Technology & Online

Satelite Navigation Systems. Will they take off?

Technology & Online

Posted by: Anonymous

25th May 2007 02:44pm

Satellite navigation is one of the fastest growing markets in the world, and with a wealth of devices on offer from various manufacturers. Some can be fitted or come installed in your car, others are handheld devices. Will it take off in Australia/NZ in a big way? Prices for an entry level in-car or handheld system come in around $500 AUD.

I guess it comes down to how often you drive and need directions? Does messing around with a street directory every now and again create the urge to go out and spend $500 on one of these devices?

The jury is out with me and even if I had one I am unsure just how much I would use it.

Do you have any experience of using one of these? Share your thoughts on the subject please.


Comments 234

super88
  • 13th Oct 2018 03:27pm

I still have two street directories in my car (one country and one city and suburbs) but if I want directions I now use my smart phone.

benno86
  • 10th Nov 2010 02:03pm

I purchased a Navman Navigatinoal GPS. My previous job required alot of travel so I thought it would be a good idea.

I used it all the time, but when rode conditions are not shown on the GPS it becomes not as handy as usual.

One of my trips the GPS took me off the highway and down a long tarmac road, after 20km of driving it then turned to gravel, then to a 4x4 track. This would be fine, If my car was a 4wd. Long Story short... 1 flat tyre, 1 serverly damaged unrepairable Rim and 9 hours in a small country town trying to get a new tyre/rim... I wasnt too happy with my GPS anymore.

Ben

PukPuk
  • 26th Oct 2010 08:01am

Navigation units are useful when in a completely different city or state. But do those wallies really need a navman on when they are merely commuting from home to work and back. The radio is more up to date on traffic conditions than any GPS is updated.

heypete
  • 28th Mar 2010 11:01am

I have a partner who is dyslexic, mildly, but enough to create confusion when navigating to new areas. Sat nav has been discussed, but prices are a worry. We don't have much disposable. Also a worry is need to regularly update maps. So, are they intelligent? Not really... voice command should be mandatory for safety's sake and updates should be beamed and installed automatically via the satellite link. The issue is MARKET and profit, not user.

skinny
  • 5th Jan 2010 08:50am

I'm a female in my eary 40's & I'm not sure! I know a lot of men my age love these gadgets but when it comes to using something different or changing to something new I tend to freak out. (**Do these navigation systems work on the same sort of principle as what Google maps does???***)

Piotrek
  • 14th Dec 2009 12:53pm

No, I do not believe that they will take off, unless they are radically improved. The few times that I have used them, it was easier to use an out of date map, than to use the convoluted routes suggested by the Systems.

raci
  • 14th Dec 2009 08:04am

I have GPS in my phone.......it's great when it works....however it can take so long to kick in once I turn it on, that I have to resort to the map anyways.

Anzacbaby
  • 12th Dec 2009 03:55pm

Yes these gadgets will definitely take off. More and more cars will begin to incorporate them in their new cars.
My husband uses one and won one which he wanted to give me but I hate them so gave it to my dad. Dad is in his mid-70's but keeps up to date and has more time and freedom to travel than I do!!!
I don't like using sat-navs personally, I find it very distracting to have some (usually annoying) voice telling me where to drive. On at least 2 occasions when we've used them we have been taken the wrong way. Also with more tunnels etc being built the sat-navs connot work in those areas.
I would much prefer to use a road book or google maps and work out where I am going before I leave home. Yes, I'll admit I'm old fashioned but I know people younger than myself who feel the same way I do. from Anzacbaby

Berna
  • 7th Dec 2009 06:00pm

I have a Satellite navigation system that was installed in my car when I bought it. I find it very helpful, with one problem. The system does not have up to date address details! Some roads, particularly in Sydney, that I used before I bought the car, do not exist on it. I think owning one, means constant updates, and that is dependent on the manufacture of the system you buy, or which one is installed in your vehicle. Be aware, that if you buy a vehicle with one installed, you will probably be up for a cost when you update. another thought, the updates do seem a long time coming! Apart from all that seeming negativity, they are helpful, particularly in a city/town.

kyteflyer
  • 12th Dec 2009 07:44am
I have a Satellite navigation system that was installed in my car when I bought it. I find it very helpful, with one problem. The system does not have up to date address details! Some roads,...

Unfortunately, owning a satnav also commits you to map updates and these are neither free nor cheap. I've chosen to go with a portable system, a tomtom, which updates every 3 months. LUDICROUS! maps cost $140 and after spending $499 on the device itself, another $560 a year just seems like overkill. I bought a map update in September, and theres anotehr out now. I cannot believe its actually largely different to the one I have. I might update again next September... or sell the darned thing, because I also have my iphone kitted out with Sygic and Tomtom... cheaper to buy, and it keeps everything in one device. Convergence rules!

I use mine (iphone) often because I am a community mental health nurse and sometimes i have no idea where to go to see new clients. These devices are enormously helpful.

nomad
  • 6th Nov 2009 11:29am

They are a great invention but are also a bit highly priced i think. If they were cheaper i'd probably think of getting one but not at $400+.

rojonoho
  • 4th Nov 2009 10:02am

Hi
I bought a Uniden trax and its the best thing I ever bought I certainly would not be without it now , I have made a few mistakes when listening to it , but it always puts you back on the right track, they should be standard fittings in all cars.
Norm

Phil
  • 25th Oct 2009 11:10pm

They are certainly good, but I find that on tripe that I use it on where I know where to go, it recomends alternate routes which leave the highway and directs you along a secondary road that posibly was a main route at sone stage. I shudder to think of what I would do if I was on route that I had no previous knowledge of.

dnic3340
  • 24th Oct 2009 03:22pm

Satellite navigation is more than handy to find your way to unknown destinations. I have used them in both Australia and overseas, in the United states, Canada and England. They are infinitely more useful than a map book, where you have to take your eyes from the road to read, or try to stop in heavy traffic to locate directions, and they save arguments between the driver and navigator trying to give directions.

purple
  • 24th Oct 2009 11:59am

i bought one for use when towing caravan thru new areas for me it is invalueable when driving thru bigger towns when without it normally you would be in the wrong lane to turn with the nav it gives you plenty of warning on which way to turn one kilometre out

gjohnson
  • 20th Oct 2009 03:09pm

I bought my TomTom to help me when visiting interstate - I now feel confident visiting other state capitals - something I'd be very nervous about otherwise & therefore more accident prone.
However, one drawback I've noticed is that one comes to rely on it instead of thinking so you can end up not knowing where you are - but arriving in the right place! Maps don't have that effect - on me anyway.

stratman
  • 16th Oct 2009 10:43am

How lazy can people get?
Hardly anyone does mental arithmetic because there are calculators now
Hardly anyone uses a dictionary because we have spell check on our computers
And now we will lose the ability to read maps because of sat nav
R we in trouble when we run out of batteries or what!

Not Applicable
  • 9th Oct 2009 06:37pm

I use a sat/nav system all the time as part of my work transferring deceased people..
We have 4 vehicles and they are all equipped with one of the Gamin devices.

Frequently we need to find street addresses at night and as most of us know Australians are not too keen on having numbers on their letter boxes and the ones that do are normally very hard to see which makes life very hard.

Subsequently, the use of the Sat/Nav systems have greatly cut the time wasted by trying to find a house.
The systems mean that my wage bill has been reduced and the O.H.S. side of my business relating to time off is much easier for me to handle.
Whereas in the past the average time for a crew to retrieve a body was 2.25 hours this has now been reduced to 1.75 hours.

I also admit that at times the mapping leaved a lot to be desired and frequently the device will take you the long way around. Nevertheless, with a little local knowledge to assist the devices are defiantly a labor saving device that will only get better as time goes by.

They are defiantly here to stay

Ash

manx
  • 23rd Sep 2009 05:48pm

Not interested until they come as standard equipment. Currently they make your car a target for thieves. Don't really need one unless I'm driving interstate.

Jabucat
  • 21st Sep 2009 09:00pm

Wow, I'm sure they will! When we were in LA, we could not have traveled as freely as we did without the built in nav system. However, the town we live in is too small to justify the use of one, but wouldn't be without it in a new city or even one that I thought I could I find way around - roads change and are renamed and diverted constantly.

oakville
  • 24th Aug 2009 11:54am

I must be showing my distaste of the "gadget world. I was driving and my wife was using her new sat nav . It was ****** wrong, but I followed the directions for the sake of peace. I then went the way we should have gone. I must admit at this stage that the new techo world annoys me no end.

Lani6
  • 1st Aug 2009 02:56pm

Every time I'm in a taxi, they have a nav. on the dashboard, but never use it! The taxi drivers I've had seem to prefer going by the passenger's directions. I think they would be handy if you were driving by yourself, but if someone else is with me, I prefer them to be directing me from the street map. Navagation systems are rather expensive.. but I think some people have them just because they're a fancy gizmo for your car.

Kevin48
  • 22nd Jul 2009 04:31pm

2007 was a long time ago in technology. I do the odd interstate run in a semi and to know all of the streets in all of the states is a mission imposible. A gps is a god send to truckies. We would get pinged for overloading if we had to carry a street directory for every city and town in oz. thank you to whoever invented them

Gnome
  • 15th Jul 2009 12:15pm

The initial purchase price, whilst expensive, is not the problem; the cost of updates is outrageous! My Garmen cost nearly $1,000 doesn;t cover many minor roads in rural and outback Australia and an update is $170.

The units are very handy, particularly in cities but at the update costs I can see its relevance and usefuleness becoming redundant quickly.

nomad
  • 13th Jul 2009 04:11pm

I think they are a great invention as you don't need to keep refering to a street directory to find where you are going. Just type in the GPS where you want to go and it tells you the way to go and when and what way to turn, even if you miss a turn it recalculates and directs you in the right direction.

Gray
  • 10th May 2009 01:15am

I think that they will only take off if the software is easy for people to use, i know booklet manuals can be large and confusing this is exactly why these devices need to be user friendly. Even just by pushing buttons to adjust settings in these things can get people lost and frustrated. I must admit that they are awesome devices to have with you if your traveling in an unfamiliar area.

geniebean
  • 29th Apr 2009 09:34pm

I own a TomTom and I love it. I hate getting lost especially with a toddler in the back screaming and this puts my mind at ease that if I make a wrong turn, it will correct me. I drive to mother's groups in new weird suburbs or kids parties or just a new location...it beats pulling over on the side of the road and looking in the UBD. I feel more confident driving with the TomTom.

I used a Go anywhere I think it was, in Sydney, and it was a nightmare...not sure if it was Sydney's roads or the stupid navigator but we ended up turning it off.

Everyone I know has one that they've bought or is built into their car or phone. So as far as your question, do you think they'll take off. I was under the impression they already have? Out of 12 friends, I'd say only 1 doesn't have them.

beanbagdan
  • 24th Apr 2009 01:19pm

I love my TomTom One V3. Bought it for $180 new and my elderly parents now want one, but interestingly the retail prices for TomTom products in New Zealand is still over $200 more expensive than here.

Also my partner just pre-ordered a 2009 Ford Focus and they don't even offer installed GPS systems anymore as an Option - I guess the lowering prices and increasing specs of the portable models make in-built systems redundant earlier?

Anonymous
  • 29th Mar 2009 10:02am

These things are already taking off, The prices are getting lower and lower for better updated versions.
Ive seen ones that were originally worth about $700 been placed down to under $200.

Alot of people will just want to get where they are going and fast, unlike the older days where the "fun" was getting lost and trying to find out were you where on the map.
It sure beats pulling over and trying to find where you are on a map.

Lani6
  • 2nd Mar 2009 11:12am

Can I just say - Whenever I've been in a taxi, most will have these fancy navigation thingys, but often the taxi drivers will just ask the passenger to nagivate them.

Anonymous
  • 27th Feb 2009 08:09pm

We have been using one for years, a Navman, and find it essential especially when travelling to areas you haven't been before. It is also really good to know what time you are going to arrive at your destination, where the red light cameras and radars are and features such as accommodation, fuel, shopping centres, etc.
Another thing I really like about our GPS is that you can get off the beaten track and know you will not get lost while having a more scenic and generally more relaxing journey than the highways. But you must update the software.

Lord Belligerent
  • 26th Feb 2009 09:40pm

I believe in stealthy technology, in the sense that you use it, but do not realise it, Satellite Navigation Systems need to be like that, as the current crop of dashboard based screens are just as bad as texting, talking on your mobile or looking through the god**** street directory or listening to the fleash and blood "Navigator". It;'s another thing to distract us whilst trying to drive (and navigate) through traffic.

fos
  • 16th Feb 2009 11:08am

i have one for the car or I can use it when walking.I have found it very useful when I have had to go to places that I haven't visited for a long while as the roads have changed and without it I would have got lost. I think they are worth the cost and you can get a basic model these days for under $300.

Ernie
  • 11th Feb 2009 11:22am

I've had a Tomtom for a few years (when it cost more than $500). I do not use it very often but it sure is handy when visiting another city.
I wish map updates were more readily available and cheaper - OR , it had the capacity to 'learn'. I was on a new freeway last week and Tom near had a fit because it thought I was driving over paddocks.
I have also found a few errors in maps that I wish I could fix. (I can show you an old road in SA that Tom doesn't recognise.)

Buggy
  • 7th Feb 2009 05:58pm

Roger,
I have owned 2 of them the first one was a handheld which also was a PDA. It was very good once you learnt to use it properly as you could set up trips with several stops along the way but it was very non user freindly while on the move. I have now purchased a Navman unit which is so easy to use a 8 year old can program it and it also is a Bluetooth hands free mobile phone machine. Extremely accurate and have not been able to get it lost yet no matter how many wrong turns I make. I think that as more people try them the more popular they will become and you can now buy entry level ones as low as $150
Buggy

James
  • 7th Feb 2009 11:11am

It will take off without a doubt, the entry level for hand held devices, bushwalkers etc is only about 138 dollars for the Garmin, car devices 3.5 screens now recognised as being too small can be purchased for as low as 190 dollars, 4.5 screens are now dropping dramatically as the new format 7 inch screens are appearing. With prices like this the car manufacturers will no doubt be putting them in the cars like the MP3 players are being fitted, some already are doing just that.

frankrdr
  • 7th Feb 2009 07:56am

My Opinion is that only the SNS and GPS Systems intergrated into the new car will take on. The add-on systems are never as reliable or as accurate. They are another distraction to the driver and with all the accidents on the roads now, who needs more.

Wolf
  • 7th Feb 2009 03:29am

I currently use a Tom Tom Go720, it is a great piece of kit that goes with me everywhere, I have found it extremely handy when I have had to go into the city and also to attend appointments in suburbs other then where I live. I am soon going to Tasmania where I will be having a self drive holiday and I will be taking it with me. I have used it on holidays last year throughout western and northern Queensland, one of the great features is the estimated time of arrival and the distance left to travel as well as the ability to plan trips, it also tells me when I should take a break. These items are great, handy to have and should be in everyone's kit.

Ted
  • 7th Feb 2009 02:09am

I have been driving service vehicles daily since 1962 My sos/ sons in law are professonal drivers. We don't need sat nav. I was conned into getting the for daughters / daughter in laws who soon discovered that sat navs are worse than having a back seat driver telling you what to do and theat they are annoying and quite distracting for a new driver. They are now all out and replaced by directories. Any one want's one these will all be on Ebay over the next few weeks.

tikiboy
  • 25th Jan 2009 11:16am

Not sure if I would pay $500.00 for one but I think they would come in real handy,If they around $250.00 I would buy one

Wilksy
  • 14th Oct 2008 03:56pm

A great device, how often have you juggled a road map on your knees whilst driving, trying to read the directions. You merly have to glance at the scrren or listen for directions.

peterv
  • 20th Oct 2008 03:30pm
Navman is great. We have used it with travelling and saves me getting the blame when we get lost. We don't get lost now. They are the best invention to come out. If you havent got one......get...

I haven't used one personally but have been in avehicle with one fitted.Looked really easy to use and was very accurate.Just been to the motorshow and noticed that many gloveboxes are just that!No rorom for anything let alone a street directory.All taken up with airbags.
Also if travelling alone it would be so much easier than stopping to check directions.

jatz50
  • 19th Oct 2008 09:55pm
A great device, how often have you juggled a road map on your knees whilst driving, trying to read the directions. You merly have to glance at the scrren or listen for directions.

Navman is great. We have used it with travelling and saves me getting the blame when we get lost. We don't get lost now. They are the best invention to come out. If you havent got one......get santa to give you one this year.....best pressie you could get.

Wilksy
  • 14th Oct 2008 03:56pm

A great device, how often have you juggled a road map on your knees whilst driving, trying to read the directions. You merly have to glance at the scrren or listen for directions.

Wilksy
  • 14th Oct 2008 03:55pm

A great device, how often have you juggled a road map on your knees whilst driving, trying to read the directions. You merly have to glance at the scrren or listen for directions.

ayu
  • 8th Oct 2008 12:57pm

It is a good intention for helping people when they are at no where, but it also creates accidents. E.g., my friend who was following the instruction from GPS while he's driving at night, his car ended up stucking at a tiny little water creek, lucky is not a river. He'll be in the heaven from then.

Jack
  • 2nd Oct 2008 09:08pm

I love my Sat Nav, I use it all the time. My kids borrow it all the time too. Yeah sure sometimes it gets me lost, but we all have bad days. We recently took it on hols with us when we travelled to Melbourne. We hired a car so it was great to go from the airport to our destination, and not have to carry a map or Street Guide. You can program all your favs in it for regular use.

relicsinner
  • 1st Oct 2008 08:48pm

I am sure if more mobile phone have got GPS inbuilt, it would take off pretty well.
You pay $500 for a GPS unit and can forget about paying for ongoing cost like those AGPS with some mobile such as iPhones and Nokia navigator phones.

I personally own a Mio GPS unit but the only down side of it is the battery life .. other than that it works like a charm ..

kezza052
  • 1st Oct 2008 07:29pm

I have one of these in built in my mobile phone and I think it's amazing as I do not have to carry a street directory with me when I do not know where I'm going. I think these will come in to fashion pretty soon.

Sonny
  • 6th Aug 2008 07:12pm

In 5 years they will be giving them away in cereal boxes

Russ
  • 30th Jul 2008 11:40am

Hi there
I purchased a GPS a couple of years ago and don't go out without it in the car:
It has quelled many an argument on the road.
I found since coming to Oz 17 years ago, I never got back my natural instinct of which way to turn at an intersection, which I always had in the UK, it didnt matter if I had never been to a location before I always seemed to know which direction to take to get us where we needed to get!
But alas I have absolutely no concept at all here in Oz for some reason; whether it has anything to do with the different hemispheres or what I'm not sure, but one thing I do know my trusty GPS lady knows exactly where we are going, no more stop starting double checking the map books or writing a route on a piece of scrap paper before we set off (which someone forgot to pick-up off the table) (me that is!) no more "why didnt you tell BEFORE we got to the turning before you tell me to turn right/left" and how come you always say turn right when you mean left or left when you mean right!!!!
It has made a frustrated driver and his wife a better pair of traveling companions (also I am happy for the mother-in-law to sit in the back seat without one little peep of " Didnt you need to turn right there??? blah blah blah!!!)
Thankyou to my trusty GPS lady, (maybe one day we shall drive off into the sunset together ha ha ha ...)
Have a great day all.. keep safe on the roads... Get a GPS...
Best regards Russell ;-)

buletjd
  • 27th Jul 2008 10:38am

I think they are great, most of them have speed camera warnings in them and this will help offset the cost of a unit very quickly, also it is good to compare different routes. I had been travelling to work one way for years yet the GPS unit suggested a different way. It was surprisingly easier to get to work this way rather than the way I had always done it.

tash
  • 25th Jul 2008 09:03pm

GPSs are like awesome maps
Sometimes they're awesome and other times when in the country it's not so good.
I think they're mainly to keep the shotgun entertained because the drivers usually to busy driving.
But they are handy and fun and when i'm older i'll probably buy one teehee

Dynamix
  • 23rd Jul 2008 12:52pm

I have had Sat Nav now for over three years and would not be without it. There are many benefits, the greatest benefit is if your sight is failing, like mine. You need to wear glasses, which usually are reading and then another pair for distance and when your driving its difficult and dangerous to switch between both to read the map book and watch the road. My Sat Nav easily tells me where to go and what lane to be in and when to turn without having to look at a map at all. Its simply brilliant!

lemming86_au
  • 15th Jul 2008 10:08pm

For someone like myself who can get lost pulling out of my driveway, these things are indispensable.
I recently bought a phone with a built in GPS & software & I find myself using it even more.

Pete
  • 3rd Jul 2008 09:52pm

They are extremely popular however a downside is that if yours an expensive brand name and portable your vehicle becomes an instant target for a smash and grab

Swindells
  • 14th Jun 2008 07:20pm

I think thet have already taken off in a big way, what people are paying for is convenience. Convenience has always been a huge seller, an example of this is mp3 players. Most people will not listen to 20G of music in any given day and yet they will pay large sums of money to get a 20G mp3 player so they don't have to change the songs regularely.

mpz28427
  • 13th Jun 2008 03:38pm

if you drive for a living there ideal, with all these new suburbs popping up everyday they update quicker than the old street directory. and if you do your home work on them you can pick up a good unit for less than $500. i don't have one myself but i have used one a few times, and i will be buying one with my next tax return. if you use them for work you can also claim them on your tax as well.

Panic man
  • 12th Jun 2008 01:10pm

take off??? are you nuts... they have been in the air so long, they need to come down and get a revamp .... best thing ever invented.

cj
  • 12th Jun 2008 11:47am

I think its safe to say they already have taken off in a big way ... with several models available on the market on sale around the $250 mark they are becoming more and more accessible to consumers. Taxi's have them ... couriers have them ... even my 'not so tech savvy' parents have one!!! They have just been around Australia with a Garmin, not sure what model, and have been really happy with it considering they spent a lot of time off road.

Watch for big price drops and new models leading up to Xmas ... these will be a must have device within a year or 2 and the only thing that will kill this market is the advancement of GPS systems in mobile phones.

Bring on the day when 1 device does everything WELL!

Ken
  • 11th Jun 2008 05:22pm

I am on my 3rd GPS system. I use it extensivley and am so used to it I cannot manage without it. I usually drive about 1500Kms per week, mostly in suburban Melbourne but also in rural Victoria where the Melway does not show street detail. Even in Melbourne driving around the streets I have great difficulty in looking at the Melway (putting my reading specs on and then taking them off to drive) and driving at the same time. I am sure that some people who only drive the same routes do not really need a GPS but of course as it is in the top ten of gadgets that one "has to have" more people will be buyting them just to be "IN".

Anonymous
  • 9th Jun 2008 07:01pm

My last one cost about $250 for a wide 7" screen and an excellant unit.
However, I previously had a TomTomOne, COST $799 & it NEVER worked properly,
in one weekend it got 7 addresses in Sydney WRONG, FREE updates cost $27 and ALWAYS came up "no updates available"
and told us to do a U turn on a freewayseveral times and once ONCE on the harbour bridge.
Street directory was never wrong & used to bail us out every time the Tom Tom stuffed things up.
Their staff ignored >11phone call-messages, including 4 from JB-HIFI staff and >9 emails over a 14 month period.
So be careful, some are total crapp.

zacisbac
  • 4th Jun 2008 04:00pm

I think these navigation systems will be the future in cars and handheld models. Convenient to use and small enough to carry with you. A UBD or Gregorys is still good to have but needs to be updated by buying a new one whereas a software update is far easier.

Kateydid
  • 4th Jun 2008 03:41pm

Would it be one more way that big brother can keep his eye on all your movements so that you have no privacy.

Tuppence
  • 4th Jun 2008 02:20pm

I have one and it is a marriage saver! My husband has eyesight problems so I do the driving. He will look at the map then not give me directions, then yell at me for not knowing the way to a new location. I bought my sat-nav a year ago and it is great having the voice for directions, no shouting and no sarcasm! Bliss! By the way when I remove the screen from the car when parked, as directed I had nowhere to keep it safe. I was worried about damaging the touch screen. I discovered the pouches made for the DS game console to be the correct size and with the padding keep the screen safe, they are also much cheaper than the pouches that have just been released for the Navman that I have.

admiral
  • 4th Jun 2008 11:12am

Not willl they take off. They have taken off.
The only idfficutly is that they often do NOT give the bwest directions.

Anonymous
  • 4th Jun 2008 09:11am

GPS are now becoming cheaper, less than $300, for a good one. the great thing is that a little messing around and it will guide you to your destination even if you miss the turn and make mistakes. It is Ok for the ones who make no mistakes but for the likes of me I make lots. GPS are the ability to save your wife from the nagging directions.

aust_norm
  • 4th Jun 2008 08:53am

$500.00 for an entry level? You should shop around more. Base level TOm Toms are <$200 and the mid range Mio is $350 for a well featured product.

I have one that I use in the car and on the bike. As I dont have a passenger side airbag to tell me where to go or provide directions I find the Mio invaluable. Better than a strret directory as I dont have to take my eyes off the road. Mine is mounted in front of the gear shift so it doesnt block the view out of the front.

As they advance they will get more features. At the moment if I am in a strange town I can ask for nearby shops/petrol stations/banks etc and the Mio (and most others) will list along with phone numbers. My phone is blue tooth so I can use the Mio to dial the number and also as a handsfree so I can talk to the business. It also acts a s a handsfree for the phone for normal calls too, providing me with caller ID, volume control and the ability to dial. The phone can be in the boot and I can make/receive calls.

Syncs with outlook to bring across names, addresses and phone numbers of contacts so I can navigate there easily or call them from the GPS.

The standard features continue to improve. You can now get a feed (via radio) that lists traffic jams and accidents and the device will route you around them automatically. (Not common in Oz yet but getting here, been in the US for a while).

As they get more feature packed they will become more a part of life, to the point where you wouldnt imagine not having one. 20 years ago cars without radios were common, 10 years ago cars without aircon were common. How many cars today are sold without either of the above. GPS will go the same way too.

reddragon
  • 4th Jun 2008 08:13am

Great toys but they do not beat a street directory for price or convenience in my view. Used a SatNav & Whereis to get from my home to a new suburb in Sydney recently. Going there took me along two toll roads and took one hour. Once at my destination I realised that there was a much more direct route to my home along a good highway (no tolls!!) - trip time forty minutes. So I'm sticking with my $35 Street directory.

scrappamammy
  • 4th Jun 2008 07:29am

I LOVE it.
In my small experience I like to have the map displayed but have the sound off.
I think that speed limits should be included on the the gps to make driving to the speed limit easier.

Anonymous
  • 4th Jun 2008 05:46am

i believe that as they are still relatively new people will buy them in their droves but with the rising fuel costs and people driving less they will not be the flavour of the month. thus i foresee a dropping off in sales.

Cecile
  • 17th May 2008 09:29am

I think they're great (especially when one is useless at reading maps) - much safer than looking through a map while on the road. I am hyper confident that it will keep my daughter safe while driving in the far north, south and west. The nicest thing is that it will get you to where you're going even if you miss a turn or two or three or four. Very inflexible though, and should have a mute button on board.

Sam
  • 10th May 2008 01:19pm

I think they're useful in cars because you can pay more attention to driving safely and less attention to where you have to go. Its a nice change to not have to look at a map. Though at $500 AUD, its hard to say whether a large majority will think its worth paying for. I don't have one, but I do want one!

gsdat
  • 9th May 2008 09:13pm

I think that they will take off, they are very handy and they will be standard fitment to every car within a few years, just like when cars first came and AM radio and windscreen wipers where optional extras then Toyota added them as Standard equipment.

tracwy
  • 6th May 2008 01:41pm

not sure here, i have no probs with the stree directory but would like to look at a navigation system to see if i like it

heather
  • 2nd May 2008 12:59pm

these are great. My daughter just purchased one for her overseas trip at the end off the year. They will be invaluable to prevent her and travelling companions getting around on their own. Already we have used it to get around our city, can be easier than getting out the road map. It is also fun to confuse it, when you go in a shopping centre at an alternate enterance. it kept telling us to turn around go back out and come in the one it had picked out for us! Great fun.

Dot
  • 1st May 2008 01:33pm

After touring driving in the UK for 4 weeks last year, driving a diesel 4 wd and fitted with and SNS, all I can add is that it's the only way to travel. Have just entered a competition and hoping to win one before our next trip around oz!!
Dot

stewy57
  • 23rd Apr 2008 04:52pm

I have a Tomtom Rider for my motor bike and I reckon it is bloody fantastic. I even took it over to the U.S. on a recent trip and it saved my dozens of times travelling around some of the biggest cities over there. I think they are a godsend.

KennethS
  • 15th Apr 2008 08:47pm

I have seen one in use and was impressed, but not enough to shell out some $500 dollars.
Only way I will get one if it comes standard when I next buy a new car, or I get one as a present(unlikely),

matt
  • 15th Apr 2008 05:39pm

I think they may take off in about another 12 months as we see the entry price reduced . They are starting to bring out cheaper models now . I have one which I only use every now and then . I drive every day for work in a local area and I find it easier to look up streets in the directory . However they are great when you go on holidays as you can use them in hire cars . the main reasons for me to get one was to help my wife as she isn't good with the directory , I could use it as a tax write off and we have friends in Qld that we visit alot so we can use it up there and not have to rely on them for directions

PGS
  • 6th Apr 2008 10:08am

My last mobile came with Tom Tom - what a waste. So glad I didn't pay extra for it. 1/2 hour to find the satellite - just long enough to drain the battery. Unreliable directions. Thanks, but a book seems a lot less trouble.

AB
  • 28th Mar 2008 01:24pm

Plenty of GPS on ebay starting from $100. Anyone that does a lot of traveling should have one, beats trying to read the maps and street signs.

sonic
  • 27th Mar 2008 05:17pm

I purchased a Satellite navigation device as I recently moved to Brisbane. It has proved an invaluable tool for me as using a street directory from an unfamiliar suburb was near on impossible - you have to at least know which suburb you are in! My job requires me to travel so the expense was a tax deduction, but the price is coming down all the time, my device is almost half price compared to when I purchased it, as for not having to upgrade the maps, with cities growing at the pace of Brisbane it is far more accurate than the street directory. I still carry my street directory ( technology does sometimes fail )
It was also very handy when we traveled interstate for a wedding recently, just stuck it to the windscreen and off we went.
No Domestics

EVLCRETURE
  • 17th Mar 2008 06:40pm

I think as with most new devices all designed to make life easier, the initial price tag is the biggest deterant. like mobile phones when they first came out, between 5-10k not too many people had them or said that they would need one, the same much applies to this device. I think the biggest difference is instead of stand alone devices, it will be more popular as an intergrated application. I would say that the biggest martket for this application will be mobile phones closly followed by in car applications. Even as part of an in car application they wont be a stand alone application, they will form part of an entertainment system. I think if the companies that produce these types of devices rely soly on stand alone formats they will ultimately fail, where this format will take off is an add on application to existing mobile devices as an easy to use application at a nominal cost, in this way they will become as comon as a mobile phone.

Dirk
  • 5th Mar 2008 09:35am

I do not have a use for a Sat Nav system around Tasmania because I know the cities so well, but when I am working in Melbourne or Sydney I try to hire a Commodore with the standard GPS installed. I have found this system incredibly accurate and reliable - except in the very middle of Sydney between tall buildings. The one time I have driven in Melbourne without Sat Nav recently, I got hopelessly lost when I pulled off the highway to find some fuel. I use it on voice direction setting all the time and hardly ever look at the screen when moving.
I want to have one for boating and I am currently watching the prices. When a quality unit is available for $300 I will buy one. (I would pay more than this if I could get one with a reversing camera system included.)

demetri
  • 19th Feb 2008 05:41pm

I would be the worlds worst at getting lost.. I have never learnt to read Melways maps. I purchaced a Gamin navigatiion system for my car for $930 about two years ago and it has made driving a pleasure. I even take it with me wherever I travel in Australia.

holden
  • 19th Feb 2008 12:44am

they are heaps better than a street directory because they know weather you can turn left or right as an intersection and if you are the only one in the car you dont have to constantly loo at the directory and the potential to cause an accident

SAMBO
  • 5th Feb 2008 01:28am

How often do you use a road map - especially when driving. We all know we shouldn't and we are not all macho males - horray for the Satelite Navigation Systems. They will be installed in cars like radios and cd players as saftey features the sooner the better.

smokey
  • 4th Feb 2008 09:11pm

Satnav will take off in a big way especially when travelling long distaces or in another city that one is not familar with

cavalier
  • 4th Feb 2008 06:59pm

I think they are a gret idea, bu the need to have bttersecurit to keep them in the car, and maybe different technology that will stop having then screen fixed to the windscreen and maybe projected in some way, so they cannot be seen as a unit to steel..

Ernie
  • 4th Feb 2008 06:19pm

Be realistic. How often do you use a street directory now?
I have a GPS and have used it to some advantage when on holiday. But I hardly ever use it around home.
A bit like cameras in mobile phones ... great for a while but not everyone has a genuine ongoing use for them.

Graham
  • 4th Feb 2008 03:16pm

I purchased a Navman S50 for Christmas 2007. Let me tell you, it has to be the worst purchase in known history. It hasn't got a clue how to get from A to B in metropolitan Sydney. On almost every occasion it wants to direct me on an inaccurate route. Secondly, the theft rates from motor vehicles has sky rocketed. What a pain to remove the little bracket every time you get out of the car. In conclusion, they're a gimmic, don't waste your money. Graham Goddard.

waspnin
  • 2nd Feb 2008 09:14am

Britney Spears even gets lost using one - Taxi drivers that don't read or speak much English don't need them so not essential

Anonymous
  • 1st Feb 2008 04:31pm

personally i think they will take off with these days everyone needing the latest gadgets epeically in Australia and NZ with are breath taking walks where sometimes there are no maps.

brindajoy
  • 31st Jan 2008 10:22am

I use mine daily!! I get lost easily and when I do, I have difficulty locating my direction on a map- which causes me a great deal of angst! The GPS not only shows me the way but if I do take a wrong turn it just recalculates and gets me there! Plus it has an accurate speedometer, tells me when I am over the speed and alerts me to cameras. I also use it to tell me how long a journey will take in order to plan the journey. And shortly the model I have will keep me informed as to traffic problems. For people like me it is a necessity, takes the fear of going anywhere and enables me to arrive on time and un-frazzled!

ash
  • 8th Jan 2008 03:40pm

It just shows how lazy everyone is becoming. A Melways has gotten people from A to B many times in the past, their pretty easy to use and much more cost effective. A GPS system is no fun when your on a road trip.

Anonymous
  • 14th Dec 2007 11:50am

for pepole who dont have any senes of direction they are good . But doesnt all this gadets make us dumb

Anonymous
  • 14th Dec 2007 11:39am

My husband bought a Navman for around $300 and so far we have used it everytime we go somewhere (especially Sydney). Sometimes we just use it to see which way it will take us compared to which way we usually go, to find a shorter route of just for different scenery. I think they are great for people on the go and if you can afford one, good even for that once a year trip!

steve52
  • 14th Dec 2007 07:42am

I HAVE A GPS AND AS I TRAVEL A REASONABLE BIT I USE IT ALL THE TIME AND ALSO A LOT OF MY FRIENDS ARE LOOKING AT BUYING ONE SO YES I THINK THEY WILL GET MORE POPULAR

scotty
  • 14th Dec 2007 12:30am

i think they are great no more fumbling for the street directory they take you exactly where you want to go. if you were lost with no map or anythimg satellite navigation can tell you where you are and how to get to the nearest town

Patto110
  • 13th Dec 2007 08:13pm

What ever happened to the flamin street directory in the glove box.....???? A hell of a lot cheaper, and doesn't have that annoying robot telling you to turn 30 seconds after the street has past. Maybe I'm driving to fast, or perhaps I should use the old gizmo my mate was getting rid of... either way, I'm a street directory kinda of guy.

Voxy Lady
  • 17th Nov 2007 09:35pm

With all the traffic congestion these days.....people should be concidering public transport if they are in an area that provides it. I know this isn't the ideal suggestion as there are way to many faults and disadvantages with tis senario. One thing I am passionate about and that is parents drinving their kids to school. I think all schools should have busses dedicated to them for the pickup and drop off of all students who are not within walking distance of the school. This should be funded by the government as it will diminish the need to waste tax payers money on contingincy plans, new road works which usually fail to meet the demand of the traffic anyways.

So why worry about and waste money on a navigations system? Get with the program!!!

Red Dog
  • 17th Nov 2007 01:13pm

I think they have already taken off. I have had one for 12 months and used it all of the state whilst on business. Works great even in the smallest towns in north queensland. The only gripe i have his the cost of map upgrades at $150+.

Neffie
  • 7th Nov 2007 10:47pm

I love my navigation system. I have one for my main vehicle and one for my bike. As I have to navigate through different cities I find it invaluable. Also good for knowing how long a journey will take and for checking speed.

Rushy
  • 5th Nov 2007 05:30pm

I do think that they will take off just look in america. I think their gps's r being updated with traffic conditions as the trffic contiditions change but itl be a while befor that come to aus

Bad_manners
  • 1st Nov 2007 03:26pm

Ok I just spent a month in England, Ireland, Scotland and Barcelona. I bought a Tom Tom One in Oz - got the International Travellers Rebate (Duty Free Cashback) at the airport when I left so was very happy with that. My Unit cost me $340 and I had haggled down the price on it - but they are reducing as the days go by. SO an extra $30 in my pocket was a bonus.

I found that it worked fantastically well everywhere I went over there (albeit the NorthWest European map download cost a little over $100AUS). The only problem I had was not knowing that the Tesco Shop I wanted in Dublin actually wasn't 2 miles away it was a lot further. We had walked 2 miles and then it showed "6.5 hrs walk to Tesco" WHAT THE?????

I used the Itenerary Planner function to go from place to place driving through Scotland, and although the cousin we stayed with over there thought he knew better - the TomTom got us places faster than he could.

I have been using it in Sydney since I got back and I downloaded John Cleese as a voice option for about $18.00 That is funny as hell.

As far as the ability to interact and get Traffic Reports, Weather Reports and Speed Camera Alerts - I haven't gone that far into it - but it seems you need to use your Bluetooth Mobile Phone to get Data Access - which is not a cheap thing to do.

There's an issue with the Day / Night Brightness Settings in the new software and it wants to hook into the Headlights - but there's not even a cradle available on TomTom's website that allows you to do that - when will they catch up?

Anyway I love my TomTom and have programmed it for my parents to use, because dad has recently had a bunch of medical appointments all around the place - so I put in the places as favourites - showed mum how to use it and off she went VERY HAPPY.

One thing I noticed in the UK - Big Signs stating that Satellite Navigators should not solely be relied upon for Heavy Goods Vehicles, as they can try to send you down a Weight Limited Street - so you still need your wits about you.

Dirk
  • 30th Oct 2007 09:15am

Having driven in Melbourne and Sydney both with and without a GPS, I now ask for a hire car with one fitted. I have found the built-in models very accurate and able to get you back on track no matter how far you go wrong. As the cost of the technology reduces, I would envisage GPS becoming standard in most cars and better mobile phones.

hrtbob
  • 19th Oct 2007 12:02am

Certainly, this is useful as a stress reliever, and coupled with the download capability it makes a melways look antiquated. No need to drive with the interior lights on searching your lap, voice enabled directions give ease of mind.
'
Of course some people aren't brilliant at judging distances, so a suggestion might be to alert people by the number of streets until next turn.

arizona
  • 18th Oct 2007 08:48pm

Like most other modern technology gadgets, the more you use it the more you need (or believe) you need it. They can certainly be a huge help and stress reliever.

Ken
  • 16th Oct 2007 05:34pm

It will certainly take off in Australia, asis much easier and more convenent than a street directory. They do need to be more accurate especially in country regions as I have found that a lot of roads are either not on them or not where they are suspost to be, speed camera option is especially inaccurate. Ihave not tried updating mine yet onthe net, but have been told it is very expensive. I am not sure it is worth updating as some of the mistakes I have found were changed at least 5 years ago.

Tasney
  • 10th Oct 2007 04:58pm

qww

Hughie
  • 10th Oct 2007 02:10pm

I find thatgadgets like this very soon become great tools, especially if travelling long distances and in unfamiliar areas. I used to have a boat and that had a GPS system, same as satnav, and it was a great safety feature, as well as saving a lot on fuel. I am expecting these will become standard features especially on 4WD vehicles.

RichyRich
  • 23rd Sep 2007 12:01pm

All thow I do not have one I do think that thay are a good idea these days for getting around it would keep your eyes on the road in sted of having your eyes stuck in a road map and causeing a car crash

Skulker
  • 22nd Sep 2007 11:59am

Very useful when travelling in unfamiliar areas - if they're accurate! I have been instructed to turn left where I was sure the instruction was wrong, only to find after 2kms that I was instructed to make a U-turn, go back to where I had turned and continue on the route I thought correct. Destinator costs under $500 and is usually accurate. In some aspects better than Navman (in my opinion).

Skulker
  • 22nd Sep 2007 11:59am

Very useful when travelling in unfamiliar areas - if they're accurate! I have been instructed to turn left where I was sure the instruction was wrong, only to find after 2kms that I was instructed to make a U-turn, go back to where I had turned and continue on the route I thought correct. Destinator costs under $500 and is usually accurate. In some aspects better than Navman (in my opinion).

Lyn
  • 21st Sep 2007 05:04pm

Definately out of my price range its enought to keep your eyes on the road and pay attention driving safely without having to glance at some small thing to tell you where to go. If I ever had one I would more than likely toss it out the window

scbb1803
  • 20th Sep 2007 01:57pm

My 19 year old son has one in his car, and while I can see that it is a useful tool I worry that it might be too much of a distraction from driving - especially when it is looked at in the course of driving.

I'm happy with looking up directions before I leave.

Elle
  • 18th Sep 2007 08:20am

Marvelous aids to navigation. Not so good when there is a glytch in the system, though, and one is lost in the middle of Sydney. A back up book of maps is a necessity!

Liza May
  • 17th Sep 2007 08:05pm

What a complete waste of time and money.
What is wrong with using a good memory, a good road map or local street directory.

jurgen
  • 17th Sep 2007 06:18pm

Extremely good for use on light aircraft or small boats. You can never really get lost and know your position within a few meters. A very handy gadget indeed.

Debbie
  • 21st Aug 2007 01:36pm

I used one when living in America and it was fantastic - made driving and navigating in traffic and unfamiliar areas so much easier. Living in Canberra I have't used it as much as it is small and I tend to know my way around pretty well but when we travel to Sydney - we use it all the time again. Definitely think they make driving a much less stressful experience...

Gilly
  • 18th Aug 2007 02:33pm

For someone who travels as part of the job, satelite navigation systems are now so much better than the old gregories. I just love them

T
  • 15th Aug 2007 04:32pm

With the growth of the human thirst for technology there is no doubt that by 2010 every car will come standard with one.
I have one in my car and though I don't always use it until I'm lost!! It is a great tool that has made my life a little easier.
This device is just like a mobile phone you don't 'need' to have it but it is that little bit of support that helps get us through the day. lol

jamiepaterson
  • 14th Aug 2007 09:49am

Will they Take off, Yes. Have they started to take off? Yes These are a fantastic tool in the 4wd fraternity. Has helped me many times when out bush to ensure we didn;t get lost. Besides, you don't have to stop to look at the street directory with these and remember the route as you go. 2nd left 3rd right 4th set of traffic lights over the brigde and then a u-turn to get to the pub. A sensational tool once you get over the toy aspect.

Anonymous
  • 14th Aug 2007 08:41am

My car came with one standard, even though at first i thought it was a bit of a gimick, now i couldn't live without it. Even travelling through the outback it worked and helped us get around,

Tonyed
  • 14th Aug 2007 07:55am

The Sat nav will be a standard piece of equipment in cars before you know it, this is the way of the future. They will also include emergency response buttons and many other functions that they are still dreaming up.

ben
  • 13th Aug 2007 09:29pm

They will as they are more accurate and up to date than the traditional map . A map an be out of date within a few weeks and a whole new one has to be purchased while a simple update will solve the problem with the navigation systems.

tooch
  • 13th Aug 2007 06:41pm

I really love my sat nav I have a Tom Tom one. It gets confused in the city but everywhere else it's a real treat to have.
Funny how you start to depend on them though. It's like never having to remember where anything is... my brain just might turn to mush.

Juri
  • 9th Aug 2007 07:12am

I have three GPS units. One Navman on my boat, one Garmin 45 that I've had for over eleven years (black & white screen), and a new Magellen XL (colour screen). I travel a lot and wouldn't be without one. I have all the cities, streets and lanes of all of Europe. (The unit came with Australian cities and streets). Overall, once you have the software, it is cheaper than buying maps/charts at a minimum of around $20 per paper map/chart. People who criticise GPS units either aren't smart enough, or don't use them correctly let alone use them to their full advantage. I consider the GPS units that are a part of a mobile phone as toys, as are also the cheap units one see on dashboards of cars. A month ago I returned from a trip from up in the Arctic Circle, and taking some out-of-the-way roads/tracks, I would have been lost, even with my standby charts.
Being in a new, strange city, I stand outside my hotel, acquire the satellites and mark the hotel position. I then switch the unit off, and enjoy walking all over the city/town, getting "lost" until it's time to return to the hotel. I switch on my GPS, press GOTO hotel, and there it is, whatever direction, I jjust home in on to the hotel.
As a navigational aid, on my boat, I wouldn't be without it. Too many boatmen get into trouble because they use the incorrect Datum for the area, and wonder why they run up into a reef ~they haven't learnt to use their GPS correctly, and also are unaware that navigational charts are drawn up on the latest PAPER charts that were drawn up prior to GPS. The information in GPS units is only as good as the data that is put into it. If the original chart is not spot on, the GPS is not spot on.
GPS is relatively new, and will improve. Unfortunately the people using GPS, in the majority, are not improving and want immediate results, correct results, without knowing the basics. People criticising GPS are the group who should not only save their money, but also go nowhere near a GPS.
Unless you are serious about using GPS, a unit currently priced less than $1,000 is not worth buying, so unless you are prepared to spend serious money, you are only buying a toy and you will be disappointed. Reading the replies to this topic, it seems the majority of writers are using toys. ~Juri, Paradise Point 4216.

chugs
  • 7th Aug 2007 02:07pm

I always thought that their price and lack of relevant updates/maps for Australian cities would make them glorified bricks.

Proven wrong I was though, after playing with the 6110 nokia GPS handset I found an inane delight in seeing my location represented on a pseudo 3D map. Also despite being a relatively obscure Sydney suburb the one way streets and other features were accurately represented.

Though i was puzzled at the inclusion of just one restaurant (a very boring and plain Chinese place) in a main strip that has about 2 dozen eateries.

Will I use the feature - probably not because my UBD is far richer and easier to use (and its cheaper). will the wifey use it, nup, because geography is my job.

The old fashion UBD is far more richer in information and ease of use then a GPS device (standalone or otherwise) - and far far cheaper.

And if its not in the UBD then the free google map service kicks ass.

So there you have it. A great, functional, sounding function that will hardly ever be used due to the cheapness, ease of use, and wealth of alternatives out there.

JCrugnale92
  • 4th Aug 2007 12:05pm

I really dont see why you need one. I mean what happens if that thing stuffs up? Is it really reiliable? I'd trust a road map better then one of those things. They are too annoying and difficult and expensive. No Way I'd Spend my hard earn'd money on that heap of junk.

sunshine
  • 2nd Aug 2007 03:10pm

Look I think GPS devices are good but there going to all the wrong types of people. They sould be standard things for Taxis so that U know they are taking you the quikest route to were u wanna go. There like 4 wheel drives. How many people that have 4 wheel drives actually go across country? I dont think the car manufacturers ment for that type of car to be drove in metro city areas lol. These days people would rather get a plane when going on holidays not drive across counrty. I mean hello Petrol prices? I think taxis are all and maybe curiors but thats all. We are the public weres the fun in driving if u dont fumble over a map and get lost once or twice. its like going for a road trip and not caring about were u end up but when you leave ur starting point u bring a watch and mobile phon, thats Not being free on the road thats being controlled,

jacki
  • 1st Aug 2007 05:56pm

i have recently pickup a tom tom over the internet on ebay nad have found it trully a great buy, as a saleman the tom tom shows me the quickest direction and with blue tooth with the unit using the mobile is easy ,and with the telephone numbers also makes life easy , i recommend it to any person

waddo
  • 30th Jul 2007 02:48pm

The technolgy is old, I used these things over 20 years ago, and people are just being sucked in by marketing hype. There are yester years news and devices

Janine
  • 24th Jul 2007 12:32pm

I know I,m a female and can't read maps!!! Yes its quite true, I have never been able to. Driving at the same time is dangerous and I also get very frustrated when I can't join up the map pages!!!

Can you imagine my delight when these gadgets were introduced into Australia. I have just a basic navigator that took me from Glenbrook to Brisbane quite easily . Then I had to find the zoo, the shopping centres and surfers pardise. No dramas at all.

You do have to update though, just as you do maps and I,m not sure how much that costs or how you go about it!! When that happens I will let you know. Its fantastic for us females and should be a built in accessory in all family cars!!!!

Simone
  • 22nd Jul 2007 05:50am

I am happy with my street directory.
A friend has one and she always seems to arrive late having been directed a longer way around by her Sat Nav.

Nimjah-xo-Kahlia
  • 21st Jul 2007 01:25pm

i think they are gunna bee around alot and getting out the refii isnt fun i had to try and find where i was and i got really lost so a navigating system would bee awsome and it tells u when to turn wat direction u need to go how far u have to go and when u get there these are veryy handy

Nimjah-xo-Kahlia
  • 21st Jul 2007 01:19pm

i think they are gunna bee around alot and getting out the refii isnt fun i had to try and find where i was and i got really lost so a navigating system would bee awsome and it tells u when to turn wat direction u need to go how far u have to go and when u get there these are veryy handy

lozza
  • 15th Jul 2007 01:33pm

yes they would be good if your travelling around as a tourist in an area you dont know. but at $500 a street directory is a lot cheaper!!!

Anonymous
  • 12th Jul 2007 05:05pm

They already have taken off! people have then installed in thier cars already, they can tell you an sms recieved on your phone and even just have a general chat to you. Very strange, i have one, and although it has been out of date 2 times and gotten me lost once i like to have it in the car... just in case

Kia
  • 11th Jul 2007 06:29pm

My 19 year old brother spend for the sake of spending and this is his latest desire. It seems like a bit of a toy to me and an up to date map is all anyone needs.

Bad_manners
  • 10th Jul 2007 07:49pm

I recently sent some of my State Emergency Service crews to The Hunter Area after the recent storms to preform storm damage response operations. Our Region Office issued them with Satellite Navigation Systems which they found to be invaluable.

I suppose they may not replace local knowledge as the best means of getting to an emergency in the fastest possible time - for say police, fire and ambulance, but it would help other organisations like taxi services - especially when half the drivers don't speak english and have no idea of the local area.

Drew
  • 4th Jul 2007 12:22am

I think that I would like one...there was a Navman at Kmart the other day for $399 which I thouhgt was a pretty decent price. It however is a lot to pay for the novelty factor as I am pretty good at navagation by myself. I have also been told that you have to pay like $100 to update the software on the thing occasionally. Is that true? because that would turn me off the thing even more.

bomber
  • 27th Jun 2007 04:42pm

My father recently bought a second hand car with GPS (or GST as he called it). He only uses it to double check where he is going and he usually knows the way already. He had to update the software to get the new maps and the disc for that cost $400. I think it is only a novelty thing for the average driver, however there would be a big market for couriers and other drivers. Outside of larger cities I see no use for them, but I gues the cities do take about 90% of our population.

andycm
  • 23rd Jun 2007 10:23pm

I have had one for over a year now and it is great especially out in the country as i go away quite often i do not need to find maps of the regions i travel as it is all in the gps, it is also always in the car where as my street directory always ended up going inside the house and never in the car when needed.

Anonymous
  • 18th Jun 2007 07:17pm

am about to install 3 x units into our work vans which we hope will help our service people get around more efficiently and other benefits yet to see but dont want to sound like a salesman. also getting a satnav for the home car as well mainly for a probable christmas gift for her indoors to find her way around as she is now taking kids to sport etc out of the area, and it can come out and be stuck in the inlaws car when they come to visit so they can find their way around with out us haveing to lead them by the hand. so early days yet, will keep you posted.

Rick
  • 15th Jun 2007 11:38am

i have actully never used one of these but it seems to me that they are really handy to have and i think i am missing out on them lol but to me there is just better stuff to spend your money on well thats my thought

Kath
  • 12th Jun 2007 02:20pm

My husband and I used one when we travelled overseas and it was fantastic. However, I'm not sure they will be as popular in Australia. The price as it stands does not entice me at this stage to go out and have one fitted to my car. I agree that more and more car manufacturers will offer it when buying new vehicles either as an extra or potentially as a standard fitting on certain vehicles.

Josie1980
  • 11th Jun 2007 12:49pm

I think these systems have already taken off to some extent. My brother has owned one for quite some time and my father-in-law just bought one too. I am thinking of buying one as well, as I think they are very useful when on the road- no need to look at the Melway by the side of the road! Just listen for the instructions!

Jane
  • 11th Jun 2007 06:15am

I don't think there is much call for a Satalite Navigation System in the South Island. The main route is state high way 1 with a few other options. In the cities, a $5 map will do. If you rely on Sat Nav you'll never get to learn your way around, as with a map, at least you plan your journey, and it is pretty hard for a map to break down.... I don't like to rely on technology for too much.

$500 is pretty excessive for a luxury. I certainly won't be buying one in a hurry.

beauwt
  • 9th Jun 2007 03:25pm

The price will go down, as with everything else, new products come on all the time, they want your business so they'll bend over backwards for their customers

corym
  • 9th Jun 2007 08:15am

I just purchased a Navman GPS unit last week. As I will moving from Victoria to Queensland next week, I'm sure it will assist me with discovering new places, locating the closest petrol station/ATM etc, especially when driving into Brisbane and it's surrounding suburbs.

Buying the Navman GPS will be better than reading a street directory as it instantly updates with a new course should I make an incorrect turn, it has a more accurate speed reading than the speedometer in my car, and should there be any accidents it will direct me through a different route to avoid delays.

kanda
  • 8th Jun 2007 04:14pm

I HAD THE PRIVILEDGE OF USING ONE OF THESE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO TO FIND MY WAY TO A BUINESS. IT WAS EXCEPTIONALLY EASY AS THE DEVICE TOLD ME WERE TO GO, WHERE TO TURN, HOW FAR IT WAS UNTIL THERE WAS A MAJOR ROAD. I AM IN FAVOUR OF THEM ALTHOUGH I FEEL THEY MAY BE DISTRACTING TO A DRIVER AND SHOULD BE USED BY THE PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE.

hamish
  • 8th Jun 2007 12:23pm

SAT NAV IS FANTASTIC STUFF,DONT KNOW HOW I DID WITHOUT IT MOST IMPRESSED AND I CAN SEE IT ONLY GETTING BETTER.

Chris
  • 8th Jun 2007 10:22am

I have never used one or even seen one in operation but I fully intend to buy one in about 50 years when I retire.

Anonymous
  • 8th Jun 2007 09:53am

I think if yor job relies on you travelling to various different locations everyday, then this would be an exellent product but a bit expensive if you just want it for personal use

rudybrinck
  • 7th Jun 2007 11:23pm

Hi all

Yeah I reckon every man and his dog will have one within 12 months.
I have been selling them on thenet and it's surprising how many I sell in one week.
Also the fact that they are being built into some cars already. Whether you want it or not and it's just a matter of time before they become standard items in vehicles.
I think they are a good idea especially if they can incorporate tracking for emegency situations so that if your stuck out in the never never, then the search team can home in on your satelite beacon.

Thas my 2 bobs worth for now.
Night all.

Jinja
  • 7th Jun 2007 08:53pm

When the bugs are ironed out, and an Australian sounding voice is your guide, then they will become hot property!

Beva
  • 7th Jun 2007 08:44pm

I always thought they were a littl ridiculus. Until I had a hire car with one in them. Gold!!! No worries no tense moments and better still no arguements or "Why don;t you just stop and ask someone?"
Not sure how effective on my own turf, but when I go interstate now I always make sure I hire one.

Anonymous
  • 7th Jun 2007 07:31pm

yes ,they will take off, they will be usefull mostly when people travel in an unknow area , society are getting more lazy since the disposal era came , people will prefer to just enter the street name in the navigator instead of looking at the street directory especially at night i personaly dont own one but if i win the lottery i would most probably buy one

machmario
  • 7th Jun 2007 05:45pm

I am waiting for the big tax return this year and can't wait to buy one.
With all the changes with roads in the city and new Motorways the street directory get outdated to quickly and they often get relocated from the car when you need them.
Also its handy to not have to pull over in a unknown area trying to locate where you are the GPS will tell you straightaway.

CAN:T wait

Macca
  • 7th Jun 2007 05:36pm

A lot of the time I drive places I havn't been before, 10-15 minutes planning before I leave can make the difference between getting there on-tim and losing myself and never finding my way back. St times I feel as though a SatNav would make things a lot easier. For instance, I know that driving around parts of the inner city can become a bit of a muddle when its dark, busy and you havn't been there before. However spending $500 on a device im only going to use on the off occasion? Its not for me. Having said that I do believe they will pick up in Asutralia - not so much in aftermarket sales, but because more and more car manufacturers are making them standard in their prestige and top-of-the line models, and slowly fitting them down the line to the family car

Chatto
  • 7th Jun 2007 05:36pm

I have a Tom Tom GO710 and have found it very useful. I used it for a trip that I did recently with a mate and had no trouble with it.
You are not only getting a navigation system with this model it also has a hands free device for blue tooth phones that makes using your phone very easy.
There is a weather area, traffic updates, school zones, banks, parks and many more available areas if you wish to purchase them and also you can purchase maps for other countries as well.

amy
  • 7th Jun 2007 04:19pm

do not own one yet but seriously considering as my navigational skill is absolutely hopeless. spoken to quite a number of people who owns the gadget and they swear by them.

roy79
  • 7th Jun 2007 03:37pm

I won a Tom Tom satellite Navigation System in a competition and i love it. I wanted one for so long so when i saw the comp on a bottle of car wax, i said to my husband "I have always wanted one of these so i will just win one!" and to my surprise i did win one. I have lived near Newcastle for almost 10 years now but i don't venture out to the suburbs to much. I would drive to and from work and to the shops. If i needed to go somewhere i would have to get the map out and sit down to try and work out how to get there. Now all i have to do is tell my Tom Tom where i want to go and it tells me where to do. I also use it for long trips north or south. It is great as you can see how long it will take you to get there and you have the choice of several ways to get there too.
I think they will take off as most people today are very computer minded and use them all day everyday for almost everything. They are much easier to use than the traditional road maps. You can even download overseas maps if you need to. Mine also connects to my mobile phone and becomes a hands free device. Also it connects to your radio and control your ipod too. It is very handy to have. I love it!

geloba
  • 7th Jun 2007 03:09pm

Yes I believe they will, but they will need to become much cheaper before they do so.

nomad
  • 7th Jun 2007 02:41pm

I think that they may take off but they are still a tad expensive for the average joe blow to go out and purchase. They are great for if you do a lot of driving around like if you're a courier, taxi or a area supervisor. They are even good for those amongst us that have mental blanks of how to get somewhere when you've been there quite a few times. We've just brought one for my dad for that simple reason. He is an area supervisor for a cleaning company but because of an operation he had over 2 years ago where they lost him on the table for a short time and now he has lost his short term memory, so he was forever ringing me or my brother for direction to get to places. So we thought this would be a good benefit for him.

Alby
  • 7th Jun 2007 02:09pm

I would have to agree that the Sat Nav market is exploding at the moment and a number of companies are jumping on the band wagon. We will be seeing phoneswith gps/ sat nav built into them from the likes of Nokia coming onto the market in the very near future. Any new technology gains further acceptance once the price reaches a certain level and with certain brands and models now sub $AU400 then will see acceptance grow dramatically. They are becoming more common with new cars and it won't be long before they are a standard accessory. Look how car manufacteres have been quick to embrace reverse parking sensors. No longer just the domain of the imported luxury cars!
I have had a portable navman GPS for 2 years and my new car has one built in. I find that even if you know the route to travel it comes in handy to tell you the estimated time of arrival, some models detect speed cameras and can update on road conditions and how busy the roads are. I am a fan of this technology being truly amazing and i have found that they can be more accurate showing the speed you are travelling at than the cars own speedometer.

tono
  • 7th Jun 2007 02:05pm

yes I think they are great,for the salesman,reps,truckdrivers,travellers and so on. but for the average person the price and useage its just another toy for the boys.

lial
  • 7th Jun 2007 01:53pm

I soooo want one! I am a country girl and break out in a cold sweat with the thought of having to drive in the city. Last time I made my husband come along and drive for me, pretty sad I know. I am just counting the days that they come down in price a bit as $500,- still seems too much for me.

magicalmarilyn
  • 7th Jun 2007 01:32pm

I am staying in the city for medical reasons and have to take taxis to appointments. A driver had one installed. It was amazing and he took a shorter route than the previous drivers, saving me a few dollars on the fare. It also meant that he didn't drive with a directory on his lap - dangerous practice - as one driver did. I am for them being installed in all taxis.

happy
  • 7th Jun 2007 01:12pm

I don,t have one but would love it , especially since men think we women read a map upside down. Surely they will come down in price like everything else.

CompletelyUniqueNickname
  • 7th Jun 2007 12:46pm

I think they'll take off. Enough people like the convenience of having a voice tell them directions instead of poring over at street directory at the traffic lights. And like every other gadget that has hit the market of late, they will reduce rapidly in price until they are either standard in new cars or we can pop one into the cigarette lighter for $9.95.

Kayaker
  • 7th Jun 2007 11:44am

It is a fantastic helpful device, however and i mean a big however, it is a distraction removing your eyes from the road unless you have a voice commanding model. Just wait until they start to legislate to stop you using one in the vehicle like mobiles etc.

kozza
  • 7th Jun 2007 11:42am

Satelite Navigation Systems are an excellent product and for those mum who have to be cab drivers for their kids, they would definetly buy this product. but the price is quite, so if the price was to fall around a hundred dollars, i'm sure the number of sales would be worth it.

.
  • 7th Jun 2007 11:31am

I think they are already taking off. I used my father's when we went back to Brisbane for a few days as we were heading to unfamiliar territory. Though I ignored it when I knew the way , the device self-corrected when it realised I was ignoring it. Once we came to an area we didn't know it came into its own and saved the time of stopping, getting the refidex, finding the right map, finding the next nearest street to cross reference. The speedo on these is often more accurate than your car's speedo, too.
I know the one we used was only around $250-$300 and is not a "name" brand...yet. The Kogan GPS sell out quickly on Zazz and we will be getting one next time they are on.

san
  • 7th Jun 2007 10:43am

change is happening all around us. Street directions, speeding zones etc., some streets becoming one way and so on. If you are a city driver who needs to navigate around the area, it could save time. People in Australia are quick to go with the latest electronic gadget, even if they specifically don't need it. As to it being necessary that would be up to the individual driver to decide I would think.
At this point in time I personally can see no need for one.
Sandy.
Cardross

kelliejane
  • 7th Jun 2007 09:55am

I reckon they will take off - I am saving for one as I find it hard to get anywhere.

Chambo
  • 7th Jun 2007 09:47am

Hi All
They will take off. As with all technology they will only get better and more affordable in the near future.
My personal opion is that i have the best gadget for navigation my Wife!! she can direct us using the standard gregory's to where ever we need to be. Not being from a big city we are rural dwellers it is a great relief for me to drive into the city and have the instructions told prior to where i need to turn. Yes she may turn the street directory around and upside down. But without fail we arrive at our destination fresh and without angry words.
However i use a garmin on the boat for plotting our way and to locate some of our favourite fishing spots.

heartharmony
  • 7th Jun 2007 09:42am

Sat Navs are only as good as the software driving it. For some reason here in Brisbane they keep sending us the wrong way through one-way streets, sending us the long way round and swearing that there is a roundabout up ahead when there isn't.

If we could find a Sat Nav that actually worked in Brisbane, and didn't have an annoying voice, then it would have a permanent place switched on in the car. Until then - it will gather dust.

bockie
  • 7th Jun 2007 09:23am

We were on holiday in Tassie recently and a friend had one and it was brilliant, so we are definitely considering getting one. SO much easier than the street directory and if you are in the car alone, easier than having to pull over and look up a map!

Anonymous
  • 7th Jun 2007 09:19am

I am not sure about them, because I feel that if you are alone in the car, it could be distracting. I would be much happier to plan my way by looking up a street directory beforehand and writing out the directions as a list. It has done me perfectly well up until now and I just can't see the need for more distractions in a vehicle.

Mark
  • 7th Jun 2007 08:58am

I don't think they will realy take off until the become a little bit cheaper. Ithink they are a great idea but I wonder aboug the elvel of use you would get out of one of them in say, a rural area. For country people travelling in the bigger cities they would be great. I think the heand held ones would be even better expecially if you rely on public transport or you intend to do a lot of walking in the city. eg shopping etc. I dont have one but I have played around with a few in the shops and they seem pretty simple to use, just punch in your destination and away you go!

pat the rat
  • 7th Jun 2007 08:41am

I have experienced the use of one of these navigation devices.
A friend has one and we used it on a group trip around the Mornington Penisula.
We found it very useful as we are all from Sydney and do not know our way around Melbourne and environs.
Our friend calls her device " Veronica " .

Regards Patricia Cooper

XL
  • 7th Jun 2007 08:37am

I never thought I would have the need for one and if I did it would be rarely. After having purchased a vehicle in which it came fitted, I do not know how I would go without it. After a recent trip to the Northern Territory from Victoria it was an invaluable assest and helped guide us through South Australia's wine region and outback flawlessley. I much prefer it nowdays than to pulling over to look at a Directory or trying to get my partner ( whom has little or no spacial ability and therefore unable to read maps) to find my way. I think in due course these will be installed in the majority of vehicles as a standard feature.

Tidge
  • 7th Jun 2007 08:22am

Of course they will ... like all new toys they have glitches to iron out but let's face it - it's a new toy than isn't going away fast!

=Fat_Cat=
  • 7th Jun 2007 07:44am

I already use one quite extensively, as a Sales Rep wen I took over a new area I found it to be invaluable.
I purchaes mine from ALDI for around $350 and it has everthing I need including showing petrol Stations & restaurants, I can easily to an area search and find the closest park/shops/parking etc etc
It is not too distracting unless you place your screen directly in front of you, I have it low and to the side of the windscreen as it is more the vocal instructions I follow as well.
Mine came with an inbuilt MP3 player, but I never use it.
Ths big plus came when I went on holidays to Tasmania, and took BB ( I call it BB for Bossy Bitch) with my hire care I had a care free holiday will full confidence whilst driving.

ilazarus
  • 7th Jun 2007 07:43am

We bought a Navman GPS unit about 6 months ago, before our 8500 kilometre trip around the outback, and it was probably the best investment I have ever bought... when we thought we were lost in the middle of nowhere, our little Navman assured us we were on the right track, and it managed to get us to places where we had no idea where we were going! Now we are home, we are finding it very useful to get to places we are unsure of, and since buying it, we have ditched our street directory. Very useful for letting us know about the Fixed speed and red light cameras as well, (not that we speed or jump red lights!) and for reminding us about the 40 km/h school zones. $450 well spent!

Susie
  • 7th Jun 2007 07:23am

I wish I had one years ago when I moved interstate with my young family. It was very difficult to drive to a new place juggling a road map with very young children in the back. It would have been a godsend to get around an unfamiliar city. I am now very fortunate to have one installed in my car and have found it most helpful to taxi the children around, especially to saturday sport. Not only are they able to give you directions but they are also able to point out restaurants, places of interest and where to go if you are in need of emergency services. I also find it very difficult to read a road map at night, now I just punch in my destination and off I go.

sharon.nz
  • 7th Jun 2007 07:05am

Think they are a complete waste of time! We go off-road in NZ a lot and only the geeks seem to have them and they spend half their time expousing how great they are and then can't tell us which side of the fence line to go down, drives me mad. Stick to a good old fashioned map anyday!
Sharon NZ

champ54
  • 7th Jun 2007 03:25am

deb
from sydney
i would definately use one as i get lost very easy
i feel 500.00 is a lot but its better than stressing on the road theres enought of that out there without wrrying about getting lost

kingrooster
  • 7th Jun 2007 01:48am

no they won't take off cos they are too expensive yet i would say in 5 years time maybe

Jono
  • 7th Jun 2007 12:52am

I have had some experience with Satellite Navigation Systems, I purchased one for my father last Christmas and he absolutely adores it. He lives in country Victoria and takes it with him to Melbourne every time he travels. Only occasionally does he find that it adds a non-existent road somewhere, or misses a road, and this could easily be fixed in time with map updates. Its great for tourists, or people who have just moved to a new area of town. My father is actually on holidays in the UK at the moment and has found his Navman amazing, although he did have difficulty in acquirement of the European Maps for his Model of Phone.
I am surprised that taxi's haven't taken up the technology, as it would be amazingly beneficial to their job. They type in the location the customer wishes to be and it takes them straight there, rather than having to question their passenger on directions.

Rosh
  • 7th Jun 2007 12:22am

Of course they will take off. i had one put in my car from the factory. ive had it nearly 4 years now and it is one of the handiest aspects of the car. when it comes built in from the manufacturer it blends in with the car. it doesnt look out of place and often the factory versions have so many more features than the stick on versions you can buy from a store. they are simple to use and i find myself using it all the time. it is especially handy for parents whom need to find many different schools for their childs weekend sports.

i believe as the technology gets better and the collection of data such as the where abouts of shopping centers, schools and restaurants increases, then the usefulness of gps systems will continue to grow.

its the next logical step up from a street directory.

Ray
  • 6th Jun 2007 09:19pm

Yes I feel that they could become very useful with the development of new outer suburbs it is sometimes very difficult to find your way especially when you get to be an oldie like me also if traveling interstate or the outback areas it would be extremely useful.
I really do feel that they have a future in this modern advancing world in which we live.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make a comment.
Raymond J Norton.
rayvon@internode.on.net

Anonymous
  • 6th Jun 2007 08:56pm

yes they will take off as new people enter a new area they want to know where there going and quickest way to get there

BD
  • 6th Jun 2007 07:54pm

I think they're a great idea. My brother can't navigate at all so I'm looking into one of these for his birthday. Some of their functions seem pretty cool and they'll only get better and cheaper as they become more widely used.

mariomart
  • 6th Jun 2007 07:48pm

I personally have no use for one as in the Darwin there are not that many roads to warrant it. Besides that, my wife generally tells me where to go ;)

Cheers :) Mario

Gus
  • 6th Jun 2007 07:25pm

Not at the prices they are today!

Chances are you will be driving most often in areas that your already know anyway. So i don't believe it is going to have a huge uptake by the broad market.

I currently search maps on whereis prior to taking the journey, and find that sufficient enough to help me get in the direction i need to be going. this is however the odd occasion where even the directions provided via whereis can still be very misleading, or take a very abstract route for the path plotted.

Like all technology, once the price is right, it may go from the novelty of owning a nav unit, to being put to good use.

ozmad
  • 5th Jun 2007 09:06pm

If one came with my car I would use it but not going out of my way to buy one I have better things to spend my hard earned on and a street directory is only $30

Aqua
  • 5th Jun 2007 08:04pm

Absolutley just got one its great they need to come down a bit in price

broozer
  • 4th Jun 2007 10:42pm

I am renting a Tom Tom GPS as $900 was too much for me to pay out in one hit but I really like that little gadget. Admittedly I have only used it a few times in the 3 months I've had it as I generally go to the same places I know everyday but on the few occassions I have had to drive somewhere I have never been before it has been a real time saver. I have the worst sense of direction on the planet and can get lost going around the block so for me it's an essential item not a luxury. Be lost without it (Pun intended).

jackie
  • 3rd Jun 2007 06:34pm

I have heard that some of the navigation systems can tell you where petrol stations, banks, post offices etc are. This sounds great as I am always wanting to know where my closest Shell or ANZ is.

Matteh
  • 3rd Jun 2007 09:23am

with more and more on the market, technology will only increase. they are becoming more of a market and people will of course buy them. "If they have one i want one"

CitizenDee
  • 1st Jun 2007 07:20pm

I don't use them, but I would imagine they will only come truly useful when they have live data that factor road conditions into the directions. Known traffic jams, accidents, roadworks etc. The critical factors in determining the best path aren't always just on a map. When a GPS can advise me of a car accident and direct me on how to get around it, taking into account the extra congestion, then I won't leave home without one. Until then a $30 street directory, my memory, and my general sense of direction will be just fine.

Bummy
  • 1st Jun 2007 03:13pm

I think they will become more and more appealing the cheaper they get

nick_5977
  • 1st Jun 2007 11:57am

Sat nav's are a great idea, problems you will have is with the updating all the new road maps in the system. On average they update every 6-9 months and by that time there might me a few changes made to roads which will get you in the strife. Mate of mine found that out one night when his sat nav pointed him down a street in Sydney which was two lane but one way only. It was the way he was going.

phil
  • 31st May 2007 08:50pm

when i first used an online map finder it was great and to think now you can get on small enough for in your car i am sure everyone has or has used a map directory if the price comes down everyone will definetly get one

Alicia
  • 31st May 2007 10:52am

they are going to be available in all new cars, but are they distracting when you drive?? I have never used one, so am intwo minds as to whether they would become a problem like mobile phones. I live in a small city, so have never had the need to follow a directory while driving. I look up where I want to go in the phone book before I leave, and off I go. $500 is a lot to pay for something I would most likely not use, but wouldn't say no if it came with a new car at no extra cost.

FiddyRider
  • 30th May 2007 07:56pm

An invaluable device to navigate in a new city, excellent tool for off the beaten track and a great way to refind that special place. It WILL be a standard feature of ALL motor vehicles(motorbikes too) in the future. Not to dissimilar to radio/stereos where 30 years ago.

pixiechik
  • 30th May 2007 07:22pm

Hi Roger,
I have been the proud owner of a 'TomTom One' for about 12 months now. I do a lot of driving for work, so that was my initial reason for purchasing one. I have also found Tom useful for bushwalking (my partner & I like to go 'off the beaten track'. In addition, we have just returned (yesterday) from a driving holiday in Europe. All we needed to do was purchase & download the Western European Map & away we went! With Tom, I am never lost! It has given me confidence and relaxes my driving when in an area I am not familiar with... if I miss a turn-off, he recalculates a new route for me... no worries! Also, I dont have to worry if I have missed a turn-off (especially when country-driving)... as Tom always knows where I am, and far I have to go!
FYI - Consumer Choice has run several 'road tests' on various units and can help you choose one that is suitable to you (at the best price). www.choice.com.au
Also... I have seen some units coming out now that are mobile, gps, mp3 come blackberry all rolled into one. Like most 'gadets' it will probably be a while before these are easy to use & cost effective to purchase. But if you are prepared to wait, I am sure these will be more ready available (and for a more reasonable price) in Aus within the next 12 months...

Crystal.

jatz50
  • 4th Jun 2007 04:37pm
Hi Roger,
I have been the proud owner of a 'TomTom One' for about 12 months now. I do a lot of driving for work, so that was my initial reason for purchasing one. I have also found Tom useful...

Thanks Crystal.  Sounds like you are a fan.

One thing I do like the sound of is the inbuilt mp3 player.  Does anyone know if the device plugs into your car sound system?

Gitar
  • 30th May 2007 09:11am

I moved to Australia in 2000, how do I wish that I had sat nav then. Still, I wish for it. I live outside of the major city of our state, and still don't have a clue. There is a couple of roads that I am sure about, but whenever I have to go to a new place it is nerve recking. My father recently bought a sat nav for a trip to NSW. It was wonderful. We could navigate the whole of Sydney with no worries.

I think that for travelling interstate or even intercity sat nav is great.

With more car manufacturers including sat nav in the "packages" more people will become reliant on it.

palmynz
  • 30th May 2007 09:08am

I think they are great, I have borrowed a friends one often when travelling and have mostly found they are very accurate. I have held off buying one because of cost and am still not sure if the incar or handheld models are best?

Moera
  • 30th May 2007 07:48am

I think they'll take off, I recently purchased an in-car navigation system and it is the best investment I have made in a long time. A lot of truckies use them these days to also delivery people and hire car drivers. So if you ask me I definately think they'll take off!!

kaj
  • 29th May 2007 07:57pm

of course it will take off in australia. the nation has the highest take-up rate for technology in the world and this will be no different. not only do these gadgets tell you where to go and how to get there, they warn of things like speed cameras. for some that would pay for the device in no time!

veegeeute
  • 29th May 2007 06:55pm

As a gadget I think they are selling well but they have some major bugs to work out before I will fork out the 500 to 900 dollars to buy a decent Nav system.

I've had hire cars interstate that came with Satnav and it was somewhat handy to look places up but I can also do this with Google maps on my N70, and I found that the incar units often had incorrect info or were way too late with the instructions.
I recently had a good look at a number of brands at my local autobarn as they had a great cross section including TomTom and Garmin units but the big failing IMHO was the poor quality maps supplied.
When I pointed this out to the salesguy he told me of the premium quality maps from Whereis and grabbed a 900 dollar unit to show me, I chose a street which it found but it didnt show the whole street nor did it have its condition or paving type right, I then chose 3 other locations which it had great difficulty finding or had the wrong data on including areas within a few state forests and national parks not to mention their alignment to the points of the compass.
I then grabbed my Melway street directory from the car and found all the info just fine and pointed out the differences in quality of mapping between the 2 as well as the almost total lack of topical information on the premium maps on the "Satnav" unit.

Dont get me wrong here, the units I looked at were excellent but the mapping available for Australia lets them down and when it improves I will probably buy one however I just cant see any real benefit the way they are now. Melways has spoilt me lol.

Phil
  • 14th Dec 2009 01:09pm
As a gadget I think they are selling well but they have some major bugs to work out before I will fork out the 500 to 900 dollars to buy a decent Nav system.

I've had hire cars interstate...

I got one for Christmas a few years ago and it has prooved very handy at times. The only problem I have is that it does not have the latest route details I notice in my local area, so I would emagine it would be the same in an area you didn't know

paws12
  • 26th Oct 2009 08:34pm
As a gadget I think they are selling well but they have some major bugs to work out before I will fork out the 500 to 900 dollars to buy a decent Nav system.

I've had hire cars interstate...

It takes a lot to beat an uptodate Melway. ...and that is only $30

rawleighbloke
  • 12th Jun 2009 02:32pm
As a gadget I think they are selling well but they have some major bugs to work out before I will fork out the 500 to 900 dollars to buy a decent Nav system.

I've had hire cars interstate...

Yes I am sure the not only will but are catching on and unlike comments from a earlier posting you do not need to go out and spend $500 on a Sat Nav we have a small business and have just started selling them for $155.00

g
  • 7th Feb 2009 12:54pm
I personally prefer the street directory as you don't need to keep updating that as often as the sat nav's.

that would be great if we could integrate google map to them so that we can synchronize the info from our computer.
like, i say to google i want to be there, i plug my GPS device on the computer, and the destination/trip are already entered in.

veegeeute
  • 12th Mar 2008 08:02pm
I personally prefer the street directory as you don't need to keep updating that as often as the sat nav's.

I also became aware of another shortcoming in relation to using satnav and GPS navigation.

We recently had a number of people come to our house to view some items we were selling who used Satnav to find their way here.

We live about 1 km off a nice sealed secondary road or the alternate route off the beaten track and down some major gradients on a poorly maintained dirt road some of which are classified as "Fire trails" and the Nav systems for some reason decided that these roads were the "Best" route to our home.

I travel both ways depending on my destination and they are almost equal distances (I measured) however they are vastly different in quality and the back way can be impassable in wet weather to anything but a well equipped off road vehicle but as the back way is roughly 750 meters shorter this was the way they were led by the Nav systems.

I ended up making sure that we specified the route to our home and asked if they were using a Nav system as well as talking to and eventually plotting return routes for all our visitors so obviously the mapping software is not showing these important details including gradient, road condition and suitability in regards to weather conditions.

The one thing they (Nav users) all had in common regardless of "Premium" map packages was they were all lead on a potentially dangerous route.

Cheers,
Tony

nomad
  • 7th Jun 2007 02:43pm
I personally prefer the street directory as you don't need to keep updating that as often as the sat nav's.

I personally prefer the street directory as you don't need to keep updating that as often as the sat nav's.

nomad
  • 4th Jun 2007 04:33pm
As a gadget I think they are selling well but they have some major bugs to work out before I will fork out the 500 to 900 dollars to buy a decent Nav system.

I've had hire cars interstate...

Great story veegeeute.  Street directory out does Satnav, this makes you wonder.  I reckon it might be a chicken and egg situation here.  Not enough investment in mapping until enough Satnav units sold.  Minimum for me is it would have to out perform a street directory first.

jacki
  • 29th May 2007 06:19pm

i recently purchased a tomtom 710 and found it so far ,fantastic the tomtom so far a found no problem with it and with he hands free part for the mobile it;s become a very useful gadget to have.

solstice
  • 12th Jun 2009 03:14pm
i recently purchased a tomtom 710 and found it so far ,fantastic the tomtom so far a found no problem with it and with he hands free part for the mobile it;s become a very useful gadget to have.

I have Tom Tom on my mobile and found it very useful on a recent east coast of Australia trip with so many new roads and ways to get from point A to B without needing the street directory it was great however, living where we do there are not that many roads so its useless for home area use.

Anonymous
  • 29th May 2007 06:15pm

I have a sat nav in the car and have found it incredibly useful; especially for finding my way around Auckland on several ocasions. I don't use it much in my home city, but away from home its great and is a real time and stress saver.

Jacob971
  • 28th May 2007 10:15pm

Some people might get them for fun. However, I pretty much know all the streets in my city by now, they are only really essential if travelling in foreign territory for the first time.

shellypelly86
  • 28th May 2007 04:46pm

These devices are booming. I haven't used one personally but they would be very helpful with travelling around cities in surburbs that you haven't visited before like in suburbs of Brisbane. It would be much easier than going onto the internet and looking up maps and driections on sites like whereis.com or googlemaps. It would save on having to print out maps from the web and refering to a referdex also to understand how you get somewhere you haven't been before. You would be able to look and hear where to go in one device.

Gray
  • 28th May 2007 01:59pm

I just bought the latest Nokia N95 and it came with GPS navigation. Have used it already to get around my own city (Adelaide) as the maps included are detailed enough. The phone also came with maps of Asia, and I go to Thailand twice a year so that's great too. Basically, this technology will boom for sure and soon I'm sure everyone will have access (cheaper and cheaper) in one way or another. The voice directions are a great additional featuire which I'm sure will help with the popularity - another back seat driver!

Anonymous
  • 28th May 2007 01:48pm

I doubt if they would be used much - except perhaps in hire cars for tourists - especially at he cost of $500.00

PGS
  • 29th Mar 2019 08:30am

That thought came to life... included or optional in most cars now, definite inclusion for mobiles phones and tablets. Happily, the prices are much lower and the reliability better.

dangerous dave
  • 28th May 2007 01:36pm

I think they will take off, more and more car manufactures are starting to include some sort of nav system in there cars. I've used them a few times and thought they were great, really handy when you've got no idea where your going. Not too sure if I'd spend $500 on one though, I don't need them that much.

Anonymous
  • 26th Feb 2009 08:20pm
I think they will take off, more and more car manufactures are starting to include some sort of nav system in there cars. I've used them a few times and thought they were great, really handy when...

yes in a big way these items are now the in thing with the work i do and have done so for the last 39 years in heavy vechicle transport travelling in every state of australia, even though i have extensive movements in all states i still can get lost or i have to refere myself to a street directory for that tiny lane not found on the usual maps that we carry. We as a professional Drivers must go with satalight-nav-systems, they are the elite operators guide for the future in all trucks travelling our highways now and in the future, you will see nav-sat systems grow very big in size to accomodate for heavy vechicle operations in-built to their dash or added to roof consoles for easy veiwing by the operater , also larger screen size and versatility for the impaired will also make a move in the same direction as nat-sat systems are further designed as early as 2010, hoping conitinued price reductions keep it affordable for all to use , this is an exciting product now showing its true colours and openings into the cell phone market as well with many more applications to come, good on those in the market for a top product , show us more .

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