MArooned: Tech Bleg

Friday, December 5, 2008

Tech Bleg

Okay, folks, I need some help...

(Chorus from the peanut gallery: "So what else is new?")

Mrs. G. wants a GPS for Christmas. Her dad, who used to be a long haul trucker, got one a couple of years ago, and has been raving about how much easier it makes driving in unfamiliar territory. Given that we often find ourselves in unfamiliar areas, often towing a large camper at the same time, it's not a bad idea.

Our requirements are pretty open: Pretty much under $200 or thereabouts; be either rechargeable, battery-operated, or have a cigarette lighter plug; ability to offer routes based on highway/no highway/fastest/shortest/etc. I'm also guessing you need to sign up for a service of some sort for updates and such - I'm guessing it needs to connect to a computer... (Is it obvious I haven't kept pace with technology?) Pretty standard stuff, certainly nothing that hasn't been on the market for a few years.

Since I know next-to-nothing about GPS systems, like who makes good units and who makes junk that should be avoided at all costs, I thought I'd open things up to the technophiles out there. I've talked to a couple people who have GPS receivers and definitely think it's a worthwhile addition to our ever-growing pile of technological accessories; I just need to know what's the best "bang for the buck" out there...

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

That is all.

20 comments:

scotaku said...: Jay, I just got a Garmin Nuvi 260w from costco for about $200. It does all you ask, and all one needs do is register the product w/Garmin (very easy) and then one can update the machine/download new maps with ease. It's great. I highly recommend.; December 5, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Anonymous said...: iPhone2.0.

GPS onboard.

$199 (with 2 yr enrollment)

And comes with a free cellphone attached.

(I use an old iPhone1.0, which uses a "faux GPS" - it "fakes it" based on proximity to cell towers, and performs rolling updates as I drive. Works very well.)

I hear it also plays music, too.; December 5, 2008 at 2:23 PM
MedicMatthew said...: Jay,

I've got a Garmin Nuvi 250w that I absolutely love. The Garmin Nuvi series is super simple to set up. Basically you charge it, step outside and turn it on, it will take a few minutes when it initially searches for satellites and then you're ready to go. When you buy a new Garmin product and register it online you're then able to download a map update which is usually a ginormous file somewhere in the 5-6GB range. You may not even need to install the update when you first get it, you can save that for later if you wish.

My only recommendation in regards to that particular series is to go with the wide screen model (designated by the letter W at the end of the model number). The wide screen is much more user friendly for those with ginormous hands and it is also just a bigger display which makes it a bit easier to read.

The thing that is great about having such a device is that it makes it super simple to find "points of interest" such as hotels, gas stations, restaurants, hospitals, entertainment & recreational attractions, etc.

Pay no attention to the MSRP listed on the www.garmin.com, the Garmin Nuvi 205w model can be had in the $150-200 ballpark through most retailers.; December 5, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Anonymous said...: You need to be more specific. Do you want:

a) a unit that is pretty much only good for in-car navigation; or

b) a unit that is good for car, foot, marine, and even air navigation?

"Under $200" pretty much limits you to category (a). Personally I hate TomTomGo because of their ads, so I can't help you there. Garmin has one or two models that sell for under $200. I found them inadequate for my wants -- they only work in the car, they have limited update capabilities, and they can't talk to my PC. Oh, and they do strictly point-to-point navigation. That is, you can go from where you are to point A, but you can't set up a multiple-point route so that it will take you to point A, then point B, then point C...

And you have to be careful, because some of them do irritating things like look at the speed limit for the road you're on and warn you if you're speeding. And almost all of them have a voice circuit that talks to you. I HATE machines that talk to me...

If you go with category (b), you have several more choices, but they're all more expensive. Mine is the Cadillac of handheld GPS's: the Garmin GPSMap 76CSx. It's the top model of the 76 line, which is designed for use in a car, walking, boating, or flying. A limited built-in basemap can be supplemented by loading map segments from a CD-ROM via your PC. It can do multiple-point routes. It can track where you've been, and it can transfer those tracks to a PC program. Its main power source is two AA batteries, and it has a power adapter that plugs into a ciggy lighter socket. It has a memory card that can go up to 512MB, so it has lots of storage space for loaded maps. If you need that sort of thing, it can even load marine charts.

The big problem with it is the cost. You want versatility, you gotta pay for it. Where the Nuvi and TomTomGo GPS's come with the entire map database already loaded, with the 76 series you get only the hand unit with the built-in basemap. You have to pay another $100 for the detailed maps and $20-30 more for the car-mount accessories. Then you have to load the maps you need yourself (not hard, just time consuming) and make damn sure you get every map segment along your route, otherwise it will fall back to the basemap when it reaches the edge of the loaded maps, and that can make it freak out.

There are other small drawbacks, like no volume adjustment on the built-in speaker, and it can be a bit difficult to learn to use properly. But all in all, I've been happy with mine.; December 5, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Anonymous said...: Amazon has the nuvi 350 for $156.99. I've gotten a couple for others as gifts, as it seems to be the lowest price for a text-to-speech one with all the good stuff (i.e., preloaded with City Navigator).; December 5, 2008 at 3:05 PM
West, By God said...: I got my wife a Garmin Nuvi 205 for dirt cheap. It works great. I also have Google Maps on my blackberry pearl. The phone solution isn't as good for driving (small screen, hard to manipulate/search.) The Nuvi is simple, doesn't have too many confusing bells and whistles, and it is both faster and smarter than my own direction-giving skills.; December 5, 2008 at 3:20 PM
Rustmeister said...: I have a Garmin as well.

Works great.; December 5, 2008 at 5:07 PM
Paul, Dammit! said...: Jay, I got Mrs. The Pirate a TomTom because it is overly simplistic (like her husband), and has intuitive programming, so she can figure it out despite her distaste for all things tech. Ah, and also, very cheap. $130 at bestbuy.com.; December 5, 2008 at 5:16 PM
danno said...: +1 on the Garmin. They've been around a long time and know their stuff.

We picked up the 200W at Frys for $167 earlier in the year. RitzCamera had them for $185 for a while.

Seemed like the only difference between the 200W and 250W was the number of user waypoints. Couldn't see paying amother 20% for a feature we'll never use.

We did have one problem on the Toledo trip. Leaving Detroit it kept telling us to get off the freeway. Knowing this was wrong we ignored it. It gave us some other bogus directions as well. Next morning at breakfast I was on a quest to find the problem.

Turned out it was set to bicycle mode. Flip to car mode and works great.

In addition to the useful navigation stuff, it's nice to have the "find restaurant" feature when you're on a trip.; December 5, 2008 at 6:33 PM
Anonymous said...: I see everyone is Garmin crazy, and so was I, but then I bought myself a new Magellan RoadMate 1412 for $150, and it takes the cake. It is a wide touch screen and it is super user friendly. Many of the Garmins do not speak street names (turn right in one tenth of mile), but the RoadMate does and I love the feature. But to be honest, the Garmin held up fine over a couple years.; December 5, 2008 at 7:24 PM
Epijunky said...: I have to also give props to the Garmin's. I sold a boat load of those last year during Christmas. The 260W really is a great model if you just want it to get you from point A to B.

Why I like this model over the one I have:

The wide screen. Using a touch screen to enter your destination is just that much easier.

It tells you the name of the street that you will be turning on as opposed to "Turn left in 200 yards." It's really nice to know that you're turning left on Alexis Rd., or that you're merging on to US 24 instead of some unnamed intersection.

It will reroute you if you get turned around. Although like Danno said sometimes it gives funky directions, always check what mode it's in just in case some setting got changed. (Hey Danno, I'm in Toledo btw!)

One more thing... I never leave my GPS unit plugged in because of the stories of people breaking into cars to steal them. I always yank the mounting unit down and stick it under my seat or in the console box. The size of this GPS is perfect for hiding. If you're as paranoid as I am. :)

Anyway, just my opinion. Hope it helped some.

213.78 at Amazon.com; December 5, 2008 at 7:39 PM
TOTWTYTR said...: I've had good luck with the Garmin. Go for one with a 4.3 inch screen, one of the Nuvis. If you belong to BJs or Costco, they have some good deals right now.; December 5, 2008 at 8:08 PM
Anonymous said...: I only know one thing about GPSs, and it seems to be this: Garmin. Anything from their line seems to spank the unholy crap out of anything else, and if you get a model that is a year or two behind, you do not always have to pay the name-premium. Just be sure you can update the maps.; December 5, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Jay G said...: Hey everybody,

Thanks for all the input. It sure seems like Garmin's the way to go; I just need to look around for the best deal I can find. Think I'll check BJs this Sunday while I wait for The Boy during CCD...; December 5, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Anonymous said...: Sorry I got to the party late. But it doesn't matter. I see which way the wind is blowing.

My father (may he rest in peace) had both the Tomtom and the Garmin. He loved the Garmin, and hated the other--because, he said, it lacked a lot of relevant information when used it on the road. He experienced a fair deal of frustration with it, and felt the company would rather nickel-and-dime him than either admit they didn't have a fix, or offer to take the product back.

Here's something else to think about: I can't tell you which model he had, because these things are very popular with thieves. Don't leave it sitting around in your house, garage, or in a conspicuous place in your vehicle.; December 5, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Christine G. said...: Jay -- does it have to be for the car? get a handheld Garmin or better yet a Magellan Sport Track Pro model. you can GEOCACHE!

and it's handy for the car too. it's gotten us out of some very deep shit on the roads in NYC and LI when stuck in holiday traffic.

i love my magellan. and i love to geocache. the car-mount ones can't be used in the field... so you'd need a second one for hand.

just get a hand one and the passenger is your navigator.; December 5, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Jay G said...: Aren't the handheld ones like a lot more expensive?

I'm also looking for one that I can mount to the handlebar of the Harley, too (Ross, any hints?); December 5, 2008 at 10:33 PM
firefighter4884 said...: Jay,

I'll also recommend the Garmin models. Have had the opportunity to use several different brands of on dash GPS units for navigating in strange cities (happens when you drive an ambulance for a living).

I believe that Garmin has a motorcycle capable GPS that is water proof or at least resistant. In addition, I'd recommend a unit with the Text to Speech, which means the unit will tell you to turn left onto "xyz street" name instead of just turn left (means you can keep your eyes on the road a lot more.

--Jim; December 6, 2008 at 12:22 AM
Anonymous said...: Try a Mio. They are less-known, and have a slightly steeper learning curve, but have a lot of features at the same price or lower than the big names.; December 6, 2008 at 2:28 AM
Anonymous said...: I've been using GPS since they first came out (and LORAN before that). Go with a Garmin. Someone else mentioned Magellan. Magellan is well-known for their notoriously bad customer service. Great when they work (though I found the menu system to be a bit non-intuitive), but if you have a problem fugetaboutit.
Like Wolfwalker I too have the 76CSx. I use it in the truck, on my motorcycle, on my kayak, and for hiking and geocaching. It's a bit out of your price range but it's more versatile then a car only model.
On the down side for road navigation, the screen is a bit smaller then most car only models so it's a little harder to see.
On the plus side, GEOCACHING! (www.geocaching.com) What a great way to get the family out of the house and out for a treasure hunt in the woods! And not just the woods. Whenever we travel we make sure to load up all the local geocaches for the area. We've found some great places that most tourists never get to see and hidden parts of normal tourist sites.; December 6, 2008 at 10:01 AM