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GPS Toys and Tools


Pine and Riana Pienaar

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Thanks for all the advice, which has helped me made a decision. I currently have the Garmin Quest 2 which is a real beauty. I use it for driving, hiking and mountain biking. The other day I enquired about the Australian mapset which costs a whooping R5600.

We bought a garmin 200W last year for about USD 225. Its loaded with the US maps. Went onto the garmin site earlier this week and was able to buy the aussie maps for USD 150. They come on a DVD so we'll download them to the GPS from the desktop.

I'm quite happy overall with the 200W. Only gripe I would say is that it takes a bit long to find satellites when you start it up. After a few mins though its OK. BIG plus for me is that it took us accurately and quickly through some backwood roads in west Louisiana that I would for sure have gotten lost in!

Tex

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the Nokia 6210 Navigatior comes with a licence for 6 months and then you will have to renew it. Just check when you buy anything, if you need a licence for the map.

I also would not recommend a phone-GPS because of the battery going flat and the size of the screen.

I have a TomTom, it works great, but when I want to plan a long trip and want to travel through specific towns it becomes a bit difficult.

I can tell him to go via the next town and when I reached that town, I must again tell him via which town. But that is only when you want to follow your own head and know which roads you want to take. And maybe it is only the model and version I have.

Also, if you get GPS coordinates from Google maps and ask him to navigate to the coordinates and those coordinates are not on a known road, it cannot plan a route. I am not sure if you can use it for hiking - does anybody know how to save tracks on a TomTom?

Otherwise it is a great toy!

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I watched a program where they compared the various GPS brands for 'ease of use', quality, practicality, maps etc...

Tom-Tom finished in first place.

I'm also planning to buy the tom-tom motorbike/car version. It is a R1000 cheaper in OZ.

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We bought the TomTom ONE version 4 for $266 a month ago. Saw it today for $247. Version 3 is going for less than $175. The difference is that v4 speaks out the street names ("turn left into Smith Street) wheres v3 just says "Turn left ahead" for example. The TomTom XL is exactly the same GPS but wider screen for an extra $100.

Very happy with it. But I do struggle trying to plot a destination via a personalised route. If you just let it plot its on route then its easy as pie.

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Hi,

I have used my TomTom Navigator 6 on my cell phone since we arrived. I would be LOST without it.

I use it all the time. Well worth every cent.

Cheerio

Sean

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Hmmm. We had a Garmin Nuvi 250 in RSA and bought a Tom-tom One in Oz. Both are entry level models. We prefer the Garmin.

1) It switches on and off with the car. The tom-tom stays on until its battery runs flat or until you switch it off. To switch it on you have to hold the button in a couple of seconds. In a car with your seat belt on it is annoying.

2) The screen on the Garmin was much better. The children in the back of the car could see it.

3) The Garmin gave you your average and max speed travelled for a journey completed.

4) You could change your destination on the Garmin while the car was in motion. With the Tom-tom you have to be motionless. I know its a safety feature but it is annoying when your wife sits next to you and she can do the typing while you drive. Try finding a parking spot when you are lost and and panicking in a busy city.

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What, don't you like the way the TomTom keeps your brain challenged with instructions such as: "Ahead, turn left!" (well, not really, only after driving straight for 9.5 kilometres)? Or "Ahead, keep right then bear left!"?

I also miss my Garmin 250.

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What, don't you like the way the TomTom keeps your brain challenged with instructions such as: "Ahead, turn left!" (well, not really, only after driving straight for 9.5 kilometres)? Or "Ahead, keep right then bear left!"?

I also miss my Garmin 250.

This one is even better. You are travelling down a straight road when the Tom-tom says: After 100metres ... go straight. As true as bob!

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