"This GPS is a brick!"

[NeXT]

This was an early christmas present from The Hackery. A Micrologic SuperSport GPS unit from the early 90's.

I was looking at it and realizing how large and bulky it was, stereotypically like a Brick Phone, when I realized this thing has almost the exact same dimensions as a physical brick.

I wonder what is more useful? :happy10:

 

[ScutBoy]

You can "navigate the world", but from the pic it doesn't appear to be _our_ world...

 

[mediasponge]

You can "navigate the world", but from the pic it doesn't appear to be _our_ world...

It depends on which projection you use! :D

A GPS is a marvelous instrument that tells you EXACTLY where you are lost...

 

[2icebitn]

Can you elaborate on the term "physical brick". I don't see the utility in a metaphysical brick. Much less an incorporeal one. Bricks have to be hard.

 

[Stone]

A GPS is a marvelous instrument that tells you EXACTLY where you are lost...

So, how difficult is it to find your way out when you know 'EXACTLY where you are'? It's not rocket science!

 

[Dwight Elvey]

So, how difficult is it to find your way out when you know 'EXACTLY where you are'? It's not rocket science!

You still need to know exactly where you want to go. Knowing exactly where you are isn't much good if you don't know what it means.
Dwight

 

[Tor]

In one of the Dirk Gently books by Douglas Adams (more known for his HHTTG books) the protagonist navigates by following somebody who looks like he knows where he's going. That worked fine in the books.
I've tried that method when I've been lost with a rental car somewhere in the suburbs in a foreign country. Look for a car that seems to project an intention and a purpose, follow that car, and soon you're in familiar areas again. Done that two or three times, it's been working so far.

 

[g4ugm]

In one of the Dirk Gently books by Douglas Adams (more known for his HHTTG books) the protagonist navigates by following somebody who looks like he knows where he's going. That worked fine in the books.
I've tried that method when I've been lost with a rental car somewhere in the suburbs in a foreign country. Look for a car that seems to project an intention and a purpose, follow that car, and soon you're in familiar areas again. Done that two or three times, it's been working so far.

In the UK I find driving down the streets with Speed Humps that are there to discourage you driving down them often results in arriving at a know good location

 

[Tor]

In the UK I find driving down the streets with Speed Humps that are there to discourage you driving down them often results in arriving at a know good location

In Norway that would just make you end up in a residental area, often a dead-end one..
In Japan there are apparently no speed bumps. Picture: Neighbour's car

 

[KC9UDX]

The faster you drive over a sleeping policeman, the less you feel it.

 

[Dwight Elvey]

In one of the Dirk Gently books by Douglas Adams (more known for his HHTTG books) the protagonist navigates by following somebody who looks like he knows where he's going. That worked fine in the books.
I've tried that method when I've been lost with a rental car somewhere in the suburbs in a foreign country. Look for a car that seems to project an intention and a purpose, follow that car, and soon you're in familiar areas again. Done that two or three times, it's been working so far.

I just used this method last night, in the rain. I knew that the worst it could do was get me turned around but it was generally in the direction I wanted to go. I eventually got back to a main road and completed my trip. I used to glow of the major area as a guide that I was generally going the right way.
Dwight

 

[mediasponge]

You still need to know exactly where you want to go. Knowing exactly where you are isn't much good if you don't know what it means.
Dwight

On a recent trip to Seattle, when the trip was over, I plugged in the Hertz NeverLost(tm) system and selected "Return rental car". The GPS lady proceeded to direct me off into the boonies, in the opposite direction from the airport! Although I was enjoying the scenery, I did have a flight to catch. When the GPS directed me down a dead-end street at a farm, I cancelled the navigation. I had to look for the airport on the GPS map, select that and start again. Once close enough to the airport, I followed the signs to rental car return. Needless to say, I gave them an earful about NeverLost!!!

I'm guessing the GPS brick in the OP did not come with navigation, just location.

Then there's the bit about the GPS system having to move Australia over a few inches in the database because ... Australia had moved over a few inches... :arrow:

 

[Stone]

You still need to know exactly where you want to go. Knowing exactly where you are isn't much good if you don't know what it means.
Dwight

If you don't know what 'knowing exactly where you are' means you shouldn't be allowed to drive a car in the first place!

 

[Tor]

On a recent trip to Seattle, when the trip was over, I plugged in the Hertz NeverLost(tm) system [..]

That reminds me of a trip to the US some years back. I and my colleague quickly renamed the 'Neverlost' to 'Hertz Everlost'. Even when it worked it was so late in telling when to turn that we had essentially passed the junction, and then it needed at least five minutes to recalculate. In the meantime it would ask us to do a U-turn in impossible places.
It was a miracle we reached the airport in time (which was five hours before the flight, which, due to the overfull US hub aiports, got us on the airplane with only a few minutes to spare).