I think I'll wait for TomTom Navigator 2005 or 2006

[Redbear]

I think I'll wait for it. The more I read about the problems you guys are having (having to download updates) and my understanding of Navigator 2004 from the review and from various comments on these forums (fora ?), the more it seems to me that it is not worth my buying it YET. I have an HP 4705 and a Belkin bluetooth GPS (identical to Fortuna Clip-on). I am VERY satisfied with both. The Belkin came with mapping and routing software called Belkin Navigation System version 1.1.0 NA copyrighted by Netropa Corporation and has some lineage to Deluo Routis it seems. I believe the Belkin software does a quite satisfactory job for me (at least at this point in my GPS education). It announces turns and many street names (particularly number streets, freeways and state routes). The maps seem accurate at least for Colorado and the display is very readable. The verbal directions are comprehensive and use an actual female voice (WAV files which can be edited or replaced) rather than the awful computer generated voice in Mapopolis.

However, it seems that TomTom is the preferred software by the majority of you; at least the previous version of TomTom Navigator was the preferred software. It sounds somewhat like TomTom has taken a step backward in the 2004 US version. I had a copy on order but they were backordering it so I looked around further. I have now tried Mapopolis, Delorme Street Atlas USA, Delorme Topo and Outdoor Navigator. My eduction progresses. At this point I have a couple of problems with TomTom as I understand it: Clearly aall of these do not offerr the same functionality. When selecting a contacts destination with TomTom it sounds like I have to start up my Contacts application (which has VERY small fonts) and somehow select a "go there" for TomTom Navigator. Is this true ? Further if I understand correctly the Route is always up on the screen. The Belkin software displays my contacts directly in large readable fonts and I can choose North Up on the display if I prefer. It also supports both portrait and landscape modes on the display (I haven't tried VGA yet). TomTom also seems to require a lot of screen button pushing for some functions. Copilot Live at $249 seems awfully expensive and they do not offer a trial version for me to evaluate whether it is worth it. Should I just stay with what I have or do I not understand TomTom well enough. I am willing to pay the price for it IF it is a significant improvement. Why should I buy TomTom Navigator??

[lbendlin]

If you have Deluo Routis/Intellinav/Prymenav/Netropa then you should use this for a while. It's a simple program, but the usability is actually not bad (as you noticed). It's a good beginner's level application.


Some ramblings:
- TomTom has many more configuration options, but you may not need those.
- TomTom also has extensive support for customn POI, but then again you may not need those.
- TomTom uses TeleAtlas maps, and you will want to be careful with those :-(
- last but not least TomTom implements "european" usability ideas better than any other program. Not important for you - you are used to the US way of thinking what usability should be.
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

[Redbear]

Thanks Ltuz. I appreciate your reply. Could you give me a few examples of "european" usability ideas that TomTom implements better than any other program. I like the TomTom graphics and may well end up buying it someday.

[lbendlin]

one prominent example is the way streets are painted. In the US paper maps show streets merely as lines, without any distinction of the street's importance. In Europe paper maps show an outlined street, and they use the outline to colorate streets differently. TomTom's presentation is very close to the way european print maps look like.

Other things are harder to grasp. They concern the "logical" flow of usage events - what users expect to see after they perform a certain action, how they select addresses etc. In most european countries you specify the city, then the street, then the house number. In the US you first specify the house number and then the street name. And so on.
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

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