Mini Laptops Vs SatNavs ?

[daveesl]

I have used my full-sized dell laptop with a ProGin 108 receiver for several years now. I have Autoroute 2007. On last summer's trip around Ireland, it was dead-on accurate, regardless of the road. It even had the driveway to our cottage shown.

 

I also use the laptop for communications through Skype and to download pictures. Several years ago we used Route 66 software, but it was horrible.

 

My wife has a setup she uses to hold the computer, when in use. She is the navigator, because she refuses to drive in the UK (ha ha), so I don't really even see the screen.

[Brian Kirby]

May I suggest the following link may also be of interest? 

The firm is called Directions, and the product is PC Navigator 8 Europe; Truck.  However, there are also other versions, both for PC and, as the link will show, on sat nav devices.  Mapping is by Tele Atlas.

The firm is UK based, in Sevenoaks, Kent and they tell me they make their own units and write their own navigation software.  If you buy the above version, you get free map and software updates included in the price for three years.  You also get a DVD which contains the mapping and the navigation programme which, although it will not allow actual PC based navigation (although that is possible with the PC based versions), when loaded to a PC will allow you to plan routes, which you can then upload to the sat nav device. 

I haven't yet seen either the devices, or the programme, and they do not have a shop but, if anyone is near Sevenoaks, they say give them a ring first (number etc on website), and you can pop in and they will willingly demonstrate their systems.

http://tinyurl.com/6l3x2j

[bigal55]

personal opinion, but i would only purchase tomtom or garmin, if only for the pois posted by the community. you can download pois for virtually anything, even every fetish you care to mention if that,s your bag. last week i had to meet somebody at a travelodge in bristol,i,ve never been there' downloaded the poi from the tomtom site took me door to door.

for me a laptop that only the passenger can see is no better than a map, with a dedicated gps you can see while driving , the next turn,the direction, how far,fantastic in traffic in a unknown town.also the speed limit, cameras,time/distance to planned destination.

brian, guide books are fine if you plan to visit a country, provance was our destination, but a couple on the ferry told of a festival in Luxembourg, so we searched the tomtom for a aire 200 miles from the ferry. and settled for han ser lesse.

i have autoroute 2007 on a laptop but have found it nowhere near as useful as the tomtom unless anybody knows differently

[Brian Kirby]

Brian Kirby - 2008-11-12 4:18 PM

May I suggest the following link may also be of interest? 

The firm is called Directions, and the product is PC Navigator 8 Europe; Truck.  However, there are also other versions, both for PC and, as the link will show, on sat nav devices.  Mapping is by Tele Atlas.

The firm is UK based, in Sevenoaks, Kent and they tell me they make their own units and write their own navigation software.  If you buy the above version, you get free map and software updates included in the price for three years.  You also get a DVD which contains the mapping and the navigation programme which, although it will not allow actual PC based navigation (although that is possible with the PC based versions), when loaded to a PC will allow you to plan routes, which you can then upload to the sat nav device. 

I haven't yet seen either the devices, or the programme, and they do not have a shop but, if anyone is near Sevenoaks, they say give them a ring first (number etc on website), and you can pop in and they will willingly demonstrate their systems.

http://tinyurl.com/6l3x2j

Sorry, forgot the important bit! 

It is called "Truck", because it allows you to input your vehicle's length, width, height, weight and type.  It will then route you accordingly, subject to Tele Atlas's mapping information.  Tele Atlas, I believe, supply the mapping for TomTom, whereas Navteq, whose mapping I have not been greatly impressed by, supply the mapping for Garmin.

[Frankkia]

Regarding the legality of using anything (dedicated sat nav or laptop) mounted on the dash. On our 1st "A" class 'van we had a VDO Daytona sat nav screen mounted on the Fiat dash. As it was a Frankia "A"class the dash was extended and the windscreen was a long way forward but when it came to the 1st MOT done at the ministry centre it was failed as the tester said the sat nav extended more than 40mm inside the swept area of the glass.

 

He must have been a dwarf as from the driving position I could see most of the dash extension never mind ALL of the windscreen over the top of the sat nav screen. I still had to remove it for the test and replace it afterwards.

 

As a personal preference I would only use a dedicated (firmly anchored ) sat nav and not a laptop. It is not easy to secure a laptop that wouldn't become a missile in the event of an accident. Also in modern vehicles fitted with air bags, if the laptop was between say the passenger and the dash, the occupant could end up wearing the laptop as a permanent feature in the event of the air bag deploying!