GPS navigation devices

[jme]

I like my Garmin. Take it on vacation, bookmark spots that I want to return to. (Like the kayak put in spot on St. John for Hurricane Hole.) Doesn't use data. I like my portable Garmin way better than the built in GPS in my Outback. (Subaru will not let you do anything to the GPS while the vehicle is moving!! So annoying.

A vehicle's GPS, like in your Outback, has a CD disc under the seat or in your console (or somewhere) and
it's also recorded data and therefore "old information" within months.
Your Garmin is no different in that you must also update it, which nobody does much....Even if you update it,
the data is static from that point forward until the next update. Is it sufficient? Maybe, but not for me.

The Outback has a built-in system, the Garmin gives you a portable built-in system, but both carry old data
(or simply recent data) at best, that's my point.

 

[tombanjo]

I just saw this online and thought it would amuse. If anyone takes it too seriously, I’ll post 100 apple maps memes.

 

[RonB]

Do any of the phone based apps show your speed?

 

[Makai Guy]

Do any of the phone based apps show your speed?

I know WAZE does. Will have to check re HERE WeGo.

 

[easyrider]

View attachment 10941

I just saw this online and thought it would amuse. If anyone takes it too seriously, I’ll post 100 apple maps memes.

Funny but it does happen. When new roads were being built in the Bend Oregon area our gps took us down a dead end. On our way home the gps decided to take the long way home. We drove 20 miles out of our way.

Recently we were using the phone navigation to get from Las Vegas to Lake Tahoe and the phone took us through the far west side of the Carson Valley. I looked at a map latter and found this was probably 30 miles out of our way on a curvy but very scenic road.

Bill

 

[WinniWoman]

There have been people who have actually driven right into Lakes because they blindly followed their GPS. Ours has taken us on many a dirt road and dead ends.

When we were in Scotland the GPS took us the long way on a one lane country road in the middle of nowhere all the way to Loch Lomond- except that is not actually where we were headed! Was a scary, long ride in a foreign country we had never been in before.

 

["Roger"]

I confess that I am lost in this thread.

Posts saying that Garmin is unaware of current traffic conditions? With the lifetime traffic option, I am always getting alerts of upcoming traffic snarls with suggested alternative routes if they are particularly serious.

My one experience with WAZE (and given that it is only a single experience, perhaps unfair) was going from a Northwest game to downtown Chicago. I used my Garmin, my nephew used WAZE. Made it to downtown Chicago a full half hour before he did. We were worried he might have had an accident.

I am not saying that I am right, but this thread has left me lost.

To the OP. When you get your new Garmin you will find some new features. You are always given an advanced warning when the speed limit on the road you are traveling on is about to decrease. There are also warnings that you are in a school zone. Finally, when you approach a turn, in addition to the"turn right in a quarter of a mile" you will also be told to "turn right at the traffic light" or "turn right at the Burger King."

 

[davidvel]

A vehicle's GPS, like in your Outback, has a CD disc under the seat or in your console (or somewhere) and
it's also recorded data and therefore "old information" within months.
Your Garmin is no different in that you must also update it, which nobody does much....Even if you update it,
the data is static from that point forward until the next update. Is it sufficient? Maybe, but not for me.

The Outback has a built-in system, the Garmin gives you a portable built-in system, but both carry old data
(or simply recent data) at best, that's my point.

Outbacks can be updated via the internet with a USB drive.

 

[Brett]

I confess that I am lost in this thread.

Posts saying that Garmin is unaware of current traffic conditions? With the lifetime traffic option, I am always getting alerts of upcoming traffic snarls with suggested alternative routes if they are particularly serious.
My one experience with WAZE (and given that it is only a single experience, perhaps unfair) was going from a Northwest game to downtown Chicago. I used my Garmin, my nephew used WAZE. Made it to downtown Chicago a full half hour before he did. We were worried he might have had an accident.

I am not saying that I am right, but this thread has left me lost.

To the OP. When you get your new Garmin you will find some new features. You are always given an advanced warning when the speed limit on the road you are traveling on is about to decrease. There are also warnings that you are in a school zone. Finally, when you approach a turn, in addition to the"turn right in a quarter of a mile" you will also be told to "turn right at the traffic light" or "turn right at the Burger King."

I believe GPS devices like Garmin collect data differently than apps like WAZE. I'm not sure how Garmin gets traffic info but the WSJ had an interesting article on WAZE yesterday. Waze is real-time crowd sourced like wikipedia, dedicated GPS is like .... encyclopedia Britannica
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-internets-most-devoted-volunteers-waze-map-editors-11553096956

 

[jme]

Outbacks can be updated via the internet with a USB drive.

why bother? still no real-time traffic updates and many other perks ........I know those updates are not as complete
as the up-to-the-second Google GPS system, whether POIs, roads, alternate routes, and on and on.

I receive voice traffic advisories, suggesting alternate routes for traffic delays.....
"5 minute delay"....."15 minute delay" ---"if alternate route desired, say yes"

life is so much easier.


ALSO, just saw these items, and I quote (bold words were not added by me):
1. "Garmin requires that you pay for most of its offered map updates, but you may qualify for a free update if you've recently purchased your Garmin GPS device. The company also offers lifetime update subscriptions for some devices, so you can pay once and update whenever you need to."

2. https://itstillworks.com/cost-money-update-garmin-18474.html

 

[Talent312]

... ALSO, just saw these items, and I quote (bold words were not added by me):
1. "Garmin requires that you pay for most of its offered map updates, but you may qualify for a free update if you've recently purchased your Garmin GPS device. The company also offers lifetime update subscriptions for some devices, so you can pay once and update whenever you need to."...

For many years, Garmin has attached "LM" or "LMT" to model #'s. The letters stand for "Lifetime Maps" or "Lifetime Maps & Traffic." The "LM" means free map updates several times a year, and the "T" means it has a built-in receiver for real-time traffic alerts.
.

 

[davidvel]

why bother? still no real-time traffic updates and many other perks ........I know those updates are not as complete
as the up-to-the-second Google GPS system, whether POIs, roads, alternate routes, and on and on.

I receive voice traffic advisories, suggesting alternate routes for traffic delays.....
"5 minute delay"....."15 minute delay" ---"if alternate route desired, say yes"

life is so much easier.


ALSO, just saw these items, and I quote (bold words were not added by me):
1. "Garmin requires that you pay for most of its offered map updates, but you may qualify for a free update if you've recently purchased your Garmin GPS device. The company also offers lifetime update subscriptions for some devices, so you can pay once and update whenever you need to."

2. https://itstillworks.com/cost-money-update-garmin-18474.html

I rarely use the built-in nav. I use Google Maps through Android Auto. My next appointment shows up on the screen, and I click it to navigate.

I just wanted to clarify that (recent) Outbacks don't use a cd or dvd in the system.

 

[Bill4728]

There have been people who have actually driven right into Lakes because they blindly followed their GPS. Ours has taken us on many a dirt road and dead ends.

When we were in Scotland the GPS took us the long way on a one lane country road in the middle of nowhere all the way to Loch Lomond- except that is not actually where we were headed! Was a scary, long ride in a foreign country we had never been in before.

In Ireland our phone's GPS took us the shortest way from Cookstown to Belfast BUT it was 3 miles on a one lane road then 15 miles on a bad two lane road. If we had gone a mile or two longer distance the road would have been a great 4 lane road Should always look and see where the GPS wants to take you.

 

[Passepartout]

I don't think either device or it's software (maps) are infallible. From my home driveway, to the nearest freeway on-ramp Eastbound is a straight shot. 6 miles, no turns. My standalone Garmin, Waze or Here on cell phone, or the 6 month-old car's built-in GPS ALL try to route me to a parallel state highway a mile further away. Every cross road between the two routes, the GPS tells me to re-route to the further road. There is no substitute for local knowledge.

My observation in this thread is that each device has it's fan base, and any suggestion that another device works better is met with skepticism or righteous indignation. It's almost religious.

Each to their own.

Jim

 

[DrQ]

In Ireland our phone's GPS took us the shortest way from Cookstown to Belfast BUT it was 3 miles on a one lane road then 15 miles on a bad two lane road. If we had gone a mile or two longer distance the road would have been a great 4 lane road Should always look and see where the GPS wants to take you.

There is much to be said for heuristics, I don't think that comes up in reviews.

 

[WinniWoman]

In Ireland our phone's GPS took us the shortest way from Cookstown to Belfast BUT it was 3 miles on a one lane road then 15 miles on a bad two lane road. If we had gone a mile or two longer distance the road would have been a great 4 lane road Should always look and see where the GPS wants to take you.

Agreed. I always argue with my husband about this. To look
At the whole route first.

This is why I like paper maps. I can see the whole big picture.

 

[Passepartout]

This is why I like paper maps. I can see the whole big picture.

Me too. Back in my long haul days, I kept the big Rand-McNalley book in easy reach and compared it to other sources of directions to see if it made sense. I'll never forget having a telephone answerer/receptionist direct me (with 72' of tractor/trailer) into an employee parking lot that the only way out of was backing onto a 4 lane highway in New Jersey. She said, "Well, that's how I get to work!"

 

[Talent312]

There is no substitute for local knowledge.

Indeed. My GPS devices don't know shortcuts on local roads like I do.
Nor local traffic patterns which may make taking indirect routes faster.
Consequently, I pause mine from my house to the interstate on ramp.
Or if it's just across town, until I'm fairly close to the address.
.

 

[davidvel]

Indeed. My GPS devices don't know shortcuts on local roads like I do.
Nor local traffic patterns which may make taking indirect routes faster.
Consequently, I pause mine from my house to the interstate on ramp.
Or if it's just across town, until I'm fairly close to the address.
.

Actually, many towns are begging Google (maps) not to route people through the secret local routes, as they are creating parades through residential and school areas. I've saved upwards of 15-20 minutes on morning trips in rush hour to various destinations doing so. Real time traffic (and accident) rerouting is priceless.

 

[Brett]

Actually, many towns are begging Google (maps) not to route people through the secret local routes, as they are creating parades through residential and school areas. I've saved upwards of 15-20 minutes on morning trips in rush hour to various destinations doing so. Real time traffic (and accident) rerouting is priceless.

I'm a fan of real time traffic rerouting. also a fan of real-time waze police alerts!

 

[DrQ]

Actually, many towns are begging Google (maps) not to route people through the secret local routes, as they are creating parades through residential and school areas. I've saved upwards of 15-20 minutes on morning trips in rush hour to various destinations doing so. Real time traffic (and accident) rerouting is priceless.

I think I read an article a year ago about some New Jersey towns prohibiting commuter traffic through some neighborhoods.

Looks like it got shut down in the courts.

 

[easyrider]

I'm a fan of real time traffic rerouting. also a fan of real-time waze police alerts!

We were using the google gps in Seattle and the app rerouted us through Bellview because I-5 was a mess. It was a scenic congested drive but the main thing was traffic was flowing. I-5, not so much.

I hope this new Garmin drive smart does this.

Bill

 

[clifffaith]

We are still Garmin fans. We are on our third: first conked out, second stolen because we have creeps who go out every night and check for unlocked cars (I'd gotten something out of car that I intended to put back, then didn't), third one we had for several months when all of a sudden it said "say a command"-- we didn't expect voice command or traffic updates. I do miss the female Australian accent on our first Garmin. We named her Bindi after Steve Irwin's daughter. Tried to name the new voices, but they never stuck so we still call her Bindi.

 

[easyrider]

I know WAZE does. Will have to check re HERE WeGo.

I acquired the waze app but also acquired commercials. The commercials are not just when using waze. They appear any time I fired up the phone. I had to remove waze. I am sure it was waze because after removing the app the commercials are gone.

Bill

 

[Brett]

I acquired the waze app but also acquired commercials. The commercials are not just when using waze. They appear any time I fired up the phone. I had to remove waze. I am sure it was waze because after removing the app the commercials are gone.

Bill

I use waze but do not see commercials when not using waze.
(but other apps when running can display ads when that app is active)
www.waze.com