Who to believe, Rowan, or this New Scientist Article. Not that it really matters much--

As to the compass vs. SatNav debate, I am in Palm Springs this week, and my rental car has a handy Garmin device that has facilitated driving around as if we really knew where we were--show me a compass that can find the 24 hour supermarket that's nearest to the casino--

Without the device, one is pretty much confined to quarters, pouring over maps and searching the phone book til you've plotted out an expedition. Much better, in my view, to be out and about--