GPS Hardware & Software
Submitted: Friday, May 08, 2009 at 04:40
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Member - DickyBeach
We've been living in Switzerland for the last couple of years and our TomTom has been a Godsend for getting around in Europe - we'd probably have been literally (in the true sense of the word) lost somewhere without it.
When we return to Oz in a couple of months we'll bring it with us UNLESS I learn in the next few weeks that I cannot load Aussie data into it, hence this query.
A GPS navigation comprises Hardware (probably made in the Far East), Software (specified in Europe or the US I suppose, I cannot imagine the OZ market is large enough for Aust s'ware specification to be economically justifiable) and the Application Data - the maps - for Australia. Ah ha, the maps.
Are the map offerings in Oz all from the same source and simply "badged" with various names or are there genuinely different mapping products.
If so, is there a consensus on which is the best?
Most of the time we'd use the GPS for city/urban/suburban directions - but when going bush probably not a great deal: I know how to get to "Woop Woop" generally but once there it could be helpful to be able to enter GPS co-ordinates and be told what to do. Amazing really, I've managed in the Outback all these years without a GPS so I probably won't need one in the future, however .................
The FNQ trip to CY in 2010 is unlikely to need a GPS, you'd all agree.
I'll be interested to see what the cognoscenti have to say in reply.
Cheers, and thanks,
DickyBeach
Reply By: Willem - Friday, May 08, 2009 at 05:00
Friday, May 08, 2009 at 05:00
DickyBeach
Seeing as I have insomnia I shall relate my story :-) You may get better technical replies further down this thread.
Yes, we all seemed to get around in the bush without GPS's over the years. They are handy toys however. For some years I ran all my mapping software on a laptop via a Magellan GPS but then the lappy died about a year ago and this is what I have done since then.
I run Natmap Raster Topographical 250K maps in Oziexplorer Mapping Software on a 4Gig SD card. This I insert into a HP IPOD PDA. My PDA comes with a range of goodies pre-installed including Tom Tom 6 which I can use for street navigation.
I believe that you may be able to download the Australia Base Maps for Tom Tom from the internet (at a price ofcourse) to your Tom Tom but I do not know if you can run your mapping via SD card on your Tom Tom unit (I suppose it depends on the unit you have). We also have a Tom Tom One in our town car and that does not have a removable SD card.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
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Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Friday, May 08, 2009 at 07:18
Friday, May 08, 2009 at 07:18
Hi Dickybeach,
Yes, you can certainly purchase additional maps and load on to the Tomtom.
Current price for the Australian map is AU $169.95.
(On occasions Tomtom have had a half price map sale)
You use the Tomtom
Home application (free download) and select Add Maps. You can purchase on-line and after the approval process, download the new map to your device.
You can switch maps to any that are loaded on your device at any time.
Tomtom
Home is also used to keep your maps up to date by downloading Mapshare data on a regular basis. Again this is a free service, along with software and GPSfix updates.
So your Tomtom is certainly not limited to Europe.
Bill.
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