Posted by Christopher - WA on May 07, 2003 at 18:00:39:
DJ,
Be aware that your cost for MS Streets & Trips does not include the GPS system. MS Streets & Trips does work with GPS but you still have to buy a GPS receiver.
Does anyone use a port. GPS System? - Posted by IB (NJ)
Posted by IB (NJ) on May 05, 2003 at 16:33:50:
I’m thinking of picking up the Garmin StreetPilot III GPS ( http://www.getagps.com/garstreetiii3.html ) for my 1995 Jeep Gr. Cherokee. I’m sick of getting lost when hunting down properties. Does anyone use this or another portable GPS system. What are your thoughts on it?
I do! - Posted by Christopher - WA
Posted by Christopher - WA on May 07, 2003 at 18:21:44:
I have a Pharos system that plugs into my Compaq Ipaq PDA. I bought it for about $100 off Ebay. I love it though I’ve only used it for recreational driving so far. I plug one cable into my PDA, another into the cigarette lighter and place the antenna under the windshield. Instead of MS Streets & Trips, which has a slow refresh time, I use the software that came with the GPS. I enter the addresses (not Lat/long) the night before, I click on the start location and on the destination and it draws the route on the map. The GPS inserts an arrow showing my location and direction and as I drive, the arrow moves along the route. If I wish, it’ll talk me through the turns and it’ll tell me if I deviate from the route and automatically redraw the route from my new position. I haven’t actually used the talking part yet because the speaker was broken on my PDA.
My research before purchase recommended the Pharos unit and warned of the slow refresh rate of the MS program.
Garmin Streetpilot, Its OK for local, NOT for LD. - Posted by Izzy
Posted by Izzy on May 06, 2003 at 14:26:55:
i bought it at gpsdiscount.com for $700, new, including all of USA.
Its good when you are lost, or looking for an address on a street that you cant find. its no good for long distance trips, can come up with the LONGEST most COMBOBULATED way possible to get somewhere!
Re: Does anyone use a port. GPS System? - Posted by Dave Swett-CA
Posted by Dave Swett-CA on May 05, 2003 at 21:34:38:
I would buy a GPS in a minute if the two foreclosure auction houses gave lat/lon for their properties in the State of Maine. In the city, you can always get the house number, but in Maine, it is the second yellow house beyond the big oak tree. Properties are so tough to find in Maine; lat/lon would be pleasure.
Also, if you have lat/lon available right now, you can key punch it into Map Quest for a very accurate map for your desired location.
I think you are pushing the envelope by using it for ground navigation, but more and more people are using lat/lon for street locations. One of my friends drove from Maine to FL using GPS and he thot it was great.
DJ
Re: Does anyone use a port. GPS System? - Posted by Nate(DC)
Posted by Nate(DC) on May 05, 2003 at 18:22:52:
I have not used that one but I have used the “NeverLost” GPS system which is available with Hertz rental cars and it is AWESOME. I try to get it whenever I go to a strange city.
NT
Microsoft Streets and Trips! - Posted by Bill Taylor
Posted by Bill Taylor on May 05, 2003 at 22:55:55:
I bought a laptop and use the microsoft Streets and Trips program. Type in the addresses the night before and click on map it or route it and it will plan your trip and if you take the laptop with you you can pinpoint about 99% of all addresses you are looking for. This is just my opinion. Plus you can use the laptop in the courthouses and many other places. You might even have time for one of those dirty movies on dvd
Re: Does anyone use a port. GPS System? - Posted by IB (NJ)
Posted by IB (NJ) on May 06, 2003 at 06:51:43:
Thanks Nate. I’ll check the reviews on that product as well.
Re: Does anyone use a port. GPS System? - Posted by Jason
Posted by Jason on May 05, 2003 at 18:37:20:
“I try to get it whenever I go to a strange city.”
In that case, you’ll need it in L.A.
Re: Does anyone use a port. GPS System? - Posted by Ralf
Posted by Ralf on May 05, 2003 at 18:30:37:
I’m am cosidering getting one of these. They definitely are useful for traveling to places you’ve never been or farming new areas. I wonder how acurate this thing is, will it really get you from point A to point B with turn by turn accuracy?
Re: Microsoft Streets and Trips! - Posted by Dave Swett-CA
Posted by Dave Swett-CA on May 06, 2003 at 12:29:19:
Good lead, I looked it up on Google and it only costs $35 so maybe at Computer City, it may be less. It certainly would be easier to read a large screen lap top than the tiny multi inch screen on the GPS.
Thanks for the info.
DJ
Re: Microsoft Streets and Trips! - Posted by IB (NJ)
Posted by IB (NJ) on May 05, 2003 at 23:17:28:
I work in an urban area so I don’t like the idea of taking my laptop with me and having to leave it in the car if I decide to talk to the owner. As a matter of fact, I don’t like the idea of bringing it into a lot of the homes in the market I work.
Used the installed GPS in my Brother’s car - aint nothin like it. Just wondered if the portable ‘talking’ one was comparable.
Re: Does anyone use a port. GPS System? - Posted by Nate(DC)
Posted by Nate(DC) on May 06, 2003 at 16:07:59:
If you are speaking about Neverlost, yes, it will do so. In response to IB’s clarification about streets crossing several cities, you have to input the city as well as address so that is not an issue. The only time I had trouble with that was in the St. Louis area where there are dozens of small incorporated cities around the suburbs and even though Neverlost had them all in the system individually, most of the street addresses just say “St. Louis, MO” with the relevant zip code. It was very difficult to maneuver there.
NT
Re: Does anyone use a port. GPS System? - Posted by IB (NJ)
Posted by IB (NJ) on May 06, 2003 at 06:53:47:
Here I would need it in an area I actually grew up in. Streets can go from one end of town to the next often spanning 2 or 3 cities. Thus, 1063 10th street might be miles (from the starting point of where I live) away from 142 10th street.
Re: Does anyone use a port. GPS System? - Posted by Barry (FL)
Posted by Barry (FL) on May 05, 2003 at 20:28:12:
From what my fishing buddies tell me they’re accurate to within 3 meters. I’ve got better than a boat, friends with boats!