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Nexus 7 still needs sideloading??

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AL

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May 3, 2013, 11:57:19 PM5/3/13
to
I thought that the Google Play store eliminated sideloading on the
Nexus 7. Maybe not.

Tonight I tried to put a few financial apps on the N7.

First was Etrade. That went just fine. It even gave me a choice of a
tablet app or a phone app. I chose the phone app since it was easier
to read. I'm guessing the tablet app is probably designed for a 10" or
larger tablet.

The next was AMEX. The Google Play AMEX install screen popped right up
with a quick search. All the app's details: Screen shots, specs,
reviews etc were there. But across the top of the screen was:
" ! Your device isn't compatible with this version." And worse, the
install button was missing.

Next I try my bank. Same result, the app's there but says it's not
compatible and no install button.

So I take these 2 apps off my phone and sideload them to the N7 and
they seem to work just fine. Alls well that ends well I guess, but can
any of you N7 owners show me where I went wrong?

Justin

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May 4, 2013, 1:46:36 AM5/4/13
to
The app isn't guaranteed to work on that device... for whatever reason.

Sure, you may be able to sideload it, but it may have issues with screen size
or layout or other issues

for instance, many camera apps require a rear facing camera to be installable

AL

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May 4, 2013, 4:08:42 AM5/4/13
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On Sat, 4 May 2013 05:46:36 +0000 (UTC), Justin <nos...@insightbb.com>
wrote:

>AL wrote on [Fri, 03 May 2013 20:57:19 -0700]:
>> I thought that the Google Play store eliminated sideloading on the
>> Nexus 7. Maybe not.
>>
>> Tonight I tried to put a few financial apps on the N7.
>>
>> First was Etrade. That went just fine. It even gave me a choice of a
>> tablet app or a phone app. I chose the phone app since it was easier
>> to read. I'm guessing the tablet app is probably designed for a 10" or
>> larger tablet.
>>
>> The next was AMEX. The Google Play AMEX install screen popped right up
>> with a quick search. All the app's details: Screen shots, specs,
>> reviews etc were there. But across the top of the screen was:
>> " ! Your device isn't compatible with this version." And worse, the
>> install button was missing.
>>
>> Next I try my bank. Same result, the app's there but says it's not
>> compatible and no install button.
>>
>> So I take these 2 apps off my phone and sideload them to the N7 and
>> they seem to work just fine. Alls well that ends well I guess, but can
>> any of you N7 owners show me where I went wrong?
>
>The app isn't guaranteed to work on that device... for whatever reason.

Even an app from the correct Google Play store on the correct matching
device isn't guaranteed to work. More than once I've had to go back to
an earlier Google store supplied app version on my phone when an
update broke it.

But...what I was really curious about is if I had messed up somehow.
Because it was quite amazing to me that there would be *no app*
available for such a popular Google device as the Nexus 7 from such
large corps as AMEX and my bank. But likely you have verified the AMEX
app's absence from the Google store for the N7 or you would have shown
me my error, so I thank you for that.

>Sure, you may be able to sideload it, but it may have issues with screen size
>or layout or other issues

Of course. Both the apps I sideloaded are designed for a phone and
thus look like phone apps on the N7. But they do fill the screen and
(so far) work just fine. They are certainly useable and way better
than nothing which is what the Google store offered.

Perhaps the Google store could take a lesson from the Apple store
here. On the iPad you have your choice of using either the tablet or
the phone version of a particular app. If there is no tablet version,
you can still use the phone version. The iPad gives you the choice of
running it phone size or full size though full size is often fuzzy due
to the poor resolution of the blow up.

>for instance, many camera apps require a rear facing camera to be installable

My phone has a back facing camera unlike the camera deficient N7. My
phone's bank app uses it to photograph checks for deposit. After I
sideloaded the phone app to the N7, I tried that remote deposit
feature to see what would happen. It just informs me that the device
I'm using is inferior and has no camera...well it didn't say
inferior...but anyway there was no problem, the rest worked fine.

Bottom line for SMS: I agree it's a PITA to sideload an app that
should have been available in God's favorite internet store... ;)

nob...@nada.com

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May 4, 2013, 6:15:30 AM5/4/13
to
On Fri, 03 May 2013 20:57:19 -0700, AL <AL37...@AL4010589.com>
wrote:

>I thought that the Google Play store eliminated sideloading on the
>Nexus 7. Maybe not.
>
>Tonight I tried to put a few financial apps on the N7.
>
>First was Etrade. That went just fine. It even gave me a choice of a
>tablet app or a phone app. I chose the phone app since it was easier
>to read. I'm guessing the tablet app is probably designed for a 10" or
>larger tablet.

Both Etrade apps install just fine on my Nexus 7 form the Play Store

>
>The next was AMEX. The Google Play AMEX install screen popped right up
>with a quick search. All the app's details: Screen shots, specs,
>reviews etc were there. But across the top of the screen was:
>" ! Your device isn't compatible with this version." And worse, the
>install button was missing.

I'd guess that Amex hasn't updated their app for Jellybean.
>
>Next I try my bank. Same result, the app's there but says it's not
>compatible and no install button.

My banks ,Wells Fargo and Union Bank, installed fine. The providers of
these apps need to update them is my guess.

sms

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May 4, 2013, 10:43:28 AM5/4/13
to
On 5/4/2013 1:08 AM, AL wrote:

> Of course. Both the apps I sideloaded are designed for a phone and
> thus look like phone apps on the N7. But they do fill the screen and
> (so far) work just fine. They are certainly useable and way better
> than nothing which is what the Google store offered.

I've done some Android app development. The developer gets to specify
which screen sizes and resolutions and CPUs are valid for an app.

I suspect that the developer made an error on this specific app, or
there's another version available for the higher end devices.

Google doesn't do much vetting of the apps. Their main concern lately
seems to be removing apps from the store like advertisement blocking
apps, which have to be side loaded. I also side-loaded Adobe Flash
support, and Flash works great on the Nexus 7 so many web sites that
don't work on an iPad work fine on Android tablets.

Justin

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May 4, 2013, 10:59:23 AM5/4/13
to
Nope, it's not your error.

When a developer puts an app into the store they can specifiy what they want
it to work on. If they don't approve it for tablet use, or even a specific
tablet use then it won't be available to download for that device.

There are also many apps that may not be compatable with the latest version
of the OS, or an ealier version. For instance, the TiVo app was not
compat. with the latest version of Jelly Bean for MONTHS after that OS
was installed on my N7. It finally became available about 2 months ago.

> Perhaps the Google store could take a lesson from the Apple store
> here. On the iPad you have your choice of using either the tablet or
> the phone version of a particular app. If there is no tablet version,
> you can still use the phone version. The iPad gives you the choice of
> running it phone size or full size though full size is often fuzzy due
> to the poor resolution of the blow up.

That's up to the app developer.


Janet Wilder

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May 4, 2013, 12:41:27 PM5/4/13
to
On 5/3/2013 10:57 PM, AL wrote:

<snip>
> So I take these 2 apps off my phone and sideload them to the N7 and
> they seem to work just fine. Alls well that ends well I guess, but can
> any of you N7 owners show me where I went wrong?
>
Can someone please explain the term "sideloaded"? Does that mean you
went to the internet and took a photo of the black and white code box?

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

AL

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May 4, 2013, 12:59:28 PM5/4/13
to
nob...@nada.com wrote:

>Both Etrade apps install just fine on my Nexus 7 form the Play Store

Both Etrade apps work on my N7 also. And it's nice to have the choice.
In my case I preferred the phone app on the smaller N7 screen. But on
the larger screen (my iPad) the tablet version is best by far.

>I'd guess that Amex hasn't updated their app for Jellybean.

Perhaps.

But the AMEX app (and my bank app) copied from my old Android 2.2
smartphone and sideloaded to my Jelly Bean 4.2.2 Nexus 7 work just
fine. IMO it would have been much better if Google/AMEX would have
just have let me get those apps from the Google store to start with.
They could have labeled them as phone apps like Apple does and there
would have been no complaints (from me anyway)... ;)

AL

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May 4, 2013, 12:59:28 PM5/4/13
to
Janet Wilder <kellie...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Can someone please explain the term "sideloaded"?

According to Wikipedia there are different definitions. But in my
posts here when I say sideloaded I mean that I installed apps onto my
Nexus 7 from my computer using the USB cord rather than getting them
over the wireless from the Google Play store.

AL

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May 4, 2013, 12:59:28 PM5/4/13
to
sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:

>On 5/4/2013 1:08 AM, AL wrote:
>
>> Of course. Both the apps I sideloaded are designed for a phone and
>> thus look like phone apps on the N7. But they do fill the screen and
>> (so far) work just fine. They are certainly useable and way better
>> than nothing which is what the Google store offered.
>
>I've done some Android app development. The developer gets to specify
>which screen sizes and resolutions and CPUs are valid for an app.

The developers (AMEX and my bank) don't seem to care about screen size
at the Apple store. There both *phone* apps are available for the iPad
10" tablet.

>I suspect that the developer made an error on this specific app, or
>there's another version available for the higher end devices.

That may be it. But what an error. With 5 million N7s out there, there
must be mucho thousands of disgruntled AMEX N7 owning customers like
me. Not so much my local band with only a few hundred thousand
customers.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/nexus-7-sales-estimated-not-bad/

>I also side-loaded Adobe Flash support, and Flash works great
>on the Nexus 7 so many web sites that
>don't work on an iPad work fine on Android tablets.

I would call that perhaps just a slight edge for the N7 over the iPad
since neither tablet comes with flash so the average schmuck is
screwed. Luckily us smarties can hack the N7 by sideloading the flash
app (got that from my phone too) even though it's a PITA... ;)

AL

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May 4, 2013, 12:59:28 PM5/4/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>There are also many apps that may not be compatable with the latest version
>of the OS, or an ealier version.

Ah for the good old days of Windows backwards compatibility, huh... ;)

Justin

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May 4, 2013, 2:12:44 PM5/4/13
to
Janet Wilder wrote on [Sat, 04 May 2013 11:41:27 -0500]:
> On 5/3/2013 10:57 PM, AL wrote:
>
> <snip>
>> So I take these 2 apps off my phone and sideload them to the N7 and
>> they seem to work just fine. Alls well that ends well I guess, but can
>> any of you N7 owners show me where I went wrong?
>>
> Can someone please explain the term "sideloaded"? Does that mean you
> went to the internet and took a photo of the black and white code box?

Basically it means any way you install it that bypasses the play store

You can download the application from a web site directly, or you can
also copy it from your other device.

Janet Wilder

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May 4, 2013, 7:18:13 PM5/4/13
to
Thanks.

nob...@nada.com

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May 4, 2013, 9:19:54 PM5/4/13
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On Sat, 04 May 2013 09:59:28 -0700, AL <AL37...@AL4010589.com>
wrote:

>sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
>
>>On 5/4/2013 1:08 AM, AL wrote:
>>
>>> Of course. Both the apps I sideloaded are designed for a phone and
>>> thus look like phone apps on the N7. But they do fill the screen and
>>> (so far) work just fine. They are certainly useable and way better
>>> than nothing which is what the Google store offered.
>>
>>I've done some Android app development. The developer gets to specify
>>which screen sizes and resolutions and CPUs are valid for an app.
>
>The developers (AMEX and my bank) don't seem to care about screen size
>at the Apple store. There both *phone* apps are available for the iPad
>10" tablet.
>
>>I suspect that the developer made an error on this specific app, or
>>there's another version available for the higher end devices.
>
>That may be it. But what an error. With 5 million N7s out there, there
>must be mucho thousands of disgruntled AMEX N7 owning customers like
>me. Not so much my local band with only a few hundred thousand
>customers.

I'm sure that many, like me, are unhappy ANEX app isn't available for
Nexus 7 Jellybean, but the compalints need to go to AMEX.

nob...@nada.com

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May 4, 2013, 9:20:35 PM5/4/13
to
On Sat, 04 May 2013 09:59:28 -0700, AL <AL37...@AL4010589.com>
wrote:

\Your Windows 95 stuff still working?

nob...@nada.com

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May 4, 2013, 9:22:31 PM5/4/13
to
On Sat, 04 May 2013 09:59:28 -0700, AL <AL37...@AL4010589.com>
wrote:

Google has nothing to do with what AMEX choose to do with their app.
Google Play is a market for what the developrs choose to sell.

nob...@nada.com

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May 4, 2013, 9:27:47 PM5/4/13
to
On Sat, 04 May 2013 11:41:27 -0500, Janet Wilder
<kellie...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>On 5/3/2013 10:57 PM, AL wrote:
>
><snip>
>> So I take these 2 apps off my phone and sideload them to the N7 and
>> they seem to work just fine. Alls well that ends well I guess, but can
>> any of you N7 owners show me where I went wrong?
>>
> Can someone please explain the term "sideloaded"? Does that mean you
>went to the internet and took a photo of the black and white code box?

In most cases like what is being discusse here what you do is get the
app onto a device where is does install and then copy it onto the
other one. You can do it through your computer using a USB cable. I do
it on the rare occasion it's necessary by uploading from one device to
Skydrive using Astro file manager and the using Astro on the other
device to get it.

Alternatively there are sites where you can get the app by download,
or even with another app like the one for the Amazon app store.

AL

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May 4, 2013, 11:23:57 PM5/4/13
to
nob...@nada.com wrote:

>Your Windows 95 stuff still working?

I have used this Agent newsreader (that I'm currently posting with)
since I bought it in 2002. It continues to work just fine on this
Windows 7 laptop. Over the years I've used it with several versions of
Windows on several different devices of various brands. Yes, backward
compatibility is definitely nice. Heck with some Android apps I'd be
glad for just 2 years much less 13 ... ;)

>I'm sure that many, like me, are unhappy ANEX app isn't available for
>Nexus 7 Jellybean, but the compalints need to go to AMEX.

I think I'd be wasting my breath no matter who I complained to.
Fortunately my problem appears to be solved as both my sideloaded AMEX
and bank apps continue to work great.

If you have an Android phone likely you could use its AMEX app on your
Nexus 7 as I did. But I'd be careful getting the app from anywhere
else since it is sensitive financial software.

AL

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May 4, 2013, 11:23:57 PM5/4/13
to
nob...@nada.com wrote:

>In most cases like what is being discusse here what you do is get the
>app onto a device where is does install and then copy it onto the
>other one. You can do it through your computer using a USB cable. I do
>it on the rare occasion it's necessary by uploading from one device to
>Skydrive using Astro file manager and the using Astro on the other
>device to get it.

I too use Astro but in a slightly different way. Guess there's more
than one way to skin a cat. For anyone who cares here's how I do it:

I use the 'Backup Function' of the Astro file manager to backup all
versions of all my apps. Astro (on my phone) puts the backed up apps
in apk (installation file) form on the SD card under backups/apps.
Once there I can just use a PC to drag and drop the apk files to any
other Android or storage device. Astro is no longer needed.

I store all those installation files for later possible use (such as
trying the phone AMEX app on my N7). Also on a few occasions it's
saved me when an update broke an app and I could revert to an earlier
version.

It's also ironic that on one update to the Astro app itself the backup
function I've been talking about was (IMO) badly changed. I just went
back to an older version, and all was well. In effect Astro allowed me
to fixed itself... ;)

nob...@nada.com

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May 5, 2013, 5:16:22 AM5/5/13
to
On Sat, 04 May 2013 20:23:57 -0700, AL <AL37...@AL4010589.com>
wrote:

>nob...@nada.com wrote:
>
>>Your Windows 95 stuff still working?
>
>I have used this Agent newsreader (that I'm currently posting with)
>since I bought it in 2002. It continues to work just fine on this
>Windows 7 laptop. Over the years I've used it with several versions of
>Windows on several different devices of various brands. Yes, backward
>compatibility is definitely nice. Heck with some Android apps I'd be
>glad for just 2 years much less 13 ... ;)

I'm still using Agent too, version 5. I upgraded from 4 for no
apparent reason It's all the same for what I use it for, email and
usenet.

sms

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May 5, 2013, 3:24:54 PM5/5/13
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On 5/4/2013 9:59 AM, AL wrote:

> I would call that perhaps just a slight edge for the N7 over the iPad
> since neither tablet comes with flash so the average schmuck is
> screwed. Luckily us smarties can hack the N7 by sideloading the flash
> app (got that from my phone too) even though it's a PITA... ;)

Sideloading an occasional app is not a big deal. Sideloading every app
and not even being able to search for apps on the Play store is a very
big deal.

The big advantage of the N7 over the Wi-Fi only iPad and the Kindle and
the Nook is that the N7 includes a GPS. Never buy a tablet without a GPS.

tlvp

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May 5, 2013, 4:12:06 PM5/5/13
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On Sun, 05 May 2013 12:24:54 -0700, sms wrote:

> Never buy a tablet without a GPS.

(Sigh!) A word to the wise: RIM's PlayBook has *no* GPS ! Cheers, -- tlvp
(Or, if it does, I've not yet found it after a year of ownership.)
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

Richard B. Gilbert

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May 5, 2013, 4:39:38 PM5/5/13
to nob...@nada.com
Did Windows 95 EVER work? W/98 was still barely usable!

Windows 2000 after installing some patches, was the first "Windows" that
could be said to work.

AL

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May 5, 2013, 4:59:13 PM5/5/13
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sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:

> The big advantage of the N7 over the Wi-Fi only iPad and the Kindle
and
> the Nook is that the N7 includes a GPS.

Depends on how you plan to use the N7. I have had the GPS turned off
on this N7 since the day I got it. It never leaves the house.
Remember, YMMV SMS... ;)

>Never buy a tablet without a GPS.

Some would also say never buy a tablet without an SD slot and a front
camera.

BTW did you read where the Nook is getting the Google Play Store and
allowing third party apps? You will be able to read your Kindle
books on a Nook (gasp).
Message has been deleted
Message has been deleted

Justin

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May 5, 2013, 5:57:51 PM5/5/13
to
Richard B. Gilbert wrote on [Sun, 05 May 2013 16:39:38 -0400]:
> On 5/4/2013 9:20 PM, nob...@nada.com wrote:
>> On Sat, 04 May 2013 09:59:28 -0700, AL <AL37...@AL4010589.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> There are also many apps that may not be compatable with the latest version
>>>> of the OS, or an ealier version.
>>>
>>> Ah for the good old days of Windows backwards compatibility, huh... ;)
>>
>> \Your Windows 95 stuff still working?
>>
>
> Did Windows 95 EVER work? W/98 was still barely usable!

Windows 95 was fine for 1995. 98SE was better than 98


> Windows 2000 after installing some patches, was the first "Windows" that
> could be said to work.

NT 3.5 worked fine

Justin

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May 5, 2013, 5:58:20 PM5/5/13
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Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote on [Sun, 05 May 2013 17:42:15 -0400]:
> In article <5186C38A...@comcast.net>,
> 98SE stands as one of the best OSs MS ever made. Right up there with XP.
>
> Please, everyone, before commenting, notice my qualification there in
> the middle of that sentence.
>
> Did you see it? Look again. I'll wait.
>
> Again, before commenting, notice my qualification there in the middle of
> that sentence.

Is 98SE an OS, or a shell on top of DOS?

AL

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May 5, 2013, 6:17:59 PM5/5/13
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On Sun, 05 May 2013 17:43:14 -0400, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
<el...@nastydesigns.com> wrote:
> AL <AL4...@AL43475.com> wrote:

> > I have had the GPS turned off
> > on this N7 since the day I got it. It never leaves the house.

> Paranoid much?

No. Leaving the unneeded GPS off saves battery life. Bluetooth too.

Justin

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May 5, 2013, 6:55:54 PM5/5/13
to
I haven't found battery life to be an issue really, and I leave both on

AL

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May 5, 2013, 8:36:28 PM5/5/13
to
I've never had a Nexus 7 battery life problem either.

But if I don't plan to *ever use* the device's GPS or Bluetooth
features why not turn them off enjoy the extended battery life?
Plugging that charger in more times than I have to is a PITA... ;)

Anyway, Google and I think it's a good idea. As always YMMV.

https://support.google.com/nexus/7/answer/2819525?hl=en
Message has been deleted

sms

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May 6, 2013, 10:25:43 AM5/6/13
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That's true. The GPS uses a lot of power, as does Wi-Fi.

The GPS on the tablet is not like the GPS on a phone in terms of
tracking you.

sms

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May 6, 2013, 10:27:53 AM5/6/13
to
Just be glad that Google had the foresight to include a GPS chip since
so many apps require it. It's a great feature when traveling, and it
also allows the tablet to serve as a GPS mapping device for driving with
the purchase of an inexpensive app.

AL

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May 6, 2013, 1:15:40 PM5/6/13
to
sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:

>Just be glad that Google had the foresight to include a GPS chip since
>so many apps require it.

I would prefer to trade the N7's GPS that I don't use for a back
camera that I could use (bank deposits). But I know, MMMV... ;)

>The GPS on the tablet is not like the GPS on a phone in terms of
>tracking you.

Since I always have my phone with me I imagine that I have been
tracked for many years now. The paranoia that Elmo was surmising about
me has pretty much worn off... ;)

I also leave the GPS and Bluetooth turned off on my phone. Again for
battery longevity. On extended trips the WiFi stays off too. I have
widgets on the screen that can turn them on in a few seconds if
needed.

And anyway Google knows where I live since my N7 is registered in the
Google Play store, credit card number and all... 8-O And if I took
my N7 on trips I imagine Google would know where I've been GPS or no
GPS since most hotel's WiFi are probably in Google's database. And I
would probably be seeing appropriate ads in my Gmail in no time.

Justin

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May 6, 2013, 1:25:46 PM5/6/13
to
Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote on [Mon, 06 May 2013 05:36:50 -0400]:
> In article <km6kls$oko$2...@dont-email.me>, Justin <nos...@insightbb.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Is 98SE an OS, or a shell on top of DOS?
>
> Does it matter? It's the only thing the user interacted with. For all
> practical purposes, it was the OS.

People were still using Wordperfect in DOS mode and editing autoexec.bat files

Justin

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May 6, 2013, 1:28:07 PM5/6/13
to
AL wrote on [Mon, 06 May 2013 10:15:40 -0700]:
> sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
>
>>Just be glad that Google had the foresight to include a GPS chip since
>>so many apps require it.
>
> I would prefer to trade the N7's GPS that I don't use for a back
> camera that I could use (bank deposits). But I know, MMMV... ;)

You can't use the front facing camera for that? I imagine the next version
will have that camera


>>The GPS on the tablet is not like the GPS on a phone in terms of
>>tracking you.
>
> Since I always have my phone with me I imagine that I have been

then you can use your phone for deposits ;)

> I also leave the GPS and Bluetooth turned off on my phone. Again for
> battery longevity. On extended trips the WiFi stays off too. I have
> widgets on the screen that can turn them on in a few seconds if
> needed.

I use bluetooth whenever in the car, GPS is nice in that it helps me
know local weather and how long until I get to work or home


> And anyway Google knows where I live since my N7 is registered in the
> Google Play store, credit card number and all... 8-O And if I took
> my N7 on trips I imagine Google would know where I've been GPS or no
> GPS since most hotel's WiFi are probably in Google's database.

It's always fun when the wifi router shows you as in another country
though



AL

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May 6, 2013, 5:25:19 PM5/6/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>AL wrote on [Mon, 06 May 2013 10:15:40 -0700]:
>> sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Just be glad that Google had the foresight to include a GPS chip since
>>>so many apps require it.
>>
>> I would prefer to trade the N7's GPS that I don't use for a back
>> camera that I could use (bank deposits). But I know, MMMV... ;)
>
>You can't use the front facing camera for that?

The bank app uses only the back camera since you need to be able to
see the screen to correctly frame and photograph the check.

> I imagine the next version will have that camera

Probably. And by then there should be lots more
tablets to choose from too.

http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tablets/news/acer-iconia-a1-tablet-with-79-inch-display-launched-for-169-363255

>> Since I always have my phone with me I imagine that I have been
>
>then you can use your phone for deposits ;)

And I do just that.

I knew when I bought the N7 that it had no back camera and the
omission's not been a big burden for me... ;) I was just responding
to SMS's point on how lucky I was that my N7 has GPS even though I
don't need it.

>> I also leave the GPS and Bluetooth turned off on my phone. Again for
>> battery longevity. On extended trips the WiFi stays off too. I have
>> widgets on the screen that can turn them on in a few seconds if
>> needed.
>
>I use bluetooth whenever in the car, GPS is nice in that it helps me
>know local weather and how long until I get to work or home

Yes I enjoy GPS in the car too. It's built in.

>> And anyway Google knows where I live since my N7 is registered in the
>> Google Play store, credit card number and all... 8-O And if I took
>> my N7 on trips I imagine Google would know where I've been GPS or no
>> GPS since most hotel's WiFi are probably in Google's database.
>
>It's always fun when the wifi router shows you as in another country
>though

Would that make my targeted Gmail ads run in Chinese?? 8-O

Justin

unread,
May 6, 2013, 9:06:46 PM5/6/13
to
AL wrote on [Mon, 06 May 2013 14:25:19 -0700]:
> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
>
>> I imagine the next version will have that camera
>
> Probably. And by then there should be lots more
> tablets to choose from too.

Next month?

> to SMS's point on how lucky I was that my N7 has GPS even though I
> don't need it.

I use the GPS a lot more often than I'd use a back camera on my N7


>>I use bluetooth whenever in the car, GPS is nice in that it helps me
>>know local weather and how long until I get to work or home
>
> Yes I enjoy GPS in the car too. It's built in.

How does that work when you use another car?


> Would that make my targeted Gmail ads run in Chinese?? 8-O

Not sure about that, a lot of my ads are targetted at a suburb of Chicago, and
I am a few hundred miles from there.

For some reason my external IP comes up as Chicago

AL

unread,
May 6, 2013, 10:52:07 PM5/6/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>AL wrote on [Mon, 06 May 2013 14:25:19 -0700]:

>> to SMS's point on how lucky I was that my N7 has GPS even though I
>> don't need it.
>
>I use the GPS a lot more often than I'd use a back camera on my N7

As I said in my last post, MMMV... ;)

>> Yes I enjoy GPS in the car too. It's built in.

>How does that work when you use another car?

I suppose I'd have to use my N7. (But I'd never admit to that here.)

>For some reason my external IP comes up as Chicago

Just checked my IP using:

http://whatismyipaddress.com/

It got my city right. With Cox it's usually pretty close. When I had
Qwest DSL (now CenturyLink) it sometimes missed me by 10 to 200 miles.

AL

unread,
May 6, 2013, 11:15:40 PM5/6/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>AL wrote on [Mon, 06 May 2013 14:25:19 -0700]:
>> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>>> I imagine the next version will have that camera
>>
>> Probably. And by then there should be lots more
>> tablets to choose from too.
>
>Next month?

Will the next model of the N7 be out next month? I didn't realize
that. Since I just got the thing a few months ago I'll will probably
pass on a new model next month. So...when I'm ready for a new toy in a
year or so... then there should be lots of N7-like tablets to choose
from... :)

(In rereading your last post I realized that I had failed to comment
on this point, thus this addendum.)
Message has been deleted

spligutherism

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May 7, 2013, 7:28:52 AM5/7/13
to
On Tue, 07 May 2013 05:53:42 -0400, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
<el...@nastydesigns.com> wrote:

>In article <km9k35$mev$1...@dont-email.me>, Justin <nos...@insightbb.com>
>wrote:

>> > Yes I enjoy GPS in the car too. It's built in.

>> How does that work when you use another car?

>I never did understand that.

>* bolted to a single car
>* $2000 option
>* ugly interface
>* controlled by the car maker's lawyers
>* expensive map updates

It's the same exact thing when Google 'updates'
your Android phone with out your OK, and also
dis-ables features the manual tells ya the phone
was built to do..all so Google can make $$$...

>Imagine if your car maker sold you a phone that they built into the
>car.* You'd laugh your ass off at the half-baked piece of crap that was
>designed five years before the car first hit the market.

hehehehe..people have no clue how long it take to get any product
to the market. By the time the public buys 'X', the new 'Y' has been
in R&D for a year. By the time the public has the CHANCE to buy 'X',
it's already old tech/news. Notice how cars today are sold on the
'media' features..?? Can't you see them laughing..? Ca-CHING$$$

>*Oh, wait--GM did that, with OnStar. They used Verizon. Then, when
>Verizon ditched their analog service, all those OnStar users with analog
>equipment were FUCKED.

Verizon is anybody's whore. Back then it was GM. Today, it's Google.

In some ways, ya can't blame them. But it's all for the $$$$$$$$$..

J's brother did car work trying to week by week update all that
'OnStar' joke. The ads on TV, showing how "..safe and protected.."
you would be. Total BS. The dealers went crazy with it, because
every time GM/Verizon found a "..issue.." they had to contact EVERY
idiot who signed up for the service, have them bring the car in, for
a hour or two, (for free, btw..but not for the dealer) and next week,
the thing didn't work AGAIN. After awhile, the consumer just said
"..fuck it.." and stopped paying for it.. And that feature just sat
there and LAUGHED at them every time they started the car.

ANY rube who signs up for ANY media service connected to a car
for some monthly fee deserves anything they get fucked over for..

Mike Olson






Pretty soon now
Y'know I'm gonna make a comeback
And like the birds and the bees in the trees
It's a sure-fire smash
I'll speak
To the masses throughout the media
And if you got anything to say to me
You can say it with cash
'Cause I got the trash and you got the cash
So baby we should get along fine
So give me all your money 'cause I know you think I'm funny
Can't you hear me laughing
Can't you see me smile

I'm the man
(I'm the man..I'm the man..I'm the man..)
I'm the man that gave you the hula-hoop
I'm the man
(I'm the man..I'm the man..I'm the man..)
I'm the man that gave you the yo-yo

Kung fu
That was one of my good ones
Well what's a few broken bones
When we all know it's good clean fun
Skateboards
I've almost made them respectable
You see I can't always get through to you
So I go for your son
I had a giant rubber shark and it really made a mark
Didja looka looka lookit alla blood
Give me all your money 'cause I know you think I'm funny
Can't you hear me laughing
Can't you see me smile

I'm the man
(I'm the man..I'm the man..I'm the man..)
I'm the man that gave you the hula-hoop
I'm the man
(I'm the man..I'm the man..I'm the man..)
I'm the man that gave you the yo-yo

Right now
I think I'm gonna plan a new trend
Because the line on the graph's getting low
And we can't have that
And you think you're immune
But I can sell you anything
Anything from a thin safety pin
To a pork pie hat
'Cause I got the trash and you got the cash
So baby we should get along fine
So give me all your money 'cause I know you think I'm funny
Can't you hear me laughing
Can't you see me smile

I'm the man
(I'm the man..I'm the man..I'm the man..)
I'm the man that gave you the hula-hoop
I'm the man
(I'm the man..I'm the man..I'm the man..)
I'm the man that gave you the yo-yo

Justin

unread,
May 7, 2013, 9:40:03 AM5/7/13
to
Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote on [Tue, 07 May 2013 05:53:42 -0400]:
> In article <km9k35$mev$1...@dont-email.me>, Justin <nos...@insightbb.com>
> wrote:
>
>> > Yes I enjoy GPS in the car too. It's built in.
>>
>> How does that work when you use another car?
>
> I never did understand that.
>
> * bolted to a single car
> * $2000 option
> * ugly interface
> * controlled by the car maker's lawyers
> * expensive map updates

Upgrades to a faster/better/more featured option are also prohibitively
expensive.


> Imagine if your car maker sold you a phone that they built into the
> car.* You'd laugh your ass off at the half-baked piece of crap that was

BMW did it too, they had integrated startac phones into the consoles.

sms

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May 7, 2013, 12:23:11 PM5/7/13
to
On 5/7/2013 2:53 AM, Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> In article <km9k35$mev$1...@dont-email.me>, Justin <nos...@insightbb.com>
> wrote:
>
>>> Yes I enjoy GPS in the car too. It's built in.
>>
>> How does that work when you use another car?
>
> I never did understand that.
>
> * bolted to a single car
> * $2000 option
> * ugly interface
> * controlled by the car maker's lawyers
> * expensive map updates

You left something out. At least on Toyotas, you can't program the GPS
when the car is in motion. So even if you have a passenger, they're
locked out of entering an address. There are workarounds but they're not
trivial.

The maps are laughable. We have the 2009 maps on a Toyota and they were
at least six years out of date when we got them. It's not $2000 though.
This was not a new car when we bought it and it had the GPS, but I would
not pay more than $200 for a GPS on a new car, and I think the typical
cost is now about $500.

The nice thing about the GPS being included is that it's not yet another
kludgy add-on attached to the windshield or sitting on the dash, and you
don't have to remove it and hide it every time you park.

Still, a mapping app on a tablet or phone is a much better choice in
terms of accurate maps and cost. The Nexus 7 makes an excellent GPS with
the CoPilot app. But it's not just about driving. Tablets have become
extremely popular among travelers because they're relatively light and
small and have good battery life (as opposed to laptops). Having live
maps even when walking or taking public transit, in a foreign country,
without the need for mobile data (which can be extremely expensive if
roaming internationally or just expensive with a prepaid SIM card) is an
extremely desirable feature.

What I'd like to do on two of our older vehicles with double DIN
openings is to install one of those Android head units with a GPS. When
they fall to $200 I may do that, i.e.
<http://www.ebay.com/itm/140897028276>.

It's true that if you're buying a tablet for eBook reading, or web
browsing at home, then a GPS isn't needed. But if you actually go
places, if you sometimes rent cars, and if you leave the U.S., you
definitely want a GPS on your tablet. Apple's lack of a GPS on their
Wi-Fi only iPads seems to have made it acceptable for the lower cost
tablets to leave out a GPS since Amazon and B&N can always point to the
iPad and say, "see, they don't have one either."

> Imagine if your car maker sold you a phone that they built into the
> car.* You'd laugh your ass off at the half-baked piece of crap that was
> designed five years before the car first hit the market.
>
> *Oh, wait--GM did that, with OnStar. They used Verizon. Then, when
> Verizon ditched their analog service, all those OnStar users with analog
> equipment were FUCKED.

And now they're moving to AT&T. Talk about making OnStar even less
desirable.

AL

unread,
May 7, 2013, 1:14:35 PM5/7/13
to
"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <el...@nastydesigns.com> wrote:

Justin <nos...@insightbb.com>wrote:
>
>> > Yes I enjoy GPS in the car too. It's built in.
>>
>> How does that work when you use another car?
>
>I never did understand that.

>* bolted to a single car

My GPS is 'bolted in' just like a regular car radio. Doesn't your car
have at bolted in car radio? Or do you take a portable radio from car
to car... ;)

My GPS is a part of my 'Media Center' which also has the car radio.

>* $2000 option

I still have the cars window sticker. The Media Center's
price was $995.

I see at Best Buy that the non-subsidised price of a premium
smartphone goes up to $850 now.

Besides the GPS the Media Center includes:

Quality surround sound stereo speaker system.
w/30GB hard drive/USB/iPod control/bluetooth
CD player/mp3 player input/local &satellite radio
Voice command: Over 30 commands for hands free driving.

>* ugly interface

It's just an 8" color touch screen embedded in the dash. Not nearly as
ugly (IMO) as a phone/tablet hung/mounted on the dash. More secure
from theft too. Its 'ugliness' is probably on par with the car radio
option it replaced.

>* controlled by the car maker's lawyers

What electronic device/service isn't controlled by lawyers/TOS?

>* expensive map updates

True. Chrysler wants $125 for an update disk. Fortunately during the
recession there have not been that many new roads built. I haven't
bought one yet. And my GPS has yet to mislead me...yet.

>Imagine if your car maker sold you a phone that they built into the
>car.*

But that would make no sense. My Media Center chimes. I look at the
screen and see who's calling. I tell her (its a she) to answer the
phone. I chat with the caller. I tell her to switch back to the GPS.
She does. I tell her to raise the AC temperature to 68 degrees. She
does. I tell her to go to KTAR. She does. I tell her to lower the
volume. She does. Ah yes, ain't life wonderful... ;)

AL

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May 7, 2013, 1:14:35 PM5/7/13
to
sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:

>It's true that if you're buying a tablet for eBook reading, or web
>browsing at home, then a GPS isn't needed.

Fantastic. You do understand YMMV SMS... :)

AL

unread,
May 7, 2013, 1:14:35 PM5/7/13
to
On Tue, 7 May 2013 13:40:03 +0000 (UTC), Justin <nos...@insightbb.com>
wrote:

>Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote on [Tue, 07 May 2013 05:53:42 -0400]:

>> I never did understand that.
>>
>> * bolted to a single car
>> * $2000 option
>> * ugly interface
>> * controlled by the car maker's lawyers
>> * expensive map updates
>
>Upgrades to a faster/better/more featured option are also prohibitively
>expensive.

That's true. I'm due for another new car again later this year... ;)

AL

unread,
May 7, 2013, 1:14:35 PM5/7/13
to
Splig Utherism wrote:

>Notice how cars today are sold on the
>'media' features..??

Yep. Ain't it great. All those neat media things in one dashboard
screen. Almost like a smartphone, and at almost the same price too.
Love it... ;)

sms

unread,
May 7, 2013, 6:20:49 PM5/7/13
to
On 5/7/2013 10:14 AM, AL wrote:

> I see at Best Buy that the non-subsidised price of a premium
> smartphone goes up to $850 now.

What is the connection between an unsubsidized smart phone and a GPS?

An Android tablet with a GPS chip costs as little as $150 and besides
being an excellent GPS with a $10 app, it can do many other things such
as streaming audio to a vehicle's sound system.

AL

unread,
May 7, 2013, 10:48:03 PM5/7/13
to
sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:

>On 5/7/2013 10:14 AM, AL wrote:
>
>> I see at Best Buy that the non-subsidised price of a premium
>> smartphone goes up to $850 now.
>
>What is the connection between an unsubsidized smart phone and a GPS?

Elmo thought that the in-dash GPS was too expensive at $2000. I was
just showing that my in-dash Media Center (with GPS) at $995 wasn't
all that excessive when compared to a premium $850 smart phone. Or a
premium tablet for that matter.

Especially considering that the Media Center's price includes being
wired into the car's electrical system for the voice control and also
has the premium sound system. Did I mention that I can tell her (voice
control) to dim the rear view mirror and she does? It's nice to have
at least one woman around that does everything you tell her to...

Of course the wife doesn't read this, you think I'm crazy... 8-O

>An Android tablet with a GPS chip costs as little as $150

If I wanted (or had to) live cheap, then yes I could drag my N7 around
with me. Though if I really wanted to live cheap I wouldn't have
bought it in the first place since my old phone can do everything it
does. But as always, YMMV.

>and besides
>being an excellent GPS with a $10 app, it can do many other things such
>as streaming audio to a vehicle's sound system.

I can stream audio from a phone or mp3 player to the Media Center's
sound system. But of course I don't have to since I keep a copy of my
music collection on the systems hard drive. I just tell her to bring
up my music and she does. And did I forget to mention that she also
plays videos (hard drive or disk) and reads photo files?

----------------

BTW I tried to get the CNN and CNET apps on my N7 tonight. Guess what.
Yup. What good is the vaulted Google Play store when I still have to
keep sideloading things from my old phone to use them on the N7??
I know. Blame the apps. Couldn't be God's favorite store's fault
could it... :-/

Justin

unread,
May 7, 2013, 10:56:36 PM5/7/13
to
AL wrote on [Tue, 07 May 2013 19:48:03 -0700]:
> BTW I tried to get the CNN and CNET apps on my N7 tonight. Guess what.
> Yup. What good is the vaulted Google Play store when I still have to
> keep sideloading things from my old phone to use them on the N7??
> I know. Blame the apps. Couldn't be God's favorite store's fault
> could it... :-/

Nope, it's the developer's fault

On the dev side there are 2884 devices you can choose to support or not.

AL

unread,
May 8, 2013, 1:23:25 AM5/8/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>AL wrote on [Tue, 07 May 2013 19:48:03 -0700]:
>> BTW I tried to get the CNN and CNET apps on my N7 tonight. Guess what.
>> Yup. What good is the vaulted Google Play store when I still have to
>> keep sideloading things from my old phone to use them on the N7??
>> I know. Blame the apps. Couldn't be God's favorite store's fault
>> could it... :-/
>
>Nope, it's the developer's fault

According to the forums I read, you can get CNN, CNET, AMEX, and other
blocked Android apps virtually anywhere but the N7 Google store and
they will work on the N7. So I think it would be correct to say that
the Google store is the one doing the blocking (at the developers
request).

But my rant is not so much toward the Google store itself as it is to
those who in earlier posts here proclaimed the Godliness of the Google
store. My poor old underprivileged Fire just didn't have the highly
celebrated store. But as it turns out, even with the GS I've had to
sideload almost as much stuff to the N7 as I did the old Fire. And
it's a PITA, huh SMS... ;)
Message has been deleted
Message has been deleted
Message has been deleted
Message has been deleted

Justin

unread,
May 8, 2013, 8:45:12 AM5/8/13
to
AL wrote on [Tue, 07 May 2013 22:23:25 -0700]:
> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
>>AL wrote on [Tue, 07 May 2013 19:48:03 -0700]:
>>> BTW I tried to get the CNN and CNET apps on my N7 tonight. Guess what.
>>> Yup. What good is the vaulted Google Play store when I still have to
>>> keep sideloading things from my old phone to use them on the N7??
>>> I know. Blame the apps. Couldn't be God's favorite store's fault
>>> could it... :-/
>>
>>Nope, it's the developer's fault
>
> According to the forums I read, you can get CNN, CNET, AMEX, and other
> blocked Android apps virtually anywhere but the N7 Google store and
> they will work on the N7. So I think it would be correct to say that
> the Google store is the one doing the blocking (at the developers
> request).

CNN app needs access to the camera, that's why it's blocked
CNET also needs access to the camera
AMEX needs to have direct access to call phone numbers


> But my rant is not so much toward the Google store itself as it is to
> those who in earlier posts here proclaimed the Godliness of the Google
> store. My poor old underprivileged Fire just didn't have the highly
> celebrated store. But as it turns out, even with the GS I've had to
> sideload almost as much stuff to the N7 as I did the old Fire. And
> it's a PITA, huh SMS... ;)

I have over a hundred apps installed on my N7 from the store that work
just fine

AL

unread,
May 8, 2013, 11:52:31 AM5/8/13
to
"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <el...@nastydesigns.com> wrote:

>In article <u68io8lpqi2arfqm3...@4ax.com>,
> AL <AL37...@AL4010589.com> wrote:
>
>> >* bolted to a single car
>>
>> My GPS is 'bolted in' just like a regular car radio. Doesn't your car
>> have at bolted in car radio? Or do you take a portable radio from car
>> to car... ;)
>
>ummmmm....phone/iPod.

The phone/iPod are not bolted in. The Media Center interfaces with
them via audio wire/bluetooth/USB to carry out their owner's various
wishes.

>It's OK to bolt the amp and speakers in. It would be OK to bolt the
>video screen in.

So you take back your complaint about GPS
being "* bolted to a single car" then?

AL

unread,
May 8, 2013, 11:52:31 AM5/8/13
to
"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <el...@nastydesigns.com> wrote:

>I don't give a shit about something being on the dash, and I feel
>absolutely no need to worry about someone breaking into my car to steal
>something they would be hard pressed to fence for five bucks.

Besides taking the $100-$800 device (GPS or phone) the thieves cause a
few hundred dollars in damage to the car in getting in. Unless of
course you are completely naive and don't lock your car either.

You would be wise never to leave anything of *perceived value* in
plain sight in your car. If you don't care about the GPS's loss it's
still a PITA getting the car fixed.

And, I learned not too long ago, that includes your garage door
opener. This happened to my neighbor:Theives broke her car window and
took the garage door opener and her registration card while her car
was parked at work. They went to her house using the address found on
the registration and used the opener to open the garage door, drive
in, and shut it behind them. Then they plundered her house at their
leisure and were long gone when she got home.

AL

unread,
May 8, 2013, 11:52:32 AM5/8/13
to
"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <el...@nastydesigns.com> wrote:

> AL <AL37...@AL4010589.com> wrote:

>> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com wrote:
>>
>> >Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote
>>
>> >> I never did understand that.
>> >>
>> >> * bolted to a single car
>> >> * $2000 option
>> >> * ugly interface
>> >> * controlled by the car maker's lawyers
>> >> * expensive map updates
>> >
>> >Upgrades to a faster/better/more featured option are also prohibitively
>> >expensive.
>>
>> That's true. I'm due for another new car again later this year... ;)
>
>So, your quest for a better Media Center in the dash leads you to paying
>for a new car.

Other way around.

It's hard to buy a premium car with a plain jane car radio
and roll up windows... ;)

AL

unread,
May 8, 2013, 11:52:32 AM5/8/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>CNN app needs access to the camera, that's why it's blocked
>CNET also needs access to the camera
>AMEX needs to have direct access to call phone numbers

Obviously they don't *need* those things to work on the N7 since they
*do work* on my N7. Surely the developers could have built in polite
warnings that some functions don't work on this device (like my bank
app with the camera) instead of banning it altogether.

>I have over a hundred apps installed on my N7 from the store that work
>just fine

That's good for you. I don't even one N7 screen filled up yet and
already the Google store failure rate is at 20%.

BTW I was in my local Barnes and Noble yesterday and boy are they
pushing the Google store now being available on the Nook. I wonder if
my Google store failures will work on the Nook. Probably. Story of my
life... ;)

Justin

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May 8, 2013, 12:28:06 PM5/8/13
to
You should also not put your real home address in a GPS unit...

Justin

unread,
May 8, 2013, 12:29:39 PM5/8/13
to
AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 08:52:32 -0700]:
> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
>>CNN app needs access to the camera, that's why it's blocked
>>CNET also needs access to the camera
>>AMEX needs to have direct access to call phone numbers
>
> Obviously they don't *need* those things to work on the N7 since they
> *do work* on my N7. Surely the developers could have built in polite
> warnings that some functions don't work on this device (like my bank
> app with the camera) instead of banning it altogether.

They are requirements to be installed though. Many apps have been
changed to work around this kind of thing, Instagram for example, so the
others are just slow.


>>I have over a hundred apps installed on my N7 from the store that work
>>just fine
>
> That's good for you. I don't even one N7 screen filled up yet and
> already the Google store failure rate is at 20%.

I haven't encountered any apps I want to install that aren't available.


Justin

unread,
May 8, 2013, 12:30:04 PM5/8/13
to
AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 08:52:32 -0700]:
It's hard to buy any car with roll up windows

sms

unread,
May 8, 2013, 1:22:15 PM5/8/13
to
On 5/8/2013 8:52 AM, AL wrote:
> "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <el...@nastydesigns.com> wrote:
>
>> I don't give a shit about something being on the dash, and I feel
>> absolutely no need to worry about someone breaking into my car to steal
>> something they would be hard pressed to fence for five bucks.
>
> Besides taking the $100-$800 device (GPS or phone) the thieves cause a
> few hundred dollars in damage to the car in getting in. Unless of
> course you are completely naive and don't lock your car either.

That's almost always the case. I don't know how many times I've had to
explain to someone that you don't leave stuff in the car that could
possibly seem attractive to a thief because they'll break a window just
to check what's available.

sms

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May 8, 2013, 1:25:27 PM5/8/13
to
On 5/8/2013 8:52 AM, AL wrote:

> That's good for you. I don't even one N7 screen filled up yet and
> already the Google store failure rate is at 20%.
>
> BTW I was in my local Barnes and Noble yesterday and boy are they
> pushing the Google store now being available on the Nook. I wonder if
> my Google store failures will work on the Nook. Probably. Story of my
> life... ;)

The Amex app is the first app I've found that won't load from Google
Play. Perhaps they allow payment by check scanning and they won't allow
the app on devices that lack a rear camera.

AL

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May 8, 2013, 5:54:13 PM5/8/13
to
I repeat: That's good for you.

AL

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May 8, 2013, 5:54:13 PM5/8/13
to
sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:

>The Amex app is the first app I've found that won't load from Google
>Play. Perhaps they allow payment by check scanning and they won't allow
>the app on devices that lack a rear camera.

Did you try CNN and CNET?

It's apparently the developer's fault. Not the N7 Google store.

But I suppose it's kind of like an N7 grocery store that sells rotten
tomatoes. Even if it's the farmers fault it doesn't help the N7
customer much...

AL

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May 8, 2013, 5:54:13 PM5/8/13
to
After I reread my post I wondered who would pick that up. But of
course you knew what I meant all along didn't you: Hand cranked
windows.

AL

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May 8, 2013, 5:54:12 PM5/8/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:


>You should also not put your real home address in a GPS unit...

Unless the GPS is bolted into the dashboard... ;)

Justin

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May 8, 2013, 6:56:41 PM5/8/13
to
Even better. You leave the keys in the car and run into the quickstop
someone now has your car and keys and address

Justin

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May 8, 2013, 6:58:52 PM5/8/13
to
Same difference. We have spent the last couple of months looking at new
cars. Very few have hand cranked windows anymore.

Justin

unread,
May 8, 2013, 6:59:45 PM5/8/13
to
AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 14:54:13 -0700]:
> sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
>
>>The Amex app is the first app I've found that won't load from Google
>>Play. Perhaps they allow payment by check scanning and they won't allow
>>the app on devices that lack a rear camera.
>
> Did you try CNN and CNET?

do their websites work in your browser?

> It's apparently the developer's fault. Not the N7 Google store.
>
> But I suppose it's kind of like an N7 grocery store that sells rotten
> tomatoes. Even if it's the farmers fault it doesn't help the N7
> customer much...

More like a grocery store that DOESN'T sell rotten tomatoes

nob...@nada.com

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May 8, 2013, 7:17:49 PM5/8/13
to
But it's pretty easy to get one without the built-in navigation.

nob...@nada.com

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May 8, 2013, 7:19:17 PM5/8/13
to
On Wed, 08 May 2013 05:42:59 -0400, "Elmo P. Shagnasty"
<el...@nastydesigns.com> wrote:

>In article <kmb9is$nbv$1...@dont-email.me>,
> sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
>
>> The nice thing about the GPS being included is that it's not yet another
>> kludgy add-on attached to the windshield or sitting on the dash, and you
>> don't have to remove it and hide it every time you park.
>
>I don't give a shit about something being on the dash, and I feel
>absolutely no need to worry about someone breaking into my car to steal
>something they would be hard pressed to fence for five bucks.

And if you use a bean bag mount, it takes about a second the pull ot
off the dash and put in under the seat.

nob...@nada.com

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May 8, 2013, 7:20:58 PM5/8/13
to
On Wed, 08 May 2013 10:22:15 -0700, sms <scharf...@geemail.com>
wrote:
Uh, so don't do that. Use a bean bag mount and put the GPS out of
sight.

sms

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May 8, 2013, 7:32:21 PM5/8/13
to
In California, it's illegal to have something attached to the center
part of your windshield. They recently made it legal to have something
attached in the left lower corner. I think this law was originally
intended to discourage the use of radar detectors. So a bean bag mount
is better, though I doubt if any cop would pull someone over solely for
having something attached to the windshield.


Message has been deleted

AL

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May 8, 2013, 10:40:00 PM5/8/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>We have spent the last couple of months looking at new
>cars. Very few have hand cranked windows anymore.

Here's eleven.

http://www.subcompactculture.com/2012/08/cars-with-manual-windows-mirrors-and.html

AL

unread,
May 8, 2013, 10:40:00 PM5/8/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 14:54:13 -0700]:
>> sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>The Amex app is the first app I've found that won't load from Google
>>>Play. Perhaps they allow payment by check scanning and they won't allow
>>>the app on devices that lack a rear camera.
>>
>> Did you try CNN and CNET?
>
>do their websites work in your browser?

Yes. And when I go the CNN site a banner across the top says "Get the
CNN App for Android powered tablets". Honest. I couldn't make this
stuff up... :)

>> It's apparently the developer's fault. Not the N7 Google store.
>>
>> But I suppose it's kind of like an N7 grocery store that sells rotten
>> tomatoes. Even if it's the farmers fault it doesn't help the N7
>> customer much...
>
>More like a grocery store that DOESN'T sell rotten tomatoes

No analogy's perfect. But the rotten tomato part is close...

AL

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May 8, 2013, 10:40:00 PM5/8/13
to
On Wed, 08 May 2013 16:17:49 -0700, nob...@nada.com wrote:

>On Wed, 08 May 2013 08:52:32 -0700, AL <AL3...@AL40589.com> wrote:

>>It's hard to buy a premium car with a plain jane car radio
>> and hand crank windows... ;)
>
>But it's pretty easy to get one without the built-in navigation.

I guess it's IMO vs. IYO...

AL

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May 8, 2013, 10:39:59 PM5/8/13
to
If you're dumb enough to leave your keys in the car at the Quickstop
(or anywhere else) you deserve losing your car.

Justin

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May 8, 2013, 11:00:17 PM5/8/13
to
All but one of them are compact or smaller.

And that appears to be an extensive list, or attempts to be.


Justin

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May 8, 2013, 11:01:07 PM5/8/13
to
AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 19:40:00 -0700]:
> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
>>AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 14:54:13 -0700]:
>>> sms <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>The Amex app is the first app I've found that won't load from Google
>>>>Play. Perhaps they allow payment by check scanning and they won't allow
>>>>the app on devices that lack a rear camera.
>>>
>>> Did you try CNN and CNET?
>>
>>do their websites work in your browser?
>
> Yes. And when I go the CNN site a banner across the top says "Get the
> CNN App for Android powered tablets". Honest. I couldn't make this
> stuff up... :)

Yep, it seems it's out there for the larger tablets.


>>> But I suppose it's kind of like an N7 grocery store that sells rotten
>>> tomatoes. Even if it's the farmers fault it doesn't help the N7
>>> customer much...
>>
>>More like a grocery store that DOESN'T sell rotten tomatoes
>
> No analogy's perfect. But the rotten tomato part is close...

You wouldn't want to sideload a rotten tomato

Justin

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May 8, 2013, 11:01:32 PM5/8/13
to
AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 19:40:00 -0700]:
It's easy to get no nav

AL

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May 8, 2013, 11:39:04 PM5/8/13
to
AL <AL3...@AL40589.com> wrote:

>If you're dumb enough to leave your keys in the car at the Quickstop
>(or anywhere else) you deserve losing your car.

addendum:
It gets hot here in Phoenix in the summertime. So lots of people do
leave their cars running to keep the AC going for a quick run into a
convenience market. They use their key fob to lock the car doors with
the windows up with the key in the ignition. Some (believe it or not)
even leave their kids strapped inside. Course the thief just breaks
the window and drives away. Happens here on a regular basis. I imagine
the bad guy is pretty surprised when he realizes that he has a kid in
the back seat. However most of these cars are taken for a quick ride
and are found a just few miles away. I mean what respectable crook
wants to walk in a 115 degree heat? Anyway they always seem to find
the car and kid (if applicable) abandoned and unharmed...

AL

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May 8, 2013, 11:39:04 PM5/8/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>It's easy to get no nav

All the vehicles I looked at the last time I shopped 2+ years ago
(sticker 40 to 55K) had the media center thing, GPS included.

And if you mean order the car to my specs and wait for it to be built?
Not for me.

So, as I said, it's IMO vs. IYO (or YMMV vs. MMMV?)... ;)

AL

unread,
May 9, 2013, 12:17:20 AM5/9/13
to
On Thu, 9 May 2013 03:00:17 +0000 (UTC), Justin <nos...@insightbb.com>
wrote:

>AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 19:40:00 -0700]:
>> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>>
>>>We have spent the last couple of months looking at new
>>>cars. Very few have hand cranked windows anymore.
>>
>> Here's eleven.
>>
>> http://www.subcompactculture.com/2012/08/cars-with-manual-windows-mirrors-and.html
>
>All but one of them are compact or smaller.

Then that would appear to make my case.

My original assertion that started all this:

"It's hard to buy a premium car with a plain jane car radio
and [manual] roll up windows... ;) "

The emphasis would be on *premium car*.

>And that appears to be an extensive list, or attempts to be.

True. Do you see any premium cars on it?

Justin

unread,
May 9, 2013, 12:16:10 AM5/9/13
to
AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 21:17:20 -0700]:
> On Thu, 9 May 2013 03:00:17 +0000 (UTC), Justin <nos...@insightbb.com>
> wrote:
>
>>AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 19:40:00 -0700]:
>>> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>We have spent the last couple of months looking at new
>>>>cars. Very few have hand cranked windows anymore.
>>>
>>> Here's eleven.
>>>
>>> http://www.subcompactculture.com/2012/08/cars-with-manual-windows-mirrors-and.html
>>
>>All but one of them are compact or smaller.
>
> Then that would appear to make my case.
>
> My original assertion that started all this:
>
> "It's hard to buy a premium car with a plain jane car radio
> and [manual] roll up windows... ;) "

ANd mine was that it's hard to find any new car with roll up windows

>>And that appears to be an extensive list, or attempts to be.
>
> True. Do you see any premium cars on it?

Nope. The comments mention that several of the cars on the list come
with power windows standard

nob...@nada.com

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May 9, 2013, 5:44:36 AM5/9/13
to
I suppose that if you define a "premium car" as one that has built-in
navigation, then you are correct.

sms

unread,
May 10, 2013, 11:28:37 AM5/10/13
to
On 5/8/2013 8:39 PM, AL wrote:

> All the vehicles I looked at the last time I shopped 2+ years ago
> (sticker 40 to 55K) had the media center thing, GPS included.

That's true, but for the mass market vehicles in the $15-30K range like
the Accord, Camry, Civic, Corolla, etc., navigation is still definitely
an option.

We have one vehicle with built in navigation and two without. There are
pros and cons for each. It's nice to have the navigation system built in
to avoid funky mounts and wires running all over, as well as not having
the hassle of removing it and hiding it every time you park, but the
quality of the Toyota navigation system in terms of accuracy and
functionality leaves a lot to be desired. My neighbor with a Honda
Odyssey and a Toyota Highlander, both with navigation, said that the
Honda system is even worse than the Toyota system.

Both my Magellan standalone unit, and CoPilot on the Nexus 7 are far
better in terms of accuracy and functionality than the built-in system.

A 7" tablet would look ridiculous mounted to the windshield or sitting
on the dash. I'm working on a better mount for one vehicle using a
Panavise custom dash mount
<http://www.panavise.com/index.html?pageid=1&id1=30&--wosectionsdatarq=30&indashaction=-->.
I already had the mount (from when I had a Motorola hands free car kit
cradle mounted on it) so now I just need to fabricate something to hold
the tablet properly.

AL

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May 10, 2013, 1:13:17 PM5/10/13
to
On Fri, 10 May 2013 08:28:37 -0700, sms <scharf...@geemail.com>
wrote:

>On 5/8/2013 8:39 PM, AL wrote:
>
>> All the vehicles I looked at the last time I shopped 2+ years ago
>> (sticker 40 to 55K) had the media center thing, GPS included.

Originally, all I said was that it was hard to find a premium vehicle
without GPS. I was surprised at all the blowback I got (present
company excepted).

>That's true, but for the mass market vehicles in the $15-30K range like
>the Accord, Camry, Civic, Corolla, etc., navigation is still definitely
>an option.

Perhaps, as one eloquent responder here alluded, my problem was with
using the word 'premium' whose definition as I should have realized is
in the eye of the beholder.

>We have one vehicle with built in navigation and two without. There are
>pros and cons for each.

My 9 year old second car doesn't have GPS. It stays in town, and since
I know the town, it's not a problem. But in its younger days when it
went on trips I just used (gasp) maps... ;)

> It's nice to have the navigation system built in
>to avoid funky mounts and wires running all over, as well as not having
>the hassle of removing it and hiding it every time you park,

Agreed. I also enjoy the gadgetry of the media center addition.

> but the
>quality of the Toyota navigation system in terms of accuracy and
>functionality leaves a lot to be desired. My neighbor with a Honda
>Odyssey and a Toyota Highlander, both with navigation, said that the
>Honda system is even worse than the Toyota system.

I suppose the word 'worse' is also in the eye of the beholder. Which
GPS system is the best is IMO a YMMV thing.

However when I buy a car I buy it for the car's features, not the
GPS's features. After I get the car home, *then* I check out the GPS.
And if I find that I ever buy a car with a built in GPS that I can't
stomach, I'll just start taking my N7 with me... ;)

>Both my Magellan standalone unit, and CoPilot on the Nexus 7 are far
>better in terms of accuracy and functionality than the built-in system.

I'd wager a guess that both are better than my Chrysler GPS system as
well. But since my in-dash toy does all I need what difference does it
make? It's kind of like my phone, be it an Unlimited or a 1 GB data
plan, there is really no effective difference to me. Everyone else's
MMV though...

>A 7" tablet would look ridiculous mounted to the windshield or sitting
>on the dash.

Again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder (do I overuse that
phrase?). As one who has had many home brew and commercial ham rigs
built into the front passengers compartment (and in the early days
they were BIG...) I think gadgets are quite beautiful.

But the theft worry is real. And here in AZ, electronics don't last
long on the dashboard of a parked car, especially in the summertime.
But that may not be a problem in your area...

Justin

unread,
May 10, 2013, 1:23:39 PM5/10/13
to
AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 20:39:04 -0700]:
> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
>>It's easy to get no nav
>
> All the vehicles I looked at the last time I shopped 2+ years ago
> (sticker 40 to 55K) had the media center thing, GPS included.

The ones you looked at on the lot? sure they did. However I bet in
a lot of cases that was still only an option

> And if you mean order the car to my specs and wait for it to be built?
> Not for me.

Or just call around, that's what we did.


Justin

unread,
May 10, 2013, 1:28:22 PM5/10/13
to
AL wrote on [Fri, 10 May 2013 10:13:17 -0700]:
> On Fri, 10 May 2013 08:28:37 -0700, sms <scharf...@geemail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>On 5/8/2013 8:39 PM, AL wrote:
>>
>>> All the vehicles I looked at the last time I shopped 2+ years ago
>>> (sticker 40 to 55K) had the media center thing, GPS included.
>
> Originally, all I said was that it was hard to find a premium vehicle
> without GPS. I was surprised at all the blowback I got (present
> company excepted).

Blowback?

>>That's true, but for the mass market vehicles in the $15-30K range like
>>the Accord, Camry, Civic, Corolla, etc., navigation is still definitely
>>an option.
>
> Perhaps, as one eloquent responder here alluded, my problem was with
> using the word 'premium' whose definition as I should have realized is
> in the eye of the beholder.

It's still an option in the higher ranges as well, it just so happens that
that overpriced built in nav ups the commission to the salesmen, ups the
overall profit etc. etc. that they don't stock the non-nav or have
very few on the lots


> My 9 year old second car doesn't have GPS. It stays in town, and since
> I know the town, it's not a problem. But in its younger days when it
> went on trips I just used (gasp) maps... ;)

I used a AAA road atlas... Dash mounted GPS is much better


SMS

unread,
May 10, 2013, 2:01:03 PM5/10/13
to
On 5/10/2013 10:13 AM, AL wrote:

> I'd wager a guess that both are better than my Chrysler GPS system as
> well. But since my in-dash toy does all I need what difference does it
> make?

Missing streets, incorrect POIs, inability to enter an address while the
vehicle is moving, strange routing to get around streets that haven't
been time-restricted for five years after the map disc was issued,
actually do have an effect on usefulness.

AL

unread,
May 10, 2013, 6:59:21 PM5/10/13
to
On Fri, 10 May 2013 11:01:03 -0700, SMS <scharf...@geemail.com>
wrote:

>On 5/10/2013 10:13 AM, AL wrote:
>
>> I'd wager a guess that both are better than my Chrysler GPS system as
>> well. But since my in-dash toy does all I need what difference does it
>> make?
>
>Missing streets, incorrect POIs,

Do you think all maps on all systems are always up to date? All POIs
always correct? If so can I sell you a bridge? ;) Have you read
about the recent Apple maps debacle?

>inability to enter an address while the vehicle is moving,

Not all in-dash devices have that restriction. I agree that it might
be an occasional pain. However a bigger pain (for me) would be to
carry around a special GPS device just for the car.

>strange routing to get around streets that haven't
>been time-restricted for five years after the map disc was issued,
>actually do have an effect on usefulness.

Depends on where you go. My car's GPS disk is 3 years old (at least)
and I don't drive across fields (road missing on GPS) all that often.
But if it were ever to become a critical problem, I always have my
phone to back me up. Digging my phone out of my pocket would be (IMO)
less hassle than hiding and mounting the GPS device 365 times (or
more) a year... ;)

(And I say "would be" because I've not had to consult my phone
GPS.....yet.)

As always, YYMV.

AL

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May 10, 2013, 6:59:21 PM5/10/13
to
On Fri, 10 May 2013 17:23:39 +0000 (UTC), Justin
<nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 20:39:04 -0700]:
>> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>>
>>>It's easy to get no nav
>>
>> All the vehicles I looked at the last time I shopped 2+ years ago
>> (sticker 40 to 55K) had the media center thing, GPS included.
>
>The ones you looked at on the lot? sure they did. However I bet in
>a lot of cases that was still only an option

You say "I Bet"? Is that similar to "IMO"?

>Or just call around, that's what we did.

I suppose if I wanted a premium car *without* in-dash GPS I'd have to
call around. But since I *do want* in-dash GPS calling around seems
unnecessary judging from my past premium car buying experience.
Everything I looked at was equipped with one.

AL

unread,
May 10, 2013, 6:59:21 PM5/10/13
to
Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>Blowback?

"the unforeseen negative consequences of an action"

http://www.yourdictionary.com/blowback

>that overpriced built in nav ups the commission to the salesmen

Boy, I'll bet those salesman are all high fives over that extra 2% in
their commission checks... ;)

$995 media center / $47k car = 2%

>they don't stock the non-nav or have very few on the lots

Because people who buy expensive cars expect a media center, among
other extras. They just stock what the customers want.

Justin

unread,
May 10, 2013, 7:42:15 PM5/10/13
to
AL wrote on [Fri, 10 May 2013 15:59:21 -0700]:
> On Fri, 10 May 2013 17:23:39 +0000 (UTC), Justin
> <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
>>AL wrote on [Wed, 08 May 2013 20:39:04 -0700]:
>>> Justin <nos...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>It's easy to get no nav
>>>
>>> All the vehicles I looked at the last time I shopped 2+ years ago
>>> (sticker 40 to 55K) had the media center thing, GPS included.
>>
>>The ones you looked at on the lot? sure they did. However I bet in
>>a lot of cases that was still only an option
>
> You say "I Bet"? Is that similar to "IMO"?

More like I have carried out a brief survey of high end vehicles and most
of them do have GPS an an option, not base


>>Or just call around, that's what we did.
>
> I suppose if I wanted a premium car *without* in-dash GPS I'd have to
> call around. But since I *do want* in-dash GPS calling around seems
> unnecessary judging from my past premium car buying experience.
> Everything I looked at was equipped with one.

It wasn't worth the required leatherette seats (seriously, wtf) to get
the GPS and stuff
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