GPS - Re: A portable GPS should use standard mini-USB power (but which

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Re: A portable GPS should use standard mini-USB power (but which

Ted Edwards

2007-05-29, 3:33 pm

sarah bennett wrote:
> Where can we find a list of which GPS units use standard mini-USB power?
> Does the Garmin Nuvi 350/360 use mini-USB to power & charge the batteries?

I have a Garmin 76Cx. This unit is far more convenient for walking than
a Nuvi and does quite well for us in the car. It is powered by two AA
cells and will run on those for two to three times as long as the Nuvi's
specified 5 hours. I use NiMH rechargeables in the unit so there is no
disposables.

This unit can get its power from the two AA cells, a 12 to 36V external
source (e.g. vehicle) or USB from an independent USB power source or my
laptop. When traveling, I carry spare NiMH cells and a Maha MH-C401FS
charger that will recharge 1, 2, 3 or 4 AA or AAA cells (I use AAA cells
in my pocket LED flashlight.) The Maha charger requires 12V which may
be supplied by a vehicle or a 100 to 240V power supply. The Nuvi uses a
Li-ion battery which I try to avoid except in my laptop computer because
they are expensive and proprietary. A small pack of NiMH cells gives me
spares for my flashlight, digital camera and GPS. A Kensington or APC
power supply can run from world wide wall power or a vehicle and
provides all the recharging capabilities I require.

Ted

Ron Hunter

2007-05-31, 7:33 am

sarah bennett wrote:
> On Wed, 30 May 2007 17:29:30 -0400, Happy Trails wrote:
>
>
> Hi there Happy Trails,
>
> If the best of the future GPS reviews answered the three basic
> power/data/charge questions, then the effort would have been worth it.
>
> If a few manufacturers decided to offer mini-USB for power, charging, and
> data as a result of consumer demand stimulated by this thread, then it
> would have been worth it.
>
> If any of us learned something we didn't know before the thread was
> published, then it would have been worth it.
>
> If this thread helps to reduce the number of adapters we consumers have to
> take on a trip to one (from three or four or five) then it would have been
> worth it.
>
> If some of us were stimulated to modify a mini-USB cable to trick a GPS
> unit into moving out of DATA mode and into OPERATIONAL mode, then this
> would have been worth it.
>
> If not, then it wasn't worth it.
>
> Do you think any of these resulted?
>
> sarah

I carry more than one, just so I can charge multiple devices at the same
time, but I catch your drift.

I doubt the writers of any manuals will ever see this discussion, or
give a hoot if they do.
I think consumer pressure will work more effectively to force makers of
small electronic devices into a more standard charging philosophy than
all the newsgroup discussions in all the 100,000 or so newsgroups combined.

I have NO intention of modifying any of my cables, or hardware, in any way.

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