Send Google Maps and Mapquest results straight to your garmin GPS

Downloaded and tested this new feature and it works fine on my C580! Starting a new job next Monday so my gps will not be as much of a factor as before as I will work at the same place daily in South Boston..

Ray

Worked for me....too cool

I finally took the time to experiment with comparing and contrasting Google vs. Mapquest results sent directly to my Garmin StreetPilot 2730. As they say, your mileage may vary, but these are my results. I experimented with a pizza restaurant near me.

With Google Maps I get the following in the display:

Reno's Pizza
N 44.73852°
W093.12613°

With Mapquest I get the following in the display:

Reno's Pizza Rosemou
(651)423-4155 Reno's
Pizza 14555 S Robert
Trl Ros

I also went to the preloaded entries and saved to favorite the one already on the memory. When I saw it as a favorite I get the following in the display:
(With a pizza slice icon!)

Reno's Pizza

14555 S Robert Trl
Rosemount, MN 55068
651-423-4155

I have also noticed that just like Google Maps, when I send something from Mapquest to the 2730 the custom Category names revert to Category 1-16. The category names are apparently stored properly in memory because when I save it in Mapsource the correct names are displayed.

The other subtle difference I noticed when I view them in MapSource is these results:

Reno's Pizza N44.73852 W93.12613

Reno's Pizza Rosemou (651)423-4155 Reno's Pizza 14555 S Robert Trl Ros N44.73852 W93.12611

Reno'sPizza Reno's Pizza N44.73852 W93.12613

The first is the one from Google Maps and shows just the coordinates like on the 2730. The second is MapQuest one and includes the telephone number in the comments field. The third one is from the preloaded POIs. Ironically when I view the results after using the find feature in MapSource it displays:

Reno's Pizza
14555 S Robert Trl
Rosemount, MN 55068
651-423-4155

But then when I save it as a favorite it truncates the street address and telephone number. I gather from reading other posts that how the data is saved and/or at least displayed can vary depending on which GPS receiver is being used.

Also, noted that the actual coordinates from the internal memory and Google Maps match precisely, but MapQuest N44.73852 W93.12613 vs. N44.73852 W93.12611. Probably a very subtle difference at best, but interesting nevertheless.

I must say that, generally speaking, I personally would prefer to have the street address and telephone number displayed when I use this function. However, they very well may be times that it is quite handy to have the actual coordinates displayed as well.

A couple of other minor observations, when I had all three saved as Favorites, meaning the Google Maps, the MapQuest, and the preloaded saved as a Favorite, when I sent another one from MapQuest, it caused the pre-loaded POI saved as a Favorite to disappear.

I have also noticed that neither Google Maps nor MapQuest allows the user to perform any editing before sending it to the GPS.

Also, as others have already pointed out, the MapQuest version seems somewhat smoother in that it simply sends right to the device without changing the site to Garmins website like Google Maps does.

Finally, in as much as I really like having the telephone number displayed, I find it interesting that although it is shown in the format xxx-xxx-xxxx, when it is displayed on the device it is displayed (xxx)xxx-xxxx. I would prefer that they just use the hyphens and not use the parentheses, but that is purely as personal preference. For those with blue tooth calling option, does this matter?

Just for fun I continued to play with this some more to determine how it deals with addresses that are not in MapSource yet. There is a Dave & Busters in Minnesota that we visit from time to time. When I was there in the past I saved it as a POI as:

Dave And Busters N45.09362 W93.42872 936 ft

When I use Google Maps it saves as:

Dave & Busters N45.09156 W93.42441

When I use MapQuest it saves as:

Dave & Busters Osseo (763)493-9815 Dave &
Busters 11780 Fountains Way N45.09280 W93.42963

I played around with the measurement function on MapSource and it looks as if the Google Maps POI and the MapQuest POI are .3 mile from one another. I guess that means that they use different data for geo-coding or is that reverse geo-coding?

HELP!!!! I have the same problem and can't get it to work - I read all the info on this subject in this blog and nothing seems to work. At first I thought it was the GPSr not plugged in but it is and verified. I have a nuvi 370. Anybody have any ideas???

When I try to load a point from Google, it tells me I need to intall the Garmin plugin. When I look at the programs to add or delete on the control panel it shows a garmin plugin program. I must have tried a dozen times to load the program. I have deleted it from my computer and reloaded to a saved file. When I open the saved file, it tells me to close my browser and retry. That doesn't work either. I have it saved in "my documents" and then I open it with nothing but bad results. Wow, I am really frustrated as you can probably guess.
HELP I'm going to bed now and have a nightmare about this.

can u send routes to nuvi 350?

No. You can't send routes to units that don't support stored routes.

What operating system?

What browser?

Sandman.Did you install the Activex?When you downloaded the plugin.In the browser screen you will get message about installing the Activex add on to complete installation of the communicator plugin.Very easy to miss the message if not looking for it.

Hi MM - XP operating system and Windows Internet Explorer browser.

Hi Charlie - You know the first time I tried it way back when, I think I remember the ActiveX thing but I can't be too sure. In any event, all the remaining times I have tried, I haven't seen that message. I would have installed the add on the first time around and maybe all these other times it just skips over that. Is there anyway to check that other than look for the message. You said it is easy to overlook, maybe I am not looking in the right place. I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to computers.

To see if you have ActiveX activated for Garmin Communicator do the following:

1. At the top of Enternet Explorer click on TOOLS
2. Click on MANAGING ADD-ONS
3. Click on Enable or Disable Add-ons

There you should find the following if ActiveX is working:

Garim COmmunicayor Plug-In 2.5.1 Garmin International Enabled ActiveX Control

H Hannah
Nuvi750

Hi H Hannah - I went through the routine and did not find the above ActiveX! Question - now what can I do because I do not see it on the download screen??? Will be back on line in a bit, have to get a "honeydo" done. Thanks for your help!

Some people have reported problems with IE 7. If you are still having problems, you might try Firefox.

Hey Sandman,

I had that problem as well. I closed my browser, re-opened it (I'm using Firefox, BTW) and it ran perfectly that time. HTH!

Mio

Sandman.Go to this link for example and click on send and click on GPS and look for the ActiveX screen add on to pop up toward the top of screen before it allows you to send to GPS. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=en&geocode=&q=pizza&near=...

Hi Charlie - My problem is not with the Goggle ActiveX but with the Garmin ActiveX. When I try to load a Google point, I go through the whole rigamarole and it says it cannot load because I do not have the Garmin communicator loaded on my computer. Thanks again.

Sandman.I have read other comments about re-setting the secutity settings.For some reason it is blocking the installation of the plugin.I thought on your early post you could see plugin on add/remove programs in the control panel.If this is the case go back and remove from programs from control panel and re-install and look for the AciveX prompt this time and try it.

Also check out FAQ at http://www8.garmin.com/products/communicator/faq.jsp
and see if the next to last one may apply to you.

No luck - Got rid of everything and even went into NORTON and listed it as an allowed progrom. After I go through the whole works it still tells me the communicator program is not detected. UGH! BTW I still did not see anything to prompt me about the activeX allowed. Now here is the thing, I went to my desktop and got everything to work with no problem. I am on an old Dell c610 latitude laptop but all my other garmin programs work well, i.e. poi loader and web updater so I figure this should work but it doesn't for some reason. BTW the FAQ wouldn't apply to this case as it doesn't even have a chance to detect the GPSr. Pretty frustrating, I appreaciate all you suggestions. Thanks again!

Now I know why you went to bed with a nightmare last night.The last thing I can think of is sometimes if I have a problem with a download.When It saves on XP using Download Manager I go to my documents then my downloads where a copy is saved and run the install from there.I guess you do have the latest internet explorer. I know a update recently came out for past problems with it.

Quit your browser & do the install routine. The test page will open verifying a good installation.

Hi Jerry - Been there and done that several times with no luck. Thanks for the suggestion though!

I have two friends that had major problems with IE 7 so I have not upgraded to that version. Thanks a lot though.

Hi MM - Help me out, what is Firefox?? Thanks!

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

Finally had a chance to play with it tonight. Too bad it loses phone number and street info when you upload from Google or Mapquest to it. I was secretly hoping routing would somehow work, but alas, that's not the case. The price is right so I guess I can't complain too much.

Holy moly! What's Firefox?! : )

Just kidding. Firefox is an alternative (and BETTER) internet browser.

I never use IE unless I absolutely have to. And that's mostly at work.

Try Firefox. For everything, not just this.

Sandman can sleep tonight.

My ghast is trully flabbered. Awesome, I just tried it too with Buca Di Beppo!!

Thank God for happy endings!

in my humble opinion, Firefox is a far superior browser than IE and I always use it unless the website that I am going to requires IE (like a few sites for work).

Well, obviously, they're not going to let you use hobbyist solutions at work

Oh, I use Firefox for EVERYTHING that I can at work!! : ) D*mn the man!

But our GIS interface doesn't like Firefox very much, so I have to use IE for that.

Sandman did get a good nights sleep - thank you

I've been trying for daysto get past a page error everytime I try the communicator test page.

Thanks to Hannah
I did the tools, manage Add-ons.

Found the Communicator Add-on but it was in the list of previously used items not in the list of currently in use Active X items.

I disabled the Communicator Add-on and then ENABLED it. VOILA.... no more page error and i was able to transfer to my C340 so show me AMAZED as well!!

I had pretty well given up hunting for the active=x bar etc.

Many thanks to all concerned. MM Hannah Charles et al

I used Google maps to send POI to my Nuvi 660 today, I was happy to see how easy it was to do the transfer.

This sounds like a great feature!

Does sound good!

I try the send to GPS feature in Mapquest. What I found what the start and the end in my Favorite. If I try to found the route in the Garmin GPS, I did not found it. If I use the favorite START and END, the correction that I might have done in Mapquest, do not show. Could you help me out in retracting the route the way it was planned in Mapquest?

I am using Garmin Nuvi 360 and I yhink I have the latest update.

In looking at the specs for the 360 ( ROUTES = 0 )

It looks like the 360 can not save routes . So that function from mapquest will not work.

H Hannah
Nuvi750 ique3600

Yeah, I did the same and the same thing happened to me because we don't have the route capability. Too bad! I was hoping that I would get something free without having to upgrade to a 7xx series.

-I don't blame you-

What is now up (7xx series pricing)... must come down! Wait 'em out, and watch for your price-

Has anyone else been able to get the send to feature to work for residence address' instead of business address'? It's not there for me.

What Browser are you using? And what is the error if any?

I also had trouble with Residences, Business worked right.

I decided to try FOXFIRE as my browser and now don't have a problem with either GOOGLE Maps or MapQuest now.

You might try this browser.

Foxfire look very similar to Internet Explorer
and you can import your allready existing Favorites from IE to Foxfire easy.

H Hannah
Nuvi750 and Ique3600

Works for me...any address I put and search it finds....internet explorer and vista....

In Firefox, I've gotten it to successfully send business addresses, residential addresses and even points found by latitude and longitude.

No problems whatsoever on a Zumo.

I know this is covered somewhere way up on this thread, but the just of it is:

Yes, you can use Google Maps new feature (to interface directly to your Favorites) for Residences.

The trick is: That you still need to do it from the "Find Business" tab, then leave blank the "What" box, and enter the address in the "Where box", and take it from there.

Good luck!

Good trick LSchwabe!!
That worked for me

I played around with both Mapquest and Google Maps again last night. They definitely have some differences. Because of that I am glad that I am able to choose from either one of them. We have a fire station at 2047 Connemara Trl W, Rosemount, MN 55068-5600. I tried that with both of them and Mapquest finds a similar location of 2500-2875 Connemara Trl W., but misses the mark so to speak. Google Maps, on the other hand, finds the location and the telephone number. Is the difference that Mapquest uses both Teleatlas or Navteq, but Google Maps uses only Navteq?