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Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 6:05 am Post subject: Please help with some advice/recommendations :)
Hello,
I'm a complete and total noob who knows very little about this hi-tech gadgetry and could really do with some direction from some generous and clever soul.
My situation is that I'm looking to buy my first GPS thingy (nice technical term there).
I'm going halves with my parents to buy one, so obviously the first requirement is that it is transferable between 2 cars.
Seeing as my parents are paying half the cost, I will obviously never hear the end of it if I buy a dud that they are not at least 80% happy with, so their requirements are probably more important than mine :D
They go to France regularly and will expect to be directed from A to B as well as possible, including pretty minor routes. I've been reading lots n lots about the different features, and one thing I think I need to be aware of is that some makes are better than others for European mapping. I'd also rather not have to buy maps separately. Does this make the Tom Tom 500 or 700 a good choice? Confused about the "Major routes of Europe" vs. "Maps of Wesern Europe" mapping... is one significantly poorer than the other, and does a higher spec Tom Tom Go (500, 700) have the latter included?
I really feel I must apologise at this point, you must answer so many of these questions... and whilst I have read lots of posts, so many contradict one another and I realised that I would feel more confident in researching more and eventually buying if I had put my situation forward for advice.
My major requirement for a GPS system is that I can navigate by using postcodes. I'm not too fussed about 100% accuracy, but I'll be using it for work, and postcodes are by far the easiest bit of information to grab from a client over the phone.
Other stuff that would be good... the whole POI thing and GATSO detector downloads... does all this work with the Tom Tom Go range?
I have considered other products, like the Mio *insert numbers here, 'cos I've forgotten them* and other pocket PC type ones but they seems like they may be a bit fiddly for my parents. The other major contender is the Navman icn510... but I have less idea about navigating western Europe with that and map software etc than I do with the Tom Tom Go (and that's saying something), so I've really pushed that one out of my head (probably quite stupidly) untill I know for sure the Tom Tom Go 500 or 700 isn't for us.
I'm so confused, please help! I will be eternally grateful
Joined: Dec 08, 2004 Posts: 10642 Location: Suffolk, UK
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 8:35 am Post subject: Re: Please help with some advice/recommendations :)
Charlotte wrote:
I'm going halves with my parents to buy one, so obviously the first requirement is that it is transferable between 2 cars.
Most systems that are built-in can be transfered easily between 2 cars, either by removing the mounting unit, or by having 2 mounting units.
Charlotte wrote:
They go to France regularly and will expect to be directed from A to B as well as possible, including pretty minor routes. I've been reading lots n lots about the different features, and one thing I think I need to be aware of is that some makes are better than others for European mapping. I'd also rather not have to buy maps separately. Does this make the Tom Tom 500 or 700 a good choice? Confused about the "Major routes of Europe" vs. "Maps of Wesern Europe" mapping... is one significantly poorer than the other, and does a higher spec Tom Tom Go (500, 700) have the latter included?
The Major Roads of Europe show very basically the Motorways and larger roads for access purposes but not down to Street Level planning.
The Maps of Western Europe allows Street Level planning throughout the countries it covers, but bear in mind that some countries coverage is not very good yet. France is OK though and you would have to switch maps for each country.
If you want seamless mapping for UK and Europe, to Street Level, the TTG 700 is the one you might want to look at. I believe the Navman 510 Premium also covers Europe but whether it is seamless I don't know.
The TTG500 is just a better specified version of the 300 but is not seamless in Europe.
Charlotte wrote:
My major requirement for a GPS system is that I can navigate by using postcodes. I'm not too fussed about 100% accuracy, but I'll be using it for work, and postcodes are by far the easiest bit of information to grab from a client over the phone.
All TTG models using V5.x use Postcode Navigation. I believe the AA Navigator does also, although again I have no experience of it.
Charlotte wrote:
Other stuff that would be good... the whole POI thing and GATSO detector downloads... does all this work with the Tom Tom Go range?
Yes.
Charlotte wrote:
I have considered other products, like the Mio *insert numbers here, 'cos I've forgotten them* and other pocket PC type ones but they seems like they may be a bit fiddly for my parents. The other major contender is the Navman icn510... but I have less idea about navigating western Europe with that and map software etc than I do with the Tom Tom Go (and that's saying something), so I've really pushed that one out of my head (probably quite stupidly) untill I know for sure the Tom Tom Go 500 or 700 isn't for us.
The icon menuing system seems very easy to use and is the same on all the TTG range. The TTG 700 also has a remote which might be helpful. If you have a look at a TTG in a shop you would see how easy it is to set up a route. _________________ Richard
TT 910 V7.903: Europe Map v1045
TT Via 135 App 12.075: Europe Map v1120
Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18 Posts: 5231 Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 9:02 am Post subject:
Oldboy wrote:
If you want seamless mapping for UK and Europe, to Street Level, the TTG 700 is the one you might want to look at. I believe the Navman 510 Premium also covers Europe but whether it is seamless I don't know.
The iCN510 certainly does have seamless cross-border routing, and a remote control. _________________ Tim
Thank you both so much for your help so far, you've managed to clear a lot of the fog :D
So, I think I would definitely need "Maps of Western Europe", I have seen that Tom Tom are releasing a map on an SD card of France soon, but I can't see that it is very good value compared to buying "Maps of Western Europe"?
Could one of you please confirm that "Maps of Western Europe" is not included with either of the more expensive models mentioned (Go 700 or icn510 Premium) as a lot of the sites I have visited simply state Euro routing, or Euro routes included.
I shall have to re-read all the posts comparing the Navman icn510 with the Tom Tom Go range (particularly the 700). I think I'm still leaning towards the Tom Tom Go 700 (when it comes out) as it seems that it may be simpler to operate for my parents without losing any features... only real downer I can see with it so-far is it's bulkiness compared to the Navman.
Oh, one other thing (and I really probably should search the forums first for this) but... I think I read somewhere on here that someone said about the Navman being useable in Australia because the maps for that are made by a New Zealand company, does this mean that the Tom Tom Go range would not be suitable for this, have Tom Tom ever released mapping data for Australia?
Eugh, sorry for being such a pain, thanks again for all your help, I definitely realise now that I will have to pay top penny to get the seamless navigation
Joined: Feb 20, 2004 Posts: 1154 Location: South Lancashire, UK
Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 10:40 pm Post subject:
Hi.
Charlotte wrote:
Could one of you please confirm that "Maps of Western Europe" is not included with either of the more expensive models mentioned (Go 700 or icn510 Premium) as a lot of the sites I have visited simply state Euro routing, or Euro routes included.
The GO 500 will have street level GB plus Major Roads of Europe (MRE) included.
The GO 700 will have street level for the whole of Europe pre-installed.
Charlotte wrote:
Oh, one other thing (and I really probably should search the forums first for this) but... I think I read somewhere on here that someone said about the Navman being useable in Australia because the maps for that are made by a New Zealand company, does this mean that the Tom Tom Go range would not be suitable for this, have Tom Tom ever released mapping data for Australia?
TomTom do not have maps of Australia. Navman however do and have also street level New Zealand.
One of your initial requirements was post code searching.
In this respect the GO wins as it has full 7 digit as opposed to the ususal 5 digit found on all but the latest TomTom and AA navigator.
Charlotte wrote:
Eugh, sorry for being such a pain, thanks again for all your help, I definitely realise now that I will have to pay top penny to get the seamless navigation
Not necessarily. ALL the Navman range have seamless navigation between maps avoiding the need to switch at country borders. This has been one of Navman's strong points. _________________ Ian.
iPAQ 2210 | Navman 4100 BT Receiver
Navman iCN 635
TomTom GO
Anquet OS mapping
Thank you all so much, I have a 100% clearer picture of the capabilities of the models I've been considering and their suitability for my personal needs.
You're all very patient and generous, and I really appreciate the help you've given me.
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who knows very little about this hi-tech gadgetry and could really do with some direction from some generous and clever soul.
and other pocket PC type ones but they seems like they may be a bit fiddly for my parents. The other major contender is the Navman icn510... but I have less idea about navigating western Europe with that and map software etc than I do with the Tom Tom Go (and that's saying something), so I've really pushed that one out of my head (probably quite stupidly) untill I know for sure the Tom Tom Go 500 or 
as it has full 7 digit as opposed to the ususal 5 digit found on all but the latest TomTom and AA navigator.
