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Are the gps companies REALLY trying to charge me close to $100? Really!?

V

vegas-steven

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 14, 2007
200
0
I was reading the blog and noticed gps makers trying to charge upwards of $99 or more for the software.

Really?

When I can go and buy a hardware based gps which allows me to use the gps all the time and not have to close the navigation to take or make a:apple: Phone call... When I can have a louder volume on a gps than on Iphone...

So maybe I'm just being cheap but that seems too much for me since they are just selling software.

The g-maps west seems all the more tempting at 24.99 now.

(I am aware of xgps which is decent and a cydia app)
 
Yes, they really are trying to charge you that!

Don't buy it. If people don't buy it, they'll lower the price. Simple as that.
 
I think I would pay a hundred. A standalone unit costs normally much more than that.

And I mean you have it with you all your times..you could use it when you're on the road with a friends car who doesn't have a GPS..This really should be a plus point.

I don't have one yet, so I might buy it (the TomTom dock looks great and I think the app will be good too.)

Better once a 100$ instead of the stupid monthly payments..don't like that.
 
I've said it before, I'll say it again. The cost of these apps are in the maps. Goto your favorite navigation providers website, and look at how much it costs to upgrade the maps on the device. You'll be paying $70+ depending on the company. Hardware is cheap now, cost to develop software doesn't change, no matter how much technology advances.
 
KidStallyn said:
Not sure where you buy your GPS devices....I have a Garmin Nuvi that I bought a year ago for about $100.
Click to expand...

Two years ago we bought a Nuvi 680. Exclusive to BestBuy at the time and it ran $999.

Last year we bought two other Nuvis, a 880 for $799 and then a 850 for $329 as a closeout sale. The 850 was I think originally $699.

Lots of Nuvis are up above $500. The ones with voice recognition and other top features.
 
KidStallyn said:
Not sure where you buy your GPS devices....I have a Garmin Nuvi that I bought a year ago for about $100.
Click to expand...

Is it traffic capable? You need to compare apples to apples. You can buy a Kia but that doesn't make it a Toyota.

The lowest priced Garmin on NewEgg right now (Nuvi 205) is $130 and doesn't have traffic. You need to buy a separate traffic receiver to attach to the 205 and that alone costs $105.

Also, many of the low-cost Garmin GPS units don't have text-to-speech to announce street names.

Keep in mind that Garmin abandons their models for any significant updates. If you want to upgrade features you need to buy another GPS that's newer in the model releases yet in no way signficantly different in previous model hardware. Garmin is notorious for that.
 
Don't buy the iphone application then.

Do you think Tom Tom or garmin or whomever else cares if you pay them $100 for an iphone app or $150 for one of their stand-alone gps units?

These apps are targeted towards people who want these apps on their iphone. Clearly you are not one of those people.

It is not a fart app. Perhaps you think it should be free?

I hate for some of you to find out what the actual cost is on the hardware components of a typical gps.

For someone who travels a lot, for instance, this is much more useful than a stand-alone unit.
 
KidStallyn said:
Not sure where you buy your GPS devices....I have a Garmin Nuvi that I bought a year ago for about $100.
Click to expand...

If you've read my post then you would have read that I don't have one yet.

Sure you can always get something cheaper (if you like cheap things, go for it) You get what you pay for.

I just checked in my favorite online hardware store..they have one unit under a hundred and all dozen others are well over that.

(That store doesn't sell crap, so that might be a reason I don't see anything cheaper. But I can't remember seeing anything dirtcheap downtown too.)

Sure, we also pay premium on this side of the ocean for some electronics. But the premium is some kind of ok normally and not excessive.

SpaceKitty said:
Two years ago we bought a Nuvi 680. Exclusive to BestBuy at the time and it ran $999.

Last year we bought two other Nuvis, a 880 for $799 and then a 850 for $329 as a closeout sale. The 850 was I think originally $699.

Lots of Nuvis are up above $500. The ones with voice recognition and other top features.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I am seeing and talking about. Good things, not just the cheapest of all!

Don't know how the TomTom app will be when it's released, sure it won't have all the top features but if will be more than fine I guess.
 
Gps

H$R said:
I think I would pay a hundred. A standalone unit costs normally much more than that.

And I mean you have it with you all your times..you could use it when you're on the road with a friends car who doesn't have a GPS..This really should be a plus point.

I don't have one yet, so I might buy it (the TomTom dock looks great and I think the app will be good too.)

Better once a 100$ instead of the stupid monthly payments..don't like that.
Click to expand...

Is going away in a couple years anyway...
 
I guess I am in the minority. I use GPS only when I am driving. OK, I use GPS on few occasions when I am walking on the street, but built-in Maps is more than sufficient for that.

When I am driving, I like to have larger screen that dedicated GPS offers. It also enables me to use iPhone for making phone calls, playing music (e.g., changing track) without exiting from the GPS. And I like how many newer GPS devices (e.g., Garmin 265WT) come with built-in traffic without relying on the Internet access (which may not be always available).
 
gloss said:
Neither does iPhone. :D
Click to expand...

Wow, you got me on that one. I went back and looked at the WWDC video and the Navigator 7 information. I didn't realize that they hadn't implemented this. That is a significant negative in my book. Comments I'm seeing elsewhere on the Navigator 7 software refers to lack of processor power for speech. I don't know if that would be an issue with an iPhone as compared to something like a BB but they'd likely keep the releases consistent on all platforms.
 
If it is as feature rich as a stand alone unit then $100 would be a bargain. I'm expecting lots of bugs and poor performance on the initial release though, so I'll probably hold off. TomTom UI on their stand alone units is pretty crappy to begin with.
 
avaloncourt said:
Wow, you got me on that one. I went back and looked at the WWDC video and the Navigator 7 information. I didn't realize that they hadn't implemented this. That is a significant negative in my book. Comments I'm seeing elsewhere on the Navigator 7 software refers to lack of processor power for speech. I don't know if that would be an issue with an iPhone as compared to something like a BB but they'd likely keep the releases consistent on all platforms.
Click to expand...

It doesn't particularly bug me, I've always found TTS to be more of a hinderance than a help, but I could see how it would be a downside for others.

Oddly, the only thing really causing me to lean toward TomTom over Navigon is the mounting system itself. Navigon needs something like that.
 
avaloncourt said:
Wow, you got me on that one. I went back and looked at the WWDC video and the Navigator 7 information. I didn't realize that they hadn't implemented this. That is a significant negative in my book. Comments I'm seeing elsewhere on the Navigator 7 software refers to lack of processor power for speech. I don't know if that would be an issue with an iPhone as compared to something like a BB but they'd likely keep the releases consistent on all platforms.
Click to expand...


what about this?

"the TomTom car kit that offers secure docking, enhanced GPS performance, clear voice instructions and hands-free calling, while charging your iPhone at the same time.
from here: http://iphone.tomtom.com/

not sure what exactly it can and what not.

So maybe Nagigon can't do speech, but TomTom can?

nutmac said:
When I am driving, I like to have larger screen that dedicated GPS offers. It also enables me to use iPhone for making phone calls, playing music (e.g., changing track) without exiting from the GPS. And I like how many newer GPS devices (e.g., Garmin 265WT) come with built-in traffic without relying on the Internet access (which may not be always available).
Click to expand...

No one says a dedicated unit isn't a bad option...I just prefer an all-in-one device (except for photos, I will carry a real camera with me)

Not sure how they will handle calls though. But I don't really call while driving anyway so, shouldn't be a problem for me.
You can listen to music while using a navigation app and if the TomTom dock charges the iPhone too, that's also a win for everyone who doesn't already have a cable in the car yet.

iPhoneVic said:
(GPS)Is going away in a couple years anyway...
Click to expand...

Might be true..but I think we will enjoy it until then.
 
H$R said:
what about this?

"the TomTom car kit that offers secure docking, enhanced GPS performance, clear voice instructions and hands-free calling, while charging your iPhone at the same time.
from here: http://iphone.tomtom.com/

not sure what exactly it can and what not.

So maybe Nagigon can't do speech, but TomTom can?
Click to expand...

By 'voice instructions' they mean 'turn left in 100 yards', etc. Text-to-Speech will actually read road names - 'Turn Left in 100 yards at Westfield Blvd.'

It's a nicety, in my opinion, but hardly necessary.
 
gloss said:
By 'voice instructions' they mean 'turn left in 100 yards', etc. Text-to-Speech will actually read road names - 'Turn Left in 100 yards at Westfield Blvd.'

It's a nicety, in my opinion, but hardly necessary.
Click to expand...

The AT&T app DOES announce the street. In fact, I was a bit surprised when it told me "Turn on to Kearney Street". The pronunciation was even decent.
 
H$R said:
what about this?

"the TomTom car kit that offers secure docking, enhanced GPS performance, clear voice instructions and hands-free calling, while charging your iPhone at the same time.
from here: http://iphone.tomtom.com/

not sure what exactly it can and what not.

So maybe Nagigon can't do speech, but TomTom can?
Click to expand...

I started with that quote but then I went to the WWDC video (follow your link) and discovered the video demo called out left/right directions rather than street names. "Turn right in 500 feet and then bear left."

So, after that I began checking information on the TomTom Navigator 7 product. The iPhone is just getting a port of the product being used on other phone/handheld platforms. There I discovered that they've never put any text-to-speech in any handheld/phone application due to processor limitations. So, "clear voice instructions" is just telling you where to turn by direction and when.
 
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