SCVJeff
Santa Clarita, CA.
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Joined: 07/28/2006
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At least this is the case with Garmin's MSN Data Services, which in my travels is clearly the winner as far as coverage and accuracy is concerned over Navteq or Clear Channel, and had a variety of other services as well.
Just beware then purchasing a GPS with subscription services, that the landscape is changing fast. Garmins new generation GPS appear to be moving to cellular broadband data services who's coverages are much much better than current FM sub-channels. The problem is nobody seems to know what this new service is going to run or what it's lifespan might be. The good news is this is the same service that all the SmartPhones hang on.
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
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pete42
Ohio
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Joined: 09/21/2007
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Do you think the traffic that came with my 265wt will go away?
I don't see the states/cities doing away with their systems.
maybe Garmin will include a new way to receive the traffic like a different
power cord receiver to replace the one like mine or I may be able to buy
a different cord/receiver along with a new program in the GPS to use it.
things sure do change fast.
old and getting older
pete KB8EMD
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magicbus
LBI, NJ or Nantucket, MA
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Joined: 06/16/2002
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Does this mean that the traffic reporting I just discovered my iPhone does for free with the standard map app is going away? Bummer...  Oh wait... in 2012  I should be OK.
Dave
Life doesn't come with a safety fence around it... enjoy it anyway.
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SCVJeff
Santa Clarita, CA.
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No. It means that the data delivery service hosted by MSN is going away, and that's a medium portion of the GPS units that do have traffic and data services. Haven't heard anything about the other ones, but it you think about it, it really does make more sense to pick it off the cellular based broadband data services. They already feed any of the SmartPhones, my Blackberry, etc, by the millions.
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Chuck&Gail
In the Colorado Mountains
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Joined: 06/16/2004
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Ok, so I'm old.
We just bought a TomTom 130-S GPS device. It seemed to work great on our last trip, even my somewhat challenged wife could use it. In fact she loved it.
We do have a cell phone, it is a phone, used in emergencies and sometimes to call ahead a few hours for CG reservations.
So what are you guys all talking about? More info please. Maybe I would learn something here, and not have to ask the grandkids (who mostly have Blackberries to play with).
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Australian Shepherd
2010 Ford Expedition TV
2010 Outback 230RS Toybox, 5390# UVW, TBD# Loaded
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
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magicbus
LBI, NJ or Nantucket, MA
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Chuck&Gail wrote:So what are you guys all talking about? More info please. Maybe I would learn something here, and not have to ask the grandkids (who mostly have Blackberries to play with). In the case of my iPhone, it comes with a program called Maps. When I run this I can tap on an icon and it will locate me on the map. I can also tap a little icon that "folds up" a corner of the map and reveals a set of buttons. These allow me to select a map, satellite image or a combination. It also lets me show traffic - green for OK, yellow for slowing and red for stopped as indicated by changing the road color from white to green, yellow or red.
We just used it last week on the way up to Nantucket. We have a 7 hour trip to a ferry and pack 3 dogs and a cat in the SUV so we really can't miss the ferry. While stopped in traffic we were able to "see" another traffic problem 20 miles ahead and avoid it.
Dave
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Chuck&Gail
In the Colorado Mountains
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Thanks Dave. So that is "free" with the iPhone? Do you need to buy expensive yearly contracts, or can you get a pay-as-you-go iPhone?
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magicbus
LBI, NJ or Nantucket, MA
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Well "free" is a relative term! No, there is a 2-year contract and a $30/month data plan required. The "free" part is that there is no "extra" fee for the traffic service, it is included with the phone an data plan.
They aren't cheap, but we all (all five of us in our company) have learned that the benefit of having iPhones far outweighs the expense. Best thing is that none of us need be tied to our desks - we are free to roam where we may because we're always in touch with email and the Internet. It's really been life-changing, and that isn't something I say lightly about computers. I just keep discovering new benefits for the device - such as the traffic information that I only recently learned about.
Dave
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PeteHalsted
Somewhere in the US (Likely Midwest or SouthEast)
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I wonder what Garmin is going to do for those of us that just bought one of thier new "T" models that include lifetime traffic?
1989 Elite Diesel Pusher
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Gillig Chassis
250HP Caterpillar 3208T
4 Speed Allison MT643
Xantrex Combi 458 2000 watt inverter/charger
HWH 400 Series BI-AXIS Computerized Leveling System
Dish 500 Sat with VueQube 2000
2007 Chevy HHR toad
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SCVJeff
Santa Clarita, CA.
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PeteHalsted wrote:I wonder what Garmin is going to do for those of us that just bought one of their new "T" models that include lifetime traffic? Different data service but just as vulnerable. What's RIP on this round is the MSN data service which you can buy lifetime subscriptions for, but after the fact.
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