And the GPS Saga is STILL continuing
Submitted: Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 16:03
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Stevesub1
So far I have been on about Garmin GPS's, my wife's, nephews and mine, all that had problems. I eventually got my money back after my one had been replaced by Garmin 3 times and the 3rd had no sound.
What to do with my refund. I need a GPS with Australia AND New Zealand maps as that is where it is used most often as I spend a third of my life there.
The only GPS that did OZ and NZ maps that I could find other than Garmin was a Uniden. Now I like Uniden and have had Uniden radios for years. Very good quality and never ever had a problem.
I bought a Uniden and found that even though it was geekier to use than the Garmin, it had more features that I liked.
I have had it just under a week and after a couple of days it would not always turn on, today, no way would it turn on so I have now got a refund and Officeworks are collecting it from
home over the next couple of days - excellent service from Officeworks, crap for Uniden and Garmin.
What next, back to my trusty Nokia phone GPS with all its own problems, BUT at least it works.
Stevesub
Reply By: Dust-Devil - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 16:08
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 16:08
If you don't already have a smartphone, get one and load the Sygic App
AnswerID:
477851
Follow Up By: Stevesub1 - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 16:14
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 16:14
My Nokia is a smart phone and has maps of the world built in. It is a very good GPS once it has found satellites that can take time. BUT when I use email, speak on the phone or whatever and the GPS is going, it screws the phone up so the battery has to be taken out to get it to work again. I am in NZ to work and need email, speaking on the phone and GPS and do not have time to frig around turning the GPS on/off, etc.
I have had enough of poor quality name brand GPS's for now and will put up with the phone until i am game to buy a Tom Tom when I can find one with AU and NZ ,maps. All that are around right now have AU maps only.
Otherwise what are my options, and yes, I am old enough to know how to read a map.
Stevesub
FollowupID:
753187
Follow Up By: Geoff in SA - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:51
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:51
Dust Devil
You got the right app there
Just loaded it and its Brilliant
FollowupID:
753223
Reply By: Notso - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 16:42
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 16:42
Mate, I reckon the GPS God has a set on you!
You must have done something to offend him/her.
AnswerID:
477855
Follow Up By: Stevesub1 - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 16:55
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 16:55
I agree, I am trying to work out what I have done to offend him/her so I can get a working GPS.
I have sold a few GPS Clock's (very accurate clocks for Telecommunications networks) in my job over the years and luckily the GPS gods have kept them working.
Stevesub
FollowupID:
753193
Reply By: vk1dx - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 17:35
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 17:35
Hi Steve
Is it just for street nav? If it is then maybe what I am about to say is not for you.
If it is for offroad navigation then drop Oziexplorer an email and see what maps they have of New Zealand for Oziexplorer. Then look at something that runs Windows CE or even a laptop etc.
Phil
AnswerID:
477861
Follow Up By: Stevesub1 - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 18:29
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 18:29
Navigation only.i don't even need the bells and whistles such as Bluetooth, just a basic navigation GPS
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 18:56
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 18:56
Hi Steve
I figured navigation but what type. Offroad or street?
In other words is it for for the outback where the roads may be just a bunch of wheel marks in the sand and a dotted line on a map or for around town to guide you to the church? (on time)
Phil
FollowupID:
753209
Follow Up By: Stevesub1 - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:26
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:26
Street, we get by with maps for offroad plus an offroad app I have on my Nokia. We are not doing much offroad right now as travel fir work gets in the way.
FollowupID:
753220
Follow Up By: vk1dx - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:40
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:40
Sorry I cannot help. I don't even use a mobile let alone any applications on an ipod etc. We have an in dash WindowsCE box running Ozice and all the entertainment and cameras. Purely for the geo and Hema map displays. Not interested in bitumen.
Cheers and best of luck.
Catchya
Phil
FollowupID:
753222
Reply By: Geoff in SA - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 18:55
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 18:55
Steve Sub
I have just upgraded up to a HTC Velocity 4G fone with my service provider.
I had a look on the market place for android phones and found a GPS and Maps that work with Vioce3 and all the bells and whistles
Web SIte is: sygic.com
Simply Brilliant.
Cost me 18 euros to get the who;e lot registered.
Loaded maps to mini mem card on phone via wireless access at
home ad it just works.
Well worth a look
AnswerID:
477874
Follow Up By: Stevesub1 - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:29
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:29
Thanks for that but much as I would love a new phone, the budget only lets me buy a GPS. I really need a seperate GPS when I am working as email and speaking is also important on the phone.
FollowupID:
753221
Reply By: Member - Howard (ACT) - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:12
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 19:12
if its only street level navigation you are looking for get on ebay and buy a chinese gps that runs igo8 navigation and comes with australia and nz maps std (and any other countries you want as well at extra cost)
cost will be about 130 bucks for 4.3" model there are quite few offerings available.
had mine for years and worked fine when we went to NZ a few years ago
seeing it runs windows CE I also run oziexplorer and topo maps for offroad here.
cheers
Howard
AnswerID:
477876
Follow Up By: Member -Ted - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 21:19
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 21:19
I'm with Howard, I have two of the chinese ones with Igo8 & Igo Primo. Maps are good and are of OZ & NZ. If you buy from Alibaba.com.you can pick one up for around $80.00 or so
Cheers
Ted
FollowupID:
753231
Follow Up By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Saturday, Feb 18, 2012 at 12:31
Saturday, Feb 18, 2012 at 12:31
Agreed.
I bought this one from a Chinese site a couple of years ago:
Navigator
It comes with iGo8 and US maps, but Aust and NZ maps are easily obtained. There are better ones available now, but this one was easily cracked to get into Windows CE and install a nice user interface, allowing OziCE, and a raft of other apps. It's only a 5" screen, but still works fine with Ozi. Has other useful things, like video input for reverse cam, bluetooth for your phone, etc. And less than $100.
The useful mod site is gpsunlock.net which installs the user interface.
Have also got a later 7" one from the same site with much better resolution, but its downside is I can't get into it to make a user interface to swap apps. One has to direct it to the app by longhand. But if you're sticking with one app, then it's great.
cheers
Gerry
FollowupID:
753511
Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 20:29
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 20:29
Stevesub,
If you are looking purely for street navigation and like the Tomtom unit, you can buy a map for NZ to add to the Aus map that comes with the device when purchased in Australia. This can be done via Tomtom
Home, an application that runs on a PC or laptop.
Then you would have both Countries covered.
AnswerID:
477884
Follow Up By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 21:46
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 21:46
2nd Bill's suggestion.
It worked well for me, probably took a couple of minutes longer to come alive when I turned it on after crossing the Tasman. Only downside is that 2nd country maps are comparatively dear.
FollowupID:
753233
Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, Feb 16, 2012 at 18:52
Thursday, Feb 16, 2012 at 18:52
I'll 3rd the Tomtom.
Haven't used it overseas though, but our whole family runs Tomtoms - not an issue with 5 of them.
Dick Smiths has the 5" XXL540 at half price ($149).
They come with extra space for the maps. I also upload a freeware program called TTMAPS which in many ways is similar to Oziexplorer and will allow you to use moving maps with .ecw files (such as Raster mosaic 250K).
FollowupID:
753324
Reply By: Stevesub1 - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 22:55
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 22:55
I have been on some NZ retailers sites and most of the Tom Toms do OZ and NZ out of the box. Looks like I will be shopping on my next NZ trip. Thanks everyone for the help.
Stevesub
AnswerID:
477899
Reply By: The Explorer - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 23:39
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 23:39
Hi
Another option ...Hema Navigator has iGO with Aus and NZ street maps...plus you can get NZ 250K and 50K topo maps for OziExplorer as well. All available in exploroz
shop.
Cheers
Greg
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Reply By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Thursday, Feb 16, 2012 at 21:37
Thursday, Feb 16, 2012 at 21:37
You blokes have got me stuffed how you can buy 3 Garmins and all 3 play up, I think I'm on my 14th Garmin since 1997 , not one of them has given trouble. And the Nuvi's 660, 760, and now the 1490T all have worked perfect.
Maybe you need to Earth your self out before you touch them....T.I.C
.
AnswerID:
477957
Follow Up By: Stevesub1 - Thursday, Feb 16, 2012 at 21:59
Thursday, Feb 16, 2012 at 21:59
Actually my 4th Garmin. I had a eTrek and it lasted 5 years before it died. Got me stuffed as we have more electronic jink in the house than most 2 or 3 houses put together and the only problems we have are with GPS's and a software issue with one phone that is still used every day.
I just think that Garmins quality control on new devices is not up to scratch and they do not have any quality control on repaired/ refurbished units.
Stevesub
FollowupID:
753356