8/16    anyone up on GPS hardware? i am thinking about getting one and
        am trying to settle on a budget and model and had some questions to
        that end. --psb
        \_ I always wondered what use the average citizen has for a GPS.
           Do you own a boat or something?  What do you want it for?
            \_ Off road driving.  Hiking.  Skiing in case I get lost.
        \_ Hiking, in case you wanna pull a Blair Witch.
        \_ Garmin 11 is a great entry level model.  about 150.  If you
           are a completely big geek and want alot of docking capability
           with a pc for doing maps/charts whatever, you will have to pay
           about 100-250 more, for that crap.  But if you are just doing
           it to pick up chicks (haahahaha) get the 11.
                \-i basically want it for backcountry hiking [fairly soon]
        and more long term, for overland trips and long treks [probably in
        the Garwhal]. I dont want to spend $2K but I'm pretty price insensitive
        between $150-$250 range. I wasn just wondering if there was some price
        point where there is a sharp knee in the curve. Is there some set of
        categories ... like with stereos you can go consumer [$500], low-end
        audiophile [$1500], and serious audiophile [$5K-$50K]. It would help
        if you would sign this. I was looking at the Garmin 12 and some
        Magellan model ... 4000? --psb
        \_ The entry-level garmin I spoke of is what you want for "back country
        hiking" (tho I sense a bit of go-go gadgetry here).  It is water
        resistant to 10 feet (so it can be rained on), and has some very
        sophisticated waypoint functions and fits in the palm of your hand.
        I've never had problems with satellite fixes.  Magellans are supposed
        to be good too, but I have no direct experience with those. You've
        done alot of research, but you are making this much harder than it
        needs to be.  Just buy the Garmin!!!
        \-well this is where i am doing like 5 minutues of net.research ...
        ok let me change question ... why do i get for $250 that i dont get
        in a $150 GPS. i assume things arent at the point where "no consumer"
        would spend $250 on a GPS ... in other words is spending $250-300 on
        GPS analogous to a $4K PC [high end home system] or $10K [far beyond a
        normal home computer budget] --psb
           \_ Spend $400 on a GPS, and it'll run *all* of your elisp macros!
        \_ I answered these questions above.  Looks like you *really* want
        to spend more.  Okay, but Id recommend spending the extra 150 on
        a ded reconing class.  I can see the slashdot headline now:
        Computer geek found dead in Tilden park on a backcountry expedition
        after the batteries in his http://amazon.com-purchased garmin 12-XP11++ run
        out.  He would have made it, except he cannabalized the batteries on
        his PCM cell phone to make a note of his new position on his PALM V
        (and answered some email as well!).  If only he'd brought an EPIRB...
        What good is all this net.research if you are going to make a simple
        (and prolly unnecessary) purchase so complex?
        \_ You really have no clue what partha is asking. Sign your name,
           dumbass. -sameer
            \_ actually, I do, you freak.
                \_ Does anyone else see the irony in calling sameer a freak?
        \_ Didn't the GPS just crash last week because of rollover problem
           counting the # weeks since 1/6/80?  -- yuen
           \_ Only old receivers that tracked time with fewer bits. Newer
              ones (built after about 1994) don't have that problem. Oh,
           \_ So you are saying that GPS is like computers. You need to buy
                a new one every other year or so?
                \_ Computers are hard.  Lets go shopping!
              and the rollover is 08/21. --dim
                \-Ok what are the difference between the Garmin III+ and 12?
                        \_ IX+