For several years I have been used an older TomTom one, which works fine, but has one limitation. Often I need to find the location of a business or other item, I'll look under Point of Interests and ocassionally the right place will pop up, but often it will say, nothing found. Do more modern units search for businesses and the like better or am I out of luck?
New GPS
- Thread starter pohorsky
- Start date
- Views: 4039
MikePA
Super Moderator
Yes, modern models have more current maps, including POIs. Can the map file on your TomTom be updated?
It can, for $65 per year.
It is, but there are times were I am on the road and for one reason or another I have to make an unplanned stop. For example, a couple of weeks ago, after spending some time visiting a friend in Grass Valley, I needed to stop at the Home Depot in Auburn, and didn't know exactly where it was, so I spent the next while trying to find it. It would have been nice to have been able to look up Home Depot in Auburn and get directions.
bigtiller
Super Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2006
- Messages
- 7,352
- Location
- central Iowa
- Tractor
- John Deere 2720 John Deere 3039R John Deere Z545R
That is what they do now. Yours must be really old?
downsizingnow48
Elite Member
I was thinking of getting a GPS but we got smartphones with Google Maps first. No reason to get a GPS now. Wherever you are, type in Home Depot or anything else, it tells you where it is and how to get there. No annual fees.
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
I hav the garmin nuvi and its fast, accurate and can find most businesses. Has 4 free updates per year. Use it every day as i am electrical contractor and travel to very odd places. Has never let me down
Not really. I was informed that I didn't need one. Mine is 2006ish. I'll see about the nuvi. Might be what I am looking for.
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
Costco sells them
s219
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2011
- Messages
- 8,607
- Location
- Virginia USA
- Tractor
- Kubota L3200, Deere X380, Kubota RTV-X
With maps, GPS, and internet connectivity on modern smart phones, I really don't see the point of a standalone GPS unit anymore.
bigtiller
Super Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2006
- Messages
- 7,352
- Location
- central Iowa
- Tractor
- John Deere 2720 John Deere 3039R John Deere Z545R
How much data will a smart phone use in an hour running the map/gps? I'd really like to know. There is no free Wi-Fi on the roads i travel so i use my nuvi gps.
s219
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2011
- Messages
- 8,607
- Location
- Virginia USA
- Tractor
- Kubota L3200, Deere X380, Kubota RTV-X
Won't use much if any data to run GPS, so the only use could potentially be the map content if not stored on the phone (some navigation apps do store their map content on the device, so no network access needed during usage).
I develop some navigation/mapping software for iPhone, and for typical use when testing at my desk, I might burn through 20-30 MB of map tile data in an hour. That is probably more excessive than someone just following a route on a map while driving. Most phone data plans have high enough data limits that 20-30MB is kind of peanuts.
Deere Dude
Elite Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2011
- Messages
- 4,014
- Tractor
- John Deere 3720
I have a stand alone older Tom-Tom. The maps the smart phones use seem to me more accurate for me and takes me on better routes. But I would rather use my GPS over the smart phone until I get into trouble somewhere.
Wagtail
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2013
- Messages
- 12,939
- Location
- St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
- Tractor
- JD 4105 / JD Z355E (48" deck)
I upgraded from an old TOMTOM Rider to a TOMTOM 'Go' this past December. It was via an online deal from them for A$200, with unlimited free map updates. I prefer a standalone GPS to a phone due to the larger screen + day/night switch-over.
I have used the GPS function on my smartphone to navigate on foot... and to find the address of a business, which I then punch into the 'Go'.
You might see if TOMTOM will give you a deal as you've been a loyal customer. It would be worth a call IMO.
I have used the GPS function on my smartphone to navigate on foot... and to find the address of a business, which I then punch into the 'Go'.
You might see if TOMTOM will give you a deal as you've been a loyal customer. It would be worth a call IMO.
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
Ive tried both smart phone and my garmin. Hands down the gatmin. No data use. Has voice recognition. Mounts on dash. Extremely accurate.
Oh, did i say no data use. Does not rely on cell signal sites and towers....major plus in my neck of the woods.
Oh, did i say no data use. Does not rely on cell signal sites and towers....major plus in my neck of the woods.
MikePA
Super Moderator
There are several reasons for a standalone GPS unit;
1. Poor, or no, cell service where the person travels a lot.
2. In the case of the OP, no smartphone.
s219
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2011
- Messages
- 8,607
- Location
- Virginia USA
- Tractor
- Kubota L3200, Deere X380, Kubota RTV-X
Cell service isn't a requirement -- I have used my iPhone for survey use in the Utah backcountry many times, where there is zero cell service. In that situation, the iPhone GPS works solely off satellite use, just like a standalone GPS. You won't benefit from the quicker location fixes and refinement you get with internet access when cell service is available, but someone used to standalone GPS doesn't ever get that improvement anyhow, so they won't care.
Agree on #2, but if spending $$ to buy a one-trick-pony device like a standalone GPS, I think it would make more sense to put the money into a smartphone. Or get one of the free models. Even the free iPhone offered is a very capable device, and the $99 model is extremely powerful.
MikePA
Super Moderator
A third reason is cell carriers typically require a monthly data plan with a smartphone. At $20 per month (AT&T 300 MB/month), the payoff for a nice Garmin Nuvi ($150) with lifetime maps and bluetooth is less than 8 months.
If someone already has a smartphone, buying a GPS probably doesn't make sense. If they don't, and anticipate no need for a smartphone, a GPS makes more sense.
Different requirements result in different, not right or wrong, solutions. It's good to have choices.
If someone already has a smartphone, buying a GPS probably doesn't make sense. If they don't, and anticipate no need for a smartphone, a GPS makes more sense.
Different requirements result in different, not right or wrong, solutions. It's good to have choices.
Last edited:
Eric_Phillips
Platinum Member
Only the coordinates come off the satellite, the map data needs to come from the internet. Unless you stay on map images currently in the phone buffer you will need an internet connection to get the map data. If you are using one of the third party apps that stores the map data on the phone then you need to pay for map updates.
