Comments on: Micro GPS Device to … Track Snail Mail! http://www.neatorama.com/2008/04/25/micro-gps-device-to-track-snail-mail/ The Neat Side of the Web Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:52:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: UnreaL http://www.neatorama.com/2008/04/25/micro-gps-device-to-track-snail-mail/#comment-525608 UnreaL Sat, 26 Apr 2008 10:49:00 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=15893#comment-525608 This is a remarkable example of a flawed concept. GPS devices are horribly bad at receiving signals indoors because they require visibility of the sky to receive the positioning signal. Put it indoors and it won't work. The older chipsets had problems in urban areas since the tall buildings provided enough sky occlusion and reflection of signals. Even forest trees are a problem. Only the newest chipsets work reliably in normal outdoor navigation, but still fail completely in situations where the receiver is in a paper envelope which is in a canvas bag which is in a cargo container which is in a truck or a postal facility. The GPS has absolutely no chance to track its position there except for a brief time while someone is carrying the postal bag from the truck to the airplane or something. This is a remarkable example of a flawed concept. GPS devices are horribly bad at receiving signals indoors because they require visibility of the sky to receive the positioning signal. Put it indoors and it won’t work. The older chipsets had problems in urban areas since the tall buildings provided enough sky occlusion and reflection of signals. Even forest trees are a problem. Only the newest chipsets work reliably in normal outdoor navigation, but still fail completely in situations where the receiver is in a paper envelope which is in a canvas bag which is in a cargo container which is in a truck or a postal facility. The GPS has absolutely no chance to track its position there except for a brief time while someone is carrying the postal bag from the truck to the airplane or something.

]]> By: Alannah http://www.neatorama.com/2008/04/25/micro-gps-device-to-track-snail-mail/#comment-525326 Alannah Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:52:35 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=15893#comment-525326 Sleestak -- Thats what I thought. Seems more like they'd be sewn into the lining of coats than sent through the mail. Sleestak —

Thats what I thought. Seems more like they’d be sewn into the lining of coats than sent through the mail.

]]> By: Sleestak http://www.neatorama.com/2008/04/25/micro-gps-device-to-track-snail-mail/#comment-525004 Sleestak Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:29:22 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=15893#comment-525004 If by "evaluate mail service" you mean "track whereabouts of wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend" then ok. If by “evaluate mail service” you mean “track whereabouts of wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend” then ok.

]]> By: ted http://www.neatorama.com/2008/04/25/micro-gps-device-to-track-snail-mail/#comment-524841 ted Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:58:46 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=15893#comment-524841 How do you risk losing it? It's a GPS. Yeah, I know, you can always lose something in the mail. But isn't that the point of putting the GPS in there? You wouldn't be using it like that stupid camera bit, just to see what the postal workers do. How do you risk losing it? It’s a GPS.

Yeah, I know, you can always lose something in the mail. But isn’t that the point of putting the GPS in there?

You wouldn’t be using it like that stupid camera bit, just to see what the postal workers do.

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