GPS Navigators - Here we go again....

But it does need to be able to home in on casual skirt .... hahahahaha

In case some of you dont know some mobile phones can run GPS which is handy because you dont need to carry more stuff around. The phone does not need to be a GPS phone. EG I have a nokia N73 which uses symbian OS. I got a bluetooth GPS recieve from ebay for $80, they are now closer to $50. I now have a full GPS system. Nokia or the seller will not tell you about gps or support you but who gives a damn. There is a choice of software, nokia even has their own. tomtom is also available. This could save some $$ and also the pain of owning more crap.

Dick Smith will let you buy it, open it, use it and return it for full refund in 7 days if you keep your reciept. Take it home and try it.

Hi Mr Fawlty, Unfortunately this is not a good area in which to opt for the cheapest. You will get what you pay for as a prevous poster found out. Aldi sell 'Tevion' branded electronic stuff and if the GPS units are anything like the DVD recorders they sold then you will get something with questionable backup, lack of software updating and crappy 'user friendly' procedures.
There are good units round like the Garmin 250 or W250 (and No, I dont have one) or Tom Toms that are great to use. There are so many features(like a browse facility) that you are unaware of when looking, that you need to talk to someone who has a good one. Where are you? You can borrow mine if you're near.

Mr Faulty

Navigators with route directions etc are based around large metropolitan areas rather than the outback. Some will show main roads between large centres.

To show where you are etc away from a large centre you will need some other map product such as OZTOPO but these require a navigator with upload facility to hold extra maps such as on storage cards like SD cards.

To get this you need to spend a little more than the cheapest one around.

http://www.doug-and-dusty.id.au/maps.htm

Doug and Dusty's site has good information on what you get or what you may need once you are clear on what you want from the navigator.

I am using a Garmin SP7200 with City navigator 2008 for around town and will put OZTOPO V2 on it for out of town when it becomes available in a couple of weeks.

I also have a laptop with Oziexplorer I can break out if I need to get serious and of course I always carry a full set of paper maps.

I used to run the laptop onto a secondary touch screen but fearfull of running the harddrive over rough roads, I now use the solid state navigator when mobile.

Trust some of this may be helpful. It is a big topic with many alternatives and as stated above, try to use or see some alternatives before buying.

Alan

"I had hours of fun making helpful suggestions"...why did you waste so much time?...i would have told them they were cretins in the first few minutes .....

any how get a nouvi..or what ever it is..pay good bucks and get something decent

Sorry to rain on your parade Basil, but NO device will give you Australia wide coverage out of the box.

TomTom is very good for guided direction from point A to point B in the metro areas of all Australian cities, but I don't think the detail is good enough for travel in remote areas.

Probably, the one single device that comes close is the Garmin range of GPS Navigators which give you city navigation "out of the box" and the ability to add Tracks 4 Australia, or the delayed release of OZTOPOv2.

I find the practicality of dual units suit me best and I have a TomTom Go 720 for around town and OziExplorer running on a PDA for Australia wide moving map coverage.

One word of warning. Regardless of the brand of GPS Navigator unit you end up with, the cheaper models will not provide the full range of functionality that the more expensive units do.

An example is with the TomTom range. The lower end units will not recalculate an alternative route if you deviate from the one it gives you. The higher range will recalculate and offer a revised route, based on one of several selections, such as fastest route, main roads only, toll road inclusion, or exclusion, etc.

Look for devices that provide free upgrades for map revisions,(TomTom does) and the ability to purchase additional maps if going overseas. (again TomTom has a range of International Country maps for purchase.

Oh, and I wouldn't ridicule the in-store demonstrations. Most units will find satellites if you are in a single story building, but multi story buildings block all satellite reception, regardless of the brand. Virtually all units will now use the SiRF Star III Chipset.

Basil,

Another option you may like to consider.

If you buy your chosen product from Harvey Norman, you have the option of electing to take out a two year "contract" to pay it off.

The advantage is, for a few dollars extra, you have total replacement insurance cover if the device is stolen. You simply pay $100 excess and you will get a brand new unit.

Also, should a new model come out in that period, you can elect to upgrade.

This may be of value to you if you choose a higher end brand/model.

On this subject, I have been agonising over getting City navigator for my old Garmin V.
I did a check on their demo site for Birdsville and none of the Simpson tracks were shown.
Did a seach on Hawker and very few Flinders tracks were shown.
I am now leaning towards a nuvi 250 or 250 W, because ou can see em better and get city navigator with them for only a bit more than the program.
But I would still have to buy oziexplorer and map packs to get 4WD tracks I think.
Any thoughts on best way to go, ie Nuvi, plus what maps on SD?
Regard sPhilip A

Mr Faulty.
The only Australian unit is produced by Melway publishing, if you have ever used a Melway map you know they are the best, it has all of Aus up to date with annual updates. Sold by RACV. not cheap but the only unit with a future in my opinion. $699 to members. Most other brands use Telstra maps that have about a 2year delay between a new street being made and it appearing on the map.
I don't have one or do I own the company[unfortunately]. Eric.

I work at dickies and i do reconmend either the high more expensive rang of navigators as support is readily available, also to take out the extended warranty as it is new for old or the same unit if still current.

personally i run a navman pin 570 with tomtom v6 software and 2006 maps. and it runs better then when it had smartst crap on it. I'll be updating maps as soon as i get a bigger mmc card, when i have some money!

Just got married 6 weeks ago!!!

Well started my first life sentence, HEHEHEHEHEHEHe!!!

Loving it so far!!!

Bas,

I got an Aldi one about a month ago, it gets me from A to B without too much trouble.

As for the software, well this thing tried to take me down the Eastlink Tollway which isn't open yet, so it must be fairly up to date. According the the handbook, updating the maps is readily available on the internet.

Jim.

Ok.... all points noted including Harding's some what double entrendre "It also recalculates roots - anything which doesn't is not worth the money!

And, Fawlty, it has this really sexy English female voice :)
Yes well I can recalculate a root in my brain as to a sexy Egnlish female voice... well thats why I married Sybil...

Seriously, I spent some quality time yesterday with a guy at Hardly Normal who seemed to know his job and he concurs with what you chaps have said. Elcheapos generally very good in urban areas, not so flash elsewhere, but will work satisfactorily on "major routes"
Showed me a Garmin that has 3 modes, pedestrian, driving and OFF ROAD.... costs $476.... but also said that the Tom Toms will do the same job and are cheaper and easier to update etc... so maybe the tom tom will get my $$$
Now to Gramps caustic smart a s s remark about homing in on casual skirt well guess what, go on guess.... among the POI in the Garmin were listed BROTHELS & much to the amusement of the guy demonstrating it (worked inside to) it gave us clear directions to the Mi Mi club in Fyshwick which of course I can neither confirm nor deny were correct.....He must have wondered what an antique like moi would want to know this for, but I explained like some people hang out around railway yards noting every nuance of activity I hang out around brothels noting the comings and goings of our elected representatives....On my pension I could not afford to venture inside....
He did not have the Mio that Harding got free, BUGGER...