Date:         Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:40:31 -0400
Reply-To:     craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: GPS
Comments: To: pbrattan@gmail.com
In-Reply-To:  <699b6e3f0707302135m119d6397j8eba10940ed3a451@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I think they've gotten the boot time down to a few seconds! You somehow load
the basic functions of the Operating sytem onto flash memory and keep it in
a standby state.....as soon as the ignition is on and voltage stabilized the
computer starts. I know its down to WAY below a minute. I've personally
gotten my home computer down to below 30 seconds and know it can go lower. I
have a garmin GPS that takes maybe 2 minutes before its "Loaded" and ready
to get me to a navigate screen. With "Front Row" programs you can make the
computer boot strait to GPS!
Check out that website. Its crazy what people do with enough spare time and
parts, then its amazing how people with more money and far less free time
come through and "MAKE IT BETTER". It happens all the time. Just look at our
vanagons........

People Buy GoWesty Vans (i love them to death but seriously.....)
-Craig
'85GL

On 7/31/07, PB <pbrattan@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> At first, I was considering the Verizon "deal."  The problem is that I had
> to ask them 20 questions just to get one answer.  The bottom line is that if
> you don't subscribe to "V-Cast," each time you use your GPS, it will be
> deducted from your monthly minutes.  That really means that instead of
> $10/monthly, it will REALLY cost you $25/monthly, or will reduce your
> available minutes if you use it a lot...but they don't want to tell you that
> up front.
>
> I have a bluetooth GPS paired with my Axim.  Today you can get a good GPS
> for $200 or less, with all the maps already on it, and you don't have to
> involve your computer at all.
>
> The thing to take into account is that a computer takes time to boot up,
> unless you keep it in a standby or hibernate mode.  I am geographically
> challenged, and sometimes need my GPS for short distances.  If I had
> computer power "issues" to keep in mind, I'd probably end up with either a
> drained computer battery or a dead Westy battery.
> Patti
> *****************************
>
> On 7/30/07, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > I tried the whole CARPUTER thing. I have high hopes for someday getting
> > one
> > in my vanagon but need to "DO IT RIGHT" This time. Check out
> > www.mp3car.com.
> > Its very enlightening. The idea of most installs is to get a 7inch LCD
> > touch
> > screen, mount it in the dash somewhere (in our case ideally about where
> > the
> > ashtry is next to the instrument cluster) and you bust out some
> > fiberglass
> > and bondo, make a really fancy box that you paint up to look stock,
> > install
> > a mini pc or (as i did) a laptop with a busted screen. You then hide
> > this
> > anywhere, it doesnt matter....you dont really need it. You thow on a
> > Remote
> > CD Drive if you want (maybe a cool slot loading one with USB!) and
> > install
> > that somewhere in the dash. Wire in a relay to the powersupply to start
> > and
> > shut down when the car does, configure your OS for fast bootup or
> > hibernation......and you have yourself a sick system. $700 worth of
> > STUFF
> > could get you the apsolute coolest GPS system with a harddrive full of
> > music
> > and movies that you could play wolfenstein (or whatever young people
> > like
> > myself who have spare time actually play these days) when your camping.
> > need
> > to watch a movie....BAM. DIVX format saved to the harddrive. WHO NEEDS
> > AN
> > IPOD! Its all right there.
> >
> > Thats the ultimate vanagon GPS.
> >
> > For Macs try "Route 66" software.
> >
> > -Craig
> > '85GL
> >
> >
> > On 7/30/07, Sudhir Desai <sudhir.desai@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > you are correct on all counts, except that I would urge you to look
> > > into anti-vibration mounts :)
> > >
> > > (smaller hard drives need tighter tolerances, and even if they are
> > > superb for handling vibrations well, i would still advice putting more
> > > protection around them)
> > >
> > > Sudhir
> > >
> > > On 7/30/07, Stuart Jeff <stuart@stuartjeff.com> wrote:
> > > > Funny you mention that. As soon as I can find a Mac Mini for under
> > $300
> > > then I'm planning to install it perminantly into my Vanagon. Those
> > little
> > > babies would make the perfect car PC. First off they are tiny (just a
> > little
> > > bigger than a standard car stereo and I've heard that you can install
> > them
> > > in the stereo slot, they only consume about 20 watts while running,
> > they use
> > > a laptop style hard drive so vibrations are less of an issue, and they
> > can
> > > easily be rewired to run on 12V power. I know that the GPS receiver
> > will
> > > still work but I'll probably have to find new software to use it with
> > the
> > > Mac. I'll be surprised if I can't find something with similar
> > features.
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message ----
> > > > From: mike <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
> > > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > > > Sent: Monday, July 30, 2007 8:49:18 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: GPS
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Great idea. Problem is I need a laptop. Unfortunately I need a MAC
> > > laptop
> > > > and they are pricey, even used. Wonder if Streets and Trips works on
> > a
> > > MAC>?
> > > >
> > > > Mike
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
>