GPS – What to Expect
I got a new GPS for my SUV last week and have been trying around my city. After having toyed with it for almost a week now, I should accept that there have been some frustrations. The basic reason for most of my frustration stems from the fact that the GPS makes it’s decision on some algorithm and mathematical calculations and doesn’t always direct me the way I think it should.
Now that I have lived in this city for almost 8 years, I am used to traveling to certain places in a certain route. Every time GPS guides me through a different route based on its ‘shortest time to destination’ calculation to a place I am very used to, I am getting frustrated. I almost thought that I should return it at some point. I guess I wouldn’t be having this problem if I was living in a big city and not know most of the crossroads.
But as a GPS buyer, one should accept the fact that it is only going to make choices based on some algorithm and mathematical calculations. It’s not going to route you exactly as you think especially if you know the place very well. Now that I have accepted that fact, I am enjoying it very much.
5 comments:
belated birthday wishes!
I am sure GPS is very useful when you are travelling to a different city. For our everyday travel, it probably doesnt help all that much except for when there is an accident or construction in the roads we take.
I was watching a travel show on PBS that featured Japan. I was so surprised to learn that in Japan all taxis are equipped with GPS. All you need to give the cab driver is the phone number of your destination. They punch in that number and the system gives the address and they take you right where you want to go!
That is so cool. I wish we had it here in US. Saves a lot of typing on those small keyboard.
Thanks Kamal
Anything new in technology has its benefits and its pitfalls. When we get amazed with the capabilities of it is fun but when we come across its limitations, it is frustrating. We just have to weigh in the capabilities and limitations to see if we are getting the value for what we paid. It looks like you are happy about your GPS now, just enjoy. Time for a road-trip :-)
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