Using Androil gps system to replace Garmin GPS

[jdang]

Hi everyone,

I want to have a GPS system for my car. I first consider to buy a Garmin unit which cost about $150-$200 but I know the ViewPad7 (android 2.2) tablet has Google GPS system build in. Anyone knows well about his stuff please tell me the pros and cons of buying a ViewPad7 or a Gamin GPS?


Thanks,

Jdang

 

[jpfx]

The viewpad has A-GPS, Assisted GPS, that means it will figure out your location based on the cell it is in on a cellular (mobile phone) network.
This is good enough for a 'what's near me' type service but I wouldn't consider it ideal by any means for car navigation.

 

[jev]

A-GPS is *not* cell based location services. It is, as you write, Assisted GPS, meaning the GPS decoder is helped by getting its almanac data from the internet instead of receiving it from the GPS satellites (which is a very slow process). The navigation solution however still is GPS based.

Now, the viewpad AFAIK does not feature a build-in GPS decoder. Thus, you'ld need to use an external GPS decoder through bluetooth which is not supported by all navigation software. Further more, the Garmin prolly is optimized for use in full sunlight whereas tablets usually feature screens that are not very good in sunlight.

Last but not least, the navigation software available for Android just isn't as good as TomTom or Garmin. Google navigation always requires an internet connection (agreed, you can calculate a route and as long as you strictly follow that it doesn't need the connection anymore. But don't take a wrong exit or you'll be euhm... f*cked). There are commercial alternatives for google nav (Sygic mobile maps, Navigon, nDrive, etc.) but in reality they just are not as good as a dedicated standalone unit.

 

[tshoong]

Go get a Garmin...