Laptop GPS vs. standalone GPS unit

[mattekps]

Hey Guys,

I am new to the 4x4 and GPS scene. I am looking for a GPS mainly for when I go 4x4ing. Just wondering what are the pros and cons of a laptop with a GPS receiver and a standalone GPS unit eg. tom tom GO 910.

Any advice is much apprieiated.

Thanks
MATT

[festy]

The advantages of a standalone GPS navigator unit are price and simplicity.
They are obviously cheaper than laptops - and there's no configuration or setup needed, you just turn it on, punch in an address and off you go.

The disadvantages are cost (if you already have a laptop), lack of flexibillity, small screen, and they're useless once you leave formed roads.

Laptop advantages - huge screen, very flexible (can do a whole lot more than navigate on road) price (if you already have one)

disadvantages - bulky, start up/shut down time, fragile (compared to solid state unit), requires a seperate GPSr, requires a significant amount of power, initial setup of software etc.

A good compromise might be a PDA style navigator - it can give turn by turn directions as well as offroad topographic maps, simple and easy to mount, modest screen size, doesn't mind the bumps like a laptop, and can even be a tax deduction for a lot of people.

[Tassie Tagalong]

The advantages of a standalone GPS navigator unit are price and simplicity.
They are obviously cheaper than laptops - and there's no configuration or setup needed, you just turn it on, punch in an address and off you go.

The disadvantages are cost (if you already have a laptop), lack of flexibillity, small screen, and they're useless once you leave formed roads.

Laptop advantages - huge screen, very flexible (can do a whole lot more than navigate on road) price (if you already have one)

disadvantages - bulky, start up/shut down time, fragile (compared to solid state unit), requires a seperate GPSr, requires a significant amount of power, initial setup of software etc.

A good compromise might be a PDA style navigator - it can give turn by turn directions as well as offroad topographic maps, simple and easy to mount, modest screen size, doesn't mind the bumps like a laptop, and can even be a tax deduction for a lot of people.


Festy,

For those of us that border on technophobia, what is a PDA style navigator. I too am looking for something that I can use for street style navigation as well as something that I can go bush with and mark all the various points along the route so I can find my way back there later.

Can anyone help out with an easy to use product that has voice command and does the above. It would also need to be able to be uploaded with some of the major popular 4Wd tracks like the Simmo and the Cape etc.

Cheers,
Big Pete.

[festy]

PDA, Ipaq, PocketPC, whatever you want to call them.
You can get them with integrated GPS receivers like the ASUS Mypal, or just use any bluetooth or CF GPS receiver with the others.
You can run your choice of voice-prompted navigation programs like Tomtom, Copilot, destinator etc, as well as offroad mapping with Oziexplorer CE.
Of course, it can also do all those things a PDA normally can, like email, play MP3s etc.

[mattekps]

Festy,

Thanks for the advice earlier. What GPS PDA would you recommend and what software for on and off road use? Do I need two different softwares, one for on road and another for off road?

I have tired friends gps's on road. The first one was a Mio GPS PDA with default software. Was not every impressed, often gets lost and sometimes takes the longest possible route. Also have used tomtom go910 also with default software. Worked an absolute dream. Always so accurate. Is the accuracy due to the software or the unit itself?

[Will21]

Why not get both, if you already have a laptop you don't mind taking 4wding then buy something cheap like a Garmin etrek and a data/power cable (needs a serial RS232 or Serial to USB converter), you can put something like ozi explorer on your laptop and use the GPS as the receiver. Then if you want to take the GPS for a wonder you've got a bulletproof, basic GPS you can take with you. The downside is you only have a track displayed on the GPS, the basic etrek and magellan equivalents don't display map data. If you want something smaller you can get data cables to connect the GPS to a PDA but if you are going to go to that trouble you might as well get a PDA with in built GPS or a GPS receiver for a PDA and do away with all the wires.

[Jules @ Aawen4x4]

mattekps,

There are about as many PDA devices on the market as there are different computers, too many to go into here. If you are looking in this direction then there are two things to consider.
1. Intergrated GPS, will work out of the box (most likely) with city street navigation, you will need to add software to use maps for 4WD tracks, ie OziExplorerCE. They are small and fairly reliable but can be slow. Also when it comes time to upgrade they are a throwawy everything and start again.
2. PDA's with Bluetooth, just about any other PDA out there (just make sure it does have bluetooth) and a bluetooth GPS reciever, plus some software, OziExplorerCE again and Destinator for street mapping. The bluetooth gps unit is about the size of a mobile phone and is battery operated. Mine worked realy well until I decided that it was recieving poor signal and I would check how it went on the roof, it worked fantastic on the roof until I drove off and lost all signal. I believe that it is still there somewhere burried in 3 feet of mud.

Just consider that PDA's have very small screens and I do not know how good your eyesight is but it got very difficult for me to read sometimes.

Jules @ Aawen 4x4

[Patrolman Pat]

mattekps, I have a stand alone GPS with built in maps (Magellan Meridien) the maps are good in the number of tracks etc but very hard to read, Navman PDA for street navigation around tthe cities (gets used every day at work), the PDA has also got OziExplorer CE loaded but I rarely use that. Whayt i have found works best for me is to hook the GPS to the laptop and run the full version of OziExplorer but I keep the laptop out of the way and use an 8" touch screen monitor. This way you get the full benefits of the Ozi software with a good sized screen.

[kevshaz]

Hi Matt

I run a HP E-Vectra computer under the seat. These are a home computer but small and powered by a 12 to 19v converter. Coupled with a Garmin GPS18 and an 8inch touch sceen mounted on the dash. Gps signal is split via a program called GPS-Gate and allows me to run garmins mapsource with N-route for street by street voice navigation, Ozi for off road, and the Magellan's Discover Aus program for just the hell of it. All runs at once and can switched from program to program by just one touch on the screen. Advantage of computer is it's quick, real quick. Sold my hand held GPS as this set up beats it easy. Also cost well under $500 (all from E Bay)to set up without programs. Hard drive has handled so far the Pryenee's, Mt Cole, Oddnadatta, Mt Dare and a few other trips as well. So far no probs and the wife finds it easy to use.

Catch Ya
Kev

[RoddQLD]

I originally considered buying a GPS receiver unit that connects to a PC and using that setup. Later, I changed my mind and decided to go for a handheld GPS (Garmin eTrex) and connect it to my 2nd hand laptop. This ended up being my best option because I can use the laptop setup with the GPS for full screen mapping, or I can carry the GPS on it's own for bushwalking (metal detecting), etc, where a full-on map isn't needed. The laptops DVD player keeps the kids amused on long highway trips.

I don't like leaving stuff in the car (or fitted to the car) while it's not needed, so it all is removed. On 4WDriving holidays I take the laptop and handheld GPS and away I go.
This is the ideal setup for what I want and what I need.

BTW. I have not had any problems at all with using laptops, and I have seen them on eBay for a few hundred dollars. My first laptop was only an IBM 800mhz and ran the GPS and software perfectly well.

[hillbilly123]

Well in town I use a Nokia N70 mobile phone with TOMTOM mobile 5 on it, turn up the sound and you dont need to look at the screen any way. For further afield I have a laptop with Copilot, mounted on a POD III mount and use the same Bluetooth GPS Receiver, works a treat. Just the phone is easier in town as its a bit hard to hide the laptop from the greedy needys.
:thumb:
One thing if you stick it all in your pocket when you go shopping you get a few funny looks when your pants say"Do a U turn now".:crazy: :D

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BT-338-BT338-SiRF-Star-III-Bluetooth-GPS-Receiver_W0QQitemZ160122899953QQihZ006QQcategoryZ3 4290QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem