Review or Comparisons of SatNavs

Damned helpful I would say. I've also used software packages and of
those preferred Routis/PrymeNav (same package but sold under different
names) to the early Version of TomTom. However the release of the TomTom
hardware rather submerged all the software solutions.

A shame really since some software packages were much more useful than
TomTom.

Steve Firth wrote:

I've just ordered a copy of a program sold by Directions Ltd. from
Sevenoaks, which claims to have 2009 mapping and run on pocket PC 2003
or later. I'll post here when I've had a chance to play with it.

http://directions.ltd.uk/pda-navigation/

If you're wanting to check it out.

They also do a version for PC which may be a useful Autoroute

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

Well, I don't have an answer, or much of the information needed to
provide an answer, but let me add a few comments I hope these
inspire others to add their own and correct mine, if I have made any
mistakes

1. There are only two map companies. Both have been bought up by
other companies, which might make a difference in who uses what. Tom
Tom collects correction information from customers, and sends out
corrections, I think about quarterly, at no cost. Maybe other
companies do the same. Completely new maps, which are fairly
expensive, come out about once a year.

2. Similarly, I think there are only two traffic information
companies. One sends out its info' over a subcarrier on Classic FM,
I'm not sure what the other does. Nor do I know how they get their
information. One, at least, uses "floating cars", or rather lorries,
which constantly broadcast their position back to the company
dispatcher's computer. Presumably the accuracy of the traffic
information is about the same as traffic information broadcast during
normal radio programmes. If the radio programs do, or do not, let
you avoid jams, I imagine a satnav will be about the same.

3. Some satnav units do extra non navigation stuff, such as acting
as an MP3 player. Everyone who hacks a satnav seems to make their
first project turning the satnav into an MP3 player. I'm not sure
it's worth paying for any such functions

4. As with any computer, more memory is always better, maps take up
a lot of memory, and so do extra voices, in case you get tired of the
lady-in-the-box

5 My satnav doesn't know the names of intersections. It just says,
"in 200 yards (or whatever) turn left", with a second warning at the
intersection. That works well enough, but names might be better, as
might info about which lane to be in

6. One hack which might be useful is to download a track of where,
and when, you have been. The police can do it.

7. Even with a satnav its nice to have a second person in the car to
spot landmarks, look at a paper map, in case you don't believe the
satnav's map, and to sting complicated itineraries together on the
satnav, in case you decide that you are taking the motorway.

Jeremy Parker

Jeremy Parker wrote on Jun 28, 2009:


I think I must be alone in disliking this feature (TTS - text to speech as
Garmin calls it). My StreetPilot has this and will announce "Turn left onto
Marlborough Street" or whatever. To me this is very rarely any help at all,
since (as you will know) street names are usually not prominently displayed
in Europe. It seems to me the only people who are likely to know all the
street names in an area are the postman and locals who live there - neither
of whom are likely to be using a satnav.

Also if you go abroad, the English satnav voices make such a horrible mess of
pronouncing foreign names that I find it an embarrassment to hear them spoken
at all. ('Rue des Victoires' will come out as Roo Dez Victoyerez etc)

--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire

In uk.rec.gps, Mike Lane wrote:

I quite like TTS so I can't disagree with your opinion that you might be
alone. Street signs are pretty easy to see most of the time in my
experience.


Better to switch the announcements to the language of the country you're
in, if the satnav has that feature. Translating the directions I hear is
fun and educational.

--
Mike Barnes