I noticed in the product information for streets and trips it indicates that you can be Cable-free.
I have a Motorola Q9c on verizon. Verizon locks down the GPS chip on the phone. If the device that came with streets and trips where bluetooth GPS it could serve double duty for me on my laptop with streets and on my phone maps.live.
JohnnyK
"Cable-free USB adapter. Gives you the flexibility to travel cable-free! Just plug the included GPS receiver and adapter into your laptop and go."Is this "cable-free" gps a bluetooth device.
I have a Motorola Q9c on verizon. Verizon locks down the GPS chip on the phone. If the device that came with streets and trips where bluetooth GPS it could serve double duty for me on my laptop with streets and on my phone maps.live.
JohnnyK
No. It's a GPS device that plugs directly into the USB port, without a cable.
Bluetooth GPSes can be had for $40 these days. You should simply buy the hardware separately.
Bluetooth GPSes can be had for $40 these days. You should simply buy the hardware separately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by taoyue
No. It's a GPS device that plugs directly into the USB port, without a cable.
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Hi SpadesFlush,
With respect to the original post, Tao is exactly correct. The device described in the Microsoft promotional material is not a Bluetooth device.
It's good to know that you can buy a Bluetooth dock for it, but as you say, the dock looks to be as expensive as a Bluetooth receiver.
JohnnyK,
It's worth knowing that the promotional material you quoted was written by some ***** (Hey Marvin, why is i-d-i-o-t in the censored words list??) in Microsoft's marketing department who has likely never used a GPS.
It's really not very useful, in most situtions, to be able to plug the GPS receiver directly into the laptop USB port. That is usually about the worst possible place to locate the receiver. The receiver really needs to be located somewhere that gives it as unobstructed a view of the sky as possible. In a vehicle that's as far forward on the dash as you can get it. In a hotel room that's over on a window sill as close to the window as you can get it.
You can often save enough money by buying the software-only version of Streets&Trips to buy a Bluetooth receiver. As SpadesFlush and Tao said, that's the best way to go.
...ken...
With respect to the original post, Tao is exactly correct. The device described in the Microsoft promotional material is not a Bluetooth device.
It's good to know that you can buy a Bluetooth dock for it, but as you say, the dock looks to be as expensive as a Bluetooth receiver.
JohnnyK,
It's worth knowing that the promotional material you quoted was written by some ***** (Hey Marvin, why is i-d-i-o-t in the censored words list??) in Microsoft's marketing department who has likely never used a GPS.
It's really not very useful, in most situtions, to be able to plug the GPS receiver directly into the laptop USB port. That is usually about the worst possible place to locate the receiver. The receiver really needs to be located somewhere that gives it as unobstructed a view of the sky as possible. In a vehicle that's as far forward on the dash as you can get it. In a hotel room that's over on a window sill as close to the window as you can get it.
You can often save enough money by buying the software-only version of Streets&Trips to buy a Bluetooth receiver. As SpadesFlush and Tao said, that's the best way to go.
...ken...
I suspected since they didn't actually come out and say bluetooth that it wasn't. Just thougth I'd ask.
I just purchased a bluetooth GPS from Semsons. I choose the i.Trek M7. We'll see how it works with my Motorola Q9c. I use Microsoft Live Search Maps extensivly. I'm hoping the GPS will make that expereince even better.
JohnnyK
I just purchased a bluetooth GPS from Semsons. I choose the i.Trek M7. We'll see how it works with my Motorola Q9c. I use Microsoft Live Search Maps extensivly. I'm hoping the GPS will make that expereince even better.
JohnnyK
GPS500 + adapter + USB extension cable
The USB extension cable doesn't have to be used, and the GPS500 + adapter can be just plugged directly into a USB port of a laptop. But to call such a setup a "Cable free" is a bit pushing it. If I were in marketing, I would be very much tempted to also call it "Cable free", so I can sympathize with the creative person behind it, but some people could say it is a bit misleading .
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