Garmin GPS ISsue

[Huntn]

I've got a Garmin Nuvi 1490. I'm out on a trip having flown into Washington DC. Before I left, I updated my Gamin with the latest lower 48 States map, and everything seemed well, but now that I'm here, I've discovered that it does not display secondary roads, just major highways, a catastrophe!! When I turn off the highway, it displays an "off road" message. Some where somehow, I discovered the Micro SD card (aux memory) is not seated right. I reseated it, restarted the GPS but that makes no difference in just showing major highways. When I check the map versions, that shows a version, not an error.

Now I'm mulling over a hard reset, but am going to wait until tomorrow and see what Garmin Tech Support has to say. If I wipe my maps, then I really am up the creek...as I don't have my laptop with me, so I have zero ability to download a new map.

Anyone familiar with this situation? :-/

 

[yg17]

No clue about the Garmin, but do you have a smart phone you could use for navigation?

 

[Huntn]

No clue about the Garmin, but do you have a smart phone you could use for navigation?

Doh! Actually I do, but there are some challenges there as I would be driving in at times heavy traffic and she (my wife) would be operating the phone... Would you recommend Apple's Maps or Google maps?

 

[yg17]

They both get the job done. I use Apple Maps for navigation since it integrates with my Apple Watch, if it wasn't for that, I'd probably use Google Maps because I use it for all non-navigation mapping needs on my phone.

 

[Huntn]

Got my answer, it only downloaded "Lower 48 States NW" as in North West region. Seeing as I am on the East coast... The rep was baffled as to why only 400 MB of data was left and said there is a chance it did not recognize the 16Gb card. No computer on hand so it's my chance to get familiar with phone navigation.

 

[Huntn]

Purchased a car phone mount today and got my feet wet today with phone navigation. It was ok, sometimes lags a bit. My inpression is that the advantage of a dedicated GPS unit is that it is self contained, and has a better display including which lanes you should be in, which is helpful in large cities with 5-7 lanes each way. While a phone requires an active cell connection? I don't imagine my iPhone has a downloaded world map. This would be a real advantage if in an area with dicey or no cell coverage. Anyone know?

 

[A.Goldberg]

Doh! Actually I do, but there are some challenges there as I would be driving in at times heavy traffic and she (my wife) would be operating the phone... Would you recommend Apple's Maps or Google maps?

Google, for sure. Apple has made great strides with Maps, but I find Google to be far more efficient, particularly driving in the city where their are endless combinations of routes and the best route can vary hour to hour.

FYI Google maps will display and announce which lane(s) you should be on. As with this feature in any system, construction may yield these settings incorrect. Google is sometimes very quick however is very quick to update their maps for long term construction projects with temporary road changes. They moved an on ramp I use somewhat frequently and Google Maps updated the change within a week.

I believe phone navigation downloads the entire map at the invitation of the trip. Deviation from the route reconnects the phone's data to update. I think if you use the satellite view it will update that info as well. If you loose the data/cell connection, it all still have the built GPS. Poor cell service has never been a big issue for me, though in remote areas with wide areas of dead zones, I suppose it could pose a problem. If you have CDMA service phone calls will inhibit data, so if you go the wrong way it's best to hang up until you get back on track. If your nav is going, it will not stop the phone from ringing.

My BMW (2009 5-series) has built in navigation. Google maps blows it out of the water, especially in city. iDrive (BMW's infotainment) has taken me on some really crazy routes. It does have traffic reporting, but it's not nearly as specific as Google's information and usually applied only to major highways. The information is not as up to date either. A lot of newer premium cars have Google Maps as part of their navigation software. That said, built in navigation is convenient if I have to make phone calls (I have Verizon, CDMA) or long trips on the highway where there there aren't a million different route options. The larger screen and better position is helpful. I just wish I had the Heads Up Display option that projects navigation info onto the windshield.

 

[joemod]

Purchased a car phone mount today and got my feet wet today with phone navigation. It was ok, sometimes lags a bit. My inpression is that the advantage of a dedicated GPS unit is that it is self contained, and has a better display including which lanes you should be in, which is helpful in large cities with 5-7 lanes each way. While a phone requires an active cell connection? I don't imagine my iPhone has a downloaded world map. This would be a real advantage if in an area with dicey or no cell coverage. Anyone know?

A dedicated GPS in my experience has a better gps chip than a cellphone which locks faster with satellites. A phone does not require an active cell connection. Nokia maps has the option to download specific regions' maps for offline use, although I think there is a limit. Google maps have that option in Android phones ( I haven't installed the app in my iPhone) which also has a limit, no full country coverage. Even if you download the maps for offline use, the phone can benefit from the cell connection to acquire the satellites location far faster.

I use an iPhone gps application for my driving needs. I have bought maps for the app. The biggest drawback is that it drains the battery very, very fast.

 

[Huntn]

Google, for sure. Apple has made great strides with Maps, but I find Google to be far more efficient, particularly driving in the city where their are endless combinations of routes and the best route can vary hour to hour.

FYI Google maps will display and announce which lane(s) you should be on. As with this feature in any system, construction may yield these settings incorrect. Google is sometimes very quick however is very quick to update their maps for long term construction projects with temporary road changes. They moved an on ramp I use somewhat frequently and Google Maps updated the change within a week.

I believe phone navigation downloads the entire map at the invitation of the trip. Deviation from the route reconnects the phone's data to update. I think if you use the satellite view it will update that info as well. If you loose the data/cell connection, it all still have the built GPS. Poor cell service has never been a big issue for me, though in remote areas with wide areas of dead zones, I suppose it could pose a problem. If you have CDMA service phone calls will inhibit data, so if you go the wrong way it's best to hang up until you get back on track. If your nav is going, it will not stop the phone from ringing.

My BMW (2009 5-series) has built in navigation. Google maps blows it out of the water, especially in city. iDrive (BMW's infotainment) has taken me on some really crazy routes. It does have traffic reporting, but it's not nearly as specific as Google's information and usually applied only to major highways. The information is not as up to date either. A lot of newer premium cars have Google Maps as part of their navigation software. That said, built in navigation is convenient if I have to make phone calls (I have Verizon, CDMA) or long trips on the highway where there there aren't a million different route options. The larger screen and better position is helpful. I just wish I had the Heads Up Display option that projects navigation info onto the windshield.

I looked at Google maps briefly. Is there a way to get the 3/4 quarter, horizon type view instead of top down view? The statement is based on the initial view, not navigation and maybe the view changes as you start driving. I'll research this and try it.

A dedicated GPS in my experience has a better gps chip than a cellphone which locks faster with satellites. A phone does not require an active cell connection. Nokia maps has the option to download specific regions' maps for offline use, although I think there is a limit. Google maps have that option in Android phones ( I haven't installed the app in my iPhone) which also has a limit, no full country coverage. Even if you download the maps for offline use, the phone can benefit from the cell connection to acquire the satellites location far faster.

I use an iPhone gps application for my driving needs. I have bought maps for the app. The biggest drawback is that it drains the battery very, very fast.

I thought I read that the phones download the map for the trip requested and if you change your route on the fly (by not following the route), it needs to update requiring a connection. Google maps has a feature where a map can be downloaded in advance, but both of these things reinforce the advantages of a dedicated GPS in my mind.

 

[yg17]

Purchased a car phone mount today and got my feet wet today with phone navigation. It was ok, sometimes lags a bit. My inpression is that the advantage of a dedicated GPS unit is that it is self contained, and has a better display including which lanes you should be in, which is helpful in large cities with 5-7 lanes each way. While a phone requires an active cell connection? I don't imagine my iPhone has a downloaded world map. This would be a real advantage if in an area with dicey or no cell coverage. Anyone know?

Nokia HERE maps allows you to download maps for offline use and is completely free. I used it to drive around New Zealand where I was stuck on T-Mobile's slow, free 2G roaming, since HERE is all offline it was faster. In the US, I just use Google or Apple Maps though for navigation, never really had any coverage issues. The apps download all the directions and whatnot when you start navigation, so if you lose signal en route, you're not stuck, unless you make a wrong turn somewhere.

 

[Huntn]

Headin out now for a serious drive. I tried Google maps this morning, probably operator error, but I could not get voice commands to work ( being directed when to turn) and I did not like the map display, even when "map tilt" was selected. It is not nearly as robust and dynamic as Apple's Map App Display.

 

[A.Goldberg]

I looked at Google maps briefly. Is there a way to get the 3/4 quarter, horizon type view instead of top down view? The statement is based on the initial view, not navigation and maybe the view changes as you start driving. I'll research this and try it.

I thought I read that the phones download the map for the trip requested and if you change your route on the fly (by not following the route), it needs to update requiring a connection. Google maps has a feature where a map can be downloaded in advance, but both of these things reinforce the advantages of a dedicated GPS in my mind.

It looks like you figured out the "Map Tilt" view. There is a mute function to turn on/off voice commands. Apples UI definitely looks much cleaner. One problem with Google is with the Satellite view and traffic views on, the screen can get way too busy and it can be difficult to even see which route they want you on. If suggest turning off the traffic view as it's already factored into the chosen route.

My biggest gripe with Apple Maps is the inability to zoom in/out more than a tiny bit and pan the map while in navigation map, without going back to the "overview" screen. In Google, at any point you can zoom in/out and pan around. To return to your location and a suitable view for driving, you just hit "recenter". This is helpful if you want to skip a little bit down the road to see the specific instruction better before you get there.

Apple's spoken directions also comeout weird sometimes. If the street name is "Beacon St" it might say "Beacon Sttt" (literal pronunciation of the abbreviation) or "bbbblllvvvddd" instead of boulevard if the abbreviation Blvd is used. Not a big deal, but it's an attention to detail thing. They've ironed most of that out though. That said, tthe city of "Brookline" (pronounced "Brook-line") is a major part of Boston's metro area. Siri pronounces like "Brooklyn" (like NY) for some strange reason, I'm not sure if that's a common pronunciation elsewhere. It gets all of the other weird Massachusetts pronunciations correct (Worcester, Gloucester, etc).

I also find Google to have better Points of Interest.

I'd test both out. You'll probably find your more comfortable with one over another and/or one works better in your area. Around Boston and NYC I prefer Google. Again, turning off the traffic and satellite views make things look clearer. If I'm around town in Connecticut (mostly Suburban/Rural) there's usually only one or two practical ways to go and Apple handles it fine. Asking Siri to route without having to open the app is convenient, especially while driving.

And then there is iDrive... I have a lot of options. If I'm on a long trip, I usually use iDrive because the integration with the vehicle and screen that's 4x larger. It also not the most efficient to program with the iDrive controller.

Another App to look into is Waze, which I don't particularly like.

 

[yg17]

Apple's spoken directions also comeout weird sometimes. If the street name is "Beacon St" it might say "Beacon Sttt" (literal pronunciation of the abbreviation) or "bbbblllvvvddd" instead of boulevard if the abbreviation Blvd is used. Not a big deal, but it's an attention to detail thing. They've ironed most of that out though. That said, tthe city of "Brookline" (pronounced "Brook-line") is a major part of Boston's metro area. Siri pronounces like "Brooklyn" (like NY) for some strange reason, I'm not sure if that's a common pronunciation elsewhere. It gets all of the other weird Massachusetts pronunciations correct (Worcester, Gloucester, etc).

I was in Detroit recently and there's a major road called Ford Road, because Detroit. Apple Maps just could not pronounce Ford. It was more like "Ferd". Nevermind the fact that it's a common last name and one of the worlds' major auto manufacturers, it's just not a difficult word to pronounce. I was surprised it got it completely wrong.

I think I need to find Chrysler Boulevard and Chevrolet Drive to see how badly Apple Maps butchers those.

 

[A.Goldberg]

I was in Detroit recently and there's a major road called Ford Road, because Detroit. Apple Maps just could not pronounce Ford. It was more like "Ferd". Nevermind the fact that it's a common last name and one of the worlds' major auto manufacturers, it's just not a difficult word to pronounce. I was surprised it got it completely wrong.

I think I need to find Chrysler Boulevard and Chevrolet Drive to see how badly Apple Maps butchers those.

For individual names in your address book you can teach Siri proper pronunciations by entering in the phonetic spelling. I doubt there Maps will integrate that information.

I noticed Siri provinces Hartford like "Hartferrd", which is pretty much how people from CT say Hartford. I can see why it might then call Ford, "Ferd".

West Hartford has a major road that runs through its center called simply called Boulevard, often abbreviated as Blvd. I'm not sure if this is still the case, but it used to say "bbblvdd" as in "turn right onto bbblvdd".

The Brookline vs. Brooklyn thing I have yet to figure out. If anywhere were to province "Brookline" like "Brooklyn", it would be Massachusetts. Mass is well known for selectively and blatantly ignoring the rules of grammar. When I moved here I soon tried to give up guessing how to pronounce names.

Sadly-- or amazingly, Apple seems to get most of these right.

 

[Huntn]

It looks like you figured out the "Map Tilt" view. There is a mute function to turn on/off voice commands. Apples UI definitely looks much cleaner. One problem with Google is with the Satellite view and traffic views on, the screen can get way too busy and it can be difficult to even see which route they want you on. If suggest turning off the traffic view as it's already factored into the chosen route.

My biggest gripe with Apple Maps is the inability to zoom in/out more than a tiny bit and pan the map while in navigation map, without going back to the "overview" screen. In Google, at any point you can zoom in/out and pan around. To return to your location and a suitable view for driving, you just hit "recenter". This is helpful if you want to skip a little bit down the road to see the specific instruction better before you get there.

Apple's spoken directions also comeout weird sometimes. If the street name is "Beacon St" it might say "Beacon Sttt" (literal pronunciation of the abbreviation) or "bbbblllvvvddd" instead of boulevard if the abbreviation Blvd is used. Not a big deal, but it's an attention to detail thing. They've ironed most of that out though. That said, tthe city of "Brookline" (pronounced "Brook-line") is a major part of Boston's metro area. Siri pronounces like "Brooklyn" (like NY) for some strange reason, I'm not sure if that's a common pronunciation elsewhere. It gets all of the other weird Massachusetts pronunciations correct (Worcester, Gloucester, etc).

I also find Google to have better Points of Interest.

I'd test both out. You'll probably find your more comfortable with one over another and/or one works better in your area. Around Boston and NYC I prefer Google. Again, turning off the traffic and satellite views make things look clearer. If I'm around town in Connecticut (mostly Suburban/Rural) there's usually only one or two practical ways to go and Apple handles it fine. Asking Siri to route without having to open the app is convenient, especially while driving.

And then there is iDrive... I have a lot of options. If I'm on a long trip, I usually use iDrive because the integration with the vehicle and screen that's 4x larger. It also not the most efficient to program with the iDrive controller.

Another App to look into is Waze, which I don't particularly like.

I drove a bit with google maps and prefer the look of the Apple Map and the visual heads up for the next turn. Map tilt controls in Google hardly seems to have any effect. I much prefer the isometric view if that is the right term. Besides not giving you lane info, this Apple map display is really better than my Garmin unit, but I still place value having my maps contained in the unit, plus it seems easier to keep favorites. That feature may be available with Apple and Google, but I have yet to discover how.

The Siri voice butchering names is common but I can still decipher them for the most part.