Editing 407: Cheap GPS
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | {{w|GPS}} is a system allowing people to find their location and | + | {{w|GPS}} is a system allowing people to find their location and speed on Earth. It was first developed for the U.S. military, but now it sees international usage for everyday navigation. Many motorists today have GPS devices (sometimes just called GPS's) that can give driving directions electronically. |
− | + | "Hot and Cold" refers to a children's game. The goal is to identify a random object in the room, aided by another who can only give two directions: "hot" (you're getting closer to the target), and "cold" (you're moving away from the target). These are also somewhat absolute measurements, so "warm" could also mean a milder proximity to the target than "hot." [[Cueball]]'s "cheap GPS" unhelpfully emulates this game with hilarious results. | |
− | + | The series of instructions spoken ("cold", "warm", "hot", then "cold" again) suggests that Cueball either missed a turn, or that he just passed his destination. | |
Randall describes a past engineering project of his that can only describe turns "as the crow flies." So, for example, if he was driving north with the destination to the northeast, the GPS would tell him to turn right even if no such turn was legally possible. Perhaps not very functional, but it ''is'' a pretty cool thing to build. | Randall describes a past engineering project of his that can only describe turns "as the crow flies." So, for example, if he was driving north with the destination to the northeast, the GPS would tell him to turn right even if no such turn was legally possible. Perhaps not very functional, but it ''is'' a pretty cool thing to build. | ||
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[Cueball driving down the road, with a GPS reading "COLD. | + | :[Cueball driving down the road, with a GPS reading "COLD".] |
:GPS: COLD... WARM... HOT! COLD... | :GPS: COLD... WARM... HOT! COLD... | ||