RE: [OT] Which GPS software?

["Julian Stuhler" <julian.stuhler@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Paul.

I've been using the Navman jacket with my iPAQ for the last 6 months or
so, and I must say I find it indispensable when I'm venturing into
"foreign parts". I even tend to use it on long trips where I
already
know the way, as its quite comforting to see the "miles to
destination"
figure steadily wind down!

I got the Navman as part of the official Compaq product, which uses the
Pocket CoPilot software. In its latest release this includes a raft of
useful features such as diversions, estimated time of arrival, etc. The
new version has also compressed the map information to the extent that
you can fit the whole of the UK onto a 128Mb card, so there's no messing
around having to download information for a given trip. The only real
complaint I have it that the software tends to favour the shortest
route, which occasionally means it directing you down some A and B roads
where you just *know* that it would be quicker to stay an extra junction
on the motorway. However, this doesn't happen that often (and on several
occasions it has resulted in me finding shortcuts I previously didn't
know about).

Perhaps the best recommendation I can give it is that I regularly use it
to navigate through and around London, and it hasn't let me down yet....

Enjoy...

Julian




-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Gordon [mailto:paul_gordon@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 27 March 2003 13:34
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] [OT] Which GPS software?


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
> >
> >
> >
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