New (and better) GPS half the price of a new map!

[tom66]

Just use Google Maps, or Waze, or numerous other smartphone apps; they stay up to date, no need to update the hardware or faff around with various map formats.

Agree, but the usefullness and the reliability highly depends on the phone's gps module. I had a Samsung Galaxy S4 and can't remember the no. of times I got lost because of that piece of s**t. GPS stops working suddenly and does not come up until you restart the phone. 

First I thought that it's only my phone, seems a common problem for Samsung S4.

So I always keep a conventional GPS for backup when traveling far away from hometown... 

Yep, my S4 was bad for this, but I've never had an issue with other phones.  S5 and Moto G4 both make good car sat navs.  I couldn't see me using anything else.  I'm pricing up a new car and I'm gonna skip on getting navigation - why bother?  I'll just end up using my phone!

[Dataforensics]

Have not had any such gps problems with my Galaxy S4 and it has totally taken over from my Garmin dedicated units now.

Used the S4 with OS maps in a waterproof case for three years now on walking holidays. I used to carry the garmin unit and real paper maps as a backup, but have dumped the Garmin now.

Of course the battery life is a big issue,but I carry a couple of spares, thats one reason for me keeping an older phone.

[Halcyon]

I have to be honest though, as much as I love Google Maps, whenever I'm driving, I use my in-car navigator that Volvo use. I find the traffic conditions update quicker and are more "local", since traffic information is broadcast in digital format over regular FM radio stations, the car picks up on it and adjusts/warns accordingly.

Google on the other hand takes quite a bit to update a route based on time/traffic.

For average travel times, when trip planning for instance, Google wins hands down.

[6PTsocket]

  Used the five year old Garmin GPS the other day and it was telling me to go places on roads that had big concrete barriers that stopped me from changing lanes and turning off when it said so etc etc. Okay, time for a new map. Never been updated before. Had a look and they cost AUD$99 which is as much as we paid for the whole unit new. What is worse, a way better one with bigger higher definition screen and all sorts of extra functions on eBay was literally half the price at AUD$49! Do they really expect anyone is going to buy an updated map at that ridiculous price???

You bought the wrong Garmin. Mine came with lifetime free updates. I still prefer it to the smartphone. I can use it all day and not use up any data. There are still issues with missing info., changes and errors but it usually gets me there. If I were to upgrade, I would get another dedicated GPS. Someone might have a better program.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Beamin]

I have to be honest though, as much as I love Google Maps, whenever I'm driving, I use my in-car navigator that Volvo use. I find the traffic conditions update quicker and are more "local", since traffic information is broadcast in digital format over regular FM radio stations, the car picks up on it and adjusts/warns accordingly.

Google on the other hand takes quite a bit to update a route based on time/traffic.

For average travel times, when trip planning for instance, Google wins hands down.

That's the one thing I like about people giving up their privacy: you can get very accurate traffic conditions from everyone's phone telling google where it is. I still think you should be able to tell it not to send your info. Even if this was an option people are so lazy or ignorant it would work just as well.

[Red Squirrel]

I always found it ridiculous that they even charge to update the maps.  May as well just use a smartphone GPS app at that point.  You would think they would try to give you a reason to use a dedicated one, by trying to make it better than a phone and making updates free.

[tooki]

That's the one thing I like about people giving up their privacy: you can get very accurate traffic conditions from everyone's phone telling google where it is. I still think you should be able to tell it not to send your info. Even if this was an option people are so lazy or ignorant it would work just as well.

Well, you can always choose to use an alternative mapping app, like Apple Maps on iPhone, or a third-party one on Android.

But I agree with you, crowdsourced traffic data is one of the best examples of it working well.

[raptor1956]

I have a 2012 Ford Focus with GPS Navigation and every year or so they send me info on updating the map database for something like $150USD.  The map I have is good enough for most things and for specific navigation needs I use Google Maps on my Android phone.  Honestly, Ford can not possibly spend more than about $15USD for what they charge 10X for.  On top of that the usability of the cars navigation software is spotty at best and Google Maps is pretty much the standard by which most everyone else is judged.  The only issue is that in the desert southwest of the USA there's quite a few places that either have no cell coverage of spotty coverage.  For hiking I have an old Garmin handheld.  I still have my first handheld GPS unit -- the Garmin GPS 50.


Brian

[blacksheeplogic]

I have Free Open GPS maps on my Garmin's. They better than the Garmin maps because they are updated more frequently especially points of interest.

  Used the five year old Garmin GPS the other day and it was telling me to go places on roads that had big concrete barriers that stopped me from changing lanes and turning off when it said so etc etc. Okay, time for a new map. Never been updated before. Had a look and they cost AUD$99 which is as much as we paid for the whole unit new. What is worse, a way better one with bigger higher definition screen and all sorts of extra functions on eBay was literally half the price at AUD$49! Do they really expect anyone is going to buy an updated map at that ridiculous price???

[blacksheeplogic]

I use Garmin Zumo units on the bikes. A bike GPS is designed & built specifically for this purpose unlike a phone.

...more to the point... do people still use dedicated GPS units for vehicle navigation? 

[CJay]

...more to the point... do people still use dedicated GPS units for vehicle navigation? 

Modern phones provide way so much more information and contextual information that a dedicated GPS is a dinosaur.

Case in point. This w/end I was in SF after getting off the local train (caltrain). Wanted to figure out what bus to catch. Opened my phone and it already knew from my geolocation info that I was standing at the bus/tram stop and then presented me with various bus/tram options to choose from and then had the departure times and the tram name and which stand to wait at. I can't imagine a Garmin unit providing anything close to that level of useful information. Cost of all this additional phone information - free.

With pushed map/points of interest info, updates are immediate and automatic. No way a dedicated GPS can keep up with features like that.

cheers,
george.

I like the stand alone for the bigger screen and how I can get a phone call and not lose gps.

Weird, none of the Android phones I've had over the past six or so years ever dropped navigation because of a phone call...

*edit* I would also add, I had a brand new car earlier this year that had built in sat nav, I still preferred my android 'phone as it gave me live traffic, rerouting etc. even though they were features that were supposedly available on the in car nav.

My partner has a brand new car which has 'App Connect' on it that mirrors her phone screen on the centre console so best of both worlds

[tooki]

Nor does iPhone, whether using Apple maps, Google Maps, or Waze.