Suggestion to add a new feature test to all portable GPS reviews

[m]

To: [email protected]
Date: today

Since the whole point of PORTABLE GPS navigation units is, uh, portability,
I have a suggestion.

PLEASE NOTE WHETHER THE UNITS USE STANDARD USB

Remember, portability comprises mostly two things, namely (a) size and (b)
power. Since many of us already have cell phones (and earbuds) that already
use standard USB power supplies, why carry an EXTRA supply everywhere you
go just to power and recharge the GPS unit?

I believe it is now high time that all your future GPS reviews state
whether or not the GPS unit under test can use a standard 5 volt 500ma
miniUSB power supply (AC or DC auto adapter) for the three things that the
USB port "can" be used for, namely PCD:
a) Power
b) Charging
c) Data

For example, the TomTom One can use a standard mini-USB power port for
charging the unit, powering the unit, and data transfer while the nuvi 350
can only use the standard mini-usb power port for charging and data but not
for operation of the unit. That makes the nuvi series vastly less useful
from a portability standpoint because one would need to carry the
additional power supply everywhere they go.

Please take this modern hint into consideration in your next review.

 

[Happy Trails]

Please take this modern hint into consideration in your next review.

Rather than continuously whining about this here, why don't do some
more constructive work like make up a table of power/interface options
for units, and post it where reviewers/manufacturers might see it and
use it.

Or, go and whine at the gps mfgrs to include this info. in their
product specs.

Or, go whine at your consumer affairs advocate to effect the above,

Or, just keep buying/borrowing and testing units yourself, and post
the results, without all the whining. Don't whine about the
shortcomings of others, just keep showing them how to do it right.

This is a community - nobody appreciates a constant whiner.

 

[m]

This is a community - nobody appreciates a constant whiner.

I'm not whining; I'm trying to sensitize the reviewers to the needs of the
consumer in the community. All I did was post a respectful suggestion to
the company (in this case, the GPS review editors) ... and, to keep 'em
honest, I reposted a copy of that letter here for all to see.

The GPS reviewers are good people. They just don't know much about USB
ports, in general, that's all. That much is obvious from the facts in the
review that I showed above where they either cover the USB functionality
half way or they simply list "USB port" without understanding nor
explaining the three functions (power, charge, data).

I don't blame the GPS reviewers; up until now, even the good ones didn't
need to understand USB ports. But, I suspect going forward, all (or at
least most) GPS units will have a USB port and a rechargeable battery so
this discussion becomes more and more germane with every new unit out
there.

Going forward, I predict you'll see more and more units coming out with USB
ports with more and more covering the three functions (power, charge, data)
and correspondingly, more and more GPS reviewers understanding why it's
important to the consumer that the reviewers take a moment to understand
the unit under test.

Therefore, I predict, the better GPS reviewers in the future will mention
what the USB port actually does (and does not do) in the GPS unit
supposedly under test.

m

 

[Gene S. Berkowitz]

Going forward, I predict you'll see more and more units coming out with USB
ports with more and more covering the three functions (power, charge, data)
and correspondingly, more and more GPS reviewers understanding why it's
important to the consumer that the reviewers take a moment to understand
the unit under test.

No, you probably won't, since battery charging is something that USB is
specifically not designed for. The current draw for a reasonably quick
recharge (as opposed to a trickle charge) tends to exceed the 500 mA USB
spec. That doesn't mean that a USB _connector_ can't be used to
recharge, but it is unreasonable to expect that ability from a USB data
connection, since it has the potential for damaging a laptop or just
putting an excessive drain on the laptop's batteries.

I have a rechargeable Sony Clie PDA. The docking connector has two
cables, one for the power brick and the other for the USB host. Now, I
also have an aftermarket "USB" cable that both charges and provides the
data connection from a USB host. Does that mean that Sony was dumb to
supply an AC adapter and a more complex connector when a $3 cable would
do? No, it meant that _they were following the USB specification_, so
as not to cause, or even potentially cause, damage to the USB host or
violate the USB spec.

Therefore, I predict, the better GPS reviewers in the future will mention
what the USB port actually does (and does not do) in the GPS unit
supposedly under test.

No, you hope that the manufacturers will decide that your desire for a
universal charging cable is worth the trouble. I would hope that the
reviewers concentrate on the aspects that actually matter, such as
accuracy, ease of use, and decent maps.

Now, _I_ predict that you will see a return to a a simple 2-wire power
plug (cigar lighter style), as eventually every GPSR will have wireless
data connectivity, either via Bluetooth or 802.11~. Then the two-wire
charger will be replaced with magnetic induction charging, and there
won't be any connectors or wires at all.

--Gene

 

[Fred Bloggs]

Then the two-wire

charger will be replaced with magnetic induction charging...

No- not induction charge but resonant evanescent magnetic field charging
which has been demonstrated to be 1xe6 more efficient.

 

[Dominic Sexton]

I'm not whining;

Well it looks a lot like you are. Perhaps you perceive your messages
differently to how (some) others perceive them...

I'm trying to sensitize the reviewers to the needs of the
consumer in the community.

Your perception of the needs. Why has this not come up before? If it was
such a need I expect that at least some of the reviewers would already
be providing the information you ask for. Why don't they?

 

[Gene S. Berkowitz]

No- not induction charge but resonant evanescent magnetic field charging
which has been demonstrated to be 1xe6 more efficient.

I was thinking along the lines of MIT's "WiTricity", which is referred
to in the article I read as "magnetically coupled resonance".
Regardless, no USB connector required.

--Gene