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That was a great deal, then, to get the portable one for free. The portable model costs about $600, so it's 2 for the price of one.
Have you found the interface easy to use? What about map accuracy?
-juice
Mark
-juice
You know the one thing I find intruiging is the downloadable database that both Garmin and TomTom offer. Google Earth offers the same type of 'uploading' from users who create a specialized POI database. It sounds very cool - restaruants, traffic cameras, etc. My only question is who updates them? Has the information been accurate so far? This stuff parallels Wikipedia and Microsoft Live... users upload their knowledge and share it with others. I wonder what is next?
Speaking of POIs what is missing? I just noticed that Aquariums aren't listed in my Sienna? And I have seen the Magellen PNDs offer churches and synogougs... does anyone elses product offer these categories? When I was using the TomTom GO 300 it didn't offer Car Washes or Barber Shops! Killed half of its' utility in one shot.
From your experiences, how dangerous do you think it is to input an address or look up a resturuant while you are driving? Do you end up having the passenger input the information, do you drive slow, glance at the road intermittently or wait until the next traffic signal? From the logs I understand that some people input their address before they depart. What method do you employ?
You install a "POI Loader" on your PC, a tool that aids with the transfer. Then of course you have to find the POI database you want.
A lot of them are offered for sale, but I found a few freebies - such as Wawa stores, Wal-Mart, red light and speed traps in DC, MD, and VA.
So I have about 12 custom POI databases that I use, all were free.
On the Garmin, they appear as a 4th option, below your Favorites. I like being able to find Wawas - cheap gas and clean bathrooms. You can plan road trip stops.
These databases come in a pretty standard CSV format, so I don't think it's just Garmin units that can upload them. The format is something like this:
-77.388740,37.247360,"Colonial Hgts, VA"
I believe it's latitude, longitude, and name of the POI. In this case it's just the location of well known speed trap in NoVA.
How accurate? Well, the idea is these are created by GPS users, so we all contribute. I found a red light cam in Deleware and saved the location on my GPS, then noted the coordinates so someone could add it to a POI database.
The catch? Someone has to do the work. If you complain, you'll be asked to be that person!
Most seem to be pretty accurate. I doubt they are complete. But mine beeps right on Bradley Blvd right before a well known speed trap (when it goes over I-495). My wife got a ticket there 2 years ago, bummer that we didn't have the GPS back then!
-juice
I don't think that an reasonable person would consider inputting an address to a navigation system, while driving, to be too intelligent. I'll usually do the task while parked, or have a passenger do it while I provide peanut gallery comments.
It's another story with my Accord's voice-controlled Navigation System. You just press a button on the steering wheel and say "Display Restaurant" (or ATM, Bank, Gas Station, or Hotel-motel, Grocery store, etc). Or, conversely, say "Hide Restaurant", etc.
You can also say "Find nearest Fast food" (or Italian restaurant, Japanese restaurant, Parking garage, Shopping, Tourist attraction, Hospital, etc.)
You use the same system to adjust map zoom levels, request the next maneuver, ask for the current time, distance or time to destination, change audio stations, volume, mode, temperature, etc.
It's all very safe since your hands stay on the wheel and your eyes stay mostly on the road.
-mike
Which portable units accept voice commands?
-juice
No portable unit has the horsepower it takes...yet.
Rocky
-mike
I usually input an address before I depart but not always since I may not have known a destination before I left. For example, if I've set a destination to Chicago, I can't predict when I'll want to eat lunch. So while I'm on the road and lunchtime gets near, I may need to search for a restaurant up ahead. etc. As with other distractions, I avoid messing with the screen if I'm in a situation that requires my full attention.
-mike
I can get a similar c320 for just $260. I paid $404 in the middle of last year.
Anyone used or seen the 7200 model, with the big 7" screen? Those have dipped under a grand and depending upon what new car I get next year, I may get one for it. It can take a backup cam input, too.
Looks like this:
Anyone seen one?
-juice
You'll find a bunch of Garmin Streetpilot 7200 topics in the following forum:
http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=86
Just do a search or Rechercher for 7200 at the top of that page.
It's not very pocketable at 7.5”W x 4.5”H x 2.2”D though, and not a great idea to leave in temptation's way on your dashboard. Have you thought of one of the pocketable nüvi 3xx or 6xx series units for your next vehicle?
-mike
The portable units are nice when they are pocketable so you can easily carry them around from car to car, pack them in your carry-on, stick them in your pocket and throw them in the glove box or any small cubby. Better yet when they can run on batteries for hours so you can use them without any wires and walk around with them outside.
I had read that unit was originally intended to be used by big rig truck drivers.
-mike
Route calculations taking into account obstructions and navigable waters. Up until now, you needed to plot turns with waypoints in order to have a route that was navigable. With their new system it will automatically avoid shallow areas and other items. It also allows you to download a satellite overlay as well. Very cool stuff.
Last year they introduced weather services from XM with live-doppler radar that would get transmitted to the unit in real time with 5 minute intervals as well.
-mike
http://news.com.com/2061-11516_3-6140914.html
Mark
I'll pick my next car first, then decide what to get. It may even have GPS built-in, who knows.
-juice
You need to apply common sense when using it, i.e. give it a reality check.
-juice
Any how, the Garmin c530 is $400 with free shipping, but what caught my eye was the Plenio VXA-3000 GPS. It has a 7" screen and costs the same amount.
Anyone ever heard of Plenio? Of this model specifically?
Just curious.
Seems like a new Korean brand.
-juice
I purchased one for my daughter who just turned 16 and got her first car so I can keep an eye on her.
Here's what you can monitor and control:
• Use any telephone to find out where your teen is right now- An automated voice will tell you the street address of where the car is right now. For example, "Terry is located at 120-125 Main Street, Miami, Florida and is traveling 35 miles per hour NorthEast."
• Use any computer with internet access to find out where your teen is right now- A map on the screen will enable you to zoom in and out on the clearly-marked car and see their current Location, Speed and Direction. And you can do this through any computer in the world with internet access !!
• Speed Threshold Alert- Alerts you when, where, and by how much a vehicle speeds. Tell your teen to never drive over, say, 60 miles per hour in the car. You'll know right away if they ever do !!
• Electronic Fencing Alert- Alerts you when up to 10 predefined boundaries have been crossed. Up to 10 rectangular or circular regions can be specified and you're notified immediately if they go into or out of any of these regions. Examples of use: (1) Be sent an email at work when your teen arrives safely at home after school. (2) Be sent a cell phone text message when teen arrives safely at school in the morning. (3) Make sure your son doesn't drive through the "bad neighborhood" on the other side of town. (4) Make sure your daughter doesn't drive to the mall to buy more clothes.
• GeoFence Alert- A circular region with a predefined radius that's centered on the car's current location. You'll be notified immediately if they go outside of this region. Examples of use: (1) You tell son on Saturday night not to drive too far away out of the county. You're notified immediately if he does. (2) Your daughter is driving to her grandparent's home 2 states away. You're notified immediately when she reaches the state line of her destination. (3) Your son can drive the car to school but not cruise around in it during lunchtime. You turn on the Geofence at lunchtime and are notified immediately if they drive the car out of the school parking lot.
• Remote Vehicle Door Unlock- With a click of the mouse, unlock the car doors if the keys get locked inside.
• Remote Starter Disable/Enable- Immobilizes a vehicle once the ignition is off. Use in case car is stolen.
• Fastest Speed- Get today's fastest speed of travel. Useful to see the fastest speed your teen has driven recently.
• Driver Assistance Needed- If teen is in trouble, they can press a user-supplied button in glove box to tell you they need help.
• History Review- Review all interactions that you've made with the car, Speed Threshold alerts, Fastest Speed requests, etc. from the past 3 months.
• Security Feature: Car Alarm Notification- Alerts you when car alarm goes off. And if it is stolen you can tell police exactly where it is !!
• Security Feature: Battery cable cut Notification- Alerts you if car's battery cable is cut, battery is drilled out, etc. This is done be seeing the 12 volt power source is suddenly removed. Then you're notified using the included backup battery.
• Low Battery Notification- Alerts you when vehicle battery falls below a predetermined voltage of 9.5 or 10.5 volts.
Benefits:
• Easy to install & inexpensive to operate, the product & antenna are invisible to the driver behind the dashboard.
• Hardware can be moved from one car to another with ease. Only 3 wires to connect to vehicle for basic functionality.
• You have full control of monitoring and controlling functions on vehicle via the internet wherever the car is in the USA, Mexico and Canada. The combined power of GPS, the Internet, cellular service, and its accessibility through any standard web browser allows us to provide cost effective services throughout most of North America.
• Operates even if car is parked for long periods of time; up to 45 straight days with ignition off. Can actively broadcast its location for at least 15 hours on its own power with included battery backup.
• You don't need to sign up for any cellular service. All needed cellular charges are paid to the cellular provider by Alltrack USA and they buy air time in bulk to keep prices low.
• You don't need to own any type of cell phone or cellular service of your own.
If you teens knew you had it, though, they'd be less tempted to "cheat" and push the limits of their curfew and boundaries.
-juice
If you had it installed, what did it run you?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
You do have to sign up for this thing called "polling" which is everytime you contact the box, it costs a few cents. I got 500 Polls for $35.00 which should last me at least 6 months if not way more.
This thing is awesome though, and lower priced than anyone of the others I saw on the internet. Excellent customer service too.
heres the link. www.yourteensdriving.com
Thanks.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
You can buy European maps for the US version Nuvi from Garmin for about a $250 extra fee.
If Tom Tom pre-loads them that makes it a bit easier, though the SD card only takes seconds to remove and replace.
-juice