I intend to take an extended road trip this summer that involves exploring numerous small towns in IL, IN and OH. I am researching my family roots. I will soon be purchasing a smart phone and wonder if there is an advantage to having a dedicated GPS device when GPS apps are available for the phone. Is a dedicated device better in some way? Of course I would like to avoid buying a GPS device if the phone will do the job.
Dedicated GPS vs Smartphone GPS app
- Thread starter Autografe
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I just use Google Navigation on my phone. I have the car dock for it. I did have a dedicated GPS, but they wanted as much as a new one to update it, and it was terribly out of date.
Dedicated GPS- Sits in a handy mount where it's easy to see at all times,much easier to use then dealing with a phone IMO.
Shows a list of places to eat of your choice,such as mexican,chinese,asian,etc and how close they are to you in relation to where your presently located.
Lets you know of slow traffic areas and a detour around it.
Lets you find the lowest gas prices,very important when taking a trip IMO.
Shows you points of interest along the the direction you are driving.
Just a few things I find useful with my GPS, I wouldnt leave home without it on a long trip.
Shows a list of places to eat of your choice,such as mexican,chinese,asian,etc and how close they are to you in relation to where your presently located.
Lets you know of slow traffic areas and a detour around it.
Lets you find the lowest gas prices,very important when taking a trip IMO.
Shows you points of interest along the the direction you are driving.
Just a few things I find useful with my GPS, I wouldnt leave home without it on a long trip.
Dedicated does have advantages, and those may differ for different folks. Just research it well as the GPS marketplace is not enjoying the margins it did a few years ago, because a lot of folks don't buy them as much due to excellent GPS functions some smartphones offer nowadays. Main advantage for me is that I do not have to worry whether the phone does multitasking efficiently: no intrusion and conflicts. I drive for living and had experienced poor quality with some dedicated units of late, beware of suspiciously low priced units with lifetime map updates and traffic built in. Data combing is non-existent, time to market is shortened dramatically, they cut corners due to lower margins and sales volumes, etc. There are still excellent units out there, but you have to research well. May be somebody will chime in with positive smartphone experience. Things I like about dedicated units are (not limited to): speed limits display and speed & red-light-full-stop cameras databases. Some pay-for add-on software for smartphones can do these as well, I am not up to date..
A dedicated GPS definitely. A dedicated GPS has more features and a better navigating experience due to it's purpose. A smartphone app is a great back up. The cons of the app are it'll use data. The navigation on all of the smartphones I've had raises the phone temperature significantly over a period if time which can't be good for the phone or battery. I have actually had my first smartphone get so hot it destroyed my battery luckily I took a spare. Also a constant connection to the network is needed with a smartphone google maps will work for a while without one but not forever. With the standalone GPS there is more to keep up with or at least it my case I don't like to leave it in the car.
On the Garmin iPhone app, the map information is downloaded as it is needed. If you drive through a cellular dead zone, it will get lost. The dedicated GPS units store the maps in memory.
I have both, I do like that I can speak the location to the smart phone application rather than type it in. However for general use, the dedicated GPS just seems easier. My smartphone can get too hot in the sun and I have never seen that on a dedicated GPS.
I have both as well, I prefer the iPhone running CoPilot Live USA Premium. It has traffic, gas prices, and it usually picks the best route. On long trips though I turn off the iPhone and keep the TomTom running, once I get local I turn the iPhone back on.
Originally Posted By: pcoxe
.....If you drive through a cellular dead zone, it will get lost. The dedicated GPS units store the maps in memory.
This
My cheapo smart phone doesn't keep up as well as the GPS does when I'm in motion and if I'm in a cellular dead zone, the phone is useless. Now the phone does have the ability to track GPS satellites, but when I enable that the battery gets eaten up like kids going after candy.
Also, the GPS screen will probably be larger than your smatr phone's screen.
.....If you drive through a cellular dead zone, it will get lost. The dedicated GPS units store the maps in memory.
This
My cheapo smart phone doesn't keep up as well as the GPS does when I'm in motion and if I'm in a cellular dead zone, the phone is useless. Now the phone does have the ability to track GPS satellites, but when I enable that the battery gets eaten up like kids going after candy.
Also, the GPS screen will probably be larger than your smatr phone's screen.
I have both -- Google Navigation and a dedicated GPS. I like the features that you can get through Google navigation and maps but for general use, I prefer the navigation installed in the car because it is a 7" screen instead of the 4" screen on the smartphone.
Dedicated. I have GPS on my smartphone and I only use it in a pinch.
Thanks for the input. Problem solved for me, at least temporarily, as my sister is giving me her Garmin. Not sure which model. As I will be getting an Iphone shortly I will have both.
Originally Posted By: Autografe
Thanks for the input. Problem solved for me, at least temporarily, as my sister is giving me her Garmin. Not sure which model. As I will be getting an Iphone shortly I will have both.
You mentioned the costs of updating them as a concern. Many of the newer Garmin's can be had for under $140 and come with life time map updates. Look for one with LMT in the model name. 4 updates per year for free.
I've got a 14xxLMT that I've had for 2 years. 8 map updates since new and all free.
Thanks for the input. Problem solved for me, at least temporarily, as my sister is giving me her Garmin. Not sure which model. As I will be getting an Iphone shortly I will have both.
You mentioned the costs of updating them as a concern. Many of the newer Garmin's can be had for under $140 and come with life time map updates. Look for one with LMT in the model name. 4 updates per year for free.
I've got a 14xxLMT that I've had for 2 years. 8 map updates since new and all free.
Dedicated GPSes are getting much cheaper, mostly because of other technology (smart phones and tablets) now doing their job.
I have CoPilot on both my tablet and smart phone, and I'd say that it's about as good as any dedicated GPS I've used before, like a Nuvi. The data is downloaded to the device, so there is no issue about connectivity, dead zones, or using bandwidth. The CoPilot app cost 20 bucks I think...but if you already have the device (phone, tablet, etc), it's worth it over buying a dedicated GPS I think...which can only do one thing.
Here's my tablet in my CR-V in a custom mount I made. Works beautifully. It's a 7" tablet, so it's not too large. It's not as impressive on a smart phone, I'd have to agree. But with the proliferation of cheap tablets on the market, GPS apps will only get better from here.
I have CoPilot on both my tablet and smart phone, and I'd say that it's about as good as any dedicated GPS I've used before, like a Nuvi. The data is downloaded to the device, so there is no issue about connectivity, dead zones, or using bandwidth. The CoPilot app cost 20 bucks I think...but if you already have the device (phone, tablet, etc), it's worth it over buying a dedicated GPS I think...which can only do one thing.
Here's my tablet in my CR-V in a custom mount I made. Works beautifully. It's a 7" tablet, so it's not too large. It's not as impressive on a smart phone, I'd have to agree. But with the proliferation of cheap tablets on the market, GPS apps will only get better from here.
Originally Posted By: Donald
I have both, I do like that I can speak the location to the smart phone application rather than type it in. However for general use, the dedicated GPS just seems easier. My smartphone can get too hot in the sun and I have never seen that on a dedicated GPS.
GPS's also have the option of speaking to them with your desired destination as well as have hands free blu-tooth phone useage as well.
I have both, I do like that I can speak the location to the smart phone application rather than type it in. However for general use, the dedicated GPS just seems easier. My smartphone can get too hot in the sun and I have never seen that on a dedicated GPS.
GPS's also have the option of speaking to them with your desired destination as well as have hands free blu-tooth phone useage as well.
Dedicated GPS all the way. They do not require data plan and can be left in the car (assume locked in glove compartment) and they will not run out of charges like smart phone do.
Honestly, if my Pioneer AVIC (double din 7" touchscreen) headunit didn't have navigation, I would just use my phone... In fact, Google Maps gets updated far more frequently and has more features, so for any trips I plug in my phone and use googlemaps thru the headunit. Win-Win
I have both as well. Have only used Google nav a couple of times but I had no issues with it at all. I doubt I will purchase another dedicated unit in the future unless I find some issue with the phone based app. It's convinient, usually always with me, have a charger in the car, can get mounts pretty cheap, more current than my dedicated unit...lots of pluses to me.
My new Nokia Lumia 900 has the free Nokia Drive app on it now. The beauty of that is you do not have to be downloading data for it to work. You download the data for the state(s) you want onto the unit, and it works regardless of whether you have cell service or not. I just download the state I want at a Wi-Fi hotspot (Minnesota was around 80 MB or so).
It isn't as polished as many dedicated units, and the logic is often different than mine, but it will get you there!
All that being said, I'd have a hard time spending money on a dedicated GPS anymore. I hadn't yet, and now I have no reason to do so.
I'm also chuckling at the comments about a phone being power hungry when doing GPS. Doesn't a dedicated GPS unit require power from the car? Any reason the cell phone can't be powered the same way? My unit has not become noticeably hot either when doing GPS.
It isn't as polished as many dedicated units, and the logic is often different than mine, but it will get you there!
All that being said, I'd have a hard time spending money on a dedicated GPS anymore. I hadn't yet, and now I have no reason to do so.
I'm also chuckling at the comments about a phone being power hungry when doing GPS. Doesn't a dedicated GPS unit require power from the car? Any reason the cell phone can't be powered the same way? My unit has not become noticeably hot either when doing GPS.
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