EightWheels ... on the Road » Technology

iPad for Drivers

EightWheels — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:47:10 +0000

I’m in love. About three weeks ago I received my long-awaited Apple iPad — the tablet computer you’ve heard so much about (unless you’ve been hiding under a rock). And it has already changed my life. It is an amazing tool, truly a “magical” experience, as Apple CEO Steve Jobs puts it.

Those who know me know I’m a gadget lover. So it’s no surprise that I was one of the first on the block with an iPad. Actually, my 90-year-old dad beat me to the iPad experience — he bought one a couple weeks after they were introduced to use as a book reader. I helped him set it up, and knew I had to have one, too.

So what’s so great about it? What does it do that my laptop or any other computer doesn’t do? Nothing. That’s the short answer. But the real answer is not WHAT it does, but HOW it does it. That’s what makes the iPad revolutionary and a life changing experience. I warn you — you touch one and play with it for 15 minutes — and you’ll have to have one.

The iPad has made my job more fun than anything, ever. Here are a few of the ways I use it on a daily basis.

Maps

The most valuable app for a driver comes built into the iPad — Maps. It’s based on Google Maps, which I’ve used for several years already on my laptop to plan my trip routes. Having a portable version that’s so readily available, literally at your fingertips, anytime, anywhere, is amazing. The iPad’s built-in GPS chip automatically locates you on the map, so within literally an instant of turning it on, you’re looking at a detailed map of exactly where you are right now. Switch to satellite view with another finger click, and you can see destination entrances, exits, bus parking, etc. Invaluable. Your laptop can do this, too, of course, but not this easily or quickly.

Traffic Reports

One of the apps I’ve begun to rely on on a daily basis is Intrix Traffic, a cool little app that displays traffic flows, construction areas, accidents, and more on top of a Google map. The map, using the iPad’s built-in GPS chip, scrolls as you drive, so you can see upcoming traffic situations ahead. Or you can zoom out before you start the trip and see where problem areas might lie long before you get there. When you do need to take a detour, Intrix Traffic or the Maps app (mentioned above) makes it extremely easy to see what your options are for a safe detour. Intrix Traffic is a free app but also offers a pro version for $10 annually that includes additional features such as traffic cameras. I’m still experimenting with that.

Web Browser, Email

You can do all your homework for your trip right on the iPad. Look up destinations’ websites for more information, parking links on eightwheels.com, and more. Virtually anything you’d look up on the Web with your laptop or desktop computer, you now have in your hands with the iPad. Check and respond to email, too, anytime you have a free minute. No more coming home from a trip and finding yourself dozens or hundreds of messages behind.

Entertainment

The iPad really shines here. It’s a great ebook reader, and if you like to read, this is the way to go. It supports iBooks, Apple’s new electronic bookstore, of course, with the most amazing interface ever on an electronic reader. It also supports Amazon’s Kindle app with over half a million books available, and Borders’ new ebooks app. You will never in your life be without something to read — and probably less expensively than ever before.

Games, oh my, the games … I’m not really a game player, it’s just not my thing. But once in a while I do enjoy it as an interesting diversion. There are already thousands of games available to play on the iPad (and it plays virtually all the games written for the iPhone, too). Most are amazingly cool, taking advantage of the hardware features of the iPad, such as knowing what orientation the iPad is in at all times. For instance, steer your car around a race track by holding and moving the iPad like a steering wheel. Lots of classic games, too — checkers, chess, and a great game of Scrabble.

Movies. I used to try and remember some of the better movies that my groups were watching while I drove, so I could check them out next time I wanted to rent or buy a movie. No more. For about $9/month, I have Netflix on my iPad, and can watch as many movies as I want, anytime I want (not while driving, of course LOL). What a relaxing way to spend some time while you’re waiting for the group.

Music. Can’t forget the music. The iPad is also an iPod (speak carefully when saying that out loud LOL). I have over 20 GB of music on my iPad, which is my complete music library. I can play it through the bus stereo system or listen privately on headphones, or in a pinch use the monaural speaker built into the iPad itself, which doesn’t sound bad for its diminutive size.

Productivity

The iPad is basically a very, very portable computer you operate with your fingertips. No mouse, no keyboard, no wires of any kind (except to charge it after 10 or 11 hours of use). That opens it up to all kinds of other productive uses. Like writing. This article was written and edited on my iPad, while sitting in a restaurant (Strokos, my favorite deli) in Manhattan, New York City. When I have a lot of text to enter, such as with this post, I use a bluetooth wireless keyboard for the text entry. But you can also use the on-screen keyboard built into the iPad. I’m still struggling to be able to type as efficiently with that as I can a real keyboard, so I carry the ultra thin Apple Bluetooth keyboard in my bag for times like this. Switch it on, it connects automatically, wirelessly, with the iPad, and I’m typing away.

And there is so much more. This post was going to be a quick, short post extolling the virtues of the iPad for a driver, but it lost the “short” part because when I get so excited about an outstanding product, I want to tell you everything about it. I’ll save the rest for future posts. I know this is full of superlatives, but I can’t leave them out — the iPad is truly a revolutionary product, as if it was designed just for a tour bus driver. Is it perfect? No, there’s always room for improvement. But for a first generation product, this is more than just a home run — it’s a grand slam, maybe even a 9th inning walk-off-the-field grand slam for Apple. And we’re the beneficiaries. Enjoy.

Eight of My Favorite iPhone Apps

EightWheels — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:21:22 +0000

WeatherBug Elite iPhone App

It’s been nearly a year since I last wrote about the iPhone. After almost 15 months of daily use, it’s become an indispensable part of my life. Here are just a few of the apps, a couple of which I’ve just come across recently, that I use nearly every day and would hate to ever again be without.

WeatherBug Elite — 99¢ (weather reports)
Simply the best weather app I’ve found — and there are lots of them. It has a really nice interface, very easy to read and understand, and all the important info you’ll likely need right on the opening screen. It’s shown in the photo above.

WorkLog — $4.99 (personal time clock)
Great app for tracking your work hours if you get paid by the hour and want to keep your own records. It has nice reporting and makes it easy to check that you’re getting paid for hours actually worked (or not overpaid, LOL).

Qik Video — $1.99 (video camera for older iPhones)
If you have the latest iPhone 3GS, you won’t need this … but if you have an older model, such as my iPhone 3G, this app gives you a pretty decent video camera for just two bucks! This is a relatively new app and works much better than I would have expected. Worth checking out.

Flashlight — FREE (turn your iPhone into a flashlight)
I’m amazed how often I use this. It’s one of the first apps I ever downloaded, it’s still regularly updated (although most of the newer features are of little or no use to me), and I still use this nearly every day! It’s great to find your way around a dark hotel room at night or look for something you dropped under a seat in a dark bus.

FlickTunes — 99¢ (iPod music controller)
I use my iPhone for its iPod features almost every day on my motorcoach to play background music. FlickTunes makes it easy to control the music while you’re driving without taking your eyes off the road; a simple finger swipe lets you pause or play the music or adjust the volume. Before I start the trip, I select what play list I want in the iPod settings, then after it begins playing, switch to FlickTunes, and I’m set for the trip.

AOL Radio — FREE (listen to radio stations across the country)
Part of my daily morning routine is listening to KYW1060, the local all-news station, for the latest news, weather and traffic reports for the day. This app lets me listen anywhere, anytime, as long as I have a cell phone signal!

Kindle — FREE (Amazon’s ebook reader for iPhone)
Before I had my Amazon Kindle (which I got this past Christmas), I had the Kindle app on my iPhone and began building my Kindle library. Now I use it mainly to read in bed at night; during the day I use the real Kindle. What’s cool, though, is how it keeps my reading synchronized, no matter which device I’m using — it goes to the last page read on whichever device was last used.

NoteMaster — $3.99 (note taking app)
I don’t take a lot of notes on my iPhone. But I do have some info I need readily available, and that may need updating occasionally. Apple includes a basic Notes app with the iPhone, but it’s a little too basic. NoteMaster syncs with Google Notes, so I can create notes either on my iPhone or my notebook computer and have them instantly available on the other — or any computer with online access. Some of my most used documents include a list of prescriptions for doctor visits, and a list of my hotel frequent-stay membership numbers. Lots of other uses, too.

Incidentally, I believe all of these also work on the iPod Touch, with the exception of Qik Video, since the iPod Touch has no camera.

Other apps I use nearly every day include many of those you probably already use, too: Clock, Calendar, Contacts, Messages, Calculator, Maps, Google, Voice Memos, and more …. I don’t know how I ever survived without my iPhone! If you’re not already an iPhone user, you might want to seriously consider it when it comes time for a new phone. Even though I had to jump ship from Verizon to AT&T, the iPhone made it more than worth my while.

Will the Apple iPad (available starting April 3rd, 2010) change things? You bet … but no one knows how just yet. I’ll likely replace my Amazon Kindle with an iPad in the near future, so stay tuned.

What are your favorite apps? Use the comments section below to respond to this article, or click the link to the forum discussion of this article.

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

Eight Tips for Using Your Cell Phone on the Bus

EightWheels — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:18:50 +0000

Summary:

Turn phone off or put it on vibrate.
Make/receive essential calls only.
Keep it short and speak softly.

A survey back in 2004 revealed the cell phone was both the most loved and most hated technological device of our time. I don’t think much has changed in the last five years, except many feel even more strongly now, one way or the other. It’s a love-hate relationship.

Cell phones on the bus can be a real advantage — students calling parents, for example, to notify them of a pick-up time on the way back from a trip, have made life easier for teachers and chaperones. On the other hand, ringing cell phones and loud conversations have become a thorn in the side to other passengers and even the motorcoach driver on bus trips.

Here are eight guidelines, expanded from the summary above, for using your cell phone on your next bus trip.

Turn the ringer off when you board the motorcoach.
No one wants to hear your phone ring. So if you can’t turn your phone off altogether, at least put it on vibrate. And if you’ve forgotten to do that and your phone starts ringing, be sure you know how to silence it instantly without answering it — usually pressing one of the side buttons will silence a ringing cell phone without hanging up on the caller.
Answer the phone only if you recognize the caller and it’s an essential call.
Let the call go to voicemail and check your messages later when you won’t disturb other passengers.
Wait to make calls until you get to the next rest stop or arrive at your destination.
Then you can walk away from the group and talk in privacy.
If you must talk on the phone while you’re on the motorcoach, keep it short, speak softly, and avoid personal conversations.
Cell phones have very sensitive microphones, so there’s no need to shout into your phone. Loud conversations, especially about personal issues, are probably the single most annoying use of cell phones on the bus — or just about anywhere else!
Make sure the speakerphone is turned off.
Worse than hearing your side of the conversation is hearing both sides! Be sure you know how your cell phone operates and do not use it as a speakerphone on the bus.
Sending/receiving text messages is fine, as long as notification sounds are turned off or on vibrate.
And as long as your seat mate isn’t offended that you’re ignoring them.
When the driver announces an ETA (estimated time of arrival) on your return home, it’s okay to notify those waiting or expecting you by cell phone of your ETA.
Just keep the above guidelines in mind — short, quiet conversations are still in order.
Last, but not least, keep this basic rule of cell phone etiquette in mind, so when you “break the rules,” you do it respectfully of those around you: Keep a 10-foot (3 meter) distance between you and anyone else whenever you talk on your phone. And never talk in enclosed spaces.
That basic guideline would rule out talking on the bus altogether, but using the previous guidelines I’ve suggested above allows respectful use of your phone when you’re on a bus trip. Respect for your fellow passengers is the key.

I’ve seen signs posted inside some motorcoaches that forbid ALL cell phone use for any reason from the first three rows of seats in the coach, to avoid disturbing the driver. I don’t ask for that on my bus, but keep in mind, drivers aren’t interested in your phone conversations, and they can indeed be a distraction to the driver. If the bus isn’t full, sometimes you can move to the rear of the bus to make or take an urgent phone call. But always wait until a stop if at all possible.

For more on cell phone etiquette, including other tips for cell phone usage when traveling, check out http://www.nophones.com/.

The Dreaded Red Light

EightWheels — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:14:04 +0000

The Dreaded DriveCam Red Light

No, we’re not talking about traffic signals here … to a motorcoach driver, the dreaded red light is the red light on the DriveCam — the tiny red light barely visible at the bottom right of the rear-facing lens on the video black box mounted on the windshield of most motorcoaches these days. But it glares, at least subconsciously, in a driver’s eyes.

The DriveCam actually has two video cameras — one facing the driver and interior of the coach, and the other facing outward through the windshield toward the road ahead. It’s always turned on, but only records information when it’s triggered by an exceptional force — hard braking, swerving, collision, etc. Then it saves about 20 seconds of video — half before and half after the event that triggered it. It’s intended for two purposes: 1) encouraging drivers to drive more smoothly and carefully; and 2) in the event of a collision, to assess liability.

I’ve always prided myself in smooth driving: easy starts, smooth stops, slow turns; it’s important to me that passengers are comfortable and feel safe when I’m driving. It’s very rewarding to receive compliments on smooth driving, and I do get them regularly. So it’s really a blow to my pride when I bring a coach back to the terminal at night with the red light lit.

Early Thursday afternoon I had dropped my group off for lunch in Philadelphia, and was on my way to find parking. A car in front of me started to make a right hand turn, then unexpectedly came to a complete stop still blocking my lane. I had to brake harder than normal to avoid a collision. I didn’t think much about it, since I had no passengers, until I looked over at the camera and saw I had set it off — that little light, normally green, was now a bright red! Ugh.

That red light glared at me the rest of the day. It seemed to get brighter every time I looked at it. My only consolation was that it had happened when I had no passengers, and that it was set off by just a harder than normal stop, nothing serious. But it also becomes serious motivation to adjust my driving to avoid similar situations in the future. The DriveCam people claim that when their product is installed on commercial vehicles, it has reduced vehicle damages, workers’ compensation and personal injury costs by 50 percent. I can see how that might be so, and that’s certainly powerful incentive for their use.

On the one hand, it’s “big brother” watching over your shoulder all the time. But at the same time I realize that some day the camera might be my vindication if I’m ever unfortunate enough to be involved in a collision with another driver. If I were the owner of the company I drive for, and had invested the millions of dollars in motorcoaches that are on the road every day, I’d want to have an eye on what was happening, too. So I can’t fault the company for installing them, or the insurance company for encouraging their use. It’s an imperfect world, and the cameras are here to stay.

What do you think? Has the presence of cameras changed the way you drive? What issues have you had with them? Have they ever exonerated you in a collision? I’m interested in hearing your stories and opinions.

Garmin Announces New GPS for Truckers

EightWheels — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:01:40 +0000

Garmin recently announced the Garmin nüvi 465T GPS receiver, their first designed specifically for the trucking industry. But it should also be great for motorcoach drivers! It allows you to enter the length, width, height, and weight of your vehicle, and takes those factors into account in selecting routes to reach your destination. Garmin has updated their map data to take low overpasses, low weight bridges, truck restrictions, etc. into account when choosing routes. It’s also the first unit to include the National Truck and Trailer Services (NTTS) Breakdown Directory in addition to other trucking-related points of interest.

The nüvi 465T also includes some of Garmin’s newer features, including lane assist and speed limits. Plus it includes, at no additional charge, a lifetime subscription for traffic information — no more annual subscriptions.

I’ve been using a Garmin nüvi 660 for a little more than two years, and it’s still working great. But I’ll probably upgrade to the 465T when it’s available, and move the 660 to my car. Garmin has the most intuitive, easiest to use interface of any of the GPS receivers I’ve looked at or used. I never leave home without it. But more on that in another post coming soon!

Suggested retail for the 465T is $499, and Garmin says it will ship 2nd quarter 2009. Amazon.com says its release date is June 10, 2009. I’ll try and remember to post an update once it is shipping, and a review once I have one to play with.

Thanks to EightWheels.com reader Dave King for the tip on the 465T.

Eight of My Favorite iPhone Apps

The Driver’s Ultimate Cell Phone

EightWheels — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:51:56 +0000

For Christmas 2008 I received an Apple iPhone as a gift from my wife. Okay, I picked it out, but it really was a gift from her. I’d been eyeing them lustfully ever since Apple introduced the original iPhone in 2007. However, I was a long-time Verizon user, and of course the iPhone works only with AT&T (without jailbreaking it, which I didn’t want to be bothered with). From traveling all over the country, I knew Verizon had the best wireless coverage overall, so I was very reluctant to switch. Plus my extended family is on Verizon, so there was the “in-network” advantage of staying with Verizon.

The iPhone kept beckoning me, however, so I finally did it — I switched to AT&T and got the 16GB white iPhone ($300 with a two year plan; the 8GB version is $200). I’ve not regretted it for a day since. AT&T’s coverage has gotten much better the last couple of years, and it’s very rare (so far) that I’m in an area where a Verizon caller can get online that I can’t. The carrier for the most part has become a non-issue.

So why is the iPhone so cool? Here is a list of some of the things I use the iPhone for almost every day. Most of these are applications that either come with the iPhone, or are free to download from the Apple iTunes Store; a few cost a dollar or a little more.

Google Maps (including satellite views)
GPS positioning and directions
Clock, Alarm Clock, Timer, and Stopwatch
Calculator (including a scientific calculator if you need it)
Email
Web Browser
iPod (all your music with you all the time)
Notepad
To Do List
Calendar and Schedule
Weather Forecasts
Text Messaging
Digital Camera (2 megapixel)
Photo Album
Address Book
Flashlight
Tally (count passengers as they board)
Radio (news and traffic anywhere in the country)
TV Guide
Google Earth
Auto (or bus) Records (gas, repairs, etc.)
Movies and Theater Info
Restaurant, Hotel, Shopping Info (location based)
WorkLog (personal time clock to track your hours)
Currency Converter (nice for trips to Canada)
Books (I have over 150 right now, mostly free)
Newspapers (USA Today, NY Times, etc.)
Dictionary
Bible
Entertainment (games, fun stuff)
and more! Oh, and it’s a cell phone, too — a really good one!

Can YOUR phone do all that? Do you need all that? Well, maybe not, but it’s sure nice to have. Waiting for your group will never be the same again! There are currently more than 25,000 applications for the iPhone. Apple sold 17 million iPhones as of the end of 2008.

The iPhone is such a groundbreaking device, in my opinion, that I plan to post more over the coming weeks about how I use it for some of the applications listed above. Meanwhile, you may want to do some homework and check it out online on Apple’s iPhone site. Oh, BTW, Apple just announced a major software upgrade coming for the iPhone this summer — and probably new models, too, so it’s going to get better and better!

Have comments to share about this article or about the iPhone itself? Do you have one? Are you using a similar but different phone? Please don’t be shy — take advantage of the comments section below, and share your thoughts.