Tech Trends | At Home with Tech

August 14, 2016

Six Reasons to Buy Another Car GPS

This is what happens when you drop your car’s GPS navigation unit on the pavement. The cracked glass is the least of its problems. So now what…?

I’m on the record proclaiming that I’d given up on my car’s old Garmin GPS a while back, when smartphone apps developed their own talking directions. With my iPhone Maps app and Google Maps app, why would you need anything else?

Truth be told, I secretly kept using my Garmin Nuvi, which my wife and I spontaneously named “Jane” quite a few years ago. Sure we’ve more recently also been using our smartphone map apps, but our GPS Jane remained a constant presence while we were driving in my RAV4.

I found it helpful to see the digital road ahead, and Jane often offered a second opinion on the best way to go.
(I’m not saying it ended up being the faster way.)

So I didn’t actually retire Jane like I said I would. Instead, I left the Nuvi on my car’s dash with an upgraded Garmin friction mount that magically prevented it from sliding about.

Jane still worked well enough…

Until fate finally intervened.
Last week, I somehow pulled Jane’s power cable with my briefcase as I stepped out of my car. Jane went flying out of my driver door and… smash… onto the pavement.

Yep. And that finally ended the relationship.
(A big crack was now front and center.)

When I plugged Jane back in, her typing interface no longer worked. Sure, the navigation was still functional, but I could no longer set a destination.
(And that’s no way to travel through life.)

So now what?
It was time to replace Jane with something newer. But with what….?

Time to Buy Another GPS
Can you believe I’ve decided to go with another GPS navigation unit?
I bet you’re thinking that doesn’t make any sense at all.
I didn’t think so either.

But here are six reasons why…

#1
It Takes Too Long to Power and Mount Your Phone
No, I’m not ready to go it alone with just my iPhone and it’s native Maps app or the Google Maps app. Sure, both of these apps work great in the car, and for many are GPS killers. But the truth is I’ve realized I prefer having a dedicated device set up in the car.
(Assuming your car doesn’t have its own built-in GPS)

Otherwise, you’ve got to take out your smartphone… Plug it in for power… (unless you’re okay draining the battery) Attach it to its dash mount… and then open up the appropriate app.

That probably ends up taking only about a minute to do… But several times a day? Then multiply that by a week… you’re at close to thirty minutes now. Now look at the monthly commitment… two hours.

Annually, that becomes a whopping 24 hours.
(Seriously)

Yes, you’d spend a whole day of your life over the next year plugging in your smartphone into your car to handle GPS duty.

No, thank you.

#2
Multitasking between Different Dialogues is Confusing
I say just let your phone be your phone. It’s already working hard for you in the car. Don’t give it too much to do.

When you’re paying attention to which exit to take on the highway, you don’t want the same device to handle a phone call from your spouse regarding what to pick up for dinner that night. The audio exchange can get a little confusing as the app interrupts your conversation with its audible directions.
(Then who knows what dinner’s going to look like!)

The same dynamic occurs if you’re playing music on your smartphone and your Maps app is trying to talk to you. While that doesn’t create the same confusion, it can really mess up the best parts of any song you’re trying to enjoy…

#3
Multitasking between Different Visuals is Usually Impossible
A similar problem occurs with you’re sharing your GPS’ screen real estate. When a call comes in, that ‘next turn’ prompt disappears!
(And so may your chance to get to that meeting on time!)

#4
Your Smartphone Can’t Tell You Where to Go if You Lose Your Signal Bars
So if you venture out into the middle of nowhere, you might find yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere scrambling to find that old map you threw in the trunk years ago.

GPS units that use satellite reception are more reliable in this regard. Period.

#5
Using Your Smartphone to Navigate Eats into Your Data Plan
While that’s not a problem for me, (I’ve held onto an old all-you-can-eat plan from AT&T) most folks have to worry about that.

I say why not use your precious data elsewhere…?

#6
Available HUD displays are More Fiction than Fact
I really thought this was my next step…
Head Up Displays (HUDs) project driving directions
right onto your windshield.

How cool is that?

But when I started shopping around, there really wasn’t anything out there other than glorified reflector systems for your smartphone. And I really wasn’t into mounting my iPhone onto the back of my dash. (See reason #1.)

Garmin came out with a HUD device a few years back, but the interface just isn’t as robust as a typical GPS unit.

Navdy is a HUD in development that looks really cool. But as far as I can tell, it’s not on the market yet.

If someone knows of a real-life Head Up Display unit that’s out there, please let me know…

Assuming you can actually find a HUD (at an affordable price point), yes, it’s cool that the display shows up on your windshield. That can certainly help maintain your focus on the road ahead. But driving with a dedicated car GPS mounted in front of you also approximates the same experience.

The Shopping Begins
So as I’ve already suggested, I’ve come full circle. It’s time to buy another GPS navigation unit.

Which way to go?

I’ll let you know… Next time on At Home with Tech

July 31, 2016

10 New Tech Terms to Learn

Prepare to be mystified… I don’t think you’ve heard of these words before. That’s because I’ve made them up. But before you immediately lunge to evaporate this web window, you might find something here you can use…

While writing this blog over the past few years, I’ve taken certain liberties with the English language. Along the way, I’ve manipulated, repurposed or fused together words, acronyms and phrases to boil down the essence of what I’m talking about as a user of technology.
(Or if these words already exist, I’ve warped their meaning for my own Frankensteinian delight.)

I’ve picked ten to offer up for your own use.

Clever, corny or worse?
You decide…

#1
Transitionals
Analog folks who grew up without the Web, but have successfully made the digital transition to social media.
(Source: Laptop Time Machine)

#2
Preapplenary Era
Our lives before Apple and the iPhone.
(Source: I Am a Road Warrior)

#3
Quadrotriticale Paradox*
The more vacation pictures you bring home that clog up your computer, the smaller the chance is you’ll actually share your best photos.
(Source: Five Tips to Rescue your Best Summer Family Photos)

#4
Tronalicious**
That dopamine high that comes from owning cutting-edge tech.
(Source: I Don’t Know Why I Want Ultra HD)

#5
C.D.I. = Core Digital Integrity
Your moral code that limits how much you’ll touch up pictures with your photo-editing software. My bottom line: “Don’t mess with the core integrity of someone’s ongoing image.”
(Source: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility)

#6
E.R.S. = Extreme-Reconnect Syndrome
Baby boomers’ unique experience of reconnecting with long lost childhood friends through Facebook.
(Source: Open Letter to My Generation – Social Media is Good)

#7
B.T.B. = Beware the Blips
Consumers who feel frustrated and ignored when they want convenience and simplicity when watching purchased media on their home tech. My message to the media moguls: “There are a lot more of us ‘blips’ than you think…”
(Source: Blinded by the UltraViolet Promise in Your New Blu-ray Movie)

#8
Tech Group Think
The search for informational conformity*** when researching new tech to purchase.
(Source: Please Rate This Product…or Else)

#9
Techdentity
Your tech identity index… or how you self identify via different forms of technology.
(Source: My New Area Code Twists my Techdentity)

#10
Techtastrophe
(Isn’t this self evident?****)
(Source: I Don’t Know How to Install my Wireless IP Camera, Part 1)

*If you’re not a “Star Trek” geek, it’s a reference to “The Trouble with Tribbles” episode.
**Yes, I’m referring to “Tron” or “Tron Legacy.”
***You’ll never find unanimous opinion on anything online.
****Perhaps ‘Techtastrophe’ is what I should have titled this blog post!

July 24, 2016

Seven Lessons I Learned While Camping

Bringing new tech to keep your old tech alive on a camping trip is a great idea, if not ironic. But actual results may vary. This is my story…

I just got back from five days of car camping with my wife, six-year-old son and another family at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in Oak Hill, New York.

The good news is I was able to keep all of my gear alive without the convenience of wall power outlets.
(At a fundamental level, all of my preparations that I discussed last week were sufficient.)

But the bad news is I often felt like an 800-pound gorilla stumbling about a giant wheat field. I’d definitely pack my tech needs a little differently next time…

Tech Lesson #1
Forget Those Tiny Power Sticks with Big Power Buttons…

Sure, they’re almost as small as sticks of gum. So why not bring them, right?
But their giant power buttons can too easily be turned on during transport.
(Then, when you want to use one, it’s already dead.)

It’s a real a design flaw for this application.
So leave ‘em home!
(Or bring ones that are more difficult to power on)

Tech Lesson #2
Bring Two Extra Flashlights and Expect to Lose Them Along the Way

Look… nobody’s perfect. And when you’re juggling a family ‘in the wild,’ things aren’t always going to be where you left them.
(Or where you think you left them)

That said, you don’t want to be without a flashlight at the wrong time. So that’s why you’ll want access to some back up…

And those lost flashlights… ?
Don’t be too hard on yourself. They’ll likely turn up when you get home and unpack….

Tech Lesson #3
Bring a Solar Panel to Charge Your Hungry Gear

My new Goal Zero Nomad 20 solar panel performed admirably… in the bright sun.
(It was definitely worth bringing.)

As soon as I got up on the first morning, I set up the Nomad 20 to greet the early light. Over the next 2-3 hours, I had my iPhone 6 Plus plugged in as I made my coffee with my little Coleman propane stove and had some breakfast with the group.

During that time, I was able to juice my iPhone up from 50% to about 85%. And that’s while I was using it. Not bad…

But it played out that way only on the first day, when the sun was blazing.
(Don’t forget your sun block. And definitely bring an extra sheet to hang off your pop-up canopy to block multiple hours of intense sun exposure.)

But on the other days, when there were clouds in the sky, the energy feed was more inconsistent and sometimes slowed to a trickle.

Even with the occasional cloud passing by, the Nomad 20’s performance was noticeably stunted. The charging icon still displayed on my iPhone, but the charging percentage in the top right of the screen wouldn’t budge.
(Pretty frustrating)

Tech Lesson #4
Have Some Battery Back Up!

When I realized Sol wasn’t always going to be perfectly in place for me every morning, I had to turn to my new RAVPower Power Bank.

This rechargeable 26,800mAh battery happily handled the cloudy days and not only fed my iPhone, but my wife’s too!

It was simply awesome.

Tech Lesson #5
Not Every Device Charges with a Simple USB Plug

When it became clearer to the larger group I was running my own little power café, I began receiving requests to recharge other hungry tech gear that I hadn’t planned for.

Some of this tech came with power cables without standard USB connectors. So they couldn’t plug directly into the USB inputs of my Nomad 20 or RAVPower battery.

That’s where my Goal Zero Sherpa 50 rechargeable power pack with AC inverter came in handy…

Yes, the Sherpa 50 had some performance limitations…

It didn’t respond as quickly to the Solar Nomad 20 as my iPhone did
And it didn’t have the storage capacity of the RAVPower

But with its inverter, the Sherpa 50 essentially became a three-pronged power outlet.

That’s pretty cool and a lifesaver for your tech sporting weird power jacks.
(You just need to make sure to bring their power blocks… which granted, is counter intuitive when you’re packing to go camping.)

Tech Lesson #6
Don’t Rely on Your Cell Phones to Communicate

Remember, you’re in the middle of nowhere in the Catskills. If there’s no cell service, you’d better have a couple of walkie talkies to keep you and your family connected if you split up to attend different activities at a music festival.

As it turned out, the AT&T cell service that blanketed Grey Fox offered one and occasionally two bars for my wife and me… so we stayed connected via texts.

But I was told that Verizon Wireless users were down for the count.
With zero bars, you’re really going to need those walkie talkies…

Tech Lesson #7
Keep Your Tech Gear Organized in One Place

I really stumbled here. I had my tech spread across three bags.
(A small duffle and portions of two knapsacks… bad organization)

What a big mistake. Whenever I was looking for something, it was inevitably in another bag.
(None of my bags were structured properly to handle all of my tech.)

The dad on the other team brought this really cool ‘utility bag’ where his tech was properly organized and easily accessible. I was quite jealous at the efficiency of his approach.

Plus, the right gear bag allows you to organize and store everything in one place back at home… so you don’t have to spend time gathering your camping tech the next time you’re getting ready to go.
(Guilty as charged)

So upon my return, I did a little online research and came upon this multi-pocketed Phitz Stage Duffle. It appeared perfectly structured to store all of my camping tech, both at home and in our camping tent.

Technically, this bag is for musicians to store their audio gear on the road… and it falls into the ‘gig bag’ or ‘stage bag’ category. And that makes it a little pricey… $59.99 on Amazon.
(Which is twice what you’d spend on a more basic tool bag.)

But if you’ve been adding up my camping purchases, my recent outing has not been exactly a cheap one.

So why not go with the right bag to protect the investment…?

Click.

Bonus Tech Lesson
Survive!

I freely admit I’m not an experienced camper…
(Hardly)

But I’m sure I’m not alone when I say a big draw is the opportunity to set up your little portable ‘kingdom’ that functions in the ‘wilderness.’

There’s a certain satisfaction that comes from that self-sufficiency.
…Being able to brew your own pot of coffee the way the old cowboys did.
(Granted, there were no Coleman propane stoves in the 1800’s.)

And though I didn’t build a campfire, I succeeded at keeping the “lights on.”

Yes, I traveled heavy, and I would hardly describe my tech management approach as elegant.

But it got the job done, and my tech survived. And at the most primal of levels, isn’t that what camping is all about?

“Beep.”
(That’s my tech grunting.)

Category: Tech Trends

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