Question about a GPS

[Mercutio]

So I bought a GPS. Mostly because I'm three for three on getting lost while visiting my parents in Knoxville.

It's a Garmin Nuvi 205. It's unbearably clunky. I find myself wanting to plug it into a PC and drop an address book into it from that, but it does not appear to have that functionality.

My question, though, is this: If I leave this stupid thing plugged in all the time, will it kill my car's battery? I suspect that it will. And is there a better way to mount it than on an arm attached to a suction cup?

 

[timwhit]

I would not leave it in the car when you're not driving somewhere. Great way to get a window smashed. Happened to my wife last year.

 

[Mercutio]

Hilariously, if somebody did smash in my window for a $100 GPS, they'd probably ignore the $5000 worth of easily sale-able computer parts that are in the back at all times.

 

[LunarMist]

I bought a couple of the 255W and have seen the 255WT for $80 recently in a retail store. Some of the newer auto GPS units are a bit thinner, but I'm not sure the xx5 series qualifly as clunky. Normally I run a GPS on battery power and avoid the 12V cigar adapter except when driving long distances. In CA and MN we use the heavy friction mount, which is truly clunky but well made. There is a smaller friction mount that cannot recommend. I also have an older Nuvi GPS in the car that does not have a GPS (stored in the center console box) and I use the other 255W for travel. In the summer I often take the GPS out of a car to avoid heat damage. I never leave the GPS or either type of mount in plain view when a vehicle is parked in public view. The mount alone may invite breaking and entry.

 

[Mercutio]

It's clunky in that input is god-awful. The size is fine.

 

[jtr1962]

The specs say it uses 5 watts maximum ( see manual, page 48 ). I would imagine it uses a lot less if the unit is turned off but left plugged in. Even at 5 watts, it would take at least a few days to drain a car battery.

I'm surprised you can't enter addresses from a PC. My Legend HCx lets me upload waypoints ( which are addresses in GPS speak ) using the MapSource software. I can also download and save the GPS tracks from my rides, even import them to Google Earth ( which gives me a nice plot of my speed and altitude versus distance ).

 

[ddrueding]

The input on all of the dedicated GPS units suck. The best item I've found for the task is an iPhone/Pad.

 

[Bozo]

A lot of cars these days shut off their aux ports when the key is turned off. Might be worth while checking out.

 

[ddrueding]

The aux port in the trunk turns off, but the one in the console stays on in my cars.

 

[LunarMist]

Battery drain is not much if that is your concern.

 

[LunarMist]

The input on all of the dedicated GPS units suck. The best item I've found for the task is an iPhone/Pad.

The typical automobile GPS has fallen into the category of mass produced commodity. Some of the older ones that were ~$1000 back then had more and better features, though were slower and with less sensitivity. The handhelds still tend to be quite nice in comparison. The higher-end GPS units for vehicles have more features, but are still not the greatest and many have a cheap feel. Most people don't weant to spend $500 for an auto GPS.

Considering that a basic GPS is $100-150 and lasts about 3years (limited in practice by the battery life) it is dirt cheap compared to an Iphone, etc. that costs several thousands of dollars with service for 3 years. I'm not sure where one would mount something as large as an Ipad in most vehicles.

 

[Stereodude]

I'm not sure where one would mount something as large as an Ipad in most vehicles.

The best place is under one of the tires, as in to be driven over. wneddnce:

 

[LunarMist]

Are the Apple products really that strong? I'm quite sure that a 255W or similar would not fare well under the force of a tyre. :dwarf:

 

[sechs]

It's a Garmin Nuvi 205. It's unbearably clunky. I find myself wanting to plug it into a PC and drop an address book into it from that, but it does not appear to have that functionality.

It uses a standard mini-USB connector. It should appear as a mass storage device in Windows.

Personally, I use POIloader to add locations to an SD card and just shove that in. Since I also keep an updated map there, it's a bit less clunky than writing directly to the GPS's flash.

 

[time]

It's a Garmin Nuvi 205. It's unbearably clunky. I find myself wanting to plug it into a PC and drop an address book into it from that, but it does not appear to have that functionality.

My Garmin-Asus Android phone would have to be the direct opposite of that. It comes with an optional mounting bracket/external speaker so you can use it exactly like a normal Garmin sat nav (I obsessively try not to call it a GPS, that's the technology it uses), but that functionality is integrated with Android capabilities such as Street View, etc.

For example, I can choose 'Call', pick from my contacts list and either call or text someone, or get turn-by-turn directions to their location.

Or, I can choose 'Where To?', 'Points of Interest', 'Shopping' and type in or speak a name to search for. It displays results by geographical proximity to my current location; I can press a button to either call the business or get directions. I can also jump straight to 360-degree Street View, even though I've just been using a Garmin map.

Security isn't a problem because my phone goes with me. I can check out locations before I get anywhere near a car, then switch to directions when I'm ready. Locking on to satellites is very fast, a few seconds at most.

Unfortunately, Garmin and Asus have decided they're not making enough money out of their joint venture, so there won't be any more such highly integrated sat nav phones (eg. 4GB internal flash to hold maps, the car mount, etc). I can only hope that Garmin is chiefly responsible for the software look and feel and choose to make the package available on other Android phones in the future. It's incomparably better than just Google Maps.

 

[timwhit]

It's incomparably better than just Google Maps.

Have you tried the latest version of Google Maps on Android 2.2?

 

[LunarMist]

What is the battery life when using the phone GPS as a window-mounted GPS? Do you get 3-4 hours as with a GPS?

 

[time]

Yes, easily. It comes with a car power adapter, but I've only used that twice.

 

[MaxBurn]

New tomtom maps app has an update feature where people can rename streets or mark it as gone. I don't see how to add a street or put up a numbering correction. I hope to hell someone is reviewing this stuff though, up to several thousand changes on the app already.

 

[LunarMist]

Has anyone replaced the battery on the 2x5 series? I found a kit at Amazon, but I'm not sure if it is reliable.

 

[Howell]

TomTom did not have my street listed so as to be able to find my house. The street is 3 miles long and over 100 years old. I'd say the maps need an update.

 

[Howell]

Has anyone replaced the battery on the 2x5 series? I found a kit at Amazon, but I'm not sure if it is reliable.

Somebody's gotta be first!

 

[LunarMist]

I barely got from RDU to the site and the battery was low. It used to last over 3 hours. My oldest GPS still lasts almost three hours; they were better built back then.

 

[LunarMist]

Rats. My 2007 GPS is not working reliably. The unit sometimes will not power up. Maybe it is the switch, but it is probably not worth the effort to mess with.

 

[LunarMist]

I have another new GPS (will be getting 3 this week) and noticed that the head blocks the signal more that I remember. Has anyone alse experienced a loss of sensitivity when their equipment is placed under the pillow?

 

[Howell]

You probably don't remember be because you've been sending EMF through your head.

 

[LunarMist]

The GPS emits EMF, what?

 

[ddrueding]

IIRC, GPS devices receive only.

 

[Sol]

The GPS emits EMF, what?

No but it attracts EMF from the satellites, so if you put your head between it and the satellites then it will attract the EMF through your head. (Or it will try, obviously the EMF particles will mostly be absorbed by your brain giving you some form of highly localized and completely undetectable, memory affecting, cancer)

 

[Bozo]

I have another new GPS (will be getting 3 this week) and noticed that the head blocks the signal more that I remember. Has anyone alse experienced a loss of sensitivity when their equipment is placed under the pillow?

Why would you have your GPS under your pillow?

 

[LunarMist]

Why would you have your GPS under your pillow?

I was testing the duration and it was late.

 

[LunarMist]

No but it attracts EMF from the satellites, so if you put your head between it and the satellites then it will attract the EMF through your head. (Or it will try, obviously the EMF particles will mostly be absorbed by your brain giving you some form of highly localized and completely undetectable, memory affecting, cancer)

How is the EMF attracted by the GPS? I no longer have any metal in my head, but there is some in my teeth.

 

[Stereodude]

I just want to know what EMF is in this context... :scratch:

 

[LunarMist]

I just want to know what EMF is in this context... :scratch:

It used to be EMR. EMF was the potential (voltage), but that is not relevant in the context. In the labs we had some ancient Van de Graaffs and would screw around with them late in the day. I did not have any personal digital electronics then. It was the days when 7400 series logic was just getting into LS.

 

[LunarMist]

Now I have four GPS devices, one trail and three vehicle types. That does not include the flaky one that was disposed. There does not seem to be any interactoion between them except when very close together (basically touching). It may be blockage more than anything else. UI wish there was an easy way to coordinate maybe two units at a time in vehicle.