I plan on using mt Android phone and google nav. Maybe use and old phone for it and tether from my current device if need be.

 

I use Google Navigator. What I'd like to know is if the car's GPS can feed an Android smartphone's location system. The car's GPS receiver is probably better quality than the one in my phone.

 

You'd be surprised. Cell phone GPS's are very accurate. They bounce a signal off both cell towers and GPS satellites to determine your location. They also know exactly where the satellites will be, so they don't have to do that searching for satellites junk.

I did a little test project for the USDA walking around DC with an iPad/my iPhone/a standard government issue standalone Garmin GPS unit. In some instances, the i-devices were dead on accurate within less than a meter of where I was standing - better than the Garmin at times. A coworker that did some travel in India using just GPS satellite connectivity with the iPad came back with very similar results.

My phone did freak out in Manhattan, NY though, often showing me on the wrong street. Good thing I was just walking around and can read a map

But really, technology these days is quite impressive.


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It's not a question of accuracy. The car's GPS is on the top of the car and should get better reception. Plus, there is more power available in the car to assist in cleaning up the extremely weak GPS signals.

 

Unless you're in the middle of nowhere and don't have cell service, it doesn't matter. The phone will ALWAYS have a gps signal if you've got a tower signal, and usually will have one without a tower signal if you can see the sky. The key is just getting a good app that doesn't rely on a data connection 100% of the time.

I have even been hiking with little to no tower signal and very intermittent view of the sky and produced pretty accurate track logs.


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Nope I agree with Blackburn, cell phones can be better than gps. They are always locatable even if you don't have service or gps on. Think it's what the emergency services use to locate them. I've noticed my phone is more accurate than on star, my streets navigation and my friends gps. Plus google mediation is much cleaner and sleeker.

 

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Wish someone would teach me how to use Google GPS on my smart phone, haven't figured out a way to store addresses in it yet, if its even possible. Then if you leave it on, the battery inside really drains quick, so need a charging cord to keep it working.

Garmin nuvi 1450 LMT is so easy to use and can store hundreds of addresses you can name yourself. Have airport navigation sites in the middle of nowhere. Get on google maps and get the precise latitude and longitude, key that in and name that site. It's always in my address book and gives me the shortest or most scenic route to get there.

Very bright screen, no problem glancing on it with the bright sun even with my polarized sunglasses on. Free map and traffic updates for life. Picked it up at Target for 130 bucks, had a five inch screen that really makes a huge difference, even compared to a four inch diagonal screen.

Next model up does have bluetooth, but really doubt if it would work with the car radio. Reception always has been great, works with my car parked in the garage where OnStar and XM are dead. Also have a spare bracket so can use it in my boat.

Wish it had a removable battery, internal one is only good for two hours, but thinking about making a five volt external supply with a small battery pack so its good up to eight hours. Uses that now very standard thick USB cord.

 

What mount you using?

 

I have a nice Garmin since my phone is 6 years old. It works nicely, and stows away out of sight when not needed.

 

Garmin maps use Navteq data(with their City Navigator maps) which I have found superior to most maps in the US. Google does have Map Maker so it is much easier to get things changed. You can submit errors only to Navteq & Tele Atlas, I much prefer googles Method of a user editable map.

 

yah man garmin is the way to go love your set up even if it is lowered tech.
some inovated thinking toget everything nice I have been tinkering around with my own GPS thanks

 

At the OE level, am a retired automotive electronic engineer, about five bucks worth of parts to add GPS, a couple of bucks for the touch screen, a buck for the LNA with down converter, and a couple of bucks for the microcontroller, well maybe a 90 cents for a 2GB flashram chip, don't need that USB connector or case, just the chip with beam leads to solder it directly to the surface mount board.

Asking a thousand bucks extra is positively insane, the XM and OnStar circuitry is far more expensive, and didn't even want that! But this insanity is augmented for the price they want for a map update.

Suction cups that come with these add on units are worthless, well maybe okay until you hit a tiny pebble on the road, then your GPS is on the floor. Equally worthess are these way overpriced vent mounts, besides, the GPS doesn't like 200*F air blasting on them. Then that cord that manages to wrap itself around your neck three times.

Has to be a better way, couldn't find one, so made my own bracket. Can remove the entire thing in about two minutes, and the vehicle will be just like it came from the factory. For me, its a mortal sin to drill a hole in the dash.

 

I have an app called "Waze" on my HTC Thunderbolt...from what little I've actually used it, it seems to be just as accurate and responsive as my Garmin Nuvi 3490. I'd use it more if I could find a suitable mount for it; haven't really looked that hard for one though. The extended battery bulging from the backside of it really limits my options.

 

Waze is FTW!!! And you can drive along and see all the other Waze-ers around you and say 'Hi!' :3

I have a Garmin from 2009. Hate its guts...it's slow, hard to see in sunlight, and falls off the stupid suction cup all the time, and map updates are $60. I thought about buying a new one, either a Tom Tom or the newer Garmins, but honestly, I just plug my phone into the USB and do all my directions through the car audio system. Haven't taken my GPS out of the glovebox since owning the car.

Mapquest is good too. Google always takes me some stupid route.

 

I kept my onstar with the directions and connections package and it works great. its always been 100 percent accurate and you can send directions directly from your phone if you have the mylink app. Also its routing has also been better than google or mapquest. Yes Onstar does cost money but i bet they can locate you in accident or if you are lost in area faster than any cell phone carrier could.