Calling all portable GPS users

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Nov 15 2006, 12:10 AM) [snapback]349364[/snapback]</div>

1. All of the mapping software that I've used has "no left turn" as well as 1-way streets integrated. Time restricted ones are usually not supported.

2. Being surrounded by tall buildings definitely reduces signal strength - though I find that I can get a lock often enough while driving to keep navigating. Having an external antenna stuck on the top of your car also really helps in this case.

3. Most portable GPS software has a "lock on road" option specifically for driving navigation where you can tell the unit to "snap" to the nearest road when shows you as slightly offset due to signal issues.

4. Lanes are usually not taken into account except where the GPS has time to warn you (ie: prepare to exit left" or something to that effect.

Everything you've mentioned (aside from signal strength) is basically software, and varies depending on the supplier. My experience is based on a variety of Garmin GPS units over the years (which I really enjoy using).

Dave

 

I'll save time and second what Dave said.

Been using Garmin Street Pilots since they came out, and love them. No, they aren't perfect. None of them are - built in or portable. I'm plenty happy with the SP series though!

 

I use a Garmin C550. It does pretty good most of the time.

Every morning I head to work, it tries to map me in a shorter direction through a lot more stoplights and eventually down a road we humans all know is packed and slow all the time. I let it go right ahead and do that and drive the way I now is better, shorter, more direct route to the tollway. Every day it recalculates as soon as I skip that first turn and then we both get on the same game plan.

Too bad it doesn't have the logic to see me do that about 10 days in a row, then make my normal route the default. Same with going home. Sometimes I go the suggested way, but when I know that is jammed up a bit, I go a second way. Once I skip that first turn, it should by now remember what plan B is. If Garmin needs any suggestions, that's my first next big upgrade to the software for them.

Whereto -> home is real nice... Too bad they don't have a second one for Whereto -> work

My work is on page 4 of my favorites since I go so far to get there.

Otherwise, it recalculates fairly fast. If I'm within a mile of the destination, it's almost instant. On a 65 mile plan, it may be 3 or 4 seconds.

It does really well amongst trees and tall buildings. Seems their enhanced signal thing on this model really does make a huge difference.

I can't think of a time when I've ever had a bad read on if I need a left or a right. I'm kinda impressed how it knows when I'm on an onramp vs. on the road, etc..

I need to use my brain when driving and make decisions that I think may be better than the Garmin, then it recalculates. When I'm in a place I don't know, or I hop off the tollway where I've never been before and I know I just want to go East on a major road, I know the thing is going to keep pointing me to my destination. That's priceless.

It gets traffic data... which is good and has saved me a few times... in Chicagoland, the signal doesn't reach far enough west to make this thing awesome.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Nov 19 2006, 06:17 PM) [snapback]351877[/snapback]</div>

I can't speak for TomTom, but Garmin's maps of Canada are extremely accurate - for urban areas, they're as good as the US maps - for more rural areas, they're covered better in the "Roads and Recreation Canada" addon CDROM.

 

I use a Palm T5 running TomTom software. It recalculates a missed turn in 3 to 5 seconds. The only time it shows me "off road" is when I turn into a parking lot, but always gves accurate directions to ge back on the road. I find it extremely accurate. On a recent trip to Virginia I used it and it performed better than my expectations. I was also able to find motels and resturants along the route with great ease. I prefer this over dedicated handheld GPS since I retain all the functionalities of the PDA.

 

I use Tomtom as well but on a Palm Treo so it also has phone and web access capability. I believe the PDA version of Tomtom is comparable in performance to their stand alone units. I use it in my "other" car. We have Toytoa Nav in Carmyne and use it most of the time but it also suffers from most of the faults discussed above. For both units, the "canyon" effect is most noticable when you are sitting still. If you are moving, it can smooth out intermittant signal variations as well as extrapolate from recent direction & speed. I've also experienced the problem in dense forests. These are all minor problems compared to being in an unfamiliar area without a nav system.