Boys and their Toys
Over the last year or two I’ve been checking out nav systems for the 4WD trips I undertake, waiting patiently for a system that would aid navigation in, say, the Simpson Desert and also take me to an address in the city.
Tom Tom, Garmin, Navman, Uniden and the like do the city thing well but not both, thus the surge of in-car nav systems is no good to me once I’ve left the bitumen…”Turn right after 750 kilometers”, no matter how sexy the voice, doesn’t cut it.
I’ve had Oziexplorer loaded on my Laptop for years which allows me to navigate in the bush but whenever my wife comes along she is less than impressed with the invasion of her space. “Well, don’t come then!” wasn’t an option and besides the companionship, there are kitchen duty considerations. Laptop holders are still too intrusive on space so I needed something smaller.
I reasoned the best answer was to find a tablet computer; load it with Oziexplorer and a city navigation software package and secure it on the dash.
On to eBay. I found a FUJITSU Stylistic TABLET PC LT C-500 that seemed to fit the bill but at $999 was a bit pricey for this little pensioner so I Googled and found them in the US for US$275 ($AUD309) plus $70 Airfreight at J&K Sales Inc
Ordered straight away and waited with baited breath for the system to work. I opted for a US Post email tracking system that dutifully told me where my package was at specific times during it’s travels;
With inbuilt wireless I had the tablet on the web in minutes on my home network. This will allow me to post with regularity when I’m on the road. Being a computer and not just a specific-to-purpose navigation toy I have a full range of options. Email, music, pics and movies. The touch screen eliminates having to carry a mouse and the tablet comes with a wireless keyboard.
All I need now is a good city navigation software package…..any tips?
Otherwise, I’m on a roll and ready for my next trip bush
Enroute JAMAICA NY 11499 09/21/07 1:24pm Enroute LOUISVILLE KY 40231 09/20/07 7:02pm Enroute CAMPTON KY 41301 09/20/07 5:39pm Electronic Shipping CAMPTON KY 41301 09/19/07 11:25am Info ReceivedI wonder if the Aust PO offers such service? Doubt it! The package arrived on the 23rd within the five days promised and is as advertised!
With inbuilt wireless I had the tablet on the web in minutes on my home network. This will allow me to post with regularity when I’m on the road. Being a computer and not just a specific-to-purpose navigation toy I have a full range of options. Email, music, pics and movies. The touch screen eliminates having to carry a mouse and the tablet comes with a wireless keyboard.
All I need now is a good city navigation software package…..any tips?
Otherwise, I’m on a roll and ready for my next trip bush
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Not a tip, but a question:
How do you go for power out in the desert? Do you just run it off the cigarette lighter with some sort of adapter? Or do you have something more robust?
Don’t need anything more robust. The tablet comes with a power connection for the cigarette lighter. I have however carried a 12V~240V converter for years to run the laptop. It can also power a TV or other small electrical appliances.
Kev, check http://www.expansys.com.au for a variety of mapping options. Most are there for portability, so you might lucky with a small one. I’d recommend opting for something than can also be loaded onto other assets, for example, handhelds (Pocket PC).
Depending on your Tablets OS and card options, you’ll find it possible to load Australia’s maps onto about a 1Gb SD Card.
Kev,
Ozy post runs a similar system for international freight. Runs off of the DHL system who have the contract to handle the Intenational Airfreight system.
We will have to get together for a lemonade soon before spawn of Todd #2 comes along to spoil the party.
Nice bit of kit, Kev, you bugger.
Must . . . .resist . . . temptation . . .gadget . . shiny. . . . . . . DVA pay rise . . . . .
Just do it PQ….don’t deny yourself the pleasure.
Kev
How is it secured to the dash? How would it cope with corrugations – the kind that shake the fillings from your back teeth?
17etc
Range Rover airbag suspension smooths out a lot of corrugations but I will still have to work out a good security system. RAMS sell a module to hold them and is screwed into a non visible part of the dash – don’t want visible screw holes do I.
Hello
I just purchased one of these units from eBay for the same purpose,
Its my intent to mount the Tablet in my Hummer H3 did you used the dock or found some Ram mount
that fit your vehicle? i would really like to know how your project turned out.
I loaded the tablet with Co Pilot and brought small logiteck speakers as the on-board speakers don’t cut it in traffic and or stereo noise – It worked a treat. I intend to hard wire the power (plugs into cigar lighter)as loose cables aren’t good and so far I have used the soft bag it comes with as a mount. It works fine on highways but I need something more stable and secure when I go off road. I’ve spoken to RAMS and I may need to modify the docking station (buy a spare one to play with) and then buy a RAMS fitting to secure that. Haven’t worked it out yet but will persevere as I need a computer as I travel as well as a Nav System.. I have also loaded Oziexplore which is local nav software that allows for scanning and calibrating any map, say a 1:10,000 topo map for real bush nav when there are no tracks that normal satnav systems would recognize.
Keep at it, you’ll be happy
Update:
I completed my mount and returned from a two day 130 miles of the USA- Mojave Road Laughlin NV., to Barstow, CA
The mount worked well and only needed to tightened once on the swivel plate, nothing lock tight will not fix I went with the delorme 5.0 Topo software. that worked well with the 500mhz tablet. a few pictures below
http://www.geocities.com/edspad/Temp/GPS/Radio_GPS.JPG
http://www.geocities.com/edspad/Temp/GPS/Radio_GPS_II.jpg
That’s great but tell me more about the mount. Did you make it?
Sorry i was a bit vague. Yes i used a old LCD desk top base and
bent up some metal stock to create my L brackets. not reflected
in the picture below is the rubberized paint covering the bracket
and some rubber donuts i used under the plastic base to level and
absorb vibration and a rubber donut between the tablet and mount
plate,On some of the really bad wash board i would reach out and hold the
whole unit from shaking,i would rather drive through rock gardens than
some wash board service roads.
http://www.geocities.com/edspad/Temp/GPS/Peggy_Copilot_II.JPG
below link to video of a trip we made in 2006
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2264669/7128242