For most true motorcycle enthusiasts, there’s simply nothing quite like the experience of getting out on the open road. There’s the sun overhead. The wind whipping by. The road stretching out before you in a never-ending ribbon of possibilities.
However, if you have a GPS device or LCD display radio panel, your leisurely ride can quickly turn into a struggle, and perhaps even a dangerous situation.
Show us a friend or family member who genuinely does not want to get a new Smartphone or tablet this holiday season, and we’ll show you someone who probably isn’t being honest about their holiday wish list.
Not everyone has fallen victim to the hypnotic sway of the digital and mobile revolution. But as the years pass and mobile computing devices become more and more convenient, those people are becoming harder and harder to find.
Indeed, the look on a family member’s face as they unwrap a new Android Nexus or an iPhone 6 is truly a welcome sight to behold. Because not only do these devices provide endless hours of fun and distraction—they’ve also become practically indispensable for everyday living.
But there’s another facial expression common to all owners of mobile devices that isn’t quite so joyous at all. Nearly all of us have experienced it. It’s the look on a device owner’s face when that new phone, for instance, becomes unexpectedly damaged. You can be almost certain that somewhere in the world, at this very moment, a Smartphone is being dropped and a screen is being irreparably scratched.
If you want to avoid that experience with your own devices, or with the devices you’ll be buying loved ones this season, there’s a way to do so that is both foolproof and almost surprisingly affordable. It exists in the form of a simple NuShield screen protector, which comes with the added benefit of reducing screen glare, keeping that screen free of fingerprints and other smudges, and nearly eliminating the bacteria that is almost certainly present on the Smartphone that’s sitting in your purse or pants pocket right now. But more about that in a minute.
Do you remember taking cross-country road trips with your family as a child, and tracing the highways in an oversized road atlas with your finger? Maybe you remember taking those same trips as a young adult, and having to pull onto the side of the road to locate your route on a paper map.
Even if neither of those auto-navigation remembrances ring a bell, there’s a good chance you can still recall the experience of logging onto the MapQuest or Google Maps websites for your driving directions, and then printing them out before leaving the house.
Don’t get us wrong: We definitely believe that there’s something to be said for the nostalgic memories of auto travel. But the truth is that when it comes to maps, directions, and auto navigation in general, technology has made the process of getting from point A to point B in a vehicle an almost foolproof experience.
We’re referring, of course, to the modern GPS navigation device.
Whether for business or pleasure, it’s vitally important to know where you are when you’re out at sea. Modern navigation systems have made this much easier: You now have GPS data to pinpoint your location, making sure you never get lost while out on the water.
These electronic devices can also help you locate fish and tell you the depth of the water, making marine excursions safer and easier.
Unfortunately, being out on the water exposes you—and your expensive equipment—to the harsh and unforgiving natural elements. Sun, wind, and salty spray from the sea can take a serious toll on your electronics, corroding the LCD screens.
Sun glare can make LCD screens nearly impossible to see, putting you in an incredibly dangerous situation. While polarizing sunglasses can help protect your eyes from the damaging UV rays and reflections, they further impede your ability to see your navigational device’s LCD screen.
But what can be done?
It’s the epitome of the American car-lover’s dream: driving down the open highway, sun shining, and the convertible top down. As your hair blows in the breeze, you hear the robotic voice of your GPS navigation system telling you that your exit is coming up. But as you glance at the screen, you realize you can’t see the display in the glare of the sun.
Unmodified photo supplied by customer of Mercedes Benz SL550, with NuShield DayVue film in place on Command Center display.Gone are the days of struggling with enormous paper maps, or printing out pages of MapQuest directions. In recent years, GPS navigation devices have become the standard method of finding your way to a new destination.
GPS devices can come installed in the dash of your car or purchased after-market. With these systems, you can receive both audio and visual cues, effectively ensuring that you never get lost again.
LCD screens, however, are not always clearly visible in sunlight. Glare can wash out the screen, making graphics hard to see. This is true in every car (especially those with a sunroof), and worse in an open-topped convertible where there is no way to escape the bright light of the sun. Polarized sunglasses make the screen even less visible.
It’s certainly worth pointing out that distracted driving, such as squinting at and adjusting your GPS screen, puts you at a three times higher risk of getting in an accident. Does that mean you need to sacrifice your open-topped drive for safety’s sake?
