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| Thread ID: 122641 | 2012-01-04 07:36:00 | Wanting to buy a GPS unit/phone app. | decibel (11645) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1252101 | 2012-01-04 13:20:00 | My 2c, unless you have or want a decent phone with GPS DON'T let that be the reason you get a phone over the GPS standalone unit, the likes of the iPhone/Galaxy S/SII are very good but not worth it if you only want it for GPS. GPS units may sound great but you could be surprised at how little you use it, i bought one that runs iGO 8 for about $100 thinking YAY!! but it was nay, used it a few times as I was learning to drive and find my way around the place but not that much, would have been better to use my phone, load the route at home over WiFi and use the Google maps navigation. Both are good but if you only use it a bit the phone generally works better IF you have one. if you live in Kapiti/Wellington/Hutt region I could lend you mine (GPS not phone) to see how much you use it and base your decision on that, no point in wasting money on something you wont use! |
The Error Guy (14052) | ||
| 1252102 | 2012-01-04 18:18:00 | I have the Samsung Galaxy S II and use Navigation on that - it works great. I agree with previous comments - the screen size is important - so unless you have a smartphone with a 4" screen or bigger I wouldn't bother going down the smartphone route. Stumping up the $685 for a Galaxy S II made sense tome though as I get a smartphone, touchscreen MP3 player, GPS navigation unit and GPS exercise tool in one device. |
Tukapa (62) | ||
| 1252103 | 2012-01-04 18:44:00 | I'm currently working a job that entails on-site visits to 3 major retail chains and a petrol chain across greater Auckland. GPS is a must for guidance between locations (i.e. shortcuts). My Samsung SGH i907 Epix smartphone is Windows based with all the functions of Outlook, and regular synchronising keeps my life on track. The GPS auto accesses Contacts, assigns a GPS co-ordinate to the address and navigates to or via as needed, plans a route over the day, with no further inputs required. The GPS is Garmin, and works off-line, is free, and yes, does have NZ Open GPS Project for free updates through that community. As you mentioned, Garmin includes shop addresses, phone numbers, restaurant cuisine type etc. GPS like any similar unit depends on where the satellites are, but coverage rarely exceeds 2 - 3 minutes searching. The screen is small, and not recommended for looking at if you're driving, but I've found the voice directions easy to follow and timely. You just have to have a certain amount of faith in it. Yesterday, I was getting instructions taking me away from my intended destination. I was sure the GPS had lost the plot until I was directed to a hidden motorway on-ramp I never knew existed, and heading once more in the right direction. The phone features voice commands, Wi-Fi, internet browsing and e-mail etc plus a host of other apps. Small on games, but I don't have any use there so I'm not worried about that Touch screen capability, and full QWERTY keyboard either buttons, or on screen. The cost? $140 for a used AT&T (same as Telecom XT frequencies) unit in a as new condition for a fraction of the cost of similar units. PM me for the vendors contact details if you wish. :) |
WalOne (4202) | ||
| 1252104 | 2012-01-04 19:26:00 | and buy a GPS unit - but which one? It depends on what type of voice you will have the most pleasure ignoring ;) One of the remedies for depression, they say, is to bring in some flowers from the garden, put them in a vase, and look at them. Well, here's a better one: Drive somewhere, press Home, and deliberately ignore the annoying female voice whenever it takes your fancy |
BBCmicro (15761) | ||
| 1252105 | 2012-01-04 20:51:00 | Not sure if the Samsung SGH i907 has Garmin software or what . I was referring to the Garmin car GPS like Street Pilots at least at one time, you could install the free NZ map onto it . The Garmin might throw some people off initially because the GUI looks a bit more cartoonish . My Navman has been in our cupboard for about a year now apart from one weekend, when I took it to Twizel for a photography trip when I hired a car down there . I prefer the dedicated car GPS because it is just so much quicker and no need aGPS . Works in areas without cell coverage too . Overseas I prefer a Smartphone for the reason that I don't need to carry more items and more chargers etc . Also I don't need to look for a local simcard each time just to use data . Plus that much of the places, I may just stay 2 or 3 days so it's can be expensive to purchase and then bin in a few days . I also get worldwide maps with the Nokia's for free with fantastic voice guidance . They have like several English versions . Having used bro's Google voice guidance, hardly stand it . The Navman is so much better than that . But the best voice guidance belongs to Nokia . If you are sharing it to other people who may speak other languages, the Nokia's allow over 50 diff languages . |
Nomad (952) | ||
| 1252106 | 2012-01-04 21:11:00 | I use Tom Tom for trips out of town . It is good for giving you an ETA and for telling you where to go most of the time . It costs $134 . 46 for a yearly update of maps (4 downloads a year) . |
Bobh (5192) | ||
| 1252107 | 2012-01-04 21:35:00 | Standalone devices *can* take a long time to get a signal lock too, even longer than aGPS phones. That's what the a stands for, "assisted", it means gets help from other things like WiFi networks, 3G Cell Towers and in the Galaxy Nexus it uses the Barometer. If you're having troubles with your phone, then the *easiest* solution is to root your phone and get it syncing correctly via NTP with something like "nz.pool.ntp.org" using FasterFix: market.android.com A normal cellphone should have a pretty accurate lock on you within a few seconds, say 5-10 seconds at most. Powering up a GPS from "Off" (Not standby which keeps the GPS location) and it can easily take a few minutes. The data used for the mapping is bugger all on Cellphones, especially if you cache the maps in advance over WiFi if you know where you're going, you can cache a 10KM area I believe with the push of a button. It's only a few MB but it helps, which means that when using it on the road you only really get the route info over 3G which is *nothing*. Just make sure you have a car charger / dock. Things like the LG P500 come with them some times in 'bundles' when you buy from Vodafone etc. |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 1252108 | 2012-01-04 21:53:00 | RE: the times . I found that cellphone work v well if you been to the area before even if you turn on the GPS app after the car is moving . But beside hills it can deviate the position . . . . Car GPS while it takes longer it does work more consistently . Maybe 30 seconds . If you turn the cellphone on the first time using GPS in a new area, in my experience, in a 15min journey it may not even get a lock . There is aGPS . . . But I would gather at least for myself, I don't leave GPS running all the time, I just turn it on when I need it be it just getting in the car or after the car is moving . One should expect the GPS to work by itself from turn on be it 30 seconds . . . . When I am overseas I just stand outside for a few mins to wait for it to get a fix, haha . Cheaper than paying roaming at $30/MB or getting a prepaid sim for 3 days . |
Nomad (952) | ||
| 1252109 | 2012-01-04 22:17:00 | Presumably if something like that is happening then: 1) The phone is faulty and should be repaired / replaced 2) You've disabled all the aGPS functionality and have WiFi off 3) Your phone clock needs syncing via NTP or similar to improve the lock-times. |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 1252110 | 2012-01-04 22:44:00 | My 2c, unless you have or want a decent phone with GPS DON'T let that be the reason you get a phone over the GPS standalone unit, the likes of the iPhone/Galaxy S/SII are very good but not worth it if you only want it for GPS. GPS units may sound great but you could be surprised at how little you use it, i bought one that runs iGO 8 for about $100 thinking YAY!! but it was nay, used it a few times as I was learning to drive and find my way around the place but not that much, would have been better to use my phone, load the route at home over WiFi and use the Google maps navigation. Both are good but if you only use it a bit the phone generally works better IF you have one. if you live in Kapiti/Wellington/Hutt region I could lend you mine (GPS not phone) to see how much you use it and base your decision on that, no point in wasting money on something you wont use! One thing about the stand alone GPS's is that they act as a good speedo. :2cents: That is what I got mine for as my speedo was way out and it was cheaper than getting it fixed. |
mikebartnz (21) | ||
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