(no subject)

[randomness]

I think I need to find a sat nav system more suited to wandering than the Magellan RoadMate I am borrowing from bedfull_o_books. I got good and lost in the wilds of Eastern Pennsylvania while wandering around late at night, which I wouldn't have done if I had brought my paper maps. But paper maps are bulky and I thought I would try the sat nav only method. That didn't work very well.

It's also possible the better answer is to get a smart phone.

Thoughts?

Comments

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

Could you elaborate on how you wander, and what that process would look like when you use paper maps to do it? And what the RoadMate did or didn't do that resulted in you getting lost instead of wandering?

[awfief.livejournal.com]

This :) Also, are you wandering by car? or some other means?

[3diff.livejournal.com]

I'm all about paper maps myself, although it is sort of hypnotizing (as a passenger/navigator) to sit there and watch the map scroll by on Navigate mode. But with paper maps, you see the big picture and start to acquire a map up in your head, so that you can navigate yourself. If all you do is turn when the soothing voice says, "In 100 feet, turn right on Main Street", I don't think you build up the same internal map.

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

I find that zooming a google map in and out works quite well for me now, in helping me to build up a map in my head, but I'm good at that anyway because I hoarded paper maps as a child and was designated navigator. I use it on my smartphone quite a lot-- the interface is weirdly different from the version in a web browser, but I've learned to get it to do what I want. And having it locate my general area is sometimes faster than a paper map, if I'm really turned around!

[contrariety.livejournal.com]

smaaaaart phoooone... :)

[awfief.livejournal.com]

smart phone might not work in the "wilds". You need cell towers and such. Depends on how wild the wilds are :)

Also, if the "wandering" is driving around, trying to use your smart phone to navigate is pretty dangerous. (From experience trying to do it myself and seeing others do it).