Which is the goodly typest of GPS? Some peoples like the NUVI Garamin 350 and http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...st raring on the NewEGG. What do tyou think?
GPOS
- Thread starter LOST6200
- Start date
udaman
Wannabe Storage Freak
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2006
- Messages
- 1,209
ddrueding
Fixture
I use the one built-in to my laptop, but a friend uses a TomTom and is very happy with it. I have a Garmin model (Rhino-something) for my boat and it works well.
What are you going to use it for? Driving? Hiking? Sailing?
What are you going to use it for? Driving? Hiking? Sailing?
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
I've used a TomTom and a Nuvi. The TT was big and bulky. I think the nuvi worked better. The TT was ~$300. The nuvi was ~$600.
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
I would buy one if they called it the TimTim.
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
My dad owns the Nuvi. He calls it mimi. I have no idea why.
e_dawg
Storage Freak
Garmins are usually the best overall. I have a refurbed Garmin StreetPilot c330. Very good. It's a bit too big and the battery life too short for portable use, but it's fine in the car.
The much slimmer Nuvis are fine for portable use while traveling, but you have to make sure they have the correct maps (Europe, Asia) loaded or figure out how you can purchase the maps and load them in yourself.
Theoretically, you should be able to get any map from the Mapquest site and upload it onto any Garmin, although there is probably a catch... I haven't really looked into it.
As with most GPS systems, it has no idea what roads are best to take considering congestion, bus/streetcar routes, parked cars, traffic patterns, time of day, construction, etc... things only a human would know after living in the area for a while.
Sometimes it will tell you to turn left when the sign says "no left turns" or it may not know that the city installed an LRT line on a street and have concrete barriers running through intersections, only allowing you to cross or turn onto the other direction at designated points. But that is the fault of the mapping company like Mapquest or whomever the GPS manufacturer uses. These types of things are usually rectified after a couple years once people notify the mapping companies and they update their maps in future releases.
A limited number of these GPS systems have live traffic information from the RTIS, allowing you to monitor traffic flow on your chosen route and go a different route if you find it heavy. These are usually on higher end models and I believe you have to pay for this service (?)
The much slimmer Nuvis are fine for portable use while traveling, but you have to make sure they have the correct maps (Europe, Asia) loaded or figure out how you can purchase the maps and load them in yourself.
Theoretically, you should be able to get any map from the Mapquest site and upload it onto any Garmin, although there is probably a catch... I haven't really looked into it.
As with most GPS systems, it has no idea what roads are best to take considering congestion, bus/streetcar routes, parked cars, traffic patterns, time of day, construction, etc... things only a human would know after living in the area for a while.
Sometimes it will tell you to turn left when the sign says "no left turns" or it may not know that the city installed an LRT line on a street and have concrete barriers running through intersections, only allowing you to cross or turn onto the other direction at designated points. But that is the fault of the mapping company like Mapquest or whomever the GPS manufacturer uses. These types of things are usually rectified after a couple years once people notify the mapping companies and they update their maps in future releases.
A limited number of these GPS systems have live traffic information from the RTIS, allowing you to monitor traffic flow on your chosen route and go a different route if you find it heavy. These are usually on higher end models and I believe you have to pay for this service (?)
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
I saw a google car driving around the other day. I think it was mapping as opposed to photographing.
ddrueding
Fixture
You would know if it was photographing, the camera is a large thing on the roof.
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
The thing mounted on a stand on the roof looked like a big black tylenol. A 40oz tylenol.
Now that I think about it if it were GPS it wouldn't need to be outside of the car.
Now that I think about it if it were GPS it wouldn't need to be outside of the car.
e_dawg
Storage Freak
Perhaps you could take a picture of said Google-Tylenol van? I've never seen one up here in Canada.
ddrueding
Fixture
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
I saw it once, months ago from about 15 feet away. It could very well have been this one with/out a weather housing.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/office-voyeurism/the-google-maps-street-view-camera-264972.php
Will Rickards
Storage Is My Life
Back to GPS unit discussion....
I was looking at this portable nuvi 360 unit that has built-in bluetooth. Anybody use the built-in bluetooth? I've read reviews where they say the mic is not that good and you need to buy an external mic. How does that work in the car? I'm looking for something to just leave in the car.
I was looking at this portable nuvi 360 unit that has built-in bluetooth. Anybody use the built-in bluetooth? I've read reviews where they say the mic is not that good and you need to buy an external mic. How does that work in the car? I'm looking for something to just leave in the car.
ddrueding
Fixture
I haven't found an area microphone yet that works well in the car. Only the headset-type seem to avoid all the road noise.
Garmins Nuvi work well enough. Sometimes the maps are not accurate, which is similar to routes found on the internet. Use common sense. Where possible call business POIs like restaurants in advance to see if they still exist. 
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
Are nüvi's still the recommended choice? I'm looking at placing a GPS on my xmas wish list and the 750 & 760 looks nice. The 760 has Bluetooth, which while nice is something I could live without. Funny, right now the 760 is cheaper than the 750 at NewEgg although Sam's Club has the 750 even cheaper while the 760 is a fair bit more.
Not much consistency to prices, it seems.
Not much consistency to prices, it seems.
Stereodude
Not really a
I have two Nuvi's (350 & 660) and have no complaints... From a review or two I read supposedly the 6xx's work a little better than the 7xx's due to the flip-out vs. built in antenna.
However, the 6xx's like the 3xx's are discontinued, (but still widely available).
However, the 6xx's like the 3xx's are discontinued, (but still widely available).
My choice isn't for everyone but I got a PDA with built in GPS, an Asus A696 and it is fantastic, but I switched to TomTom instead of included destinator. Not really happy with TomTom's lack of updates for the PDA software package so I might switch to the garmen software but at least I have the freedom to do that. TomTom gets me around Boston, Albany and New York city no problem and anything in between with the only exceptions being camping events out in the country with some fire roads that aren't marked but are drawn on the maps and the one really odd exception of a whole town that didn't exist in the directory by name or zip code. In those situations you just use the map view and point to where you want to go, still gets you directions there no problem.
Asus A696 has been out for a while now and available $300~400. I also use it for ebooks and an ipod replacement so the price made sense to me. Mine is about a year old now I guess and durable with a partial metal case.
Asus A696 has been out for a while now and available $300~400. I also use it for ebooks and an ipod replacement so the price made sense to me. Mine is about a year old now I guess and durable with a partial metal case.
Will Rickards
Storage Is My Life
I bought a refurbished TomTom 720. Nice enough unit.
But I miss the easier interface from the GPS on my cell phone from verizon, and the local search.
But I miss the easier interface from the GPS on my cell phone from verizon, and the local search.
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
My wife & I were at Fry's and played with the demo GPS units for a few minutes. The Magellan UI was much nicer for her and the nüvi demo unit couldn't even get a satellite reading. So for the moment we're switching tracks & leaning towards the Maestro 4350. Meijer will have it for $199 on Back Friday.
Does your Garmin ask for a map update? Mine has been doing so for a while now. I'm trying to decide if it is worth the upgrade to the 2009 maps.
Stereodude
Not really a
Mine have never asked for an update. I currently have the 2009 maps on them both though. Usenet is a wonderful thing.
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
The store had 10 units. I was # 11 in line. :tdown:
Stereodude
Not really a
Should have gotten their earlier
Speaking of GPS, I bought the Garmin 255W as a X-mas gift. (I have a slightly ulterior motive in that the Garmin interface is familiar and I will occasionally be operating the device in the role of navigator.)
The "XX5" series has some nice features like speed limits, better POI and (finally) a next turn/merge symbol for approaching turns. Sound quality is worse that older units, however. Unfortunately the 2009 Navtec maps are still out of date in some cases. For example, CompUSA stores are still listed.
)The "XX5" series has some nice features like speed limits, better POI and (finally) a next turn/merge symbol for approaching turns. Sound quality is worse that older units, however. Unfortunately the 2009 Navtec maps are still out of date in some cases. For example, CompUSA stores are still listed.
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
CompUSA does still have stores, although they are just TigerDirect locations. I assume you mean stores that have long since closed down.
Does Navtec have a feedback option so you can let them know the POIs no longer exist?
As to getting there earlier, I was there about 10 or 15 minutes after the store opened. I went straight to the electronics area, didn't see them, asked, and was told they were up at the customer service area. Turns out limited quantity items were placed in different spots around the store. While I haven't dug up the ad to re-check I don't recall it even being listed as a limited quantity item. Nor was it obvious when entering the store that said items weren't in their normal locations. There was a small table with basically no signage and photocopied maps of the store outlining where the items were, but no guidance to point out the table itself.
In the end it doesn't matter. I'll still get the unit if a good enough deal comes along. And if one doesn't, I'll just save the money. A GPS is a luxury item for most people, including me. I'm interested mostly for those few times a year I go places I'm not familiar with.
Does Navtec have a feedback option so you can let them know the POIs no longer exist?
As to getting there earlier, I was there about 10 or 15 minutes after the store opened. I went straight to the electronics area, didn't see them, asked, and was told they were up at the customer service area. Turns out limited quantity items were placed in different spots around the store. While I haven't dug up the ad to re-check I don't recall it even being listed as a limited quantity item. Nor was it obvious when entering the store that said items weren't in their normal locations. There was a small table with basically no signage and photocopied maps of the store outlining where the items were, but no guidance to point out the table itself.
In the end it doesn't matter. I'll still get the unit if a good enough deal comes along. And if one doesn't, I'll just save the money. A GPS is a luxury item for most people, including me. I'm interested mostly for those few times a year I go places I'm not familiar with.
I could use a hand held GPS for simple hiking. We want to be able to mark waypoints and find the way back to the car before it becomes too dark. Usage will be infrequent, so a halfway decent one for less than $200 is desirable.
Usage will be infrequent, so a halfway decent one for less than $200 is desirable.
ddrueding
Fixture
It depends on how lost you tend to get. I need a map to get back, but if you only need waypoints, bearings, and distances, they are much cheaper/smaller.
There is a similar model here, which has a color display, compass and barometer. (eTrex Summit® HC.) How do the B&W and color displays work - are they backlighted with a button or reflective only?
ddrueding
Fixture
I don't know if it is still the case, but my color one burns through batteries much faster than my B&W. The B&W even was visible during the day without it's backlight.
