Garmins just became more obselete: new Google Maps app for iOs and Android adds key features

I still like having two separate devices... Garmin for dedicated navigation and Android for everything else. I've never had my Garmin hang at a critical point in my route... the Android has. Also, I don't have to worry about the navigation on the Garmin being interrupted by an incoming call at a critical point in the route. Finally, I don't think Google maps (or any other mapping program for Android that I have seen) have speed limit notifications built in. I find this useful in areas I'm not familiar with.

Cheers,
--Hawk

Yes, my iPhone can do a lot of things -- maps, compass, camera, exercise monitor, music player, door stop... I can even use it to talk to people!

And my Swiss army knife has screwdrivers, knife blades, scissors and more.

But what if I need to use the screwdriver and scissors at the same time?

Or maps and camera?

I believe we'll continue to have a market for dedicated devices that focus attention on one function. At least for people who understand/want the differences a dedicated device provides.

Look at the speedometer in your car as an example -- yes, there are probably a boatload of minor functions arrayed within the speedo dial, but front and center is that main function -- vehicle speed. (This is carried to an extreme in the Mini Cooper, with its large centre-mounted speedo with inner rings of lesser functions.)

If I need a hammer, I'll use a hammer,

Yes, my iPhone has a camera, but for good images of our last theatrical production, I used the Nikon. Better results form a purpose-made product.

Same in the GPS/NAV market -- a dedicated device that does its job, like the one mounted on my dash.

For some time now... And Navigon already loads full maps to the device.

Well said k6rtm .... reminds me of the saying ...Jack of all trades, master of none.

It all depends, I guess, how much/little you need or can use each tool.

Unfortunately, some people tend to believe ALL the marketing they hear .......

I did not mean to imply that my nuvi is now worthless. There is still a market for dedicated devices, it's just beginning to shrink over time. I will still prefer a stand alone device when making road trips out of the state, simply because I would rather have my iPhone available for other things. But, I think now it's going to be even harder for Garmin to obtain new customers who all of a sudden want to substitute their smartphone navigation with stand alone navigation from a nuvi, mostly because Google Maps is free, once you have a smartphone of course.

But doesn't the Google maps require a data connection? So, If you are using Google maps for a long trip, unless you have unlimited data plan, would you not deplete a lot of your data usage?

Doesn't matter how many features google maps adds to android phones or IOS, it is still the actual PND device that makes the difference. Now, it is still easier to use a garmin for nav situations than a phone. I can use my I5s as back up to my 2797 if the latter stops working during a trip. But as a primary nav solution, no way.

I think garmin can still stay ahead of the smart phone if they integrate the dash cam and rear view camera into,one unit, preferably a 7" model.

Which is why I would still suggest using Google Maps only for shorter trips.

Done already, but not a 7" screen and not in North America (yet):

http://www.garmin.com.sg/m/buzz/sg/minisite/nuvi3592lm/

I followed this link and watched this... Nice.
I can not find it on Garmin or see what it cost.

If you're roaming the data costs would be horrendous.

Google Maps does need a data connection at some point to cache maps... it can work without a data connection to the extent you've cached maps. It would need a data connection for searches... I can't say how much data would be used for fetching maps on the fly as my GPS use on mobile devices is mostly on Navigon... which has full, complete maps stored on-device. Folks with a low data limit on their plan should use the ability to cache maps while on wifi as much as possible.

@mgarledge

It's on the Garmin GG/MY website at http://www.garmin.com.sg/products/ontheroad/nuvi3592lm/ but no pricing there either. As I said, it's not available in North America so it's not on the Garmin website for here.

Thanks Good info to have. Will do a comparison when able to.

It is a year old and I did finally find it for $250 but it is a Manufacturer Refurbished unit.

A year old sounds about right. My 3597LMTHD will be a year old next week. How time flies .

Well, I just had to make a trip across town, so I had a chance to use the new maps app. I would say that the lane guidance feature on Google Maps DEFINITELY has more coverage than Garmin's version of lane guidance. In the area where I currently live, the lane arrows on my Garmin only shown up on my maneuvers onto and off of interstate highways. This was not the case with Google Maps. When using Google Maps just now, the lane guidance feature was present on almost every turn/maneuver, even on surface streets, secondary roads, and some residential roads in my area on my route.

Once again, NOT SAYING THE NUVI IS COMPLETELY OBSOLETE, but I will certainly be using the Google maps app as my main navigator when travelling locally.

I will still use my Garmin for navigation. My phone would only be used in an emergency. The Nuvi has a bigger screen, very important to the optically challenged and it does not need a data plan to work.
Now, if the put a GPS in an Ipad mini, that did not rely on cell phone tower triangulation or a wireless connection, that would be another story.

Years ago when gps units first arrived I took the plunge and overpaid for quirky nav units. Even though there were many shortcomings, I was still thrilled with their performance. I upgraded a few times as the units got better, feature wise and performance wise, but they were still far from perfect. Then I decided to switch to the smartphone only route.

I used Apple and Android phones as an all in one solution. They worked well but as others have mentioned, you need a data connection and it always seems that phone calls would come in at the worst times.

A few weeks back I bought a Nuvi and I could not be happier. I am delighted with the improvements in performance and ease of use. From now on, I plan to always have a stand alone gps unit and use the smartphone in a pinch. That's my 2 cents.

It's good to hear about improvements, but it still wouldn't be something on which I would want to rely. To me, what would make the Google Maps App a much better solution is to have more control over the mapping cache.

If I could set up of the app to cache all of the maps for particular states before a road trip, etc., it would make me much more likely to consider relying on the Google Maps App.

Every time I have tried to use the "Save map for use offline" feature, it gives me an error message saying "area too large, zoom in." Google assumes that there is no need to cache maps for anybody beyond the immediate area for urban dwellers.

As it stands, I'm just not comfortable on relying on having a good internet connection to be able to properly recalculate a change in a route.

When i first bought streetpilot it was over $1000 then the nuvi 700 series was in the $700 and i recently bought the 2597lmt under $200 - GPS cannot go much lower even though smartphone version are $50 and competition is good or else we will pay much higher for GPS compare to current prices.
GArmin need to think outside the box and bring features first before Google to make it attractive for us to keep buying their GPS. Traffic is okay but not the best - i find Sirius XM traffic more reliable and real time compared to whats out there imo.
These are my thoughts

Great features. WiFi and Google Play. Love the rear camera option but why the front camera?

Great features. WiFi and Google Play. Love the rear camera option but why the front camera?

Probably since in many parts of the world this has become almost standard equipment. A lot of times they are used to record events in places where there are lots of accidents or high crime. Nothing like a video of exactly what happened.

My dedicated Garmin is too convenient to do without. It is always there and always on.

However, the Garmin Traffic is worthless. When we need traffic info we turn on Google Maps for real time accurate traffic info.

does a fine job for me for either short or long trips. I should also say that looking at a map for the general directions & validating what the Garmin says is always a wise idea.

Fred

... we haven't gone very far, or any place terribly interesting until we have gone off the grid. I for one feel that our bodies will enter serious trouble when electromagnetic radiation becomes so pervasive & intense that one can not escape cell & microwave tower coverage.

Navigation? Depending upon where I am going: Mapquest, Google Earth, & Nuvi (using GPS coordinate input, particularly when I am hiking). Sure I have a "voice only flip" from a major service provider, but I also thoroughly enjoy deploying income on other whims rather than a 'data plan contract.' Can't imagine that becoming obsolete ... particularly for those of us who can not justify a data contract as part of their tax deductible "business plan."

Google map can be download for a particular trip.

Poi-factory still makes my Garmin useful!

I won't go on a long trip without my Garmin

with you. I like having a dedicated unit for travel.

On trips between Colorado and California, there are dead spots for phone or data service.

Garmin dies have 3592? In the Asian market only but that unit is more an add on dash cam rather than fully integrated, like the new Magellan. The rear cam unit should be blue tooth not hard wired like the 2798. I,say 7" because if you are going to.view something on camera, make the screen as big as possible.

I am sticking with two units for now. I was recently in the suburbs of Boston as a passenger. The driver used Google Maps GPS for directions to our hotel. It took us on a really odd route. It might have been his settings but it was enough to convince me for now. I do like the phone GPS for walking.

I have a program that records my route when I am taking pictures away from home. I then sync this rout and time stamps with the pictures and they all display on a map so I know exactly where I took them. This would have been invaluable last time I was in Egypt for 3 weeks.

Google - needs a data connection(many dead spots out west); GPS on phone drains battery; directions are not the best at times; offline maps are limited to a small area

Garmin - no data connection required; best directions (most of the time);

I don't carrying my garmin on trips especially when I rent cars when I'm ot of town.

Look at my experience. I got rid of my old device because they said smartphones can do it all. I got tired of hearing lost GPS signal. Heck I can use my Garmin in some buildings. Smartphones have a long way to go to catch up. "If they can"

As mentioned before, any directions etc on a smart phone really only work with a data plan. Without it NADA!
Garmin, hands down winner!

After making a 1200 mile trip cross country, and being told multiple times by Garmin to turn right...when all that was on the right was a mountain or a big lake, being told to turn right when the interstate split, when the obvious choice was to go left, and finally getting to our destination in spite of "Michelle" (because Samantha sounds like she's got her hand over her mouth) by using Google maps on the iPhone, I'm prone to agree that for reliability I'll choose Google. I was about to get the NRA to use Garmins for target practice.

If using Google Navigation, then yes, it only works with a data plan for search, though you can download a map of your route for offline navigation. Many of the other GPS options for Android rely on Google Search for their address lookup, but otherwise don't need data to function. There is at least one option that doesn't require a data plan at all to function.

Regardless, I will stay with Garmin, even if they can't get their map version numbering right. But having a GPS app on one's smartphone is a smart move if something happens to the dedicated device. The app should be able to get you home, which is all that matters if you have no idea where you are.

You don't necessarily need a "data plan." You need Internet access which could be Wi-Fi.

What some of you forgot is that the amount of POI's one can put on the Garmin. I have over 120,000 places on my 1490 and counting.
When traveling I can read almost all historical markers along the roads I travel or when traveling through national battlefield parks I can decide whether I want to stop by reading the markers in advance.
My route to LA from Iowa automatically has me stopping for gas just before I enter Denver because the prices change by the amount of elevation you rise in the mountains. I do not have to remember that.
When I last visited England and Ireland I had my route planned out and everything went like a charm except where I had made a wrong entry in coordinates. Did not have to remember where I was going next.
We are going to London In 30 days and I have already put in my Garmin the places we will take our granddaughter in the right order so that we do not backtrack much and save time.
Everyone has their own opinion of what fits them so there is no simple answere.

Sorry, but that makes no sense. Longer trips are when I'm most likely to need or want a GPS. And the cost per minute or cost per mile would be at least as much for short local trips (offset somewhat if you have already bought more data than you use and just want to burn through what you paid for). The real solution seems to be to use apps that can store the map and use it off-line, loading the map from your home Internet connection of even a WiFi hotspot.

Again with the "you gotta have a data plan" ordure...

I have a wifi iPad... I have an external GPS receiver for it. I have the Navigon app. That combination of devices gives me a user experience that is equal to that of my now defunct Nuvi765t... and does not need to use data - EVER unless you're updating maps.

The Navigon app works the same on any smartphone - I've used it on iPhone... the app also has an Android version.

Still use Garmins for Redlight cameras.

The only time one needs a data connection for Navigon is downloading maps, which you do once on wifi after installing the app... And when there are map updates if you subscribe to them just like Nuvis. Otherwise, any device running Navigon does NOT...REPEAT NOT require any kind of data connection whatsoever to operate... And works every bit as good as my Nuvi765t I in my experience.

The thread is about Google's map product which does require an Internet connection for each use. Yes, there is the ability to download a complete route and save it off line for a single trip, but if you deviate, then a new Internet connection is required, As you are also fond of stating, don't hijack the thread.

Garmin
For
Life
that is my 2 cents!

Well, the way I read the title of this thread, the new Google Maps is being contrasted against a Garmin GPSr. So discussing the differences in features is fair game. "Garmins Just Became More Obsolete..." I have a pretty keen sense for the obvious, and that is about a GPSr.

kch50428 runs Navigon, I run the Garmin iOS app, and neither needs a data plan to navigate. They can work just like a GPSr, no cell system or wi-fi required for navigation. I have gone cross country a couple times with the iOS app, and for days went without a cell signal and the iOS app navigated.

The Garmin iOS app is completely self-contained on the iPhone, just as City Navigator would be on a Garmin GPSr. And a Garmin GPSr does not need a cell system or wi-fi to navigate.

The maps used with Navigon and the Garmin iOS app are installed as you would install maps on a GPSr, such as City Navigator. Navigon and the Garmin iOS apps do not need to constantly access the cell system to download map tiles to show mapping. The mapping with the Navigon and Garmin iOS apps is loaded onto the device upon installation and stays there -- all the time.

Google Maps needs to constantly access the cell system to get map tiles, and therefore is useless in areas where there is no cell service.

When I see miss/disinformation disseminated, I'm going to provide facts... the assertion that smartphones require a data connection in order to function as a GPSr is simply not true.