Garmin GPS

[AHM]

I'm looking to upgrade my old Garmin NUVI 1490, it's become unreliable, ...

Did it get flaky after upgrading firmware?
(Not "after updating map tiles",
if the distinction exists for the 1490).

Garmin's software obviously suffers from "bug fixes" that break other stuff.
So you get a fix to a fix to a fix.
(Back in the day, they published release notes,
so you could at least see their software engineers
doing an Expanding Box Search for the correct solution to a bug...).


Did it get flaky after changing a preference?

Garmin's software is sometimes too fancy for
the documentation that explains it.
So you change some preference and the unit behaves in a confusing fashion...

 

[Dennis in MA]

I’m assuming you’re looking for an on road GPS. If so, you really can’t beat Waze and an iPhone.

If you’re looking for an outdoor model, there are quite a few other options.

F Waze and F iPhone. OK, don't F iPhone.

I was traveling home from my folks' place on Sunday afternoon. I looked and traffic off-Cape was not good. Not terrible at teh rotisserie but bad on 495.

I live in the area, so I know how to get around it. I got off at Rock Ridge (with a S-load of dimes) and travelled up 28 to 105. Cut over and took back roads back to Taunton. Same distance. Definitely the same time with traffic.

As I get to the lights at 105, I realize that Waze is pulling HUNDREDS of NY/NJ/CT cars off of 495. HUNDREDS! They get off, meander around on 105 in 2 lanes. DIVE over to the right most lane 2 sets of lights later, jamming up ALL the traffic and then turn on 79 to go to 18 to get back on 495.

2 miles. It's 2 miles of highway avoided. And they EXTRA jammed up 495 at 18 with hundreds of cars getting back on. So the net effect was ZERO. ZERO!

I'm betting with everything, it didn't save these folks a single second. "We've detected traffic ahead. You can take the next exit to save 2 minutes, which you will spend getting back on the highway. In fact, those 2 minutes were only valid about 90 minutes ago. Now you and I are just muffing up the traffic. Would you like me to reroute?"

Unless it's a MAJOR course change, I NEVER let the phone change my route. "This will save you 3 minutes." No. It probably won't.


It's bad when the Norton cops have to put out details to stop Wazers from tying up back roads to get to Notso Great Woods.

 

[Camhabib]

F Waze and F iPhone. OK, don't F iPhone.

I was traveling home from my folks' place on Sunday afternoon. I looked and traffic off-Cape was not good. Not terrible at teh rotisserie but bad on 495.

I live in the area, so I know how to get around it. I got off at Rock Ridge (with a S-load of dimes) and travelled up 28 to 105. Cut over and took back roads back to Taunton. Same distance. Definitely the same time with traffic.

As I get to the lights at 105, I realize that Waze is pulling HUNDREDS of NY/NJ/CT cars off of 495. HUNDREDS! They get off, meander around on 105 in 2 lanes. DIVE over to the right most lane 2 sets of lights later, jamming up ALL the traffic and then turn on 79 to go to 18 to get back on 495.

2 miles. It's 2 miles of highway avoided. And they EXTRA jammed up 495 at 18 with hundreds of cars getting back on. So the net effect was ZERO. ZERO!

I'm betting with everything, it didn't save these folks a single second. "We've detected traffic ahead. You can take the next exit to save 2 minutes, which you will spend getting back on the highway. In fact, those 2 minutes were only valid about 90 minutes ago. Now you and I are just muffing up the traffic. Would you like me to reroute?"

Unless it's a MAJOR course change, I NEVER let the phone change my route. "This will save you 3 minutes." No. It probably won't.


It's bad when the Norton cops have to put out details to stop Wazers from tying up back roads to get to Notso Great Woods.

Sometimes Waze tries a bit too hard to save a few seconds, but on average, I find it does the best out of any of the apps in terms of dynamic routing. The police and other hazard reporting feature is also extremely helpful, and makes it worth its use alone.

 

[AHM]

F Waze ...

You'll eat those words the next time you're headed south in Franconia Notch
and the 'Migras are running the North Lincoln Crimalien/Drug Mule roadblock.

Let alone when Antifa comes to an Interstate near you.

Crowdsourced traffic data, FTW.

 

[Dennis in MA]

Apple does an adequate job of rerouting around Antifa and whatever that other thing you said was. (I'd have to go to Franklinonian Scotch first, but I digress.)

But to move people A SINGLE EXIT 2 miles WITHIN THE SAME TRAFFIC JAM just seems stupid. (They weren't going AROUND the jam. Just moving up. 2 miles. And if you've driving 495N on a busy Sunday, you'll know - there IS no traffic. It isn't because of a drop of a lane or accident. It's a hill. A single hill causes clueless drivers to slow down, making others try and go around them at 1/2mph faster than them, and ever-slowing with them. Within 15 min, you've got the entire roadway from the added-lane in B-water back to Rt 44 slowed down. Another 45 min and it's a full-stop at 44/495.)

It just moves the jam elsewhere and gives the illusion of it working. Plus you get 50x more vehicles driving in an area they have NO clue about and I bet that increases traffic accidents due to the silly thing.

Had my dad not had OHS last Monday, I'd have not been there at all. I avoid it like the plague. My days of fighting Cape traffic ended 15 years or so ago. And I thought it was bad then. It wasn't. THIS is bad. Crazy bad.

 

[Racenet]

You'll eat those words the next time you're headed south in Franconia Notch
and the 'Migras are running the North Lincoln Crimalien/Drug Mule roadblock.

Let alone when Antifa comes to an Interstate near you.

Crowdsourced traffic data, FTW.

F Antifa. Their dumb asses will get run down in these parts.

 

[slap shot]

I’m assuming you’re looking for an on road GPS. If so, you really can’t beat Waze and an iPhone.

If you’re looking for an outdoor model, there are quite a few other options.

Waze is great but useless once you lose signal, as often happens up in mountains. Also not able to plan routes and share.

 

[Camhabib]

Waze is great but useless once you lose signal, as often happens up in mountains. Also not able to plan routes and share.

True, but Google Maps addresses both those issues.

 

[AHM]

Apple does an adequate job of rerouting around Antifa and whatever that other thing you said was. (I'd have to go to Franklinonian Scotch first, but I digress.)

Better pour yourself a double,
the thread has 527 posts so far...

But to move people A SINGLE EXIT 2 miles WITHIN THE SAME TRAFFIC JAM just seems stupid. (They weren't going AROUND the jam. Just moving up. 2 miles. And if you've driving 495N on a busy Sunday, you'll know - there IS no traffic. ...

Literally only a couple of times on a Sunday after they extended I-495.

Which reminds me, I discovered two weeks ago that I need to buy
a new used CARRIER, INTRENCHING TOOL. The 10/12/57 canvas one
that I bought at Bananas on US 6 in East Wareham is finally wearing out.

F Antifa. Their dumb asses will get run down in these parts.

Around here, the entire protest will probably get mowed down like an episode of Candlepins for Cash
by a driver texting with their nose buried in their smartphone, LOL.

BTW, I just realized that the proper Waze command for reporting an Antifa protest
is Animals on Side of Road.

 

[slap shot]

True, but Google Maps addresses both those issues.

doesn’t need a cell signal?

 

[Camhabib]

doesn’t need a cell signal?

You can save offline maps on most devices now. Some functionality is a bit limited but overall it works very well.

Download areas & navigate offline - Android - Google Maps Help

You can save an area from Google Maps to your phone or tablet and use it when you're offline. Tip: You’re unable to download offline maps in some countries or reg

support.google.com