Google Maps is Degrading

[allenlook]

I use Sygic on Android / Android Auto. It is RV-aware and was a one-time "lifetime payment" for all of the features I wanted, including safe routing, traffic, dash cam, crash detection, etc. Haven't covered enough miles with it yet to give it a full report.

I own too many outdated Garmin units to trust them again. That's too much money to spend on a device that's defunct in a few years for no good reason. At least I was able to repurpose an old DriveSmart 66EX for turn-by-turn routing on snowmobile trails.

 

[Underboss]

My Garmin 1090 is 7 years old and always gets free updates

 

[allenlook]

For $700 I should hope so!

But it's probably already NLA and in the pipeline for retirement.

 

[Underboss]

For $700 I should hope so!

But it's probably already NLA and in the pipeline for retirement.

Just did another update yesterday. Well I should say it updates it self by just hitting the button. I love my Garmin. The fact is they do update without replacing it as you had posted. I thought you were not aware o that after reading your post

 

[allenlook]

I'm aware of map updates, my point is the Garmin devices are locked into a feature set when they're manufactured, and they become defunct after a while usually due to not enough RAM. Then you can't buy cases or mounts or accessories for them.

The 1090 is already NLA, but an app continues to function and add features for a fraction of the price.

Horses for courses.

 

[GypsyR]

I used to hang out on a forum where people would hack their (older) GPS units to force them to do things they were never designed for. Play videos, be a backup camera, run maps/software from a competing brand, etc. Pretty interesting and I did some of it myself back when I was using Magellans. GPSPower was the name.

 

[Vint]

Regarding the post about Google Maps changing directions without notifying you, perhaps your DW needs to pay closer attention to her phone while the app is running. My DW is also my navigator, and when Google suggests a route change, it usually gives you a time limit to tap and accept the new route or stay the course. Whether using our Garmin RV660 or Google Maps, my DW and I, as driver and navigator, are constantly aware of our directions and alerts, prompts, or discrepancies between the two devices. Neither is 100% accurate. For look-ahead traffic updates, I've found Waze to be pretty darn good.

To the OP and his initial post: remember, Google Maps or Waze is free! A lot of cars and trucks today come with some kind of built-in navigation system, but the vehicle manufacturer wants you to pay a yearly subscription to use the device they built into the vehicle.

 

[TheLooks]

I am not sure if it was my wife or not....but that is just what the DW wants to do is stare at the phone constantly while traveling thru new areas. And making changes to a route you okayed is not ok. And the RV790 should not put you on roads you should not go on with an RV, but it does. Google told us I40 in Knoxville was closed last Sunday coming in around dark from I81/I40. It was not and I did not take I640 as it suggested. The RV790 said there was an 11 minute delay for the same alert. Bottom line is you have to be aware of those faults and be prepared to either stop and figure things out or wing it.

 

[team bradfield]

Navigator and I go over our route the evening before we leave, then she is on her phone with GM to look for traffic slow downs, seems pretty accurate for us, I also have my dash GPS in the DS, they both work good, I'll have to look into waze

 

[allenlook]

Just to throw another tool in the mix, take a look at "Highway Radar", an app you can run on your phone that scrapes Waze and adds aircraft alerts, weather radar, and dozens of customizable settings for distance, speed, alert sounds, etc.

It keeps the Waze data over time soyou can display a "heat map" of the road ahead showing where alerts have been posted more or less often - so all those highway turnouts where the smokeys sit are more obvious.