Handheld GPS Help! - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

ar0ck · 12-07-2010, 02:05 PM

So I'm in the market to purchase a GPS in the very near future. Online or in the store it doesn't really matter. Basically what I am looking for is something I can use outdoors, for trail riding, hiking and even street directions. Are there any devices out there that fit the bill for everything I need? Any personal experience?

Back home my dad owned a TomTom, and It was pretty good even out of the car if you brought it out in a park with a clear overhead.

Whiplash Performance · 12-07-2010, 02:25 PM

I use my Droid to do all of that.

I like using my cell phone as GPS since every now and then I go all over the country for my job, I don't have to remember it and not another thing to carry.

Also since I have a few cars I don't have to move everything from car to car to use gps. Since its a cell phone its small and compact. Since it's your cell phone you dont have to worry about somebody breaking into your car and stealing it, since you'll have it on you.

I've used my droid a few time to find walking directions to places I need to go in the city.

Since my Droid uses satellite instead of cell tower triangulation like many cell phones do, it never has an issue with finding my exact location.

NastyEllEssWon · 12-07-2010, 02:48 PM

i have a garmin. it works....except in certain areas of jersey...for some reason it tries to take you on roads that dont exist yet

especially up by edison

qwikz28 · 12-09-2010, 09:02 AM

do you mean something like this? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Or the traditional one in cars?

BigAls87Z28 · 12-09-2010, 11:46 AM

Second the motion for droid.

Squirrel · 12-10-2010, 12:32 AM

my whole family has tom tom's, they are good generalizers, thats the best i can describe them as, but if you pinpoint, a cell is your best bet

JW · 12-10-2010, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squirrel

but if you pinpoint, a cell is your best bet

This is inaccurate, cell phones work off of the cell towers and depending on their location can be very wacky and inaccuate in positioning. Let alone that you have to 1. buy the cell phone and 2. pay for a monthly fee. With most modern GPS systems they require 5-6 satellites confirmation for locating itself with better triaglation making them more accurate. Making them usually withing 3-5 meters and some nice ones being in the sub-meter.

I would also suggest something like the Garmin trail GPS. It gives you access to the trails and such in the wilderness information and is made to work in heavy tree areas. Some also include street maps too so they would be keen for your use if needing driving directions.

Key GPS selling/information points are accuracy, updating maps and data... this is kinda huge actually because they are updated constantly and some of the companies make you pay for updates. Add-on features might also be something you would like to look at, since this is for hiking and such trails and such kind of data will be important to you.

JW

Squirrel · 12-10-2010, 08:13 AM

you might be right, but in my case, the VZ navigator on my phone is more accurate than my tom tom

Whiplash Performance · 12-10-2010, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squirrel

you might be right, but in my case, the VZ navigator on my phone is more accurate than my tom tom

I tried using vz navigator to get to Virgina, it doesn't work at all once you hit west Virgina. All of Jersey never had an issue with it.

The Droid uses satellites and it gets its maps from goolge maps. It downloads the maps as you need them, so you have the most up to date maps. You don't pay extra for the GPS on the droid.

JW · 12-10-2010, 04:47 PM

Don't get me wrong there are advantages to using the app on the droid for maps from Google. You get live traffic, street view, 3D, satellite view, landmarks etc... and yes being the droid you get gps from satellite. But don't everyone forget you must first purchase the phone and the fact that you have to buy a monthly data plan that will add up to way more then a nice hand-held GPS in a short amount of time, unless you already have this phone then its an existing expense you are used to.
Also, downloading the maps from Google doesn't mean you are getting the most up to date maps, you are just getting whatever they have at present time. See Google does have accurate data that it gathers from the local gov. level but because of their update rate sometimes it takes a very long time to get local updates.

I know I am biased towards GPS devises because of my job but you can do a lot more with accuracy, data gathering etc... that I find really useful.

JW

BigAls87Z28 · 12-10-2010, 07:32 PM

Alex has a BB, so he pays for data plan as it is.
GPS units are in the 100-250 range, right along with what it would cost for a new Android based phone.
Droid does.

NastyEllEssWon · 12-10-2010, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAls87Z28

Alex has a BB, so he pays for data plan as it is.
GPS units are in the 100-250 range, right along with what it would cost for a new Android based phone.
Droid does.

damn is there anything that you dont fanboy on about when you like something??

on a sidenote you can get gps's during the holidays from the stores for like 60 bucks and they have no service plan, can go from car to car, get updates and pretty much do everything for just that price without having to pay ever again...droid doesnt

BigAls87Z28 · 12-11-2010, 02:31 AM

Fanboy because I believe in a quality product, a product that someone might find helpful and exactly what they are looking for? Yeah, I like to share my experience with the technology.
You also cant surf the web, call people, download music too it, get traffic updates instantly, and download new files on the fly with a TomTom. I have both a regular navigation TomTom and my phone. The phone provides a much smoother, cleaner, and easier to use interface then the TomTom.

NastyEllEssWon · 12-11-2010, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAls87Z28

Fanboy because I believe in a quality product, a product that someone might find helpful and exactly what they are looking for? Yeah, I like to share my experience with the technology.
You also cant surf the web, call people, download music too it, get traffic updates instantly, and download new files on the fly with a TomTom. I have both a regular navigation TomTom and my phone. The phone provides a much smoother, cleaner, and easier to use interface then the TomTom.

awesome...its lucky for the OP that he mentioned he was looking for a device that literally does all of those thing

ar0ck · 12-14-2010, 08:17 PM

Haha I apreciate all the input but as Al said, I have a Blackberry Curve thats fairly new and I have no intentions of replacing that anytime soon. Im definitely leaning towards the Garmin, but keep the input comming.