GPS Software Round-Up

bajaguy · 12-08-2003, 05:31 PM

I am trying to make a compilation of the gps software that I've seen been talked about here.

Destinator 3 - $199(guess!) - NavTech - http://www.destinator1.com/products.emb

Copilot 2003 - $399 - NavTech - http://www.alk.com/products/consumer...top7/index.asp

RandMcnally StreetFinder & TripMaker Deluxe Suite - $49.99 - I believe they use their own map database - http://www.randmcnally.com/

Delorme Street Atlas 2004 - $49.95 - Same here, I think they use their own DB - http://www.delorme.com/streetatlasusa/

Routis 2004 - $94.50 - NavTech - http://www.deluo.com/Merchant2/merch...tegory_Code=GS

Mappoint 2004 - $299 - Geographic Data Technology, Inc. (GDT) and Navigational Technologies (NavTech) - http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/default.mspx

Streets & Trips 2004 - $29.95 ARB - I think all MS products share the same sources of information. Please correct me if I'm wrong - http://www.microsoft.com/streets/default.asp

iGuidance - $99 - NavTech - http://www.inavcorp.com/products.htm

AutoRoute 2004 - http://www.microsoft.com/uk/homepc/a...e/default.mspx UK and Europe Only
Infomap Navigator - http://www.directions.ltd.uk/products.php Europe Only
TomTomNavigator - http://www.tomtom.com/products/index...y=1&Language=4 PDA Only

Please rate if you could these pieces of software. Add to your reply which one you use, why and if you'd buy it again. I didn't add much information to the last three, since they would be in different currency and I'm not personally interested in a PDA solution either. But, please add any comments to them if you want. Thanks gals and guys.

wi77iam · 12-08-2003, 09:41 PM

I have MapPoint 2004 and Street Atlas (2003 not 2004). MapPoint is better for the display and accuracy. When you add AGPS to give autorouting and voice prompts, it is hard to beat. SA has nice voice commands and prompts.

cdm · 12-08-2003, 09:53 PM

streets and trips 2004. personally i cannot justify any of the features of map point over s&t2k4. but then again, i am biased...

Ricky327 · 12-08-2003, 10:18 PM

Im using Altriuon 5 pro

http://www.alturion.com

Most menu are customisible, very nice 3D graphics, good routing and reroute, clear voice guidance, lots of POI with logos, lots of features such as TMC/RDS, search is not so good.

Tomtom Navigator 2 :

Is still the best navigation around for PDA. Good and fast route and re-route, does postcode search, will find the safest way to for you to do a U-turn, very clear voice guidance, very clear 3D graphics. Destinator II PDA/PC is no where near it.

Infomap Navigator :

Too buggy, probably the worst software I ever tried.

ROUTE 66 Navigate 2004 is out :

http://www.66.com/route66/products.php?cid=UK

I havent seen or tried it but the older version without the navigation is fairly solid, Ill say its better than Autoroute.

inniss777 · 12-09-2003, 02:01 AM

I think that Delorme maps is not so good for in car GPS. The street names somtimes do not show up when you are approaching the intersection. You have to pan down the street a couple of blocks sometimes for the street name to appear.

Superduck · 12-09-2003, 03:14 AM

So, which of these covers the most area? How well do they work in Canada? Just major cities, or do they work in rural areas too?

Is there a decided winner in the GPS wars? It seems like everyone has a different opinion. What's routinely the best? Or, at least, which ones are a definate to avoid?

Thanks,

Kris

bajaguy · 12-09-2003, 11:14 AM

Well, I'm looking for the best solution. If I'm going to be looking at a 7" screen while driving, it'd better be damn good and easy to use. Specially if it costs a couple hundred $$$. I've used Mappoint and Streets & Trips, and they have quite a few limitations for in-car operation. I'm currently considering Destinator, CoPilot (too expensive!!) and Routis. Has anybody actually used the software (whichever one you use) while driving?

Ben

inniss777 · 12-10-2003, 01:19 AM

I heard that Iguidance is pretty good but Iwould like to see some more picks on it thoe.

carabuser · 12-10-2003, 02:01 AM

I use Street Atlas 2003, I would say it's okay. I'll five 3 out of 5. It's not too accurate and as Inniss said sometimes it doesn't show all of the streets' names. It does have some nice features tho, like your speed limit

I only used Mappoint for couple of minutes tho, so it's hard for me to compare AS to anything.

Falken · 12-10-2003, 01:18 PM

Hi Ricky327, you must have had a really bad experience with Navigator. Only used it once before giving up on it?
The package is excellent value for money at £125 for the European version and GPS. I think that the product does reflect that price to some extent. It's not perfect, not by a long way but then it's only £50 for the software. The feature list is really impressive for a budget system, full postcode searching, POI database, voice directions, auto recalc of routes if you go off-route, head-up or north-up maps, etc, etc
Ok, I've got a vested interest as I sell it but I also use it extensively. It has saved me hours of searching for out of the way addresses.

Download the latest version, you may be pleasantly surprised.

www.action-replay.co.uk

nomore · 12-10-2003, 01:34 PM

I'm installing Navigon Mobile Navigator Europe on my car PC now. I've tested it on my laptop and it works great. Before I was using Alturion, but it had too many buttons and too little map :-(. I'll post some screenshot's when I'm done.

I experienced that 2D works better for me then 3D.

Ricky327 · 12-10-2003, 03:21 PM

Before I was using Alturion, but it had too many buttons and too little map

You can remove almost all the button you dont need in Alurion by customising it. The map can be expanded by removing as much button as you want...you can have 2D-3D or either one. Not sure which version of Alturion you are using but im taking about V5 Pro. I did found the rotating 3D view quite difficult to follow at first. Now I only use 3D mode when following instructions

Ricky327 · 12-10-2003, 03:37 PM

Falken,

Yes I did have a very bad experience with it. I didnt try it on long distance but I did gave it many chances on short distance around my area. It sure navigate well enough when you follow the instruction correctly. Trying to follow it exactly on a complicated long distance become imposible since you bound to make mistake...drive past a turning, road block, legal turning not possible. When the software needs to reroute thats when the trouble starts. It sometimes stops the turn-by-turn voice instructions.

As you said theres a new update now, I dont know how much it improved. I probably had the first generation with many bugs. The s/w do have alot of feature for the price. Only if most of the major bugs has been ironed out before the software got realeased then I guessed it would have been a different story.

I agree you would naturally depend the software you sell and I dont mean to put it down as I have no reason to. Im just trying to tell other poeple in what I saw.

Godis4unme · 12-11-2003, 01:16 PM

I personally have the Deluo CF GPS Receiver and the Routis 2004 software which includes US and Canada and can be used on a PPC or laptop. You can purchase at www.deluo.com. Customer support is outstanding.

Have used it in San Diego, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Orlando, Washington DC and Maryland. Awesome. It provides voice directions (at a decent rate; not annoying at all). It rerouts you automatically if you make a wrong turn or are forced to make it due to traffic jam, construction, etc. You can find POI's (Points of Interest) like airports, banks/ATM's, entertainment, gas stations, emergency (hospitals/police), hotel/motel, parking, restaurants and shopping. You can find these by distance or alphabetical order. You can find places by address or intersection. It also has a very cool 3D view with 3 different angles. Go to www.deluo.com for a demo and a view of the screens.

Highly recommended.

Regards, Andres

Godis4unme · 12-11-2003, 01:26 PM

Also, you might want to check the following link: http://www.gpspassion.com/en/software/NavOverview.htm

Regards, Andres