I'm a bit behind I think

[vfrpilot]

Hi guys, been off the board awile - got involved in Jeepin and it took for two years... things are settled in after my 2nd jeep and its time for another upgrade -

I quickly jumped into the Nuvi craze due to my stellar experiences with GARMIN - however, I'm gravely disappointed - to try and make a long story short I've taken one of my running posts off one of my Jeep forums and put it here, in hopes I'll get the advice I need.

 

I've used GPS units for years... before they were popular.

I hike, climb, camp, geocache, etc - regularly - I usually like going where there aren't many others and have learned to rely on GPS equipment - Use a 60cs primarily, keep a GPS V as a backup and

I would without doubt recommend Garmin as they are the leader and have unmatchable customer service.

However,since my windshield mount recently broke (for the 60) I had just recently made the jump to the "prettier" nuvi series... . the 260 with text to speech (including street names).

Well, I was advised in a Geocache forum I frequent that the Nuvi (sans high-end) were simply dumbed-down Soccermom GPSers:

I bought one & made a 175 mile trek -

Dumbed-down isn't the word!

I'll copy/paste my experience later... but I was extremely disappointed Angry

Needless to say, I returned it and after some research, ordered a TomTom 130S which I believe will satisfy me in the jeep for street (I hope) so I can keep the 60 in my pack with rechargeables. I pick it up tomorrow. The TT has 10 to 1 more features (which I will use).

Just my 2 cents...

more later

Bottom line: if you're a seasoned GPS user, and only want to spend a couple hundred - the nuvi probably won't do it for you.

If you're new to this, it'll be like magic.

If you're like me - who spends alot of time out there & uses all the options...

well, see above:

========

update::

I'm just freakin spoiled!

One problem aside from NOT being able to find obvious POI's enroute to trails that I KNOW are there on the TT - (my 60 has a map set 5 years older & is more accurate) is that my personal POI's DON'T show on my map as I'm driving... i.e with my 60; while riding down the road I can SEE a previously bookmarked fishing hole (on the screen) from months prior... whereas I can reroute on the fly for a lunch/fishing-break.

Like I said, I'm obviously a spoiled critic of the newer 3D models - I'm gonna have to wind up spending a fortune for the best of both worlds

============

UPDATE II:

Trash... the last straw

I tried adding a POI to my TT yesterday & was told I had "too many", that I had "to delete" in order to add any more Huh Huh Huh

W H A T ?!?!?

I checked.. I don't even think I have added 50 since getting it - I have over 700 stored on my 60C !!! Yea, SEVEN HUNDRED !!!

Pardon the sexist sarcasim.. but I guess thats [maybe 50] about the limit for grocery stores and soccer fields huh Undecided

Thank Goodness I took out a no-fault SQ warranty on this - ITS GOIN BACK same as the Nuvi I paid a couple hundred for..

So, if anyone can suggest a unit, preferably Garmin - that'll satisfy my spoiled butt... please advise.

[+NOV8TR]

Ummm, I have over 1,700 POI's loaded on my TT (geocaches that get updated once a week) and have never even heard of a limit (short of available memory,, but with a 2 gig card who cares?). I guess since you already sent it back, it doesn't really matter. Which model TT was it?

[vfrpilot]

Ummm, I have over 1,700 POI's loaded on my TT (geocaches that get updated once a week) and have never even heard of a limit (short of available memory,, but with a 2 gig card who cares?). I guess since you already sent it back, it doesn't really matter. Which model TT was it?

no, no,

no card.. the 130S -

-----

BTW, have you actually those visited 1700 caches beo ?

Edited January 15, 2009 by vfrpilot

[SergZak]

I have also been using GPS for years and years (first units were Magellan GPS 315 and Garmin eMap) and feel your pain. I feel today's nuvi line is indeed the most dumbed-down autonav GPS unit around. Beginning with the first nuvi 350, features that were standard in hand-held GPS units (like the 60 series) have been stripped out leaving the unit dumbified. All subsequent nuvi releases have more features removed with others added (from the ones that were stripped out initially). To put it simply, Garmin has come up with an ingenious way to keep the nuvi line "fresh" and that is to add new features from the hand-held feature pool while removing others, creating a "new" model every six months. Each new nuvi released does have something "new" but always has something removed from the previous model. True, some very useful new features have been added (like Lane Assist) but of what practical use is viewing rendered buildings in 3D on the map screen (newest model's "3D Buildings" feature)? I can already see the building in true life right where I am...why do I need to see it in 3D on the GPS screen? At the same time, the map display is going the way of -removed- features...street and other useful detail has been removed at certain zoom levels (I assume to keep your destination/route more focused). So removing useful street detail and the ability to display city names on the screen are now unimportant while displaying 3D Buildings is? I don't understand that "logic" at all. On the newest "high-end" models, your waypoint names are not even displayed on the screen anymore; all you see is it's icon. You would assume that a model being a year newer (nuvi 765T) with a much faster processor would be able to draw the same amount of map detail that the older model (nuvi 760) did...your assumptions are dead wrong.

 

You can see the map display differences in the following thread where I compare the map detail of the nuvi 760 with the new "top-of-the-line" nuvi 765T: (make note to scroll the page down and also advance to the next as there are many screen shots, not just the first two) http://forums.gpsreview.net/viewtopic.php?t=10472

 

You can also read a unit comparison that I wrote up between the same two models here:

http://forums.gpsreview.net/viewtopic.php?t=9951

 

Bottom line is that a seasoned GPS user (such as yourself) will likely never be happy with any nuvi model that is out there if you're looking for features equal to hand-helds as the nuvi is indeed designed for ease of use (get you from point A to point B ) with virtually no user configurability. You have to look at the new units from a new perspective (what it does NOW) rather than how it compares to the feature-rich hand-helds (or what you think it SHOULD do).

Edited January 15, 2009 by SergZak

[vfrpilot]

How refreshing to see another feeling the same way!!!

On the newest "high-end" models, your waypoint names are not even displayed on the screen anymore; all you see is it's icon.

WHAT is the point here

Is this intended as a ONE TIME ROUTE USE, whereas visual reference to a previous destination is not longer needed - especially if it were deemed important enough to add??

It sadly seems to me that since GPS use is no longer curtailed to the enthusiast; Garmin is following the money - appealing to the less capable (the majority) and therefore grabbing more money in their fishing net.

 

I mean really, I'm more interested in listening to an Mp3 than being able to see a campsite I marked last week? answer in RED

[+NOV8TR]

no, no,

no card.. the 130S -

-----

BTW, have you actually those visited 1700 caches beo ?

 

No, those 1,700 cache sites are waiting for a visit (or follow up visit ). Every week I delete the old data and download fresh data via GSAK. At the same time I dump all the paperless stuff into my TT so I'm ready if the opertunity presents itself. No point in keeping the old stuff unless I plan on going back, and if so, I change the poi type.

[vfrpilot]

no, no,

no card.. the 130S -

-----

BTW, have you actually those visited 1700 caches beo ?

 

No, those 1,700 cache sites are waiting for a visit (or follow up visit ). Every week I delete the old data and download fresh data via GSAK. At the same time I dump all the paperless stuff into my TT so I'm ready if the opertunity presents itself. No point in keeping the old stuff unless I plan on going back, and if so, I change the poi type.

 

Gotcha

[vfrpilot]

SergZak,

 

So there's no Garmin that'll do what we would like & still provide the larger screen / 3d driving perspective, eh

[+Red90]

SergZak,

 

So there's no Garmin that'll do what we would like & still provide the larger screen / 3d driving perspective, eh

 

An Oregon or Colorado will do this with a bias towards walking use.

 

A Nuvi 500 works with a bias to car use.

 

Back to the original point.... A Nuvi 260 or similar is meant to be for car use only. For those "limited" feature, you get a really cheap unit that includes maps. If you want a field unit, then those exist as well, they just cost more.

 

The "all in one" units MUST be a trade off and they are. It is cheaper to get a car unit for the car (like a Nuvi 260) and a dedicated hiking unit (Like a Vista HCX) for hiking. You get the best features for each use without tradeoffs and spend no more than an all in one.

 

As a suggestion...instead of whining and complaining, how about looking for a solution??

Edited January 15, 2009 by Red90

[vfrpilot]

SergZak,

 

So there's no Garmin that'll do what we would like & still provide the larger screen / 3d driving perspective, eh

 

An Oregon or Colorado will do this with a bias towards walking use.

 

A Nuvi 500 works with a bias to car use.

 

Back to the original point.... A Nuvi 260 or similar is meant to be for car use only. For those "limited" feature, you get a really cheap unit that includes maps. If you want a field unit, then those exist as well, they just cost more.

 

The "all in one" units MUST be a trade off and they are. It is cheaper to get a car unit for the car (like a Nuvi 260) and a dedicated hiking unit (Like a Vista HCX) for hiking. You get the best features for each use without tradeoffs and spend no more than an all in one.

 

As a suggestion...instead of whining and complaining, how about looking for a solution??

I'm not whining Red - I'm asking for help toward a solution since both my recent purchases (Nuvi & TT) didn't work out as needed - therefore I'm asking for suggestions while further researching - my requests for help ARE part of my attempting to find a solution -

Maybe instead of insulting me, you could READ - then you'd see I had a 260 (and own a 60c) but would like (on a street unit) similar features including (at the least) but not limited to being able to SEE previously marked POI's "along" a route -

Edited January 15, 2009 by vfrpilot

[+Red90]

I DID read your rant post.

 

I DID provide solutions.

 

I will repeat........

 

"All in Ones": Nuvi 5XX, Oregon or Colorado. All will do what you are asking.

[vfrpilot]

I DID read your rant post.

 

I DID provide solutions.

 

I will repeat........

 

"All in Ones": Nuvi 5XX, Oregon or Colorado. All will do what you are asking.

 

Thanks ...

since I have the 60, I'll look into the Nuvi... gotta check price$