2011.10

when it comes out

Thank you, that was very helpful.

What our friend Flustuated meant is that Garmin is a publically traded company. Garmin's carefully manages the release of product information in order to protect its shareholders.
Jen

Best guess, the next map update should be in late April or early May.

I'd expect it to come out pretty soon. We're fast approaching 3rd QTR FY 2010 and Garmin is known for Mar/Apr releases right around the time good driving weather gets going. Heck last year, they released map updates about two months apart. Nov 09 was the last one, if I remember correctly, so they seem to be on top of the updates as advertised.

Thank you. I have one free update that will expire in the middle of May.

Actually, I think the last update was in Jan 2010 but, if I were a betting man, I'd still say we see one before the end of April...most likely...

Sorry for the seemingly smart a$$ responses. This is one of the most common questions asked on this site, and the answer really is... when it comes out! This can be frustrating to people (like Zak01) who have 60 or 90 days to download their free update.

Garmin has never announced specific dates for their past update releases. Most guess-timates are based on the reference in the Lifetime Subscription agreement of "up to four times per year" - so people expect a new release every three months. The last one was in January, so the next one is expected in April.

But don't wait for a public announcement from Garmin either. They seem to be pretty slow on advising their users of updates. But keep an eye on this site because this is likely where the first announcements of a new update will appear!.

is there really much difference between one version and the next? Now, don't get me wrong, I'm as excited as the next man when I get the message that I have updated maps to download, but it took almost 4 years to get my daughter's house in Palm Springs on those maps, and it seems as though I have read many a "concern" about the exclusion of many an address, that "never showed up? Could this "eternal" map idea, be only a sales gimmick...you tell me...Garmin lover....350, 360, 370,

You are correct that typically there is not a lot of changes from release to release. And it typically can take 4 - 8 years for residential streets to be updated on the maps.

However, the nuMaps and the "quarterly" map updates from Garmin are in response to customer "demands" that the annual updates were not frequent enough.

Keep a check on the Garmin page https://my.garmin.com/mygarmin/customers/myGarminHome.faces listed under manage my maps.

Click the map for the latest: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=1456&pvID=30132#cove...

People seem to get a little upset when they don't see significant changes from one update to the next. But you have to keep things in perspective! A lot of changes are added with each update - but perhaps NOT the changes that occur in our local communities.

When a map update comes out, you can be sure that someone will complain that the new, major development in their community (which might have been built three years ago) has not been added. That same individual is unconcerned that new subdivisions in Orlando, interstate extensions in Phoenix, or an entire new freeway in Edmonton Alberta have been added. We tend to measure change and improvement by what impacts us directly, so a map update with thousands of changes or additions somewhere else are of little interest. And we probably wouldn't know they had been changed anyway.

Personally, I figure that unless you are a long distance trucker who drives to the same locations by different routes each time, you are not likely to see significant changes with each quarterly map update.

I just have fun travelling to new locations and feeling (somewhat) in control because of my GPS!

I think folks miss the other point of:

It's not what you know that has (or hasn't) changed - it's what you don't know.

If you're on some trip in some unfamiliar place you want to be able to say, "Hey, find me the closest Wendys!" and it be able to take you to a Wendys (perhaps it's new or perhaps it's not one that has closed) and it to take you on possibly new/unfamiliar roads to get there.

You know how to get to your own local Wendys. You really don't need the GPS for that even if there is a new road in there somewhere (you probably drove by it and watched it being built).

That being said, I understand the frustration of having a neighborhood existing for years not being added. I know you can report it but I've never looked into it and have no idea how long it take for them (Navteq, I think) to verify it.

Well said. The GPS units really are amazing. Sure, they're not 100%, but they WILL get you to where you want to go even though it may not be the absolute "best" way. A little common sense and actually looking at the overall route before departing can easily avoid these "I drove for an hour before I realized my GPS was taking me the wrong way!" type stories we often see...

People so often get upset/frustrated with the POI database. What they fail to realize is that it WILL get you "something" in the category you desire. Will be the exact thing you want? No, not always...not by a long shot. But, if you are on the road in an unfamiliar area, will it get you something "useful"? Absolutely. If you need "gas" or "fast food" or "lodging", you will get choices (usually many viable ones) for the category you want. Will it find the new McDonald's two blocks away? Maybe not, but it will find several others a short drive away. Again, the operative term is "unfamiliar area". How would you know anyway if the closest or newest "whatever" wasn't in the POI database? If you drive by something of desire on the way to one that's in the database, then just stop at that one! LOL Seriously... I read on another forum where some guy was complaining that he passed several gas stations off a highway (this was up in Canada) on the way to the "closest" one he found in his GPS. He even played the "low fuel" card yet couldn't seem to figure out that the gas he was passing up was a "flavor" that would have suited his car just fine...

Common sense & personal responsibility are, unfortunately, becoming rare commodities. I remember driving in unfamiliar areas with the sinking feeling of being functionally lost -meaning I knew where I specifically needed to be but was completely ignorant of the rest of my surroundings. Now, I've always got SOME local knowledge. That, my friend, is the magic. And lets not forget the incalculable value of not having to manually reverse all of your written directions just to get home.

While it wasn't the main point of your comment, everyone should report errors to Navteq. It may take a few years for the change to be made, or it may be made in 6 months. Part of the greatness of this site is that most people report problems with POI files so they can be corrected quickly.
The amount of information in the map and built in POI database is tremendous. Even if the correction submitted to Navteq doesn't affect you, reports from other people will improve your map experience. The way to report errors to Navteq is through their website: http://mapreporter.navteq.com/dur-web-external/

Better than the original question...when does the "...your mapset is more than a year old..." get old?

I have been looking at it for months and it still doesn't get old (as in stops being a funny joke!!!).

Gotta love Garmin's "BEG" screens to get you to spend more money!!

By the way...when does the 2011 mapset come out with up to date maps including all those new roads build in this century??? lol

I often believe that much of the delay comes from the municipality itself. They can take a long time before they register new subdivision streets, to the mapping companies.

We have friends that have lived in a subdivision for about 6 years and they still don't show on any maps.

The municipalities also do not send info directly to people like Navteq.

I got caught up in the map update addiction when I got my first Garmin 330. There wasn't a lot of new stuff and it was not money well spent. I would wait awhile between updates or just buy a new GPS when you need that latest update. I would check out a new GPS about every third boxing day and save the map money.

Bob

hopefully soon, eager to see if there will be major changes to this version.

I'm sure there will be, but maybe not as much in your area as you would like.

I have the lifetime updates, so I don't worry about it. It'll come sooner or later. 'Til then, it's probably better than a paper map, and far more convenient to me.

So NT2011.10 should be available soon.

Well, for just a skosh more than an old single update once a year, you can have lifetime updates at four per year now, which Garmin has been releasing as promised, and feed that map update addiction.

5 years sounds about right. It took that long for the map source companies (whomever they are) to finally understand there is a large brick wall that separates my development from the main road.

http://www.landolights.com/main/content/view/16/1/

NEXT YEAR?

I agree with mkahn. Everyone should report to Navteq. Include any necessary backup, such as a photo, of an incorrect sign, or a new intersection, etc., if possible.

In one case, my municipality added a new road with several roundabouts. None of this showed on any road or online maps, but the region had a map of it on their website. I copied the image with additional documentation from the site and included it with my submission. I also included the contact name for the municipality. The contact name might not have been necessary, but it gives Navteq someone they can call for confirmation.

I rec'd an email from Navteq in about 1 year, confirming that the changes would be included, and they were. However, it's not an overnight process and could take a couple of years for it to filter down to the Garmin.

I suggest you register with Navteq and then you can see the status of your report, but don't get worried, if you see nothing for a year or so. Also check and see what they say. I've had a couple of cases, where they seemed to suggest that there was no problem and I had to add a correction.

IMO, asking when the next update is likely going to come out is a valid one. If there was a website that had a list of past updates and when they were made available, people could reasonably make an educated guess. It's completely uncalled for to address posts with a smart ass comment like "when it comes out". Like they say, it's sometimes better not to say (or write) anything than say something that's not nice. This is especially true on the internet where too many people post remarks where they normally wouldn't say them in-person.

As far as Navteq is concerned in reporting missing POIs or roads, I find them really slow these days. Bridges that opened in metro areas such as in Vancouver (Golden Ears Bridge) are still not shown on Navteq's webpage. Compare this to Tele Atlas who's website shows the bridge. The bridge doesnt even appear on Google Maps.

Funny, as Google (Earth) uses both for maps. Strange indeed.

Maybe you should switch to a TomTom if you find that TeleAtlas maps are more up to date. They own TeleAtlas and that is the map they use.

I found the bridge on Google Maps and Google Earth.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=... for google maps.

For those that are interested I got this response today...on Sunday believe it or not....

Thank you for contacting Garmin International.

We currently do not have a set release date for the next map update.
Our updates do get released roughly once a quarter. Given that the last update was released in late January, it's most likely that the next update (2011.10) will be released sometime in or around April. However,we do not have a release date at this time, so that is just an estimate
based on our past update releases.

Please let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Thank you.

thanks

Possibly pictures of the now open bridge but I don't actually see the bridge on the map anywhere. The one to the west of the pictures is the Port Mann Bridge and the one to the east is the Mission Bridge.

Interesting that the bridge does show on Mapquest.com and according to the copyright information in the lower right corner of the map screen, they use Navteq map data for some areas. I guess not for the Vancouver area.

A small picture on the left of the screen for Google Maps and on Google Earth when you click on marker picture comes up.

Last year the first 2010 maps were released in May I believe, so I expect 2011 to come by the end of May this year.

It is quite strange to release a 2011 version in the first half of 2010...

Maybe it's a way to "beat" the other map companies?

Garmin simply is not a costumer oriented company. They seem to have little regard for costumer service.
As stated in a previous post they will release when it best helps their bottom line. Garman has no trouble selling updates but will not do so on a schedule for you're convince. This philosophy is also very evident in their costumer service and technical suppoer. They have a very good product and are priced competitively with their competition. This is just my opinion gleaned from my experiences.

I couldn't agree more with you JBTcajun that's what I was saying about the maps being anywhere from 1 to 2 years old.

I don't know of any company that releases updates, especially when it involves new data coming from a completely independent third party source, for the "convenience" of anyone. As already stated, it comes out when it comes out, whether you pay for the update or get it "free" under a previously purchased lifetime update subscription.

NuMaps Lifetime with its "up to four times per year" updates was announced by Garmin in the fall of 2008. Below are the release dates for map updates issued via the NuMaps Lifetime program.

2009.10 January 22, 2009
2010.10 April 8, 2009
2010.20 July 30, 2009
2010.30 November 19, 2009
2010.40 January 21, 2010

Garmin had a chance to "rationalize" the map revision numbering scheme when they switched to quarterly updates. Unfortunately, it appears that the marketing department held sway and jumped to "2010" in April of "2009".

This year I'm going to pay attention to the Navteq Map copyright year that is displayed while the GPS boots up. Map 2010.40 says "2009". When it updates to "2010" I figure this would indicate approx how old the maps are that Garmin provides to us.

Guess we will see. It will come out when it comes out then. In the mean time, I am fortunate that my unit is working fine for now. I really like my Garmin

I submitted a map report regarding a street incorrectly behaving as one-way on my nuvi to Navteq (Garmin's map supplier) and several weeks later I got a response that it had been resolved, on Sept. 14, 2009. After just updating to 2010.40, I find it is still not showing as two-way. So there must be quite a delay!

Once again for those interested I received this today.

Thank you for contacting Garmin Cartography. The next map update, called City Navigator North America NT v2011.1, is due to be released around the end of April.

Garmin used to offer map updates one time per year for $69.99. Recently we announced our NüMaps Lifetime service which offers lifetime map updates for your nuvi. With the new lifetime map update you can update the maps on your unit up to 4 times per year. This marks the first time that Garmin has offered more than one map update per year. The cost of the update is a one time fee of $119. We will also continue to offer the traditional one time per year update for $69.99. Both the one time and the lifetime map update services are now available to purchase and I have included a link below so you can read more about them. If you plan to keep your device for a while the lifetime update is by far the best map update option we offer.

Please let me know if you have any other questions and thank you for your interest in Garmin.

Regards,

Nathan

Where is the link?

Here you go....

nüMaps Lifetime - http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/us/maps/numaps-lifetime

map updates - https://my.garmin.com/maps/updates.htm?in=true&ni=ie6&

with what I have now. The map updates are not a big deal because I still use paper maps to check for updated routes. Plus, the unit only helps me to get to my destination. It's 50% hardeare and 50% human.