Windows

My Kingdom For A GPS

Posted by on Oct 30, 2006 | 11 Comments

Anybody have a recommendation for a good GPS system? We went out for a drive on Sunday afternoon and got good and lost. I mean seriously lost. As per my usual pre-trip procedure, I tried to print a map from the Web before we left… alas, the printer hung up. Since we were in a big hurry, I scribbled the directions down onto a piece of paper.

I should have spent a few more minutes trying to get the map to print.

It quickly turned into one of those days. We were cutting it tight when we left home. Right off the bat, a causeway five minutes from Rancho Indebto was flooded out, and and we had to to take a quick detour. Once we got back on route, we were fifteen minutes behind schedule. Ten minutes later, I missed a turn. Another ten minutes, another missed turn. Without a map in the car, I was sunk. (I checked the cabinet for a state map before we hit the road. We had a total of four New York maps, but not one single Jersey map.)

Go figure.

So I committed to simply driving east, knowing that eventually I’d hit a major road and we’d figure it out. The boy loaded a GPS application onto his cellphone. It proved to be of little help on a turn-by-turn basis. We were able to find our destination and the county route number. Of course, the online map Web site didn’t show the route number, only the name of the road. My scribbled directions didn’t match the mobile’s GPS app.

We finally hit paydirt.

After circling our destination for close to an hour, we found our mark. There was a combined feeling of relief and accomplishment. The fog cleared. The weight was lifted from my shoulders. I was a real man and never once stopped to ask for directions…

On the way home, we cruised by a BestBuy and checked out its display of GPS systems. When I brought up the idea of a GPS a year ago, my wife quickly shot it down. (Hey, it’s not like I want to install a sneaky GPS tracking system in the car… that’s a whole ‘nother ballgame.)

I think I have enough ammunition to stick one in the stocking this year…

[tags]GPS systems, online maps[/tags]

  • Piet Koenen

    L.S.
    Here, in Holland, we use a TomTom GPS system available with cards
    of any country in the world. It has never let me down and it brings
    you from postcode to postcode. You can buy it as a complete set but allso as software plus GPS receiver for your PDA. If I think about the fuel and time you have misused it pays itself back.
    Greetings Piet.

  • Louie

    Of the 2 possible choices I perfer the laptop software because you can change the zoom level. I have both the Garmin & MS Street & Trips. Both DB have points that are not found due to new construction. I tend to lean to the MS product only because I can pick up a new DB anually at Costco for about $25.00 not $65.00 like the Garmin. Accuarcy variance not worth talking about. Note the GPS antennas can only be used with either WASS (Garmin) or NEMA (MS).

  • john moles

    Delorme, use it every day. and its cheep 100.00 dollars load my directions the night before then I copy it to my usb flash stick and in the morning put it into my lap top in the car and I am off.

  • Richard

    Looking for a good one myself

  • Bob

    Dan,
    Every year my son and I go to see some bands at festival that is located about 5 hrs from our house. This year the hotel that we stayed was in a very different location and we were lost. Additionally, I knew that I would be traveling out of state the following week so we bought a Garmin Nuvi 360 GPS. The unit was around $700 but work fairly well although it would take about 10 minutes to find satellites when in a new area. When I returned home I did some research and found that the Garmin Nuvi 350 cost about $200 less and was only missing the blue tooth feature from the more expensive model and I did not need that blue tooth so I exchanged the 360 for the 350. The 350 that I received would take 10 minutes to find satellites every time I turned it on so I returned the unit. I did a little more research and found the Magellan RoadMate 2200T. I bought the Magellan RoadMate 2200T at Bed Bath and Beyond for $399.99 (they have 20% off coupons everywhere). The first 2200T worked fine for about three days then it froze and when I reset the unit it was very slow and would not find satellites. I called customer service and they are a total waste of time and they do not have customer service for this set of units when I called about 2 weeks ago. I exchanged the unit for a new unit and have since move to a new state and the unit has worked fine.
    My findings:
    The Nuvi GPS are small, have great graphics/sound and other nice features that included being able to move the map with your finger. One thing that I did not like was that you have to open a flap to start the GPS finding satellites.
    The RoadMate seems to find satellites fast and it shows points of interest (that you select) on the map as you drive. The price for their more rugged model (mid of three) is one of least expensive (even without the coupon) on the market.
    I have stuck with the RoadMate as it was much less expensive than the Nuvi. I am happy with the unit but it would be nice if the two models could be combined: the size, move map with finger feature and graphics/sound of the Nuvi and the non-antenna, showing local POI on the map and price of the RoadMate.

  • Dave East

    I have a Magellen 760 and have had moderate luck with it. Unfortunately, I have had a working knowledge of how to get where I’m going and have wondered why it was sending me the other way. It has the most recent updated map program, took 2 12 hours to install it, but several local completed roads aren’t in it.
    I don’t regret buying it but the updating leads something to be desired. Also, I don’t know what the technical term is but I’ve noticed that when it reroutes me to match the way I’m going it always sends me the other way when I go to the same place again. Intuitive, perhaps? On my computer, if I consistantly don’t use something or do something, the computer stops trying to get me to do that.
    You didn’t want a novel so I’ll let it go at that.
    Dave East

  • Sean Gilmore

    Hey Dan,

    I swear By Delorme Streets and Maps products.

    I was in New York Last week in the countryside and no maps seem to match anything! I turned on my earthmate Wireless Bluettoth GPS and fired up the Delorme map program and in 30 seconds I knew where we were.

    The route plotting is awesome… If you miss a turn on the New Jersey turnpike ( we did … talking and such ) It automatically reroutes to correct you destination. We had to use a cell phone to get an actual address but once we did we were on target without fail. we even had another navigator in the back seat with another mapping product on her tablet PC… No where near as accurate as the GPS with delorme.

    they make an inexpensive version with a USB cord and software about $95 or I upgrade to the bluetooth battery version for less cord clutter and then you can hand the laptop to those in the back of the van for all to share. I also think for group trips the large sreen on the laptop display is superior to the little ones on Handheld GPS units. Make sure you use the reverse color scheme for ease of use during daytime hours! happy motoring!

    sean

  • Laurie

    For my two cents, I would recommend a Garmin Street Pilot, any model. I have one of the lower end Street Pilots and I just love ie. You can get one on eBay for less than $300 or at Costco for even less. It doesn’t have a bunch of different voices, but the turn-by-turn is accurate and the recalculation really fast.

  • Stan Garrison

    About the GPS tracking systems. If you have a laptop with you, have you considered the DeLORME Street Atlas with GPS sensor. ( http://www.delorme.com/ ) The price is $99.95 for complete package. A lot cheaper the the hand held GPS’s and it contains the entire U.S. The software also has the ability to down load data to a hand held. I set up a route with the mapping system, set the laptop on the engine cover in the motor home and let the computer tell me where to go…..

  • http://none Darryl J. Barishman

    I’ve used both the DeLorme product, which I find too complicated to use easily, and Microsoft Streets & Trips. I bought the later, originally, without the GPS and found it to be a very good product; however, it doesn’t do one much good if one is “out and about” and lost. Thus, I purchased Streets & Trips edition with the GPS the subsequent year.
    When my wife and I travel, and we are in a city or need directions, she drives and I navigate. I find the Streets & Trips software to be top-notch.
    It does everything one would want it to do with a minimum of effort.
    It has saved me from “being in trouble and refusing to ask directions” many, many times!

  • John Mamakos

    GARMIN GARMIN GARMIN……DONT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT.

    Great little machine that doesnt have to be plugged into cigarette lighter work! This machine is real simple and easy after a little use. I LOVE IT. Very accurate and easy to use. In fact when my wife mentioned she would like a GPS and I suggested a 400 Magellan she wasnt too happy! Only a “Garmin” is what she wants.

    As for the complaint about finding satillites I noticed the same thing but the quick fix is just to press the menu button choose Routing Options then choose sa GPS information and BINGO it ‘Sees” them right away!!

    Honestly, if they still made these portable Gamin’s my entire office sales staff would buy one. I got mine on clearance about two years ago for just about 250

    BUY GARMIN