# Standalone GPS.



## Arttrans (Jul 14, 2015)

Please give some recommendations.


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

Waist of money.

Get Waze for your phone.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Arttrans said:


> Please give some recommendations.


When I moved to a new pizza delivery area I used to have a Garmin and with the bigger screen it worked way better for me than phones seem to work for most drivers. Now I have a car with GPS and although I rarely need it I much prefer it to any phone nav I have used.

I borrowed a TomTom once and didn't like it but I think it was more about being used to the Garmin than anything.

If you're older (I'm 50) the phone is not that great to see.

My car GPS (kia) will have my route up much faster than waze or Google maps btw. Even including me typing it in.

I find waze annoying as hell btw. And when we have road closures in houston it doesn't know most of the time.


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> When I moved to a new pizza delivery area I used to have a Garmin and with the bigger screen it worked way better for me than phones seem to work for most drivers. Now I have a car with GPS and although I rarely need it I much prefer it to any phone nav I have used.
> 
> I borrowed a TomTom once and didn't like it but I think it was more about being used to the Garmin than anything.
> 
> ...


Want a bigger screen? Get a Note 3 or Note 4. UberBlack SUV use Apple iPads.

Tom and Garmin only have up to 2 free updates pear year, after that you have to pay. 3rd party traffic updates that are outdated or too slow. Slow CPU, low end screen, lacks data for any city; restaurants, soccer games; in other words it has shity search engine. They charge money for everything else; traffic, weather, etc.. unless you get top model that comes with 1 year free of traffic and weather updates.
Shit rating on Google Playstore, because Google Maps and Waze are way better.
Updating 3-5 year old Tom or Garmin is nearly impossible to do lack of internal storage. Over the years, more and more road data requires more storage space, as more roads are built across the country and new neighborhoods.
Roads are limited to N. America. Additional countries have to be paid for and many devices dont have enough internal storage to fit all the data.

Google Maps; life time free updates, and updated every other week. But they use 3rd party company for traffic. At times its similar to Waze routes and times its not. You can find any business with in 10 seconds. Large font compared to waze, so easier to read directions.
Works perfectly with Android Uber partner app.
No road limitations across the globe.
Everything is free for life.
Google ratings of all businesses; hotels, restaurants, doctor offices, etc.

Waze; Life time free updates, owned by Google and updated every other week. Its dynamic, data is updated by users. Half the time traffic data is outdated, at times it takes local roads vs highways. Has traffic cams and speed cams on the screen, great for people that Uber in the city. Full customization; you can disable what you dont want to see. Font is too small when trying to read directions.
Will find any businesses, hotels, etc... its owned by google.
Works perfectly with Android Uber partner app.
No road limitations across the globe.
Everything is free for life.

I might have missed few details, so ill add them as they come to mind.


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## Arttrans (Jul 14, 2015)

Thanks for the info. I may get an iPad mini with a mount because my car has built in Wifi. I can tell one of my grandsons I need to take your iPad, that will go over well!


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## borrowedtune (May 7, 2015)

Not really sure if KGB7 has used a stand alone GPS in the past 10 years. Many, if not most, come with free lifetime traffic, map updates, weather, etc. My Garmin has tons of POIs as they are partnered with FourSquare (you can just say "Walmart"). I love the "real directions" feature... "turn left at the stop sign," "turn right before the Mobile station," be in the left lane," etc. My Garmin doesn't use any data off my wireless plan and, of course, works when cell phone coverage is spotty. It has bluetooth speakerphone, a high resolution display and a magnet mount. One of the best features: voice activation. This way I can get rolling right away and pax seem impressed... quite often it's a conversation starter. Of course, the one major drawback, as pointed out, is when I drive pax across the atlantic ocean to europe, my Garmin will not work.


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## Arttrans (Jul 14, 2015)

I'm with you on the Europe thing, do I turn left or right at the palace? What is your Garmin model number. Thanks.


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## borrowedtune (May 7, 2015)

I have a Garmin Nuvi 3597 LMTHD. There are other models with the same (or even newer) software but I really wanted the magnet mount.


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

Run waze on a tablet.


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## borrowedtune (May 7, 2015)

I'm not saying google maps/waze on a tablet isn't a good option... it's probably the best (and most expensive) so long as you have 100% cell phone coverage. Depends on your situation. What's best for some drivers in some areas aren't always the best for all drivers. I just don't understand why people are so categorically dismissive of stand alone options.


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## Arttrans (Jul 14, 2015)

Around the Detroit metro area with Verizon I don't have an issue with the cell reception. I'm open to both.


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

borrowedtune said:


> Not really sure if KGB7 has used a stand alone GPS in the past 10 years. Many, if not most, come with free lifetime traffic, map updates, weather, etc. My Garmin has tons of POIs as they are partnered with FourSquare (you can just say "Walmart"). I love the "real directions" feature... "turn left at the stop sign," "turn right before the Mobile station," be in the left lane," etc. My Garmin doesn't use any data off my wireless plan and, of course, works when cell phone coverage is spotty. It has bluetooth speakerphone, a high resolution display and a magnet mount. One of the best features: voice activation. This way I can get rolling right away and pax seem impressed... quite often it's a conversation starter. Of course, the one major drawback, as pointed out, is when I drive pax across the atlantic ocean to europe, my Garmin will not work.


Got two Garmins sitting in a closet collecting dust.


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## Mr. T (Jun 27, 2015)

borrowedtune said:


> I'm not saying google maps/waze on a tablet isn't a good option... it's probably the best (and most expensive) so long as you have 100% cell phone coverage. Depends on your situation. What's best for some drivers in some areas aren't always the best for all drivers. I just don't understand why people are so categorically dismissive of stand alone options.


Just saying it's an option. Waze has the best up to date info at anygiven time. And a ton of people already have tablets. They also can be used for more than just nav


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

borrowedtune said:


> I'm not saying google maps/waze on a tablet isn't a good option... it's probably the best (and most expensive) so long as you have 100% cell phone coverage. Depends on your situation. What's best for some drivers in some areas aren't always the best for all drivers. I just don't understand why people are so categorically dismissive of stand alone options.


Most expensive?? Everyone has a cell phone, so waze and Google maps are free.


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## borrowedtune (May 7, 2015)

Note that I said "google/waze on a tablet", which would then be comparable to a stand alone GPS as far as size, accessibility, etc. Not only do you have the cost of the tablet (a new iPad is $430 - $830) but then you have the cost of a data only line added to your plan ($40 per month).


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

Tablet is over kill. Plus Uber works better on Android platform. But if you want a tablet, get used one on craigslist for $100 then root it.


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## ActorSidney (Jul 17, 2015)

I use Apple Maps on my iPhone 6+. Big enough screen for my old eyes. It just doesn't keep up with the rapidly changing construction in my city. But I will also use the inboard nav in my Mazda3 on occasion. The one problem I have is that the voice directions won't transfer to my car wifi/speakers in the Uber ap. They do with the Lyft ap, but without any kind of volume control; just full blast. I have to apologize regularly for "her" rudeness.


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## LyftMurph (May 19, 2015)

I picked up a asus ME301T $70, 10.1" screen, quad coke. root and latest OmniROM, has Waze, Google maps, and Nokia here for offline.. That's my spare/VuGo tablet.

I use a nexus 7 for nav/music.

Nexus 6 for the apps and comms.


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## BrianD199 (Nov 4, 2014)

tablets have the benefit of a bigger antenna , always a 1+ bar above phone, and tmobile matches my phone data for $10.


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