Garmin, Tomtom or other?

[MoominPapa]

 

Out of interest does/did the car you used it in have an athermic or heated windscreen?

 

Our Ford Focus has a heated windscreen and my comparatively ancient HTC smartphone has no problem geting GPS fixes in the car.

 

MP.

[Guest]

 

Our Ford Focus has a heated windscreen and my comparatively ancient HTC smartphone has no problem geting GPS fixes in the car.

 

MP.

 

Indeed, I think more is made of the issue than I think it warrants.

 

We once had a car with an athermic (not heated) windscreen (in fact I think our current one has) and it didn't affect the operation of the Sat Nav at all.

[tidal]

I'm usually a fan of dedicated devices (I think because of my sailing background) and there's not a lot of difference between either TT or Garmin.

Earlier phones used to depend on a cell-based navigation system then later an "assisted GPS" system that required you to have connection to the network (which could be expensive in data charges) but the more modern ones with full GPS capability are just as capable as the dedicated units now for most uses

My only query with them is the effects of continuous (or long periods of) connection to the charging units on their batteries.
Batteries are replaceable however (and most people replace their phones regularly)

 

In the end it comes down to personal choice

As does the choice of app/software on phones/GPS unit.

 

My personal choice for your described usage would be a dedicated unit, probably a Garmin because I have used their units for years, and I would buy one of the cheaper ones at first and trial it against your mobile phone to see which suits you best.

Then decide if you want to upgrade and to what.

 

Nothing in this post contradicts the excellent advice you have had so far

[Sea Dog]

I have loaded Waterway routes maps on the android phone. Excellent results with the GPS.

Could you expand on that please? Which maps are you using to achieve excellent results, as so far I've not seen any package without limitations that put me off. I'm not having problems navigating by Nicholson's, but if there's something better out there...

[Top cat]

Could you expand on that please? Which maps are you using to achieve excellent results, as so far I've not seen any package without limitations that put me off. I'm not having problems navigating by Nicholson's, but if there's something better out there...

There is, They are called Pearsons canal companions .

 

Top Cat

[ditchcrawler]

Could you expand on that please? Which maps are you using to achieve excellent results, as so far I've not seen any package without limitations that put me off. I'm not having problems navigating by Nicholson's, but if there's something better out there...

Here is a link to Waterways Routes http://www.waterwayroutes.co.uk/wr/index.htmlI run it on an I pad

[Sea Dog]

There is, They are called Pearsons canal companions .

 

Top Cat

Ah, well I've got some of those, but the jury's out on whether they're better than Nicholson's. I was always happiest with Nicholson's when the book did a third of the country or whatever, but mine are 80 versions and a wee bit dated even in terms of some canals, let alone pubs and chip shops! I wad thinking e-copy anyway, but thanks for chipping in TC.

[Sea Dog]

Here is a link to Waterways Routes http://www.waterwayroutes.co.uk/wr/index.htmlI run it on an I pad

Now that's probably the thing I was asking about, but I've spotted the 49 quid flaw

[ditchcrawler]

Now that's probably the thing I was asking about, but I've spotted the 49 quid flaw

same price as 4 Nicholson's guides then

[Sea Dog]

same price as 4 Nicholson's guides then

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a rip off - but I've already got those Nicholson's!

[Sea Dog]

same price as 4 Nicholson's guides then

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a rip off - but I've already got those Nicholson's!

[Glynn]

TomTom for me.

Once bought a Garmin, it couldn't find its way out of its box.

[p6rob]

Google maps on an Android smartphone like Top Cat. It's free with the phone. automatically updates (for free) and does real time traffic (for free). You can also search for places like in Google and get directions, for instance the name of a boatyard

 

Richard

 

I gave up using my Android phone as a sat nav, on the way to the Northants boat festival. It had a habit of going mental at crucial junctions, freezing, then running out of power, sometimes despite being plugged in. I despise my phone but not enough to find a replacement.

 

After I broke my last TomTom I swore I'd never buy another (This is mainly because, although the software runs on Linux, you can't, or couldn't update the device from a Linux computer), however after looking at the alternatives, I bought a Tomtom from the first available PC World when the phone failed. It seems ok, not convinced it routes the best way but doesn't fall over in built up areas. Haven't tried it on the canal seems a bit pointless for the waterways. I've found a combination canalplan.co.uk for route planning and the Nicholson guide books, for checking exactly where we are, works well on the canal.

 

Rob

[PaulG]

Try www.maps.me, a useful (and arguably more detailed) alternative to Google Maps.

Another recommendation for maps.me. I use it when I'm out of the UK.

 

You can download national maps in advance, so no data roaming required, and not reliant on a phone signal, either.

[Southern Star]

In the truck I use a cheap generic Chinese satnav, such as http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-Inch-8GB-128MB-FM-Touch-Screen-Car-TRUCK-Navigation-GPS-SAT-NAV-UK-Free-Maps-/290729172868?hash=item43b0cf1f84:g:j24AAOSw14xWOIHdand it is better that the TomTom it replaced. Biggest drawback is that you can't replace the battery but at sub-£40 that doesn't really matter.

[ditchcrawler]

In the truck I use a cheap generic Chinese satnav, such as http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-Inch-8GB-128MB-FM-Touch-Screen-Car-TRUCK-Navigation-GPS-SAT-NAV-UK-Free-Maps-/290729172868?hash=item43b0cf1f84:g:j24AAOSw14xWOIHdand it is better that the TomTom it replaced. Biggest drawback is that you can't replace the battery but at sub-£40 that doesn't really matter.

looks good

[Tom and Bex]

Another vote here for Google maps on android. Just make sure you get a decent high power fast charger and cradle.

 

It not only takes account of traffic and offers choice of routes at the start but shows alternative routes throughout your drive. Can also look at exactly where you are going so check parking etc using satellite and street view in advance.

 

On walking setting it will take you along canal towpaths and seems to show all the canals I've looked at. I've also used it to work out public transport routes from the canal as you can set public transport as a travel option.

 

Tom