American Automakers: What Consumers Want
With all the news recently about the bailout of the American automakers, a lot of consumers are worried that even should the bailout go through, the automakers will continue to produce undesirable cars. With the past few years as reference, such a worry is more than warranted. American automakers have been too focused on fancy gadgets like in-dash GPS units, rear cameras, sound systems, and DVD players, ignoring the fact that none of these items will sell a car alone. Americans want a car that is dependable, has excellent gasoline efficiency, low emissions, and with low environmental impact. Hulking gas guzzlers, hybrid trucks, SUVs, and vans are unappealing to most consumers.
In some respects a capitalist economy should be ’survival of the fittest’, and if American automakers have all failed, perhaps it’s time for them to pass on. But one has to wonder if they have the potential to pull their act together.
Pizza Delivery in the City
While I was attending college, pizza delivery guy was one of my many jobs. Thankfully I’m better off now that I’ve graduated, but while I was delivering pizzas, I never would have survived without my iFinder GPS. The iFinder helped me find all those obscure locations around the city, and navigate to them through the one way streets, five street intersections, and endless alleys. There are some deliveries I know I would have never been able to make without the assistance of my GPS.
Even after I stopped delivering pizzas (thankfully!), I’ve gotten a lot of use out of my GPS. I still use it to navigate the city; even if I know the general location of where I’m going, it’s just so convenient to have something give you step by step instructions. I’ve also found that the GPS helps a lot when it comes to traffic. I know when I have to merge or when a turn is coming up, and when to stay in the lane that is actually moving.
The GPS Revolution
Everyone I know keeps talking about these GPS things. In fact, some people even claim to have them in their cell phones! As someone who travels a lot and is frequently lost I thought it might be wise to finally pick one of these up for myself. I was right! Since I got this I haven’t had to stop and ask directions at shady gas stations or seedy stores. It’s just me and the Pioneer AVIC-Z1 all the way to my destination.
The price really surprised me. I guess I haven’t really looked at these in a couple of years and unit like this would have cost close to a thousand bucks or more when I first checked them out. It’s nice to see technology becoming affordable. When newer stuff is cost prohibitive I tend to hold off.
Nights on the Town
Though you probably wouldn’t think of it in this manner, a GPS unit is a great way to navigate through a date! I had just moved to Seattle for a job and didn’t know a lot of people in the area. I had a profile on one of the internet dating sites, so I looked around for people in the area. In a few weeks, I had a date with someone I had met online, but I had no idea where to take her! I figured I would ask her where she wanted to go when I picked her up, but instead, on the way there I used my Jensen NVX225 to find a restaurant near her place. I found this excellent little Italian place that she loved, and after we ate, I used my GPS to find movie tickets for a late show!
When I took her home she said she had a great time and invited me to go out with her again later that week. Crisis averted thanks to my GPS unit; I never would have imagined!
Navigating the Big City During Rush Hour
You might think that owning a cab company in New York City would be a walk in the park. After all, millions of tourists visit the city each year, and many of them look forward to the experience of riding around town in an authentic taxicab. Unfortunately, the market is rather saturated. I’ve had to go to some lengths just to separate my taxis from the rest.
Most recently, I installed Jensen navigation systems in every taxi. This measure ensured that my drivers – no matter how inexperienced – would take the most expedient route to their destination and save gas in the process. This means more pick-ups per day and more revenue generated in fares. Over time, customers came to recognize my cabs as among the best in town thanks largely to their trust in GPS technology.
Emergency Preparedness for Amateur Pilots
As an amateur pilot, I recognize the tremendous dangers inherent to my hobby. It’s not uncommon for mechanical problems to force pilots to bring their planes in for a crash landing. Luckily, I’ve never had to deal with such a catastrophic problem. I’m always paying careful attention to sounds of the engine and to my various instrument panels. Still, it pays to be careful.
In addition to the standard emergency kit I keep inside the cockpit, I also travel with a handheld GPS. That way, if I should have to land in a densely wooded area or some other place far away from civilization, I can bring up the coordinates and find a way to get help. Technology has improved our lives in many ways, but a GPS mapping device might actually be capable of saving lives in certain instances.
Getting Lost in the Good Old Days
Sometimes when I’m bored on long road trips I’ll take some time to ponder how life would have been different if GPS technology existed during my childhood. My father was the typical all-American dad, the kind of guy who was interested in making good time on the road whenever we hopped in the car for a family vacation. He absolutely did his best to ignore our pleas for a bathroom break, and I honestly think he had an allergy to the prospect of asking directions.
That didn’t prevent him from getting lost at least once every trip, of course, and us kids sat giggling in the back seat as dad let out a few grunts of frustration and wheeled the car around for the fifth time in an effort to find the restaurant or hotel. These days, a Pioneer in dash GPS saves drivers all that hassle. While I appreciate the ability to use these devices, I still look back fondly on the days when men had to rely on their wits and stubbornness.
Don’t Navigate the Urban Landscape without a GPS device
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Whether you live in an urban area, or are a frequent visitor, a GPS device is a great option for navigating city streets and finding stores and restaurants. Though these devices come standard on many new vehicles, installing them in an old vehicle is quite simple. First of all, decide on a GPS device. Delphi as the original GPS brand, and the most renowned, is a safe bet. For city navigation, the Delphi gps is cost efficient and comes with all the contemporary features. Once you have selected the GPS device you want, you will want to purchase a car mount. These can be installed on your dashboard and will hold the GPS in place.
Once you have both the GPS and the mount, turn it on, read the instructions, plug in your destination, and follow the on screen map; piece of cake!
This New Hobby Is Really Cache-ing On
I had spent most of the afternoon walking around an unfamiliar part of town with one of my close friends, scanning the landscape for clues. We had originally come to this neighborhood for a quick bite to eat on the way to a ballgame, but something captured my attention in the meantime. I’ve become increasingly passionate about my new hobby – geocaching. Before long, I found the hidden box and added my name to a list of others on the ledger within.
Geocaching is a pastime that only requires a few essential tools: handheld GPS units, a sense of adventure and maybe some hiking boots. First someone hides a box called the cache in an undisclosed location. Then the coordinates and clues relating to its position are posted online for geocachers to follow. Sometimes the loot is hidden right in plain sight, but it’s always in a place where the average person would never think to look.