So I tested out the new Garmin ecoRoute.  It’s a program that can track your fuel usage.  It can predict the cost for each route you try.  It all sounds pretty good, but how good does it work?

Well I tried it out for one full tank of gas.  I had it on every time I started the car and moved.

Here’s the results.  I set the cost of fuel for the prediction to be $1.80/gal

• Distance: 294.3mi
• Time Traveled: 8:37
• cost of fuel used:$23.42
• Average Fuel Economy: 22.6mpg
• Carbon Footprint: 252.4lbs
• fuel Used: 13.0 gal

NOW, lets compare that to what the pump and the miles on the car said.

• Distance 302.0 mi
• cost of fuel used:26.00
• Gallons filled 13.479
• Cost per gallon: $1.929
• Calculated Average Fuel Economy: 22.41mpg

I was pretty impressed.  If the cost would have been the same as predicted ($1.80gal), the actual filled price would have been $24.62 which is less than a $1 off.   The fact that the fuel economy is so close is what really impresses me too.  I have to admit, I thought the program was going to be a joke, but it actually works.  So next time your using your GPS, and put in a waypoint, you can be confident that the predicted cost for that trip will be accurate.  So I’ve learned it cost about a 1.32 one way to work. 

Oh yea, the best part.  It actually gives you a driving report too which you can download from your GPS to your computer.  I plan on writing a program to parse these reports and make more useful data from them.

When I was a cheap college student, I did everything to save money…hell, I’m still cheap.  I’ve always loved the fact that online sales didn’t have state tax.  Today I bought my last gadget from Circuit City.  I just found out I paid $15 more than I could have gotten it for online (after mail in rebate), but I just thought to myself, with the Economy the way it is, I’m kind of glad my state just got the tax.  They need it.  It sucks I paid more in the long run, but if you came to my state you’d understand….

This gets me thinking.  Have we ridden the cash cow too long.  Have we had it too good.  Should the governments step it up.  I have no clue how you’d prove that where you were shipping to also was your resident state too.  I guess, you’d go off the billing address, but it’s a bit more complicated than just that.  Businesses get crazy tax laws as it is.  Then to do business in other states…but not have a physical store…that may just complicate too much.  I did like Circuit City.  They were a great store.  Online Retail is one of the main reasons it went out of business.  Who’s next??

My host is updating all of its fleet of shared servers.  I have no clue how many servers this is.  They say it will take all week to get them all.  I have no clue when my server will get its update.  SO, you might get a crazy warning while trying to access this site.  If you knew what the issue was you’d laugh and wonder why they didn’t do this a year ago.

Everything should be up and running for sure by the 14th. 

Today I’m having a commercial party…I guess they’re playing some football during the commercial breaks.

Washed the car today…Ya it told me “Thank you”.

I want to see the movie Wanted .

Just watched most the movie teasers that are suppose to be shown tonight.  Thanks YOU TUBE