Postponed Purchases

the economy will take off once people really buy the things they are now postponing? Besides the obvious thing of eventually needing a new car, etc, here is my list of purchases I do not doubt I will someday make:

*modern wide-screen high def TV
*GPS for the car
*DVR for the TV
*buit-in satellite radio, home and car [now use portable devices for this]

plus some I can't think of, no doubt. Please vote. Will anyone add to the list?

Skip the GPS for the car. If you get a smartphone, the GPS on your phone will be far superior, with up to the minute maps and traffic/detour data.

I'm always looking at the latest cameras. I know I don't need it, I can't help it.

We're probably getting a new flatscreen, because the old one is starting to fritz. I'll spend the extra and get a couple more " and go LED.

Bought a flat screen HD tv last year. Have a DVR and a new Xbox 360 (halo brandded for all you other geeks). I have pretty much everything I need. I am a happy man.

What car these days does not COME with GPS, and how in the world is a phone's any better than the latest info loaded onto one of them?
How can anybody go into football season without a new big flatscreen?

I guess I'm out of touch.

If I could think of any consumer item in the world that I value more than the cash it costs, I would have already bought it

I will be buying a new pair of $15 shoes next week

Half a tank of gas tonight

And trips to the buffets as hunger dictates

Christmas and my birthday should take care of socks and underwear. Thanks mom

The economy would be a lot better if people bought a lot fewer things

Quote: TomG

If I could think of any consumer item in the world that I value more than the cash it costs, I would have already bought it

I will be buying a new pair of $15 shoes next week

Half a tank of gas tonight

And trips to the buffets as hunger dictates

Christmas and my birthday should take care of socks and underwear. Thanks mom

The economy would be a lot better if people bought a lot fewer things

and I have been accused of being a "minimalist". I feel better now [g].

I was starting to develop a theory that gamblers generally have no desire for delayed gratification. Me myself, I'm mostly a gamer, so purchasing/delaying has a lot to do with "playing the game". I have the money.

Quote: JerryLogan

What car these days does not COME with GPS, and how in the world is a phone's any better than the latest info loaded onto one of them?
How can anybody go into football season without a new big flatscreen?

I guess I'm out of touch.

Actually, many cars don't come with built in nav. And it is very expensive on the ones that have it, usually costing about $1000 and requiring a premium option package (or the purchase of a premium automobile). The GPSs that come already in a car are actually not as good as the stand-alones, and the stand-alones are not as good as the phones. Map data changes a lot faster than you might think. GPSs not only provide route information but also business information. You have to update your maps, not just the roads but the locations as well. Hard wired GPSs take updates via discs, and stand-alones get connected to your computer via USB cable; in each case, there is a charge for the update (Garmin charges $50).

Your phone has every bit the computing power of the GPS. In addition to that, it receives free real time data on traffic and detours, and up-to-date information on routes, businesses and restaurants. It also has the advantage of all the apps being interconnected; they share data and function. For example, you can pull up a phone number in your address book, touch it on the screen and choose "navigate to". You can do the same for a movie theater in the Flixter app, or a restaurant or hotel that you pulled up in Google. You can "track": that is, you can start the GPS, then set it to track your route, and save it; for example, a scenic motorcycle drive through fall foliage in northeast Pennsylvania.

In terms of getting the highest score from buying stuff, delaying the purchase actually minimizes gratification. If buying a new TV or GPS is truly what will make you happy, waiting only means you are losing out on that now

For myself, I just don't get much out of it. A lot less than I get from being able to stay out of the workforce

Quote: Mosca

Your phone has every bit the computing power of the GPS. In addition to that, it receives free real time data on traffic and detours, and up-to-date information on routes, businesses and restaurants. It also has the advantage of all the apps being interconnected; they share data and function. For example, you can pull up a phone number in your address book, touch it on the screen and choose "navigate to". You can do the same for a movie theater in the Flixter app, or a restaurant or hotel that you pulled up in Google. You can "track": that is, you can start the GPS, then set it to track your route, and save it; for example, a scenic motorcycle drive through fall foliage in northeast Pennsylvania.

I'd just point out that while many people do have smart phones, I'm not sure if one can assume everyone does. If someone is waiting for the economy to pick up before they go buy a $100 garmin, then I'm not assuming they are shelling out an additional $30/month for a data plan.


FWIW - I had a gps before I got an iphone. I have a gps app on my iphone. I still use my gps because it has a bigger screen and just plain works better.

Quote: Mosca

Actually, many cars don't come with built in nav. And it is very expensive on the ones that have it, usually costing about $1000 and requiring a premium option package (or the purchase of a premium automobile). The GPSs that come already in a car are actually not as good as the stand-alones, and the stand-alones are not as good as the phones. Map data changes a lot faster than you might think. GPSs not only provide route information but also business information. You have to update your maps, not just the roads but the locations as well. Hard wired GPSs take updates via discs, and stand-alones get connected to your computer via USB cable; in each case, there is a charge for the update (Garmin charges $50).

Your phone has every bit the computing power of the GPS. In addition to that, it receives free real time data on traffic and detours, and up-to-date information on routes, businesses and restaurants. It also has the advantage of all the apps being interconnected; they share data and function. For example, you can pull up a phone number in your address book, touch it on the screen and choose "navigate to". You can do the same for a movie theater in the Flixter app, or a restaurant or hotel that you pulled up in Google. You can "track": that is, you can start the GPS, then set it to track your route, and save it; for example, a scenic motorcycle drive through fall foliage in northeast Pennsylvania.

Huh? The GPS that came with my Audi and the one in my wife's minivan both have the latest up-to-date data including traffic, weather, restaurants, homeless shelters and movie theaters, and I can update them for free at any time in the future. Those silly little things people put on their dashes because they can't afford the real thing are trashy to me and are just as ugly as radar detectors (although not as useless as detectors). And using phone GPS? What do you do, glue the thing to the dash then start cursing if you get a phone call? Plus I want to be able to SEE the directions. there is no phone anywhere near as big as the built-ins I've used and seen.

for a funny story that shows my age, I once bought a color TV [just calling it that shows my age] that was an incredible bargain: the reason being, it was produced at the interval when only a few things used a remote and when, in the next production cycle, absolutely everything electronic had a remote, including some washing machines I suppose. So they were stuck with a TV no one was buying.

Anyway I couldnt resist the price, telling myself I could give up a remote, we don't watch as much TV as most people, blah blah blah. And you know what, it really was fine, in all ways except one: I had become addicted to the volume control buttons on other TVs, especially the mute button. I hooked it up to the VCR/stereo so we could control the volume by remote. It chagrined me a bit to admit I had become too modern I guess. Nowadays certainly it would bug me not to be able to channel surf.

DVR users seem to feel this way about that product, so, maybe Santa can fix us up pretty soon. The rest still awaits.

edited

Quote: JerryLogan

Quote: Mosca

Actually, many cars don't come with built in nav. And it is very expensive on the ones that have it, usually costing about $1000 and requiring a premium option package (or the purchase of a premium automobile). The GPSs that come already in a car are actually not as good as the stand-alones, and the stand-alones are not as good as the phones. Map data changes a lot faster than you might think. GPSs not only provide route information but also business information. You have to update your maps, not just the roads but the locations as well. Hard wired GPSs take updates via discs, and stand-alones get connected to your computer via USB cable; in each case, there is a charge for the update (Garmin charges $50).

Your phone has every bit the computing power of the GPS. In addition to that, it receives free real time data on traffic and detours, and up-to-date information on routes, businesses and restaurants. It also has the advantage of all the apps being interconnected; they share data and function. For example, you can pull up a phone number in your address book, touch it on the screen and choose "navigate to". You can do the same for a movie theater in the Flixter app, or a restaurant or hotel that you pulled up in Google. You can "track": that is, you can start the GPS, then set it to track your route, and save it; for example, a scenic motorcycle drive through fall foliage in northeast Pennsylvania.

Huh? The GPS that came with my Audi and the one in my wife's minivan both have the latest up-to-date data including traffic, weather, restaurants, homeless shelters and movie theaters, and I can update them for free at any time in the future. Those silly little things people put on their dashes because they can't afford the real thing are trashy to me and are just as ugly as radar detectors (although not as useless as detectors). And using phone GPS? What do you do, glue the thing to the dash then start cursing if you get a phone call? Plus I want to be able to SEE the directions. there is no phone anywhere near as big as the built-ins I've used and seen.

If you like it, that's fine. It's all about choices, and you're happy with yours. You won't find me trying to make you change. I was just answering your question, explaining why the GPSs in the phones are better units both as GPSs (up to the minute data, chipsets, and programming) and as interfunctional devices. I agree, one big advantage of the built in units is the large central screen, and if that is your primary desire, that and the clean look, then that is what is best for you, other features notwithstanding. Believe me, I've been tempted, I've been tempted. I'm a gadget guy all the way.

Actually, a cool feature would be to have a screen that acts just as a monitor; you could plug your phone into the dash via a USB tether, and it would display the output from your phone. You don't have to pay the premium for the built in nav, but you get the best features of both designs!

I don't even put my phone on the dash; I just lay it in the console. When a turn is imminent, it announces it through the radio, via the bluetooth connection. I find that if I actually need to look at the map I can just pick up the phone and glance at it. If I get a call during navigation, the call comes through normally, and when it's over the phone goes back to nav.

More things that the phone can do: it holds a 16G memory chip. So I can transfer about 320 cds worth of music to it, and play it through the radio... or I can stream Rhapsody through it, 10,000,000 songs... or I can listen to my favorite local radio, streamed through their website. Or I can choose Slacker, or LastFM, Pandora, or any of the other programmable internet radio sites, and stream those. I can listen to local high school football while traveling cross country. I can set up itineraries automatically using Tripit. Are you on the road and need laptop internet access, or in a hotel that charges for internet access? Hook your phone to your laptop and use it as a cellular modem, via the PDANet app. Forgot the laptop, or don't want to bring it? No prob, the phone has internet access. I've accessed WoV on it, many times.

Believe me, JL; I know where you are coming from. If you don't need it, none of that matters. Your life is fine without that. And so was mine, before I got any of it. And that doesn't change. But once you get any of that stuff, you wonder why you didn't get it sooner. And the first time your dedicated GPS takes you the wrong way, or can't find something, and you fire up the phone GPS and it's right there... then you'll understand what I'm saying. The future of all those independent devices is in that one little pocket computer that also happens to make phone calls.


soulhunt79, I'm sorry I wasn't clear. What I meant wasn't to use your smartphone instead of buy a GPS, but rather if you don't have one, get a smartphone, and you'll also have a GPS, as an answer to the original question of postponed purchases.

I've never been a gadget guy, I just go with the flow. If it comes in the car fine, if not I live without. Our in-dash units do a lot more than GPS, as I'm sure most or all of them do? I've got a 40 gig hard drive that we have pictures, movies & and music on along with a bunch of other things. It also plays DVD's when we're stopped.

I'm not much for iPhones or smartphones either. My phone has a qwerty keyboard that flips out for easy texting, and it's a phone. Yes it's 4 years old. I'm either too stupid or too lazy to get anything more.

I use my phone for GPS. I would love to have the big screen GPS on my car dash, but then I sometimes use my phone GPS when walking around a city I am not familiar with. What -- do you think I should rip a big screen out of the dash to walk around with?

One of my concerns about most/many phone GPS systems is that as you navigate, they continuously download the maps for your route via the phone network. What happens if you drive off network? It seems to me that when you are driving in the boonies where the network disappears, that is when you really want your GPS unit to be working. For my phone, I have the maps for the US and Canada stored on the memory card. Unfortunately, they are not updating the map files any longer for my old GPS software (Tom Tom), so I occasionally wind up on a new highway with my navigation system thinking I am driving through the forest.

Soulhunt's comment above about people not wanting to pay for a $30 data plan leads me to want to gloat. I think my wife and I probably have about the best bang-for-the-buck, full-feature phone plan of most anyone around. Two lines, 1500 "anytime" minutes/month shared, 300 text messages (as if we were teenagers and actually used that feature a bunch), free nights & weekends, free mobile-mobile, nationwide long distance and nationwide roaming included, unlimited data included on both lines. Total charge: $60/month plus taxes. Actually, the plan/price is too good, and my carrier (Sprint) knows it. I can keep the plan as long as I want it, but they won't let me upgrade to the newest phone technologies (4G network) without "upgrading" my plan. They are offering me an alternate plan that includes no additional features but which costs $130/month or $150/month if I activate 4G-capable phones. What a deal -- for now, I'm sticking with my old plan and my Palm Treo 755p.

Quote: JerryLogan

I've never been a gadget guy, I just go with the flow. If it comes in the car fine, if not I live without. Our in-dash units do a lot more than GPS, as I'm sure most or all of them do? I've got a 40 gig hard drive that we have pictures, movies & and music on along with a bunch of other things. It also plays DVD's when we're stopped.

I'm not much for iPhones or smartphones either. My phone has a qwerty keyboard that flips out for easy texting, and it's a phone. Yes it's 4 years old. I'm either too stupid or too lazy to get anything more.

Naw, man. You're just going with the flow, like you said.

For years and years, the two major considerations for me in a phone were weight and battery life; it had to not weigh my pocket down (I don't do belt clips) and stay charged. Then when my daughter went away to college I needed something for texting, and the phone I picked had all the other stuff. And it all just made sense to me, to have everything in one. Actually, the feature that sold me was that I don't have to type my texts; I can hit the little microphone and speak, and it converts speech to text.

I suppose the closest analogy I can make, for the difference between the units, is the difference between a handheld cell phone and a built in car phone. Imagine everything that your in-dash unit can do, and more.... and you can slip it in your pocket. Sure, the car phones had more power and range, and a large handset that was easy to use. But the smaller portable devices had so many more advantages that the built in phones were gone in a year or so. (That's why I think that if the GPS screen in your car could function solely as a 7" monitor, you would have the best of both; the power of the handheld, and the clean look and large screen of the built in. The large screen is a huge advantage, and useful for a lot more than just the nav feature of the phone.)

Quote: Doc

One of my concerns about most/many phone GPS systems is that as you navigate, they continuously download the maps for your route via the phone network. What happens if you drive off network? It seems to me that when you are driving in the boonies where the network disappears, that is when you really want your GPS unit to be working. For my phone, I have the maps for the US and Canada stored on the memory card.

On the Android phones, all the maps are stored locally, in the Google Maps app. I can't say for the Palm and Blackberry devices.

Quote: Mosca

On the Android phones, all the maps are stored locally, in the Google Maps app. I can't say for the Palm and Blackberry devices.

Maybe I didn't look into that adequately when I considered an Android device (HTC Evo). Does the Google Maps app include the full atlas? If not, and if you decide to start navigating while you are off the network, do you have to find the network before you can get the maps and plan a route?

Quote: Doc

Maybe I didn't look into that adequately when I considered an Android device (HTC Evo). Does the Google Maps app include the full atlas? If not, and if you decide to start navigating while you are off the network, do you have to find the network before you can get the maps and plan a route?

If you start navigation off-network, it works like Google Maps; it gives you a route. As far as the full atlas, let me look a moment... do you mean, both political and geographic, like topographic? Yes, it has terrain, and maps for walking, bicycling, and flying (you can request a walking or bicycling route, and you can set it to airplane mode). It has maps for the entire world; it is Google Maps, Google Earth. Right now I'm looking at Breuges, West Flanders, Belgium. If I touch "Jeugdherberg Europa", at Baron Ruzettelaan 143, 8310 Brugge, it gives it 3 stars and calls it "a cheap and cheerful" hotel. If I touch the little phone next to the entry, it will dial the hotel for me. And it will plot a Google Maps route to other destinations in Europe. But you can only navigate inside the US and Canada, as far as I can tell. I tried to navigate to Buenos Aires, and it wouldn't let me. But I didn't try to figure out how to make it work, either. There might be a way, if I poked around.

Mosca,

Thanks for the info. I want to be sure I understand correctly...all of the map info you describe for the entire world is stored on you phone? You don't have to access the internet to get the map before planning a route? That is quite impressive!

The maps I have are just the roads (no terrain and such) for U.S. and Canada, and the files total multiple Gigabytes. How much memory does that Google app and its data take up? I am familiar with the info available from the Google Maps web site with a computer, but I have difficulty comprehending that all of the maps and data for the entire world are stored on a phone memory card.

You know what Doc; I'd have to find a spot without cellular coverage to check and see about the whole world. On Verizon, it is actually hard to find a spot like that, but they're out there. If you are a hiker, don't take my word for it. Just a minute...

OK, I googled it. You can store the maps on your SD card, and use the free app OruxMaps to use them without cellular service. The phone comes with a 16G card, but you can replace it with up to 64G.

Quote: Mosca

OK, I googled it. You can store the maps on your SD card, and use the free app OruxMaps to use them without cellular service. The phone comes with a 16G card, but you can replace it with up to 64G.

This is the case with most GPS map software for phones. I've never tried googles simply because I have an iphone and it isn't on there. All others I have tried(5 on various friends phones) have all worked as a map when you had no cell service. I still think the screen size is awful for this, but it works as long as you aren't struggling to view the map while driving.

A poster above mentioned they just set it down and let the voice guide them. My only issue with this is I like knowing how far my next turn is. 2 miles, 10 miles, 100 miles or 500ft. Most of them give warnings a mile or so out. Which is fine, I'm just used to being able to look over at my garmin and see I've got 13 miles to go.

Quote: Mosca

OK, I googled it. You can store the maps on your SD card, and use the free app OruxMaps to use them without cellular service. The phone comes with a 16G card, but you can replace it with up to 64G.

Yes, the CDMA networks are pretty extensive in the USA, but they do have dead spots. If I wind up off the Sprint network, I can roam on the Verizon network for free, but I don't necessarily have all of my services, such as automatic voicemail notifications. It is not exactly "rare" that I can't find any network at all.

As for off-network navigation with your Android system, here's my interpretation: If you know that you are going to need a map while you are off-network, you can download it while you are still on the network and store it on your SD card. Perhaps you can direct the GoogleMaps routing software to use the stored map rather than freak out about not finding a network connection. If I am reading the OruxMaps web site correctly, in order to use OruxMaps while you are off-network, apparently you have to "calibrate" each map in order to use it.

Did I get that right? I am still skeptical that you are likely to get all of the maps downloaded and carry them around on your phone, even if you had the storage capacity. If you are off-network and need directions and didn't happen to have downloaded that particular map before hands, I suspect you are just SOL. Or is there some factor I am overlooking?

I don't think you have to calibrate the map, I think you just have to convert it to Orux format. It didn't look hard, it looked like a "click on the map to convert" deal. My interpretation is that there will never be a time that a user would actually need all the maps, or at least, that assumption would cover enough of the prospective users enough of the time so that it would be accurate. Most people won't need Jakarta, Berlin, Nairobi, and Green Bay all at the same time. Maybe one guy would, in all of history. But if you did need all the maps, what's a 64G SD card cost? I would think that the world would fit on that. Brittanica fit onto a couple 700mb CD-ROMs, after all. The US street data fits onto a CD-ROM. So does Europe. I would imagine that is more than half the street data on the planet. If all the world didn't fit onto one 64G card, it would fit onto some finite and affordable number under 10.

In the end, I think that if you had an Android phone and needed that capability, it wouldn't be hard to figure out how to get it. I linked the first thing that came up on Google, but there were thousands more. At least a dozen would be relevant, I'd think. And if it's not there now, it will be soon. It's not a phone, it's a pocket computer that makes phone calls. If you need maps on it, you can put them there.

edit: I thought more about what you're asking, and I think I understand better. We're looking at it from different perspectives. I'm thinking that I'm always going to know where I'm going, so I can get my general data ahead of time and access the details later. You're thinking, what if you're lost and need to use the phone, and have no coverage? My answer is that I don't think I'd ever be that lost. But who knows? I do keep a Rand McNally Atlas in the car at all times anyhow.

Some googling shows that hunters and fishermen download maps and convert them to Orux, sticking to places they know they'll be.

All in all, I believe that we're at the dawn of the functionality of these devices; as they mature, the uses and capabilities will change and expand. If maps on the device becomes an important feature, they will get them; or, the network will expand to ensure that that capability is unnecessary.

Quote: Mosca

All in all, I believe that we're at the dawn of the functionality of these devices.

I bought a hand-held GPS before they came out for cars; it was for outdoorsmen, boaters, and such. Cost me about $200 about a dozen or more years ago . It took forever to locate where you were, maybe 15 minutes or so. Once it did, it had built in inaccuracy they talked about [at that time there was apparently some idea that it was best that they not be too accurate]. Nonetheless, while in the outdoors, I found I became much more bold about where I might go, no longer limited to dead reckoning in strange areas taking compass readings all the time. Back then I had to find an open area, wouldn't work in the trees, now the one I have has high sensitivity and works in "canopy" as they say. But neither the old one or the new one is much useful for driving.

I was surprised when they came out with them for cars, as I didnt realize the sensitivity of affordable receivers would improve so much. I'm also surprised the costs can be reasonable and that people seem to even like the inexpensive ones for autos.

edited

Quote: odiousgambit

Once it did, it had built in inaccuracy they talked about [at that time there was apparently some idea that it was best that they not be too accurate].

As I recall, it was a Defense Department thing. The GPS satellites do belong to the Pentagon. I think the satellites sent two signals. One encrypted for military use and a very precise location, one unencrypted for civilian use and limited accuracy. For some reason thsi was dropped. had it been dropped earlier, you'd ahve seen GPS used in cars earlier.

Quote: Nareed

Quote: odiousgambit

Once it did, it had built in inaccuracy they talked about [at that time there was apparently some idea that it was best that they not be too accurate].

As I recall, it was a Defense Department thing. The GPS satellites do belong to the Pentagon. I think the satellites sent two signals. One encrypted for military use and a very precise location, one unencrypted for civilian use and limited accuracy. For some reason thsi was dropped. had it been dropped earlier, you'd ahve seen GPS used in cars earlier.

I suspect the thinking was, "Why should we let potential enemies guide their weapons right to the target using our satellites?" There is probably a mechanism in place that the high-accuracy feature could be disabled for non-approved devices, should the need actually arise. Until then, we all use the good signals.

>modern wide-screen high def TV
Most of today's shows are simply awful so "wide screen" and "high def" are meaningless slogans. Turn it off, read a book! Beverly Hillbillies in high def? Newscast about latest escapade of some club hopping starlet getting bust in High Def? Its utter garbage in Low Def, it ain't gonna get no better in High Def.
>GPS for the car
You going to be one of those statistics we read about? He drove off a cliff because that tiny woman who lives in his GPS told him to turn left. You want to know the exact latitude and longitude of the traffic jam you are stuck in?
>DVR for the TV
Do DVRs make the shows better or just the commercials less annoying?
>buit-in satellite radio, home and car
Do you actually listen to it ever?

I spent $2400 today, but it was needed - got the house painted. Will be spending another $4500 on new windows in a week. I'm in that place now where a lot of my needs/desires are related to improving the house. But the wife will need a new car in a year or two also. Probably not going to buy a lot of new 'toys' for the foreseeable future. (Unless the wife ever gets a new job.)

Quote: FleaStiff

>modern wide-screen high def TV
Most of today's shows are simply awful so "wide screen" and "high def" are meaningless slogans. Turn it off, read a book! Beverly Hillbillies in high def? Newscast about latest escapade of some club hopping starlet getting bust in High Def? Its utter garbage in Low Def, it ain't gonna get no better in High Def.
>GPS for the car
You going to be one of those statistics we read about? He drove off a cliff because that tiny woman who lives in his GPS told him to turn left. You want to know the exact latitude and longitude of the traffic jam you are stuck in?
>DVR for the TV
Do DVRs make the shows better or just the commercials less annoying?
>buit-in satellite radio, home and car
Do you actually listen to it ever?

I share some of these concerns, especially that TV will still be bad no matter what. As far as satellite radio, absolutely! no commercials!

Quote: odiousgambit

I bought a hand-held GPS before they came out for cars; it was for outdoorsmen, boaters, and such. Cost me about $200 about a dozen or more years ago . It took forever to locate where you were, maybe 15 minutes or so. Once it did, it had built in inaccuracy they talked about [at that time there was apparently some idea that it was best that they not be too accurate]. Nonetheless, while in the outdoors, I found I became much more bold about where I might go, no longer limited to dead reckoning in strange areas taking compass readings all the time. Back then I had to find an open area, wouldn't work in the trees, now the one I have has high sensitivity and works in "canopy" as they say. But neither the old one or the new one is much useful for driving.

I was surprised when they came out with them for cars, as I didnt realize the sensitivity of affordable receivers would improve so much. I'm also surprised the costs can be reasonable and that people seem to even like the inexpensive ones for autos.

edited

Yeah, I have one of those; a Garmin eMap. It was obsolete in about 3 months after I got it.

Quote: odiousgambit

I share some of these concerns, especially that TV will still be bad no matter what. As far as satellite radio, absolutely! no commercials!

Unless your listening to some channels (Stern, NFL news) when you get commercials either read out by the host or in the channel itself. The answer is of course not to listen to Stern and his cronies... but even some of the Sirius channels cross promote themselves far too much. Stern is the worst for it, and anything advertised on Howard100 is probably not worth buying. Mind you, what I was doing listening to Stern and Bubba and rests over paid BS, I don't know. Idiocy?

I've ditched my Sirius anyways, crappy reception half the time out here and they lopped of half the Game Day channels I used to listen to, so the chances of getting Detroit Radio for Lions and Wings game was minimal.

Still, I can see someone putting in the miles getting lots of value out of Sirius.

My list is small. I already have the hi-def TV and DVR, and my computers are pretty much up to date.

- I-Phone. This gadget is so cool and does so much as a non-business smart phone.
- Playstation 3 with the new motion sensors -- a Wii killer.
- Blue Ray technology -- still not with the times there

And - 5 years down the road - 3D television.

As for GPS, I really think it's a huge distraction (for me) and frankly is dangerous to some drivers so I'm old school on this - print a map, follow the map. GPS takes away the meaning of geography. I always like to know where I am and why I'm there and how I got there. Because of this, I think I have an excellent sense of direction and hardly ever get lost. I don't get people who have no idea where they are without their little GPS gadget. It's a great piece of technology mind you, and I plan to stick one on my daughter's vehicle (when she gets one) so I know where she is and how fast she's going, etc, but it isn't for me.

The last time I got lost, it was in the mountains of California on the way down from Seattle to the Napa valley. I took a wrong turn on I-5 and instead of going back to the freeway as my wife insisted, I just turned left on some road and started heading south until I found myself on the road going to Napa, and it was quite an adventure to boot.

It's true that GPS units can be and are a bad distraction to many drivers. That's why I've trained myself to only listen to the voice instructions, which are quite clear, very precise, and plenty loud.