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View Full Version : Any of you people have experience w/portable car nav devices?



Okla-homey
12/9/2007, 04:40 PM
I wanna get one for my daughter for Christmas. The portable kind you can move from car to car and what not.

My specs:
<$300
Blonde-proof (simple to operate, intuitive enough you don't need the manual)
updatable as new map data is released.

I've read good things about Tomtoms. Ditto Garmens. As you can see, I'm not interested in going high-end. Whether it can play music or be used as a phone is irrelevant. I also don't want it to give voice instructions because that will just confuse her. She's pretty visually-oriented so the little map display with her direction of travel at top is fine.

Boarder
12/9/2007, 04:45 PM
Either one will be fine. Our Tomtom doesn't stay zoomed in when you zoom in. It stays about 10 seconds and then goes back out. that's really my only gripe about it. They're all pretty decent now, from what I hear.

TopDaugIn2000
12/9/2007, 05:07 PM
does she have a laptop? I bought one of the microsoft ones that comes with Streets and Trips (a microsoft program) and the little device plugs into my usb port and turns the laptop into a gps. it has audio and everything.

only about $100.

TopDaugIn2000
12/9/2007, 05:10 PM
link (http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Streets-Trips-2008-GPS/dp/B000OUY2TQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1197238171&sr=8-2)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51pWvKpRtxL._SS500_.jpg

TopDaugIn2000
12/9/2007, 05:10 PM
double post

Jimminy Crimson
12/9/2007, 05:29 PM
Get her the TomTom.

There's an Aussie dude named Ken who says weird schtuff like "Whoa dude! Make a U-turn!" I have a friend much like your daughter and she likes Ken a little too much.

Rogue
12/9/2007, 05:40 PM
We got some Garmins for a new Home Based Primary Care program. The docs, nurses, and social workers love it out in the boonies where one can get lost by turning into the wrong holler.

I scoffed until we took a trip up to Appalachian State one day. Now I wouldn't hardly be without it.

Don't know about voice control although that sounds like something that a person could turn off if not needed or use on the highway when blonde daughter is driving home from college for a long weekend or something without taking her eyes off the road.

Boarder
12/9/2007, 06:19 PM
does she have a laptop? I bought one of the microsoft ones that comes with Streets and Trips (a microsoft program) and the little device plugs into my usb port and turns the laptop into a gps. it has audio and everything.

only about $100.
Think driving along with a laptop open and a wire with a GPS thing running to the top of your dash. Sound pleasing?

We used to have that and it was quite the in the way while driving.

KsSooner
12/9/2007, 06:52 PM
Voice instructions help Homey, they give advance warnings that enable you to look at map when needed, (turn left in .2 miles) You can always turn volume control off.

We have a Garmin and it worked great when visiting Dallas one weekend. Relied on it for all directions and it never failed to get us where we were going.

soonerbrat
12/9/2007, 06:56 PM
i like the voice instructions...
"get ready to turn left"
"you missed your turn"

i'm not sure what kind my friend had when we went to boulder, but you could type in stuff like "taco bell" and it would find the nearest one and give you directions

OCUDad
12/9/2007, 07:03 PM
Homey: Check newegg.com for "navigation systems." Their prices are good, and you can read reviews from people who own various models. Garmin Nuvi and TomTom One models are both affordable and well reviewed.

We bought our son-in-law a Garmin a couple of years ago, and he loves it. Prices have come way down and functions have gone way up since then.

bluedogok
12/9/2007, 08:04 PM
GPS City (http://www.gpscity.com/) usually has good prices. I have been looking at the Garmin Zumo 550 (http://www.gpscity.com/item-garmin-zumo-550-motorcycle-gps/zumo550.htm) for motorcycle and car use and they have some of the best prices. The TomTom models look nice and for car use seem to be pretty good. I know the TomTom Rider for motorcycles doesn't seem as good as the Zumo 550 in most reviews but the demands on a motorcycle are a little different than in a car and more people have routes to share in the Garmin format.

You probably couldn't go wrong with either brand.

Okla-homey
12/9/2007, 08:04 PM
I went to Best Buy, the Garmin nuvi 200 was on sale for $249.00. Played with 'em in the store. Pretty cool little unit. The Garmin, not my unit that is.

Anyhoo, seems reasonably blonde proof. She'll just need to remember to take it off the windshield when she's parked somewhere. I suspect those things are highly sought after by smash-n-grab thieves. It does allow a security PIN that makes it useless if stolen, but I reckon your garden-variety meth addict is still gonna want it being ignorant of the PIN dealio.

thanks for y'all's help. Sincerely.

Widescreen
12/9/2007, 11:31 PM
I have a Garmin Nuvi 350 and a Mio C220. The Nuvi is an excellent choice because it's super easy and has top-notch route calculation. No device is perfect but they did an excellent job on the nuvi's.

sanantoniosooner
12/9/2007, 11:49 PM
i like the voice instructions...
"get ready to turn left"
"you missed your turn"

i'm not sure what kind my friend had when we went to boulder, but you could type in stuff like "taco bell" and it would find the nearest one and give you directions
I was riding shotgun with a guy using one of those. It said the same thing you just posted. I was waiting for the female voice to get shrill and accuse him of being just like his father.

Widescreen
12/10/2007, 12:04 AM
I was riding shotgun with a guy using one of those. It said the same thing you just posted. I was waiting for the female voice to get shrill and accuse him of being just like his father.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLgdA94EKPw