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Si Occasional Visitor
Joined: Sep 30, 2003 Posts: 26
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:18 am Post subject: why landscape format for most dedicated gps units |
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Why is the most common format that of "landscape" for gps units
Surely when you are driving you are going ahead, and even if you turn the map re orients itself so where you are going is at the top, so why have a longer format than a taller one? Must be good reasons what are they please.
Thanks Simon. 8O |
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MarkHewitt Frequent Visitor
Joined: Nov 16, 2004 Posts: 1077 Location: Chester-le-Street & York
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:53 am Post subject: |
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One reason is that landscape is more pleasing to the eye. If even subconsiously most people would prefer looking at a landscape screen than portrait, thus more sales. Remember this is *before* they purchase the unit so actual usage has little to do with it!
Also most people put these as windscreen mounts and landscape units are easier to see over the top of. Plus it gives you more space on the bottom for information.
But I do agree with you, when I used my PC I stuck to portrait mode as it was superior. |
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Darren Frequent Visitor
Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40 Posts: 23848 Location: Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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Because our eyes operate in 'landscape' format this is the most preferred even though it offers less in a satnav. _________________ Darren Griffin |
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martike Regular Visitor
Joined: Aug 02, 2005 Posts: 194
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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Darren wrote: | Because our eyes operate in 'landscape' format this is the most preferred even though it offers less in a satnav. |
I think this is only true for images, not text.
Most reading material is in portrait format, and has been for hundreds of years : books, magazines, newspapers, and so on. It gives a shorter line length, and it's easier for your eyes to scan along and then return to the start of the next line. That's why newspapers are usually set in columns, it's easier to read.
For a long time I've wondered why the current landscape format was adopted as a standard for computer display screens, especially as the first applications were mostly text based. It seems to me that the size and shape of an A4 (or letter) sheet of paper in portrait mode would have been the obvious choice.
So I don’t think that it’s entirely correct to say that the human eye naturally operates in landscape format. Perhaps it does when images are involved, but not when you’re reading text.
The anomaly is that satnav is mostly images and so should be landscape, but the portrait format would seem to be better suited for a forward-looking display. |
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TonyV5 Occasional Visitor
Joined: Aug 26, 2004 Posts: 8 Location: Chilwell Notts.
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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I use a GPSmap76sc for in-car nav. & it would be nice if it switched to landscape. the buttons are at the top, so if you want to change something you have to use a finger & thumb or chance pushing it off the mount. but having said that the portarit is great for the route display. _________________ Garmin GPSmap76cs
Mapsource 6.14.1
City Select Europe V6
City Navigator V8
City Navigator 2008
SMC Contours
Safety CamarasUK/EURO 3.048
Palm Zire 72
Holux GR-230
TomTom Navigator 5 |
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Darren Frequent Visitor
Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40 Posts: 23848 Location: Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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martike wrote: | I think this is only true for images, not text. |
Indeed and the query was in relation to graphical nav systems anyway.
Computers use landscape because the only source of displays when they first appeared was based on TV technology and that was already landscape. _________________ Darren Griffin |
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neil01 Frequent Visitor
Joined: May 06, 2005 Posts: 902 Location: Leeds
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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I have seen, both versions, and to be honest I dont think that either format is better in all cicumstances.
If the map display is actually square, with the surrounding space filled with other details, I really think there is little difference - it is simply personal preference.
But if the map is a rectangle, I prefer portrait for 2D maps and landscape for 3D maps.
Because the driving heading is normally shown up, I like to see as far ahead as I can, so the increased vertical in landscape can be an advantage. But with 3D, the perspective is distorted, it being squashed vertically increasingly towards the top and stretched horizontally increasingly towards the bottom (this being how the 3D effect is obtained). This results in much more of the road ahead being shown, so any extra hight doesn't really make that much of a diferrence to what you usefully see, but, what you see to the side of where you are is reduced. So any increase in width is now an advantage. This can be provided by a wide map display.
Because I have been reading paper maps for so long, I am used to translating what I see on the map, to what is on the road, so 3D doesn't really bother me too much. In fact I rather prefer the lack of distorted perspective, and the additional detail often provided on 2D maps.
So for me, its portrait mode. |
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MarkHewitt Frequent Visitor
Joined: Nov 16, 2004 Posts: 1077 Location: Chester-le-Street & York
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 10:29 am Post subject: |
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neil,
Your post makes a lot of sense!
I too prefer looking at the map view, as I've been looking at maps since I was about 5 years old. I just can't get with the 3D view at all.
However all the marketing pictures you ever see for SatNav's show the 3D view exclusively, and indeed, this looks better on a landscape screen. |
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neil01 Frequent Visitor
Joined: May 06, 2005 Posts: 902 Location: Leeds
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Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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Perhaps the ideal would be a 'square' screen where you can chose between Portrait with buttons down the side(s), or Landscape with the buttons at the top and/or botton. |
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