GPS advice

[aem123]

can anyone recommend someplace in calgary to buy a GPS for my car - i want to go somewhere where they have tons of selection and are very knowledgeable and can step me through the various features so i can pick the one i want - right now i know next to nothing about buying a GPS - also, are there any features or brands i should get - i just want to use it for city and highway travel mainly in western canada

[EldrickOnIce]

I question stand alone gps.
As long as you have enough data, I don't think you can beat the google maps app.
Maps are always current, and if traffic is a concern, there is no better.

The Here app (by nokia) is a newly released free offline gps program. Traffic, when online, is no good, but mapping seems solid. Canada is a 2 gig download.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Unless you are doing a fair bit of driving in another city, the standalone devices aren't worth it. As Eldrick says, the google maps navigation beats the snot out of the standalone ones.

Only advantage the dedicated devices have over smartphones is they don't require a data connection which is obviously desirable if you are roaming.

[DoubleF]

Hmm... London Drugs used to have mostly guys that knew quite a bit about GPS and Cameras, not sure if it's still the case. You probably can't beat a Best Buy or Futureshop for selection, but some of those guys really don't know much about the wares they sell while some are the smartest guys around (hit or miss). Memory express doesn't sell GPS any more as far as I know. Long shot... maybe Visions Electronics?

I agree with Eldrick. A phone GPS with Google maps (NOT Apple maps) is probably the best GPS out there. Another option might (not sure about the real time aspect) be to get a tablet and using an existing phone or a mifi or something like that to give it data to run Google maps.

For offline maps, theres an app called Ulmon, but not sure it's a good map for driving.

[Vulcan]

What I like about my GPS is that in a strange town, I can find listings and their distance for restaurants, and other businesses. I guess you can do the same with a smart phone but for me this is convenient.

[ken0042]

One place to avoid is GPS City in the NE. I made the trek there after visiting their website and figuring they had the knowledge and selection. Turns out all they have is a small storefront that is maybe 100 square feet. Then when I asked about GPS units with live traffic, the girl proceeded to read off the outside of the box. She eventually asked the other guy working there for help. I had to explain why I wanted live traffic, and gave an example that if Deerfoot is bad I'd know what alternate route to take. He told me "just avoid Deerfoot all the time."

Great- thanks.

[Canehdianman]

Download the app called Here. Is by Nokia. Free and lets you download maps too

[Stealth22]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Unless you are doing a fair bit of driving in another city, the standalone devices aren't worth it. As Eldrick says, the google maps navigation beats the snot out of the standalone ones.

Only advantage the dedicated devices have over smartphones is they don't require a data connection which is obviously desirable if you are roaming.

This.

And even if you need something that doesn't require a data connection, there are a multitude of navigation apps out there which download map data to your device, so you don't need data at all.

On long family road trips (especially to the west of Calgary), I put my Nexus 7 up on the dashboard, right up against the windshield. The case that I have folds into a stand, so I prop it up and put the tablet right up against the windshield.

It doesn't move from there at all, and it gives me a nice large nav screen that's directly in front of me. No need to take my eyes off the road...in fact, its easier to look at than the speedometer. Set the nav before driving, and that's it!

[vtec260]

I prefer stand alone device due to not having to connect to data. Invest $150 or so at Costco plus mini SD card with life time map update and you are set for many, many years to come. I like Garmin, compared to Megellan (haven't used Tom Tom so can't comment) as it had most accurate routing system last time I checked the comparisons plus lane assist was a bonus when driving in multi-lane US interstates. But I do agree that Google map does have most updated maps as I have been unable to find newer streets on Garmin that I found on Google map.

[The_Penguin]

GPS Central off of Blackfoot around 46th. I've purchased 3 from them, very knowledgeable, good selection.

Love my Garmin Nuvi, really really handy for driving in a new city. Take mine to San Diego a few times a year, couldn't live without it.

[aem123]

Originally Posted by The_Penguin

GPS Central off of Blackfoot around 46th. I've purchased 3 from them, very knowledgeable, good selection.

Love my Garmin Nuvi, really really handy for driving in a new city. Take mine to San Diego a few times a year, couldn't live without it.

Thanks, Penguin. I went to GPS Central and bought a Garmin. They were very knowledgeable and stepped me through the various features. Thanks for your help.

[BsFaninCGY]

I realize the OP has his/her answer, but to those using their phones - what if you listen to music, or talk/text on your phone while driving (hands free or with voice commands obviously)? How hard is it to have maps running and also to do these other features? I stream radio/Songza/itunes from my iPhone to Aux port all the time and find it annoying when a text or call comes in (not to mention some of the hicups trying to use the USB jack in my vehicle introduces). To me, the stand alone GPS is worth not having my phone try and be so many things all at one.

[MickMcGeough]

I've been wondering who buys a dedicated GPS... now I know!

Still swear by Waze. Haven't seen a dedicated GPS that can re-route me around an accident in real time, or warn me of a cop ahead.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by BsFaninCGY

I realize the OP has his/her answer, but to those using their phones - what if you listen to music, or talk/text on your phone while driving (hands free or with voice commands obviously)? How hard is it to have maps running and also to do these other features? I stream radio/Songza/itunes from my iPhone to Aux port all the time and find it annoying when a text or call comes in (not to mention some of the hicups trying to use the USB jack in my vehicle introduces). To me, the stand alone GPS is worth not having my phone try and be so many things all at one.

Doesn't turning the phone to vibrate disallow the sounds from being interrupted with a text sound (Apple)? If you don't need to swap screens for streaming, I think on vibrate, Songza or music should be allowed to keep playing sounds, and you could focus on the image of the GPS/ the announcing voice continues to play. However, I'm not sure whether the voice announcement of your next "move" on the GPS would be allowed to go through.
I haven't used this method in a while as I stopped using bluetooth to play music off my phone, but I vaguely remember it was something like this.

Maybe there's special DND modes or "driving mode" etc that could be used as well and you can control the sounds of a text message if you ignore those while driving? (Not sure what android offers and what your habits are)

Have you considering using an off contract smart phone (your old locked whatever crap phone with cracked screen probably works too) or tablet using your phone as a hotspot to do the streaming and/or GPS?

[REDVAN]

If you download one of the good apps (I'll ask my father-in-law who has it), then you can turn your data off but your location service on the phone should still work... this will help you get around in a foreign city, but it will not help with traffic updates.

That said, if you can afford the data when at home- this should be the way to go.

If you are not in an area with cell coverage (western Canada bush), then you likely don't care about traffic... so get any stand-alone one. I had a Garmin when I worked in the bush, and I've since taken it on many "vacations" to the states. Well worth the initial 200 bucks!

[DoubleF]

I tested out using the GPS while streaming on my phone (iphone). I tested driving from downtown to work.

If vibrate is on, the text will not interrupt the music.
The GPS commands will interrupt the music. (Lower music volume, louder directional statements)

This is highly annoying if you get commands every 30 seconds or so. I could definitely understand why you would want to separate GPS and music. I presume this isn't as big of an issue if doing highway driving where the commands are far less.


If vibrate is not on, the text will interrupt the music. (lower music volume, text message notification sound.)
The GPS commands will also interrupt the music. (Lower music volume, louder directional statements)

Even more annoying than the first. Vibrate can deal with the text message sound. I believe GPS commands have priority over text if they show up at about the same time, but if the text is received mid command, it's like the music. Lower volume command and a text message notification. But I haven't tested super extensively.


Additional random point of information. I routed the sound via bluetooth on my car console. I presume the sound (per above) is the same if using AUX. When on bluetooth, if I use the skip function while GPS is open, it skips to the next song (or repeats song). You won't have a list open to see, but at least you can change songs without being annoyed by that one song that you have no idea why you put on your phone. Not sure what happens if you do this in Songza (skip as well), but worth experimenting if you have the option.

[Stealth22]

The GPS is annoying when it interrupts music. But I turn off the Google voice guidance anyway, unless I'm in an unfamiliar city in the States.

Or, my wife will play music from her phone.

[pylon]

When I bought my 02 Jeep for the winter, the big thing I wanted was hands free bluetooth phone installed. I didn't want to get rid of the factory head unit, as I hate the look of aftermarket decks. And I wanted something I could hardwire. So on boxing day, Future shop was blowing these out for $99.00:

http://www.amazon.ca/Garmin-Bluetoot...ds=garmin+2595

Full Voice command.
Bluetooth (and the internal speaker is plenty loud)
5" screen.
And integrated 'smart apps' which I never use.
Lifetime updates.

For $99, I wasn't expecting much, but as silly as it sounds, it totally demolishes the FACTORY GPS in my 2015 VW GTI which comes in a $1200 option package. It boots up faster, the voice command is flawless (the VW software is worse than useless for voice), the animations are ultra smooth in comparison, the accuracy is 10X better, and it has a ton of customizations.

As far as GPS goes, the pecking order is Garmin/Magellan at the top. TomTom quite a bit lower, and then anything else, don't bother. DO NOT buy one of those third party OEM style decks out of China. I have never heard of one person being satisfied with them. They use pirated outdated software, and the sound that comes out of them is clock radio calibre. They are all show, no go. And they freeze all the time.

I am super finicky about electronics, especially in car, and if it doesn't work seamlessly, I'll turf it. I bought one as well for my parents to use in when they are snowbirding in Arizona, and they love it as well. Super simple.

This is the current version, and if you can find it on sale for less than $150, snap one up:

http://www.amazon.ca/Garmin-2597LMT-...dp_ob_title_ce

[The_Penguin]

Other than the physical integration into the dash, I've never seen a factory GPS that was anywhere near as good as a Garmin. The one in Mrs. Penguin's Nissan is beyond un-intuitive to use, and flakey as hell.

[pylon]

Yup.

The software in my GTI is so bad, and so 'ugly' to look at, I just use my iPhone instead. The only real reason I bought the tech package, was for the Fender Digital Audio system, which I will admit, is the most kick ass factory system I have ever heard and worth the $1200 over the stock system (Subwoofer built into the spare tire cavity!) OEM nav systems are always horrible by my experience, and the manufactueres have the nerve to rape you 2-300 for map updates.