garmin i3 nuy or not??

otisb · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 11, 2005 Posts: 19

hi all
i have at the mo a medion mdpna175 and it keeps crashing and had been sent back to medion 2 times now Evil or Very Mad

i have seen the garmin i3 and like the look of it, but as i cant get oat for the medion like uptodate maps poi or speed cams dater are all the garmin i3 free to update i know the poi and speed cam are but are the map's??

if the maps are free is this the unit to go for?

just dont want a crap unit like the medion again Sad

thanks
otis b

otisb · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 11, 2005 Posts: 19

garmin i3 nuy or not?? Embarassed

i mean BUY Embarassed

Aitch2 · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:19 am Post subject:

The maps are supplied with the unit, and are not normally updateable - although there are persistant rumours that units with the Navteq v7 maps are shortly going to be offered an update to v8 (current version).

I think Navteq themselves update their maps annually - and for the price of the i3 (£100 - £150), most casual/domestic users won't suffer from 'only' having maps that are 2/3 years old.
I guess that it's always possible to do clever things with blank Transflash cards and new software - but you'd probably be spending much more than the price of the unit itself.

Essentially, the i3 is ideal as a 'no-frills', 'does what it says on the box', basic unit - but if regularly undating your maps is a vital feature for you - then you may want to look elsewhere (and spend more...)

Aitch
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otisb · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 11, 2005 Posts: 19

thanks for the info i will have to look into this a bit longer Smile

ps73uk · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 116

I'm not sure if i would recommend you to buy the i3 at the moment to be honest, i have got a sneaky feeling that Garmin have discontinued these units, dont get me wrong the Garmin it's-self works fine really, even though i do think that they work better using software version 2.5 instead of 2.7 (unless you need the postcode search, entering the house numbers as "0")

The thing that worries me about recommending people go and rush out to buy the i3 is the lack of interest Garmin seem to have in the unit anymore, no new updates to the software have been made since version 2.7 (released the end of October last year), the 2.7 software did correct some important errors with the i3, the main one being the postcode problem, but it did introduce some other errors which others have mentioned here, the units seem to run slower, they seem to calculate routes slower, and units using 2.7 seem to make all sorts of different sounds when being switched off!, it would be nice to see an update to correct these issues.

Then theres the map updates, to be honest i really dont think those running version 7 maps will ever see the "free" upgrade to version 8 maps, Garmin first suggested these free map upgrades would happen late 2005, then it was January 2006, then the last i heard Febuary 2006 and still theres no sign of them appearing, i dont think they ever will.

Add to that the fact that most shops have now stopped selling the i3, even maplins have had it in the "discontinued stock" sale not long ago, i think when the last few shops that have stocks of the i3's left, run out of that stock, that will be the end of the i3 to be honest.

All the above is just my opinion, as i said the Garmin i3 isn't a bad little unit for the price, it will get you around without to many problems, but if you want a product that might be supported with new updates e.c.t in 6 months time, i would give the i3 a miss.
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Garmin Streetpilot i3,
Tomtom One
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Paul

ps73uk · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 116

Infact, just had a look on the Maplins site and the i3 is still in the "discounted, end of range items" sale:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=CLEARANCE&SD=N&menu=-3&DOY=13m2

Like i said, dont think the i3's will be around much longer to be honest, time will tell i suppose? Wink

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Garmin Streetpilot i3,
Tomtom One
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Paul

bazer100 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 13, 2006 Posts: 16

oh no, as much good the info is, it really has

me up on choices on what one to get now Rolling Eyes

however i do have a limited budget but 140 quid is still alot of cash to burn if the garmin i3 isnt gonna be much use in 6 months time or so Question

Almahadeus · Frequent Visitor Joined: Aug 06, 2005 Posts: 346

ps73uk · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 116

bazer100 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 13, 2006 Posts: 16

yeah no problems guys, as you said its your opnions, however im new to sat nav, and i had a good read of these forums before i registered and want to be sure before i buy, i belive in people opnions if they have bought them and give there honest view good or bad

thanx again

baz :D

PaulB2005 · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 6:14 pm Post subject:

Garmin have indicated that the i3 is NOT being discontinued. The removal of items from some stores (Woolworth's etc) is because the WHOLESALER has pulled the stock to supply it to someone for a higher price than they were getting in the current stores.

Also there always seems to be cries for new versions of the maps and firmware. Now I'm aware that manufacturers do release updates from time to time but are they obliged to?

As there is no OFFICIAL announcement that the i3 is to be discontinued I'd buy one if i found it for under £150. Try and get a version 8 and flash the firmware to 2.70. With those two you should be set for at least 3 years. Even my 3 year old road atlas is worth having so a 3 year old sat nav will be fine.

bazer100 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 13, 2006 Posts: 16

when i purchase one, how do i tell what version it is?

baz

PaulB2005 · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 6:27 pm Post subject:

On the bottom of the box is a bar code. On the bar code will be a seperate set of digits

v7 = Version 7
v8 = version 8

Only works if you can inspect the box first obviously.

otisb · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 11, 2005 Posts: 19

well that was a lot to read about i think i will have to have a play with it,
its got to be better than my medion i have just sent back to be fixed!!

north_country_boy · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:37 pm Post subject:

I agree with all the positive views on the i3, I've had mine about a month and was lucky enough to get it for under £100. So what if its discontinued anyway, its works brilliantly as it is, ok, so in 12 months time the maps will be slightly out of date, but that will be the case with any unit you buy and whatever price you pay. In 6 months time there will always be something new out there, you just have to bite the bullet and go for it. Its worth ringing round every Kwik Save and Somerfields there is and see if they have any stock for £100.

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