The world according to...

2011-08-23T11:35:00.000-06:00

Whitefish Mountain Resort Thursday Night Race League (TNRL)

I participated in my first TNRL on the 11th of August. There were in the ballpark of 75 people milling about at the start line just before the pre-race instructions. Lots of high end bikes, lots of color co-ordinated race outfits, and lots of VERY fit people.

It was a little intimidating, I'll admit it. After the pre-race instructions I felt a bit better as the participants split into the three starting groups, beginner, sport, and expert. All of the race suits and really high end bikes were lined up in front of me.

Having never rode any of the trails on the mountain previously, I was still a little unclear exactly what I was getting into. I settled into about 4th or 5th spot off the start so that I'd have someone to follow. It was mostly downhill down some very narrow, windy and rugged trails. I blew out of the trail on at least three times due to my unfamiliarity with the course.

You'll want to be sure your bike is in good condition before signing up. I brought not my regular bike from home, but the cast off 50lbs steel monster a friend gave me to kick around at my cabin. I gave it a quick once over at home to inflate the tires, oil the chain, and tighten all of the bolts. Additionally, I'd recommend a bike with front suspension. The trail is full of roots, rocks, and other obstacles.

As the first third of the course flew past, I had my first taste of uphill on a single track. Thankfully, there was no place to pass, so I could just grind and follow at the pace of the guy ahead of me. In my training and triathlon experiences, I've almost always used the top two thirds of the gears. In this race, you'll use the bottom third exclusively. To do it again, I'd most likely replace the front sprockets with smaller ones for a better gear ratio for what turned out to be a brutal uphill through the last half of the track. At three spots I had to hop off and push, not because it was too steep to pedal or leg strength, but due to the extreme cardio demand of the course. Soul crushing would be a good description. The second half of the course was mostly two track, with lots of spots to pass if you had the legs. I did finally overcome the guy I was following. He asked 2 times if I wanted to pass before I actually did. I'd have ultimately finished ahead of him if I hadn't made a wrong turn.

I went through the downhill sections of the course saying to myself 'DON'T CRASH! DON'T CRASH! DON'T CRASH! DON'T CRASH!' and the uphill sections of the course saying 'DON'T PUKE! DON'T PUKE! DON'T PUKE! DON'T PUKE!'.

The final 300 yards to the finish line features a series of switchbacks (read steep) before a 20 yard flat before the finish line. I smiled inside a little when the race starter encouraged me to finish hard... That WAS finishing hard...

I won't likely make it back this summer to race again, but next year I'll plan to make at least half of the races. There was a downhill race this night as well, which sounds like an interesting thing to try too.

After the race, there was a congregation on the patio of the Bierstube for an informal awards ceremony. Its a great place to enjoy a burger and a couple of cold beers.

I'd encourage anyone who likes to bike and likes to test themselves against a formidable track to plan your visit to Whitefish around the TNRL next year. It was really a lot of fun! Thanks Whitefish Mountain Resort for putting on this event!

Tips from a new boater

2011-07-12T13:12:00.000-06:00

So, I bought a new boat.... It should be easy, right? Drop it in the lake, and enjoy the great outdoors. Fishing, tubing, sightseeing are all yours.

Like most things, the devil is in the details.

Here's a few things I've learned. Some may seem obvious if you've ever actually put a boat in the water. There are I'm sure some lessons I haven't learned yet.

Make sure you bring the boat key with you. Nothing worse than unloading the boat into the lake to find out the key is hanging on the hook in the cabin 40 minutes away!!!
Put the drain plug in the boat BEFORE you put the boat in the water.
Gather all of your belongings and put them in the boat before you back down the ramp. This includes coolers, lifejackets, fishing gear, etc... This way your not tying up the ramp while 10 trucks are lined up waiting for you the get your poop in a group.
Take your phone out of your pocket. When you wade in to unhook the tether it may get wet and never work again. Better yet, unhook the tether before you back in.
Practice backing up with the boat in a strange place a few times before you try and do it with an audience. You'll be much more confident if you've done it a few times.
Anchors. It turns out there are some tricks to using an anchor effectively. Firstly, you'll want to deploy MORE rope than you think for an effective anchor. Somewhere between 3 and 7 times the depth of water you are in depending on the wind/current. Also, you may want to consider adding a length of chain approximately the length of the boat to the anchor before the rope. This helps the anchor to lie flat and 'dig in' a little better.
Gas cap. Your boat may have an inboard fuel tank. If it does, make sure that the cap has some sort of tether so that when / if you leave it on the edge of the transom when you fuel, its still there when you arrive to the lake. http://boatersworld.com is a great place to find a replacement if you need.
Learn how to tie a bowline knot. Google it. You'll thank yourself later.
Fishing. Put your license in a plastic bag and tuck it somewhere you'll be able to find it when needed.

Location awareness not working in Firefox 4

2011-04-11T09:56:00.000-06:00

Google's geo-location location awareness doesn't seem to be working. Some possible conflict between the gears implementation and FF 4 support for it?

Google gears shows that it supports:

Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
Firefox 1.5-3.6
Internet Explorer 6.0-8.0

No solution yet to this trouble. I'll post an update if/when I find one.

Wheatland Closes Gleichen Fire Department

2011-02-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

Wheatland Closes Gleichen Fire Department

Posted 25 minutes ago -

Effective immediately, the Gleichen District Fire Association and Gleichen District Fire Department will have no further responsibilities for fighting fires and providing emergency services within Wheatland County as per Council Resolution.

County Council is confident that there will be no interruption of fire and emergency services in the Gleichen area.
In the interim, fire protection and emergency services for the Gleichen area will be provided by the neighbouring Standard and Cluny Fire Departments.
The County is committed to ensuring proper protocols and procedures are in place for the fire protection services in Wheatland County.
County Council in the near future plans to meet with the Gleichen and area residents to discuss a going forward plan for maintaining fire and emergency services in the Gleichen area.
For further information contact Wheatland County Administration at 403-934-3321.

REPRINTED FROM THE STRATHMORE STANDARD

10" Android 2.1 tablet review

2011-02-02T09:37:00.001-07:00

So, I've had a few quality hours with my new tablet. Here's what I can tell you now.

Its light, thin and feels like its well built. The screen is bright and clear for indoor use. I haven't tried it in direct sunlight, although I suspect it wont' perform very well there. The touch interface is better than I expected given that its a resistive touch screen. Flipping between screens uses the swipe motion that anyone who's used an iphone will be familiar with. Zooming takes a double tap instead of the two finger zoom.

This model has Android 2.1 installed which is very nice. From the factory it has integrated gmail and gchat application installed. There is a very capable music player, video player and an ebook reader which presents EPUB and text books with a very nice 3-D page turning interface. Google maps is also included with wifi network location awareness

Also included is a web browser which has worked seamlessly so far. The touch screen keyboard worried me a little, but the buttons are large enough and the screen sensitive enough that its really very easy to type. I wouldn't want to type a book on it, but its more than sufficient for day to day use.

I immediately went to the android app market place and installed Adobe PDF viewer, angry birds, twitter client, facebook client, and am evaluating other apps to install.

The wifi works without issue and has comparable range to my ipod touch within my house.

My tablet claims to support an external USB 3G internet stick. I'll test that theory this week when I'll have a chance to test both GSM and HSPDA internet sticks in Canada.

I've done some research and the GPS isn't active in this version (android 2.1) of the firmware. This is really disappointing for me as that was a major selling point. All of the forums seem to indicate it will get support in the 2.2 firmware release. UPDATE: GPS is confirmed working. I did a drive around. Google Navigation Beta is sweet, but requires internet connection. Looking at alternatives.

I've used the on board camera (1.3megapixles) only one time and the result was a a fairly dark image. To be fare it was taken in my basement office. I'll test this more as time goes on.

The battery life seems to be good, with a LithiumIon battery, it should last a long time

The box contains a set of mediocre ear buds which you'll want to replace with a better set.

I have yet to test the HDMI output functionality. I'll do that as time allows. This is another of the major selling points for me. I'll use my tablet as a media player for my downloaded content. I'm looking for a streaming video player so I can view my library over my local wifi network. I'll post my findings here as I discover more.

In summary. This is a very very capable tablet at a reasonable price. Features to watch for in the next year will include the addition of a capacitative touch screen and an increased internal memory.

I can get these to you for $250USD delivered to your door. randyserious@gmail.com

Some add ons you might consider also.

32GB TF memory card - $30

Leather case with external keyboard - $30

Android 10" Tablet - ROCKS! $250 USD

2011-02-01T12:03:00.004-07:00

I finally received in the mail today my new 10" android tablet, and I love it!

Here's some pics. and specs.

More later!

OS	Android2.1
Memory	Memory 256MB on board
Memory	(DDR2, 128*2MByte)
Hard Disk	2GByte, MLC
LCD	10.1" TFT ( 1024*600)
Touch screen:	Single touch
Net connect	RJ45 ENTER NET,10/100M
	WIFI WIRELESS NET,802.11 b/g
	3GNET,EVDO E1916
Gravity sensor	3 Direction
Audio	Speaker x 2 + Headphone + Stereo Mic
Key	Power key,volume key, menu, Home, WIFI switch
Camera	1.3M pixel
Storage device	Micro SD (T-Flash)
Socket/jack	2PCS TF SOCKET SUPPORT BEST TO 32GB
	2PCS USB-Host SUPPORT 3G, KEY BOARD, MOUSE, USB FLASH DISK
	AUDIO JACK, HANDSET JACK
	1Pcs HDMI SOCKET
	1Pcs RJ45
	1Pcs Power Socke
3G function	Support3G EVDO E1916
GPS navigation	GPS RF XN203
Game function	Games Of Android Version Such as QQ Doudizhu Etc.
Touch pen	Have
PMP function	MP3, WMA, FLAC, APP, OGG, H264, AVI, rmvb, MP4, MKV, FLV, DIVX etc. Support 1080p igh
USB Port	USB Slave 2.0
E-book	Support E-book,3D Turning Pages Function
Temperature	5°C ~ 35°C; Humidity 20% ~ 80%
Power Adapter	Power Adaptor Input 100-240V Output 9V2.5A
Size:	269.91mm170.45mm14.89mm
Lithium Battery	2-Cell Lithium Polymer3800mAh /7.4V
Weight	2 kg
Stand-by time	3.5-4 Hours

Need replacement parts?

2011-01-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Laptop batteries, projector bulbs, power supplies, etc are all available at a fraction of the cost you'll pay locally.

Here's an example. A projector bulb for a Sony projection TV retails for between $200 and $400. This XL-2100U bulb was $135 CDN shipped to the door.

Blackberry batteries from $25
Laptop batteries from $50

If there is a part you need, let me know. If its available, I'll track it down.

13" mini laptop White - Thin 160GB HD Windows XP

2011-01-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

This is a really solid laptop with a bright 13" screen includes Windows XP.

Cost delivered to you is $360 CDN. Contact me for details randyserious@gmail.com

Key Features	5. Built-in 1.3MP camera
1. Intel 1.6Ghz	6. High sensitivity touch pad
2. DDR2 1G	7. 10/100 MB Ethernet, WIFI
*3. 13.3inch LCD 1024600**	8. 1 Year Quality Guarantee
4. SATA 160G Hard drive

I've brought a few in and everyone loves how light and thin they are.

The white color is really attractive.

Perfect for surfing, emailing, music, downloading, editing documents, spreadsheets, presentations.

Netbooks for your tweenagers

2011-01-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Available now. 7" Netbooks with pre-installed Windows CE.

Surf the web, get email, download your photos, listen to music, edit files.

Compact, portable, inexpensive.

Delivered to your door for $125. Contact me for details randyserious@gmail.com

Specification

Performance
Processor Type	Anky 7802
Processor Clock Speed	300MHz
Processor/Manufacturer	Anky
Processor Model	Anky 7802
Memory / Type	L1
Memory / Installed Size	16KB
RAM/Technology	DDR
RAM Installed Size	128MB
Display Diagonal Size	7"
Max Resolution	800X480
Display Technology	TFT
Graphics Type	Integrated Graphics
Graphics Model	Support H.263
Storage and Expansion
Hard Drive Type	NAND Fast Flash
Hard Drive Capacity	2G
Hard Drive Spindle Speed	NAND Fast Flash
PCMCIA Expansion	Support SDHC
Input/Output Connectors
Ports	3x USB 2.0,1x SDCard slot,1x RJ45
Audio/Video	Integrated Quadraphonic Speakers,1x 1/8" (3.5mm) Headphone/Line-Out,1x 1/8" (3.5mm) Microphone,Input 1x Integrate
Communications
Networking/Data Link Protocol	Fast Ethernet
Wireless Connection	Wifi
Wireless Protocol	802.11 a/b/g
General
Product Type	Netbook
Model	UMPC - 7200
Operating System	WIN CE 5.0
Keyboard	QWERTY 86KEYS
Pointing Device	TouchPad
Battery Type	2-Cell 1800MAH Li-ion Battery
Battery / Run Time (up to)	2 Hours
Power Device Type	AC Adapter
Voltage required	100/240V
Color	Green,Black,White,pink,red
Dimensions / W x D x H	213.5mm(W) x141.8mm(D) x 30.5mm(H)
Net Weight	0.80Kg

Waffles are yummy.

2010-12-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

I look forward to seeing lots of Waffles being thrown on the ice after the Leafs self destruct in Calgary this Thursday.

see more Sports Pictures

First snow Dec 2010

2010-12-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

Here are pics from our Weekend trip to the cabin.

Our first real snow is on the ground now for good.
Brooklynn and Wyatt had a great time sledding.
A strong La Nina promises to bring much much more snow this year.

Canada Stat holidays 2011

2010-11-29T12:13:00.002-07:00

Below is a list showing the Statutory Holidays for 2011 in various provinces across Canada:

STATUTORY HOLIDAY	DATE	AB.	BC.	MA.	ON.	QC.
New Years Day	January 1, 2011 (Saturday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Family Day/Louis Riel Day	February 21, 2011 (Monday)	YES	N/A	YES	YES	N/A
Good Friday	April 22, 2011 (Friday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Victoria Day	May 23, 2011 (Monday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
St. John the Baptist’s Day	June 24, 2011 (Friday)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	YES
Canada Day	July 1, 2011 (Friday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Civic Day/BC Day	August 1, 2011 (Monday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	N/A
Labour Day	September 5, 2011 (Monday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Thanksgiving Day	October 10, 2011 (Monday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Remembrance Day	November 11, 2011 (Friday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
*Christmas Day	December 25, 2011 (Sunday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
*Boxing Day	December 26, 2011 (Monday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES

*New Years Day=2012	January 1, 2012 (Sunday)	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES

Canadian Firefighters Handbook, First Edition

2010-08-12T07:38:00.000-06:00

I was on the hunt for some of these:
Canadian Firefighters Handbook First Edition I found them several places.

Annex Bookstore
Amazon
And more.

Price varies widely. Between around $60 and $93.

Cheapest I found was via this link at Amazon.

ISBN is 9781439058923 or 143905892x

Supper

2010-07-26T13:04:00.000-06:00

Here's a crappy picture of fish dinner from last night just before it went on the BBQ.

Wyatt didn't catch anything, but he likes being out in the sun with me.

Kookanusa bridge

2010-07-23T21:21:00.001-06:00

We went this evening for dinner at the Kootenai Kraft & Grocery. One way from Fortine its 71KM. We stopped on the way back and took these photos at the bridge across the lake.

I talked the kids into walking the span. It took us 45 seconds to drive over and close to 10 minutes to walk it.

Some great photo album pics here.

Here's the map of how to get there:

View Larger Map

Hiking pt. 2

2010-07-09T14:30:00.000-06:00

More photos from our hiking adventure this afternoon.

Hiking in Lincoln County

2010-07-09T14:26:00.001-06:00

Riley, Wyatt, and Brooklynn along with Grampy and I hiked in Kootney national forest above our cabin this afternoon.

In the sun, the heat was almost unbearable, but as soon as we got into the shade, then it was quite pleasant.

The kids posed patiently for photos and picked up leaves, rocks and sticks.

We followed the path down a gully until there was no path left. We had cool water, juice boxes and fruit cups to take along with us.

We saw 2 piles of bear scat, but no wildlife.

More photos to follow.

A visit to Upper Whitefish lake

2010-07-05T21:12:00.000-06:00

We had a good day at Upper Whitefish lake .

The kids had great patience and we traveled 16 miles up a very sketchy road to reach this really spectacular lake.

If you get the chance, I highly reccomend it.

Saudi Fire trucks.

2010-06-08T13:30:00.000-06:00

An interesting article on a win by Rosenbauer in Austria.

I like checking out the european emergency vehicles. Makes me wonder how they'd perform in North America, and which features we would use if they were available.

What are you doing on the hiway?

2010-06-01T12:44:00.000-06:00

Apparently 15% of people have performed some sex act while driving. And that's just the ones who'll admit to it.

Here's an article that describes the various distractions drivers have admitted to.

I've personally seen some strange stuff on the hiway.

A lady reading a book. A 700 page romance trash novel right up in the center of the steering wheel

A guy looking through a rifle scope. No gun attached, just a rifle scope looking 'downrange'. The guys looked a little odd... and I suspect he is the tinfoil hat type.

Sex on the hi way. While I didn't actually witness the act in progress, I did get to see the aftermath. Someone had a lot of 'splainin' to do. No shoes, no pants, ran off the end of a dead end road. I'm not sure if the couple went in the ambulance out of fear of injury or straight humiliation. 8)

There is a true downside to all the distractions. We see them too much in the form of inconvenient road closures, body bags, and funerals.

Live Burn - SRFD May 15, 2010

2010-05-16T09:01:00.000-06:00

Here are a few photo's from our live burn excersize yesterday. These images are mostly from the demolition of the structure. We had a photographer on site all day and will have those images later this week to share.

The burn was an awesome learning esperience for everyone involved. Some of whom were inside a burning structure for the first time. 29 firefighters from Strathmore Rural halls in Strathmore and Carseland along with the Town of Strathmore attended.

In the morning we did search evolutions where we advanced a charged line through the house while a primary search was performed. The hose team knocked down the fire so the search team could search safely.

Before lunch, we were introduced to the concept of positive pressure attack. Each of the crews had an opportunity to compare the heat, smoke and visibility before and after applying the tecnique. Everyone agreed that visibility was greatly improved.

Lunch was provided by the firefighters associations from Strathmore and Carseland. Hamburgers, Chilie, fresh fruit and pop filled everyone's bellies.

Following lunch, we set more intense fires and ran drills aimed at fire suppression, where nozzle tecniques were practiced.

The last evolutions involved setting a large fire in the center of the house and having firefighters observe rollover conditions and tecniques for controlling a large fire without causing a disruption in the termal layers present in the fire room.

Finally, the house was set on fire for the last time around 2:00 pm. It burned intensely, and gave everyone a chance to observe fire growth and flashover.

A hot day, sweaty, tired firefighters and charged hose lines are a recipie for a water fight.

All in all it was an outstanding day for all involved.

Strathmore doubles its size

2010-05-12T15:59:00.000-06:00

http://www.strathmorestandard.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2575585

Kirsten Mundy

Standard Editor
The verdict was received by the end of April and the feelings about it are quite strong, but some aren't celebrating what the province thought Strathmore should annex, or how.
On April 30, at about 3 p.m. the town received confirmation that the Municipal Government Board (MGB) had released their verdict, and the result was very much in favour of Strathmore's requests.

"We are very, very excited about it," said Mayor George Lattery. "This is what we have strived for. It's been a long process but now that we have it, this is something that's going to last."
The 18.5 quarter sections of land being annexed should last about 50 years, based on the town's argument presented to the MGB last year about their 50-year plan. By doubling the size of Strathmore, the town should be able to handle a population of up to 50,000 people.
Seeing that much land change hands isn't what Wheatland County was hoping would happen when the verdict was released. Reeve Ben Armstrong explained that when developing their arguments and requests the county only followed the advice of Municipal Affairs and the Minister.
"We thought we were doing what they told us all the way through," said Armstrong. "It doesn't seem like they (the MGB) took anything we said or did into consideration."
That may seem true to those who read the document. It states a couple times that requests made by Wheatland County were outside the normal practice, and normal practice is exactly what the MGB ruled in favour of for every one of those requests.
"They've made their decision and we're going to have to live by it. We're not happy with it," said Reeve Armstrong. "We just have a few concerns when the government talks about conserving and protecting agricultural land, and it doesn't seem like that took much of that into consideration."
One of the more significant requests made by the county was to have a full 10-years worth of taxes forwarded to them. This would allow them to continue planning into the future, and means they wouldn't suffer financially because of the annexation. That request was denied though, in favour of the more historically common five-year declining compensation.

"100 per cent goes back to the county the first year, and every year it drops for five years, and at the end of the five years the county doesn't get any taxes," said Town CAO Dwight Stanford.

Those tax dollars will change significantly if land is developed, and that is what Mayor Lattery is hoping will start to happen right away.
"This council has been planning for this all along," said Mayor Lattery. "We are planning for the future. We've resolved the regional water line, we've resolved the waste water treatment, and now we've resolved the annexation. All those are done. There are many positives that are going to come out of this now. With the annexation being done, I'm sure the developers will be coming in."
Those developers will likely be responsible for some road development as well, which will gradually increase the area the town is expected to maintain. With the annexation, the town is equipped to plow and grade whatever roads require work for the coming year.
The cost of that work isn't in the 2010 budget, but Stanford said it shouldn't amount to be very much, and to accommodate that work the town might be over budget.
They will also be inheriting other responsibilities with this land, up to and including the fire service. Stanford said they are equipped for this expansion, but other changes may happen in the future.
As for an IDP, another request Wheatland County made that wasn't ruled in favour of, Mayor Lattery said the town will be working with the county to start one for the area. Because it will encompass such a large land base, it won't likely be completed before the election set for October.

Article ID# 2575585

More from China....

2010-05-09T20:54:00.000-06:00

Many of you know I import some neat electronics from China.

I'm making another bulk order this week.

Here's what's coming in this order. Let me know if you are interested or want more details.

1. 7" touch screen GPS navigator, with bluetooth, FM transmitter, mp3 player, video player, and e-book reader. Free 2GB SDRAM card - $200
2. 5W LED light bulb. Equivalent to 60W bulb. Looks like a regular incandescent bulb, nice white light. Installed in my kitchen. 50,000 hours run time. $30
3. Helmet Camera. - internal Lithium rechargeable battery. Takes microSD ram cards up to 8GB. mount on anything. Also usable as web cam. $100
4. rear view camera. for your car. mounts onto your license plate. Plugs into 7" touch screen above. $65
5. HD digital video camera. Sweet camera. If you've seen mine, you'll know what I'm talking about. 720p 5x optical zoom, removable (cheap) battery.$220
6. 8GB SDRAM chips $40

Navigo 7" GPS with media player bluetooth and FM transmitter

2010-05-01T10:38:00.001-06:00

Here's the latest toy I've imported. I'm very excited about it. The cost delivered to my door is $199.00CDN. Let me know if you want one. Mine will be here May 5th. I'll be glad to show it off!

Navigo 7 inch GPS with media player bluetooth and FM transmitter.

The Navigo - a portable 7 inch touchscreen device that handles all the latest GPS software packages, comes with FM transmitter and Bluetooth functionality, and plays all your favorite audio and video files. The Navigo is a first class navigation and multimedia experience!

What GPS software and maps can I use with the Navigo? The Navigo runs nearly all the popular ones! How? Because it comes with the WIN CE 5.0 operating system. That's your guarantee of compatibility with today's hottest GPS software titles and maps. Whether you're buying or downloading, just make sure your GPS files are meant for WIN CE 5.0. Most are. Once the software is loaded into the navigator, you'll have access to cutting edge navigation features like:

3-D Views
Lane Assist
Voice Guidance
Points Of Interest (POI)
Intelligent Route Planning
Real Time Weather Data
Real Time Traffic Data
Map Share
User Contributed Map Update
Emergency Location Response

Is that it? Not even close! The Navigo isn't just an amazing GPS device - it virtually transforms your car into an office on wheels with advanced features like Bluetooth and FM Transmitter functionality. Bluetooth lets you pair your cellphone with the Navigo. The FM transmitter allows you to output audio from the Navigo to your car speakers! How is this useful? Picture this: You're in the car, a call comes through. A quick tap on the Navigo's touchscreen and you're talking with your boss with both hands on the wheel. Whatever you say gets picked up by the unit's powerful and sensitive built-in microphone. Whatever your boss says gets broadcast through your car speakers.

Is The Navigo a good car DVD player alternative? For those want to avoid the hassle and cost of installing a car DVD player into their vehicle, The Navigo is a good substitute. It has a large screen and plays multimedia files with ease opening up a world of entertainment options for you both inside and outside of your car. Imagine this. You're in the parking lot of the shopping mall, waiting for your wife to finish maxing out your credit card.

a) You could walk back into the crowded mall and help her pick out outfits
b) You could shop for some overpriced trousers for yourself
c) You could watch Frodo carrying out his quest to destroy the One Ring on your 7 inch GPS navigator!

Naturally, you choose c) and continue watching. Five minutes later, your wife calls and wants to get your opinion on a dress. Without missing a beat, you easily remove The Navigo from its car harness and take the movie with you. This is how perfect your life could be if you owned the Navigo!

This 7 inch touchscreen GPS navigator with FM transmitter and Bluetooth is perfect for: family road trips, soccer moms waiting for the kids, car pool commuters, salesmen who spend a lot of time on the road, etc. So whether you're looking for improved driving satisfaction the good life could be yours right away.

At a Glance...

7 inch display!
Free 2GB SD Card
Runs Windows CE 5.0 and all popular GPS maps
Handles most popular video and audio formats
Convenient AV IN port (plug in your iPod)
eBook reader
Great China Brand Wholesale Price

Google Gears not supported in Firefox 3.6 - updated

2010-01-31T17:46:00.001-07:00

Last week I wrote about the new Firefix 3.6 browser not being supported by google gears.

My biggest reason for noticing was that google latitude wasn't detecting my location based on wifi location anymore. The other big application affected is the gmail offline access.

Google has since stated that gears is essential dead for new development, and that HTML5 is the next best thing.

And, it seems that latitude is now supporting the location API in Firefox 3.6 since somewhere near Friday the 29th of January.

That's all that I know for now.

The world according to...

Tips from a new boater

Location awareness not working in Firefox 4

Wheatland Closes Gleichen Fire Department

Wheatland Closes Gleichen Fire Department

Posted 25 minutes ago -

10" Android 2.1 tablet review

Android 10" Tablet - ROCKS! $250 USD

Need replacement parts?

13" mini laptop White - Thin 160GB HD Windows XP

Netbooks for your tweenagers

Waffles are yummy.

First snow Dec 2010

Canada Stat holidays 2011

St. John the Baptist’s Day

June 24, 2011

Canada Day

Canadian Firefighters Handbook, First Edition

Supper

Kookanusa bridge

Hiking pt. 2

Hiking in Lincoln County

A visit to Upper Whitefish lake

Saudi Fire trucks.

What are you doing on the hiway?

Live Burn - SRFD May 15, 2010

Strathmore doubles its size

More from China....

Navigo 7" GPS with media player bluetooth and FM transmitter

Google Gears not supported in Firefox 3.6 - updated