Lady in the center seat. GPS, which one do you like

[Paula Washburn]

Do you have a GPS Ive used them at sea for years. I think i would like one for our trip east in Sept. Any thoughts?

[BobB]

We have a Garmin Streetpilot c340 and like it a lot. We got it from amazon.com

[efawcett]

I've got a Garmin StreetPilot 2610... I'm not sure that I could live without it!

[Gina D.]

If you are talking about the center seat on a plane, I don't think you will be allowed to use it during the flight. Cell phones and other receiving and transmitting devices are not.

Or are you stuck in the middle seat of a truck?

[David & Leslie]

We have Delorme "Street Atlas" software loaded in the laptop. It has been helpful, but sometimes we must take "Microsoft Mary's" directions with a grain of salt. On occasion, I feel like telling HER where to go instead!

Sigh - I am a creature of the printed page, and love to navigate with good ol' paper maps, but this new technology can be fun, too. Good luck with your choice and have a safe & super trip. L 'n D

[ddayton]

Have a Garmin ... recently had to make a rush trip from Texas to Connecticut and return over some roads that I had not driven in years, if ever. This was a double solo (just myself, without Casita) and involved day and night driving.

Might have made it without the Garmin but trying to read a road map at night in the rain on a strange road, well perhaps the best that would have happened would have been a minor accident. True, on the way back I was led astray by a new interstate interchange that Chatty Cathy did not know about (cost me about 20 minutes time) sometimes she choose a strange way to route me, but on the whole – the only way to navigate!

Don

[Christi W]

Do you have a GPS Ive used them at sea for years. I think i would like one for our trip east in Sept. Any thoughts?

Garmin is from our city - and we know one of the first engineers - so we asked him!!!

He says - STREET PILOT 330 for ease of use. Got one for our daughter, a vet, and she can find any farm address immediately no matter how remote. We borrowed it to go to Minnisota from Kansas City and it was right on. Even finds filling stations and restaurants, lists by brand.

More expensive than handheld, but, as our friend said, SO user friendly!!

[Byron Kinnaman]

If you are talking about the center seat on a plane, I don't think you will be allowed to use it during the flight. Cell phones and other receiving and transmitting devices are not.

Or are you stuck in the middle seat of a truck?

Some airlines allow GPS receiver use, others don't. They don't transmit, just receive.

[Gerry]

Do you have a GPS Ive used them at sea for years. I think i would like one for our trip east in Sept. Any thoughts?

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Although a hand-held model I have an Garmin E trex Legend. Inexpensive but works good.
One can buy the stand for mounting it in a vehicle and also buy the software for different areas such as Street maps or Topo maps for hikeing.
And it give the Lady in the center seat something to do while your driveing in circles trying to find the right place.
Gives you and the lady some quality time to chat while your lost too.
Ahhhh
Been there done that
Suggestion for opening lines of conversation "This is all your fault!
Gerry the canoebuilder

[Doug Mager]

Due to recently getting a little off the beaten track here in B.C. a while back (...lost without a map) the Trailer Goddess and I have started to look at various GPS systems. Garman seems to always float to the top of the list, so I went to the Garman site and looked at the various models. The C330 seems to foot the bill for us. We have checked costs in N/W Washington and here in B.C. finding that prices are for the most part alike ($$ conversion factored in). So we chatted with some Canadian friends about these systems and they asked IF these systems are preloaded with maps with more Canadian detail IF they were bought/sold in Canada, or vice-versa?

My birthday is rapidly approaching and I 'think' I may already know what I'm going to end up receiving, as there are still MANY long distant rod runs left in this season!!!!

[Ed Harris]

The folks at Garmin are very responsive and friendly,try calling them and asking their opinion on the most suitable model for you.

I recently got a Garmin Nuvi 660 and got rid of an Alpine Blackbird. Have also had Magellan and various older Garmin Handhelds and StreetPilot's.

The newer units designed for point to point guidance are distinctly different thah the older models which were more utility focused.

The older ones really required route and trip planning from a computer to be uploaded to the GPS for use on the road.
They often had a baseline of maps but only primitive routing and direction capability.

The newer one have all that built-in but lack the basic GPS funcions the older ones had like connecting to a computer for real time mapping on the computer.

Aside from the GPS abilities they are like comparing Apples and Okra.

The Nuvi has been good but does some strange thhings ( they all do though) like suggesting it found another route that is better even though she just gave me the "bad" route.I can not understand why or what it is thinking there?

It always gets me where I need to go but often does so in a route I would never take nor will I take again.
If I know where I am going I often have to fight with the pushy GPS over who is right.
I hate that!

They also often do not understand that I have selected my own route until several miles of not following her "suggestions".

They are great and very annoying at the same time.

The Nuvi also has a Bluetooth speakerphone built-in and puts the caller-id info on the screen,this works well and I am addicted to it as it saves having to even touch or look at the cell phone while driving.

It also has an MP3 player which will play Audiobooks which I am also addicted to.
I use an Ipod through my stereo to do this though and I do not plan on changing but it is a nice feature if you do not have another way to do this.

I really get frustrated overall with the Nuvi but I also could not get by without it.
Come to think of it,just like some Non-Virtual Women I know?

[Gina D.]

I have a map of Oregon and a map of California stuffed in the door pocket of the Jeep.

If pre planning a trip, I print maps from Google.. thats as high tech as I get...

Oh, I lied, the laptop is a seat top sometimes.. I pull over and look if I think I am lost...

[Bob H]

I've used a original Garmin Streetpilot for several years. I plotted a trip from Tulsa OK to Myrtle Beach SC, & it was great knowing to the second when the next turnpoint was, & exactly when I'd be arriving to where I wanted to go at any time. Driving alone, it allowed me to drive never traveled roads like I've been there before, and exactly record my milege & travel time every minute of the trip. I could never expect anyone to be so accurate, as well as never offer any argument.

On the other hand, since my typical driving experience involves only commuting and daily grind type trips around town, the Streetpilot is most always turned off & not used. It's definately a "boldly go as you never gone before" nifty gadget.

[Doug Mager]

Well!!! Lo n behold, I rec'd an EARLY birthday prezzy this a.m!!

A Garman C330!!

Fired it up and (we haven't yet but WILL name the yappy $#&) she can't figure out my home addy even with my postal code!!! (which is fairly exact compared to where SHE is trying to tell me I live )
She is trying to tell me I live waaaay down the other (south) end of my street.
FOUR, count'em 4 MILES away from here!!!!

If this is the kinda accuracy I can look forward to and rely on, I guess it'll be back to Future Shop it goes and (like Gina) I'll be needing to get to a first name basis with MapQuest/MapBlast, LOL!!!!



I guess I'll need to make a land line call, .....wonder IF they have a 'Canuck #???

[BobB]

Doug,

Don't jump to conclusions! The Garmin Streetpilot works best when you are moving and you have it set for a destination. Put it in the car and take a trip before you decide it is NG.

[Doug Mager]

BobB.....
We did just that today and it (SHE!!!! ) seemed to be performing much better. This device is prolly gunna be a KEEPER!!!!

[BobB]

Doug,

A nice feature is you can turn the volume down if you don't want to listen to Ms Garmin! BTW, my sister and BIL liked mine so much they bought one. First thing they did was try it out in the driveway! Next, they called me distressed that the (blankety) thing wouldn't work. You know the rest.... Hope you enjoy yours.

[Christi W]

[quote]
quote -Well!!! Lo n behold, I rec'd an EARLY birthday prezzy this a.m!!

A Garman C330!!

Fired it up and (we haven't yet but WILL name the yappy $#&) she can't figure out my home addy even with my postal code!!! (which is fairly exact compared to where SHE is trying to tell me I live )
She is trying to tell me I live waaaay down the other (south) end of my street.
FOUR, count'em 4 MILES away from here!!!!-quote

Doug - That is really puzzling to me - because three family members have been all over with Gertie Garmin!! I think it is an singular thing - try out other addresses before you give up. The only slightly oddball thing I found is that it almost invariably wants to make right hand turns so will circle the block right when I think I should be in the left hand turn lane.

Other than that = flawless!! However, my veterinarian daughter has found that on farm roads it wants to turn at the "pin" of the address which is not always where the driveway is.

Good luck