The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
Please vote in the Forum Structure Poll. Polling will close at 2PM EST on January 21, 2025.
GPS Devices
Rhino
TheRhinLOLRegistered User regular
TheRhinLOLRegistered User regular
I have a car GPS device, it's about ~4 years old. I like it, it works well. Only problem is it's really out of date [map wise, major road construction around here in the last few years]. The company [who shall remain nameless] wants $50 for a one time map update or $90 for "life time" updates. Considering the device is "ancient" in technology timelines, I'm considering a new one.
Are there any that offer free map updates? $90 is a good part of what I paid for the device.
The other option I was thinking would be to get a smart phone? Would that work well for a car gps? What kind of price would we be talking about for the GPS software and map updates?
Also are there any free and legal ways to update these maps? Such a thing as open source maps or open source firmware for these? (I'm thinking something like dd-wrt or tomato for consumer routers)
Are there any that offer free map updates? $90 is a good part of what I paid for the device.
The other option I was thinking would be to get a smart phone? Would that work well for a car gps? What kind of price would we be talking about for the GPS software and map updates?
Also are there any free and legal ways to update these maps? Such a thing as open source maps or open source firmware for these? (I'm thinking something like dd-wrt or tomato for consumer routers)
Rhino on
0
Posts
It seems buying a smart phone for this reason alone would be really costly. So unless you are thinking of adding an app to an existing smart phone you already own, then that's not really a great option.
Agree with MushroomStick, a phone will work in a pinch, but it's pretty bad for driving as most (all?) don't auto-adjust the route and are really more for walking or using with a passenger.
Personally I'd have to recommend against ever buying the in car navigation systems from the manufacturer. They tend to cost in excess of $1,500 and usually have no more features than a standalone device from the likes of garmin or magellan.
The built-in map apps are fine in a pinch, but aren't as good as either a dedicated GPS app/unit.
I use Waze on my iphone. It works pretty well too. My Garmin is better for geocaching but it's not great for driving.
Second. My Garmin probably isn't top of the line, but the maps/directions functions are pretty basic. When I use Navigon on my phone, it tells me what lane I need to be in, lets me Google nearby places of interest, iPod control, whole slew of cool shit my Garmin doesn't do. Like I said, a newer Garmin or other dedicated device will probably have those features, but if you have a phone that can run Navigon, it's a great app.
Oh yeah, my mother-in-law has a Sonata with GPS, and the voice is bad - "Turn..LEFT..on..EYE..NINE...TY." It's just enough of a pause to throw you off. But if OP was planning on buying a new car soon, just something to consider as not carrying the thing around is nice.
Yeah, I just did a 2600-mile round trip drive using Navigon, and it was great. Lane recommendations, the ability to choose from 2-3 route selections, setting waypoints, easily finding points of interest along the way, etc. As you say, I bet the newer dedicated devices are comparable, but with Navigon I get it all and don't need another device.
The one problem I ran into was that during long stretches I'd have Navigon running in the background, and it would pipe in whenever it needed to tell me something. One time it crashed and I didn't know it so I missed a direction before realizing it wasn't running.
Also, I got it for like $30, and that comes with free updates, so as they update the maps and add new features, I get them for free.
It is usually cheaper to wait til there are iTunes card sales and buy them, it makes the app purchase to around sixty bucks.
Satans..... hints.....
I just upgraded from a vintage 2009 Garmin to a fancy new 1490LMT, and I highly recommend it. For $185, I got a huge 5" screen, and all the latest bells and whistles like lane guidance and Bluetooth phone calling. Not to mention the maps and real-time traffic.
For about $150 you can get the same model but without Bluetooth. For $120, you also give up the map updates.
I was too cheap to buy the map packs for my old device too, and the bootleg map packs tended to be filled with viruses and Trojans, so I felt the new device was a good purchase.