RE: [OT] Which GPS software?

["Paul Gordon" <paul_gordon@xxxxxxx>]

Great stuff Phil, - very informative... (BTW, what does
"obstrictive" mean?)

Anyone done much with iPAQ GPS? - I bought one last week, just waiting for
my neighbour to bring round the extra memory cards I've ordered before I
install it... I will use it for the first time this weekend when I go to
one
of SWMBO's mates weddings "up north"...

I've got the NAVMAN jacket, which came with a copy of Smart ST
Professional,
and I've also got TomTom Citymaps which I "Bought" with the iPAQ
points
voucher I got in the box... - anyone any opinions on which of these is
better? - or for that matter, any other ones I should look at?

Looking forward to playing with it at the weekend!....

Paul G.







>From: "Phil Harris" <phil@xxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
>Subject: RE: [ukha_d] [OT] Which GPS software?
>Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2003 22:01:53 -0000
>
>
>Hmmm ... I'm gonna have to disagree with you on the buggy and crashes
>comment on Route 66.
>
>I have *BOUGHT* Autoroute 2001, Autoroute 2003, Route 66 and InfoMap
>Navigator and use them regularly - in fact I'm starting putting
together
>a comparitive review to go up on Marks site.
>
>Right, quick summary.
>
>Autoroute 2001 : Out of date but included here as it's your only option
>of the four if you wqant to use a Fuji! Any of the others just kill the
>Fuji dead - or at least run so slow that only the intensely geriatric
>could walk slow enough for the screen to update in time. Also *DON'T*
>try the "quicker refresh" hack on AR2001 running on the Fuji
... The
>software will get its knickers in a twist trying to redraw the screen
>fast enough. Use the software as it is, put up with the 15 second
update
>cycle and stop driving like a loon on mortorways! I have used AR2001
>*LOADS* of times on the Fuji and it has always got me to where I wanted
>to be. OK, there's no voice commands but it's simply a matter of
"keep
>the car symbol on the fat line" - sure you may occasionally make a
wrong
>turn by mistake but you know quickly enough and get yourself back on
>track. It's not perfect but it's not £1,500 either!!!
>
>Autoroute 2003 : Why Microsoft stick with that ruddy 15 second update
>speed is beyond me! Maps are great, printed output is superb (just as
>with 2001) but I don't want to be handing maps to my mother in law - I
>want this to get me from A-B. Autoroute's calculations are decent
enough
>but its journey times seem very ambitious. Searching for addresses is
>p*ss easy. One gripe ... No address book! I go places more than once
...
>Why can't I keep an address book?
>
>Route 66 : Lighter on needs than AR2003 it is also lighter on the
frills
>too ... However this isn't a bad thing as it makes the software more
>sprightly when on the move. Route 66 has a hatefull address search
>engine whereby entering my exact postal address finds no matches but
>entering just my street name gives a whole list which thankfully we do
>appear in! On the move however Route 66 has a very informative
>"information display" which includes a constantly updated ETA
based on
>the current time. GPS positioning refresh times are *MUCH* better than
>AR - roughly every 2 seconds - and I have to say I've never had a crash
>from it. This is probably the package I would use at the moment if I
>needed to choose just one.
>
>InfoMap : This is the runt of the bunch ... The new kid. UI is messy
and
>after AR and R66 seems obstrictive but give it a chance and it isn't
...
>The address searching is great, autocompleting street and town names as
>you type. The voice directions work nicely enough and the auto
rerouting
>works too - one big bonus is "direction of travel up" for the
maps -
>none of the other two packages support any of these three functions ...
>*HOWEVER THERE ARE CAVEATS* I too have had the issue whereby the auto
>rerouting fouls up ... I've also had issues where it says it can't find
>the GPS receiver even though it's still tracking my movements on the
>map! The fact that it throws up alerts saying "You are probably
going
>the wrong way" which need user input to clear seems strange and if
>anyone can tell me why it said "Unable to navigate, you are too
far away
>from your route" last weekend when I was right on the ruddy line
then
>you're a better man than me. Also if there are two or more
"turns" to
>make in quick succession then you might only hear the first - for
>example "Exit Motorway at junction in 100 metres" but you
might not get
>the instruction of what to do at the roundabout at the top of the
>sliproad as that came up too soon after the exit. However the
navigation
>display itself *IS* really clear for use when driving and well makes up
>for the occasionally dodgy voice prompts. I'm actually quite psyched
>about this product and have been feeding back bug reports to the
authors
>for the last week or so ... They seem eager enough at the moment for
>feedback and so I can see this being a cracking product eventually. As
>it is there is a Linux version which they're supposed to be sending me
>to test out!
>
>Phil
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Dean Barrett [mailto:dean@xxxxxxx]
> > Sent: 26 March 2003 19:06
> > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > Subject: RE: [ukha_d] [OT] Which GPS software?
> >
> >
> > In my experience Route 66 is utter cr*p - wont print under
> > most operating systems, buggy as hell, crashes regularly -
> > i'd avoid like the plague.
> >
> > One of my most dissapointing software purchases ever !! - and
> > i've really bought some rubbish in my time :)
> >
> >
> > Dean.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Andy Laurence [mailto:andy@xxxxxxx]
> > Sent: 26 March 2003 18:49
> > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [ukha_d] [OT] Which GPS software?
> >
> >
> > From: "Dave McLaughlin" <dave@xxxxxxx>
> > > Check out this one Andy. I have the non-voice and it is very
good.
> > >
> > > http://www.directions.ltd.uk
> > >
> > > Very good for 50 quid.
> >
> > That's one of my main contenders, along with Route 66.  Both
> > do automatic route calculation if you go the wrong way, but
> > whilst Infomap does voice directions, Route 66 does traffic
> > news via the 'net.  I am leaning towards infomap, and trying
> > something with the BBC XML site to scrape the details into it
> > if possible.
> >
> > Andy
> > --
> > http://ha.andylaurence.co.uk
> >
> >
> >
>http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
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