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I am impressed with my Garmin. Especially its intuitive interface that just seems so natural, and its nicely detailed maps with antialiased lines and text. And this is the low end 200w I'm using.

And I don't know if the TomTom does this but I can do everything right from the device. It doesn't even need software like I had thought. I can enter addresses right from the unit and it has all the maps stored right on its 2GB memory built-in. (And has a slot for more later)

And mine speaks to me in a British accent.

All in all I am happy I chose the Garmin. Especially since I was leaning towards the TomTom.

I noticed that. The interface just looks so clunky and dare I say it, Microsoft inspired. Too much info crammed onto one screen into one place. Jagged edged lines and bad colors.

Then I look at my Garmin and I see something that looks like Apple had made it. Transparencies, antialiasing on everything. Buttons and widgets spaced out with not too much in one place cramping everything up.

I think I made the right choice. Overall I just love the UI on the Garmin.

TomTom ONE 4N00.005

The UI seems so unnatural to me. Like I'm using Windows looking for functions I want and having to hunt. Having more info on the screen than needed. I dunno. Clunky. My dad even agrees. (The TomTom is his and he uses it every week to drive hundreds of miles round trip)

Sure, I don't get the pleasure of spending $13 to download John Cleese's voice (Though it would be cool.) to my Garmin, but the UI and its superior looks and feel make up for that. Whatever.

I like that the Garmin automatically switches between night and day colors based on time of day while the TomTom has to be manually set (At least the model he has). But I like that the TomTom has different color choices for the maps. But really, the default maps on the Garmin look good enough to me. I don't need any more.

Clicking and dragging on the map to explore anywhere in the country is nice. And an expansion slot is cool, though with the 2GB that is already built-in makes me probably never have to use it.

I do wish it had a battery status on the screen when plugged into the computer. Or an LED and a way to not have the screen turn on when connected to the computer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ygTOk1UgSU

I don't want to turn this into a Mac vs. PC Garmin vs. TomTom debate. So I think it's safe to say both have very good points and very bad points and should be chosen based on how you feel you like the software.

The TomTom seems to have a bit more features, but a lot seem frivolous and would probably never be used by me. But I can see others using them.

Having use both I'm glad I didn't go with my first instinct and got the Garmin instead.

Did you push it yet?

You betcha. It's not a 250 (In retrospect I wish I had asked for a higher model if I had any idea I'd actually get it but whatever) but it gets me there.

I have had a couple problems though. The maps, although "up to date" are missing so many things. The weirdest things too.

First instance; The maps do not have a large amount of the closest places of business here. On the corner of 611 and 313 there are three gas stations. A BP, a Shell and a Lukoil. (Formerly an Amoco, Texaco and Mobil) None of these are on the map. At all. But the gas station down the street not 1000 feet away (A Sunoco) is there. As is the BP station a mile down the other way. If I didn't live here I'd be confused it wasn't on the map.

It also does not have any of the places of business in the CrossKeys plaza (A Kmart, SuperFresh, Perkins, Five Guys, Rita's, SaladWorks, etc.) Yet it DOES have the MacOutfitters across the street, which JUST RECENTLY moved OUT of the CrossKeys center (It used to be where the Five Guys is now).

Another thing is a friends house address is in the 600's on a long street in Pendell, PA. But when I used the GPS to get there, it stopped at 299 and said I was at my destination. But I was still a half a mile away. When I clicked around the map, I can actually SELECT the addresses above 299, yet when I put 604 in as the house number, it changes it to 299. Nothing over 299 is accepted there. It makes no sense.

Since I don't have the high end model I can't put custom places in. Who knows what else is missing? This is just a small area of the country. Who controls these maps? Can I email them and tell them to get their act together? Google Maps has all this info. How is their source more up to date than Garmin's? My Dad's TomTom has the addresses.

I'm taking a cross country trip this summer with my daughter. Going to Ohio, Virginia, and New York. Been wondering on whether or not a GPS would come in handy.

After reading this thread I still don't know. I keep thinking that a current road atlas might be just as good as far as road selection goes (mostly highway travel).

What features do these GPS units offer that make them more compelling than a current road atlas? Other than the turn by turn directions of course.

Just trying to decide if it would be wise investment for just one long road trip.

justine wrote:

I dunno how good this is. The link was passed on to me the other day on the other forum. Maybe it'll help you.


http://www8.garmin.com/macosx/index.jsp

I already have those and they're of no help at all. I need maps to install before I install maps.

My point is that my maps are missing landmarks that have been around for decades. But still have places that are new. For no logical reason at all.

Exactly. And if you run into a detour, no problem. It will recalculate the route however many times you need. Mine has a button to force it to choose a new route if I want to. I can't wait for my trip in September. Get some real use out of it. I just wish its battery lasted longer for walking around. (Since I will probably want to do a lot of sight seeing, it'd be nice to know how long I'll have before it dies and I have to find a manual map.

Random User wrote:

I'm taking a cross country trip this summer with my daughter. Going to Ohio, Virginia, and New York. Been wondering on whether or not a GPS would come in handy.

After reading this thread I still don't know. I keep thinking that a current road atlas might be just as good as far as road selection goes (mostly highway travel).

What features do these GPS units offer that make them more compelling than a current road atlas? Other than the turn by turn directions of course.

Just trying to decide if it would be wise investment for just one long road trip.

It still is handy, though if you're only going to use it for one trip it might not be practical. 

I'm glad I had mine with me last Christmas.  We took a road trip out to Utah from Michigan to visit my wife's family.  On the way back I-80 was being closed in Wyoming due to weather.  We were 60 miles west of Rawlins when we heard everything east of Rawlins was being closed indefinitely.  We were able to score a hotel room with the hotel poi info in the gps before we got to Rawlins.  When we checked in we found out the hotel had booked the remaining rooms in the meantime with people getting off the highway.  Had we not had the hotel info in the gps we'd a been out of luck and had to spend the night in our van (not fun with 5 kids under 7).

yeah nothing worse than wandering an unfamiliar city with your GPS and having the battery die while you are deep in a ghetto as night is falling.

Spring has sprung. Got up to 85 today. It's still 77 even as I post.