Carriage of Notebook Computers

Thanks David, seems I need not take any special precautions beyond those you have listed. I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro and would now like to "graduate" to continuous track monitoring with Garmin 12 and OziExplorer software.
Many thanks
Mike

Mike,

Our first unit was (I sold it last week) a Toshiba Satellite 480CDT system. I do not know but working in the computer industry and also this 4WD business - i have never heard of many units failing caused by 4WD'ing. I can just wait for the people to now bombard me with mine failed, and mine failed also but really, I do not worry too much about our systems just run them and hope nothing goes too wrong. Remember these machines are designed to the travelled with. I think that aircraft and baggage storage on planes is not much better than the 4WD trip, we use our machines jogging around in turbulance and no one really worries.

Go out end enjoy - but don't spean too much time on the bloody computer enjoy the bush.

David

iPaq is new to me - some sort of Palm? A web address would be handy please.

Mike,

Try http://h50025.www5.hp.com/hpcom/au_en/11_26_60.html

This gives me a completely new train for thought. I do see possibilities, thanks
Mike

Mike, personally, I find the advantage of the CE device over the laptop is a no contest from every angle. iPaq's run WindowsCE which is cut down version of the desktop operating system, and has all the major applications already on board. I have all sorts of other geological and astronomy software loaded as well. Firstly, with an iPaq it does not matter what light conditions you have with an iPaq, from full bright sunlight which is most of the time in a car to darkness, the unit automatically adjusts. They are small and can easily be mounted for the driver to see it. They have no limits on Route Waypoints like the desktop version has, can be used while bush walking or exploring, and generally offers everything you need. You can upload and download all features your GPS offers in the form of Waypoints, Tracks and Routes and is substantially cheaper option than a laptop. WinCE can also be used to connect your mobile phone to mobile e-mail, fax and data (internet) if you require. If you want any information on OziCE and speak with the users all over the world, just sign on here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ozi-UsersCE

Ozi,

How do you find the smaller screen size on the iPAQ compared to a laptop?

cheers,

Stuart

Lyds not an issue at all, because you can actually see everthing on the screen clearly - which is most definitely not the case with a laptop. You nearly need to put a dark towel or something over your head and the laptop screen to see it. What is more, OziCE allows you to move the pointer so you have more where you are heading up ahead - what this in effect does is put the moving map pointer close to the bottom of the screen if you are heading north - north east or north west, however, when you start to travel south it swings around to the top of the screen and moves down. It is just fabulous the way they have implemented it. All the field workers and pilots I associate with now all use WindowsCE units, and just about everyone uses OziCE with their GPS. OziCE also allows you to change the settings for land, sea and air so the termonology is correct. I will put up a URL for some pictures later today for you.

OziExplorer, VMT for the info you have now posted on your URL. Brilliant! and what I need! I am now exploring my options. I assume that maps I have dowloaded to Notebook can be loaded to OziCE at same time I upload route and Waypoints to GPS? On completion of trip I can dowload from GPS to either CE and/ or Notebook. Where is the problem?
Many thanks
Mike

Ozi Explorer.

Hi How do you have your iPAQ connected to the GPS and what brand/model GPS do you have?

Could you drop me an email at :

janset44@optusnet.com.au

Regards

Mike I don't get the gist of this statement/question.
Quote:
On completion of trip I can dowload from GPS to either CE and/ or Notebook. Where is the problem?

Yes, that is correct, but with OziCE there is no limit on the Waypoints in the Route like there is on the desktop version.

Yes, you can use the maps on CE that you use on the notebook, but you need to use the Img2OZF free conversion utility on the OziExplorer website to convert the images for CE use. This gives you substantial advantages over the format you use on the desktop, and you can use the OZF format on your desktop as well, but PNG should be your first choice. With the OZF format, you get 10% zoom steps which is great. You can have massive files on OziCE as the OZF format is based on PNG and only holds in memory what is displayed on the screen. This format pages the memory that quickly, you would not know it is happening. The speed is nothing short of incredible. This is why you can smooth one second updates.

Janset, I always use the genuine Compaq iPaq cables as they are cheap and then cut and marry a non-genuine Garmin plug on the end. I have seen to many failures with non-genuine iPaq cables. The plugs they fit are really cheap and nasty.
Presently I use a Garmin eMap and a Magellan SporTrak Pro. I only ever connect the Garmin eMap to the WinCE unit, as it is better suited to the freeware G7toCE I use to manipulate and change navigational data. I am also not fussed on the connection setup required for Magellan. However, the SporTrak range is the first really great receiver Magellan has brought out. Pity the price in Australia is so damned ridiculous.

Is the amount of HD memory on a ipac suffiicient to store say the Hema Desert maps so that moving map displays can be used in Ozieplorer?
Thanks
Michael

Thanks for that Oziexplorer.

Where did you buy your cables? Here in Perth everywhere I ask I am told the they do not know anything about such things but they can make a few enquiries. When I ask them would they also ask as to the colour coding withing the wiring, their knees go to jelly.

So you see, here in Perth, we are the poor cousins in the information stakes. I also can not turn anything up on the Web!!

Would you have the colour codings/functions of wiring coming from the iPAQ, this would be of great help to me. Questions like this are why I asked for you email address as I think most do dot wish to be bored with this kind of info and every day this posting gets pushed further down the list.

I guess it is a loose-loose situation in my case.

Regards

Ozi,

Looks like this needs a topic on its own. Perhaps even a formal note!

You may just need to translate some of the bits from techo to english for some viewers.

Cheers

Stuart

Thanks guys. This will impress my wife who's concerned about the safety of her ThinkPad in the 4WD. Generally I have to say it apears Notebooks are tougher than I first assumed.
RThanks to all for the good and very interesting responses.
Mike