GPS Navigation System [merged threads]

[oj88]

Useful ba talaga ang GPS sa Metro Manila? Sa sobrang cramp dito with small roads branching everywhere and streets with multiple names, does it help ba?

It's a "better than nothing" sort of deal. Mapping here is still in its infancy and only a handful of non-fulltime people are working on updating it. The only commercial company that I know of that's working to update the Metro Manila map, among other maps of major cities, is Accu-map. Even then, they're working with AVT, not Garmin AFAIK.

[ghosthunter]

Useful ba talaga ang GPS sa Metro Manila? Sa sobrang cramp dito with small roads branching everywhere and streets with multiple names, does it help ba?

yes, it can be useful, especially with so many small roads without street names and such. The only downside is the subdivisions and gated communities. These usually aren't listed in the GPS' data base.

In certain areas like Makati & Ortigas CBD, the GPS device can lead you to the particular building's front door that you are looking for.

[StraightSix]

Useful ba talaga ang GPS sa Metro Manila? Sa sobrang cramp dito with small roads branching everywhere and streets with multiple names, does it help ba?

I guess it all depends on how much you know the place. You certainly don't need one if you know where you're going. And if you don't, you're gonna have to rely on the satnav's map data ... if it doesn't have much, then you should realize that it's the map's limitation.

There was this segment on TV on how fast a person can get from one point in London to another ... one on a cab but following the directions given by a satnav, and the other just relying on the cabbie's wits alone. The cab driver won, with his intimate knowledge of London's traffic conditions at any given hour.

i used gps while going to sm mall of asia. what i noticed, how does the gps calculate the route to take? does it depends sa settings yan?

Yes, may setting yan sa Garmin Mobile XT (Settings - Routing - Route Preference). It balances the route between major roads and small streets, so it also depends on the map data.

Some satnavs can download live traffic data and take it into consideration when calculating routes. Unfortunately there's no such system in the Philippines. A friend joked that it's ok since everywhere is a traffic hotspot.

[thett]

sir san makakabili ng gps ngayon how much per unit?

[ghosthunter]

There was this segment on TV on how fast a person can get from one point in London to another ... one on a cab but following the directions given by a satnav, and the other just relying on the cabbie's wits alone. The cab driver won, with his intimate knowledge of London's traffic conditions at any given hour.

That was the GADGET SHOW on CH5 (UK tv).

[ferrarifan]

mga sirs, san makakabili ng Garmin? meron ba dito sa atin or online purchase ito? TIA

Buy it online. Prices here are way too much compared to those available outside. Then be a member here http://roadguide.ph/ and get the free Philippine map or even better be a contributor and avail of an upgraded map.

[zhardan]

I am selling Garmin GPS loaded with Philippine map. Garmin units bought online have no Philippine map loaded so it is not usable here. For inquiries text me at 0929-659-2208.

[renzo_d10]

I am selling Garmin GPS loaded with Philippine map. Garmin units bought online have no Philippine map loaded so it is not usable here. For inquiries text me at 0929-659-2208.

how much is the price?

[oj88]

I am selling Garmin GPS loaded with Philippine map. Garmin units bought online have no Philippine map loaded so it is not usable here. For inquiries text me at 0929-659-2208.

That's NOT true. I don't know if this mis-information is deliberate or not, but you CAN install the Metro Manila map yourself and it will not matter where you bought your Garmin GPS from.

My Nuvi 255w came this afternoon from the US and we just installed the Metro Manila map when it got here. Used it immediately going home.

[zhardan]

That's NOT true. I don't know if this mis-information is deliberate or not, but you CAN install the Metro Manila map yourself and it will not matter where you bought your Garmin GPS from.

My Nuvi 255w came this afternoon from the US and we just installed the Metro Manila map when it got here. Used it immediately going home.

What I am saying is,

1. Garmin units bought from US have no preloaded Philippines maps.

My answer is "TRUE". If there is, it's good news so we can ask
Garmin to supply updated Philippine maps.

2. Garmin units without Philippines map loaded cannot be used or I mean
useless in the Philippines.

My answer is "TRUE" for obvious reasons. How can my Garmin unit show
me the directions in Manila if it has no map loaded?

I did not say that if you buy Garmin units directly from U.S. you have no way to make it useful.

[woohoo]

CLARIFICATION:

Garmin units bought abroad usually have no Philippine map loaded so THEY ARE not usable here, i.e., until a Philippine map is loaded onto them.

One can possibly buy a Garmin unit with pre-loaded Philippine map ONLINE, especially if the selling entity is Philippine-based.

My 2 cents.

[wavecxs]

Philippine map is free and can be had here:

http://roadguide.ph/forums/index.php

For now it only work on garmin units.

What this means is that it doesn't matter where you get you garmin unit, it should be usable here because there is now a 'usable' philippine map. Visit the garmin website, you will have an idea how much the unit cost. If the one selling the unit says it is expensive because there is a philippine map in it, that should not be, because the map is FREE.

The only time the Philippine map will cost something is if comes from garmin (the map, not the device). But for now there is not yet an official RP map from garmin. So the next best alternative is the FREE map.

Note that there are 2 versions of the roadguide map (a.k.a. philippine map). The standard edition and the contributor edition. The standard edition is perfectly usable and accurate but the contributor edition offers better routing algorithm and updated POI and roads. Go over to the road guide forum and read... whether you are already a gps user or just planning to buy one.

happy g-p-s-ing!

[testament11]

i used my gps all the way to nasugbu batangas. may napansin lang akong flaw dito. instead na direstuhin namin ang startoll, it always recommend an alternate route. since hindi pa namin alam pumunta ng nasugbu (acutally the original route was lemery), so sunod lang ako sa gps. so ayun, to my surprise, ang route namin is parallel sa startoll! so in that case, dapat nag startoll kami all the way to lipa at hindi kami dumaan sa looban. yun lang napansin ko

[testament11]

double post po

[straker]

Can the GPS unit be able to plug add'l info, such as one-way roads or bad traffic or road closures?

[ghosthunter]

Can the GPS unit be able to plug add'l info, such as one-way roads or bad traffic or road closures?

In other countries, yes. In the philippines... nope. No such service.

[testament11]

Can the GPS unit be able to plug add'l info, such as one-way roads or bad traffic or road closures?

nope, wala pa daw ganito service dito sa atin

[straker]

GH, Testament, thanks for the not-so-good news.

Will these gadgets be able to recieve such details, if in the near future outfits like Trapik.com sends info?

[oj88]

I did not say that if you buy Garmin units directly from U.S. you have no way to make it useful.

But it is implied in your statement: "Garmin units bought online have no Philippine map loaded so it is not usable here".

My point is, it would've helped if you used better semantics. ie. Rewording it to "it will not readily work here" instead of "it is not usable here".

Woohoo probably said it best. Newbies could get confused and buy your GPS instead, just because it has the map and depriving them the option to possibly find a better deal from abroad. The MM map install is a simple task that it shouldn't be a big deal to anyone buying a Garmin GPS.

[ghosthunter]

GH, Testament, thanks for the not-so-good news.

Will these gadgets be able to recieve such details, if in the near future outfits like Trapik.com sends info?

Depends on the device and how it can be updated (manual or online). Chances are, nope.

From what I see about those types of devices like warning devices for speed-cameras, traffic reports, etc... those are pretty much dedicated devices which are closely tied in with those services which update them (via web, 3G, email, etc).

So, at the end of the day, having a portable PC (netbook, laptop, tablet-pc) with 3.5G broadband connection in your car linked to trapik.com would be your best way to get up-to-date and up-to-the-minute traffic reports.