PCWorld - Always Good For a Laugh!

[Darren]

You have to hand it to PCWorld, they are by far the biggest and best known computer outlet in the UK yet despite all that they never fail to amaze with their hopelessness!

I popped into my local newsagent today to buy a paper and noticed that this month's edition of Stuff Magazine (the gadget junkies bible) had a PCWorld Supplement called 'Your Guide to Portable In-Car Navigation Systems'. naturally I bought a copy to see what the esteemed PCWorld had to say.

Well let me say I was surprised, hats off to PCWorld as the supplement which turned out to be little more than a catalogue for their Sat Nav offerings was even worse than even I had anticipated!! They have got TomTom GO's with Navman SmartST on the display, they have HP iPAQ 2715's listed as TomTom Nav 5 but clearly showing Navman SmartST, they have a Navman PiN 570 which appears to be running TomTom Nav 5 and a HP iPAQ 3715 AA Navigator bundle running Navman SmartST!

Now I know that mistakes occur but nearly ever one of the screen shots for the items they claim to be experts in selling is completely wrong! If I were the GPS companies whose products were featured I would be hopping mad and it just reinforces the opinion that PCWorld knows very little about the market they operate in.

Interestingly there is an article detailing a users experience with a GO 500 that navigated her from Liverpool to the hotel door in Istanbul, Turkey. Whilst I am aware that coverage of some additional Eastern European countries is in the pipeline it is not available yet nor will it be high detail, more likley similar in depth to MRE maps. I wonder how this user managed to get Turkey mapping?
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Darren Griffin

[SueC]

What a refreshing message to read! I've been looking to buy my first ever PDA/Sat Nav system and went into PC World today. I saw that catalogue and found it confusing to say the least! As a complete novice to all this, it wasn't much help - nor were their staff. I'm interested in the Navman Pin 570 - they didn't have it in stock, but the salesman (perhaps he'd seen the brochure pic) insisted it had TomTom software in it and proceeded to give me a TomTom demo as if it was Navman. I wasn't sure about this, but don't know any better.

As PC World can't help, perhaps you can help me with advice about the Navman Pin 570 - I can't see a review on your site. Or should I be asking elsewhere? I'm basically after a simple PDA, with the addded advantage of SatNav. The Navman Pin 570, on the face of it, looks like it would do the job I want.

But having browsed through your site (giving me HEAPS more info than PC World could), I see Navman are now using TeleAtlas software. I live in a vaguely rural part of the UK and am concerned my postcode/address won't be in there. Of course, I asked PC World this - but they couldn't help. The only way to find out is to buy it - but they won't let me take it back unless it's faulty. I've been told that some systems use the first four digits of a postcode for their search - but others use five digits. PC World couldn't tell me if Navman 570 has a four or five digit postcode search. Do you know? Or perhaps it doesn't matter. I can't trust PC World's advice, I don't think!

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks!

[Darren]

The Navman PiN 570 is essentially the same as the Navman iCN510 and the updated 520. It differs in using slightly different hardware and having the nav software in ROM.

We've reviewed the iCN510 and much of the comments still apply.

I wouldn't get too hung up on map data, both TeleAtlas and Navteq have date errors, it is very much a fact of life and they'll never be perfect. However, Navman's SmartST does not have full 7 digit PostCode lookup, if you want this go for TomTom. If you check retailers such as TotalPDA or EasyDevices you will find they offer bundles using the Mitac Mio 168 (an integrated PocketPC/GPS) and TomTom which would give you a similar solution to the Navman with TomTom software.
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Darren Griffin

[SueC]

Thanks for that. I'm actually tied to getting something from the PC World chain (have £300 worth of vouchers to spend after buying a PC from there which broke!).They don't actually seem to have much in at the moment - my local store didn't have most of the stuff in that catalogue. Looks like if I want TomTom combined in a PDA though, I'll have to spend more than my £300. I'll have a think......

[Darren]

Does it have to be a PocketPC? The best and most popular GPS road navigation solution is the TomTom GO, a 300 can be had for £370ish.
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Darren Griffin

[alix776]

yep goold ol pcworld only the one near me isnt to bad as one of the guys on hte sales team is a pda user and is quite up the systems unforunatly they saw i had a pocketpc once and tried to sell me a new bundle of tt3 which i was already running so i can play with them any more
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currently using aponia truck navigation on windows phone. Good bye IOS don't let the door hit you on the way out .

Oh the joys of being a courier.
device Lumia 950 xl

[Mikeuk]

Well nothing surprises me about PC World, if you go to their website and click on Hand held and GPS, you get a duff page, it’s been like this for weeks.

[alix776]

might do a bit of mistery shopping next week as im tramping at the moment
just for fun honest
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currently using aponia truck navigation on windows phone. Good bye IOS don't let the door hit you on the way out .

Oh the joys of being a courier.
device Lumia 950 xl

[russgunn]

I shall be popping into PC World tomorrow during my lunch break to pick up a copy of said GPS brochure. I do like a good laugh with my cucumber sandwiches.

Also, is it just me or do others occassionally pop into PC World to test the knowledge of their staff with really easy questions about computers? :D Then laugh out loud when they give the wrong answer! I do have a life by the way.

[Darren]

Ah yes, the old, "Do you have any SCSI Mice in stock"
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Darren Griffin

[alix776]

darren thats to obvious its how can i or will it woarn me of speed cameras
or my favorite does it list bridge height youd be surprised how may say yes


Russgun
i couldnt possibly comment might have to start plying with halfords as there experts as well must have voice going at the same tiime
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currently using aponia truck navigation on windows phone. Good bye IOS don't let the door hit you on the way out .

Oh the joys of being a courier.
device Lumia 950 xl

[trafcam]

I know I've mentioned this before, but my last visit to PC World was where the salesman explained that one advantage of Pocket PC over Palm OS was that with PPC, you can copy your stuff up to a PC. The Palms don't do that, apparently. He wasn't able to explain what the Hotsync routine or the cradle is for. I couldn't seem to get across that if you don't know the answer to a question, say you don't, it's no good just making stuff up.

[hat]

pc world are good at doing what they do - selling stuff in boxes, just don't ask them anything about what's in the box.

actually, to qualify that statement, they're not even very good at doing that as they only ever have one checkout open while the rest of the staff are outside having a smoke 8O

[DPL]

Darren - confirms the view I've always held about PC World. And then there's Comet, Dixons, Currys....
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Garmin C320 & Garmin Quest

[hat]

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