Origin Technologies

Snoopydog · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 11, 2007 Posts: 52

Ex Drivesmart forum member.

Hi, I am also interested in the Pogo (alert) as a possible replacement for my DS (If it becomes defunct) so if anyone has any user information that would be great.

nuttynurse it was always interesting reading the posts between you and a lot of the other DS forum members :D (I never made that many myself)

Regards
Snoopydog

nuttynurse · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:34 pm Post subject:

Hi Snoopydog
Thanks for you kind comments. Your views are just as valid as anyone else's so just give it a shot and join in the fun.

BBQKing · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:36 pm Post subject:

Well, my PogoDrive turned up around 13:00 this afternoon. I have had a quick play, but it needs charging, so has been charging in the car for most of this afternoon. The unit is actually smaller than I thought as well. The GPS antenna also swings out 90 degrees to the body when in use. The right-angled charger plug plugs into the underside of the unit instead of the mount.

The real test is tomorrow! Trip to Tottenham from Sandy and back should give it a workout.

Look out A1 - here I come.
_________________
"To Err Is Human - To Really Foul Things Up Requires A Computer! (or SatNav)"

nuttynurse · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:52 pm Post subject:

Cant you go now BB and be back in an hour cause I'm feeling impatient!

Does the charger plug in any way interfere with the mounting of the pogo?

Was that about 24 hours from order to delivery? I going on hols friday night, saturday morning and currently battling with the urge to buy one. With a 14 day returns policy I would certainly get the chance to give it a burn.

BBQKing · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:23 pm Post subject:

No, the charger plug does NOT interfere!! Remember though its one more thing to unplug when you remove it from the car. I would have preferred the charger to plug into the mount like my Go 300 does.

The plus side though, I feel the mount once on the screen does NOT transmit as much vibration to the PogoDrive as my TomTom Go mount does with my Go 300. Now that wobbles. What also helps is that the PogoDrive is very much lighter than Tomtom Go 300. Holds very nicely!

One other observation, had quite alot of sunshine in the car when I tested it along the A1. If my TomTom were in place, I would have not been able to see the screen due to glare. I could however, still see the PogoDrive information on its screen despite the suns glare.
_________________
"To Err Is Human - To Really Foul Things Up Requires A Computer! (or SatNav)"

nuttynurse · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:02 am Post subject:

Well BBQKing. I have decided not to wait any longer, so I have just ordered my pogodrive and it will be here tomorrow in time for my holiday. I know I should have waited for your return today but every now and then I guess I must show my human frailty and give into temptation but of course you have already done this.. Should you come back today with a disappointing review of the pogo, I guess all I need do is get a returns number and not even unpack it tomorrow. Here's to happy motoring Driving

not getting caught by those nasty cameras

BBQKing · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:53 am Post subject:

Hi Nuttynurse,

Well, I am in Tottenham as I write this, having field tested the PogoDrive. My thoughts on the SatNav are still undecided, pending further tests - its not got all navigation option as TomTom (IE itinerary), but it does work! There is even a profile option for "economical", as well as shortest time, or shortest distance. I'm not too sure at the moment if you can plan a route using multiple waypoints (like TT can). Despite this, I personally found the information (like time to destination, distance to destination, the compass etc) easier to view as it was spaced out better around the screen - TT bunches it all together at the bottom.

However, the Speed Camera detector is excellent!! Even in SatNav mode, visual warnings are still viewable on the left of the screen. Lovely high-pitched tones, especially when you overspeed. What's even better is that it will countdown either "time remaining" or distance remaining" to the camera, as well as speaking the camera type, and speed limit. It spotted a few DS2 points that I never knew existed! I will try Speed Camera Only mode on my way home! The only bugbear with the database, I have not been warned of any mobile traps, even regular ones around my home, but I don't think the Origin360 database covers them?? Can someone confirm this?

For the Speed Camera system alone, I like this little PogoDrive.

One other thing to note, the actual touchscreen is a tad bigger in width and height than the older TT Go x00 range, despite having a smaller and less deeper case.

Hope this initial review helps.
_________________
"To Err Is Human - To Really Foul Things Up Requires A Computer! (or SatNav)"

nuttynurse · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:58 am Post subject:

Sorry Darren I did heed your warning about the possible combination of a speedcamera/satnav unit not delivering in respect of the satnav mapping quality and I may well regret this purchase, though hopefully not. Going on holiday does give me the best chance to test out both elements of this unit. I guess if the satnav does prove to be appaullingly bad then I have a right under the consumers legislation to seek a refund for the pogo not being fit for the purpose intended. However, your experienced review of the pogo, when completed, can only be complemented, endorsed or refuted by the likes of BBQKing and myself by our own experiences over the next week or two and this can only be a good thing for anyone else considering this kind of combined unit.

I am however taking my brother's older Garmin i3 streetpilot hopefully loaded with the pocketgps database as a backup and as a comparison.
I trust I am right in thinking that the "UK-POILoader i3, Nuvi etc" is the appropriate installation for this? If anyone could confirm I would be grateful..

I know in recent weeks I have contemplated many different units and read many different comments. For me the over riding priority is a visual and auditory alert of speedcameras and the likes which makes me sit up and take note, whilst satnav is of secondary importance though obviously a very useful feature to have at little extra cost. The Nuvi 660/670 would have been my choice otherwise with your database installed. The Nuvi of course also offered more frills and could be gotten for a similar price to the pogo, so God it better be good. My hope however, is that the trade off in size and feature is compensated for by Origins previous good standing as the B2. One can only hope they have sort to enhance their reputation for quality products and not to diminish it by simplying repackaging it in a new box with a colored screen and poor mapping or else. Pistol Shoot Out

BBQKing · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:04 pm Post subject:

I would prefer to have the PogoDrive instead of the "cube like" PogoAlert, even for the Speed Camera Detection alone. Its a sleeker thinner unit.

If you view the purchase of the PogoDrive as Speed Camera Detection only with the added bonus of SatNav built in *should you need it*, then it will be worth keeping. The alerting is far superior to the feeble squarks that eminate from the DriveSmart - my old Microfuzion had better sound than the DS, and that was about a quarter of the size of the DS.

I'm keeping an open mind a tad longer. As I say it the PogoDrive picked up a few hazards that my TT with PGPSWorld cameras did, and maintained a good balance of alerting until clear of the hazard.
_________________
"To Err Is Human - To Really Foul Things Up Requires A Computer! (or SatNav)"

nuttynurse · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:09 pm Post subject:

Hi BB thanks for such an early update on the pogo. As you see I am following your lead. I am particularly pleased to hear you comments on the speedcamera side of things and happy to hear that at least the satnav works to a satisfactory level and await your further comments on this. However, it if gets me from A to B with a few less variable options than the tt I will live with that as the trade off. I don't really travel significantly enought for this to be the greater need anyway, I'm more interested in this having quality rather than quanity. :D Happy so far.

nuttynurse · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:34 pm Post subject:

BBQKing · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:38 pm Post subject:

Mmmm, there are at least 2 confirmed regular Talivan and 1 possible Talivan on the A1 between Biggleswade and Sandy (both ways), yet the PogoDrive failed to warn (whereas the DS and TT with PGPSW cameras did warn). Then again, the PogoDrive has warned me of two DS2 sites that the others didn't. Whats that about swings and roundabouts.

I may have to email Origin Technologies and confirm with them officially as to whether they include regular Talivan sites.
_________________
"To Err Is Human - To Really Foul Things Up Requires A Computer! (or SatNav)"

nuttynurse · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:06 pm Post subject:

I think I'm right in saying that the pogo has the option for "User Defined Alerts" so at the very least you should be able to install your own mobile records perhaps taken from the pocketgps database. Does the pogo actually allow you to input your own POI i.e. say a csv file of mobile sites?

How did your trip home go BBQKing with the satnav turned off?

BBQKing · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:40 pm Post subject:

Trip home went well. Although in Safety Alerts only mode, the screen also shows the road travelling on, as well as speed and any up and coming hazards. I set my PogoDrive to display "time to hazard" and this function appeared to be quite accurate. Personally, as the screen shows your current speed, I would have the speed reading set to small size - large size is a bit of a distraction.

The speed camera alerts though were displayed very clearly; funnily enough I have noticed that (so far) Gatsos and DS2's are spoken out, along with speed limit, but Truvelo cameras just produce beeps. I have currently sent an email to Origin Technologies asking if this is correct. One thing for sure the warning beeps will definitely grab your attention.

I deliberately went over the A1's limit (briefly), and a red overspeed warning came up around the 79mph mark. Another handy feature. Stops you speeding "before you know it".

One last observation on the trip down, the maps appear more up-to-date than the latest updated TT Go 300 maps I recently purchased. Part of the A10 I travelled on was "open space" according to TT. PogoDrive showed the road in all its glory.
_________________
"To Err Is Human - To Really Foul Things Up Requires A Computer! (or SatNav)"

nuttynurse · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:52 pm Post subject:

Well you still haven't said anything that sounds like you are terribly disappointed or ready to return it. So I can still look forward to getting mine tomorrow and better understand your experiencing.

Earlier you mentioned "way points" on tt. What are these. I see pogo has a setting for "touring" are these the same? Remember I have not used a satnav before so a lot of the terms are new to me.

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