to the notebook from desktop (since my notebook does not have a CDRom drive; call me cheapskate :)

4. voice direction

cons:

1. bulky and inelegant. I have one of the smaller notebooks (a 5.9 pounder),

   but it's still hard to find a place to fit the thing in. I wish I had picked up the NEC Libretto hand-held, then I probably could have mounted the unit on the lower half of the steering wheel (without the obstructing the instrument panel).

2. somewhat slow in setting up a route, at least on my old Pentium100. Much

   faster on my desktop (P200), but that doesn't help much until one of those days I finally put a desktop computer into my car. On-the-way tracking however is very fast; satellite acquisition is about what you'd expect of any 12 channel GPS receiver.

3. Delome does not have its own dinky screen display at all, so it's not all that

   useful outside of steady power source to run the notebook. btw, I use an inverter in the car to provide 115Vac power source.

4. the auto route caculation fails to take into account the directionality of the

   destination; could end up sending you to the opposite side of a divided highway. usually not too hard to proceed from there on your own, but mapquest.com does a much better job in that regard.

not related to Delorme, except for being a satisfied customer (I bought mine from Staples, btw). iirc, their website is www.delorme.com.

Jim