GPS Screens Seem too Small?

I've seen people with laptops mounted right in the middle of the windshield just to the right of the driver's line of vision. I don't see why you can't get a GPS card (or a GPS NEMA output) to the laptop plus some mapping s/w.

Sorta. There's quite a mini-industry putting computahs into cars. See:

For examples, see:

Once you have a computah, you don't need a GPS with a built in LCD or mapping database. You get Street Atlas USA or MS Streets, and run a GPS with a NEMA-0183 output. Let the computah do the work.

I have something not quite so elegant in my vehicle. It's a Panasonic CF-35 Toughbook laptop. The screen folds back flat so it can be placed against the dashboard with the keyboard visible. The GPS plugs into the USB port. The screen is a touch screen, so moving the map around is possible, but not very practical while driving. Photos on request (because I'm lazy).

Unless you're driving a semi truck trailer rig, I don't think you have the dashboard space in your vehicle to fit a 17" LCD monitor. Most of the car installs use much smaller displays. You might see if there's something available from the various mounting system vendors:

I suspect a projection display on the windshield might be useful, but is probably illegal.

Incidentally, the People's Republic of California has laws making all this marginally illegal:

Canada may be different. Dunno.

It's a personal preference thingie. I'm still using a Garmin i5

Take a look at the Delorme products. Before the little fist-sized i5 I would use the seatbelt to secure a laptop PC in the passenger seat and run Delorme's Street Atlas s/w with one of their Earthmate GPS units. Works well and their software includes a gazillion "points of interest" (hotels, gas stations, fast food joints) that are useful on the road. Also seriously cheap (US$70 for the s/w + h/w package) compared to a stand-alone GPS navigator:

Having done both, I prefer the small unit to the laptop. Less distracting, easier to hide at rest stops, uses regular batteries, gets the job done.

More, specific to GPS:

Have you heard about text to speech?

Yes, over 20 years ago. I was using it on a Commodore 64.

you're not looking hard enough!

I like my "Iway 600"

I like to do my own routing without a talking GPS. No guidance software can route me around construction zones, high traffic areas, and long street lights. Around here in BC, often the longer route can take a shorter amount of time. I need to see a big map.

Here's something unlikely with a talking GPS... "Turn right... Turn right... Turn right..." (No left turn arrow at intersection with heavy traffic.)

D from BC British Columbia Canada

After doing some reading on

NEMA output??? ..Isn't that a household wall receptacle or plug?? Do you mean NMEA compliant??

D from BC British Columbia Canada

Neato... I might as well go 'big' and do the carputer install. That way I'll get my maps and play my mp3's. Movies too when I'm on the 2 hour ferry ride from the mainland to Vancouver Island. Thanks for the links.. :)

D from BC British Columbia Canada

Bummer... It's a US bundle.. For $70US it's a USA atlas + LT-40 GPS Rx'r I looked for a Canada atlas + LT-40 GPS Rx'd bundle on the Delorme site.. Nope.

D from BC British Columbia Canada

Waterproof!... I don't boat but I've had the occasional coffee go flying everywhere while driving. :P

Interesting...

D from BC British Columbia Canada

Well yes, its very a interesting unit.

This unit is both land and marine, so it covers shore lines very well while driving along the coast.

The unit is in a heavy die cast case and has a rubber lip on it if you want to panel mount it. Its even designed to go on motorcycles in rain storms etc..

Of course, you must shop around for this unit other wise you'll pay the price! :(

P.S. Get the external antenna for it while you're at it!

I live in an area where the maps show many roads that were planned but really don't exist. When someone needs to find my house, I usually tell them to ignore their GPS mapping computah, and to follow my directions. Of course, they're addicted to their mapping computah, try to follow it's idea of the best route, become hopelessly lost, and call me on their cell phone for help. This is not an isolated incident, but a consistent pattern among all visitors with those mapping computahs.

Don't forget the DVD player so you can watch movies as your drive.

A more useful feature are USB or NTSC video cameras pointed to the rear, and possibly towards the sides. That makes it a "safety device" (in addition to a navigation computer) which might get you out of traffic ticket for driving erratically while watching a movie.

Yup.. I had a date who couldn't find the coffee shop with her GPS. :(

I can think of a few movies to watch while driving :P Gone in Sixty Seconds Transporter 1 or 2 The Road Warrior

Geez...With drivers around here, blink and pow! Accident. Just looking down to turn on the air conditioner can be dangerous. :P

D from BC British Columbia Canada

Convoy

Smokey & the Bandit

Every Which Way But Loose

A couple country songs come to mind:

On The Road Again

The Bird

Finding things with a non-mapping GPS is tricky. Maybe she just needs some practice. Geocaching in B.C.

Just about any movie today has a long and destructive chase scene.

California passed a new safety law requiring the use of "hands free" cellular handsets while driving. It became effective on July 1. Rumor has it that the accident rate has increased due to drivers fumbling with their Bluegoof headsets and speakerphone contraptions.

::sigh:: Good point. They do include street maps for some Canadian cities, e.g., Vancouver & Victoria, Calgary & Edmonton, etc. and the interconnecting highways but don't seem to get down to the neighborhood level, especially the smaller towns (unless Moose Jaw really is just a wide spot by the road ;-)

Go ahead! Make fun of us lysdexics!