Traded In Two, Bought One New

[Water Warrior 2]

It is my understanding that some or all of the more modern cell phone have a built-in GPS locating feature. This could be a way to track down some one who has failed to check in with their family, friend or whoever.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

It is my understanding that some or all of the more modern cell phone have a built-in GPS locating feature.

Only in the last 18 months or so.
Access to that "feature" for anything but 911 might be a legal quagmire.

[Water Warrior 2]

So true Easy but I think the GPS feature is only there for the authorities to access in case of a missing person. Anything else could be considered an invasion of privacy etc. Private parties might need written consent and/or a password. Might be a good way to find out where the kids really are spending their time.

[dhgeyer]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

It is my understanding that some or all of the more modern cell phone have a built-in GPS locating feature.

We may be talking about two different things, but my blackberry has what they call a GPS feature (app), which is really a pseudo-GPS, not really a GPS. Instead of using satellites, it triangulates based on distances to cell phone towers. I haven't tested it at all because I have a perfectly good GPS unit. I suspect that there would be a lot of areas where the Blackberry's system wouldn't work, since it requires contact with not only one, but multiple towers. In a lot of places, particularly out West, you're lucky to have any service at all.

There is (of course) a Blackberry forum that I posted a couple of inquiries to. I could check this out also, if anyone is curious. I have no idea whether it is set up in such a way that someone could initiate a search for my phone, but I could ask.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by dhgeyer

We may be talking about two different things, but my blackberry has what they call a GPS feature (app), which is really a pseudo-GPS, not really a GPS. Instead of using satellites, it triangulates based on distances to cell phone towers. I haven't tested it at all because I have a perfectly good GPS unit. I suspect that there would be a lot of areas where the Blackberry's system wouldn't work, since it requires contact with not only one, but multiple towers. In a lot of places, particularly out West, you're lucky to have any service at all.

There is (of course) a Blackberry forum that I posted a couple of inquiries to. I could check this out also, if anyone is curious. I have no idea whether it is set up in such a way that someone could initiate a search for my phone, but I could ask.

That sounds like what I was trying to say. But you say it so much better. A little more info would be nice as I don't really know much about the system and someday I will have to replace the old cell.

[dhgeyer]

Well, I just found out that I was flat out wrong about the GPS capabilities of the Blackberry, and other similar units. I downloaded and activated the software (app) that does the GPS thingie (VZ Navigator), looked it up on Wikipedia, and played around with it a little.

The Blackberry does indeed have a true GPS chip in it. Where the cell towers come in is as an assist to the satellite triangulation, where possible. So the phone is actually more powerful than the Garmin GPS unit with respect to finding where you are. I verified this quite easily. The Garmin has never been able to get itself located indoors at our house. It will try for several minutes, then give up and start asking questions about where you are. If you're inside, it will suggest going outside. Outside it works fine. As soon as I tried the Blackberry, it had me at my correct address within a few seconds, and I was sitting right here at my computer. And we don't even get very good cell phone reception here. So the phone is not only a full GPS unit, it's a supercharged one!

The maps are not stored in the phone. They are on the server of whoever is ultimately providing this service, probably not Verizon, but I don't know. The bad news is, according to Wikipedia, they don't update them very often. The good news is, unlike Garmin, when they are updated it doesn't cost me anything. Garmin does yearly map updates, which cost 40 some odd bucks, and the time and effort to download them first to my computer, then to the GPS unit. On the other hand, with the Blackberry, if I'm out of a 3G service area, the GPS function won't work, since it won't have access to the maps.

I'm not sure I like the Blackberry interface as well as the Garmin, but that may be just a matter of getting used to it.

Remember when life used to be simple? You got a map at a gas station and damn well learned how to read one.

As an aside, I also learned that any cell phone can be tracked by "The authorities" in an emergency. This is true whether or not the phone is old or new, or whether or not is has any GPS capabilities. I guess I knew that, sort of, since I have read a number of news articles over the years of this feature being used to rescue hikers who get lost in the White Mountains here in NH in bad weather.

[dhgeyer]

I'm getting around to uploading a few pics of my new beast. I took these before I had ridden it at all. I've since managed to get about 150 miles on it despite the weather. I'm definitely going to love this bike. At right around freezing it gets about 50 mpg at 50 or so mph, more like high 30's around town. That will improve as the engine breaks in, so they tell me.



From the side.


Front view (with my GZ250 in the background without its windshield, which is temporarily on the Beemer).


From the back. Note matching plates (sort of) on the Beemer and the Prius in front of it.


Instrument cluster. The screen on the right can display all sorts of interesting stuff, like ambient temperature, engine temp, fuel gauge, remaining miles in tank at present average consumption, average fuel economy since last reset, average mph since last reset, number of miles till service is due, if it's getting close, all sorts of diagnostics including any bulb being burned out, etc. etc. etc.

[alanmcorcoran]

Looks pretty slick. Give us an update when you get some miles on it. I'm interested in how it likes the highway and how quick/nimble it is.

[Water Warrior 2]

Oh my, that is just sweet looking. Nothing like clean shiney and new. Two things though. Is it my imagination or the slight angle of view front and back. Is the engine slightly offset to the left side ? Weight distribution maybe ? Also, do I see a steering dampner on the side view ?

[dhgeyer]

Thanks guys! I won't know anything about the highway till I get the big windshield, and mount the EZ-Pass transponder. The only indication I have is that at 50 in 4th gear it's turning under 4 grand and is very smooth. And it has 6 speeds. I can tell you right now that it is very nimble. It doesn't handle a lot differently than the R850R, but has a lot more power. I think it's actually a little lighter. I just looked carefully at the "jugs" from the front, and I can't see any offset. I suspect a slight photographic distortion, as I can see what you mean from the photo. It definitely has a steering damper, as did the 850. They don't do anything unless the steering is turned violently. The only purpose is to prevent "tank slappers" at high speed. Everyone in this country who has ridden these bikes agrees that the dampers are not needed, as the steering is stable at any speed the bike can attain.