GPS vs. cell-phone navigation

Faceoff: GPS navigator vs. cell-phone navigation

Drivers looking for an electronic navigational assistant have more choices than ever these days. Basic dedicated GPS navigators can be found for less than $100, and they are still a wise choice if you don't mind carrying a single-purpose device. Personal navigation devices (PNDs) are ready to go right out of the box, with a mount and charger included. Plus, they are easy to use and can be shared with family or friends.

Smart phones are an increasingly popular navigation option, especially among models that come with turn-by-turn guidance built in. Other phones require purchase of a downloadable navigation app or a service subscription. In our tests, we have found that the best navigation applications are made by well-known GPS companies like Navigon, TomTom, and Magellan. These apps look and function much like a standalone GPS unit.

Virtually any new cell phone is now capable of giving directions, whether it's smart or otherwise. Cell-phone providers, such as ATT and Verizon, offer turn-by-turn directions for a fee, usually about $10 per month or $3 per day. This form of navigation aid is handy for a vacation or if you only need directions occasionally.

If you choose to go with a phone for guidance, keep in mind that a phone with a large screen will be easier to read and use on the go, and it can come closest to the performance of a portable GPS unit. But with any phone, you'll have to buy a mount and car charger separately, which can add another $50 or so. A good navigation app adds another $50, making the combined cost about as much as a dedicated device. And if you opt for a subscription plan, instead of a downloaded application, the monthly fee can quickly add up to more than the cost of a basic GPS in just a year.

Which is solution right for you?

Here’s a quick guide to the pros and cons of approach:
Portability: Using your cell phone means you have one less thing to lug around. On the other hand, you have to mount it to the windshield every time you use it, which could be more hassle than a GPS device that you leave mounted all the time or at least in between stops (in less theft-prone areas, of course).
Advantage: Depends on your situation.

Dependability: Any system will likely get you to your destination. But one big limitation of most cell phones (typically subscription based navigation) is that if you’re in an area with a poor cellular signal, the navigation system won’t work reliably. Models that load maps into the unit’s memory are an exception. Also, using navigation can run down a cell-phone battery, so you’ll want to plug it in when in use. A GPS device tends to lose much of its energy when sitting unused for a few day, meaning that in practice, a dedicated device will likely need to be plugged-in when in use.
Advantage: GPS.

Up-to-date info: The map and route information that cell phones download is always the most current version supplied by the map provider. With GPS units, you have to buy map updates and install them yourself. These can cost $50 to $80.
Advantage: Cell phone. Manufacturers are now offering different pricing plans to get updated maps such as one to four updates in one year or lifetime updates. (This advantage may be diminishing for cell phones.)

Displays and buttons: The large touch screens on GPS navigators are easy to read and use. Most cell phones have much smaller screens and small, hard-to-use buttons. Of course, some newer smart phones have good touch screens that are about the same size or larger than GPS devices.
Advantage: GPS and some smart phones.

Cost: You can buy a good GPS device for $100 to $250. And once you’ve bought it, you’re good to go. With cell phones, you have to pay an ongoing subscription fee (unless you pay by the day), whether it’s for a dedicated navigation service ($10 per month) or a cellular data connection (often about $30 per month premium). These costs can quickly add up to more than you’d pay for the GPS unit. A navigation smart-phone app could cost you an additional $30 to $75 but do not carry the monthly fee. Of course, if you have a smart phone with a built-in nav program and you’re already paying for a data feed, then navigation doesn’t cost you anything more.
Advantage: GPS and some smart phones.

Accessories: All GPS navigators come with a mount and an in-car charger. But you’ll have to buy them separately for a cell-phone, which could cost you another $50 or more.
Advantage: GPS.

Choosing a navigation solution can be tough. Clearly, there are a lot of pros and cons to consider. Remember, a key factor is what you already have. If you own a large-screen cell phone, it may make sense to enhance that as an all-in-one device with an app and mount.

If it is time to upgrade a phone, you have a more options. But remember, you can’t readily share a phone.

For a family looking to limit expenses and doesn’t need a pricey smart phone, then a dedicated device would be the most cost-effective solution.

See our complete GPS buying advice and ratings, and also review our cell phone buying advice and ratings.

—Jim Travers

Consumer Reports Cars Blog: Faceoff: GPS navigator vs. cell-phone navigation

DeepSurplus (save on cables)

DeepSurplus

Deep Surplus is a fantastic source for an encyclopedic array of cables.

For example, Apple sells a mini to mini cable for connecting your iPod to your stereo for $24.95. The same cable can be had for less than a dollar from Deep Surplus.

For work I buy all of our networking patch cables, USB cables, etc. for 10% of the cost of buying them at Staples, Microcenter, or Best Buy. I recently bought some rather hard to find white, two-lead speaker wire, which elsewhere was as pricey as $80, for $12 for a 25-foot length. I also bought a 6-foot mini (iPod) to dual RCA (for my older audiophile amplifier) cable for $2.75, compared to $24.95 at the Apple store.

Cool Tools: DeepSurplus

Packing the Right Gadgets for a Trip

Packing the Right Gadgets to Go

By FARHAD MANJOO

Whether you’re going abroad or staying in state this season, here are some of the best ways to get the most out of all your gadgets.

PACK LIGHTLY — BUT NOT TOO LIGHTLY Depending on your trip, it’s always a good idea to take along a few extra cables, adapters and other accessories. For foreign travel, a power adapter — to charge your camera, phone, e-reader and other gadgets — is a must. I recommend a universal adapter, which will work on plugs in many different countries, and which are available at online retailers like Amazon for less than $5. For most electronics, an adapter is all you’ll need; for other appliances like hairdryers, shavers, and curling irons, you might also need a transformer. I recommend WalkaboutTravelGear.com, which has a range of these devices. Do you plan to do a lot of driving in rental cars? Take your music player, a male-to-male audio cable and a car charger for tunes on the go. Or consider a cord to connect your laptop to a TV to let you watch DVDs in your hotel room — the perfect way to end a long day of exploring the Hindu Kush.

MAKING LOCAL CALLS ABROAD If you’ve got an old cellphone lying around —and who doesn’t? — it might be your ticket to cheap local calls in foreign lands. Before you leave, call your phone company to ask if your phone can be “unlocked” to make it work on other networks.

You’ll have the best luck abroad if your phone works on AT&T or T-Mobile, whose signals are compatible with more carriers around the world. Then, when you land, visit a local mobile phone shop and buy a SIM card, which should cost you about $20. When you pop the card into your old phone, you’ll get a local number. Now your calls around town will be a bargain.

STAYING IN TOUCH WITH HOME Don’t call home with that local SIM; the long-distance rates might be sky high. A better trick is to use Skype, the Internet phone system. Skype requires a laptop or smartphone and an Internet connection, which you can get at a hotel or cafe. With Skype, you’ll often be able to call home for just a few cents a minute. If you set up call forwarding on your Skype account, people at home can call a local number to ring you anywhere in the world, letting them pay nothing for the call.

AVOID BUYING HOTEL WI-FI Internet access is invaluable whether traveling for business or pleasure. The only trouble is the cost; some hotels want to charge you as much for a night as you would pay for a month of Internet service back home. That’s why it’s wise to take Wi-Fi prices into account before you book your trip. In the United States, many low- and midrange hotels offer Wi-Fi free, while expensive chains ask $10 or $20 a night for service. For international travel, consult HotelChatter’s invaluable guide to which hotels around the world offer free or cheap Internet.

TIPS FOR SMARTPHONE OWNERS If you’ve got an iPhone or some other Internet-capable device, you might want to take it along for overseas trips, as it makes a nice way to access the Internet on the go. Remember to go into the phone’s settings panel and turn off “long-distance roaming”; this will prevent the phone from racking up huge data fees on foreign networks. Your phone will still be able to access the Internet through Wi-Fi. Some iPhone apps that are particularly handy overseas — Yelp, for reviews of restaurants and attractions; Skype, for calling home; and TripIt, a terrific online service that keeps all your itinerary details in order. TripIt’s Web site is great even if you don’t have an iPhone.

SPRING FOR AN IPAD I’ve found Apple’s tablet computer to be a fantastic travel machine. It’s small, lightweight and best of all, the Transportation Security Administration doesn’t require you to take it out of your bag during airport screening. (Most of the time; a T.S.A. agent at Kennedy Airport in New York did ask me to remove my iPad during a recent trip).

The iPad is better for leisure travel than business; it’s the perfect way to read books and watch movies on the go. But if you plan to write the great American novel while visiting Parisian cafes, take along a small Bluetooth keyboard (Apple makes a nice one) to connect to your iPad; even with the keyboard, the iPad setup is easier to carry in a satchel or large purse than most notebooks.

‘GEOTAG’ YOUR PICTURES That old photo of your grandfather posing with an elephant — was that snapped in Rhodesia, or at Ringling Brothers? Digital pictures offer a way to solve this sort of geographic confusion. Their files can be embedded with location information that will remember, forever, where you took your picture.

Some newer cameras and smartphones insert these geotags automatically, but if you’ve got an old camera, consider buying a geotagging memory card like the Eye-Fi Explore. The card has a Wi-Fi chip built in. Not only does the chip determine your geographical location, it can also upload your pictures to the Internet automatically.

WANT ‘REAL’ PHOTOS? Some people still can’t get over the idea of having their pictures inside memory cards. Sure, you can print those photos when you get back home, but if you miss instant prints, check out the Polaroid PoGo mobile printer. The device sells for $40, but requires special paper that costs about 30 cents a page. If you’re traveling with children, instant pictures can make for an entertaining on-the-go scrapbook project.

E-READERS ON THE BEACH If you plan to spend your vacation with a shelf of classics, you ought to go digital; with a Kindle, Nook, iPad or other flat reader, there’s no practical limit to the number of books you can enjoy, and you don’t have to worry about weight. The only problem: How do you protect these delicate devices in the sand and surf? You could consider buying a waterproof sleeve for your reader; TrendyDigital makes one that sells for $20. Or go on the cheap — encase your reader in a snug zipper sandwich bag. These are usually transparent enough to read through, but sturdy enough to protect your device from the weather.

NOISE-CANCELING HEADPHONES Headphones that electronically eliminate ambient noise have been around for at least a decade. But they are now so cheap — you can get the Sony MDR-NC7 for less than $40 — that they are no longer solely the domain of frequent travelers.

Noise-canceling headphones are a must if you plan to watch movies or listen to music on planes, trains and other loud means of locomotion; without them, you’ll have to turn up the volume to a high level, which isn’t good for your hearing. Consider a pair even if you don’t care to listen to songs, as these headphones turn an otherwise cacophonous plane ride into something resembling a vacation.

Packing the Right Gadgets for a Trip - NYTimes.com

Magneat - A Must-Have for Your Headphones

http://www.magneat.com/

Video of How It Works

Gear Guide: A Must-Have for Your Headphones

By Su Reid-St. John

Every once in a while I come across a truly brilliant product that makes me think, “Of course! Why didn’t someone think of this before?” My latest such discovery: the Magneat headphone wire manager.

If you’ve ever worn headphones while working out, you already know why a wire manager is an excellent idea for an invention. You’re all too familiar with what a nuisance all that extra cord can be, getting caught on your handlebars, bouncing annoyingly against your chest, getting hopelessly tangled between sweat sessions.

Enter the Magneat, a circular gadget about the size of an Oreo. One piece serves as a sort of spool with a magnetic back; the second piece is the other half of the magnet. With a piece on either side of the cloth, they hold the Magneat in place wherever you want on your workout clothes. Then you wind your headphone cord around the spool until it’s just the right length, anchor it by feeding the wire into the notch, and voilà! No more catching, no more bouncing, no more flopping. And nope, it doesn’t unravel when you start moving around.

And when you’re done listening to your tunes, don’t unwind the cord. Simply unplug your headphones, wind the wires a little more, and secure the end—then bid those tangles a not-so-fond farewell.

Bonus: It comes in a bunch of fun colors and prints (I’m torn between the chic Zebra Silver and the bright green Alien Bunny Skull)—or simple black or white, if you want to keep a low profile.

Rock on.

Product: Magneat headphone wire manager

Category: Gear

Pros: It’s a simple, terrific way to keep your headphone wires untangled and at just the right length.

Cons: Fellow exercisers may be tempted to steal it from you.

Cost: $12.90 to $14.90 at Magneat.com

Extra tip: People with pacemakers should not use the Magneat.

Gear Guide: A Must-Have for Your Headphones - Healthy Living - Health.com

How Not To Get Duped When Buying HDMI Cable

How Not To Get Duped When Buying HDMI Cable