£60 Sat Nav

[Sp!ke]

Just sorted out my in-car Sat-Nav.

I bought a simple USB GPS mouse, connected it to my laptop, which is running Infomap mapping software. Infomap seems to be the only PC mapping software to give true voice commands...and so far I am rather impressed.

The GPS mouse comes with interchangeable leads, so I could use a different lead and connect it to a palm or Ipaq should I get one in the future.

The whole setup just happens to rest quite nicely on the glove box tray, secured in place by a single bungy rope and it isn't going anywhere.

Below, you can see the GPS mouse....a little bigger than a matchbox, comes with a magnetic base and a windscreen sucker thing. It works fine through the windscreen on my 124. I have seen similar going on Ebay for as little as £30.

If you want GPS on a shoestring, then I dont think you can get it any cheaper.

 

[Shude]

Looks excellent, nice big screen

Originally posted by Sp!ke
If you want GPS on a shoestring, then I dont think you can get it any cheaper.

Having to buy a laptop kinda makes it expensive though, unless you already have one!

 

[Sp!ke]

Old laptops are plentiful at the moment...it does help if you already have one I grant you but you could pick up a PII 233 for very little second hand nowadays.

I also have one of those tablet PC's at the moment...that thing's so small I recon it could be velcro'd to the dash. However, my ultimate goal will be to cobble together an old machine - perhaps even an old desktop, which will be left in the boot with a small 5" LCD screen and mouspad or trackball in the cockpit of the car along with a remote on/off switch. I shouldnt need a keyboard as I can just use the disability option for the occasions that I need to type an address or postcode.

 

[Flyer]

Hmm, your passenger could end up with an "interesting" imprint on their face should you have to do an emergency stop .

(Damn, my laptop's so old, it doesn't even have USB ).

Cheers

Andrew

 

[db1]

where did you get it - would be interesting if this works with an IpAQ. I have TOM TOM Citimaps, which go to quite a high level of detail and support GPS as well as long as it has an NMEA output.

Only problem is where do you put the mouse - I think we should have a competition for someone to design a helmet you could wear with the GPS on top...best visibility of the sats...perhaps you could combine it with the ones that dispense the beers...


DB1

 

[rirhill]

Thats given me a good idea as I have a small laptop which I have a serial lead and I have a Garmin Etrex. One question how do you power up the laptop as the battery life is very long?

Thanks
Ian

 

[mapleleaf]

But you'd have to drive with your head out of the window as the GPS antenna cant see thru a steel roof - soft tops would be ol I guess!!

 

[Sp!ke]

The GPS Mice do work with an Ipaq. Mine is a Haicom unit & comes with a choice of leads depending on which device you need to connect it to. Check it out at http://www.directions.ltd.uk/products.php

I happen to have an in-car charger for my laptop but loads of laptops have 14.4 v batteries anyway

The next logical progression would be to have the laptop (or desktop)in the boot, with a remote trackball or mousepad and a small tft screen like the screen below

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3013989849&category=298

 

[Sp!ke]

Sorted