Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2005 18:20:15 -0500
Reply-To: Mark Magee <markbmagee@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Magee <markbmagee@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: GPS Advice (NVC)
In-Reply-To: <BAY103-F119858CDEF9B7F8B27A2C7C7770@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Bruce, Volks,
(Is it OK to say Volks?)
I have been in outside sales for 16 years now, driving around all day
getting to new addresses in different cities. I have tried many units and
have settled on Travroute CoPilot. If you have a notebook computer this
system cannot be beat. The great thing on working on a notebook computer
while your driving is you can actually distinguish what's going on the
moving map due to the much larger screen. Also a keyboard for input is
superior to the stand alone units.
I have the Bluetooth receiver that my ThinkPad communicates with, really
slick. I would say it is accurate in routing/re-routing and in finding an
address in it's database about 95% of the time. If your super techno, it
even has a feature for your air card to allow you to communicate with other
Co Pilot drivers in the area to alert you of construction, wrecks; RITA
EVACUATION BOTTLENECKS!!
The voice prompts are outstanding.
I evacuated when Rita was headed our way, our family of 7 plus mom in law,
when the mass exodus bottleneck hit I ran off the EVAC corridors and drove
by the moving map alone through East Texas on roads almost deserted.
BTW, I also have Mapopolis on my Sony Clie, and it works well, just VERY
slow, to the point of not being practical. It is a great 'hobby' navigator
which is full functioned, just if you've gotta' get going, Co Pilot will
rock you on your way quick.
Co Pilot also far less expensive vs. the standalone's; you've already
invested in the notebook PC. And with the Bluetooth GPS you can have an
'assistant' navigator elsewhere in your vehicle watching the map and
instructions, talking to you on the NAV picture, if for instance you had to
navigate 'by feel', by the moving map only, as I had to do in the Rita
debacle. I had my 11 year old run my NAV station for me. Some stand alone
units require mounting on the dash where the GPS sensor can see the
satellites through the windshield glass. Copilot offers a corded USB GPS; I
highly recommend the Bluetooth GPS if you have a Bluetooth equipped notebook
PC. If not I believe the USB to Bluetooth dongles are cheap.
My $.02.
Mark Magee
Kemah TX USA
90 Carat 95K miles
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Bruce Nadig
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 4:44 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: GPS Advice (NVC)
Howdy All,
Sadly, I am going through a divorce. Consequently I am going to pack up some
of my stuff and move to Seattle (from Austin, Texas).
I think that I'd like to get a good GPS unit for the trip and for learning
my way around Seattle.
What advice can those of you who have GPS units give? Please specify make
and model number.
Currently I am leaning toward a Garmin c340. I've also considered the Garmin
c330. Anything else I should consider? One feature I haven't been able to
find (or I have just overlooked it), is a unit that displays latitude and
longitude as well as all the mapping info.
Thanks in advance!
Cheers,
Bruce
motorbruce@hotmail.com
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