GPS RIP

[ylop]

But I have never understood what their proposition / value was. You can get brand new tablets for so little money why buy second hand.
And he claims can clear £40k nett annual profit from just 25 hours a week, so about £40 an hour. Must be a lot of markup on the old kit?

I think part of the “value proposition” is that he sells old blokes who don’t understand Android stuff and some of the weirder plotter software configuration a tablet that is set up ready turn on and go (with charts already installed installed etc). Little value to me, and probably a diminishing market but I can certainly see that there’s a demographic who find that stuff “scary”. Cheap tablets are available - but are they waterproof? Are the daylight viewable? Which of the dozens of anchor alarm apps are actually any good and which are just an advertising spam mess?

Simple, charge organisations for WEEE certificates to remove tablets then charge customers to buy them. Profit + profit = bigger profit.

Maybe but I’m not sure he’s quite that business savvy! I think he’s buying the old units very cheap rather than getting paid to take them. He certainly gives off the vibes of a guy doing this is his back room because he thinks traditional plotters are a rip off rather than someone with a well oiled machine.

 

[lustyd]

He possibly buys them cheap from a WEEE disposal then which would make it more profitable than buying and selling secondhand units

 

[The Q]

You would have to try really hard to buy a phone without GPS nowadays.

I've only just swapped from a non smart phone, the old one made phone calls and that was it. It did have the advantage of being waterproof, armoured, and floated.. that's why it lasted so long..

This one is armoured, waterproof, but sadly is heavy, so will sink.. how long it will last depends on when it goes for a swim.

 

[newtothis]

Is an armoured phone really required on a boat?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

My trusty Garmin Map76 seems to have died. Dead screen on battery or cable....


View attachment 208219

Only a back up now but it's quite possible to do basic navigation on these with only the base map. I do like it and it has 25 years worth of waypoints.....plus the dodgy track through the I'le de Batz.

Anyone had similar or can recommend someone who could look at it?

Suspect its not worth it so if there is a used unit out there for sale......will post of the Wanted site maybe....hate to lose an old friend.

.

I am a big believer in using tech for as long possible, but only to a point. I bought the early version, eTreck, to use on my motocross bike back in 2003. It was attached to my my bike with a specialist clamp. I drove all over the Wahiba Sands and south Rub Al Khali with it. The tracks were plotted on Ozy Explorer and shared around. Amazing days, and to think that is all we used to cross vast, empty deserts. It still works but has been superseded by my phone, but unlike my phone it never shut down due to high temperatures. These days, my phone sits in a dedicated compartment in the bike and relays route data to a big screen, will receive and make calls, transmit calls to my helmet coms, dictate texts and play my music and all the other good shit. I miss the simplicity, but don’t hark for it.

They are incredibly tough devices, the Garmin eTreck.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

If you would like my old 76 you are welcome, just PM me your address. The screen seemed un faded till it went blank.......might be useful.

Many thanks for the offer Doug.
Will see how things go