I recently had a drive in a car that was fitted with one of the really posh fancy expensive sat-navs. There's no screen or keyboard. Just push a button, and the man in the call centre asks where you want to go. Then there's a computer voice telling you where to go.
It was useless. There's no map, so you can't see things in advance. If you miss a corner, it spends ten seconds telling you, then another ten telling you that it's finding a new route. By the time it's finished with that, you've missed the first corner of the new route.
My one experience with Tom-Tom was very different. "Accidentally" disobey, and it instantly finds a new route for you without a single grumble, or even the slightest raising of its voice. That afternoon was a lot of fun.
If I drove, I know which I'd buy.
We have TomTom - and it's superb!
Used it in europe too - a godsend!
ive just got a dodgy scandanavian bird on my sat nav,,,
she gets it right though
I've just bought a Tomtom PDA bluetooth with an iPaq HX4700. The reduction in stress of making unfamiliar journeys is fantastic.
On Mal's point about slow response times with a PDA (I assume you mean the GPS response) I'm pretty sure that is only a problem with the less expensive PDAs with slower processors. So it is worth paying a little bit more for a faster processor. I've just bought USA maps which are a bit expensive. Don't forget that the realtime traffic info and the spead camera stuff on Tomtom is extra and I think both are subscription.
I've heard Tomtom is the most reliable software but their customer service leaves something to be desired but that Navman is the opposite - on both counts.
I think the PDA option is worth it - the functions on these new PDAs are incredible. You can now even get bluetooth foldaway keyboards for them. the days of humping yer laptop around the world may soon be over.
Good luck in yer search.
I have my new toy and its fantastic! I got the pda + Tom Tom software.
Just one question, how does the speed camera alert work? I have got it installed, and it picked up the fixed Gatso cameras no problem at all but yesterday I came across a mobile camera, the type the police have on tripods on the side of the road.
Now I was doing under the speed limit and when I got up close they were actually pointing it at the traffic coming from the opposite direction, but I got no warnig at all from the Tom Tom.
So did it not bleep because it wasn't pointing at me? This was a regular spot for the police, I have seen them there countless times, does the software work on pre-programmed locations or does it sense the lazers or other signals from the speed camera?
software alone can't detect the laser/radar detection (and the hardware that does this is pretty pointless as they've probably got you by the time it's detected it)
you should be able to programme the location into your system and even upload it onto a database for others, have a look at the softwares website of RTFM
You have to program them in and make sure that you've set yp the mobile camera alerts. If you don't want to program them in goto and for a very small fee you can get regular updates.
I used a TomTom recently to navigate my way to the Notts Munch...
Not far from Wolves you may think and should be pretty easy to find seeing as my digs were right next to the train station....
I found the TomTom invaluable....
I had a basic route planned in my head but having the sat-nav to back me up on a busy saturday afternoon was a real bonus...
If I could afford one it would definately be on my shopping list. :thumbup:
What's wrong with reading a map in advance, plotting a route and then following road signs????
Maximum cost £10 for a descent map.
Batteries aren't that expensive are they?
H.x
Hi,
Back last August I invested in a PDA with AA Navigator on it. I then signed up to their Speedcare camera watch of the net for an additional £59.
In the 3 months I had the PDA, I dont think I had a journey on which the damn thing never locked up. All in all, useless. After much moaning to the shop that sold it to me and scrubbing the £59 subscription to the AA speedcare, I went out and bought the TomTom Go 300 plus their camera softwear for £49 pa.
From the word go, it has been a dream, never locking up and much, much better than navigator. Why I didn't stick to my original plan and buy a tom tom in the first place I don't know.
I highly recommend the Tom Tom.
Couple of points to bear in mind when buying....
1. Do you really need a PDA? Are you going to use it for much else other than navigating? I thought I would, but never did. Also because i use to keep bringing it in the house to recharge, I found i kept forgetting it, which is a bit frustrating when you find yourself lost. Also as a PDA, you have to boot it from scratch each time, where my Tom Tom can pick up where it left off.
2. Most PDA do not have a built in GPS and rely on a unit being fitted to the car. This sometimes makes programming a route whilst still indoors a bit of a pain.
3. The Tom Tom being a dedicated unit is much more stable and far less likely to crash. I use mine nearly every day, covering 50,000 mile a year. As yet it hasn't crashed, hasn't had to come indoors for a recharge and when encountering road closures can recalculate an alternative route in seconds.
Buy a Tom Tom... The extra cost is worth every penny.
Colin.
We have the TomTom 700 and last week when I had to visit client offices it was an absolute godsend. Got me there on time, everytime! My favourite voice is Ken, the Australian!
I also bought a palm pda on ebay a couple of weeks ago for a fiver - and that is great too, I could get the TomTom software for it - but I prefer to have the two things totally separate.
Good god is it only 8:30?
4 glasses of wine and I still havent lit the BBQ!
I bought a Dell axim PDA, TOM TOM Software, UK and European Maps& a GPS receiver from Ebay. It's a godsend. I drive loads. I've downloaded the full postcode patch, the speedcamers database and warnings and i can even have directions from Homer Simpson. I got all of this for £150. The postcode patch and speedcam database are freeware. I can supply in mail if anyone needs (for ttn 3 & 5)
Recent reports about sat nav have highlighted rural areas where dumb car drivers have followed a country lane and ended up cashing into either sheep or an SAS squaddie on a survival course. So it still requires the driver to use some common sense and understanding in knowing their route and terrain, No doubt sat nav will acquire this information and help the driver avoid such misfortune.
:D :twisted: :twisted: 
) Seen them in action and no one leaves the phone in the car!! Do they? 
