OT: Sat nav

[Scott]

I have a TomTom 52 satellite navigation device and it is truly terrible. The internal battery lasts about 45 seconds (second battery after the first was replaced under warranty). The device takes a very long time to start up. I am not happy with some of the guidance (particularly keeping to the right when there is no need).

I bought it because it was cheap. I am now thinking about replacing it with a Garmin and paying a bit more.

How does build quality of TomTom and Garmin compare? Is Garmin likely to be faster to start up? Will the internal battery last longer? Most importantly, any comments on how the route guidance compares?

[Steve Walker]

I have no idea about current Garmins and the battery in mine has pretty well given up - but it is reaching 12 years old now!

I've been happy with it, but I need to change it soon. Last year the updated maps just for the UK and Ireland became to big for it to hold, so I can no longer update it properly. Although I may be able to move part onto the SD card.

SteveW

[newshound]

I reckon phone apps are better value now, with the advantage of "free" live traffic information.

[T i m]

I have never like TomToms from the beginning, even the name get's on my nerves!

And when I say 'the beginning', I mean years after Garmins where available.

I have had a Garmin GPS since that's basically all they were (no real navigation outside an electronic compass and direction to next waypoint pointer) in the form of a GPS II+ and I have had many models ever since.

They were also re-badged for BMW and many of my BM riding mates had them.

Another had the Streetpilot and preferred it to any SatNav built in to cars at the time. He also used it when flying (he was a Private Pilot).

I've also recommended Garmins to fedup TomTom owning mates and they all agree the Garmin was far easier and far more reliable.

My current Garmin is a Nuvi of somesort, with RDS traffic updates and free map updates for life (over WiFi).

I rate my Garmin GPS's alongside my Leatherman for suitability to my needs and general usefulness. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

p.s. I was given a TomTom by a mate who 'upgraded' to a Garmin and outside of updating it and playing with it in the car a couple of times, I really don't even like to see it on!

[Bill Wright]

My Tom Tom has that.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

I much prefer Ton Tom. I have both.

Bill

[The Natural Philosopher]

I use my smartphone. It gets charged in car using a cable from tye cigarette ligther.

It runs TomTom GO.

- It costs £15 a year, but thats all.

- All map updates worldwide are free.

- It is pretty damned good once you realise that 'bear right' doesn't mean you have right of way...and not every traffic speed limit is marked, but most are.

- I have a sucker attached cradle for the smart phone on the windscreen. Its pretty perfect - more so once I realised there was a 'night mode' that reduced the screen brightness.

[Jeff Layman]

The satnav in my Honda is a Garmin. Generally works ok, but I have one major problem when it comes to updating. It will only update through Windows or a Mac. I use Linux, and the Garmin updater will not work under Wine. I would assume that hand-held satnavs are the same.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Absolutely. The things saying 'if you trake this detour it will save you ten minutes sitting in a jam' is marvellous as are all the red lines for roadworks, closed roads and general congestion.

[FMurtz]

Almost all modern smart phones will beat them hollow. I do not know about the UK but in Aus I just tell the phone (by voice),hammer and it directs me to the nearest hardware street by street,(google satnav) I have android but I am sure apple would do the same

[The Natural Philosopher]

set up virtualbox.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I think that is the key.

TomTom particularly is a massive online database. The hardware isnt really anything that special. And mobile phones can 'phone home' to get live updates on road consditions that not all dedicated hardware can.

To be hinest if it wasnt for people demanding that they text me, I wouldnt have needed a mobile phne at all. TomTom Go mobile is the app I use all the time, and pay for. Its just about the only useful app on te phone.

Apart from whatsapp and skype, which te family and friends use a bit.. I have turned email off because i dont want to receive it anywhere else but this desktop. Web is pretty unusable on a touch screen.

I did load it up with ebooks to read when sitting in hospital waiting rooms.

Since I built my MiPiFi app - it's a Pi audio client controlled be a web server for sound sources on my LAN or on the internet that feeds a big power amp - it gets used to control that.

Dont use voice on my apps. Bloody touch screen is unreliable enough.

[alan_m]

The update for my ford focus (with sync 3) takes hours to update. First their map server is so slow a 20G download took 2 hours. You then have to put the maps on a usb stick and plug it into the car. Another lengthy period to install without turning off the engine. I went for a

40 mile urban drive while my maps were updating.

[2987fr]

Bullshit it is.

Yeah, very convenient and surprisingly readable.

I use it to control all the lights and other devices.

Very convenient when out driving.

The best of them arent.

[Jethro_uk]

+1

having a dedicated satnav seems to be a niche market these days.

A smartphone app (I prefer "HERE" maps as they display the road speed limit as a matter of course unlike Google Maps) also updates automatically - unlike needing to be updated like a sat nav.

[FMurtz]

Same here :)

[FMurtz]

I have no trouble The modern phone recognizes almost all I say and I only need to tap the microphone in the google bar and the cops are watching all you do with a phone in a car.

[swldxer1958]

I have 4 Garmins and find that they are great.

I have a 3790T for walking around foreign cities as the battery last for two hours, a Garmin Edge for cycling, a Nuvi 500 for country walks as it has Ordnance Survey rights of way on it.

For driving I use a Nuvicam which has lifetime all European maps on it, plus a HD webcam and is the best GPS I have owned and I have had GPSs since 1996 (Garmin III).

[swldxer1958]

My Garmin Nuvicam has traffic updates via DAB radio.

[Jethro_uk]

The satnav in my Citroen is shit.