AA Zone
Gadgets
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Archie
Posts: 2
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Subject: Gadgets
Posted At: 27/08/2008 09:13:07
It was news to me to hear that I shouldn't put gadgets on the windscreen because it is breaking the law. As an M25 commuter, I must see more cars with Sat Nvs and Safety Warning devices stuck to windscreens than without, but apparently they are all illegal if they are within the "wiper zone". Does anyone have a neat solution for this?
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tuft
Posts: 2
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Subject: Re: Gadgets
Posted At: 28/08/2008 10:22:36
I used to have a holder that attached to the ventilation grills in the middle of the car. I can't remember where it came from but I have picked up a few from various places (for different cars) over the years.
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Yaffle
Posts: 24
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Subject: Re: Gadgets
Posted At: 28/08/2008 15:04:07
It's surely more important that you can see where you're going than know where you're going so it shouldn't really come as a surprise that you have to keep the area of the windscreen swept by the wipers clear of stickers and other obstructions including sat navs.
You could always try cutting the end(s) off the windscreen wipers to create a broader unswept area though this is probably defeating the object. In practice in most cases it should be possible to locate a sat nav outside of the swept area whilst still keeping it fairly close to your line of sight. |
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cromag3839
Posts: 12
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Subject: Re: Gadgets
Posted At: 14/09/2008 19:49:58
Well Yaffle, I think the basic point here is that the more the brain has to cope with, the less it can cope with.
As the power of the microprocessor has grown, so the functionality of gadgets has grown, so their affordability has grown, and so the numbers of gadgets has grown. Only one thing has remained constant: the size of our brains. It's no surprise that almost any electronic item you could buy on the high street will have only 5% of its functions acuially ever used. Tell me, how many of the buttons on your TV controller have you ever pressed? So I'm campaigning for effective, cunning, but above all simple gadgets that do only 1 or two things and have only 1 or 2 buttons. |
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Yaffle
Posts: 24
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Subject: Re: Gadgets
Posted At: 15/09/2008 21:10:53
yeh. But different users may use a different set of functions. The important thing is a well designed user interface - you can still have only a couple of buttons but well designed software will enable you to tailor the interface, enabling some functions and disabling others.
For A near perfect user experience try iPod touch or iphone. Hugely complex, multifunctional but entirely intuitive. And no two will be the same as users impose their own preferences and personality. |
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Supervan
Posts: 19
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Subject: Re: Gadgets
Posted At: 16/09/2008 15:06:46
The iPod is a good example.
I'd like to see all cars fitted with a Top Gun-style HUD (head-up display) so you don't have to look down...and voice control would do away with any buttons. Technology has a lot to offer on the safety side too. |
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unicycle
Posts: 2
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Subject: Re: Gadgets
Posted At: 20/09/2008 06:45:08
I'd buy a HUD - if the price wasn't too big!
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Lightning McQueen
Posts: 7
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Subject: Re: Gadgets
Posted At: 14/10/2008 23:57:48
Voice control is where it's all going to go. The newer Blackberrys are a great example for this, press the green button on the Parrot bluetooth controls, say call so and so, and it dials the number striaght from your address book!
Sometimes it gets it a bit wrong, but this is a good way of making sure you stay in touch with some of your less talked to mates! |
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the1laird
Posts: 14
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Subject: Re: Gadgets
Posted At: 11/03/2010 21:49:49
What happened to using maps with a good memory. I cannot understand why somebody that is commuting the same journey every day, would have a SatNav. Surely after a couple of days or so, they'd know where they are going.
It is correct to say, it is against the law to have any obstruction within the wiper zone(check with an MOT testers manual). This also includes danglies from RV mirrors and tax discs. If someone runs into you, get a photo of their windscreen and argue that they were distracted by the gadgets etc. |
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