Not a luxury item anymore: Entertainment screens in cars
This used to be something very special.
Remember Pimp My Ride on MTV? That's a show that debuted in March 2004 and ran until December 2007. At the time I write this, December 2007 is almost 15 years ago. Yeah, that was a while ago, but not that long ago. (Side note: The show did relaunch online-only just very recently as of August 2022, but it's on MTV UK.)
If you're not familiar with that show, it was all about taking junky cars and "pimping" them out to make them special, both inside and out. For many of the "pimped" cars, the interior had a screen (sometimes multiple screens) added in, usually in the form of a mounted portable DVD player.
Why is watching a movie in a car such a big deal?
Answer: To keep children in the back seat entertained. That's the only reason.
Where the driver is concerned, all that matters are four things where a screen is concerned. Speed, fuel (or charge level,) turn signals and navigation. That's it. Everything else is secondary.
Where the front passenger is concerned, they don't need a screen. If they absolutely have to have one, they can bring their phone and use ear buds.
The back seat is where having a screen or two actually matters for kids that just won't shut up without having some form of visual entertainment from a glowing slab.
It is great that this tech is so cheap
All you need is a cheap tablet, wireless earbuds and the headrest mount. That's it. And you can get all of that brand new for under $100. Maybe the only thing you could add to that is a long USB-C cable. Even if you did add that in, you'd still be under $100 for it all.
What really makes this all doable is the mount more than anything else. That cheap piece of plastic is a true "no mods" add-on. There's nothing to drill nor remove. The mount goes into place, a small adjustment is made to give it tension so it stays put, and that's it. Mount the screen and you're done.
Is traffic reporting really necessary with navigation?
I've been living with my Garmin DriveSmart 66 for a month now. The traffic reporting it has is great, but do I really need it?
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer:
Whether the traffic reporting is useful or not depends on where you are, what roads you drive on regularly and what traffic coverage is available to you.
Firstly, I should note there are two ways the DriveSmart 66 can get traffic data. The first is by use of a Bluetooth-connected smartphone using the Garmin Drive app, and the second being the no-smartphone method of FM-received traffic data. I use the second way, as I do live within one of the major metros in the United States that has coverage. There is no setup involved getting traffic data the FM way. If there is a traffic FM signal available, the DS66 will pick it up usually within a minute or two after power-on. I've actually been using FM traffic for years. More on that in a moment.
Secondly, yes the DS66 will route you around traffic if you have the option set to do so.
Were I living in New England (northeast USA,) it's probably true I wouldn't need traffic coverage at all. Maybe if I traveled to Hartford CT, Boston MA or Providence RI regularly, sure, I could see the need for traffic avoidance. Using Connecticut as the example, there are some parts of I-84 and I-91 in the Hartford area that can get particularly nasty. Or, if I routinely traveled the southwestern coastline of CT on I-95, yeah, that can get clogged up with traffic as well. But for literally anywhere else in the state, traffic reporting isn't needed (I highly doubt there are many traffic jams in Salisbury CT.)
For where I'm living now in a major southern metro, the traffic reporting is definitely more useful. But it's not perfect.
I started using FM traffic some years back and stumbled upon it by chance. I have many Garmin GPSes in my collection (more than I care to admit,) and a used one I bought arrived with a traffic charger, the GTM35, which is the previous version of the GTM36. I tried it, it worked on the model I was using at the time, and I've been using a Garmin with traffic reporting ever since.
The majority of the traffic reporting is for highways and interstates. After that, some "major roads" are included, which basically means large multi-lane roads that command a lot of traffic but aren't necessarily highways. For all smaller roads (residential and otherwise,) there isn't any traffic data there, and that's okay.
How useful has the traffic reporting been?
The best way I can describe the usefulness of traffic reporting with navigation is that it's like having a specialty tool. Most of the time when you're working on things, you never need the tool. But for those few instances where you do need it, you're very glad it's in your toolbox.
What I like best about the way the DS66 handles traffic is that it can be used without thinking about it. I have mine set up to "automatic" everything as much as it can, meaning I don't have to adjust anything just to use the feature.
Does the traffic avoidance always work? No, because there isn't any traffic avoidance system that can avoid 100% of traffic 100% of the time. But I can say it has worked well for the most part. The only times it outright hasn't worked are for certain construction zones, and that's not the fault of the DS66 but rather the construction crews that didn't report what they were doing in a timely fashion.
Could I go back to no-traffic-reporting navigation?
Yes - but that's a conditional yes.
The condition is that I'd have to do some map study so I would know ways to get around the high-traffic areas. It is absolutely true that the easiest way to avoid traffic is to simply use roads most people don't use.
Example 1: If there's a major road that gets jammed up with traffic often, I'll look to see if a residential area is nearby that I can pass through to simply go around it.
Example 2: If a particular highway exit ramp gets backed up with cars routinely, I'll take the next or previous exit instead. In many instances, this only adds one to two minutes of travel time.
Example 3: I compare how long it takes to get somewhere highway vs. no-highway. If the no-highway route only adds a few minutes and there aren't too many additional stops or traffic lights, I'll use that instead.
From 2005 all the way to 2019, I never used traffic reporting with my GPS navigation, so the fact I use it now is a relatively recent thing.
Nice to have? Yes. Required to have? No. But again, it's like having that specialty tool where when needed, you're glad it's there.
Some rechargeable batteries are better than others
I used to think all rechargeable batteries were the same. They're not.
A big reason I buy regular alkaline batteries (in a 36-pack for AA size, thank you very much) is because over the years I've had bad luck with the rechargeable stuff. At first, yeah, the rechargeable is good and does the job... but only at first. After a few charges, I'm only able to get maybe 50% of the charge I used to at best and then stick a fork in it, it's done, throw it out. And that's no good.
Rechargeable batteries now have grown up, so to speak.
What I mean by that is that you're now told outright what the mAh is. The higher the mAh, the longer the charge, the longer the battery lasts over time (usually).
And example is the AA rechargeable in 2400mAh flavor. That's a true high-capacity, and it comes pre-charged. Yes, good. I like that. That actually sounds promising.
Then there's the 850mah AAA in 850mAh flavor. This is labeled as high-capacity. Is it? I don't know about that because 850mAh doesn't sound that great.
However, then there's the 1100mAh AAA rechargeable. Okay, now we're talking. And oh yeah, not cheap. For an AAA battery, that is.
The one that really blows me away is the 5400mWh 9V rechargeable, and it even comes with a charge cord included. Surprisingly, not that expensive for what it is. I may go for this at some point because even though I don't have many things that use 9V, the 5400mWh would be oh-so nice to have.
In the end, mind that mAh or mWh rating. It matters. A lot.
Set your car mirrors this way and you WILL drive safer
If this isn't taught in all driving schools, it should be.
For a few years now I have been driving with my car mirrors positioned to the exact way I will describe to you below, and yes, it has saved my butt more than a few times. How? I can spot drivers behind me much more easily, particularly in the rear corner areas. These areas are known as blind spots.
First I will describe how everybody sets up their side mirrors wrong, then tell you how to do it right.
The WRONG way
You sit in the driver's seat and adjust each side mirror inward to the point where you just start to see your own car.
This is what you're doing when you do that:
When you set your side mirrors from the normal seated driving position, this results in making your existing blind spots even worse.
The RIGHT way
This is what you want. Instead of angling the side mirrors towards your car, you angle them more outward to see more of what's behind and to the side of you.
How to angle your side mirrors the RIGHT way
All it takes to do this is to set your side mirrors the same way you did before, with one exception. Change the position of your head while doing it.
Driver's side mirror: Move your head to the left until it touches the driver's side window. While your head is there, adjust the mirror until your car is almost out of view so it looks like this while your head is leaned against the window glass:
Passenger side mirror: Position your head in the middle of your car. The easiest way to do this is to lean to the right until your head is lined up with the center of your windshield rear view mirror. Keep your head there, then look directly at the passenger side mirror and adjust it until your car is almost out of view while your head is positioned in the center of the car, so you see something similar to this:
Will it feel weird to drive with your mirrors this way?
At first, yes.
You've most likely been angling your side mirrors incorrectly all your driving life, so you're completely used to the wrong way of doing it. It will take a few days before you get accustomed to correctly angled side mirrors.
However, believe me when I say that you will very much appreciate having your blind spots diminished dramatically. Angling them as I've described increases your panoramic view and decreases your blind spots quite a bit.
Does this totally eliminate blind spots?
No, but you want to give yourself every advantage you can when it comes to seeing not only what is behind you but also behind and to the sides.
You might be asking, "Why should I bother angling mirrors like you say when I can just get stick-on blind spot mirrors?" Answer: Most cars with properly angled side mirrors don't need those, with emphasis on most. There are still some vehicles where the blind spot mirrors are absolutely required (like a cargo van.)
Does this help with backing out of a parking spot?
No. The two biggest advantages to properly angled mirrors you will immediately notice are better visibility when making lane changes and better visibility when stopped at a multi-lane intersection traffic light when other cars are approaching behind you.
Properly angled mirrors don't give you any safer advantage backing straight out of a parking spot. The only way to make that safer is to choose better parking spots with fewer obstructions. In a mall parking lot, for example, better to choose a spot at the far end of the lot where there are fewer cars and walk it instead of taking the closer spot where both more cars and people are.
You will start to notice how many people have their side mirrors angled incorrectly
This is actually an added safety bonus because it gives you warning in advance.
You're traveling on a multi-lane road, such as a highway, and approach a slower driver. You check your mirrors, see no cars, okay, it's safe to change lanes. You signal, change lanes and go to pass. If from a quick glance in that slower driver's side mirror you cannot see that driver's face at all, it's very likely they can't see you. Right there and then, you're absolutely in a danger zone until you get side-by-side with that other car so that other driver can actually see you.
When you learn to recognize these danger zones (and you will,) it will save your butt many times over anywhere there is a multi-lane road. There's always that idiot who does that "Oh! I have to turn RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW!" maneuver, and then proceeds to quickly turn into the lane where you are with no warning. Spotting improperly angled side mirrors on other cars lets you know immediately of a danger zone and to keep your distance.
Angling your side mirrors correctly will make you a better driver.
A good reason to own a digital camera: Waterproof
Being waterproof is actually one of a few reasons to own one of these.
Take the Olympus Tough TG-6, a proper waterproof digital camera. True, you can go cheap with a waterproof digital camera, but if you do, you probably won't be pleased with the cheap stuff. This is one of those instances where you truly do get what you pay for.
Taking photos with a smartphone works in most instances, but when Mother Nature is introduced to the situation, that's when a phone is just a useless plastic brick. Yes, the smartphone waterproof case exists, but that doesn't get the job done because it's not tough-built.
The TG-6 is both waterproof and tough. And what does "tough" mean here? Waterproof, dust-proof, shock-proof, crush-proof, freeze-proof. That's what it means. Your phone can't be all of these things, but the TG-6 is.
Real world situations where this actually matters
Ordinarily, the way one of these is marketed is by showing outdoor adventures. Biking, hiking and that sort of thing.
Where having one of these actually makes more sense is in manual labor environments. Construction, working in the yard, working on a car, and so on. The places where you wouldn't dare take a phone is where a camera of this type can go to take the photos you need.
Note the metal loop on the side. A roofer could put a strap through there, attach to the tool belt and have a camera at-the-ready whenever he needs it. That's actually really convenient.
Owning one of these is for the same reason one owns a G-SHOCK watch
Why buy a G-SHOCK? It's tough and goes anywhere. This is the same reason you get a TG-6 for taking photos.
A complaint I've had about smartphones for years is that they can't handle life, so it's no wonder Otter cases sell so well. And for environments when the Otter case isn't enough (which happens more often than you think) where you need to take a photo or record video on something that won't break, that's what the TG-6 is for.