can you recommend a gps navigator for my car?

Discussion in 'hardware' started by mantra, Sep 3, 2012.

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  1. mantra

    mantra Registered Member

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    Hi

    i'm looking for a gps navigator for my car

    not expensive and very easy to update maps (and other data)

    i travel in europe only


    thanks
    cheers
     
  2. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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  3. Noob

    Noob Registered Member

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    If you have a smartphone i recommend Waze.
    It's a GPS based on the users and works great for me, you can give it a try to see how it works where you live since the maps and info depends on the user base. (That's why it's called social GPS)
    At least for me, it's extremely accurate and traffic info is really good since it gets updated automatically when other users drive around with it turned on. :thumb:
    Top notch application completely free.
     
  4. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I've never head of Wave before, but I'm downloading it now on my Android phone to try it out.

    It would also work on a GPS like the one I posted the link for too.
     
  5. mantra

    mantra Registered Member

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    thanks i was thinking about garmin , because it's easy to update

    is there a homepage with the map to download?
    are the maps free?

    thanks
     
  6. mantra

    mantra Registered Member

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    thanks
    i will take in consider , is better then sygic ?

    but the maps? are googled based?

    in a samasung galaxy S in which folder should i copy the file?
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2012
  7. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    It gets its data on the go from the internet, so won't work with the GPS I listed above. It is free, but it based on user data. For example it doesn't seem to have maps for my location, but in a more populated area I'm sure it would fare better.

    An advantage of Sygic is that the maps are download and stored to your device, so you could use it with the GPS I posted. You'd just need a wifi connection to initially download the software and the maps, and then you'd only need a connection to download updates for the software and or maps.
     
  8. mantra

    mantra Registered Member

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    i think it's better a solution like garmin , because I
    for me it's not great , it have to install a telephone/internet sim et let download on the go from the internet maps

    thanks
     
  9. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    mantra,

    I have a Garmin 3790T. Maps are included in the price and they are updated four times a year.
     
  10. Judge Dee

    Judge Dee Guest

    And for what it's worth, I live in an area with a lot of small dirt/gravel roads (North East Georgia US), and comparing my Garmin with others who live here, the Garmin is amazingly accurate.
     
  11. mantra

    mantra Registered Member

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    drivers

    thanks Brian , have i install drivers under windows to connect garmin to my pc?
     
  12. Judge Dee

    Judge Dee Guest

  13. mantra

    mantra Registered Member

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  14. mantra

    mantra Registered Member

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    by the way in the garmin homepage for example model there is

    -https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=103915


    does it meed i can update maps for ever?
    or can i update for ever some tipes of maps?

    thanks
    cheers
     
  15. Judge Dee

    Judge Dee Guest

    Until your Garmin breaks or until their map suppliers stop supplying them.
    2 years ago on a long trip I bought one without realizing it offered lifetime map updates like the model you linked to. Just yesterday I updated once again- for free.
    I don't know how long a life Garmins have, though.
    As far as I know it's the only way, and I must warn you it's a long process - over an hour.
    They do supply a USB connector.
     
  16. Sully

    Sully Registered Member

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    My wife bought me a TomTom. Never heard of them before, but never really looked into GPS much at all either, so who knows.

    Anyway, that thing is simply amazing. Interface wise, maybe it is lacking against some others, but I have used it a few times now, and am always amazed at how accurate it is and how much time I actually save if I follow it. It actually cut a 6 hour trip to 4 hours by taking "lesser known" but decent roads. I would never have done that on my own. Plus it shows major things like gas stations/rest stops/food, so I can look at a route and know if it is too far off the "beaten path" for my likings before I go exploring :)

    Sul.
     
  17. Judge Dee

    Judge Dee Guest

    That's how I felt with my first GPS, and still feel that way. It is so cool going into the mountains on roads that aren't on the average paper map and arriving safe and sound.
    Awesome technology.
     
  18. Noob

    Noob Registered Member

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    Waze aerial imagery is taken from Bing Maps but the roads are created by themselves and it's users.
    When Waze was launched their roads were generated automatically by some computer algorithms and then they have been improved by the users itself, hence the name Social GPS.

    Traffic information is based on other users driving around with Waze turned on so it's pretty accurate as long as there are enough users in your area.

    I use Waze all the time when i'm driving and i gotta tell you that the maps in my area spot on. ;)

    Just give it a try, you won't be disappointed. Waze is just the best GPS out there imo and it's completely free. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :D
     
  19. The Hammer

    The Hammer Registered Member

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    Tom Tom is supposedly more accurate in Europe. Garmin for North America. Different map sources. Don't know if it's really true or not.
     
  20. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I tried it an I was dissapointed. There are clearly no Wave users where I live, and accordingly there were no roads shown, so useless to me. But, to fair I do like the idea, and if I lived in a more populated area I'm sure it would work well, and could probably be an excellent repalcement for some the commercial GPS apps.
     
  21. Noob

    Noob Registered Member

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    Oh really? Bad luck for you, where do you live? :D
    Waze works really great here. :thumb: (I live in a kind of third world country but i'm in the city and there are TONS and TONS of smartphone users) :)
     
  22. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I live in a town with a population of about 5,000 in Australia. I will try it again when I'm out of town, in a bigger city.
     
  23. mantra

    mantra Registered Member

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    thanks
    may i ask you what kind of maps are stored in the micro sd or sd hc?

    thanks
     
  24. Judge Dee

    Judge Dee Guest

    I'm sorry, but I don't think I understand the question about the kind of maps.
    My version doesn't have a micro sd. The maps are stored internally. Don't know about other versions, though.
     
  25. DVD+R

    DVD+R Registered Member

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    Have a Passenger who's good at reading Maps :cautious: A good deal cheaper :shifty:
     
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