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Thread ID: 116037	2011-02-14 08:11:00	In car GPS	tut (12033)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1178131	2011-02-14 08:11:00	I have been thinking of buying a GPS and wonder if any of our members here have experience of ones they WOULDN't recommend. I just want a basic unit Currently Repcos are advertising a tomtom START10 for $225, a Uniden TRAX5000 for $229 and Noel Leeming a Navman EZY30 for $179 and tomtom Via 160 for $249. The size and variety I find confusing. Any comments would be helpful. Thanks.	tut (12033)
1178132	2011-02-14 08:30:00	I have a TomTom One 140 and while it has been good, it does have some bad points. It doesn't let you search for addresses near you, yet you can search for 'points of interest' near you. It messes up some of the suburbs / areas; in one suburb it wouldn't find a street, even though it was in the middle of that suburb, and when I did manage to find the street it was definitely on the TomTom map! Map updates are expensive, hence I have never updated the map (from memory ~ $90). It tells you the speed limit where you are driving and often gets it wrong (this might be improved in map updates, but again it's $90 for a map update). It can take a looooong time to pick up a GPS signal. Anything from 2-7 minutes. I waited 15 minutes once, then gave up.	pine-o-cleen (2955)
1178133	2011-02-14 08:47:00	All about the same. You don't really need newer maps, sure roads might change but you can more/less workaround it .. like zooming out of the map and just travel towards your goal until your GPS recalculates the route for you. At $100-150 a map or for the update, I don't imagine many people get them routinely .... Larger screens - yeah .. I find Navman pretty good GUI than some of the others at the time when I bought mine. I found the others too colourful and lines too thick etc.. Dunno about real traffic and street views thou .. Navman I can live with but their customer service not the best and even if you buy maps they can only be used on that one device even if you buy a newer Navman down the road or if your mate has another device that you like to borrow cos you went to the other part of NZ or even overseas. Maps are registered online before they can be used (other than the one came with the unit). When Repco and others advertise generally speaking Navman gets less maps. Like the others may get a AU map too and various free updates. Edit. My Navman - 2.5yr old now, picks up signal like 45sec from moment you turn it on.	Nomad (952)
1178134	2011-02-14 09:45:00	Bought a LG-P500 phone that comes with GPS with free NZ map. Updates are free for the life of the phone. Use of the GPS is free, not part of the phone plan. Phone was on sale at $319 during Christmas. It costs $450 now. It's from 2 Degrees but I am using Vodafone prepay. It comes with a bracket to hold the phone and an in-car charger. I leave the phone in the ash tray and it works fine as well. Where I stay, it picks up the signal almost instatntly. The screen is small but listening to the voice is good enough for me. Have not tried the GPS in the city where the area is more built up. You can go for walks with the GPS guiding you as well. So far I am pleased with it. Have not tried it out of Auckland yet.	Taurus (9579)
1178135	2011-02-15 16:14:00	Thanks for the comments, they were very helpful.	tut (12033)
1178136	2011-02-15 21:34:00	Bought a LG-P500 phone that comes with GPS ...... snip ......Where I stay, it picks up the signal almost instatntly. The screen is small but listening to the voice is good enough for me. Have not tried the GPS in the city where the area is more built up. You can go for walks with the GPS guiding you as well. So far I am pleased with it. Have not tried it out of Auckland yet. Hey Taurus, Do you need to have 3G on as well as GPS to make it work?	Robinz (9362)
1178137	2011-02-15 22:14:00	I picked up a TomTom Start for $175 from the Warehouse.and am very pleased with it apart from the map corrections. I believe one of the things about the TT is that you can get the co-ordinates which can be useful in an emergency. Hunt around for the best price.	mikebartnz (21)
1178138	2011-02-16 08:17:00	Hey Taurus, Do you need to have 3G on as well as GPS to make it work? No 3G needed. I am on prepay. Nothing is deducted. Just activate "Use GPS satellite" or auto activate when u run the GSP software (NDrive). Read more about it on NDrive website. There are quite a few maps loaded on a 2gb micro sdhc card that comes with the phone. You are only allowed 1 free. Obviously I choose NZ map. You can buy maps of other countries s well. Another feature - you can logon to your home network and surf the net on the phone. I use it to update and download software. So I am not using the vodafone network at all. BTW, the phone runds on Android 2.2 There are other phones that has the GPS feature as well but there is a charge to use it whereas LG-P500 is free.	Taurus (9579)
1178139	2011-03-22 00:58:00	Thanks for all the replies. I was in Dick Smiths and on impulse bought a Tomtom XL250 for $177. I have been using it for a couple of weeks now and it does all that I want. I was told they might be dividing the new maps up into North and South island at a cost of about $35 each which would be a good feature as I wont be driving in the South.	tut (12033)
1178140	2011-03-22 01:18:00	GPS is coming down in price. I have a TomTom. When I was in Christchurch it worked very well for me. The cost of map updates will put me off buying another TomTom. I had to turn off the speed warning function because it kept going off and annoyed the hell out of me. It goes off when you reach the speed limit. Most people travel a little over the speed limit, the police do allow a small tolerance (www.police.govt.nz) before they pull you over for speeding.	Bobh (5192)
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