# What GPS do you use?



## Railman (Jan 19, 2008)

I recently picked up another 20+ subdivisions two + hrs from home. I need a GPS, & have never used one. I'm thinking lifetime map & road updates,with blue tooth gps/phone voice command. I'm thinking sub $300 range.
Any recomendations?
Thanks, Joe


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I use my Android phone. 300 bucks gets you a top end phone and a great GPS. Add GPS apps from the market and you can do everything a stand alone GPS does and have a smart phone as well.


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## SuperiorHIP (Aug 15, 2010)

I've had the same garmin nuvi (760 I think) for around 3 years. Lifetime maps would be good to have and because I recently thought about upgrading I can tell you for sure that you can get a nice one for under $200. My phone has great gps but I like having a separate system.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Garmin.

Word of warning: You can purchase lifetime updates, but Garmin determines how long that life is. My 1450 said the battery should last 7 years with 'average' use. I didn't use it all day, every day.,... maybe 2-3 times a week: and it only lasted 1½ years. Garmin doesn't replace batteries, they sell you a reconditioned unit. And in doing so, you no longer have your lifetime updates available as they are tied to the SN of your device. Another device = buy another lifetime update.

So I bought a replacement battery online, and DIYed the project for $12. Screw Garmin for that scam!!!

I'm sure some day, I'll get an email from Garmin saying they no longer 'support' my model number, therefor updates will no longer be available. And I got a nickel that says that day will come _before_ my alleged 7-year battery was supposed to last.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I would just use a software based system on a phone. I think read that the phone system ones are also more accurate because they can also use cell towers in combination with GPS to give more accurate location plus when your phone is worn out and you get a new one you can still use the software you bought before on the new phone.


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## HeyGuiher (Dec 22, 2010)

I use my navigation app (Google Maps based) on my phone whenever I need to use GPS. I have found it has many of the latest GPS features without the cost.


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## Hardly Working (Apr 7, 2005)

Keep this in mind from the time you first turn it on the clock starts. You normally get 30 days to update your maps. When I first started using mine the maps were already out of date. Roads that had been punched in 5 years ago didn't exist on my GPS. Look into the cost of map updates it's like $70 or more. I've just started using my Droid.


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## summithomeinc (Jan 3, 2011)

I use a Garmin. I have one in each van. I have gps on my phone but it's not near as convienient as having the gps hooked to the windshield.


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

summithomeinc said:


> I use a Garmin. I have one in each van. I have gps on my phone but it's not near as convienient as having the gps hooked to the windshield.


Same here... totally agree... windshield is best spot for me... Just gotta' figure out how to get rid of the "coupons" that pop-up every once in a while...


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

Railman said:


> I recently picked up another 20+ subdivisions two + hrs from home. I need a GPS, & have never used one. I'm thinking lifetime map & road updates,with blue tooth gps/phone voice command. I'm thinking sub $300 range.
> Any recomendations?
> Thanks, Joe


The best one I have is in my Android Thunderbolt phone. Even has traffic. Soooo much better than my Garmin. :thumbsup:


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## mbobbish734 (Apr 28, 2011)

The Android phone does work great as a gps,but the battery sucks. If my battery is almost dead and plug in and run gps for a hrs drive the battery is still dead when unplugged. Basically the gps eats the battery so much the charger can't keep up. I use a Tom Tom in the van bought 3 yrs ago refurbished update all the time for free.


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

I just like a bigger screen at eye level... :thumbsup:


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

mbobbish734 said:


> The Android phone does work great as a gps,but the battery sucks. If my battery is almost dead and plug in and run gps for a hrs drive the battery is still dead when unplugged. Basically the gps eats the battery so much the charger can't keep up. I use a Tom Tom in the van bought 3 yrs ago refurbished update all the time for free.


Get a 2+ amp charger for your phone. Some are as little as 500mah chargers and they only just supply enough current to charge phone with the screen on.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

I have the extended battery and a use a blue tooth. I get the directions given right through the blue tooth.

I also keep the phone plugged in when in the truck


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

jb4211 said:


> I have the extended battery and a use a blue tooth. I get the directions given right through the blue tooth.
> 
> I also keep the phone plugged in when in the truck


Yeah, but then you can't follow the bouncing ball or the feet or the eagle flying, etc... :laughing:


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

KAP said:


> Yeah, but then you can't follow the bouncing ball or the feet or the eagle flying, etc... :laughing:


you right, your right :laughing:


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## mbobbish734 (Apr 28, 2011)

BCConstruction said:


> Get a 2+ amp charger for your phone. Some are as little as 500mah chargers and they only just supply enough current to charge phone with the screen on.


Thas to much juice. They are usually limited to under 700ma for longevity of the batt. Try to stick with what your battery mah rating is. Example 3.7 v 1300 mah / max rate of charge =1.3 amp.


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## Robs660 (Jan 15, 2012)

I have Garmin in every truck. I only update the maps every 2 years or so and it's not that expensive.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

mbobbish734 said:


> Thas to much juice. They are usually limited to under 700ma for longevity of the batt. Try to stick with what your battery mah rating is. Example 3.7 v 1300 mah / max rate of charge =1.3 amp.


Makes no difference with li-po cells which most phones use. You can goto 5C with most li-po with no issue of getting hot so 2-3C will be fine. I charge my li-po cells at 10C at times and charge my iPhone with the iPad charger every time I charge.


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## mbobbish734 (Apr 28, 2011)

BCConstruction said:


> Makes no difference with li-po cells which most phones use. You can goto 5C with most li-po with no issue of getting hot so 2-3C will be fine. I charge my li-po cells at 10C at times and charge my iPhone with the iPad charger every time I charge.


Been using lipos for a few years now with rc cars,trucks and helicopters and it will eventually kill the batt. I do it here and there being impatient but it does ruin them.:thumbsup:


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

mbobbish734 said:


> Been using lipos for a few years now with rc cars,trucks and helicopters and it will eventually kill the batt. I do it here and there being impatient but it does ruin them.:thumbsup:


Trust me before they fail you would have already had 2-3 phones. i have been using li-po for over 10 years now and not had one fail due to charging at rates of 5-10C whats much much worse for them is letting them drop below cut off voltage. i think the one i use to charge my iphone is 2amp and its the one apple recommends and im sure apple cells aint any different than the other brands cells. most tool battery chargers charge at 2-2.5c and you can get 1000-2000 charges from them and thats from li-ion let alone li-po. i charge every 2-3 days on my phone so thats about 8 years of phone charges before it would fail at even 1000 charges.


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## mbobbish734 (Apr 28, 2011)

BCConstruction said:


> Trust me before they fail you would have already had 2-3 phones. i have been using li-po for over 10 years now and not had one fail due to charging at rates of 5-10C whats much much worse for them is letting them drop below cut off voltage. i think the one i use to charge my iphone is 2amp and its the one apple recommends and im sure apple cells aint any different than the other brands cells. most tool battery chargers charge at 2-2.5c and you can get 1000-2000 charges from them and thats from li-ion let alone li-po. i charge every 2-3 days on my phone so thats about 8 years of phone charges before it would fail at even 1000 charges.


That's cool, just don't blow yourself up. 1c max charge on a lipo. That's what I know and that's what's safe. Check out YouTube and watch the idiots over charge thier lipos.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

mbobbish734 said:


> That's cool, just don't blow yourself up. 1c max charge on a lipo. That's what I know and that's what's safe. Check out YouTube and watch the idiots over charge thier lipos.


Im not sure what packs you have seen that only allow to charge at 1C but they must be some kind of grade C packs which are not suitable for much else than the trash can or to have some fun with by shorting out. My current packs i use are all tested to be 10C capable but these are all grade A cells in these packs just like the ones in phones but just many more of them. Even Apple sell chargers that charge at 2C for the iphone but they are double the cost of the standard chargers last time i looked.

heres my last cell that went up in flames whilst in my car. thatw as fun trying to get that out whildt it was spitting balls of fire out about 5ft


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

I drive a Chevy with factory GPS. If the address doesn't come up I call OnStar and they download the address into my GPS for me.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

TimNJ said:


> I drive a Chevy with factory GPS. If the address doesn't come up I call OnStar and they download the address into my GPS for me.


And then they send the Black Helicopters to make sure you are being a good little Citizen. No thanks. That's one of the reasons I haven't been looking at the new Chevy's lately. Well, that and I have no money.

At least when I use my Android, it is only Google making sure I am a good little happy consumer of products that I may or may not want to buy.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

TimNJ said:


> I drive a Chevy with factory GPS. If the address doesn't come up I call OnStar and they download the address into my GPS for me.


How's did that work then. The Chevys we have only allow turn by turn for nav and have nothing to do with the nav unit in the vehicle which needs a disc to update the map packs?


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## Railman (Jan 19, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies!:thumbsup:
It looks like it's about 50/50 on using dedicated vs smart phones. I will probably go dedicated simply for the fact that different people will be using the gps, in multiple vehicles. I myself need a big screen, so I'll probably opt for the 5" models. 
I do like the idea of being able to use Google maps while on the fly though. I just like big maps!
Joe


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

I use dedicated because my phone dies quick enough and rings and rings and rings and rings and you get it.


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## Railman (Jan 19, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies.
I ended up with a Samsung Galaxie Nexus with Droid Ice Cream Sandwich o.s. through Verizon ($100 plus 2 yr contract). :thumbsup:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/...mp=KNC-58700000016971015&selectedPhoneId=5801

I've had it for about 1 week. I've used the gps for about 600 mile of measuring & deliveries. It's been next to perfect. I just speak the location into phone, & it comes up with location options. The majority of the time it comes up with the right location 1st try. A couple times I ended up typing location instead, probably because of a pronunciation glitch, or incorrect town for subdivision. It gives voice turn by turn, & adjusts routs on the fly if you make an alternate turn. It shows live traffic slow downs, which is a huge helpduring rush hour.

I don't know why I waited so long to get a GPS, but I have a long way to go before I begin to use this phones potential. I think my wife & I will have to do a class to get up to speed.:whistling
Joe


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Q; How does one talk on their phone and run a GPS app at the same time?


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## mnjconstruction (Oct 5, 2008)

I got a tom tom. Got it on sale at the walmart for 79 bucks. i also have gps on my phone but I kind of like that tom guy. he usally gets me pretty close to were I need to be. I have had it for couple years, still works great


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

480sparky said:


> Q; How does one talk on their phone and run a GPS app at the same time?


You shouldn't be talking on the phone while driving. :jester:


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Q; How does one talk on their phone and run a GPS app at the same time?


Hands free. I did it yesterday as my stupid map pack on my truck don't have some roads. 

Phone connects to Bluetooth on sync. Phone sits where I can see it and GPS still functions through a call. Audio from directions stops coming through the speakers in truck but can still see the nav screen on phone.


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