Review: Garmin Mobile PC

Anyone have a comparison between MPC and NRoute? I've used NRoute for years in our RV and love it. But, being a gadget person, the MPC seems interesting. Thanks! Steve

Hi Belgique,

Welcome to Laptop GPS World.

Check out the comparison thread: Garmin nRoute versus Garmin Mobile PC

Hi MArvin. So sorry. I searched and didn't see this thread so I did a bad search. Many thanks for the kind referral. Steve

Belgique, no need to apologize. There are plenty of helpful people at Laptop GPS World, and if we don't know the answer, we at least try to give a good link .

By the way, Ken just posted an update (it's worth reading): Garmin Mobile PC versus Garmin nRoute, an updated view.

Just got it (the bundle) and after a difficult install that required Garmin help, got it running. Seems impressive. I'm an old NRoute guy but this look pretty good. Even note that it has pretty good coverage of Mexico where we go in our RV.

Did come across something that I don't know if it is a Garmin problem or an XP problem. Every single time I try to save an address to Contacts, the program blows up, in a big way...it simply disappears and cannot be restarted. Re-boot won't work...have to re-install. Get this error: "Garmin Mobile XT...Read access violation at data address 0x0000000. Program Address 0x006CF874 in thread GPX main."

Will try it on the road this week and report back. The routing it gave me is the correct one even with my secret shortcuts. Steve

You know that Contacts is only a link to Outlook (2003 or better). If you want to save addresses, use Favorites.

If you are using Outlook 2003 or better, your contacts will show in Mobile PC under Contacts.

Also, Mobile PC works great with MapSource which you may have used with nRoute. You can transfer your waypoints from there. Just remember to update MapSource to the latest version (6.1.37?) and use the transfer to/ from menu.


Terry

Sorry, forgot to say:
If you want to add contacts, use Outlook. What you can do in Mobile PC is link existing contacts to a point on the map so they can be used for routing. I've tried it with Outlook 2000 (doesn't even see it) and Outlook 2003 (works great in most cases).

Terry

Thanks Terry. I think I'll just stay away from Contacts given the massive crash it causes. I don't need it anyway....was just curious how it worked. And it is Outlook '03.
I really like what I see so far. I'm a geezer but am a great fan of GPS programs and relatively adept at them. I'm glad I am because the "instructions" are minimal and I can see where others of my generation would never get past the opening screen.
Steve

I have a trouble report in to Garmin about the lack of a User Manual for Mobile PC. They are looking into it. It might help to speed things along if others would email or phone and complain, too. Their suggestion in the meantime is to look at the Help system in Mobile PC. You've probably already discovered that it's of minimal help.

The other option is to take a look through the Mobile XT Users Manual. It's far from perfect but it's a whole lot better than the other options.

...ken...

I had to sign up here so i could thank you all for your input on Mobile PC 20x.
After searching around for reviews and finding this forum I finally purchased mine.

I did have some trouble locating an online dealer that had it in stock actually.
Ended up buying it on Ebay new sealed for 79 bucks.

Installed it onto my OLD trusty Acer 3690 - CELERON 1.6 ghz 2mb ram running Windows Vista.

I instantly downloaded the update before even running the program.
On first run, it found about 12 sats and has been running fine since!

I have a built in camera on this laptop.. so I have a hot key to take 55 mph pics while navigating and playing mp3's in the background.. all works so well with no hickups!

I have been on a few trips in the 50-100 mile range so far with it and both fastest and shortest routes. works like a charm. enjoy the auto daylight/nitelight dimmer.

hats off to Garmin and to those here that helped me decide to go this way.
15 inch screen helps old blind people that drive..lol

oh, on a side note. I got a laptopmount off ebay for about 50 bucks... it actually works well in my small pickup.. although, you could probably build this for about 20 bucks if you think about it... there are actually sites showing how to build one.. anyways.. I am content with it all...

thanks for an informative forum..

Question. I enjoy google earth too... should I pay the 20 bucks and try their GPS version or not? just eye candy I assume? does it track well with the 20x?

later

Welcome to the forum. I'm glad you were able to find some useful information on Mobile PC. Navigation is Garmin's strong suit and it shows in Mobile PC. Some of the other features aren't as easy to use but if they aren't high on your list it doesn't matter.

I have registered Google Earth Plus. It's not especially useful in my view. Whether it's worth the twenty bucks or not depends on what you expect from it. It has a 2GB cache on the laptop. To use the maps you need to capture the area you need in the cache before you take your trip. So you have to view them all with Google Earth connected to the internet before you head out. And you need to view them right down at the lowest zoom level you might be interested in on the trip. I guess I don't have to tell you how tedious that is unless you only want a very small area stored.

On the road its tracking is nothing to write home about. The navigation portion is really a quick and dirty hack. It's not the least bit refined.

It's best used if you are going to be in an area where the satellite images will be really useful and if the area of interest is fairly small and if you have something else for your navigation, like Mobile PC. That way you can view the sat images when necessary. That's where the cached maps in the Plus version would be worthwhile. The GPS locator showing you where you are on the satellite images is pretty much just a bonus.

Or you could just pop for it, load up the cache with the satellite images and consider it eye candy.

I don't know how it will work with the 20x. I'm not sure if Terry has tried it or not. Perhaps he will chime in here.

I hope that helps.

...ken...

As the 20x is sold along with Garmin Mobile PC, it may not put out NMEA. I didn't take the opporunity to try that when I had one. Someone who has a 20x may want to test its ability to work with programs other than GMPC. My guess would be no.

Terry

Thanks for the quick replies guys...

I will hang with the Garmin Mobile PC and save my $20.00 till I decide I need to play with something else much later down the road I hope.

This was my first purchase of a GPS with software and can see the addiction will probably grow.

no wonder there are forums for such things..

thanks

Perhaps one day you clould add some pictures to our albums http://www.laptopgpsworld.com/all_albums.php .

Yes, hopefully the addiction will indeed grow, and you stick around the forum for long .

Already done... including a pic of mount parts.

I will be in and out for sure.. alot of info here.. more than my mind can handle!