Community weekly poll: GPS: which form would you prefer?
- 11/2/06 6:00 PM
Portable or Built-In
by scuba_bob - 11/3/06 8:37 AM In reply to: Built-in GPS in a car seems to be better than standalone one by Bob ShenskiI use two different vehicles and move my Garmin 330 between them. I find it hard to justify the $1500-2000 for the auto accessory. They might add to the resale, but that's iffy.
You can take the Garmin with you, even when someone else is driving.
I use Telenav and love it!
by CynicalGal - 11/3/06 5:36 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
When I used to have a Blackberry 7520, I used Telenav service with it and it was wonderful! It took advantage of the BB's beautiful screen and only cost $10/mo for unlimited directions. Now that I don't have Nextel anymore, I use Boost Mobile and an i860 mainly for the Telenav service. At just $5 for the program and $5/4 directions and $1.50/direction after I find it's a cheap alternative to buying a color gps unit. I barely need directions, but can still find places nearby (banks, restaurants, libray, etc...) based on what location I'm at. The step-by-step directions are great, the audio is loud enough and even on a non-pda phone's screen you don't have to squint.
A GPS Is very important for me
by navy59 - 11/3/06 5:36 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
I have been using GPS's since I had one in a 1998 Lexus GS. Almost every car I have leased or purchased since then have had GPSs. I have had GPSs in a BMW, a Mini Cooper, a Toyota, a Honda, an Acura, and a Pontiac. Automobile GPSs have improved a lot over this period. My first GPS had very poor map coverage. Both my current GPSs have excellent map coverage but there are still some small towns not covered well where I drive. I use the GPS whenever I drive anywhere. I never take off without putting in a destination first. In my opinion the system used by Toyota/Lexus is best by far. The Honda/Acura system is good because its screen is largest but still the Toyota features make it best in my opinion. The BMW sytem is worst. The Mini Cooper has a variation on the BMW system. Both are poor in thier operational features. They Toyota system has an outstanding feature that switches the screen back and forth from audio, HVAC, or energy use to the map by pushing a button on the steering wheel. This is very useful.
I cannot see using a portable system in a car or for walking because both use streets and roads as reference points for navigation. While driving you often need to change the scale of the map and reaching to a a portable unit and changing scale would be difficult while driving. You might drop it or have trouble manipulating the controls on a portable while driving.
portable
by cptbrian - 11/4/06 4:15 AM In reply to: A GPS Is very important for me by navy59Hi there, I just read your posting and you seem set on fixed instalations, and nothing wrong with that if you can afford it. the Tom Tom 910 is bang full of features and one of them is AUTO ZOOMING as you approach the intersection or target.
Try one and i think you will be amazed, also you dont take your eyes of the road, its similar to checking your wing mirror.
I speak from experience having tried many and chose this one, you take it home and plug it in to your computer and download the latest alterations to the roads and Cameras as well as planning the next days routes which can adapt to your itinery. well now you have great day!!
Where is API Access?
by mmichaels - 11/3/06 5:37 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
I want a GPS cell phoen unit with access to its API. Why are they so protective of it? This way I can build my own GPS programs and not rely on prepackaged ones. API access would give businesses the ability to build their own dispatch programs catered to their business and customers.
We currently do this on Nextel i58 sr models. It would be nice to see this on Windows Mobile and Palm based phones.
Marc
the survey left out dash or window mounted units!!!!
by billsmithishere - 11/3/06 5:45 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
How could a survey like this abt GPS units leave out the most ubiquitous, most purchased types??? CNET, you need to better understand your issue, apparently you dont. Most chose the hand held as it came closest, but geeze....lousy survey.
cell phone
by cfs8642 - 11/3/06 5:49 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
My new LG 8400 cell phone has it. Haven't had a chance to try it yet but will do so very soon & report back.
Standalone + map and compass
by Enforcer - 11/3/06 6:03 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
GPS units are all well and good and I would get one as soon as I could afford one but because of several drawbacks in accuracy and usability I would still go the old school route with a map and compass. GPS units would be great for driving on well traveled roads with a clear view of the sky, but some "scenic" roads are not as well mapped and usually covered so therefore don't have an exact GPS mapping. Also there is the issue of batteries when you are backpacking. That's why i say in some cases it is better to have knowledge of navigation and orientation using a map and compass so when a situation exists in which a GPS becomes useless, well then you won't get lost.
A standalone handheld GPS
by George B. Lockwood - 11/3/06 7:03 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
Garmin StreetPilot 7200. It is portable, has a 7" screen and can be mounted in multiple vehicles using their mounting plate.
Garmin has two add ones, a XM radio antenna, and a traffic antenna.
what type GPS vote
by jakie - 11/3/06 7:18 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
I think 90% of the GPS units are mobil type that plug into car lighter.
There is no choice of this type in your questioneer.
I own a Magellan 760 and it is flawless.
jakie k
Acura makes the best GPS - voice activated too
by KathyW - 11/3/06 7:46 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
The Acura line has the best navigation and GPS on the market. Clear, concise, easy to use and all with voice control so you can find your way while driving without messing with controls.
Which GPS form would I choose?
by Moto Man - 11/3/06 8:05 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
Well, for me, it's simple; since I spend a lot of time outdoors, backpacking, fishing, etc.; I wanted a unit that would be practical in the backwoods and in Silli Valley. I bought a Garmin Rino 120 GPS, actuallly bought two of them; one for me and one for my kids to use when we go camping. The nice thing about it is that in addition to the standard GPS features assocaited with most of the units on the market today, it also has two way radio features that work well within about a 3 mile radius.
It doesn't have a color screen, the new units do; but it has everything else you could want, map, compass, trip tracking, waypoint features, lots of memory for a small unit, and you can upload maps from a CD for anywhere in the world, including marine use. Downside, it doesn't have the speech feature, and you do have to read the manual to become familiar wiht the unit.
On a scale of 1-10, I would rate the Rino 120 an 8.0.
My Caddy SRX has a great GPS
by ribbons - 11/3/06 8:09 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
Boy is this easy to use and a nice big screen. When you combine this with the available cell phone system and Onstar..you geta combo that I feel is excellant!
Oh to be Batman
by peterCIS - 11/3/06 8:14 AM In reply to: GPS: which form would you prefer? by Marc Bennett
In an effort not to look like I am walking around with Batman's utility belt I have moved all my 'stuff' to a single device.
I am using an Orange SPV M2000 (which came from GB). On that is my Cell Phone, Wireless Internet (802.11b) , GPS (With an external ant), Camera, voice recorder, video camera, video playback, PDA and external virtual Keyboard.
Now put a phone into an ultra-PC and I would trade for that, until then this will do nicely.
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