Best 2007 GPS software for Laptop?

popztarr · 06-18-2007, 05:29 AM

These days I'm spending some time in research of what GPS software to use with my laptop. I've for quite some time now used Mapmonkey, Freedrive and Garonav, which is based on Destinator 3. It has been a good solution to me up to now, but the problem now is the maps.

1) Mapmonkey and the two others are all based on the Destinator 3 SDK, and the Destinator 3 maps. The maps are begining to become old, and doesn't match whats out there on the roads anymore.

2) There is a Destinator 6, but as far as I know, there is no SDK and programs developed to use it on a laptop, only on PDA's?

3) Iguidance is after what I know now a real choice for us living in Europe, as there are no maps for this region?

4) Then there is Pc Navigator 6, but which are not possible to get windowed in Roadrunner. And then there is the problem with the POI's, that it not seledt the neareast POI's, rather an alphabetical list. I know there is a version 7, and that some people are working with, regarding windowing and skins...

5) Centrafuse is maybe a good option, but I don't know much about it.

6) The same goes for Streetdeck...

So what other possibilities are there out there for GPS software on a laptop?
- It has to have possibillity to be windowed in a Frontend,
- have up to date maps,
- show much GPS-information - the possibillity to choose what or how much information you want showed on your screen (PC Navigator only have 2 infopanels),
- the POI's must showed so you get the nearest first and so on, not alphabetical.
- and of course BIG buttons and easy and logical menus - without to much buttonpushing into submenus before you get what you want.

DarquePervert · 06-18-2007, 05:43 AM

Laidback · 06-18-2007, 05:59 AM

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/soft...convertibility

popztarr · 06-18-2007, 06:16 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Laidback

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/soft...convertibility

Guess Destinator 6 goes on laptop/PC after all?

wywywywy · 06-18-2007, 08:02 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by popztarr

1) Mapmonkey and the two others are all based on the Destinator 3 SDK, and the Destinator 3 maps. The maps are begining to become old, and doesn't match whats out there on the roads anymore.

Totally agree, but it integrate really well. Some people managed to use Destinator 6 maps with Destinator 3.

Quote:

2) There is a Destinator 6, but as far as I know, there is no SDK and programs developed to use it on a laptop, only on PDA's?

CentraFuse uses Destinator 6 (or rather, its SDK), which is really nice. Not cheap though! The high price is due to Navteq as far as I know.

Quote:

3) Iguidance is after what I know now a real choice for us living in Europe, as there are no maps for this region?

They may do Europe maps again when iG4 comes out?

Quote:

4) Then there is Pc Navigator 6, but which are not possible to get windowed in Roadrunner. And then there is the problem with the POI's, that it not seledt the neareast POI's, rather an alphabetical list. I know there is a version 7, and that some people are working with, regarding windowing and skins...

But PC Navigator 7 is out! All those problems are fixed, and it can be used in an embedded environment too! Hopefully a front-end will be developed very soon. Not cheap but not too expensive either. (£99 as far as I can remember)

Quote:

5) Centrafuse is maybe a good option, but I don't know much about it.

CentraFuse uses Destinator 6. The only problem is the price. (US$300+)

Quote:

6) The same goes for Streetdeck...

The current version of StreetDeck uses MapPoint... which isn't ideal

I think they are working on integrating other engines into StreetDeck though!

And there are still other options which ain't very mature:
- Navigon NavigatoR 2.0
- Navigon NCK 5.0 (this is the release prior to NavigatoR 2.0)
- TomTom or any PDA software within a PPC emulator

popztarr · 06-18-2007, 06:52 PM

Great walkthrough there by wywywywy!

But what are cons about Navigon Navigator 2?

I forgot to mention that the navigation system should support fotoboxes! Downloaded the trialversion of Centrafuse today, does CF support fotoboxes?

And it would for me be lovely with a speedometer that is a little bigger... (CF just shows KM/H with very small and tiny fonts - don't like it, almost impossible to see when should concentrate on keep your car on the road)

Are there maybe other skins for Centrafuse???

wywywywy · 06-19-2007, 02:41 AM

Cons about the NavigatoR 2... Hmm... no front end available for it yet? Another downside is that it is not very popular at the moment which means there might not be much software support for it in the future.

What are fotoboxes???

I am sure some skins for CF would have bigger speedometer... or may be you should look at the dashboard on your car!!

popztarr · 06-19-2007, 07:21 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by wywywywy

What are fotoboxes???

fotoboxes=speedcams

grave · 06-19-2007, 12:47 PM

CF uses Destinator 6 and yes you can add speedcams as favorites in Destinator 6. You also can define different voices alerts for any family of favorites.

This isn't possible with Navigon (NCK5 or Navigator2) but it's a very good soft with TMC capabilities.

Some french users have this solution : Duplicate GPS Port then use an old soft GPS as MIchelin to get alerts...

Destinator the Best...

ccsnet · 06-19-2007, 01:38 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by grave

CF uses Destinator 6 and yes you can add speedcams as favorites in Destinator 6. You also can define different voices alerts for any family of favorites...

Heres how....

http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/s...32&postcount=7

Terran

jonessc · 06-19-2007, 03:51 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by wywywywy

But PC Navigator 7 is out! All those problems are fixed, and it can be used in an embedded environment too! Hopefully a front-end will be developed very soon. Not cheap but not too expensive either. (£99 as far as I can remember)

Has this problem definetley been fixed

? - the last i heard is no one had been sucessfull in embedding it into Road Runner. If its sorted im so out to buy a copy!

BMW.P · 06-20-2007, 03:25 AM

With great interest reading this topic. Also looking for a new new Nav.prog. At the moment I use Iguidance 2 because it can make trips through different countries. In my memory Destinator 3 couldn't do that.

What about Destinator 6? Can it navigate through different countries or do you have to load a new map when you cross a border? Any other software that can navigate through several countries without reloading maps?

wywywywy · 06-20-2007, 03:47 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by jonessc

Has this problem definetley been fixed

? - the last i heard is no one had been sucessfull in embedding it into Road Runner. If its sorted im so out to buy a copy!

Front-end has not been created yet but the possibility is there now which version 6 doesn't have.

_dopehead_ · 06-20-2007, 06:14 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by wywywywy

Front-end has not been created yet but the possibility is there now which version 6 doesn't have.

I am in the process of creating a new version of pcnav7 with embedding features (and more) using the sdk, however it requires far more extensive coding than i originally expected, so it could very well be some time before any actual release.

jonessc · 06-20-2007, 04:12 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by _dopehead_

I am in the process of creating a new version of pcnav7 with embedding features (and more) using the sdk, however it requires far more extensive coding than i originally expected, so it could very well be some time before any actual release.

cheers dude i only really want to embed it, the menus il use from within Pc Nav itself, until a workaround is sorted