Buying Hints: GPS

iPhone 6 has native GPS in it. It doesn't need cell towers. You only need maps if you are using it for navigation. If for tracking, after upload it will place the route onto the map.

thanks guys. The link Wizard provided proved helpful, although I am interested in a different model. Clicking on 'products' takes me to a good list of low priced GPS if you have it list by 'low to high'

How about this spread? Do I want 'lifetime map updates' ??

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=100852&compareProduct=92764&compareProduct=120957

Quote: Ayecarumba

iPhones have several offerings for apps that provide GPS functions, including at least one I have seen with audible turn by turn directions. Are you sure you need a separate device for your anticipated tasks?

That app would be Waze. Saved my ass a few times on my Android.

I bought a Garmin Nuvi a few years ago before I moved to Las Vegas, and it was fantastic. But after you become acquainted with the area, you don't need the Garmin anymore. But Waze does everything the Garmin does, including loud female voice giving me turn-by-turn directions, and you're always likely to have your cell with you. I was in Dallas for a few days couple weeks ago, with a side trip to OK City to see my sister. I just couldn't seem to jam my bulky Garmin (with its sandbag stand that sits on the dash) into my carry-on, but I figured I was okay without it. So wrong! Right away, when I picked up my rental car at DFW (a 2015 Challenger....with a Hemi!), I realized I didn't prepare as usual for getting to my hotel in Addison. Waze to the rescue! Punch in destination address and hit "Go". Used it again in OKC to get to a restaurant in Bricktown, a place I'd never been. Waze even tells me where the cheap gas stations are, police speed traps are, and accidents on the road. Voice would tell me "disabled car ahead on the left" or some such. That part is user-supported, and expected me to help by hitting a button like "not there" to tell others the accident was cleared.

If you travel, you need Waze. Best free app out there.

Quote: odiousgambit

thanks guys. The link Wizard provided proved helpful, although I am interested in a different model. Clicking on 'products' takes me to a good list of low priced GPS if you have it list by 'low to high'

How about this spread? Do I want 'lifetime map updates' ??

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=100852&compareProduct=92764&compareProduct=120957

Map updates depend on where you will use it. If the area is under development, like Las Vegas during the building boom, it is a good thing to have since new streets are popping up constantly. On the other hand, if you will only use it in built out areas, you could get by with the initial map upload. I have only updated my maps once about two years ago, and haven't had any problems, but I am not a heavy user who travels to newly developed areas either.

The price for lifetime maps is built into many budget models, (look for last year's stock) so it shouldn't be too hard to find a reasonably priced one for under $100.

Probably won't use the GPS except for trips.

A trip last year made me wonder. Once we got there, confusion reigned because we saw a sign that indicated the area was XYZ Beach while the directions said ABC Beach. We were meeting several family members, none of whom answered their cell phones when we tried to get it cleared up. Turns out it was one of those areas where the post office calls it by one name, the phone company another name, the county/city differently too, the real estate people maybe another. And google maps called the critical street QRS Street instead of QRS Road as they should have. My prep had all been done with google maps.

It occurred to me my relatives all had GPS in their cars and didn't expect me to have to call.

I think it will be a good gift for my wife's birthday, just in time for our next trip.

I bought the Nuvi 44 with lifetime maps and we tried it out for the first time today.

The oddest thing is that there is no manual [not even online]. The instructions that came with it are one little pamphlet with pictures only showing how to hook it up and another little pamphlet with a few lines of warnings and such about usage. And one piece of paper suggesting you go online to register it and get map updates at garmin.com/express.

So we hooked it up in the car and all the instructions on how to operate it were basically by your own exploration. Most were easy to find, some a little harder. Folks, this is modern times. It went well, so it is what it is, wow.

Going online was easy enough and I got the first map update already. It says on the piece of paper with the dot com address that a manual would be online, but there was none unless I am dumb as a brick.

Like I say, it went well, so I guess I can say I recommend it. Easy to use, sure. It also locates the vehicle position amazingly fast. I had noticed that you could buy a bean-bag type holder for it, but a suction cup type comes with it so I waited to see if that would suffice. I figured actually that the suction cup type would really blow, but by golly it works quite well. I put it on the passenger window, putting it on the windshield is against the law in plenty of states [incl VA] and really is no better placed there if there is a passenger-navigator. They discourage using certain features if you are driving, and, yeah, you really need to pull over to enter addresses and such.

The only thing I kind of wondered about is, once it knows where you are, while you enter a street address or whatever an automatic filling function kicks in. It does have you confirm the suggestion, but it's not clear what to do if none of the suggestions are what you want. I suppose it is possible it doesn't do that unless it has a list of the only possibilities [known to the device]; when you think about it, if this is so, then it doesnt matter if what you want is not being suggested.

Yep, a new toy. Thoroughly modern now in our neck of the woods.

PS: it is possible to use it offroad and possible to use latitude/longitude for destinations

Is this the one?: http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/nuvi_30_40_50_EN_OM.pdf

Quote: Ayecarumba

Is this the one?: http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/nuvi_30_40_50_EN_OM.pdf

apparently not, but I should take a look at it, no doubt a lot of things work the same way, thanks

in fact it has been helpful ...