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If you want good directions Garman is better than most. Phones aren't very good for real directions if you travel a lot. It gets you there, but usually not very well.
I can agree to this, although if you're going to have a dedicated GPS device that's superior, you should get a mid-end to high end model. Low end would roughly be $250 MSRP (discounted down to as low as $100). The mid to high end models would be $400 to $600 (discounted down to about $250+?). Also check reviews too.
If you want good directions Garman is better than most. Phones aren't very good for real directions if you travel a lot. It gets you there, but usually not very well.
What? You obviously haven't used a smartphone with Google or Waze very recently, have you?
But when you already carry the swiss army knife that has a GREAT can opener, why carry around another can opener just to open cans?
Too bad this swiss army knife runs on batteries that I need to make phone calls/check email after I get to where I'm going
And not sure where all this horrible "carrying around" of multiple electronics comes from, I bet 95% of people with Garmins keep them in their car already so it's not like I have to remember to bring it with me when I drive...unlike a phone (we've all had days where we forget that or leave the house with battery on life support haha).
I'll wager that most of the people that are partial to a dedicated GPS (FOR DRIVING) had one before they got a smartphone (or still don't have one), it's all about familiarity and what is easier for the person to actually use...no right or wrong device.
I'll even go one further to infuriate the anti-Garmin crowd and disclose that I also use a dedicated MP3 PLAYER when driving! A Zune HD no less! (in my opinion, the best music user interface and download service)
It is kind of funny how passionate we all are on our electronics, this is a fun thread
I'm in the market for a new Garmin, as well. The one I have is fine, but it's 7-yrs old, the maps are at times frustratingly outdated & it's fallen almost daily in the inside of the car (pops off the windscreen from the heat... amazing it still works... it's taken quite a beating), so I don't wish to invest $50+ for new maps... I'd rather add another $50-70 & buy a new unit with lifetime map updates.
I like it speaking directions to me, but I'm someone who easily gets lost, so I very much appreciate it. The newer models have satellite traffic avoidance, which will be great, but I've also read complaints by others saying they don't offer the walking option I have on my current unit. I'll still keep my old Garmin & in fact, carry it with me in the bottom of a purse, in the event I get lost walking... happened recently.
I also use paper maps & have 2 Rand McNally map books, 1 in the car, 1 at home. I'm moving soon, so like the paper map in front of me to pinpoint areas. I use Google maps on my computer for directions & like the street view feature. Again, with my zero sense of direction, it's been useful, particularly in times when I'm nervous, like before an interview... I can get a better idea of where I'm going in advance by actually seeing the bldgs.
I don't care for the maps on my iPhone, but that's only as it's so bloody slow in loading & I haven't spent much time using it... I don't have to, I have the Garmin in the car. If it has a speaking feature, I don't know about it... but, overall, I prefer seeing a mounted map (larger, like the Garmin, as I have wonky eyesight) & want it to bossily bark directions at me. I don't want to p/u the phone in order to see where I'm going.
I also sometimes still scribble down paper directions from Mapquest, if I'm not going too far or don't want to take the time to plug it into the Garmin... particularly places I probably won't be returning to soon if ever. Then, I just press Home on the Garmin to find my way back. I use it all & if I lost the Garmin, I'd figure out how to use the iPhone for the time being... or just copy down directions from the computer. All of the above are far easier than when we had to call a company for driving directions or figure it out with a paper map. Still, I can't wait to get a new Garmin... probably a couple of weeks. I'm just trying to figure out if I should stay around $100 or spring for a $$$ model. The current one I bought on sale for $85 has been fine.
Uh. So does the other "knife". You should also only make calls and text before or AFTER you've reached your destination, not during! That's a no-no.
Which smartphone lasts longer: 1 smartphone acting as GPS or 1 smartphone not being used and 1 standalone GPS navigating If I have both, I'm likely going to utilize both.
And no, I don't make calls/texts while driving, that's dangerous and I never said that...hence the fact that if I did use my smartphone as a GPS when I get to my destination I will have that much LESS battery to do things on my smartphone. This happened to me last month while driving to several meetings, used the GPS on my phone and get to the client's address and the phone was drained of battery so I couldn't look up the recent emails I had received pertaining to changes in the meeting. I was in a colleague's car so didn't have access to my GPS and his phone was also dead (and no car charging plugs)...poor planning maybe but if a standalone GPS was involved this wouldn't have been an issue.
If you just have a smartphone, I can understand why you wouldn't spend $100 for a GPS...but those of us that have and like them will continue using them.
Too bad this swiss army knife runs on batteries that I need to make phone calls/check email after I get to where I'm going
And not sure where all this horrible "carrying around" of multiple electronics comes from, I bet 95% of people with Garmins keep them in their car already so it's not like I have to remember to bring it with me when I drive...unlike a phone (we've all had days where we forget that or leave the house with battery on life support haha).
I'll wager that most of the people that are partial to a dedicated GPS (FOR DRIVING) had one before they got a smartphone (or still don't have one), it's all about familiarity and what is easier for the person to actually use...no right or wrong device.
I'll even go one further to infuriate the anti-Garmin crowd and disclose that I also use a dedicated MP3 PLAYER when driving! A Zune HD no less! (in my opinion, the best music user interface and download service)
When my phone is in the car it's on the charge cord (or, depending on the car, in it's cradle), so no, I don't have a problem with the battery running down so it's easy to chaeck texts and emails when I get to my destination.
Oh, and I don't have a purse so carrying a ton of different things in my pockets is impractical.
And I can use my Waze, with my Pandora or iTunes playlists streaming to the car's stereo over BT, AND recieve hands free BT calls on it when necesary all at once. I don't see how you have such a problem with it.
I have tried to use my Garmin in the airplane when trying to find out "where are we" and what towns and interstates are down below. Sometimes, with success, other times, no signal. I just wondered if others can do that better with a smart phone and which one does better.
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A Zune HD no less! (in my opinion, the best music user interface and download service)
