Gps Design - Would Like Your Input

[evodesign]

I am a university student at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia and am currently undertaking an Industrial Design project to design a GPS for outdoor use by numerous markets including (hikers, mountain/dirt bike riders, extreme sports individuals etc...). I am in the process of collecting research and this is where I would like your input. I am after your opinion of what you would like to see in an outdoor model and what problems you have found with existing models (small buttons, damages easily, screen is too small and so forth. It would be greatly appreciated if you could take the time to write down a few points as the design could become a reality with the right research behind it. As you know, you gotta find out what the market wants. Thank you for your time.

 

Tim

 

Uni Work Website: EvoDesign

[+jimmyreno]

For many caches a person needs more info than just the coords.

The text the locater wrote, the hint, comments others made.

 

Some people print out every cache page, some use PDA's.

A GPS that could hold 2 paragraphs of text about a cache and display

that would be handy.

[+º]

I'd like to see a GPSr where you can attach a cord. By pulling the cord you can operate the whole GPSr >> this would be VERY handy for mountaineering.

[+IVxIV]

Combine a Palm PDA with a GPSr, like an iQue but make it more rugged for outdoor use, and better on battery power.

 

Question: are you asking for specs for a megabucks "high-end-all-the-toys-dreamachine" GPSr design, or something actually practical and affordable which would appeal to a larger market segment?

 

This thread is gonna get filled with requests of combining every conceivable electronic device ever created by man into one affordable handheld unit that still fits in a shirt pocket & lasts 3 days on a pair of AAA batteries

[evodesign]

I have had a few ideas that seem pricey, but in reality could be cost beneficial and affordable. It only takes one idea to lead to another, so I am happy to hear any comments that everyone has. The market is a bit of a mass market being outdoors, so it is large and I would want to design something that would be affordable, but I will work out costs into it at a later stage when I work out what is and what isnt feasible. Thank you for your feedback so far and I hope to hear more!

 

Tim

[+Cardinal Red]

A topic you might find interesting - Suggestions to Garmin

[+JohnnyVegas]

One with PPC or PDA functions that is waterproof, and maybe a built in cell phone function for loging finds in the field. SD card slot.

[+Greymane]

This unit covers some of the ideas people are mentioning:

 

TDS Recon

 

But still falls short in some areas. With the GPS unit attached (CF card), you have to put a boot over the top to make it water resistant. An integrated GPS unit would be nice. The units that have intergrated GPS (Garmin iQue, Mitac Mio, Navman PiN) have somewhat ackward antenna. Perhaps an antenna that folds down along the side or, at least gives a bit more flexibility on positioning.

 

Battery life is always a concern. This unit offers a Powerboot option that lets you use a battery unit or AA batteries. This is a nice option.

 

Also, it is a bit pricey compared to a standard PPC. (But, it certainly isn't a standard PPC.)

 

SD card (or some memory card) is a must, in my book.

 

Hope that helps.

[mudhuggers]

I want Holographic 3D projection about 6 inches above the Unit that includes Terrain Projection with Waypoints and key features. Also the Unit could show the world and the satellites you are tracking circling the globe.

THAT WOULD BE COOL........also make it around $150-200. hehe

Edited March 22, 2005 by mudhuggers

[+Marcie/Eric]

-SD card slot

 

-GPS

 

-PDA type device, or at least some kind of database attached to the coords. Ac couple customizable text fields (maybe 255 chrs each) for each waypoint/route would be fine. Use one for the hint, one for description/rating, maybe another for the previous log entry, or some compilation of past log info.

 

OPTIONAL cell phone/messenger: I wouldn't use it, but for some extra dough on the top, it should be an option, or add-on card or something.

Edited March 22, 2005 by Marcie/Eric

[+Deermark]

Wouldn't it be great to be able to beam the waypoints from one GPSr to another just like a PDA?

 

Deermark

[+jacques0]

I think it would be handy to be able to toggle the background map on and off. Sometimes there can be too much info that obscures waypoints and tracks.

 

I have seen it mentioned on other threads that people really like the amber backlight on the explorist series (I have the eX200 and the amber light really is nice).

[+Blaidd-Drwg]

On another track of beaming waypoints between a PDA and the GPSr, how about a wireless connection that automatically syncs the display between the two devices. For example, I view the next nearest location (cache) on my GPSr. I desire to read about this location on my PDA which has pages of information stored on it. Currently, I must go through an index and manually locate the location in the PDA or if I'm looking at it in the PDA, I must manually look for it on the GPSr.. Some users might not want the syncing of the two devices to be automatic, so a manual 'push' would be required and should be selectable. I realize that this requirement would not only involve the GPSr, but also the PDA software. Communications between the two devices could be handled by some media like Bluetooth or IR.

[+Marcie/Eric]

EVODESIGN- I want to be a beta tester! I'll pay for shipping!

[+LostInTheFog]

How about some sort of semi-detachable antenna?

 

The Garmin Vista C I use has a patch antenna embedded in the housing, but if it had a detachable antenna on a retractable cable, I could clip the antenna to my clothing and stow the GPSr unit in my pocket or pack.

[+Blaidd-Drwg]

Perhaps it's me, but or perhaps it's just Garmin product (which I really like and use), but when I'm moving slowly it appears that the electronic compasses do not point in the correct direction if the GPSr is held in an upright position. If I am stopped and the cache is to my front, when viewing the compass screen and have my GPSr held vertically, the direction arrow will most often point down or behind me. I experience the same behavior for both the Vista and the 60CS. So the feature I would like is a electronic compass, that no matter the GPSr orientation, points in the correct direction.

[+JohnnyVegas]

Just an idea

 

[Neo_Geo]

DUDE!!! ROFLMFAO!!! Of course it's a Magellan!

Edited March 23, 2005 by Neo_Geo

[+sbell111]

Give me a V with a color screen and gobs of memory.

[Aushiker]

Hi

 

You might want to look at the Test Reports and Owner Reviews at BackpackGearTest.org for insights from one group of users (backpackers). See http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Na...Map%20Gear/GPS/.

 

Regards

Andrew

[+Cardinal Red]

I am surprised you have not heard anything from the Mac Community.

 

If your unit would ever become a wildly popular commercial success (without Mac support), you would certainly hear from them then.

 

Mac (Non)Support Issues

 

Edited to fix Link.

Edited March 24, 2005 by Cardinal Red

[+Dan_Edwards]

On the phyical side of things, I would like to see a unit shapped to fit the hand very nicely. Think like a stopwatch only a little bigger. Each of the buttons for the functions would land where your fingers naturally land so it would allow for natural one handed operation. Also the buttons and unit would be easy to hold/used with gloved hands for Snowshoeing.

[+reepicheep]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned making it open source or at least the capabilities to add your own modules/forms to the unit.

 

How far along would the Palm or PocketPC have gotten if you couldn't add programs to them?

 

That way I could write my own routines to display info on the screen.

Some current units allow customization of displayed content and that is nice, but we need more.

 

Give us libraries, forms, whatever.

 

Kenneth

 

P.s. I'll also echo... more room for descriptions (support GPX on units) and IR sync for other devices, especially GPSr to GPSr.

[+Renegade Knight]

Large Screen Small GPS.

Bluetooth to help on the drive over with the laptop.

Massive RAM for maps and waypoints.

Customizeable interace with memory. So you can have a "Geocaching Interface, a Flying Interface, a Hang Gliding Interfce and so on. Templates for them. They also need to be savable so you can also alternate between them.

Native support of a GPX Import Tool so you can import GC.com, Scouts, and Navicches flavors of GPX. Directly. Then you can dump the PDA for hints and cache page descriptins.

 

You do need to be able to drop it in the rocks or off your truck and have it survive to tell the tale.

 

Phenomenal battery life. So you can use it all week and not need back up batteries. A solar skin to provide power in the daylght would be nice. No batteries needed (unless it's dark).

[+RJFerret]

Head up display and handless operation.

 

Falling short of that, make the buttons usable with winter gloves on.

 

Think of the interface of wearable PC's as a GPS instead.

 

In fact, the headset could incorporate the antenna so it wouldn't be blocked by the body, the display would be constantly viewable when hiking, biking, driving, boating, etc.

 

Controlling operation handsfree while driving, biking or boating is essential.

 

Obvious stuff like waterproof is assumed but amazingly hard to accomplish with GPS's.

 

How about wireless realtime updating and parsing of website-posted coordinates (GPX).

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

[+GSVNoFixedAbode]

After using both Legend and 60CS, I'd say make the unit small within the hand, with buttons on the side as well but large enough to use with gloves on (as stated above), yes to bluetooth or similar wireless link.