DeLorme PN-40 vs Garmin Oregon for family geocaching

[+FierceDeityLink1]

Yeah, it's one of the nice things about the Garmin, but also the fact that it has a larger, higher resolution touchscreen. Even if you have to "pay" for City Navigator.

[+Rockin Roddy]

The statment was not, "which is better, handheld or car unit?"

It was,

...

I can not think of any good reason to use a handheld for motor vehicle.

I would tend to agree with Pack on this, the car units will do the job much better than any handheld can

Better? If you mean the car unit will have more functions (voice, beeps, warnings, blu tooth connectivity, mp3 player, larger screen) okay, but a route is a route. I doubt a specific manufacturer has different routing software for their handhelds vs. their car models.

Again the car units may have more functions in them because they have more hardware but the actual routing software is likely the same.

 

I won't argue with you as to how one or the other works, but better is better regardless how you define it. I also question the comment about different software from car nav to handheld, but I am speculating.

 

I also think we're off-topic....

[+user13371]

...I also think we're off-topic...

Nah, not so much. The OP wants a good GPS for caching, and road routing, with maps available for outside of North America. Might very well find that one GPS alone is not best option -- you can't have too many toys oh, I mean "tools"...

[+coggins]

Totem, if you are going to quout me, then quote me in full. What will a DeLorme or Garmin do in those international examples, one of them where they drive on the other side of the road? Can you get maps and what is involved work and cost wise.

Coggins, I quoted that which was relevant to your statement; that the jughandle should be on a separate thread. That is what I disagreed with. Nothing more, nothing less. I didn't argue for or against the Garmin or DeLorme, only the need to be able to correctly navigate. Considering the OP is a military member, his station can be on both coasts as well as international.

Then I owe you an apology for being snapish. Carry on.

[+Chris CA]

I won't argue with you as to how one or the other works, but better is better regardless how you define it

No, it's not.

One cannot choose "better" unless "better" is defined.

For instance, a Garmin Colorado (handheld) is better for hiking than a Garmin Nuvi 120 (auto).

A Nuvi 730 is better for display than an Oregon while driving down the highway.

An Oregon (16 hrs rated) has a better battery life than a 730 (5 hrs rated).

They are equal when used for routing (meaning, the routing is going to be the same, not that one will have more features suited to driving).

[+TotemLake]

Totem, if you are going to quout me, then quote me in full. What will a DeLorme or Garmin do in those international examples, one of them where they drive on the other side of the road? Can you get maps and what is involved work and cost wise.

Coggins, I quoted that which was relevant to your statement; that the jughandle should be on a separate thread. That is what I disagreed with. Nothing more, nothing less. I didn't argue for or against the Garmin or DeLorme, only the need to be able to correctly navigate. Considering the OP is a military member, his station can be on both coasts as well as international.

Then I owe you an apology for being snapish. Carry on.

No worries. It's all good.

[+Rockin Roddy]

I won't argue with you as to how one or the other works, but better is better regardless how you define it

No, it's not.

One cannot choose "better" unless "better" is defined.

For instance, a Garmin Colorado (handheld) is better for hiking than a Garmin Nuvi 120 (auto).

A Nuvi 730 is better for display than an Oregon while driving down the highway.

An Oregon (16 hrs rated) has a better battery life than a 730 (5 hrs rated).

They are equal when used for routing (meaning, the routing is going to be the same, not that one will have more features suited to driving).

 

So, the spoken directions, the different views and the better imagery isn't considered better? Better IS better, face that fact! When you can get your handheld to do what a car nav can, then we'll be talking minor differences which are preferences, these are much bigger differences which do indeed make the car nav better....

 

However, I am more than happy with the functions of my PN-40 and would be hard pressed to make another purchase simply to get those better features! If I were to be doing a lot of driving where I needed such features, I certainly wouldn't buy another handheld thinking it would be just as good as a car nav!

[+Chris CA]

So, the spoken directions, the different views and the better imagery isn't considered better?

Better IS better, face that fact!

So sell your PN-40 and use half the money you get to purchase a $100 car unit. After all, it is better.

Lighten up.

The original post I responded to stated, "I can not think of any good reason to use a handheld for motor vehicle."

If the user only has a handheld, then that is an extremely good reason to to use a handheld for motor vehicle!

I was responding to that only.

 

When you can get your handheld to do what a car nav can, then we'll be talking minor differences which are preferences

And these preferences are exactly what makes something better or worse.

You need to qualify "better". It is better for a specific purpose.

What makes it better? A larger screen? A larger screen is not better if I need it as small as possible. It has text to speech? I need longer battery life and speech will eat up the batteries. How is that "better"?

Which is better?

Ford or a Chevy?

Garmin or DeLorme?

Steak or lobster?

Summer or winter?

4 wheel drive or 2 wheel drive?

 

these are much bigger differences which do indeed make the car nav better....

These differences make it better for car navigation but they do not make it better for hiking or bike riding. In fact, just the opposite. A larger unit while backpacking/rafting is a definite disadvantage (read:worse) unit than a handheld.

 

Where you need such features

I certainly wouldn't buy another handheld thinking it would be just as good as a car nav!

Okay,but I did not suggest that. Please reread my first response.

A $95 car unit is "better" than a $600 handheld?

Take them both hiking or on a rafting trip and let me know which is "better".

If you are purchasing for a car, then yes, a car unit probaly has the features "better suited for use while driving".

 

I would tend to agree with Pack on this, the car units will do the job much better than any handheld can

Car units are generally better suited for driving than some (not all) handhelds. And the reverse could also be true.

 

Nuff said.

Edited July 14, 2009 by chrisca

[+Marky]

I doubt a specific manufacturer has different routing software for their handhelds vs. their car models.

You'd be surprised at the software differences between models, when different teams are working on different models. There are also processor considerations between models of a specific manufacturer. Some routing algorithms might take up too much processor time to be useful (see statements about routing on a PN-20, which could be considered a slower PN-40). So, on different model platforms, different algorithms may be used that would produce different routes from point A to point B even for GPSrs from the same manufacturer. Unless you see a specification stating that two model lines use the same routing algorithms, I wouldn't assume that they do.

 

--Marky

[+Marky]

They are equal when used for routing (meaning, the routing is going to be the same, not that one will have more features suited to driving).

I forgot to mention in my last post, many car units have access to live traffic data, via bluetooth internet connection or a dedicated traffic antenna, and use this extra data to make better route choices. There are no handhelds that I'm aware of that do this. That can be a rather substantial difference depending on where you are.

 

The road data may also be different, including more complete data about road speed limits, etc. The newer Tomtoms incorporate traffic flow trend information, so if you route from point A to point B during commute hours, you'll get a different route than if you route during off-commute hours.

 

Saying that car units and hand-helds route equivalently is wrong in my opinion.

 

--Marky

[+Chris CA]

Okay, whatever.

This started because...

(Packanack @ Jul 13 2009, 04:38 AM) wrote;

"I can not think of any good reason to use a handheld for motor vehicle."

I responded "How about the person already owns a handheld?"

Someone who already owns a handheld (like Rockin Roddy) has a very good reason for using a handheld GPS with a motor vehgicle.

In turn, Rocking Roddy quoted and responded to me...

(Rockin Roddy @ Jul 13 2009, 02:34 PM) wrote;

I would tend to agree with Pack on this

If Rockin Roddy agrees with this, why use his PN-40 (handheld) in the motor vehicle? After all, "there is no good reason" to do this. (emphasis mine)

 

And again, the word "better" needs to be qualified.

[+TotemLake]

Frankly, the term "better" is subjective to one's needs.

 

So in summary:

Subjectively speaking; car navigation GPS units is better at car navigaion than than handhelds due to how they are designed with drivers in mind.

 

Subjectively speaking; handhelds are better for hiking than car navigation GPS units are.

 

Everything else is a nit pick.

 

It goes back to what Lee said about using the right tool for the job.

[+Renegade Knight]

i'd go with the garmin as well, they are known to be the best units out there.

 

Are they really?

 

well, for people that like the top-of-the-line units, best of the best, go with the garmin.

This was true though (In my opinion) the 60 series, until the most recent generation of GPSs. With the Colarado and Oregon, Garmin has faltered a bit. (I'm speaking of handhelds).

Edited July 14, 2009 by Renegade Knight

[+briansnat]

I can not think of any good reason to use a handheld for motor vehicle.

How about the person already owns a handheld? Why should they spend another $95 for a dash mounted GPS?

 

I would tend to agree with Pack on this, the car units will do the job much better than any handheld can. With the turn-by-turns being spoken (on most car nav units) and bigger screens, it'd be hard to find a better way to get around...but some of us are more than happy with the units we have (mine's a PN-40).

 

I've been using my hand held for automotive navigation for years, first the 60CS, and now the 60CSX. It works quite well, so I have no reason to buy an automotive unit. My wife has a Nuvi and the bigger screen is nice and entering an address is a bit easier, but the routing is basically the same.

 

In fact there are times she offers me the Nuvi when I'm going some place unfamiliar and I never take it. No real need.

[+Rockin Roddy]

I can not think of any good reason to use a handheld for motor vehicle.

How about the person already owns a handheld? Why should they spend another $95 for a dash mounted GPS?

 

I would tend to agree with Pack on this, the car units will do the job much better than any handheld can. With the turn-by-turns being spoken (on most car nav units) and bigger screens, it'd be hard to find a better way to get around...but some of us are more than happy with the units we have (mine's a PN-40).

 

I've been using my hand held for automotive navigation for years, first the 60CS, and now the 60CSX. It works quite well, so I have no reason to buy an automotive unit. My wife has a Nuvi and the bigger screen is nice and entering an address is a bit easier, but the routing is basically the same.

 

In fact there are times she offers me the Nuvi when I'm going some place unfamiliar and I never take it. No real need.

 

And that is your preference! Like I said, if I were using it for a job or really traveled alot, I would go with a car nav, the PN-40 suits my needs just fine right now....but obviously, the car navs are better for the reasons already stated.

[+jdm2lpm]

n/a

Edited July 15, 2009 by jdm2lpm

[NordicMan]

Welcome back jdm2lpm.. see what you started??!??!

 

Just kidding lol,, I hope you are able to sift through all this babble and reach a conclusion to your original question