Portable GPS...worldwide use.

[RooFlyer]

Sygic's interface is difficult to use but once you understand it, it's an ok app. TomTom are the usual greedy bast***s they have always been so Sygic is a more economic option in some cases.

The older TomTom apps are ok but they now have a new "subscription" model app, which I think is a useful as and rhymes with rap music.

Sygic, of course, use TomTom maps :mrgreen:



Two possible solutions for 'On the Road with JohnM and RooFlyer in South America'.

 

[JohnM]

Sygic, of course, use TomTom maps :mrgreen:



Two possible solutions for 'On the Road with JohnM and RooFlyer in South America'.

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This promises to be interesting :shock:.

I would add, though, that I am highly practiced in dealing with a 'navigator' who:

a) Wants to argue with the person inside the GPS :shock:.

b) Says things like "turn right" while pointing left :shock:.

After that, I can handle anything :mrgreen:.

 

[RooFlyer]

Of course I'm not saying who is who here .... (apologies to serious thread users ... I'll go away now ...)

 

[whatmeworry]

This promises to be interesting :shock:.

I would add, though, that I am highly practiced in dealing with a 'navigator' who:

a) Wants to argue with the person inside the GPS :shock:.

b) Says things like "turn right" while pointing left :shock:.

After that, I can handle anything :mrgreen:.

Just remember a cigarette car charger.

 

[trooper]

Which one did you get?

Went for the GO520..... it was available at what seemed a very reasonable price. It came loaded with OZ/NZ and SEA......Ive already downloaded USA and am currently..as in this minute lol...adding Russia.

The beauty of this model from my perspective is that all these extra maps are free....... looking at other units with PAID downloads Id end up spending a LOT more.

The USA map was 6 or so Gig... I left it downloading and went to bed.... Russia looks like taking less than 10 minutes.

Quite happy at this point. I'll be very curious to see how well it works in Russia... although I'm going to Ekaterinburg which is hardly in the boonies!

 

[TheRealTMA]

Just remember a cigarette car charger.

Actually most hire cars these days have a USB connection as well.

 

[whatmeworry]

Actually most hire cars these days have a USB connection as well.

Remember your USB cord.

 

[Cynicor]

Maps.me is another good offline mapping app with navigation. Really useful.

 

[straitman]

A lot of good info here.

I've used a TT GO930 for the last 8 years and it still does a great job. It's old school that requires payment for map updates so I do that every few years or if using it overseas when we may need the updates. The worst experience was at Disney World where it knew too much and tried to take us down some staff roads.

The maps in it are way better than those in my new Subaru Outback. (They are bloody awful)

Alternately I use anyone of about 4 types on my smart phone and and whilst they are all slightly better or worse than the others they all failed miserably at some addresses in Lautoka and Suva in Fiji.

 

[TheRealTMA]

A lot of good info here.

I've used a TT GO930 for the last 8 years and it still does a great job. It's old school that requires payment for map updates so I do that every few years or if using it overseas when we may need the updates. The worst experience was at Disney World where it knew too much and tried to take us down some staff roads.

The maps in it are way better than those in my new Subaru Outback. (They are bloody awful)

Alternately I use anyone of about 4 types on my smart phone and and whilst they are all slightly better or worse than the others they all failed miserably at some addresses in Lautoka and Suva in Fiji.

MrsTMA was overjoyed at still being able to buy one of these michelin regional road map 501: scotland during our last Scottish NC500 trip. Many times she was more accurate than the sat navs!

 

[moa999]

I just use Google Maps now. You can download cities/countries offline, and online it can't be beat for traffic updates.

Saved me a good three hours in Europe over the summer avoiding busy border crossings (although it did once direct us to an EU passport only point)

 

[VPS]

MrsTMA was overjoyed at still being able to buy one of these michelin regional road map 501: scotland during our last Scottish NC500 trip. Many times she was more accurate than the sat navs!

I have a friend who loves walking in England who is addicted to the Ordnance Survey maps which you can now get on your ipad - might have to invest in this for my trip to Scotland

 

[trooper]

In the US now...and very impressed with the Tom Tom unit. Very.

Its really a great aid for a solo traveller.

 

[JohnK]

I'm looking to buy a portable GPS unit to use mainly in Thailand with some use in Australia. I don't want to use phone or tablet as the battery drains quickly.

I'm looking at

Tom Tom Start 52 5"
Tom Tom Via 52 5"
Navman MY670LMT 6"
Navman MY690MMT 5"
Navman Drive Duo 5"

They are all around the $150 mark at JB Hi-Fi. Anything I need to be aware of with these units? Do maps needed to be updated regularly? What sort of cost to update maps?

 

[JohnM]

I'm looking to buy a portable GPS unit to use mainly in Thailand with some use in Australia. I don't want to use phone or tablet as the battery drains quickly.

I'm looking at

Tom Tom Start 52 5"
Tom Tom Via 52 5"
Navman MY670LMT 6"
Navman MY690MMT 5"
Navman Drive Duo 5"

They are all around the $150 mark at JB Hi-Fi. Anything I need to be aware of with these units? Do maps needed to be updated regularly? What sort of cost to update maps?

Try to buy one that includes unlimited free map updates, although that may not be possible for lower-end models. Certainly some TomTom models did come with a free unlimited worldwide updates as I have one from about three years ago. Maps don't need to be updated regularly unless you go to areas where there may be a lot of new or changed roads.

But I use my phone nowadays. The battery won't drain if you plug it into the power.

Be aware that GPS units have very short battery life. They need to be plugged into the power. That means the net result is the same as using your phone, so why not do that with free, frequently updated, Maps.me or Here? You need the phone clipped to the car's dashboard to use it for navigation, so it's in place to be plugged into the power anyway.

 

[JohnK]

Be aware that GPS units have very short battery life. They need to be plugged into the power. That means the net result is the same as using your phone, so why not do that with free, frequently updated, Maps.me or Here? You need the phone clipped to the car's dashboard to use it for navigation, so it's in place to be plugged into the power anyway.

I'd need to download maps on phone? How much space do they take up?

 

[kookaburra75]

I'd need to download maps on phone? How much space do they take up?

Usually 30-40MB, but if you have an Android phone that has a memory card, they can be downloaded onto that, which gives you memory space to play with, along with photos etc. I've used the Google Maps option for the past few years in very out of the way places, without any issues. Except France, where the street names were so long the poor unit couldn't read them out in time before we hit the roundabout - but then all I did was a couple of extra laps on the roundabout until we got the right street to exit on

 

[JohnM]

The advantage of Maps.me and Here is that they work offline - exactly like a GPS. You just download what maps you need. They don't seem to take a lot of space, so you can delete and re-download at will.

Doesn't Google Maps require being online?

 

[kookaburra75]

Tv

The advantage of Maps.me and Here is that they work offline - exactly like a GPS. You just download what maps you need. They don't seem to take a lot of space, so you can delete and re-download at will.

Doesn't Google Maps require being online?

No, you can work offline. You can save the maps off into your phone. Click on the options on the top left - three little bars in the left hand end of the search bar - and then the Offline Maps at the bottom. If you want to save them onto a memory card, the card as to be set up as a removable memory card. If you are unconnected, you don't get the traffic updates etc

 

[JohnM]

Tv

No, you can work offline. You can save the maps off into your phone. Click on the options on the top left - three little bars in the left hand end of the search bar - and then the Offline Maps at the bottom. If you want to save them onto a memory card, the card as to be set up as a removable memory card. If you are unconnected, you don't get the traffic updates etc

I had a quick look, but it seems simpler to download full country or region offline maps and the built-in guidance that Maps.me and Here offer. It's just like having a fully-loaded Tom Tom or suchlike in your pocket. Updating is equally simple because it updates some or all of those maps already on your device.