ain't technology grand?

like many people these days, i've been interested in picking up a GPS device, but held off because in reality, i don't really need it. it's just technology that intrigues and amuses me, so i've saved my money and not bought one yet.

but the other day, i picked up the new LG Dare and i'm rather pleased with it so far. i continue to play with the various options and i figured out how to do various things like ringtones, wallpaper, etc.

at the time i bought the phone, i changed my plan which gives me all kinds of new things including VZ Navigator which provides GPS funtionality. so this weekend i'm thinking about visiting the parents, so i was curious to see what route it would choose and then compare to google and came up with interesting results.

my normal route (mapped on google):
137 miles
188 minutes

google default route:
137 miles
177 minutes

fairly close to my normal route, a route i've taken a few times, but out of habit, i've used a different one.

so onto the VZ Navigator choices.

vz fastest:
164 miles
195 min (185 min google)

verizon's navigation takes traffic into account which i presume is why there is a time difference. i found it interesting that it takes me nearly 30 miles further using the mass pike rather than the 'slower' road. so for a potential savings of 3 minutes, i can travel 30 miles further.

vz easiest:

i'm not sure it chose the easiest. it basically mirrored their fastest route, but then it went off on some wild tangent i couldn't follow. when i zoomed in on the map, it stopped about 15 miles short of the final destination. so much for easiest.

vz shortest:
132 miles
175 min (187 min google)

it's similar to the google default, but it starts off by going thru some of the back streets around my neighborhood which i thought was odd, but in the end, it is the shortest. i don't think that they get the time right because it starts out more back roadish, and knowing the roads, i know that the google time estimate is better.

so there you go. the best route? i dunno. they each (except for the ironically names easiest route) get me to my destination. fortunately the ride out is one i enjoy, so going the slower roads doesn't bother me.

now to plan my roadtrip music...

if i burn the seattle 75 show, i'd only hear 75% of the show...hmmm....ponder ponder ponder....

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