How long will garmin provide lifetime map update?

DaveS wrote:
:: On 7/31/2011 11:56 AM, Mike Lane wrote:
::: wrote on Jul 31, 2011:
:::
:::: On Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:27:08 +0100, Mike Lane
:::::
::::: Do you know of a good alternative to Garmin?
::::
:::: No, I don't think anyone is any better right now in their price
:::: range.
::::
::::
::: I've come to the same conclusion - unfortunately.. I just wish that
::: they would stop this gradual dumbing down. It seems that routes
::: will be the next facility to be removed completely - far too
::: complicated for the masses to understand :-(
:::
::: It's not just the price range either - I'd be prepared to pay a lot
::: more for a really advanced model with all the fancy options that
::: the old StreetPilots had.
:::
::
:: I agree with you Mike.
:: I thought, when I bought my 2360, that I would be getting all the
:: features of my old StreetPilot plus less bulk (a pocketable unit
:: with a battery) plus the increased sensitivity of newer chips.
:: Instead, I can't transfer routes from PC to GPS, and there are
:: functions displayed in the menus that do nothing (optimize order in
:: Trip Planner).
::
:: The lack of information on the Garmin web site about these features,
:: or lack of them, is approaching deceptive advertising.
::
:: Dave S.

Ditto - esp. on the route downloading which used to work fine on my older
Quest.

I also don't like the fact that the maps show very little detail on my
2460LMT despite a screen that is much larger than the Quest. It used to
label rivers and much more landmarks (street names and such) as one traveled
along.

I also don't like the fact they took away the 'recalculating' voice prompt;
understand this is a holy war to some, but then offer it as an option for
those of us who which to look out and pay attention to road! I spent a few
emails back and forth with Garmin tech support last week explaining, but
they said it won't be coming back.

 

Andrew wrote on Aug 1, 2011:

The 765 announces "recalculating", but with no option to turn this off.
Do you mean that the 2460 now just recalculates silently or that they've
removed the options to have recalculation announced, silent, prompted, or
off, like on the old StreetPilots?

 

There are alternative solutions to the overcharging--Garmin battery
replacement $79--BatteryShip.com, $20 including tools/instructions to
facilitate the replacement (15-20 min). Not recommending or
advocating--however, unlocked maps (Including the latest 2012 North America,
Europe etc.) are out there for the downloading via a torrent. Garmin could
slow down the use of these sites if they were more flexible with regards to
cost and use of the purchased maps. For example, not allowing you to use
the downloaded map for more than one unit. If it's one you own and
registered to you why not?. If your unit goes South the day after you
install the map, you're out of luck--how about some minimum time frame to
cover something like that?
MLD

 

You win some; you lose some.
My 2360 does announce 'recalculating' in an irritated voice, but I
understand that on the 24xx series, 'Optimize Order' in Trip Planner
actually does something.

Dave S.

 

Mike Lane wrote:
:: Andrew wrote on Aug 1, 2011:
::
::: I also don't like the fact they took away the 'recalculating' voice
::: prompt; understand this is a holy war to some, but then offer it as
::: an option for those of us who which to look out and pay attention
::: to road! I spent a few emails back and forth with Garmin tech
::: support last week explaining, but they said it won't be coming back.
::
:: The 765 announces "recalculating", but with no option to turn this
:: off. Do you mean that the 2460 now just recalculates silently or
:: that they've removed the options to have recalculation announced,
:: silent, prompted, or off, like on the old StreetPilots?
::
:: --
:: Mike Lane
:: UK North Yorkshire
:: mike_lane at mac dot com

It recalculates "silently". It tells you on the screen that it is doing
that, but no sound. I never knew they had an option on older units; that's
what I would have hoped for rather than yanking it altogether! (It wasn't
an option on my Quest).

 

When Garmin stopped providing maps for my 2650 I looked for alternatives. I went to a
Lowrance 600 and loved the unit. A bit big but customizable. Lowrance got out of the GPS
business and the 600 died with no support. Out looking again for a unit that I can setup
the way I want I stumbled on the Igo software. Many Chinese cheap units come with this
software installed. Talk about customization, ANY aspect can be changed, skins, schemes
multiple map sets can be changed on the fly, you name it and it can be changed, added or
deleted. I am currently using a 5" from dragonpearl, and for long trips a Magellan
Roatmate 1700 with Igo8.3 on it. It worked flawlessly on a 3K trip with multiple waypoints
added. To top it all off a Russian ported Igo8.3 to work on the PC. It's CE5 based. Do a
Google search and you will find your answers and a alternative to Garmin.

 

Andrew wrote on Aug 1, 2011:

I suppose that some users were worried by the 'Recalculating' announcement,
so Garmin cut it out altogether - how stupid!

I used to like the option on the StreetPilots to turn recalculation off
altogether. It would then just announce 'Off route' and leave you to find
your own way back to the route after a minor diversion - very useful
sometimes.

 

Steve wrote on Aug 2, 2011:

That sounds very interesting - I'll look into it.

Does the Magellan unit come with this Igo software pre-installed, or do you
have to somehow install it yourself?

 

When?

My 1490 does it.

 

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
:: In article <4e369672$0$21730$>,
::
::: I also don't like the fact they took away the 'recalculating' voice
::: prompt;
::
:: When?
::
:: My 1490 does it.

Here's one of the replies I got on 19 July from my email thread to Garmin
support : "The verbal "Recalculating" announcement has been removed from the
Nuvi 2400 series, dezl series, and new units going forward. The unit will
not verbally announce "Recalculating" unless it is due to a severe traffic
instance while in route. The green bar at the top of the map page will still
show when the unit recalculates the route. "

I don't like it.

 

I have it on a SD card. Remove the card and your back to Magellan.

 

OK, a little more from another Yorkshire man (South Yorks. tho living
in the US)
I think it is dishonest practice to advertise something that does not
work/is not present, e.g.
100 routes, optimized ordering ... for the 2360. All we have to rely
on for our purchasing
decisions are the manufacturers specifications.
My soap box, I was in IT for 30+ years, I have seen fads come and go.
Management welcomed
suggestions for the new Comp. Sci. grad. who offered to do something
special using the latest
and greatest programming language. They usually didn't have a clue
what the user really needs
and some poor people (like my son) spend hours and hours as part of
their job trying to explain why
this "way" is so much better than the "old". Now the new GPS unit do
have some very useful
features. I love directions with anticipated turn information ( turn
right in .1 miles then turn left),
Lane Assist though Junction View is a little to small for my old eyes
and did you know that the 2360
switches to night mode when going through tunnels!! However I think
these goodies came from
Navteq.
For the record I started with Fortran II and ended with Perl and Java,
haven't got a clue what the latest
fad is, XML or have we outgrow that?
Doug

 

In this house, we love the slight touch of sarcasm in her voice when
Jill says "Recalculating". Kind of makes our day...

We often are off-route on purpose, but we still enjoy that tone of
voice. Otherwise, I would agree.

 

On Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:24:04 -0700, Unquestionably Confused

Interesting thread!

I still have my old Map76 going! And, it serves my purposes
well. I need something that goes off-road, can store and
upload/download waypoints, tracks, etc. I have not used
an auto GPS till a few weeks back. Igot to use a Tomtom for
the first time (lent by a friend
who thought it may be fun on our recent big drive). It
certainly has its uses -- like suggesting and taking you
to a motel/hotel in a town you want to spend a night. No
calling, getting directions, etc.

But, I am looking for a Map76 replacement. What
current Garmin models offer similar features? The
primary use is hiking, though getting lat/long fixes on
culinary discoveries around towns is equally important!
(Nothing to returning to a vacation spot after five years
and finding that restaurant you had a great meal in in
a jiffy!)

thanks
sp

 

Start here: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=145 Pick your features
on the left margin.

 

After five years, good chance that restaurant is a 7-11 or gas station. .

 

I've been very satisfied with my eTrex Vista HCx. Not sure what
features the Map76 has but the Vista HCx has altimeter, microSD,
good sensitivity, and runs for ~20 hours on AA batteries--which
are widely available. It's small enough that it works okay on my
bicycle, but I use it for hiking, for driving, and for navigating
when I travel to Asia and Europe. I picked mine up from Amazon
for ~$200, but maps ran another $100 or more. I've had reasonable
luck with the open source maps in Europe and Asia--though I don't
rely on them 100%. The display is probably small compared to most
other models.

Last month on vacation I used it a couple of times to quickly find
hotels when we decided to stop for the night, and then to find
nearby restaurants.

 

*That* has never happened, though there have been mutations
and transfigurations. But, success has been greater than 50%.


sj

 

The Greek restaurant I had breakfast at most weekends for five years
sells computers, not eggs with gyros, now. (Fortunately, there's a
DIFFERENT Greek diner three blocks up that can fulfill the role.)

 

"Mike Lane" wrote in message

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote on Jul 31, 2011:

No, it's a matter of "don't need it"--and if most people don't need it,
why bother to continue developing it.

You sound like an old PC guy, lamenting the "dumbing down" of the world
of modern personal computers. "Why, in MY day, we had to have an add-in
card for everything--and we had to set DIP switches! It took a week and
a half to build a computer, it had 4K of RAM and we LIKED it! And we
were going uphill both ways in three feet of snow! And when we were
DONE, all we had were 40 columns of GREEN TEXT! Why, these Wind'as
people..and don't even GET me going on Macintosh..."[/QUOTE]

You're getting over-excited again. I *am* an old PC guy, but I think you're
misunderstanding what I'm saying. PCs (Macs included) have evolved and
become
hugely more capable than their predecessors, but they haven't dumbed down -
it's just that the user interface has become better. Everything is there if
you want it, but hidden from view if you don't. If I *really* wanted green
text, I could have it right now, or I could emulate a Sinclair ZX80 if I
wanted - but I don't.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for the gps. The screen has improved a
lot, and so have the maps, and the sensitivity of the receiver *but* unlike
the PC, I can't do as much with a Nuvi as I used to with a StreetPilot. What
bugs me is that there's no good reason for this. The code is still there -
all that's needed is a decent UI that would hide the geeky bits if they're
not wanted, but allow you to use them if you do.

I'm afraid the admen have taken Garmin over and are destroying what they
don't really understand.

--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire
mike_lane at mac dot com


Kindly explain what the street pilot has that the nuvi doesn't? My
girlfriend has a street pilot and from what I've seen my nuvi is better
feature wise.

Ron