Current satnavs

cargo

I'm copying this thread over from the dedicated GPS forum as there hasn't been any posts on that forum in days!!

Looking at getting a new Satnav. Have an old Aris or Airis or something like that but maps cant be updated on it. It was great in its day as it had the early version of "full" Irish mapping however the downside was a lack of updating ability so it's well out of date now. (pre-motorways etc)

Have been using Google Maps on my phone for the past few years but would rather get a dedicated unit as I travel up North a bit and into UK and normally have data turned off when roaming. eats battery, phone interupts satnav/satnav interupts phone etc....

Pretty much decided I'd like Lifetime Updates to be included so that'll probably limit me to Garmin but I havn't a clue what to pick out. 4" / 5" / 6" standard / widescreen etc

Halfords have a few online like the Nuvi 2515LM for 119.99 or the Nuvi 50LM for 129.99. Am I missing out anything by just limiting my seach to these two? 50LM has Western Europe mapping also so looks a better option of the two.

I dont really need any bluetooth features etc as I have a phonekit so just an up-to-date unit is my only real requirement and an ability to input GPS cords as well as addresses. (and get me to the location!!! )

I also see mysatnav.ie have a 2545LM for 169.99.

Am I right in thinking hte 40/50LM series is a newer version of the 2415/2515 series?

Other options considered as I just have it in my head that Garmin are the best without any real proof. tnx

pippip

OSI wrote: »

FWIW all the major Sat Nav manufacturers have mobile apps at this stage.

Did you read the post?

discombobulate

I use TomTom on my phone. Its pricy enough (to buy) for not having to actually buy a unit but works well. Just use a cheap holder on the windscreen and a car charger. Not sure if you get free updates or not.

drunkmonkey

Free updates with the Tom Tom app but it cost me €99 at the time for a Europe edition. Originally bought it on iPhone 4 and still using same app on iPhone 5.

Dedicated sat nav's are dead in the water at this stage. OP possibly look at a network that doesn't hammer you for using some data in the uk.
As far as I'm aware I don't even need data with the app I have as the maps are preloaded.

discombobulate

TomTom app 100% definitely doesn't use data for navigation. I've used it all over europe with my data off

darragh o meara

+1 for the Tomtom app on the iPhone. Have been using it for the last 2 years. Excellent app with plenty of extra features. I've never failed to find an address both in ireland and on the continent.

cargo

Thanks for all the replies even I did specify I wanted to move away from a phone based solution! However I'm now rethinking it.

I don't believe dedicated units are quite dead yet. I still see the advantages of not tying up your phone with a nav function. I find it annoying when the voice assist cuts in over the radio at the wrong time (via Bluetooth) or when trying to have a call. I'm a heavy phone user through work while on the move. I know u can turn off voice assist but I find it better.
However I will look into the app solution and consider it while driving in the next few days.

Can you move the TT app to a new phone if u upgrade? (Android to Android)

_Kaiser_

I have a Tom Tom XL that I got a few years ago but it's hardly ever used to be honest. I find the Google Navigation app on my Galaxy Note 2 to be just as good/better and a lot handier.

Bigcheeze

Strange that Google don't sell a premium version of google maps with offline map data.

I have an old Garmin myself which was great but will probably go for the TomTom iphone app for holidays this Summer.

discombobulate

Great deal on a Garmin on iBood today

Same is about €220 on Amazon. Full Europe maps and lifetime updates

ThisRegard

Bigcheeze wrote: »

Strange that Google don't sell a premium version of google maps with offline map data.

It already exists in the existing version, has done for a long time. I've practically all of Ireland downloaded onto mine and download tiles of various places abroad I visit. The only issue is that I still think you need a data connection to get a route, but once you have your route on your phone you can turn the data connection off.

But as the OP said, if you're on the phone a lot it's not an ideal solution because as soon a you make or receive a call you loose the map and route from the screen.

You can't go wrong with the one linked above for that price.

Turbulent Bill

Bigcheeze wrote: »

Strange that Google don't sell a premium version of google maps with offline map data.

I have an old Garmin myself which was great but will probably go for the TomTom iphone app for holidays this Summer.

You can download Google Map areas for offline viewing, presumably this is available in Ireland. You have to preselect the area in advance though, and I'm not sure how big an area (and in what detail) you can save.

discombobulate

ThisRegard wrote: »

It already exists in the existing version, has done for a long time. I've practically all of Ireland downloaded onto mine and download tiles of various places abroad I visit. The only issue is that I still think you need a data connection to get a route, but once you have your route on your phone you can turn the data connection off.

How do you download the full map. Is it a case of just navigating through the full map and its saved locally or is there some other way?

munchkin_utd

the one big advantage of a standalone sat nav is that it can pick up TMC traffic announcements for jams and other incidents on the road.

Google traffic is similar BUT it is just a traffic flow meter and does not give any indication whatsoever if a jam is just congestion or something worth avoiding like say a bus crashed into a petrol lorry that would have a road closed for a day !! (it supports generic standard incident description which translates into English when abroad or free text when something out of the ordinary happens - like last week when a bus did crash on the Frankfurt-Vienna Motorway causing a complete road closure for hours)

Theres no TMC in Ireland but in the UK, Belgium, Germany, France its a lifesaver and because its over the fm radiowaves obviously it doesnt require any data charges.

TestTransmission

discombobulate wrote: »

How do you download the full map. Is it a case of just navigating through the full map and its saved locally or is there some other way?

There should be an option to select an area of the map and make available offline.

ThisRegard

Not sure for iOS but for Android bring up the menu and you'll see a Make available offline option and you can then zoom in and out on whatever area you want to download, there's a limit to the size but it will tell you.

discombobulate

ThisRegard wrote: »

Not sure for iOS but for Android bring up the menu and you'll see a Make available offline option and you can then zoom in and out on whatever area you want to download, there's a limit to the size but it will tell you.

Can't find any option on iOS to do this so must be an Android only thing

fletch

Also if you start routing with google maps when you have a data connection, it downloads the route so you can then turn off your data. The only issue is if you go too far off the pre-planned route it can't re-route you.

I used it last Summer when travelling around Florida and it was very handy...you just have to be extra careful not to miss a turn. And even if you do, McDonalds was never too far away for some free wifi.

biko

TestTransmission wrote: »

There should be an option to select an area of the map and make available offline.

There is yeah, I use it for when travelling abroad. Handy alright.
The limit per map download is about 80MB but you can create several offline maps.

So far the handiest solution I've used on any phone/gps.

ThisRegard

discombobulate wrote: »

Can't find any option on iOS to do this so must be an Android only thing

Ah, yes, it's android only.

cargo

Thanks for all the inputs it has helped be a lot clearer and make a decision. Looks like I'm getting a new standalone Garmin AND TomTom for my phone... Damn u all

Actually seriously I might get both. The convenience of the phone app cant be overlooked for those times when you don't have access to the satnav which I've left behind in my other van/car etc but the standalone unit would be so much more convenient if both were available whatever I was driving. For my circumstances I'm split down the middle but everyone is different.

cargo

I "posted" this earlier this morning but it seems to have been lost in .com-space so apologies if it suddenly appears and I have a double post....

On the back of the strong recommendations for the tomtom phone app, I have been checking out a mates Android phone with tomtom 1.1.1 installed however I've found a big limitation to it for me. I cant seem to add a destination as a simple gps coordinate instead of an address. Am i doing something wrong or is this not possible? This is a huge no-no for me as most of the jobs I need a satnav to go to are in remote spots of Ireland / NI / Wales / Scotland and all I'm given is a coord (such as 54.1234 -7.1234) .

Can this be entered in the mobile app or is here a very simple way of saving a google placemark and importing it for example?

discombobulate

cargo wrote: »

I "posted" this earlier this morning but it seems to have been lost in .com-space so apologies if it suddenly appears and I have a double post....

On the back of the strong recommendations for the tomtom phone app, I have been checking out a mates Android phone with tomtom 1.1.1 installed however I've found a big limitation to it for me. I cant seem to add a destination as a simple gps coordinate instead of an address. Am i doing something wrong or is this not possible? This is a huge no-no for me as most of the jobs I need a satnav to go to are in remote spots of Ireland / NI / Wales / Scotland and all I'm given is a coord (such as 54.1234 -7.1234) .

Can this be entered in the mobile app or is here a very simple way of saving a google placemark and importing it for example?

Strange. Its on the iphone version i have.

cargo

discombobulate wrote: »

Strange. Its on the iphone version i have.

Where exactly do u find it on d iPhone menu? I have an option to enter an address / history / bookmark / POI / point on map but not a coord.

cargo

Also has anyone any experience of the Garmin offering for Android? I'm probably picking up a Garmin PND and might keep the software vendor on the phone the same as it'd help with familiarity. Also if I cant find a workaround for GPS cord input on the Android version of TT I woont be getting it.

Garmin bought Navigon a couple of years back and it is their current offering. I have been using the Android version on Galaxy S2 since summer 2011 and think it is really nice software to use. I used to have a Garmin Nuvi 250 and 720 beforehand and don't miss those. Initial purchase price of Navigon Europe is dear enough though and after two years you'll need to spend more money for fresh maps. Still worth it IMO.

One thing about using smartphone navigation. I find that the usb charger barely is able to keep the battery charged when using the Navigon software. Starting with an almost depleted battery will.lead it the phone quickly running out of charge. I also noticed that there is some burn in of the map display on the screen but the software has been used a lot (three major trips to the Continent and regular usage here too).

Bigcheeze

samih wrote: »

One thing about using smartphone navigation. I find that the usb charger barely is able to keep the battery charged when using the Navigon software.

I find that with Google maps on the iphone but that is constantly downloading cell data as well as using the GPS so would have hoped that installed maps wouldn't be as heavy.

cargo

samih wrote: »

Garmin bought Navigon a couple of years back and it is their current offering. I have been using the Android version on Galaxy S2 since summer 2011 and think it is really nice software to use. I used to have a Garmin Nuvi 250 and 720 beforehand and don't miss those. Initial purchase price of Navigon Europe is dear enough though and after two years you'll need to spend more money for fresh maps. Still worth it IMO.

One thing about using smartphone navigation. I find that the usb charger barely is able to keep the battery charged when using the Navigon software. Starting with an almost depleted battery will.lead it the phone quickly running out of charge. I also noticed that there is some burn in of the map display on the screen but the software has been used a lot (three major trips to the Continent and regular usage here too).

Anything that keeps the screen on all the time will eat the battery. My phone had an issue with the proximity sensor (sensor that turns the screen off while holding it to your ear) and I was flying through the battery whenever i was on a call. Fixed it and not so bad not.

Can you enter a raw GPS coordinate into the Navigon software? i.e. Navigate to something like 52.1234 -7.1234?

cargo

cargo wrote: »

Can you enter a raw GPS coordinate into the Navigon software? i.e. Navigate to something like 52.1234 -7.1234?

You can do both "Degrees, minutes, seconds" and "Decimal degrees". The address have to enter as 7E instead of -7 (there is a select button for N,S and W,E).

cargo

samih wrote: »

You can do both "Degrees, minutes, seconds" and "Decimal degrees". The address have to enter as 7E instead of -7 (there is a select button for N,S and W,E).

Thanks that sounds more like it. Was disapointed with the TT software that it couldnt do this. I though it would be a fairly basic requirement.

What version of the Navigon SW are you using? I might have a look at it.

It's the latest from play, i.e. 4.7.1 (build.2691, NK 167)

sebastianlieken

another recommendation for TomTom mobile from me. It is very very good.

I travel beween Belfast and the south and it's perfect. Doesn't use any data as all the roads are stored on the phone. Also, just fyi... turning GPS on and using it accross the border doesn't cost you a penny. the GPS function on a phone can't be charged for, it's always free.

TomTom version on your phone, you'll always have it with you.

(just check and make sure you've enough storage space on your phones internal memory)

cargo

sebastianlieken wrote: »

another recommendation for TomTom mobile from me. It is very very good.

I travel beween Belfast and the south and it's perfect. Doesn't use any data as all the roads are stored on the phone. Also, just fyi... turning GPS on and using it accross the border doesn't cost you a penny. the GPS function on a phone can't be charged for, it's always free.

TomTom version on your phone, you'll always have it with you.

(just check and make sure you've enough storage space on your phones internal memory)

As per post above TT is not a runner for me as on the Android version I cant seem to enter the raw GPS coordinate for a destination instead of an address. I've been trying out Navigon (Garmin's mobile app) and I can enter coordinates but the more I use it the more convinced I am that I nbeed a dedicated PNA. I will keep the Navigon app on the phone also for those times i'm caught without the PNA but I'm going to buy a unit shortly. Phonecalls ,texts, emails and the radio all fighting for control of the bluetooth phone system does not make for a pleasant driving experience!! :-)

Anyone with the latest Andriod Navigon app 4.7.1 know of anyway to adjust the autozoom? mine doesnt seem to zoom in the way i would like on junctions. It's fine to have a good overall view while travelling along hte motorway but even in urban areas I can still see way too much around me and not enoght detail about he junction I am taking. The junction view/ lane guidance view is great when it comes up but I'm talking about normal turn left or right in a city.

I also had trouble with some of the direction been cutoff when playing through bluetooth. It seemed like the BT (Novero TheTrustyOne) was too slow in picking up the instruction and I'd only get the end of it. Now I have the BT off and just listen to the phones command. Any ideas?

I used get caught out by turns in a town but have gotten in the habit of checking the distance to the next turn before actually turning and have pretty much eliminated the "early" turn problem.

I haven't used BT out so can't say if the problem you see is with the sending or receiving end.