This column is about car GPS navigation. But on a related topic, I did not get to celebrate July 4th here in Southport as I was in the Raleigh area for my granddaughter's birthday. Coming in on Tuesday, about 12, the traffic getting off Oak Island was the worst I have ever seen. It was backed up all the way down Long Beach Road and then onto the island all the way through Yaupon and to about 66th street. My wife and I just couldn't help thinking about what would happen if there was an evacuation - after all, hurricane season is upon us.
I have three vehicles, none of which has a built-in GPS navigation system. I never sought one out, and one of the things deterring me was that I would want it in all three vehicles. And, even worse, if I had a built-in unit in each of the cars, they would probably work differently - what a headache to learn! Since I take any of the three on long trips, I really needed the capability for all.
The answer is an add-on unit. Now, you must realize that I am no stranger to in-car GPS. I have had a GPS receiver, used with a notebook PC, in my truck for years. I mainly used it when pulling a trailer on long trips. But my spouse (and chief navigator) just had trouble with the complexity of the PC software; making things worse was that the software gave audible directions, but they weren't detailed enough. It would announce turns, but not "stay right" or "bear left" type of directions.
There are three major players in this arena - Garmin, Magellan, and Tomtom. Tomtom is the newcomer on the block, and their latest products look very good - they have set the bar for the older companies. But a little research indicated that the Tomtom maps were not as up to date here in the states (they are a European company) and to me map accuracy was paramount.
So, I picked up the latest Garmin offering, the C330, which just came out on the market. The unit is very compact, but with a usable size, full color screen. It is completely touch operated - the only controls are a power switch and a volume control. What is really nice is that it had a built-in hard drive, which comes pre-loaded with detailed maps of the entire US. So when you take it out of the box, it's ready to rumble. The unit comes with a USB cable and a really great windshield bracket. The bracket also has the 12v power cable, but you don't always need it as the unit has a built-in four hour rechargeable battery. You can easily detach the unit from the windshield bracket, do some configuring, and just clip it back.
The map accuracy was excellent - spot on everywhere I have tried thus far. Local directions and routing seemed very accurate. It also has very intelligent re-routing. For example, I was headed home today using Yacht Drive instead of Oak Island Drive. It kept trying to get me to turn left, but I kept going straight. Finally, it figured me out, and just sent me down Yacht Drive the rest of the way. Cool!
Long distance routing was not so good. I am used to planning a trip using full PC software, with all the available options - waypoints, stops, etc. So I would have to say that this unit is better used locally or when you arrive at your destination. I believe that if I get an upgrade to my PC software it will support this GPS unit, so I can do both.
There are thousands of built-in Points of Interest (POIs) which include shopping, fuel, repairs, activities, etc. Many of our local establishments were correctly represented, although a few notable exceptions were seen - including my favorite Thai restaurant! Selecting a destination by address or from a list is very easy.
There is some washout of the display in bright sunlight, but it was still usable. They are all that way, so no great loss here.
I am planning another trip to Charleston soon, and we will put the unit through its paces!
(Bob Seidel is a local computer consultant in the Southport - Oak Island area. You can visit his Website at www.bobseidel.com or e-mail questions or column ideas to him at bsc@bobseidel.com. For specific inquiries, please call Bob Seidel Consulting, LLC at 278-1007.)