First Impressions of v7 on the x980t

jonandmarkuk

To start with the sotware comes across as being a complete rewrite, rather than just a patch of v6.5

GPS lock - I find the software seems to lock onto sats much quicker now and even gets signals in the house now where v6 didn't. No idea how the tunnel mode works as just realised we don't really have many tunnels where I live.

New Interface - The menus are much nicer but could still do with a little work as sometimes you find yourself knowing the option you want but can't remember what submenu the option is in.
I like the improved search options for POI's, it would be useful if you could search more than one POI catagory at a time as sometimes it's hard to know what catagory you need to look in for the non Michelin POI.
It would be nice if TTS could be implemented for reading out the ViaMichelin POI descriptions.

Routing options - I like the way it's easier to switch between screens without loosing the programmed destination and once you remember where it is the 'reverse route' option is a quick way to well reverse the route Laughing

I would however like to see the ability to program roads / areas to avoid. (some areas of Nottingham I wouldn't even want to be driving through)

Map GUI - I love the fact the new software makes much better use of the nice large screen on the x980t. v6 seemed to somehow make the map smaller than my old Navman which had a smaller screen size to start with. But now the map is nice and large and you can see so much more of the map while still retaining the handy pacman view for junctions and roundabouts.

Maps - All I can say is it's time TeleAtlas actually implement the corrections reported to them years ago, especially on roads where junctions have changed or no longer accessable to cars. (TeleAtlas provided POI's are also very out of date)
TeleAtlas really need to explain why the 2nd 2007 maps still seem out of date as it really reflects badly on the GPS. For most people they will simply blaim the GPS and possibly sell the Michelin and go elsewhere not knowing the same issues would exsist on another GPS with TeleAtlas maps.

GPRS / Bluetooth - Not really had chance to try this out fully as my new mobile which works with GPRS (SE w910i) has now been hidden away for Christmas but what I have been able to try looks really good.
Not had chance to fully try Handsfree but if it works as well as v6 then it's really good.
Now what would be good is if with the Bluetooth handsfree connection voice commands could be implemented so you could say 'GPS home' Laughing

Safety functions - Really nice extras, not been able to try them fully. However not all of the functions have TTS implemented which is a real shame as on the x980t it would be nice for TTS to be implemented for as much as possible.
The speed warner may get turned off soon as clearly TeleAtlas have not recorded the speeds of the roads correctly. It was warning me that I was going too fast on a 40mph road doing the speed of the road, whats funny about this is the fact the road was previously a 60mph road. One function that I may have to turn off unless Stu is able to get TeleAtlas to sort out the mapping issues. (This is one time where I think TeleAtlas being brought out by TomTom or Garmin could be a good thing as at least the quality of the maps should improve).
Also very odd is in the town I live we have 2 primary schools, one being older than the other but both been here for years. On the maps the oldest school is missing and the newer school has incorrectly been given the older school name (COME ON TELEATLAS sort it out your maps are getting beyond silly now).

TMC - Reception with v7 strangly seems better? not sure fully how this is or if I'm imaginging it but it does seem to tune to TMC much quicker. However my first time using TMC it got data that a road was closed which I knew about but strangely still tried to route me down the closed road?

Voice guidence - Instructions in general are improved with extra instructions which are new in v7 like 'at the end of the road' also when coming off a major road onto a slip road it now states 'in 200 yards take the exit on the left then at the island take the 2nd exit' so at least now you know roughly which lane you will need to be in at the upcoming roundabout on the slip road. In v6 it used to leave it too late and you would find yourself having to figure out which lane you need.
So far I'm pleased with the improvements.

MP3 Player - Not sure how much I'll use this but it's a nice feature and handy that it reduces the volume of the MP3 to give the instruction. I can see the MP3 fucntion being more useful on walking tours or the tourist routes to play specific information on POI's.

New PC software - Love the interface and it seems so much easier to use. Although Sync seems very buggy on my laptop often coming up Sync failed.

All in all I love the v7 software as it's such a major improvement over v6.5, ViaMichelin keep up the good work and patch the niggling issues while working on v8.

Hope you find this an honest first impression of v7. Overall I love the new version but admit there are a few things which could do with fixing in patches but I have ever confidence that if these issues are reported they will very likely be fixed.
I'm sure as I use v7 more I'll add more comments too this post, as I'm sure I've not covered all the improvements in v7.

Deepfour · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the report and I will pass it on to our development team.

As for V8 - I know a few things already and its looking good!!
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jonandmarkuk · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:39 pm Post subject:

EddyDC · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 04, 2007 Posts: 150

Also check my impressions at
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=357903

Gmonkey

EddyDC · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 04, 2007 Posts: 150

jonandmarkuk · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:55 am Post subject:

Ive had chance to have a bit more of a play and I really am liking the v7 software, except it seems to not like missing turns. I missed a turn but knew I could get another way, but unlike V6.5 it was almost insistant it was going to get me back onto the origonal route ignoring the fact I could get the way I was going. At one point it even tried to get me to turn right at a set of traffic lights where it clearly showed right turns are not permitted and never have been. (Dig at TeleAtlas again here)

Other than the odd weirdness with v7 I do still love the new software and find the maps much easier to see and follow on the x980t as it makes full use of the screen. If anyone ever tried the x980t with 6.5 you will know that the maps finished up no bigger than smaller screened GPS units when you have the 'pacman' mode on.

EddyDC · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 04, 2007 Posts: 150

I encountered yesterday a strange problem. I wanted to explain somebody which way to go and entered a start and destination and wanted to show the route on the map and the destintation didn't seem to be the one I've entered. It happened a couple of times before I did actually show the correct destination

Deepfour · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:15 pm Post subject:

Hi All

Sorry that I haven't been in touch for a while but to say that we are busy with the Christmas rush would be an understatement.

I just wanted to update everyone on whats going on and how we are stiull working to support you.

I have a meeting on Thursday with Product Management and while I can't promise that all the issues will be cleared up right away, I do have the list from the site (thanks to you all) and will be going through each issue.

Just to let you know the V7.02 update on the web fixes several problems including:

"Slip Road Flaw": Route would take you off some slip roads then back on again.
- Message "Corrupted data" in Content Manager, under Vista
- Dangerous curves indication (left or right) was random
- System would shut down when deleting a stage along route planning
- No route after download of MyViaMichelin via GPRS
- ... and many wording mistakes that were corrected

We will have an update arounf 17th Decenber to V7.03 which will fix the speed camera download issues some people are getiing and other issues - I will post a full list of what this changes when I have it.

I know that some of you have had an issue with creating new folders when you have downloaded V7.02 and would ask anyone who can to email me a screen shot of this error to show to the developers.

I have now got a direct line to one of the chief software developers on the team and any info you give will be directed to him to make any urgent changes which affect the use of the products. Any cosmetic changes you want to recommend will be taken on board and put forward for inclusion in V8 in March but I think we need to sort out errors first.

Thanks to you all for the support,

Regards

Stu
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jonandmarkuk · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:45 pm Post subject:

Have just been doing some tests with the TMC and it does seem to work and divert, but it would seem regardless of the manual or auto setting it always seems to automatically re-route.
Should it be doing this? I noticed that the re-route is because of the closed road but the GPS unit doesn't even advise the road is closed.

I know it had re-routed but I would like the assurance of the display to let me know there is an issue but the GPS has took care of it.

Is this a bug or the way it's been designed to force a re-route on closed roads?

jonandmarkuk · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:23 am Post subject:

Another thing I have seen is the speed camera icons have changed? They are no longer the blue ones like on v6 which used to match the icons on the website but now they are something different that aren't as easy to see.

Can we have the old icons back please as I much prefered the blue ones (that match the website)

EddyDC · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 04, 2007 Posts: 150

As said in http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=62232, I find the POI icons rather small an I guess that the I didn't recognise is the speed cameras. A list of them would be nice.

I general I would say that everything should be bigger. What's the use of putting of as much map as possible on a scren when one can't read it?
I have very good eyes and I need to pay much attention on the screen in order to see it properly, which makes things very unsafe.
I prefer having less map which is more readable when driving, even for the motorway/highway mode.

perussell · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 12, 2006 Posts: 292

EddyDC · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 04, 2007 Posts: 150

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