Review: Garmin Mobile PC

Discussion at: Garmin Mobile PC new version 5.00.50

First it was OQO2 ultra-mobile PC that sold along with Garmin Mobile PC, and now it is Fujitsu that sells it's tiny new laptop with integrated GPS and pre-installed Garmin Mobile PC: Fujitsu U820 GPS Laptop

I just ran across this forum while looking for a Lap-Top based car nav system (I have used a lap-top nav system coupled with a Garmin 48 on our sailboat for 10 years and vastly prefer it to stand-alone chart plotters).

I need a system for our new LTV (Canadian made Sprinter RV); I always have a co-pilot/navigator so a lap-top system would be perfect.

A couple dumb questions, if I may be permitted :

1. Does any system run on Apple? My MacBook is a new duo-system that can run Windows XP, but I much prefer to use OSX whenever I can.
2. Are any systems markedly better than Garmin Mobil PC ? (I'm pretty loyal to Garmin after using their hardware to navigate safely for over 25,000 miles of cruising on the high seas from Maine to Trinidad).
3. Does Garmin Mobil PC come with North American maps or are they purchased separately via Mapsourse discs?
Thanks

Mobile PC includes mapping in the form of City Navigator® North America NT 2009 as part of the program on the DVD. Coverage includes detailed maps for the United States and Canada, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Mexico coverage is not included. You can preview the sort of coverage and detail available here: http://www8.garmin.com/cgi-bin/mapge...&rz=0&k=1&sc=1

You can add other maps to Mobile PC if you wish using Garmin Mapsource, such as Topographic maps etc., both by buying them from Garmin and from other sources such as this one: Topo Canada v2 vs. Ibycus Topo Canada

Take a look around on Laptop GPS World. You'll find a lot of information.

Check these two threads for a start: Garmin nRoute versus Garmin Mobile PC

Garmin Mobile PC versus Garmin nRoute, an updated view.

If you've been doing your Garmin homework you may already be aware that Mobile PC comes in two flavours: the Software-Only version and a couple of versions that are bundled with GPS receivers.

Something to be aware of when deciding is that if you want to add Garmin maps that are locked, you must buy one of the bundles with Garmin receivers. You cannot unlock maps to the software-only version. You can add unlocked maps to it, like Topo Canada or Metroguide Canada (V4 or earlier, anyway), but not maps that are locked.

If you buy one of the bundles, you can unlock maps to the serial number on the GPS unit. This has the additional benefit that you can install Mobile PC on multiple computers. The software-only version unlocks to the PC you install it on. The other ones unlock to the GPS unit's serial number. This allows you to install it on, say, your desktop and your laptop so you can do trip planning on the desktop and use the laptop for navigation.

If you go for a bundle with GPS, do get the GPS10x. It's an excellent Bluetooth receiver. We have feedback that the GPS20 isn't so great.

Do you use the Mapsource program with your current system?

...ken...

While I agree Mobile PC is the Garmin product you would want, I don't believe Garmin supports Apple products directly. I am also a big fan of the Bluetooth GPS 10x. The 20x is just too limited in its support and has an inherent 'can't find after sleep mode' problem. I've had 2 of them. I gave one to my son and he loved it. The other is being used by my son-in-law on his boat. I'll stick with the 10x.

People must use GPS on Macs. Have you checked Apple forums to see if there is a product that could work directly? I don't think we discuss any here.

How do you like the Sprinter? Seeing the van used as a commercial vehicle, I thought it would make a great motorhome. Unfortunately the conversions I've seen were surprisingly small.

Terry

KL2BE, to the forums!

You may want to have a look at RouteBuddy. That's a GPS navigation software program for Macs, and as far as I know it is the only one for the platform. If you do ever give it a try, a feedback would be appreciated, as we haven't much heard from RouteBuddy users yet.

From my son in France:

Garmin a sortie son logiciel pour les macs. Je l'ai installé et ça fonctionne très bien. Regarde le screen shot: (attach...)

Garmin has a software for Apple Mac OS. My son buy it and it's working well...

Read on the site of RouteBuddy:
RouteBuddy is currently unable to upload maps to devices, since device manufacturers use an encrypted file format for their data. In addition, some devices that can synchronize do not support the full range of data supported by RouteBuddy.


Donc ça sert pas à grand chose si on peut pas uploader les cartes....
Not very useful...

Attached Images

Exemple de carte_pas trop petit.bmp (198.3 KB, 52 views)

Thanks to all for the informative replies .

Alain,
Most interesting about Garmin for Macs. What little I can see in the bitmap doesn't look like a Garmin product to me though. Do you have some more information?

Terry

Effectively the software has the same name: "City Navigator Europe NT V9" But the graphic look different...

For more détail you will have to ask my son...

Here is a bigger picture: Attached

Attached Files

Exemple de carte.zip (757.6 KB, 21 views)

Its GREAT .
We've had it one year and just finished our second 10,000 mile trip (first was from point of purchase in Moden, Manitoba to Anchorage, AK via Southwest and Pacific Coast; second from Anchorage, Ak to Annapolis, MD and back to Tucson, Az.).
Average milage over 20,000 miles is 24 MPG on diesel .
It is really more of a "travel van" than "motor home" . Great for wilderness campgrounds or driveways of friends and relatives. A wonderful replacement for the evening Motel search, but not so great for long-term stays in a commercial RV Park. Of course, we don't enjoy commercial RV Parks and we were not looking for a motor home so it is perfect for our style of adventure/travel. It is really an updated, luxury version of the trusty old VW Westfalia Hippy camper. Very updated and very luxury by comparison; has a roomy head/shower and etc. - just the ticket for two Hippies turning 60.
The long wheelbase version has ample space for a traveling couple and still it allows a degree of urban mobility that traditional motor homes can only dream of; we have no hesitation driving it into the heart of the biggest cities and looking for a parallel parking place (that I can usually get into on one swipe). No need to pull a secondary vehicle like many motor homes since it is as maneuverable and fuel-efficient as most the rigs you see being towed by the behemoth RVs.
This link http://www.sprinter-source.com/forum/index.php will take you to a Sprinter Forum with all the info on Sprinters than you might ever want including listings on each of the 7-8 brands of RV conversions ( the best RV conversions are all Canadian)... ahey.

It looks like the only connection (pardon the pun) between RouteBuddy and anything Garmin is that RouteBuddy can transfer routes and tracks to and from Garmin personal navigation devices. Otherwise RouteBuddy is another laptop nav program like iGuidance, S&T, Mobile PC, etc. It can use NMEA receivers for GPS positioning data input and they sell their own maps for it.

So for someone looking for a totally Mac solution, RouteBuddy would be something to consider. But you would need to use their maps and would not be able to use maps from Garmin or other suppliers. Of course, that's true of all of the various products out there. None of the maps are interchangeable between the various programs. That's intentional because it's the maps where they make most of their money.

Perhaps Marvin can talk them into getting him an evaluation version. It would be fun to see him trying to figure out how to use a Mac.

...ken...

Perhaps I should buy myself a Mac for X-mas

I was just curious if anyone that bought the garmin mobile gps bundle would be willing to upload the dvd software that came with it as I already bought the garmin gps 10x bundle but I can't seem to find my disc and I want to put it on my new umpc. Thanks.