FOR SALE NEW NK CLEAR NAV

I predict the ultimate interface will be voice control not keypads or
trackballs. Voice already works on cellphones and in cars. With more
processing power will work fine in gliders.

I can also predict that the most common installation in 5 years will be an
open system using off the shelf hardware running soaring specific software
of the user's choice - just like the PDA systems we now use. The difference
will be bigger, more readable screens and more processing power running more
sophisticated software.

LED backlight LCD monitors are already available in the 1500 - 2000 nit
brightness range which makes them very readable in direct sunlight. These
are likely to completely replace the CCFL backlights now common due to their
comparatively low power requirements. 8" OLED screens are due 'soon' which
will do a better job on even less power. "Electronic Paper" displays use
almost no power and are as readable as a newspaper in direct sunlight but
their response time needs to improve by 2 - 3 times. I predict a very
usable 8" screen will cost less than $300.

VIA Pico ITX and Intel Atom motherboards already offer plenty of processing
power in matchbox sizes. The price of SSD mass storage is in free fall.
Imagine a desktop PC shrunk to matchbox size running on a couple of LiFePo4
D batteries.

Its the classic Mac vs PC vs Linux debate. There will be a minority which
doesn't like to fiddle with configurations and will buy closed systems. The
rest of us will buy open systems because they are cheaper, give us a wider
choice and can be updated more easily.

I run free software on a $100 used PDA. My only gripe is that the screen is
too small and dim. My scheme is to use a thin screen over a rectangular
panel of old round instruments with the screen hinged at the top. If the
computer goes kaput, I'd just lift the screen and use the old instruments
hidden behind it.





"Udo Rumpf" wrote in message
...
I disagree strongly, the controls should be clustered around the screen.
The remote is just an other piece of hardware attached to a wire flying
around the cockpit. Naturally I can see and understand your bias.
There are products that function much closer to my way of thinking and I
am not bias. See http://www.triadis.ch
Udo

I find the ClearNav's keypad to be very easy to use. Also, the
ClearNav
is
very much designed with "simple user-interface" as a key design
consideration. I think it succeeds at that goal superbly. I predict
that

there will be many more ClearNav units sold than "Ultimate" systems.
Also,
NK is a first class company that will be creating many very nice soaring

instruments in the near future and they (and I) will support the ClearNav

extremely well. But I'm biased because I sell, support and am writing
the

As far as I can see the Triadis is an open "off the shelf components" based product.
It has a hardware specific version of XCsoar loaded on it, to use the control buttons. However it is opensource software
, which is by definition user customisable. About as good as it gets.

Regrettably I understand it will not fit in many panels.

Bruce

Bill Daniels wrote:
I predict the ultimate interface will be voice control not keypads or
trackballs. Voice already works on cellphones and in cars. With more
processing power will work fine in gliders.

I can also predict that the most common installation in 5 years will be an
open system using off the shelf hardware running soaring specific software
of the user's choice - just like the PDA systems we now use. The difference
will be bigger, more readable screens and more processing power running more
sophisticated software.

LED backlight LCD monitors are already available in the 1500 - 2000 nit
brightness range which makes them very readable in direct sunlight. These
are likely to completely replace the CCFL backlights now common due to their
comparatively low power requirements. 8" OLED screens are due 'soon' which
will do a better job on even less power. "Electronic Paper" displays use
almost no power and are as readable as a newspaper in direct sunlight but
their response time needs to improve by 2 - 3 times. I predict a very
usable 8" screen will cost less than $300.

VIA Pico ITX and Intel Atom motherboards already offer plenty of processing
power in matchbox sizes. The price of SSD mass storage is in free fall.
Imagine a desktop PC shrunk to matchbox size running on a couple of LiFePo4
D batteries.

Its the classic Mac vs PC vs Linux debate. There will be a minority which
doesn't like to fiddle with configurations and will buy closed systems. The
rest of us will buy open systems because they are cheaper, give us a wider
choice and can be updated more easily.

I run free software on a $100 used PDA. My only gripe is that the screen is
too small and dim. My scheme is to use a thin screen over a rectangular
panel of old round instruments with the screen hinged at the top. If the
computer goes kaput, I'd just lift the screen and use the old instruments
hidden behind it.





"Udo Rumpf" wrote in message
...
I disagree strongly, the controls should be clustered around the screen.
The remote is just an other piece of hardware attached to a wire flying
around the cockpit. Naturally I can see and understand your bias.
There are products that function much closer to my way of thinking and I
am not bias. See http://www.triadis.ch
Udo

I find the ClearNav's keypad to be very easy to use. Also, the
ClearNav
is
very much designed with "simple user-interface" as a key design
consideration. I think it succeeds at that goal superbly. I predict
that
there will be many more ClearNav units sold than "Ultimate" systems.
Also,
NK is a first class company that will be creating many very nice soaring
instruments in the near future and they (and I) will support the ClearNav
extremely well. But I'm biased because I sell, support and am writing
the

Bill Daniels wrote:

I run free software on a $100 used PDA. My only gripe is that the screen is
too small and dim.

Has anyone tried one of those ruggedized PDAs in the cockpit, like
the TDS Recon. In theory it fixes the too dim problem.

http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon

Hi Bill,

I just searched the TDS page below looking for any indication that the
screen is sunlight readable and I couldn't find anything. Perhaps I missed
it. What gives you the impression that it is brighter than any other PDA?

Paul Remde

"Greg O'Sullivan" wrote in message
u...
Bill Daniels wrote:

I run free software on a $100 used PDA. My only gripe is that the screen
is too small and dim.

Has anyone tried one of those ruggedized PDAs in the cockpit, like
the TDS Recon. In theory it fixes the too dim problem.

http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon

On Sep 17, 6:42*am, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi Bill,

I just searched the TDS page below looking for any indication that the
screen is sunlight readable and I couldn't find anything. *Perhaps I missed
it. *What gives you the impression that it is brighter than any other PDA?

Paul Remde

"Greg O'Sullivan" wrote in message

u...



Bill Daniels wrote:

I run free software on a $100 used PDA. *My only gripe is that the screen
is too small and dim.

Has anyone tried one of those ruggedized PDAs in the cockpit, like
the TDS Recon. In theory it fixes the too dim problem.

http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Paul,

See the specifications page: "Sunlight-readable color TFT display"

" wrote in message
:

On Sep 17, 6:42 am, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi Bill,

I just searched the TDS page below looking for any indication that the
screen is sunlight readable and I couldn't find anything. Perhaps I missed
it. What gives you the impression that it is brighter than any other PDA?

Paul Remde

"Greg O'Sullivan" wrote in message

u...



Bill Daniels wrote:

I run free software on a $100 used PDA. My only gripe is that the screen
is too small and dim.

Has anyone tried one of those ruggedized PDAs in the cockpit, like
the TDS Recon. In theory it fixes the too dim problem.

http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Paul,

See the specifications page: "Sunlight-readable color TFT display"

Since they do not quote any brightness specs, I would be very
suspicious.

Larry

Also states that it is a front lit (reflective ) display.

Bruce

Paul Remde wrote:
Hi Bill,

I just searched the TDS page below looking for any indication that the
screen is sunlight readable and I couldn't find anything. Perhaps I missed
it. What gives you the impression that it is brighter than any other PDA?

Paul Remde

"Greg O'Sullivan" wrote in message
u...
Bill Daniels wrote:

I run free software on a $100 used PDA. My only gripe is that the screen
is too small and dim.
Has anyone tried one of those ruggedized PDAs in the cockpit, like
the TDS Recon. In theory it fixes the too dim problem.

http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon

I researched this on the internet at some length, and there is one
independent review that notes the screen as brighter than ordinary
PDA's. I've never seen any PDA screen specification that tells the
brightness.

My conclusion was without searching one out and comparing it myself it
wasn't worth the risk, too much $$$. Now I'm waiting for SeeYou to
port to WinCE which seems to be the most viable solution to the issue,
and at a very low cost. Say $250 for a device with GPS and then
whatever SeeYou want's for the software, I expect there will be an
upcharge. I'm hoping for January 09.

On Sep 17, 4:42*am, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi Bill,

I just searched the TDS page below looking for any indication that the
screen is sunlight readable and I couldn't find anything. *Perhaps I missed
it. *What gives you the impression that it is brighter than any other PDA?

Paul Remde


Has anyone tried one of those ruggedized PDAs in the cockpit, like
the TDS Recon. In theory it fixes the too dim problem.

http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon

On Sep 17, 6:42 am, "Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi Bill,

I just searched the TDS page below looking for any indication that the
screen is sunlight readable and I couldn't find anything. Perhaps I missed
it. What gives you the impression that it is brighter than any other PDA?

Paul Remde

"Greg O'Sullivan" wrote in message

u...

Bill Daniels wrote:

I run free software on a $100 used PDA. My only gripe is that the screen
is too small and dim.

Has anyone tried one of those ruggedized PDAs in the cockpit, like
the TDS Recon. In theory it fixes the too dim problem.

http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon

I spent the last week surveying with Trimble equipment. The screens
were quite visible in direct sunlight when the sun was at my back,
however difficult to read with indirect sunlight or the sun at my face.