Sat Nav / GPS Mobile systems-Ireland ?

MercMad

I've been hunting around recently for one of these systems and wondered if anyone had any first hand experiences ?

I recently used the system in the new Discovery 3 for a weekend and found it to be fantastic, much more detailed tha I expected and easy to use !

There are options here, buy a PDA + Reciever + Software, but I dont really need a PDA (or do I ?), what can I do with it?

Ideally I think I'll get a dedicated system like a NavMan, Garmin or Mitac, has anyone else used these and does anyone know where to buy one, I've only seen them on-line or in Halfords which was overpriced IMO !

Anyone ?

declanoneill

I've never used an inbuilt GPS system before, but I have a Dell Bluetooth GPS and I find it to be the mutts nuts. It's uses NavTecq maps which are quite accurate with a few exceptions (still thinks there is a roundabout in Ballymun) and I've only used it in Dublin. I'd prefer this to an inbuilt car one because I can take it into any car or hell, even walking along the street if I don't know where I'm going. It's also much cheaper (afaik). All the same it can be handy to have a map on you as well if you go down the PDA route because you need to know the name of the road/resturant/whatever you're not going to find it an easy job to get there, e.g. you think "I want to go to Howth head", but you won't find "Howth head" in the road listing, maps comes in handy here.

So in conclusion, yay GPS!

dealgan

I have the NavMan (100 ?) with the SmartST version 2 software.
(its a rebadged Mitac unit)
Its basically a pocket PC with a built-in gps receiver.
The only roads in Ireland are the N-roads and the motorways.

I used it on a trip to UK recently and thought it was superb. I was most impressed when I missed a turn, and within about 30 seconds it had calculated a new route for me.

Having said that, the tomtom software seems easier to add in the scamera locations. I dont think my software will allow me import the lists you can get on the net. - The newer version 3 software is supposedly easier to modify/update.

have a look at pocketgps.co.uk for some reviews & comparisons.

I think if you get a bluetooth pocket PC, you can then get a bluetooth gps module, and choose your preferred software.

Mine was from amazon uk

Good luck

sharkman

I use a navman Icn 620 , must say I'm very pleased with it . Its very good in Dublin but outside the city is a bit vague . You can have a look at it if you like .

MercMad

Yes I'd love to !!

I looked about 18 months ago and decided the maps/software werent up to much but the latest stuff is vastly better. I was able to find some obscure local restaurants on it !

Can you guys give me an indication of the price for the combo you have and what exactly you have i.e Pda model, what size memory, what software, ext. gps reciever etc etc..

...the more you can tell me the better !

Thanks !

declanoneill

MercMad wrote:

Yes I'd love to !!

I looked about 18 months ago and decided the maps/software werent up to much but the latest stuff is vastly better. I was able to find some obscure local restaurants on it !

Can you guys give me an indication of the price for the combo you have and what exactly you have i.e Pda model, what size memory, what software, ext. gps reciever etc etc..

...the more you can tell me the better !

Thanks !

You can get a dell X50 + dell bluetooth GPS for 600 Euro, or much cheaper if you're doing a tripto the US. I would particularly recommend dell because they seem rather new to it so I'm not very confident of their ability to get me updated maps (could be dead easy, but dell CS don't seem to know a certain part of their anatomy from their elbow) Whereas if you get a PDA (dell or not) with a compatable GPS, at least it would be a GPS company. As I said Navtech have some fairly damn accurate maps, see if you can get one using that sofware

Alun

Navteq (formerly Navtech) certainly have the best mapping material at the moment, and it's getting better with each release, as they are currently undertaking a complete remapping of Ireland, more or less from scratch.

Note that Navteq themselves don't produce any software, they merely sell their database of mapping data to third parties who then convert that data into their own proprietary mapping formats.

Also note that the quality of the maps, and the speed at which new roads are incorporated into the maps can vary dramatically. Navteq release new data every quarter, for example, but it's rare that any of the navigation s/w companies brings out a release more often than once a year, if that, and that usually is in the form of a complete product update, rather than simply new maps. Also as it takes a while to process the raw map data from Navteq, the maps are effectively out of date before you get them.

I'm using Navigon Mobile Navigator 4 on an old Dell Axim X5 at the moment and I'm quite impressed with it even though the maps are quite a bit out of date.

rymus

i got a fairly cheap second hand Garmin GPS III from a guy on ebay last year. Got me all the way round France & England on the motorbike and now it sits on the dash of my van telling me the speed I'm really going. Very handy bit of kit when you're looking for the best/shortest way to somewhere. The map data for Ireland is fairly sparse as with alot of units but I've found it does the job without having to load the extra data from the mapsource cd I got with it.

dwdave

Bought Route 66 sat nave from Halfords carrickmines. As i work as a taxi driver it would get a lot of use. within the first few hours it would freez. each time I would restart it would have to set it all up again using cross hairs. mp3 player never worked, the updates did not work. went back to Halfrords they replaced it , within a week same problems. went back they gave me a new card. same problems again I went back. I asked the guy for a refund or credit note. he would not give me a credit note or refund. I could exchange it for a more expensive model. He had the neck to ask me to use it again and make a log of all the times it did not work.

Rowley Birkin QC

Garmin Nuvi 660, very good system. Hasn't lead me wrong yet. Bluetooth hands free too, and it reads new text messages to you.