What I need isn't made!
Ray
for help in spite of the fact that I have attempted to do as much
research as a prospective GPS buyer. It appears that what I seek just
hasn't been made yet. I'll ask for recommendations based on what my
needs are and I will make some statements on my level of frustration
in my search.
I'm a fisherman and a traveler and I am looking for a GPS that will
serve me in both capacities. I would love a screen size similar in
size to the GPSMAP 175 or the Streetpilot. I'm at that age where I
need reading glasses and I don't want to have to put them on in the
middle of a trip or on a boat with spray flying to read a GPS. Weight
is not a major issue since I don't hike often and when I do, I can
deal with carrying an extra pound. I believe that the wave of the
future will be GPS' with additional memory for the purpose of
downloading data and I would prefer a unit that has that capability
rather than some proprietary & costly card. Of particular importance
is being able to obtain or download very detailed marine charts.
My complaint is that it appears that the GPS makers can accomplish
this but instead seem to dance around giving everything in one unit.
i.e. the Streetpilot has a nice big screen but is not really suitable
for marine use.
I feel like the GPS makers do what the camera makers do. They trickle
out the technology so that they can sell more product to people who
are into the newer technology. I keep feeling that I should wait for
what I want. There's not many new units out there and someone has to
come up with something right soon, don't they? Any advise? Comments?
Thanks to you all for your patience and understanding from this
novice.
Respectfully
Ray
Lawrence Glickman
wrote:
> I'm going to start by pleading ignorance and ask this group
>for help in spite of the fact that I have attempted to do as much
>research as a prospective GPS buyer. It appears that what I seek just
>hasn't been made yet. I'll ask for recommendations based on what my
>needs are and I will make some statements on my level of frustration
>in my search.
>I'm a fisherman and a traveler and I am looking for a GPS that will
>serve me in both capacities.
<snip>
Hi Captain,
If I were you, I would buy 2 gps units. One for Marine Use ( can find
this *category* at www.garmin.com and such ) and another 2nd unit for
the outdoors ( can find this *category* under handheld units at same
URL ).
In the end, you will have the best of both worlds, each designed for a
specific purpose. Trying to get 1 tool to do everything isn't a good
idea. Ever try to hammer a nail with a screwdriver?
Best to get, imho, units that are designed from the start for the
application(s) you are going to use them for.
Good Luck,
SJYD
Stu
someone comes out with an all purpose unit with some decent memory. I
like the GPS III+ but it's as much an antique as my GPS II.
My guess is Sony will have what we all want sooner or later.
Stu
On Wed, 08 Nov 2000 04:24:05 GMT, nitec...@spamoptonline.net (Ray)
wrote:
> I'm going to start by pleading ignorance and ask this group
Thomas Tonino
> My guess is Sony will have what we all want sooner or later.
Sony did have a GPS a number of years ago. It was not popular, rumored
to be insensitive, and disappeared from the market. My bet is that some
devices are quite different across the world. For example in cell phones
(when regarded as am object of desire, not the thing to talk into) don't
do well here. GPS may be even more difficult given the different
possible uses.
For what it is worth,
Thomas
Ray
tase and a beer pocket. Buying 2 GPS units will never make it for me.
Thanks for your advice!
Ray
John Galvin
Sony does have a 16 channel GPS chipset, that is likely used in Japan
market-only auto navigation systems.
John Galvin
Thomas Tonino wrote in message <3A09A4A4...@bio.vu.nl>...
Graham
(Sneakily trimmed and rearranged by myself)
> I'm a fisherman and a traveler and I am looking for a GPS that will
> serve me in both capacities. I would love a screen size similar in
> size to the GPSMAP 175 or the Streetpilot. I'm at that age where I
> need reading glasses and I don't want to have to put them on in the
> middle of a trip or on a boat with spray flying to read a GPS. Weight
> is not a major issue since I don't hike often and when I do, I can
> is being able to obtain or download very detailed marine charts.
In essence the problem is this:
If you want high quality electronic marine charts you must buy them
either as C-charts, G-charts or as data for a PC (if you CAN get it or
can be bothered scanning charts). Incidentally, you can buy chart
digests of large slabs of the Australian coastline in an A3 size book
for Au$50 to Au$60.
C and G charts are two different formats of electronic chart "module"
which can only be used with GPS units designed to take them. One hand
held example is the Garmin GPSMAP175 which uses the Garmin G chart.
So if you want high quality marine data (and you don't want a laptop on
your boat, or you cannot get PC compatible marine charts), you're stuck
with something like the GPSMAP 175 (which was discounted to Au$1249 from
Au$1750 last time I saw one in Australia) or a similarly expensive fixed
mount unit. And then theres the charts.... another Au$300 each!
For comparisons, Au$1 = US$0.52, a Garmin eTrex is about Au$290 and a
Garmin G12XL is about $470 here.
The GPSMAP 175 will at least do most of what the G12XL will do (at 1/3
the price) with a big screen, though it hasn't got the city database and
it will not accept any other maps except the G-charts. So it may be
suitable for your (Ray's) needs, but at a price!
One other alternative is the Garmin G48 which is in essence a G12XL with
a database of lights and bouys, in a white case with an external
antenna. In Australia it's also available for Au$470. It doesn't have
any mapping capability though.
Finally, if you do settle on a non mapping unit, you can download
coastline profiles from the US coastline extraction service into
oziExplorer, convert them to tracks and then download them to your GPS,
though they occupy about 10 track points per km for the 250,000:1
international data, more for the US only 70,000:1 data and less for the
2,000,000:1 international data.
> I believe that the wave of the
> future will be GPS' with additional memory for the purpose of
> downloading data and I would prefer a unit that has that capability
> rather than some proprietary & costly card.
This is the way things are already going, but the trouble at this stage
is content - getting maps other than those provided by the manufacturer
into the units. At the moment, with the exception of the GlobalMap 100,
(and possibly soon the Garmin mapping units) no one has cracked the
uploading software to get custom maps into mapping GPS units.
Meanwhile, *IF* you can carry a laptop, then almost any GPS will provide
the "engine" to drive a navigation package of almost unlimited
sophistication and capacity. Once again, getting hold of maps is the
problem, though now you have access to scanned paper maps too.
> My complaint is that it appears that the GPS makers can accomplish
> this but instead seem to dance around giving everything in one unit.
> i.e. the Streetpilot has a nice big screen but is not really suitable
> for marine use.
The more sophisticated a unit, the more expensive, and the smaller the
market for that particular combination of features. Whilst lots of
boaters "also" use their GPS on the road, it's not a driving (ooops pun
not intended) consideration or something they will pay big dollars for.
Perhaps soon we will be able to get charts on CD or dvd for use in units
like the Hertz Neverlost/Magellan 750, which in turn may be either
remountable or hand held. But it is unlikely, since the market for that
level of sophistication is currently mostly for fixed mount units in
cars (or fixed mount chart plotters in boats).
> I feel like the GPS makers do what the camera makers do. They trickle
> out the technology so that they can sell more product to people who
> are into the newer technology. I keep feeling that I should wait for
> what I want. There's not many new units out there and someone has to
> come up with something right soon, don't they? Any advise? Comments?
Yes and no....
Marine units are really aimed at a very different market to hiking units
and marine chart plotters are almost all fixed mount devices anyway.
> Thanks to you all for your patience and understanding from this
> novice.
Novice - Been There, Done That...
Graham
Melbourne, Australia
doug_a...@my-deja.com
> I would love a screen size similar in
> size to the GPSMAP 175 or the Streetpilot.
> future will be GPS' with additional memory for the purpose of
> downloading data
I'm waiting for a *waterproof* palm-type computer, running WindowsCE
softare with support for a plug-in-the-slot GPS reciever. Oh, and a
wireless modem too.
Doug Adomatis
webm...@waypointwherehouse.com
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Andrew the GPS Nut
--
Andrew K.
Don't drink and internet!
For a different look at GPS, check the GPS NUTS website
www.gpsnuts.com
Graham
> > I would love a screen size similar in
> > size to the GPSMAP 175 or the Streetpilot.
> > future will be GPS' with additional memory for the purpose of
> > downloading data
doug_a...@my-deja.com wrote:
> I'm waiting for a *waterproof* palm-type computer, running WindowsCE
> softare with support for a plug-in-the-slot GPS reciever. Oh, and a
> wireless modem too.
And almost as fast as we place our tongues in our cheeks and make
outrageous suggestions, they appear in the marketplace too.
Don't hold your breath waiting for a waterproof palm device, but you
might like to put off dinner till you've had a play with it....