GPS thoughts

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washerboy

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Just thought I'd ask for some feed back. I'm thinking of giving a GPS as a Christmas gift. I borrowed a friends back in the summer while I was in Nashville Tn. and for the most part it got me around town without getting lost. There's a thing or two that I'm not clear on..such as:1) is the service to use the gps free or does one have to pay a monthly servcie charge similar to paying for satilite tv or radio. 2) what's the best brand to look at? Sorry if this sound like an idot question.Thanks!!!
 
Portable units off the shelf like Garmin, Magellen, Tom Tom do not have a monthly fee. The difference is in whether you get free map updates or not. With Garmin, which I have, that depends on the model you buy. My first Garmin I bought a few years ago required a payment to get the maps updated while my new one has "Lifetime Maps". I just got a notice a few weeks ago on the unit that new map updates were available. Plugged it into my puter and voila, done.
The costs have dropped so much now that you can get a good one with lifetime maps for around $120 with more features than what I paid for mine a few years back.
Like real time traffic alerts.

The other feature I like with the Garmin is that it's the only make that you can plug it into your computer on the geocaching website and download the geocache locations directly into it so they show up while you're driving around. In case you want to go on a treasure hunt..

None of them are perfect btw and they don't always show you the fastest or shortest route which is fine if you're in an unknown place. In your own hometown because you know it so well you'll sometimes find the GPS routes you from A to B having you drive along streets you know is longer than your regular route.

Prior to buying my first Garmin I tested out a Magellan and for the 6 block trip up to my moms house it routed me almost a half mile circle route down main aterials instead of just straight up the road here with one turn onto her street.
 
 
I have a Garmin.  One free map update was allowed upon registering ownership, but a limited-time offer and I missed the date, waiting in case there was another update in the interim, ugh.  The thing later started fussing about the map being more than a year old so I updated (2/3/2012) ... which cost $49.99 (taxable) for a one-time update, or $89.99 for a "lifetime" subscription (remains to be seen whose lifetime is the reference, LOL).  I did lifetime, figuring two updates would come out ahead, and there has already been another update.

Update files are HUGE.

Beware that there are always some errors in the maps.  It directed me to turn left at an intersection in one instance when the target address was to the right. Street names may be spelled slightly wrong.  Tourist points and businesses (restaurants and such) may also be targeted at slightly wrong locations.

Garmin has a free computer application, called BaseCamp, on which routes can be planned via the same map that's in the unit.
 
Garmins (our GPS of choice and generally gets highly-rated reviews) have been available recently for about $90 (on sale) with lifetime map updates. As they get older (3-4 years) they don't seem to connect with the satellites as easily, but for that money (about $3-4 a month based on 3-year ownership) you can afford to replace them every 3 years or so if necessary.

Chuck
 
I can understand GPS units for those who travel a lot or run service calls and the GPS directs them immediately to their destination. But a lot of people who don't do this kind of thing also buy GPS units.
We know a woman who goes to a grocery store 10 minutes from her house. She used to go a normal route. Now each time she goes she programs her GPS to "take her there". It takes her 15 minutes to get the darned thing programmed. We have a GPS in my car. I've used it twice and I find it faster to drive without it. So for me it's a toy to play with.

My nutty sister bought one for her daughter because she literally would get lost going around the block. She had to get a top of the line Garmin portable unit for her. I mean, whatever happened to learning directions? One time I was up there and drove to the mall with her. When we got there I asked her which way we came. Her answer? "I don't know, I wasn't paying attention." How could you NOT pay attention to where you are going? When I'm riding as a passenger I tend to think about things I see and I remember their locations. How could someone not?
 
I have a TomTom which works very well. It is several years old and did not come with free lifetime map updates however the newer versions do. I did subscribe to the map update feature and I would get 4 full map updates a year as well as map corrections whenever I elected to connect to the computer to download them. I usually did it on a weekly basis and it only took a couple of minutes to get the map corrections. The vehicle I have now (Toyota) has a built in GPS system and from what I can tell it seems to be similiar to a Garmin but I'm only guessing. It is not nearly as accurate as the Tom Tom, the driving time estimates are less accurate and it doesn't have the capability to 'learn' from driving patterns whereas the Tomtom does. The TomTom calculates expected arrival times based on actual driving speeds whereas I find the one in my Toyota does it based on averages and not on the speeds that I drive, consequently the estimated times are less accurate. The TomTom also has many different parameters that can be set such as what types of roads to avoid (expressways, toll roads, etc.)

Gary
 
There is no usage fee for GPS reception.

GPS makers will charge for map updates. But that's not really an issue, unless you live in a really booming area where they're building new streets and highways regularly.

Context is important, though...

How technically-receptive is the person that you're going to give it to? GPS can be extremely useful, but I wouldn't buy one for my 80 year-old mom, even though she has a laptop and knows what Facebook is.

Does the recipient have a smart phone? They all have GPS capability now. Plus, if a person has a late model bluetooth-enabled car, they can use that to get audio direction cues over the car audio system. If GPS isn't already built into the car infotainment system, that is.

It's hard to go wrong buying a Garmin unit. They make good stuff.
 
Get a Garmin

I have been using personal GPS location since 1996 when i bought my first Garmin. This was long before mapping or turn-by-turn directions were something one could have in a stand alone unit. Since then I have bought several more GPS's (ok five!) and they have all been Garmins. A couple of them are bicycle specific and only one is an Automotive type with turn-by-turn directions, the others are hand-held mapping devices I use for hiking and Geocaching.

For Automotive use I would buy a Garmin Nuvi, although I have to admit that I am less pleased with what the manufacturer is doing today then in the past. Still I feel that Garmin holds the edge in quality, user interface and maps. I have played with both Magellan and TomTom devices and I didn't care for them, but some of that is that I am accustomed to the Garmin UI.

TomTom was the one that decided to make map updates free to better compete with Garmin and Magellan. TomTom was late to the market and had ground to make up. Now they pretty much all have free "lifetime" map updates. A fast Internet connection is recommended as the updates are several GigaBytes as mentioned up thread. Maps and Points of Interest (PoI's) are updated several times a year typically.

Most all models now speak street names (or at least try to!). Earlier models just said things like "turn left 100 yards ahead" and were harder to follow. One trend I have disliked is the tendency for all the recent models to use a mini USB connection for their 12v power from the car. These connectors aren't all that robust and I have seen a few fail on friends units. My older Garmin 660 has a cradle mount which is better but surely was more costly so when it came to cutting it went away years ago. I have repaired mine twice installing a new battery and a touch screen digitizer just to keep it alive.

The GPS signals are free. They originate from a constellation of ~30 satellites that are in Earth orbit. Your receiver works off the difference in time to receive signals from various satellites that are within sight. The tiny differences in timing allow the receiver to calculate its position on Earth within 15 to 20 foot accuracy typically. The GPS system was put in place by our government and is a good example of how Democratic Socialism works for us all!

Finally it is true that most all smart phones today can mimic the functionality of an automotive mapping GPS complete with turn-by-turn directions. They have the advantage of pulling map data from the Internet real time so they are less likely to have errors (new Apple iOS6 Maps withstanding!). Still I find that the stand alone automotive units offer enough advantages that I won't replace one with a smart phone. I have used the claw of a hammer before to turn a screw, but a screwdriver is a better screwdriver then a hammer. The auto GPS is better suited to the mobile environment, has a better user interface and likely has a better GPS antenna for enhanced accuracy.
 
Here's something else I use my Garmin for: Garage Sale'ing. Instead of driving around and having to look at the newspaper for the next sale to hit and figure which one I'm closest to, to avoid driving too much.
The night before I take the newspaper and go through the garage sale ads and enter and save the addresses of the ones I want to hit.Very easy to do. I consecutively name each one GS1, GS2, GS3 and so on..
When I'm ready to go in the morning.. I look at the Garmin menu while I'm in the driveway and it puts them in order as to which of the garage sales is closest to my house so I drive there.. When I've done that garage sale, back to the list in the Garmin and it shows which garage sale is now closest to my current location.. works like a charm.
 
Ijust got a new magellen from staples at 149.00. great unit. has a free map update but will probably wait a few years for update. gets me where i need to go all the time. The reason i picked this unit was for the 7 inch screen. Very easy to see in daylight or even better at night. I have mine down on the console so not be distracted on the dashboard. Wish i would have had this years ago when i was travelling for work and was in a different city monthly.
Jon
 
thanks!!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I skimmed over a few of the post late yesterday afternoon and about talked myself out of buying one; but then this morning after more post I'm going to order the Garmin. Actually I'm getting it for my partner as part of his Christmas. The deal is; he's been very resisent to using a cell phone..that's been the case for several years (I damn well better answer mine when he calls...LOL!!!)however in recent weeks he's starting showing an intrest in texting...so I thought maybe since he's stepping into the 21st century the gps might be something he'd enjoy. Although Little Rock is not that large of a city he does do home visit to church members that are sick or shut-in's..I thought he'd enjoy being about to enter the address and go. We usually travel together 2 or 3 times a year and I'm the one that has to print off and keep up with Mapquest directions....can you say "pain in the butt" The other thing I was concerned about was a monthly/yearly service charge to use it. I hate to get someone a gift and then expect them to pay a service charge to use it. Thanks to everyone who took the time to post!!! Happy Holidays/mark
 
Some final thoughts

You will find the Garmin to be a very useful tool. Mine is always in my glove box ready to go at a moments. I make an effort to not use it all the time as I feel that in someways one can become reliant on one. I have very good personal location skills but like everything else today it seems like technology can sap our brain power. I pull it out when in a strange area or when I need a compass, like when its cloudy and I can't navigate.

Buy a decent mount for it. The suction cup mounts that they come with can be unreliable and place the unit too far out of reach. Some states have laws against anything affixed to the windshield too, but its fine in the same place mounted to the dash(!)... A Profit International Universal G3 mount is the perfect fit for the Garmin. It has this cool 3M self stick pad you affix to your dash and the stalk fits the factory Garmin bracket, slick! (Link attached)

Finally Garmin has a good update manager, install that on your computer and connect the GPS every couple of months. Map and data updates are released 3 to 4 times a year. I'm not too concerned with the map updates as the roads change infrequently. The issue is the Points of Interest files which change all the time! It is frustrating to have the GPS lead you to a business that has been closed for a year... Keep the updates coming to minimize this problem.

 
Garmin NUVI

I got this GPS as a gift several years ago, and use it seldom. It has been handy when I was lost on the NW side of the Phoenix metro area, trying to find a subdivision in an area which I remembered as rural and agricultural.

However, I just got back from a trip Tucson --> Fairfax CA --> Tucson. I have made this trip over a dozen times in the last 20 years and do not need to look at a map. I can choose from many routes, depending on whether I want to cope with Los Angeles traffic or not. (this time I did not). I had the Garmin running all the time just displaying the unrolling map of where I was and which exits were upcoming. It also provides a very accurate display of my speed, and a remarkably correct display of the current speed limit.

I also have an Android smart phone which has navigation capability. I used that one time on a different trip and did not like it at all. It ran the CPU constantly which ran down the battery and made the phone get real hot. For me there was zero advantage over the Garmin.
 
I had 3 Garmins, the first one (a 250 I think) didn't have map updates and had that annoying, too small screen without a QUERTY typepad but it was stolen in my glovebox... I replaced it with a 1490LMT which had a 5" screen and both lifetime map updates and traffic. This one didn't last a year before it wouldn't turn on so I went to Costco where I bought it and they fully refunded it to me at the store. Then I had the choice to buy the same one for they still had in stock for $50 less than what they refunded me or a newer, apparently improved model (3760LMT with a 4.3" screen) still for $30 less (that's what I did). The traffic information was useful on a few occasions as alternative routes are suggested when there's heavy traffic. I don't know exactly how it works but it seems to work fairly well! (it's transmitted with FM signal but I'm wondering how they get the traffic info and how fast it's updated). A few times, I was already stuck in traffic and it offered an alternative route which turned out to be time saving but other times, I decided not to listen to it as I felt there was not as much traffic ahead as it told me there was and my instinct was also good...

I also like the speed limit indications and safety camera warnings which are not 100% accurate but still useful. The only thing I don't like about it is the French language option that doesn't name the streets and the English version has a hard time pronouncing some French-named streets where I live! (and French is my first language BTW but if I remember well, choosing French also meant choosing the AZERTY typepad which we don't use in Quebec...).

 And since my former GPS went bad just a few weeks before the end of the 1 year of warranty period. I'm also concerned about their durability (I always think about Mission Impossible and "This recording will self-destruct in five seconds" when I deal with modern electronics!). I'd suggest buying these with a credit card to get the extended warranty. It's not as easy to get refunded by the credit card warranty but at least, you still get a refund if something goes wrong in the second year of ownership. 
 
I've only had the traffic alert thingy pop up a couple of times driving in Detroit and both times everything was clear and smooth sailing but it stayed seemingly forever. As for mis-pronunciations, mine does a hatchet job on them quite often.
 
Longevity

My oldest Garmin is now 16 years old and still works great. I did have one early repair just past warranty due to a circuit design problem that drained the memory battery. Garmin did the repair promptly and for free. They even covered return shipping and they had the unit in house for only one day!

My Garmin 660 Nuvi is ~7 years old now and I have repaired it twice. First was a battery replacement (kit was $4.95 on ebay) then shortly after that it had the common touch screen failure. Seems like many models from about that time had the touch digitizer fail, it must have been a design defect with the digitizer panels. That part was $18 on ebay. Both were easy swaps that anyone handy could do. There are videos on Youtube showing both repairs.

My Nuvi has pretty much always lived in my car glovebox, therefore it has experienced temperatures from -30 to maybe 130 deg F. With the exception of the battery and perhaps the digitizer I can't imagine this temperature range vastly altering the devices life. Yes electronics are heat sensitive, but until its too hot to comfortably touch (>150F ?) any damage is pretty minimal. There are concerns with modern RoHS lead free solder failing from heat exposure, the joints appear to go crystalline in structure. I have seem some amateur radio gear failures that seem to be due to solder joint failure that was likely hastened by heat. I think my Nuvi is old enough to still have lead in the solder.

As for the colorful street name pronunciation, I find it interesting how newer units act. I got used to my old 660 then I bought Annette a new 1490 (I think) and I can't believe how much WORSE the newer unit is at pronunciation! I would have expected the computer synthesizer voice software to have improved, not got worse.

I do fear that the modern Garmins aren't as good as the older ones. Of course we see that with most everything else. That 660 was an $800 GPS when I bought it, now a MOL Nuvi is no more then $199, something had to be cheapened up... The new standard of using a USB Mini-B plugs for input power is a step down in reliability but saves them cost since there needs to be USB connectivity anyhow.
 

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