Re: [Paddlewise] Not the latest iPad

Doug Lloyd wrote:
> I'm sure one day there will be holographic GPS displays and all kinds of
> gizmos for use by kayakers. I'll probably spring for an LCD-type reading
> medium some day - probably OLED-based if I'm still at it.

One day?  Check out some of the augmented reality navigation apps that 
are available now for the iPhone and Droid.  The Layar browser augments 
what you see through the lens of the camera with real time data.  I 
don't know if anyone has done it yet but it wouldn't be difficulty to 
create a layer for the LAYAR browser which has nautical navigation 
features.

> 
> The iPad might do well here in Canada if there isn't the need for 3 year
> terms with the various providers.

It was my understanding that the 3G add-on (for an additional $130US) 
does not require a term data plan at all.

> 
> As for books.... I guess the approximately 1,000 hard-back books in the
> library might be a testament to my love of imprinted paper. I told my wife
> that when I die she should get an appraiser out to go through them because a
> goodly number are first editions and a subset of those are signed.

At a recent conference that I attended we had Vint Cerf (often credited 
as one of the fathers of the internet; he invented TCP/IP) was talking 
about the difference between ebooks and physical books.  One of the 
things he said was that he's held books in his hands that were held by 
Isaac Newton and that was an experience that you just couldn't duplicate 
with an ebook.
> 
> I do find the iPhone pretty useful but expensive. I could easily trade it
> for a regular cell phone and an iPod because I use the Internet functions
> mostly in areas where wifi is available anyway. I suspect the highway patrol
> would look askance at surfing the web while driving although I have pulled
> over on the freeway to get an address off the 'Net and then plugged that
> into the windshield-mounted GPS for guidance. Once. I dunno if that's worth
> $120 a month.

I use the Google voice search fairly often while driving.  I don't 
recall seeing what the GPS capabilities are for the iPad.  I will 
probably get one anyway but if it has a good GPS chip in it that would 
seal the deal for me.

> 
> What I really like the iPhone for is its ability to get me into the servers
> (mostly Linux and Unix boxes) and routers (Cisco) for remote administration
> of networks even when I'm sitting in the Princess at Doheny Beach or in the
> Muthah-ship at Orcas Island.

I haven't used it much but I have the SSH app on my iPhone that provides 
a secure telnet client onto any of my linux boxes at work.

> 
> I have not been that impressed with the GPS in the iPhone especially when
> compared with one of the stand-alone GPS units from Garmin.

I also have a handheld Garmin (76Cx) and have done some accuracy 
comparisons and the iPhone doesn't come close to the Garmin.  The iPhone 
is certainly accurate enough for most navigation that one might do and 
I've even used it to find a few geocaches where accuracy to 15-20' can 
really help.
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