Author Topic: After market GPS systems (Read 24925 times)

safristi · « **Reply #20 on:** April 23, 2006, 07:57:20 am »

Hey getting LOST is half the FUN (Not that it's EVER happened to ME!!!

)..............OK had a coupla semi scary sessions in New YORK and Buffalo...but that was 'cos Wifey was with me an ramped up the DRAMA........on my own have had no problems in the "BAD PARTS OF TOWN"...gassed up in Buffalo in the middle of burnout area with attendants behind 6inches of plexiglas etc...etc..no issues..maybe my ~~GARMIN~~ GUARDIAN ANGEL is on the look_out ...

...

As a slight aside here is a neat and artistic use of GPS...(For our resident ARTSY FARTSY GRAD Snowballs....!!!!

)........

http://www.gpsdrawings.com

Snowman · « **Reply #21 on:** April 23, 2006, 07:58:22 am »

I’m now starting to look for a good hand held so I can plug it into my accessory outlet on my ATV. This will be backed up by a map and compass of course. Any experiences out there?

airbalancer · « **Reply #22 on:** April 23, 2006, 08:04:20 am »

Quote from: Snowman on April 23, 2006, 07:58:22 am

I’m now starting to look for a good hand held so I can plug it into my accessory outlet on my ATV. This will be backed up by a map and compass of course. Any experiences out there?

What are you a newbe ? :stick:Have you tried a search?

Search button is your friend

ppl4golf · « **Reply #23 on:** April 23, 2006, 12:10:20 pm »

Took a Megellan 700 in a recent trip to Orlando, worked fairly well overall with only a few occasional hiccups. The suction cup / extension assembly suffered ED and just wouldn't stay up after a few hot days down there LOL! However, the only way for that to get signals is to window-mount and flip up the antenna. Maps are a bit outdated.
Overall, it saved me time using it and it is easy to use. It really helped when you're in a place you're not familiar with.

brydog · « **Reply #24 on:** April 24, 2006, 08:53:10 pm »

I picked up a Garmin C330 at radiocity or somewhere at Steeles and 400...I never get lost and pride myself on a good direction sense and memory for urban vernacular, however, after I got the Neverlost in a Hertz rental I was sold...if nothing else for the cool factor. Furthermore I travel a lot for bus and pleasure and its nice to know where stuff is (ie get me to the Westin), navigating US airports and spending a lot less time lost.

I was close on getting it in my IS250, but it cost 10x as much as the Garmin and that car only drives the 401 and sits in the YYZ parking lot

Added bonus... My wife loves it and she feels more confident booting around the city with it.

nefcanuck · « **Reply #25 on:** April 26, 2006, 02:57:20 pm »

Quote from: dorin on April 21, 2006, 05:23:50 pm

What's wrong with a map printed on paper? Is it really worth spending $500-$1000 for something that's onyl really useful when you drive somewhere for the first time?

I find it's much safer to concentrate on driving when all you have to worry about is listening for verbal prompts as opposed to trying to glance down at a paper map

and as others have said a paper map can't offer you extra information like "Where's the nearest Shell gas station?" or can re-route you quickly to avoid traffic tieups you come across.

One example here in the GTA, if I need to go downtown and the highway rouute is shut due to construction I can get the GPS to route me downtown avoiding highways but still far more efficently than if I chose just to "wing it"

Plus most GPS models have the option to set a "home" location and then with a press of a button, no matter how lost you think you are, you'll be guided home quickly

NefCanuck

dorin · « **Reply #26 on:** April 26, 2006, 03:48:08 pm »

That makes sense.

I guess that I've never found it to be a problem to look at a map and then memorize the directions.

UmroAyyar · « **Reply #27 on:** April 26, 2006, 04:03:58 pm »

Quote from: dorin on April 26, 2006, 03:48:08 pm

That makes sense.

I guess that I've never found it to be a problem to look at a map and then memorize the directions.

dorin, I do that all the time, in town or out of town trips. Its the other towns that take a bit to get used to or unfamiliar parts of town. I don't like to drive in bumper to bumper traffic, I just take a detour and would like to drive calmly even it takes a bit longer.

P.S. I just can't get this thing to get a fix while in office, even through the glass part of the roof. I can't play with it while at work.

ghost · « **Reply #28 on:** April 26, 2006, 04:12:35 pm »

Since moving to GVRD, we've been using a combo of my Palm TX and GPS receiver for exploring the city. Works great so far. Except that it doesn't know of any road closures due to constructions. The maps are clear (Tom Tom 5 & Mapopolis). The voice is audibly clear. TomTom allows me to use various celebrity voices which can make driving a hoot!
I find it most useful is when after all the exploring and getting ourselves lost, with a press of a button for HOME, it just navigates us back. It takes the effort of flipping the pages of our map book to locate where we are and then try to navigate for home. It didn't cost me too much since I need my Palm for other uses and the GPS came to $120 shipped.

si · « **Reply #29 on:** April 26, 2006, 07:50:48 pm »

Quote from: ghost on April 26, 2006, 04:12:35 pm

Since moving to GVRD, we've been using a combo of my Palm TX and GPS receiver for exploring the city. Works great so far. Except that it doesn't know of any road closures due to constructions. The maps are clear (Tom Tom 5 & Mapopolis). The voice is audibly clear. TomTom allows me to use various celebrity voices which can make driving a hoot!
I find it most useful is when after all the exploring and getting ourselves lost, with a press of a button for HOME, it just navigates us back. It takes the effort of flipping the pages of our map book to locate where we are and then try to navigate for home. It didn't cost me too much since I need my Palm for other uses and the GPS came to $120 shipped.

Hmmm so you got a palmone GPS system built in? neato

I wonder if they have something that would be compatable with my zire72

UmroAyyar · « **Reply #30 on:** April 26, 2006, 10:36:39 pm »

http://www.tomtom.com/products/features.php?ID=145&Language=4

tomtom supports Palm Zire72, check their website for details.

si · « **Reply #31 on:** April 26, 2006, 11:18:56 pm »

thanks for that link!
so you buy the software, then buy the hardware which you connect via bluetooth, and you're good to go?

sounds great.

Prius · « **Reply #32 on:** April 27, 2006, 01:09:54 am »

Quote from: nefcanuck on April 26, 2006, 02:57:20 pm

Plus most GPS models have the option to set a "home" location and then with a press of a button, no matter how lost you think you are, you'll be guided home quickly

NefCanuck

Just remember not to put your real home address and just a location/landmark nearby so in case it gets stolen, they won't know where you live (or if the car gets stolen)

si · « **Reply #33 on:** April 27, 2006, 01:30:15 am »

Quote from: Prius on April 27, 2006, 01:09:54 am

Just remember not to put your real home address and just a location/landmark nearby so in case it gets stolen, they won't know where you live (or if the car gets stolen)

I'm not sure that would be your biggest worry. They could get the address from a drivers licence, insurance papers, or just patroling down a street with your garage door opener.

But I've never heard of a car theif returning to a house to rob it...

UmroAyyar · « **Reply #34 on:** April 27, 2006, 06:47:53 am »

Quote from: robarakira on April 26, 2006, 11:18:56 pm

thanks for that link!
so you buy the software, then buy the hardware which you connect via bluetooth, and you're good to go?

sounds great.

Yeahts thats pretty much about it.
I wanted to get a Palm Treo, but the cost(unit, voice plan, data plan) was prohibitive from the get go. I settled for garmin ique 3600, gives me almost everything except the phone, $300 on ebay(open box half the price), with factory warranty sold by a store in toronto.

SodiumSulfate · « **Reply #35 on:** April 27, 2006, 08:46:46 am »

Someone I know bought a HP Phone/PDA from eBay for $300. It's locked as a cellphone, so he can't use it yet in that capacity, but he uses the unit as a GPS. I don't understand how it works exactly, I always thought you had to pay a monthly fee, or a one time purchase fee, and then for each additional map, you had to pay.

Since his unit is still locked, he doesn't have any data plans associated with it. I think the GPS software came pre-installed, but he was showing me it was following his every move...we were on a commuter train, and it followed his path. How was it able to track us if it didn't have any native data support (maybe it was doing it through wifi, but in the area's the trains chugs along, I can't see how any consistant signal would reach us, let alone let us connect). He said the PDA has a GPS reciever - but what is he connecting to?

UmroAyyar · « **Reply #36 on:** April 27, 2006, 09:21:18 am »

Check this link for a bit more detail and accurate description. http://www.garmin.com/aboutGPS/

You don't need to pay any fee to receive regular GPS signals. The data plan is for the phone built in to the PDA so he can browse the internet, send emails etc.
GPS signals can't pass through concrete or metal roofs, but can be triangulated by strong receivers. PDA is basically ha small handheld computer which can run software applications and GPS and Mapping software versions are available for this purpose.

Bekay · « **Reply #37 on:** April 27, 2006, 11:07:15 am »

I have a Megellan Companion for my old Palm 500 and a Megellan Meridian ,that after all is said and done cost me 1000$ .
Doing it again I would get a antenna for my lap-top and a braket for the center counsel ,that way you get a dvd player and with a cam-corder you get a really good spoting scope ,also you are not tied to one soft-ware company ,,,,Mapopolis was the cheapest....
The features after almost 5years of use that I use the most are altitude and the milage .
You can feed the cheapest portable unit from the lap-top and do dignostic stuff on your car with the right programs...

ghost · « **Reply #38 on:** April 27, 2006, 02:08:55 pm »

i had mapoplis map running on my old Zire... not even 72! the first white Zires! but the graphics were horrendous. Still it guided is pretty well in Italy. No GPS though. just the map.
The GPS receiver I got can easily pick up 12 sats in open air and >5 within the tight confines of d/t core. Lots of POIs too. We even found obscure sushi places with it. Not bad considering tomtom is from Europe. I run Tomtom off my sd card while Mapopolis resides within the Palm TX's main flash memory. both works great. But tomtom's graphics a bit more clear and the voice choices are fun. Marilyn Monroe is my current navigator. But not for long as my wife ain't too happy. Something about me enjoying the directional guidance too much.

UmroAyyar · « **Reply #39 on:** April 27, 2006, 03:45:36 pm »

Quote from: ghost on April 27, 2006, 02:08:55 pm

i had mapoplis map running on my old Zire... not even 72! the first white Zires! but the graphics were horrendous. Still it guided is pretty well in Italy. No GPS though. just the map.
The GPS receiver I got can easily pick up 12 sats in open air and >5 within the tight confines of d/t core. Lots of POIs too. We even found obscure sushi places with it. Not bad considering tomtom is from Europe. I run Tomtom off my sd card while Mapopolis resides within the Palm TX's main flash memory. both works great. But tomtom's graphics a bit more clear and the voice choices are fun. Marilyn Monroe is my current navigator. But not for long as my wife ain't too happy. Something about me enjoying the directional guidance too much.

I had the Garmin IQue for 2 days and its not that welcome when she's in the car.

Caution: Don't get too hunky dory with your PDA/GPS or else risk hunky doriness of matrimonial harmony.