How can you decide which system to get?

DavidH · Regular Visitor Joined: Feb 06, 2004 Posts: 78

I have been following the forum for some months, but I feel trapped in a Catch-22. Can anyone help or suggest a way forward?

1. Some people hate Navigon's interface, think TMC useless and like TomTom.
2. Others love Navigon, think TMC is vital and don't like TomTom.

The Forum, despite being a wonderful and invaluable tool, doesn't seem to come to any conclusion. It may just be personal views of course.

So a sensible person would want to try them before spending £4-600. But it seems we can't, as TomTom and (I think) Navigon won't allow you to return it if the software has been used - but how can you try it if you don't use the software???
Naturally there are Piracy issues, but it shouldn't be difficult to - for example - provide a one week only version for download to try.

So:
"Get the Aldi and try it" I thought as Vicky found they honoured their 'any return within a year' policy, but they sold out within 45 minutes of opening, and you can't ring the stores to find out if they still have one. I don't see how a working man can ever get one!!!

Any suggestions as to how to get any further? I appreciate that the Pocket PC part of the package is transferrable, and I presume the GPS mouse usually is, so do I just have to gamble on one software, try it and throw it away if no use?

lbendlin · Posted: Wed May 19, 2004 6:14 pm Post subject:

yes, that's pretty much your situation. Some remarks/thoughts

- read the reviews
- make a list of what is important to you personally (which features you absolutely need and which you can live without)
- find a friend who has TomTom or Navigon and try it out with their Pocket PC
- purchase both packages and then sell the one you don't like on eBay ...
_________________
Lutz

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DavidW

DavidH · Regular Visitor Joined: Feb 06, 2004 Posts: 78

DavidW · Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 12:57 pm Post subject:

Unless things have changed, Orange offer GPRS Internet access on the pre-pay tariffs, charging GBP4 per MByte (which will go a long way with TomTom Traffic). The problem will be procuring a suitable phone - I'm not sure that Orange sell any pre-pay phones with Bluetooth and a built in 'modem'. You could try to buy something like a Nokia 6310i, of which there's probably plenty of examples around second-hand, though I think it has now gone out of production. I'm delighted with my 6310i - it's been my main phone for nearly two years now.

Personally, I couldn't imagine being without GPRS Internet access (in my case on Vodafone contract) - my data bill is often higher than my voice bill. When you have the ability to retrieve an email or find something easily on the web when mobile, I find it makes life a lot easier. One thing that helps a lot is that Pocket Internet Explorer supports WAP, and WAP sites like BT Directory Enquiries work really well on Pocket IE (though you do need GPRS Internet access to use them, as Pocket IE won't work through a WAP gateway).

Obviously as you haven't already got a suitable phone, the fixed costs of getting going with TomTom Traffic will be higher than if you had. You really will need a Pocket PC with Bluetooth and a Bluetooth mobile phone (do check the phone allows external devices to use GPRS over Bluetooth), but both features are becoming increasingly common. I'd price that against the RDS-TMC Navigon setup - bearing in mind that if you went for the Aldi/Medion package and wanted the traffic capable version, you'd need to replace the GPS with the special one that has the RDS-TMC receiver in it.

Don't forget that the GPRS based setup allows you to do other things from your Pocket PC that require a mobile Internet link, whether it's IRC (using something like Pocket IRC), MSN Messenger, Email or accessing the web.

Another possibility if you're considering TomTom Traffic is to look round for a second hand, unlocked XDA - which is not a bad Pocket PC, and team it up with an Orange pre-pay SIM for GPRS access. Team that up with a wired GPS and that could be a viable solution.

The reason for suggesting a second hand Pocket PC Phone Edition is that buying a new one probably doesn't make much sense unless you're prepared to go onto contract to get an equipment subsidy. Unfortunately most low end contracts tend to have high GPRS prices.

I'm quite happy with my Vodafone Business / GPRS Select contract, which costs me 14 pounds per month with no bundled minutes, but GPRS is GBP2.35 per MByte, and calls 10p/minute peak, 5p/minute off-peak - cross-network is more but I don't call non-Vodafone mobiles. Unfortunately this deal is no longer available - to get that kind of GPRS pricing now you have to pay upwards of 25 pounds per month.

Anyway - I hope that fills you in. If you're prepared to forego traffic awareness (which is still pretty new to the market and carries a considerable price premium), you'll probably pay a lot less.

David

Alastair · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 24, 2004 Posts: 1

Hi
The TCM Medion bundle seems to be identicle to the Halfords one, and they let you take it home & play & offer a full, unconditional money back guarentee. THe online store is sold out, but manu shops still have them in. There is a shop locator on their site, several stores around.
HTH
Al

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