MAMA's Techno-Geek Thread

[blalor]

Nobody mentioned Jalopnik.com and thetruthaboutcars.com for news feeds?

[snid]

So, Brian, is some wrenching taking place tomorrow? My NHIS event was cancelled, so my Saturday is suddenly empty. I could wind up down there after all.

[blalor]

Yep! C'mon on down!

[bethandlouis]

Is he the next contestant on the Price is Right?

[GadgetGav]

I guess that the beer is FREE, as in free beer..!

[blalor]

Not charging a corking fee is the same thing as "free", right?

I love that Google has a sense of humor

Quote:

Swim across the Atlantic Ocean 3,462 mi

[jwardell]

Well, there's always the MIN2 maps, and most of us are plotted on there.

[blalor]

That's only good for people, though, right? The Google MyMaps thing (or something similar) is good for other POIs. Like I've already started.

[blalor]

Dash is starting a beta program. Get crackin', Josh! Dash : Road Test

[jwardell]

Thanks! I only wish there was a way they could know how good a beta tester I am...I'm great at breaking things, finding out what's wrong, and telling you how to make it better.

Meanwhile my tomtom has now starting announcing voice instructions...for every passing street! No matter if guidance is on or off, if I turn off voice altogether, or even if I mute the speaker! Sometimes it will say three in a row, and they have nothing to do with the route it is projecting. Confusing and annoying! PocketPC/Windows mobile strikes again.

[jwardell]

Winding Road » Archive » WINDING ROAD In Pictures: Our Favorite 25 Images Of The Last Year (Or So)

[GadgetGav]

Nice pictures there.
I want a Brabus Unimog..!

[Actual Size]

With a surface-to-surface missile launcher.

[GadgetGav]

I've got a Dash question for all you geeks...
Actually two - first why are they 6th on the list of Google hits if you type 'dash GPS'..? Can't be a good sign for their marketing.
Second: They make a big thing of the Dash being two way internet connected, but what are they going to use for access points..? Surely Dash aren't planning to blanket the whole country with WiFi towers and free internet access. The UK has just had another case of someone being arrested for parking outside someone's house and using their unsecured WiFi. Is that what Dash are planning for their users to do..? I understand the 'Dash Driver Network' - that's peer to peer with other Dash GPS units, which is going to take a while to have any use, but aside from in your own driveway, where is the internet access going to come from..? Wouldn't a moving car go in and out of WiFi hotspots too quickly to get any data from them..?

I've looked at their web site and it's not clear at all. That coupled with the fact that 'standard' GPS units that they put down for not having traffic data are now available with FM or satellite traffic information makes me think that Dash may have an uphill battle...

[blalor]

Can't speak to the Google ranking, but I've read that their service will use the existing cell phone infrastructure, presumably connecting via Bluetooth as TomTom does for some of their data services. That, too, seems fraught with difficulties, but maybe not...