Sat Nav suggestions

ProudDUB

Looking for suggestions for a Sat Nav to buy. Cheap and cheerful and easy to use for someone not really into gadgets. Don't plan on using it all that often, just a holiday to the UK next week. Would prefer to walk into a shop (Dublin) and get one, and get a feel for it, than buying one on line.

Will drive here for a day or two just to get used to it. Will I need to change settings etc of it when I go to the UK? Ta.

The Tyre Dude

Garmin and TomTom are both fine. Try and get one with Western Europe as well as UK and IRE as they invaluable if and when you do travel.

This is a good deal.

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_865327_langId_-1_categoryId_212513

dahamsta

Did a lot of research into it before buying a few years ago, Garmin had better maps and UI at the time. Ran a Nuvi 760 for a while and it served well in Ireland and several other countries. Sold it recently though, Google Maps on Android meant it never came out of the drawer.

ProudDUB

I'm switching over to using a Blackberry this week from an old fashioned, non smart phone handset. Would that have GPS/Sat Nav capabilities that I could use instead? I'd love to get an iPhone or a Samsung phone, but the Blackberry is a gift, so its hard to say no it it.

biko

What BB is it? You can get sat nav on it, which beats having an extra gadget to carry around.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/267622/best_blackberry_satnav_apps.html

ProudDUB

It's the Blackberry Curve 8520.

ProudDUB

Thanks for that. A Sat Nav it is so. Any ideas how long generally they work for before they need to be charged again? The charger in my car has a 10 cent coin jammed into it can't be currently used. I am having someone look at it later today, but if they can't fix it, I'll be relying on using a regular household plug to charge it up. Am driving from Fishguard to Oxfordshire, so I'll need it to work for at least 4 hrs I'm thinking.

The Tyre Dude

The one I linked to has a four hour battery life. If concerned switch it off when you're going to be on the Motorway for a while.

bazz26

There is a dedicated GPS/SAT NAV forum on boards.ie too.

Marcusm

ProudDUB wrote: »

Thanks for that. A Sat Nav it is so. Any ideas how long generally they work for before they need to be charged again? The charger in my car has a 10 cent coin jammed into it can't be currently used. I am having someone look at it later today, but if they can't fix it, I'll be relying on using a regular household plug to charge it up. Am driving from Fishguard to Oxfordshire, so I'll need it to work for at least 4 hrs I'm thinking.

When you get off the boat, use it till you get to the m4 then switch it off. Leave the m4 at Swindon services and when you're ready to get going, turn it back on and insert the Oxon address. Not much point having it switched on for 150 miles of motorway.

Why Fishguard? I F you live in Dublin, I would have gone via Holyhead (just did it yesterday).

MugMugs

ProudDUB wrote: »

Looking for suggestions for a Sat Nav to buy. Cheap and cheerful and easy to use for someone not really into gadgets. Don't plan on using it all that often, just a holiday to the UK next week. Would prefer to walk into a shop (Dublin) and get one, and get a feel for it, than buying one on line.

Will drive here for a day or two just to get used to it. Will I need to change settings etc of it when I go to the UK? Ta.

Just get an Android phone. Just as good as the others and can be used as a phone too

mickdw

MugMugs wrote: »

Just get an Android phone. Just as good as the others and can be used as a phone too

Yes I find phone stunning for navigation. Didn't use the old satnav since I got the phone. The phone with full internet and Google maps gives so much more in that you can click straight through to route guidance from web pages etc.

coylemj

If you're going to use an Android phone, you can now pre-cache large areas of GB so that you save on data (roaming) downloads.

Up to now you could go to a location and cache a 10 kms square centred on that spot, you can now cache much bigger areas though not as yet within the 26 counties for some reason.

While looking at a map, click on Menu/Make available offline

doopa

I picked up a second hand one in CEX (liffey street) for about 50 euro.

Pros = much cheaper
Cons = out of date maps. Not as much of a problem in the UK though.

coylemj

doopa wrote: »

I picked up a second hand one in CEX (liffey street) for about 50 euro.

Pros = much cheaper
Cons = out of date maps. Not as much of a problem in the UK though.

Until it sends you the wrong way down a one-way street or tells you to turn right at a junction where that is no longer permitted.

Or in Ireland, it tries to send you clockwise around St. Stephens Green.

It's not all about new motorways.

ProudDUB

coylemj wrote: »

If you're going to use an Android phone, you can now pre-cache large areas of GB so that you save on data (roaming) downloads.

Up to now you could go to a location and cache a 10 kms square centred on that spot, you can now cache much bigger areas though not as yet within the 26 counties for some reason.

While looking at a map, click on Menu/Make available offline

Can you run that by me again please? This time in English. Remember you are talking to someone who has never used a smart phone before. My knowledge and usage of Google Maps so far has been limited to looking up route and maps on my lap top and printing them off. Stone age, I know !

Turns out I may be getting a Samsung Galaxy after all.

Btw, have to give kudos to Halfords in Coolock. Thanks to whoever posted the link to them. They described the features of the various SatNavs very well. When I told them about my knackered charger socket (with the jammed in coin) the chap got a magnet and plyers and was able to remove it. The prongs inside the charger looked a bit damaged, so he got out a gadget to see if it was giving out any juice. It wasn't, so he then checked my fuses to see if a fuse had been blown. It hadn't, they were all fine, so it looks like the socket itself is knackered, and needs to be replaced. He did all this for free. I didn't buy the Sat Nav, as I want to make sure I can drive with it charging first. But will deffo go back there again for future purchases and service. Excellent customer service.

Halfords were offering a 30 euros cash back incentive on some Garmin models, whereby if you buy one of their SAT NAVS, you call them up with your purchase details & your banking info & they deposit the cash into your account. The model that I selected qualified for this plan, but I am very, very wary of giving out my bank details. Anyone have any experience of anything dodgy going on regarding this?

Thanks again for all the advice.

wonski

ProudDUB wrote: »

Can you run that by me again please? This time in English. Remember you are talking to someone who has never used a smart phone before. My knowledge and usage of Google Maps so far has been limited to looking up route and maps on my lap top and printing them off. Stone age, I know !

Turns out I may be getting a Samsung Galaxy after all.

Btw, have to give kudos to Halfords in Coolock. Thanks to whoever posted the link to them. They described the features of the various SatNavs very well. When I told them about my knackered charger socket (with the jammed in coin) the chap got a magnet and plyers and was able to remove it. The prongs inside the charger looked a bit damaged, so he got out a gadget to see if it was giving out any juice. It wasn't, so he then checked my fuses to see if a fuse had been blown. It hadn't, they were all fine, so it looks like the socket itself is knackered, and needs to be replaced. He did all this for free. I didn't buy the Sat Nav, as I want to make sure I can drive with it charging first. But will deffo go back there again for future purchases and service. Excellent customer service.

Halfords were offering a 30 euros cash back incentive on some Garmin models, whereby if you buy one of their SAT NAVS, you call them up with your purchase details & your banking info & they deposit the cash into your account. The model that I selected qualified for this plan, but I am very, very wary of giving out my bank details. Anyone have any experience of anything dodgy going on regarding this?

Thanks again for all the advice.

Quick advice as i used standalone one, google maps, and route66(paid one for android).

The problem with cheap, standalone units is updating the maps. Not always cheap, and - in some cases(Navman) - requires you to spend almost what you paid for the unit originally. If you are occasional user, this may become a bit expensive.

Google Maps, or anything based on real time data access, may give you lot of trouble, especially when going abroad. No data connection/slow connection/intermittent connectivity problems/roaming charges. If you are planning to use it in UK, think again.

I have used paid GPS app(Route66) on Android phone. There is a subscription (14.99E/year) for Western Europe maps, and you really have a powerful tool. If you are about to buy new phone, this is excellent opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. But you did mention you are not into gadgets...

After all - if you go for standalone GPS unit - make sure you choose one that will not cost a fortune to update in long term. Sometimes it is better to spend 50 or even more extra, and have a nice GPS, with many extras, large display, and possibility to keep it for ages with some updates applied from time to time.

My two cents, hope it helped.

cookie1977

While the 8520 doesn't have gps it can use cellular towers to locate you which can be pretty accurate. You can have a go of google maps for BlackBerry:
http://google.com/gmm

It wont give you voice directions but it's maps and the app in general is pretty good albeit the EDGE speed of the 8520 might be a bit slow but not as slow as if it was EDGE on another device apart from a BlackBerry.