looking for a up to date intelligent satnav

londonTiger

i figure its probably a good time to upgrade my stereo and go for a double din android system which can install a satnav app

takman

motorguy wrote: »

There are various reasons i still do.

• They're incredibly cheap now. My Garmin cost me £69 and that was UK & Europe with lifetime map updates
• I like my sat nav on on every journey so i dont have to fiddle getting the phone into the cradle every time i get in to the car then remember to fiddle with the cradle to get it back out again every time i leave the car
• I've the wiring routed neatly (and 95% hidden) and i never need to go looking for it to plug it in as its always plugged in
• It sits neatly in the corner of the dash and i never have to tweak its angle or touch the cradle.
• It comes on when I start the car and goes off when i leave the car with no intervention from me
• I dont mount my phone on my dash / windscreen, nor do i want to
• I dont want to drain my phone battery
• I dont want to "lock" my phone into satnav mode when i may otherwise want to (stop and) use it.
• When i go on foreign hols, i take the sat nav with me and stick it in the hire car - without having to switch on costly data usage which i would on my mobile.

It's all down to personal preference I think because I would hate having a SatNav mounted on my windscreen because it still looks messy. Plus it's an easy target for thieves if they break into your car. So that's why I changed my stereo for one that has a SatNav built in and it looks like it came out the factory like it.
Plus if you don't have free mobile data abroad then having a SatNav isn't that useful because you won't have anything to search for the location of the places you want to visit!.

Richard53

takman wrote: »

Plus if you don't have free mobile data abroad then having a SatNav isn't that useful because you won't have anything to search for the location of the places you want to visit!.

You need a mobile phone with internet access before you can find interesting places to visit?


Hmmm.

takman

Richard53 wrote: »

You need a mobile phone with internet access before you can find interesting places to visit?


Hmmm.

Yeah it makes it so much easier and quicker to find the best places which are worth visiting. When i'm on holiday i don't want to be wasting time trying to find leaflets or information on places to visit!.

getmore4less

takman wrote: »

Yeah it makes it so much easier and quicker to find the best places which are worth visiting. When i'm on holiday i don't want to be wasting time trying to find leaflets or information on places to visit!.

We find it very useful, even places we visit a lot, the link between a search for somewhere specific and the satnav is great in a car or walking round a place.

Link in other live transport apps like buses/trams getting around a place is much easier.

Try it for somewhere like Glasgow or Barcelona which have good public transport systems.

data costs are tiny if the place is covered by 3 feel at home we can make the free 150MB last a couple of weeks just doing travel stuff.

marlot

Herzlos wrote: »

So you're paying more to use a phone than a dedicated sat nav?

The handset was just laying around, so I can justify £5 every 2-3 months for the data.

Plus, no more updating of maps (time and ££).

And I get pretty good warning of delays. Over the Easter weekend, it saved me more than an hour on a journey I was doing. The fuel saving more than pays for the data charge.

When I put the destination in, it even checks the opening times and warns me if I'm not going to get there before the destination (eg. shop) closes.

An extra benefit is that I can search for something at my home PC, and have the route sent straight to the phone.

bigjl

I can see MotorGuys point.

I used dedicated SatNavs for years when needed.

My phone is never "locked" into being a SatNav, though when using it to answer calls there are no large visual directions, just a small line at the top of the screen and verbal (unless I have switched them off)

My charging wires for the phone are nearly routed and it sits to the right of the wheel, where I used to put the SatNav, so I can operate with my right hand when needed.

I have a decent mount that is probably as quick to sort out as clipping some SatNavs into their mounts.

I also have Cabbies Mate App for London use (it has AtoZ maps of the entire UK road network and detailed maps of London)



Good point about data use though.

When I was navigating Ghana last year I used my iPhone, and got Data from a locally bought 3G Dongle on pay as you go.

Google Maps worked very well.

motorguy

bigjl wrote: »

I can see MotorGuys point.

I used dedicated SatNavs for years when needed.

My phone is never "locked" into being a SatNav, though when using it to answer calls there are no large visual directions, just a small line at the top of the screen and verbal (unless I have switched them off)

My charging wires for the phone are nearly routed and it sits to the right of the wheel, where I used to put the SatNav, so I can operate with my right hand when needed.

I have a decent mount that is probably as quick to sort out as clipping some SatNavs into their mounts.

I also have Cabbies Mate App for London use (it has AtoZ maps of the entire UK road network and detailed maps of London)



Good point about data use though.

When I was navigating Ghana last year I used my iPhone, and got Data from a locally bought 3G Dongle on pay as you go.

Google Maps worked very well.

All fair points. I'll maybe look at setting up a cheap android phone next time. :beer:

bigjl

I am slightly fortunate in that I never throw out phones Paul.

I am with 3 on an all you can eat package so in the UK there are no data issues.

I still have my old iPhone5 (son uses it) and my old Note 2.

Though my current iPhone 6+ is pretty good, even the included Apple Nav is good, it used to be particularly rubbish in the iPhone5.

I have looked a little bit into these Android head units. An interesting idea for sure.

Only thing is I like having my Nav on the right by the window as it then forms part of my mirror scan, if I have it in the middle I have to look down which I don't like. Never liked it in the work vehicles when they put them in the middle either, the argument being that the passenger would be looking at it giving you directions! If you look at the Trauma Doctors TV programme you will see the HEMS Doctor does just that, they always have done it that way even when they had the Legacys.

motorguy

bigjl wrote: »

I am slightly fortunate in that I never throw out phones Paul.

I am with 3 on an all you can eat package so in the UK there are no data issues.

I still have my old iPhone5 (son uses it) and my old Note 2.

Though my current iPhone 6+ is pretty good, even the included Apple Nav is good, it used to be particularly rubbish in the iPhone5.

I have looked a little bit into these Android head units. An interesting idea for sure.

Only thing is I like having my Nav on the right by the window as it then forms part of my mirror scan, if I have it in the middle I have to look down which I don't like. Never liked it in the work vehicles when they put them in the middle either, the argument being that the passenger would be looking at it giving you directions! If you look at the Trauma Doctors TV programme you will see the HEMS Doctor does just that, they always have done it that way even when they had the Legacys.

I'm the reverse to never throwing out - if i havent used it for three months i tend to sell it.