Done and to do

[gurdymonkey]

Desk at work has been dutifully cleared.

First load of laundry is in the dryer, second is in the washer.

Front seat of the truck has been emptied of random crap so James will have someplace to sit.

Blackberry from work has been experimented with and deemed more trouble than it's worth as a GPS. 1. I have nothing to mount it in and don't want to have to squint at it if it's in the cup holder or lying on the seat. 2. The screen goes dark after only a few seconds as it was designed to do, requiring one to tap the space bar to see where one is - which means it's not a hand's free device and therefore a distraction while driving.
(Honestly, I think it's more trouble than it's worth as a phone! The trackball on this model sucks, and I press more wrong buttons than right ones on the damn thing just trying to dial numbers, never mind attempting to text or email with it. The only reason they issued me the thing is because I have to set them up occasionally for new users. I'd rather have my old crappy Nextel i530.)

GPS would be nice to have. I don't know my way around LA other than the major freeways I use to get through it to go to Estrella. As soon as I swap the next laundry load, I'm going to run down to South Shore. If they have something at Radio Shack that will do what I'd like it to for a modest price, I may spring for it. Otherwise, I'll pick up a proper map at Borders. 

EDIT: Impulse buying electronics is generally a dumb idea. I got there, looked at the range of stuff they had on the wall, including a brand I've never heard of, then realized you have to buy a mount and a case and all sorts of crap to go with it, and I turned around and went to the bookstore. Rand McNally puts out laminated city maps, so I got one for greater LA, a Signet Classic edition of Portrait of the Artist As A Young Man, and a donation copy of Kipling's The Jungle Book for the local library drive, it being the only juvenile title in the stack by the register that I recognized. Besides, once I pick up James, I'll have a navigator.

Ooh, time to switch laundry!

Comments

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

That's a shame on the BlackBerry. I like mine for GPS, but then it is a Storm2 with a big screen and VZNavigator keeps the screen from blanking.

My brand recognition for a stand alone unit is one by TomTom since they have a feature where you can plug it into your computer and get free updates. Most brands require updates to be purchased.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

I've got a Curve 8330. I admit I've only ever used it as a cell phone. It made the connection with the satellite just fine and it knows the difference between the parking lot at work and the street in front of my house, but I haven't figured out if there's a way to keep the screen from going black.

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

I've used the Verizon Navigator and Google Maps and neither one turned off the screen. I've found that a silicone case keeps the phone from sliding around. There is a ledge in front of the instrument cluster and I set the phone there next to the speedometer.

[emma7926.livejournal.com]

Besides, the TomTom can have Darth Vader or Yoda giving you directions. :)