On Apr 2, 3:30 pm, pc wrote:
> On Mar 28, 8:04 am, pc wrote:
>
>
>
> > I've just learned I'm headed to San Jose next week on business.
>
> > Fly Tuesday, set up Weds. teach Thurs, Fri, Mon, Tues.
>
> > I've got a weekend there on the boss-man, and I'm staying five days on
> > the tail of the trip on my own.
>
> > I like beaches and mountains. Would love to see the canopy. Perhaps
> > go snorkeling (I may take my mask and snorkle but no room for fins.)
> > I figure I'll probably stay in San Jose the first weekend and check
> > out the museums and nightlife.
>
> > I don't want to spend _all_ of my time driving after the job is done,
> > but I'm comfortable in a 4WD vehicle, and speak enough Spanish to get
> > by. (Was married to a Cubana for practically a lifetime....)
>
> > Recommendations?
>
> > tanks
>
> > pc
>
> I'm new at the GPS hardware. In a hurry (I hadn't much time to
> prepare for the trip) I bought a Nuvi 260W at Fry's for $279
> [apparently an excellent price], and some map software from Rutas
> Satelitales in San Jose, CR via the internet and PayPal. Make sure to
> order a couple of days in advance, as this appears to be a home based
> family business. They have a number in Miami - 305-609-8381. Their
> web site is Spanish. Somehow a lifetime ago I stumbled into an
> English version, but couldn't find it today for love or money:
>
> i...@rsgps.net
>
> You can also reach us by telephone:
>
> In USA: 305-609-8381.
> In Costa Rica: Country code 506, phone 8362-6298 [or is it
> 2362-6298?? depends mobile or land line... pc]
> Also, our fax number in Costa Rica is 431-9252. [ likely is
> 2431-9252....as of now, pc]
>
> Web site lists as business front as "Smart Ways."
>
> Abbey at R.S. Miami told me the software worked "just like the built
> in Garman software", but in fact, it's different if you are talking
> about how the Garmin stuff works in the USA and Europe. Don't plan on
> searching by address (even IF you can get one -- it's fascinating that
> most places don't advertise an address here.) Once I figured that
> out, it's doing a good job. Be careful, though, as several times
> today it instructed me to turn the wrong way down a one way street,
> and it led me into a couple of dead ends in downtown San Jose last
> night. The hookers thought I was a real scream, driving around and
> around.
>
> The R.S. tech support is excellent. They gave me Sergio's mobile
> number, and he still managed to be pleasant and helpful when I woke
> him up really late last weekend. Very patient, helpful, a nice guy.
>
> Don't believe what your travel agent tells you, virtually ALL of the
> auto rental companies can rent you a GPS. As I recall the rates were
> in the $10->$15 range per day. Not bad if you are going to be there a
> week and don't want to screw with the learning curve like I was forced
> to do, since my company travel agent told me Avis didn't have GPS
> units (they do... same machine as mine, different map software, I'll
> report back when I remember to on that.)
>
> OH.. AND... of course, the week immediately prior to my arrival, they
> changed they way all the phone numbers work. You have to put a 2 in
> front of the local 7 digit number for a land line phone, and an 8 in
> front if the target phone is a mobile. The assholes at Sprint kept
> telling me I had too many digits when I had to call the operator
> because they hadn't updated their direct dial systems, and had the
> temerity to hang up on me when I insisted she was mistaken.
> Assholes. Hear that, Sprint? You are assholes.
>
> Ho hum! Life goes on.
>
> I hope this is helpful information for any and all.
>
> pc
The SmartWays map software was a huge disappointment. Below is a
message I sent to the principals at Rutas Satelitales GPS, S.A, five
days ago that has gone unanswered.
###################
Sergio and Abbey:
I appreciate your assistance in getting my software up and running on
such short notice. You were both very helpful, and I appreciate it.
That being said, your map software for Costa Rica has a very, very
long way to go.
I simply cannot tell you
* how many times it told me to turn the wrong way down one way
streets
* how it wasted a half day of my time trying to get from Aranjuela
to Paos Vulcan... it drove me up and down steep, unimproved dirt
roads (which required 4WD) and ended at a beautiful creek, no place
near the volcano
* how many times it told me to turn into a non-existent road
* how many times it told me to turn down a private driveway or
locked gate
* how many times it dragged me into a dark, dead end alley in San
Jose at midnight (!) (The hookers downtown thought I was a real
scream)
* how many times it told me to turn when it was only a curve in
the road (it chatters incessantly while driving route 1 from the
airport to the junction for route 3 to La Grecia, with so much
incorrect and meaningless information that I turned the volume down)
* how many times it failed to tell me to turn when one was, in
fact, required
This software was just barely better than none at all. I really do not
understand how you can, in good conscience, sell it. I write software
for a living, and if I produced products like this, I would be fired
in an instant.
I am not angry. I am, however, deeply disappointed.
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