new guy with GPS questions - Page 11 - Motorola Q Forum

UDPride · 08-07-2008, 04:33 PM

The only true way GPS will work is if its not contingent upon an internet connection. Even the best 3G and EDGE networks are suspect and in more parts of the country than not, do not exist. If you are traveling, you are roaming and may be away from the cell towers. True GPS should only be contingent upon a satellite. The Garmins and TomToms give you that. No matter where you are, youll be able to talk to the bird in the sky.

I dont think its ridiculous for Speedy to consider (or expect) smartphones to have the maps built right into them either. The size of micro SD cards make it completely plausible that you can make enough room to store North American maps inside a device without the need for external cards.

This is really the next step in GPS. Total encapsulation inside the device. Should have been done by now in smartphones quite honestly. Then you dont need a data plan at all.

Google Maps is a locator, not a travel companion. Its just a different animal when you get voice command and turn by turn with real-time re-routing.

Im contemplating the XT Mobile myself. I have a Garmin but would like my phone to be used in the other cars without having to share the Garmin for all the cars. I dont even own a Q (but seriously looking). I may pick one up, or go with the Ipaq 910C for the added WiFi and more robust networking.

anderwm · 08-07-2008, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UDPride

The only true way GPS will work is if its not contingent upon an internet connection. Even the best 3G and EDGE networks are suspect and in more parts of the country than not, do not exist. If you are traveling, you are roaming and may be away from the cell towers. True GPS should only be contingent upon a satellite. The Garmins and TomToms give you that. No matter where you are, youll be able to talk to the bird in the sky.

I dont think its ridiculous for Speedy to consider (or expect) smartphones to have the maps built right into them either. The size of micro SD cards make it completely plausible that you can make enough room to store North American maps inside a device without the need for external cards.

This is really the next step in GPS. Total encapsulation inside the device. Should have been done by now in smartphones quite honestly. Then you dont need a data plan at all.

Google Maps is a locator, not a travel companion. Its just a different animal when you get voice command and turn by turn with real-time re-routing.

Im contemplating the XT Mobile myself. I have a Garmin but would like my phone to be used in the other cars without having to share the Garmin for all the cars. I dont even own a Q (but seriously looking). I may pick one up, or go with the Ipaq 910C for the added WiFi and more robust networking.

I have Garmin Mobile XT, and it is exactly what you said. An all inclusive GPS on your phone, the maps are on my sd card with my music and everything else. All in all, it is pretty awesome...however, the lock time is sometimes very slow. But that is a function of the GPS chipset, not the software.

LuvrGirl · 08-07-2008, 05:21 PM

How big your storage card? I'm going to be loading up Garmin on my Q but I have a 2GB storage card. Although, I did load up a bunch of stuff already on it, music, etc.... and I still have about 1.3GB of free space.

Will that be enough or should I upgrade to a 4GB?

~maria

anderwm · 08-07-2008, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvrGirl

How big your storage card? I'm going to be loading up Garmin on my Q but I have a 2GB storage card. Although, I did load up a bunch of stuff already on it, music, etc.... and I still have about 1.3GB of free space.

Will that be enough or should I upgrade to a 4GB?

~maria

Well, that depends...

I think out of the box they sell you the maps on a separate storage card. However, if you have access to the Garmin PC map software you can load whichever states you would like into the SD card. I have the entire Southeast and it is less that half a gig.

ninjaap · 08-07-2008, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvrGirl

How big your storage card? I'm going to be loading up Garmin on my Q but I have a 2GB storage card. Although, I did load up a bunch of stuff already on it, music, etc.... and I still have about 1.3GB of free space.

Will that be enough or should I upgrade to a 4GB?

~maria

I thought I read somewhere that someone had transferred their map to a 4gb card. They also mentioned that it took up about 2gb. I'm pretty sure it was garmin.

PacoJr67 · 08-07-2008, 06:23 PM

I think that's about how big the north america map is for copilot, I can check when I get home from work

LuvrGirl · 08-07-2008, 06:40 PM

Oh cool, yeah, I would be loading the North America Maps. I know I can get the maps onto my exisiting storage card, so I won't have to be switching cards back and forth... I just want to make sure I have an appropriate sized card

~maria

U-2 · 08-07-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninjaap

I thought I read somewhere that someone had transferred their map to a 4gb card. They also mentioned that it took up about 2gb. I'm pretty sure it was garmin.

You can choose what states do you whant to have on the device. Garmin City Navigator NT map for the whole USA is 1.02GB

LuvrGirl · 08-07-2008, 08:54 PM

Ooooh, did not know you could choose the states - thanks! Cool... so I can load it up on my current storage card with only a couple states I need.

~maria

anderwm · 08-08-2008, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvrGirl

Ooooh, did not know you could choose the states - thanks! Cool... so I can load it up on my current storage card with only a couple states I need.

~maria

You would have known...if you would have read my reply to your earlier message.

Quote:

However, if you have access to the Garmin PC map software you can load whichever states you would like into the SD card. I have the entire Southeast and it is less that half a gig.

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