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dhn
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Location: Toronto CANADA
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 Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks all for the information. |
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DABurleigh
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Joined: 09/03/2003 21:02:35
Posts: 26
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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"Personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about regarding the compass. If those people who are complaining about its disappearance were given a map and compass, the vast majority probably wouldn't have a clue of where to start."
That may be the case, Andy. But as such a person "making a fuss", I am on the UK national committee for radio-orienteering, so know a map and a compass when I see one.
"There is a 'Direction' option within the Status Bar preferences, which will display your heading in the status bar - bigger and clearer than the compass was."
But a digital display, not a graphical "analogue" one which is easier to assimilate quicker.
Dave |
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GPS_fan
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Joined: Jan 04, 2007
Posts: 2789
Location: Hampshire, UK
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| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a certified mountain leader and also know a map and compass when I see one - and the TomTom compass certainly wasn't one.
For the vast majority of users, the new pointer is far more than adequate and just because something has always been there doesn't mean that it's necessarily better.
Of course, we're all entitled to our opinions and we can all start throwing our weight around, but I certainly wouldn't rely on the TomTom compass.
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Steveee
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Joined: Dec 16, 2003
Posts: 203
Location: Colchester, Essex
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| Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:21 am Post subject: |
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I originally raised this as an issue with TomTom Suport (on-line). My question was "when I upgraded to 8.010 what happened to the Compass Preferences option?" They responded as follows:
| Quote: | Dear Mr Turner,
Thank you for contacting TomTom Customer Support
Your reference for your query is 080707-010303.
With the latest Version 8 software update, many new changes and features have been implemented with this update. One of which is that the Compass feature has changed.
The Compass is now shown as a small icon in the bottom left hand corner of the main Navigation screen and points to the North only. Because of these changes, it is no longer possible to point to your destination or direction of travel.
At TomTom, we take all customer feedback seriously. If the new style compass is something that is not to your liking and you preferred the functionality of the old style compass, please reply back with some details of how you used the old style compass and some suggestions of how to improve the new compass. We will pass this information to our 2nd line team and product management teams and it is possible that the new compass feature will be improved yet again with more functionality.
With Best Regards
The TomTom Customer Support Team |
Perhaps GPS World could ask the users what they think?
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pcaouolte
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Joined: Dec 27, 2006
Posts: 998
Location: South Lincs, UK.
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| Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | it is possible that the new compass feature will be improved yet again with more functionality.
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I don't think that we should ask them to improve it any further. They seem to have a strange idea of the meaning of the word improve. |
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Andy_P
Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jun 04, 2005
Posts: 19991
Location: West and Southwest London
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| Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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| GPS_fan wrote: |
For the vast majority of users, the new pointer is far more than adequate and just because something has always been there doesn't mean that it's necessarily better. |
That may be true IF you use the strict definition of a "compass".
However, the original "pointer", had several functions that took it BEYOND the definition of a compass. Taking those away from people who liked and used them is damned annoying |
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GPS_fan
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Joined: Jan 04, 2007
Posts: 2789
Location: Hampshire, UK
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| Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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Annoying, it may be, but it still serves a purpose - unlike TomTom's attempts at implementing handsfree on the x20 range
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Brickie64
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Joined: Dec 05, 2007
Posts: 158
Location: Lincoln (UK)
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Having recently upgraded the navcore on the 920 I'm using presently, all I can say about the compass is that it's a real disappointment. I agree that the reduced size of the compass display is a good idea and it's nice to be able to see if the bluetooth connection to the phone is OK....BUT the compass direction indication is totally illogical IMHO.
Really confused by the compass direction indication when travelling east or west....what were they thinking about when they programmed that ??
Guess they've cut down on the size of the program to fit in other stuff and consequently had to take away my option to select direction of travel on compass view. 
Lets just hope it's put back to how it was when we bought our units !!!!
Gav
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PaulB2005
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Joined: Jan 04, 2006
Posts: 9323
Location: Durham, UK
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Really confused by the compass direction indication when travelling east or west....what were they thinking about when they programmed that ?? |
That it would behave like a real compass would??? Perhaps they had a lot of complaints the that it didn't behave like a real compass??? |
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Kar98
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Joined: Nov 25, 2004
Posts: 344
Location: DFW, Texas, USA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Brickie64 wrote: |
Really confused by the compass direction indication when travelling east or west....what were they thinking about when they programmed that ??
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The needle's pointing North, no matter which direction you're traveling. I fail to understand the problem. |
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PaulB2005
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Joined: Jan 04, 2006
Posts: 9323
Location: Durham, UK
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | The needle's pointing North, no matter which direction you're traveling. I fail to understand the problem. |
Some people have never used a compass before but didn't the old compass point in the direction of your destination rather than North? |
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Brickie64
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Joined: Dec 05, 2007
Posts: 158
Location: Lincoln (UK)
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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I've used a compass in the past when hill walking etc so I'm no stranger to it but I fail to see why they've chosen this as the default indication, it's just plain confusing. Anything that makes the time I have to look at the screen of a PND shorter, the better for me, whilst I'm looking at the screen and trying to work out which is north, I'm not looking at the road.
Gav
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"A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible"
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Kar98
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Joined: Nov 25, 2004
Posts: 344
Location: DFW, Texas, USA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| PaulB2005 wrote: | | Quote: | | The needle's pointing North, no matter which direction you're traveling. I fail to understand the problem. |
Some people have never used a compass before but didn't the old compass point in the direction of your destination rather than North? |
That was one option. Let me check my notes...
| Brickie64 wrote: | Anything that makes the time I have to look at the screen of a PND shorter, the better for me, whilst I'm looking at the screen and trying to work out which is north, I'm not looking at the road.
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North is where the needle is pointing at.
There. I'm traveling towards the rails, which are North of my location.
Last edited by Kar98 on Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:09 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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PaulB2005
Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jan 04, 2006
Posts: 9323
Location: Durham, UK
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Which option does it default to? If it defaults to point North that might explain the confusion. |
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Brickie64
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Joined: Dec 05, 2007
Posts: 158
Location: Lincoln (UK)
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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Paul,
On V8 it defaults to "point North".
Gav
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