[gps-talkusers] pros and cons of Sendero BrailleNote GPS

Kylie,

I will put my comments below your questions.

Kevin

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----- Original Message ----- 

From:
Kylie Forth

To:
gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 8:51 PM

Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Pros and cons of GPS

Thanks for all your comments, and thanks especially to those of you who
offered to answer my questions offline. I'm sending back to the list though
to open
up discussion and see what everyone else has to say.

I get the impression that searching for certain buildings, such as
restaurants, is very popular. However, from a more practical point of view,
how does
using GPS improve your mobility?

It doesn't improve your mobility, but what it will improve however is your
orientation to the different streets, buildings, and other information that
can
be obtained by the mapping data.

If you already know the route, is there any point using GPS? And how easy is
it to navigate a new route?

It takes practice getting use to the way the information is presented, but
once you become familiar with the layout of the system, it is very easy
walking
through a new route. It is always nice for assurance to know that you are
heading in the right direction, that you are near what you think you should
be,
and that you are on the proper street.

Is it still necessary to get a sighted person to walk the route with you, or
can you do it entirely independently?

You are able to walk a new route entirely on your own, this is the
empowering portion of the GPS

How easy is the unit to use when your hands are full?

It is possible to set automatic announcements for whatever you desire

I gather that there is a speaker through which you can hear information, but
is this preset? If for example, you know the route and only want a portion
of it spoken, can you temporarily turn the speech off?

There is a speaker on the unit itself, but it is harder to hear while
walking, most people will use an external speaker or an earpiece. It is
possible to
turn the speech off or limit what the unit is telling you

Is it possible to read the information of the braille display?

It is possible to read all of this information but not walking in motion

And finally, by setting POIs, you can obviously give yourself directions at
each point. These are obviously in a more friendly format that latitude and
longitude?

Oh yes, all of the information is given in terms of distance and direction.
For example,

Starbuck's 1 mile ahead and right, SouthEast

I'll probably have more questions later!

Cheers

Kylie

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

From:
gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Rick Fox
Sent: Thursday, 10 May 2007 11:38 PM
To:
gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:
frank@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Pros and cons of GPS

Hi Kylie, I've been using the Sendero GPS since Version 1, and I've been
hooked from day1. I vacation regularly on the beach. Before the Sendero GPS,
I
had a hard time finding my starting point when I took a walk on the beach or
boardwalk. Now, I mark my starting point as a point of interest, whether
it's
a sand doon, a chair, some steps, etc. After I've walked a couple of miles,
I simply turn around and set this point of interest as a destination. The
GPS
software will then tell me the direction and distance to my destination
either automatically at given time intervals, or when I ask. I have been
doing
this since version 1, and I still find it a great feature, on the beach, in
the woods, on the water, etc. Now there are automated street maps and you
can
create automatic routes, either for the vehicle or a pedestrian. Since I use
the GPS every day, it would take too long to specify all the practical
applications
I use. To name just a few: I don't have to depend on the bus driver to tell
me when I've reached my stop. I can explore my neighborhood or any
neighborhood
virtually, street by street, before I've taken a step outside. There are
millions of preloaded points of interest organized by categories. If I want
to
know the restaurants within 5 miles of my home or a hotel, I can search for
them, look up their addresses and phone numbers, and create a route from
where
I am to that restaurant, church, post office etc. In short, my way finding
literacy has been greatly expanded, which expands my traveling confidence. I
still have to use my good judgment, common sense, and mobility skills, but I
have a lot more information in my arsenal. You're welcomed to contact me off
line with any questions. Good luck

<gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> wrote:

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Hi everyone

I'm interested in buying a GPS unit for my PK, and wondered if you could
give me the advantages and disadvantages of the unit to assist my decision.
I'm
mainly interested in what you find it most useful for, how much you use it
and in what context. Anything at all, really.

Thanks

Kylie

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-- Rick Fox VP, Field Operations De Witt & Associates 700 Godwin Avenue,
Suite 110 Midland Park, NJ 07432 Voice: 1-877-447-6500 Ext. 213 Fax:
201-447-1187
Email:
rick@xxxxxxxxxxx
www.4dewitt.com

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