Six technologies endangered by smartphones

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

Wow, you have removable thumbs? Cool!

That's why they have the PIN as well, I suppose.

I wonder why they don't ask for a random entry of PIN, instead of always in the same order .... the readers should be capable of being set up that way .... much like on-line banking sometimes do ....

[EowynCarter]

I still do have a watch, it's just easier.

[Ben Thornton]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

I wonder why they don't ask for a random entry of PIN, instead of always in the same order .... the readers should be capable of being set up that way .... much like on-line banking sometimes do ....

I suppose it's a balance between security and practicality. They need to train up pretty much everyone to be able to use the system, so it needs to be very simple. Plus it needs to work for people with poor vision etc. etc.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

Wow, you have removable thumbs? Cool!

I almost had my thumb removed when I was three...

[gollu]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

No, you have got to be kidding...I packed the entire Rubicon Trail when I was 17 by myself with my pack a tent a compass and a topo map with my fishing gear. I spent 4-6 weeks above 9500ft in either the Sierra's or Rockies every summer until I was in my early 30s and never needed more than a compass and a topo map but once you have your destination sighted you're done. All that remains is not dying...and that is the easy part. And for a living I drove 75k miles/yr for business for nearly 2-DECADES and never once got lost...dude whenever I hear or read comments like yours that you "need" these things I tag that person as food in the wild or when the lights go out...most would die without a Starbucks on 3 of 4 corners at every other intersection if one thinks they NEED a GPS to drive somewhere that is on a map. Look at it before you leave and you're done because you know where you need to be...it's that simple.

Like I said needing a GPS is like these people with the full-time 4x4 the need to navigate that moist driveway with a 3-degree incline and a hand cart for the bag of oranges in the back...

Then again GPS people are gonna be the bait when the zombies take over next year...hehehehehe...

After reading this "post", all I have to say is - good for you.
Besides you, there are millions of people who actually need a GPS and surprise surprise - most of them are not "food in the wild".
There are others few hundreds of millions that prefer moving around with a small device preloaded with maps for the entire planet, than bringing kilograms of enormous topographic maps.

[Logseman]

I adhere to gollu's POV.

Brecht states my opinion in a much better way than i ever could:

Ich halte dafür, daß das einzige Ziel der Wissenschaft darin besteht, die Mühseligkeiten der menschlichen Existenz zu erleichtern.

I have the opinion that the only goal of science consists in alleviating the penosity of human existence.

[TallMomof2]

I guess I'm one of those who *needs* a GPS. ;-) It's great when I have to find a new route on the fly (I live near Washington DC which has the second worst traffic in the US). Just looking at a map before I leave isn't always enough. Traffic construction, accidents and just random slowdowns make driving a challenge and I want any advantage to shorten my drive.

I used to use the GPS on my smartphone but the screen was too small so when I finally purchased a new car (got rid of my 13yo SUV) I added a large screen in dash GPS and it's made my driving life a lot easier. Sure I could pack a ton of maps but this is far easier and I don't even have to pull over since my GPS is voice activated. Sure, having a GPS may be a bit over the top for some but I love it. Yes, I've used it to find food on the drive (and ATMs and gas stations).

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

Wow, you have removable thumbs? Cool!

That's why they have the PIN as well, I suppose.

I almost lost my thumb a few months ago (no, really) to a paper cutter. Messy bit of business. I almost lost my ring finger 41 years ago (disagreement with a table saw; the saw won).

[Ben Thornton]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I almost lost my thumb a few months ago (no, really) to a paper cutter. Messy bit of business. I almost lost my ring finger 41 years ago (disagreement with a table saw; the saw won).

Wasn't there a song about that?

I fought the saw and the
saw won
I fought the saw and the
saw won

Sorry about that

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Viseguy

You're kidding, right? Or maybe you don't drive.

I'm out of town on vacation. Today I used the GPS to find the nearest post office. After that, we wanted to take a walk on nature trail. A couple touches of the screen brought up a list of a dozen parks in the area, then gave spoken and visual directions to the one we chose. Yesterday I used it to navigate to and around the nearest big city.

When you're in unfamiliar territory, or even when you're close to home, there's nothing like knowing the distance to the next turn or interchange, the direction of the turn and the lane you need to be in to make it, the speed limit at any given location (and your current speed), the distance remaining to your destination, the estimated time of arrival. Other good stuff includes a spoken announcement when approaching a rest area or other point of interest, or a beep when you're in range of a traffic camera. The list goes on.

Once you experience these amenities, you'll wonder how you ever managed without them. It definitely beats getting half-baked directions in a gas station at one in the morning. (But the GPS will guide you to the nearest gas station if you need one. )

hmmmm. I've been driving 45 years without one and have managed to do just fine. I don't worry about traffic cameras because I don't normally exceed the speed limit nor run red lights. I only rarely have trouble determining which lane I need to be in (and still, I manage to get there when I need to). I've found directions from local yokels to be accurate enough when I need them. They will also know about road construction to avoid, etc. I usually know how far to the next turn, etc., because I pay attention to road signs or a map. If I don't know, again, I just pay attention; I'll see something eventually.

There is a lot to be said for planning a trip in advance. I do print out one or two maps when going to a new destination (one of the destination and one telling me how to get there if I don't already know). If the initial destination is a motel, I use their directions. Rarely, if ever (I do not recall having problems), do they me. I have a road atlas in my truck in case I want to change my plans (it rarely gets used). I update it every few years for one heckuvalot cheaper than GPS updates (the first one costs one heckuvalot less than a GPS unit).

Sure I get lost once in a while. Friends of mine with GPS units have reported getting lost with them too. Getting lost is not the end of the world (although it seemed like it once in downtown San Francisco with its insane maze of oneway streets and no turn signs; even then, I knew where I was, just not how to get where I was going). Often, getting lost just becomes an adventure and you see things you might not have otherwise. I always allow extra time when traveling for unplanned stops, traffic, whatever, so getting lost is not that big a deal.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Sure I get lost once in a while. Friends of mine with GPS units have reported getting lost with them too. Getting lost is not the end of the world (although it seemed like it once in downtown San Francisco with its insane maze of oneway streets and no turn signs; even then, I knew where I was, just not how to get where I was going). Often, getting lost just becomes an adventure and you see things you might not have otherwise. I always allow extra time when traveling for unplanned stops, traffic, whatever, so getting lost is not that big a deal.

I rarely use my GPS for trips -- really, that's just TOO much detail when you're going from point a to point b on marked roads. I do use it, though, in downtown Atlanta, because those one-way streets at rush hour can do a number on you! I'll also use it to navigate into a neighborhood to somebody's house, mostly because I'm lazy and don't like having to look at the little piece of paper that says, "turn left at first stop sign, then go to the blue house and go right, then 2nd left, then 1st right again." It's easier when Michelle croons into my earpiece, "Turn right, then prepare to turn left in 300 ft. Your destination is on the right."

[Kumabjorn]

hmmmm. I've been driving 35 years without one and have managed to do just fine. I don't worry about traffic cameras because I normally exceed the speed limit and run red lights, but the car I drive is stolen, so why should I care? I only rarely have trouble determining which lane I need to be in because I simply don't care. I've found directions from local yokels to be accurate enough when I need them to get away from the law. They will also know about speed traps to avoid, etc. I usually know how far to the next turn just before I get there because I pay attention to who is behind me. If I don't know, again, I just don't give a hoot; I'll crash into something eventually.

[TallMomof2]

I managed without a GPS for 35 years but I sure like having one. I also drove cars for 15 years before I had one with AC and I wouldn't own one without it. Neither is a necessity but they are niceties that makes driving less stressful and I can actually pay more attention to what's going on around me as I drive. Especially city driving which I daily.

Each to their own. (I also have satellite radio!) (But I don't drink coffee so no Starbucks for me.)

[kjk]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

I managed without a GPS for 35 years but I sure like having one. I also drove cars for 15 years before I had one with AC and I wouldn't own one without it. Neither is a necessity but they are niceties that makes driving less stressful and I can actually pay more attention to what's going on around me as I drive. Especially city driving which I daily.

Each to their own. (I also have satellite radio!) (But I don't drink coffee so no Starbucks for me.)

Yeah-I've driven over 30 years without GPS as well (and almost the same as you with no A/C!)...both are just nice additions that I enjoy now.

I do find it humorous though, on a forum of avid eBook users, that while switching to eBooks from paper books seems like a no-brainer, using electronic maps instead of paper maps seems so unnecessary

[GeoffC]

Set your GPS to our ZIP/post code and you'll end up half a mile away.

GPS often seems to send articulated lorries down lanes they should not travle, stupid drivers still travel down them despite everything visual telling them that they should not.

Fire engine going to a fire 3 miles away from us ended up in our drive wanting to know the direction across muddy fields to the nearest tarmac road to the east of us.

The day I voluntarily get a GPS you can nail down the coffin lid....the closest I'll get is a digital OS map on a netbook....