| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/10/2008 12:35:16 AM | I am in the market and considering order a GPS unit for my car. I've been looking at and comparing units from the major players in this ever growing technology. Problem is I can't decide which brand or model to go with. I don't have any friends that I am aware of that have a GPS unit to get thoughts and ideas from. That got me to wondering and thinking. I bet there are thousands of POF members who have and use a GPS unit all the time. I bet and am hoping to get some kind of feed back from the POF members as to what they use and the experiences they have had and what they would recommend. Ideas, thoughts recommendations.... anyone?   | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/10/2008 5:25:18 AM | People laugh at my old Navman. It has navigated me on thousands of kilometre trips and all over the countryside and city just fine for minimal outlay.
Look for something in your price range. Some features are really silly- why would you need a GPS that plays music and has a camera? I have five digital photo capable devices floating around already and about ten music playing devices...
So yeah... I can say that my lower end Navman works just fine. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/10/2008 7:00:24 AM | There are a number of people with electronics skills that have temporarily or permanently wired GPS units to work with other computers. I haven't seen anything with one of the Eee PCs, but that would be a natural. It gets you more memory, so you can have better maps, and it is useful beyond just displaying GPS. There are some good FOSS programs for doing GPS management with a small computer (laptop or smaller included), which will take many kinds of maps. So, if you have programming or hardware skills, there are alternatives to buying something.
The stuff I do with GPS, I never have maps available (that are up to date), so I just need barebones capabilities. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/10/2008 12:08:56 PM | | i use a dell axim with a holux bluetooth receiver, and iguidance. i've used my friends gps', but i'm so used to iguidance that i wouldn't want to switch. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/11/2008 5:26:15 AM | I tracked down that mod to an Eee. Here is the paragraph on the GPS
Wouldn't it be cool to have a Eee PC with a integrated GPS unit? Yes! I certainly thought so. Doing some research, I found a GPS DIY kit on Ebay GPS-R02-DIY for a decent price. The bulk kit included a GPS unit based on a NemeriX chipset, antenna with 3 meter cable with mmcx connector, mini-CD-R driver disc, USB cable, plastic case, and two screws. Suitable to be permanently installed in a boat or car.
I would imagine there are a few manufacturers of GPS that use that same chip (NemeriX), so searching for that might work. If you wanted to read the article about all the mod's, the title on the page is "Eee PC Internal Upgrades" and it is at beta.ivancover.com. That should be enough information to allow you to find it with a search engine. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/11/2008 8:23:05 AM | I've been debating back and forth between ordering a Garmin or a TomTom unit. I wanted a Garmin actually but when push came to shove... I just ordered me a new TomTom unit.  | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/19/2008 3:51:46 AM | | I got a Tom Tom from an online store in B.C. for only $160.. great deal compared to anywhere else in Canada.. I don't know how I lived with out it.. In a small town for a hockey game and bring up POI and I can go to the nearest restaurant ... amazing | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/19/2008 6:40:56 AM | | I have a little Garmin Nuvi that I swear by and have had it for a little over a year now. I work for a homebuilder and as part of my job I occasionally travel the country and look at our sales offices and being directionally challenged; it has saved me a lot more than once. However this unit and all the other units are only as good as the maps that the manufacturer has available. Garmin puts out a new map about once a year and I think you have to pay about $75 to get it after one free upgrade. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/19/2008 9:13:37 AM | | I pre-ordered myself a TomTom 930T which releases here in the USA on April 28th. New maps, some new technology and I like their Map Share program. I really wanted a Garmin but when I was comparing it just seemed the TomTom was giving me more for my money. I've used GPS units in the past and found them a wonderful tool and I hate traveling with out one. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/19/2008 2:57:46 PM | the tom tom is pretty good you cant go wrong there.....
BUT THE PLACE THAT SAYS WE INSTALL IT FREE IS THE DEAL.... | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/20/2008 7:41:14 AM |  gps
no offence to all gps lovers but i am a dispatcher& i work in NYC & give directions to whole our fleet in new york, new jersey & connecticut states including long island & worse thing you can use for navigation is "gps". my company spend over million $ to install gps in all of our cars & trucks & after 6 months we are getting tired of gps, especially us dispatchers. there are so many flaws in "gps" that i cannot mention all of them here but if you want to get reliable navigation & does not want to spend to much money then use Google map double check dirrections with you local hagstrom maps. i know i sound bit out of technology guy but trust me i have tried almost all of gps & none of them in market is even close to be perfect. gps navigation industry have long way to go before then will be consider perfect. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/20/2008 8:36:38 PM | | My GPS experiences have been limited but the experiences I have had were really good. I had a GPS receiver that bluetoothed to my Cingular 8525 phone. And that program was pretty much right one with it's directions. Always took me right to the places I asked it to get me to. Now I do know that tall buildings in the big cities play havoc with this technology but I don't need to worry about that where I am. I know this new TomTom has some new technologies and one helps with the system if and when it looses the satellite signal. I shall see how that works and post once I have the unit and test it out. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/20/2008 10:13:55 PM | | Just a word of warning make sure to hide your GPS when you're out of your car. Some thieves will break into your car just to take your GPS since it is the easiest thing to steal in your car. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/21/2008 4:01:22 AM | I can only say I bought a Gamin last year and couldn't be happier with the unit or the company. I used to teach flying decades ago but even back then, Garmin instruments of many kinds were in every aircraft I've ever flown so they have a long long history in precision electronics.
I had the unit for 11 months when something minor wouldn't work (I think it was the mute button at the to). So I emailed them about the problem. They said send it over. I did. They didn't send back the repaired unit. They sent me a new one. I'm very happy. The price was right, it has all the bells and whistles I need, it's easy to read (and listen to the nice lady tell you where to turn). I'm a happy camper. I've never used the Tomtom or any others so I couldn't comment. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/21/2008 8:42:19 PM | TomTom uses cheaper components and TeleAtlas maps -- they are a European company, and if you lived in Europe, I would recommend them hands down.
However, for the states, both Garmin and Magellan use NavTeq maps, which are much more detailed for the states.
I don't believe TomTom even uses the Sirf Star III chipset yet in their devices (maybe one or two) -- they typically have sat connection issues, screw up guidance, and provide the worst routing out of the 3 major players. When I was working in the GPS business, TomToms were by far the most returned with the most complaints, 10 to 1.
Magellan units are the easiest to use but have the least amount of features, I personally prefer them because they offer all your essential features and do it very well. Garmin has a few more features but a Windows 3.1 clunky interface --- both work fantastic and do their job well.
I would run from a TomTom though, lots of gloss (features) -- but no real substance. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 4/28/2008 12:40:03 AM | | I haven't confirmed this yet with TomTom but I did read on one website where the new 930T model that I ordered is using the Sirf Star III chipset. After reading review after review both Garmin and TomTom seem to be pretty neck and neck with both getting high ratings. I guess it could just boil down to ones needs and location situation on which manufacturer would be best. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 5/1/2008 8:46:21 AM | | I have a garmin C550 and it looses where its going all the time,by the time it rrecovers Im already there!Its receiver is wayyyyy better than the c330 but still-Oh and the 2008 map for the garmin made it worse.Lately I have been wanting to drive over it . I shoulda stuck with the Magellan. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 5/12/2008 9:22:36 PM | | I use my laptop with a GPS antenna that I bought off eBay for about $25.00. It uses a usb connection so can hook up to virtually any laptop. Simply install Streets and Trips or any other GPS map software and you're good to go. It should also work with the Asus mini computer as long as you can find a map program for Linux, which I'm sure would be no problem. personally, I agree with one of the other posters, before I spent a fistful of dollars on a srand-alone GPS unit, I'd invest in the Asus. That way you would have internet access, word processing etc for about the same price. By the way, the GPS antenna that I use is called a Holux GR-213 series and it works great. You could do a search on eBay for it if you're interested. The only thing is that the vendor charged about $16.00 for shipping which was a little steep but still cost less then $50.00. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 5/13/2008 4:58:51 PM | I have a Garmin Nuvi. It's great. It's pocket size, so I can use it outside of my car as well as in. It takes small additional memory chips, so I was able to add maps of Europe when I went on a trip to Sicily, and since it is portable, I was able to use it while walking around. Wonderful while walking on those narrow Sicilian streets that seem to be a maze. It also has a language translator as an add-in. It can say "I'd like a glass of rad wine" in Italian. Yes, it actually pronounces it! Lots of other words, phrases and languages as well.
I got mine on E-Bay. Much cheaper than paying full retail. But, naturally, be careful of who you buy from. | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 6/15/2008 9:46:55 AM | I have a garmin etrex vista Hcx now sine my old vista cx was stolen out of my car :(
I keep my gps in a hand gun safe in my car now and a car alarm that should slow them down so I have time to cave there head in :) | |
|
| GPS Units...
Posted: 6/15/2008 10:21:48 AM | | I did get myself a TomTom Go 930T and I love it. | |
|
Home
login 
