Where to Get Free Garmin Map Updates

Authentic and reliable free Garmin map updates are available directly from Garmin as part of their nuMaps Guarantee program.  As a customer you will need to fulfil some criteria in order to qualify for your new map upgrade, but once you have done that actually putting the map refresh on your Nuvi is really simple.

The criteria are based upon how long you have owned the device for.  Currently Garmin are only offering free downloads to customers that are within the first three months or ninety days of ownership – so if that sounds like you, make sure you go and register your product with them now before it is too late.

How to Update Your Garmin Nuvi GPS

Installing your Garmin map update is really easy and if you want to know how to update Garmin Nuvi then follow these directions.  All you need to do is find the mapping section on the Garmin website – this is usually accessible via the top navigation on the website – and then choose the nuMaps Guarantee option.

Once you have selected this choice you will need to register the Nuvi GPS with your details and enter in the serial number of the product.  The serial number can be found on the back of the GPS device.  Once all these checks have been passed you will be lead through an easy map install process, providing that your Nuvi is connected to your PC or Mac with a Garmin USB cable.

The whole install process to get your free Garmin map usually takes no longer than thirty minutes so as soon as you are done you can jump back in your car and get to your next destination with ease.  If you struggle to do this properly, then you will find the Garmin support is very good – you can either read online FAQs, or contact their multi-lingual support centers for additional help.

Why Use Official Garmin Map Updates?

There is no point installing un-official map updates because they may not be entirely accurate and you could run this risk of invalidating any warranty that came with the GPS product.  Garmin maps are known to be very reliable and millions of car and truck journeys rely on them every day – they also supply GPS solutions for the marine and aviation sectors where mistakes can be fatal.  As a result, the company is one of the most trusted GPS brands on the planet today and they are the best-selling manufacturer in the industry.

About the Author: Bob Simmons writes about cars, GPS, satellite navigation, and much more.  If you would like to find out more about the services Bob offers for drivers then please visit his website on the following link – which gives more information about Free Garmin Map Updates:

• www.gpsnavigationdvd.net/free-garmin-map-updates

With more and more people now using their Smartphones to provide them with a GPS solution over an actual physical standalone device, it wasn’t going to be too long until both powerhouse manufacturers got into the game and started trying to get a slice of this ever popular market. Admittedly it took Garmin a little bit longer than TomTom to release their own iPhone App for GPS navigation, with their product only appearing over the last couple of years – but now both have been in the market for a while I thought that it was time to do a quick comparison to figure out which one is best and comes out on top.

Before you go any further though, my top-line assessment is that the Garmin iPhone App (which goes by the name of Garmin StreetPilot) is the one which has the best value for money. Read on for why I believe this – which I hope will help you make the right choice if you are considering an App to help you navigate with your iPhone.

Which Has the Better User-Interface?

I much prefer the Garmin interface over the TomTom one. The icons appear to be much clearer and chunkier – plus they very closely mimic what you get if you are familiar with using a Garmin Nuvi device. Considering the Nuvi is the best-selling GPS on the planet this will probably be a serious consideration for many iPhone users who are used to navigating with a Garmin GPS product.

How Voice Directions Compare?

The Garmin wins out over the TomTom App in this instance too. The voice directions coming out of the Garmin StreetPilot seem to be a lot clearer and sound more human, rather than the tinny and computerized sounding TomTom voice files. What I also like about the Garmin iPhone App is that it also offers audible warnings when you are driving over the speed limits – very much like the physical Nuvi devices do. In addition to that the Garmin App will reduce the volume of your iPhone music’s when speaking directions, rather than cutting out the audio like the TomTom version does.

Free Traffic Alerts on Garmin GPS iPhone App

When it comes to GPS navigation one of the most valuable assets a driver can have is fore-warning of any traffic jams or potential congestion. If you decide to buy the Garmin App over the TomTom version you will benefit from getting free traffic alerts built-in to the software. On the other hand, TomTom have made their HD Traffic technology a paid for add-on – which comes with a $19.99 annual charge which is quite high for iPhone App charges when compared to other downloads.

TomTom Traffic Alerts Tend to be More Reliable on iPhone

Having said that, you do get what you pay for and independent tests that I have seen conducted on Youtube by other GPS reviewers seems to show that the TomTom traffic can be a little bit more reliable on the iPhone – so this is something you need to weigh up when making your download purchase.

Conclusion and Price Comparison on the iTunes Store

Both GPS apps are available to purchase on the Apple iTunes store. The Garmin StreetPilot App costs ten dollars more than the TomTom version. You can buy Garmin for $59.99 and TomTom for only $49.99. If it was me I would go for the Garmin product, but then I have always used Garmin devices so will tend to lean more naturally towards a user-interface and manufacturer that I am familiar with.

Generally though, both iPhone GPS apps are very similar to each other, with only small differences which I have highlighted above. The biggest differentiator will probably come down to the price variance plus the additional charges incurred should you want to add traffic capability onto the TomTom version.

If you are thinking about purchasing one of these apps though, I would highly recommend that you first check another supplier on the market. Navigon are a German company who produce the MobileNavigator iPhone App. This software seems to rate higher with online reviewers than both Garmin and TomTom so don’t feel that you need to go with one of the large and better known brands. It’s definitely worth shopping around before you buy.

About the Author: Mike Smalley is a GPS enthusiast who runs the popular www.gpsnavigationdvd.net website with other GPS experts. Recently he published an article relating to the savings a Ford driver can make if they install and use the latest 2012 Ford Navigation DVD. It’s possible for you to save on gas bills and your carbon footprint due to recent research conducted by the Navteq Company.

Specialized GPS devices designed specifically for truckers can make your life on the road a whole lot easier.

A reliable GPS device is vital for folks whose job it is to be on the road day and night.  Truckers need to ensure the road/highway data they have is accurate which allows them to take the most efficient routes, saving them time and ultimately money via less money spent on gas and being able to make more trips.  In order to ensure they’re taking the shortest and safest route they need to know things like:

• What are the weight, height, and load restrictions?  Important if the route contains bridges or tunnels.
• What are the lane widths, and can the route accommodate wide loads?
• Where are the nearest travel centers, and what do they have?
• Does the route require U-Turns?  These can be difficult depending on the size of the truck.
• Where are the closest weigh stations?
• Does the route allow for transportation of hazardous materials?

One of the first things that should be determined before the hunt for the perfect truck GPS begins is a clear understanding of what is needed.  Is it a single GPS device for one truck, or are you looking for a total fleet tracking management solution?  There are different solutions based on what you’re looking for.

Individual PND’s (Portable Navigation Devices)

In the event you’re looking for a single GPS device, Rand McNally offers their IntelliRoute® line of GPS devices that are made specifically for truckers.  You can enter in all the weight/height/load/hazmat info of your truck before heading out and these devices will tell you the best route to take based on the entered info.  The TND 700 model claims to have 35% more truck routing information than other GPS units, which sounds good, although I’m not exactly sure what that means.  If you’re only looking for a basic routing functionality, the TND 500 will work just fine, but if you’re looking for calendar functionality with a larger (7” compared to 5”)  HD screen and a stylus, then the TND 700 is the way to go.

Garmin also offers two unique lines of GPS devices for truckers: dezl™ (higher end, more expensive starting at $470) and nüvi® (more affordable, starting at $349.00).  Garmin has always had great routing functionality, which is arguably the most important feature on any trucker’s GPS device.  One of the downsides of these Garmin lines is that they don’t offer a 7” display option like Rand McNally, so if screen size is important to you this is one thing to keep in mind.

PC Miler is the other popular line of trucking GPS devices that should be mentioned in the same class as Rand McNally and Garmin, although it appears to be a step down from the others.  PC Miler does offer a 7” screen although some of that screen is taken up by elements that other GPS devices simply overlay on the map, so it’s not a great use of screen space.  I’ve also read some complaints about poor routing which could be a deal breaker.

Fleet Management Solutions

In the event you’re looking for GPS devices and/or software for a whole fleet then Telogis is worth mentioning.  They offer a robust fleet management platform.

It’s also worth noting that both Garmin and Rand McNally have fleet solutions.  Rand McNally has their TruckPC powered by DriverTech which is a Windows based platform, while Garmin offers both a PND based mobile resource management (MRM) and a handset MRM solution.
Jill Hanson is a contributing writer for TruckertoTrucker.com, a site devoted to the trucking industry which offers a variety of products including dump truck and flatbed trailer sales.

Yeah, GPS is for the dogs.

Seriously.

Garmin just released the latest version of it’s Astro Dog Tracking System.

Geared towards hunters, it allows you to keep track of your dog from miles away so he can do his job of tracking and flushing out game and you’ll still be able to find him and up to nine friends.

List price is $599 but if you should be able to pick it up for $500 of less online (Amazon had it for $488 last I checked) .

The latest one, the DC-40 now allows you to track up to 10 dogs on the same receiver.

Garmin Astro DC-40 Dog Tracking System - GPS

Looks really cool, but haven’t actually used one of these systems myself since I don’t actually hunt or even own a dog for that matter – anybody care to chime in with their thoughts?  I’ve noticed the old system, the DC-30 is pretty well rated on Amazon and people seem to really like it.

When will it become socially acceptable to put these things on our kids too?

If you want your smartphone to focus on GPS and navigation first, and then do other smartphone stuff, like check email, Twitter, and tell you what song is playing on the radio; the Garminfone available on TMobile might be right up your alley.

Specs

From a pure power an specs point of view, this phone is really nothing to write home about.  It has a 3.5″ capacitive touchscreen just like most smartphones.

The phone only has a 2GB microSD card, a 3 megapixel camera, and completely omits a 3.5mm headphone jack which seems like a major oversight on a smartphone these days.  (Update: Price has been reduced from $200 to $130 with contract – much more reasonable).

However, the phone comes with a windshield mount and a car charger which is, of course, extra with pretty much every other phone on the planet these days.

Software

While you wouldn’t know it immediately from looking at it, the Garminfone is running a highly customized version of Android (seems to be 1.6 and it is unknown if the 2.2 update will ever make its way to this phone).

Navigation

While the specs and software are otherwise underwhelming, this phone is built to navigate and navigate it does.

Let’s start with one of the nice features – it works offline!  No network connections required so if you find yourself in the middle of Montana with no cell service to speak of, your GPS can still get you where you want to go as it does what all PND units do – uses it’s GPS chip and stored maps to do the navigating.

Bottom Line

As far I’m concerned, this phone actually is a very acceptable replacement for your dedicated PND and while not as fully featured as the iPhone 4, Evo 4G, or Droid Incredible, it still has plenty of “smartphone” capabilities that should serve all but the most demanding users.

I’m calling this phone the best GPS navigation phone on the market right now and for the heavy GPS user who wants a device that can do it all, this phone is worth considering.

I’d like to see the price come down as $199 with two year contract is simply too high when phones like the Evo 4G and iPhone 4 occupy that price point and in addition to a ton of other features on those high end phones, they remembered to include a 3.5mm headphone jack.