portrait GPS?

B

buttercup

Active member
Feb 28, 2005
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Can anyone recommend an in-car GPS unit that has the display/screen in portrait mode?

They all seem to be in landscape mode. Landscape is fine for seeing the streets way off to the left and right, but I would prefer to see more of the streets that are coming up ahead. (Am I the only person with this preference?)

Or better still, a screen that switches between landscape and portrait as I rotate the display?
 
No offence but this is crazy IMO. Any current smartphone has way better GPS capability and free up to date software and maps then spending on a GPS unit landscape or portrait. The accuracy is better, they last longer have clearer image etc... This is redundant and inefficient. You can get a really good smart phone for like $299 that destroys any stand alone GPS unit like a one plus one smart phone or nexus 5 etc...
 
Google Maps has an offline mode so you can use virtually any device including smartphones or tablets even without wifi or 3g. I think the turn by turn directions also work even when you're offline. Like pablice said, there's no reason to have a standalone GPS when your phone or tablet works just fine for the same price or even cheaper and they all have portrait or landscape mode.
 
buttercup said:
Can anyone recommend an in-car GPS unit that has the display/screen in portrait mode?
Click to expand...

Android phone with dashboard mount, or buy a tablet if you want a bigger display. There are many good GPS apps available that have offline maps. I don't find Google maps very good as a car GPS. You can install TomTom, Sygic and copilot are also good.

Plus your phone/tablet can integrate into your stereo and play music, and pump the GPS voice over top of it.

Also if you mount it on the dash you can install a dashcam app. It's much more versatile than a purpose built gps
 
Miss Jessica Lee said:
just zoom out a bit ... that's what I do to see the road ahead. I can also drag my image around the screen if I want to see way ahead.

@pablice ... my phone gps doesn't do half the things my in-car garmin will do ... advise me of mobile traffic cams, red light cams, traffic delays, detours, etc. before I encounter them.
Click to expand...

Interesting... Nokia's Here Drive app for Windows Phone and Windows 8 does all those things, plus speed alerts (beeps if you exceed the posted limit by an amount you can set and a visual cue). Coming soon should be augmented reality as well, which will let you set it up to show the camera's view ahead and just overlay the route guidance on top of it. I use it all the time when I travel, at home I have the factory navigation package mounted in my car that doesn't provide any of these features, but I understand speed limit signs in Canada so it's not an issue (in some countries, you have to decode the speed limit based on the shape and colour of the sign, which I can't always do).

In any case,some of the Garmin Nuvi's have a portrait mode available though not as a default so possibly there are others. I'm sure the salespeople could help you find one. They do exist at least.
 
pablice said:
No offence but this is crazy IMO. Any current smartphone has way better GPS capability and free up to date software and maps then spending on a GPS unit landscape or portrait. The accuracy is better, they last longer have clearer image etc... This is redundant and inefficient. You can get a really good smart phone for like $299 that destroys any stand alone GPS unit like a one plus one smart phone or nexus 5 etc...
Click to expand...

It's not crazy at all. To start with, some people want redundancy despite you using it as a bad word. You also stated smartphone-based GPS are more accurate. They aren't. Not even a little bit. They're also less reliable. Their GPS receivers are smaller and designed for general positioning information and the software has to compensate whereas the stand-alone units are specialized. The only reason phones appear more accurate and faster at getting fixes at home is because they combine positioning information from the cellular network with the GPS receiver. If you're travelling and turn the phone functions off to avoid roaming charges, you find out very quickly how slow and unreliable your phone's GPS unit is. You also cited a $299 price-tag on a Nexus 5. Where is this mystical store? Unless you sign a contract, which not everyone wants to do, a decent smart with decent GPS is going to cost closer to $500. A really nice stand-alone unit can be had for the $100-140 range. I'm also not sure where you got the idea that they last longer from. A cell phone is a much more complicated piece of equipment and therefore has more points of failure.

All in all, there are many reasons why someone might want a stand-alone unit, and many reasons why someone might want to just have one device for everything. You gain something and lose something with each option.
 
buttercup said:
Can anyone recommend an in-car GPS unit that has the display/screen in portrait mode?

They all seem to be in landscape mode. Landscape is fine for seeing the streets way off to the left and right, but I would prefer to see more of the streets that are coming up ahead. (Am I the only person with this preference?)

Or better still, a screen that switches between landscape and portrait as I rotate the display?
Click to expand...

I like landscape mode because knowing what street is 6 or 7 intersections ahead doesn't help me. Where I currently am is useful, where I want to turn is useful, and how far to go until I turn is good to know as well, and I'm presented with all that information in landscape. In portrait, sometimes the street names of the intersections are clipped, so I know what street is 6 or 7 ahead, but no idea what street I'm just coming up to unless I've been actively making an effort to remember. I do know some people that like portrait though, so you aren't alone. As I mentioned in another post, just talk to a salesperson, they do exist as I know Garmin at least makes a couple.
 
BlueLaser said:
It's not crazy at all. To start with, some people want redundancy despite you using it as a bad word. You also stated smartphone-based GPS are more accurate. They aren't. Not even a little bit. They're also less reliable. Their GPS receivers are smaller and designed for general positioning information and the software has to compensate whereas the stand-alone units are specialized. The only reason phones appear more accurate and faster at getting fixes at home is because they combine positioning information from the cellular network with the GPS receiver. If you're travelling and turn the phone functions off to avoid roaming charges, you find out very quickly how slow and unreliable your phone's GPS unit is. You also cited a $299 price-tag on a Nexus 5. Where is this mystical store? Unless you sign a contract, which not everyone wants to do, a decent smart with decent GPS is going to cost closer to $500. A really nice stand-alone unit can be had for the $100-140 range. I'm also not sure where you got the idea that they last longer from. A cell phone is a much more complicated piece of equipment and therefore has more points of failure.

All in all, there are many reasons why someone might want a stand-alone unit, and many reasons why someone might want to just have one device for everything. You gain something and lose something with each option.
Click to expand...

One plus one is $299 and specked better then nexus 5.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/OnePlus-One-release-date-and-price-unveiled_id55452

Nexus 5 is $349. Big deal $50 difference. The cell phones use cell signal triangulation and pick up your GPS much faster then any stand alone GPS unit. The phones that I use are pretty accurate in terms of GPS positioning and accuracy (iPhone 5s and nexus 5). Never had a problem with accuracy and they have a shit load of apps paid and free for navigation, crowdsoarcing, red light cameras, police, hiking apps, boat navigation, plane navigation, etc. Etc etc...It just keeps on giving. Stand alone GPS units are a dying breed and people are so used to them that it almost seems ridiculous that people are still willing to spend time and money on them plus additional wires, chargers, stands, and you need to worry about it getting stolen. Smart phones have ridiculous processors, memory and even work without any cell and/or GPS signal. I have used them in Cuba, Europe and places where there is no cell phone signal and had no problems navigating even in a boat. It is a powerful tool. So for these reasons I believe that it is quite foolish to buy a stand alone GPS unit.
 
pablice said:
One plus one is $299 and specked better then nexus 5.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/OnePlus-One-release-date-and-price-unveiled_id55452

Nexus 5 is $349. Big deal $50 difference. The cell phones use cell signal triangulation and pick up your GPS much faster then any stand alone GPS unit. The phones that I use are pretty accurate in terms of GPS positioning and accuracy (iPhone 5s and nexus 5). Never had a problem with accuracy and they have a shit load of apps paid and free for navigation, crowdsoarcing, red light cameras, police, hiking apps, boat navigation, plane navigation, etc. Etc etc...It just keeps on giving. Stand alone GPS units are a dying breed and people are so used to them that it almost seems ridiculous that people are still willing to spend time and money on them plus additional wires, chargers, stands, and you need to worry about it getting stolen. Smart phones have ridiculous processors, memory and even work without any GPS signal. I have used them in Cuba, Europe and places where there is no cell phone signal and had no problems navigating even in a boat. It is a powerful tool. So for these reasons I believe that it is quite foolish to buy a stand alone GPS unit.
Click to expand...

I said they used cell positioning for triangulation, did you not read it all? I also explained how sometimes you turn that off when you're travelling to avoid roaming charges, which means you lose that and the added accuracy it brings, reducing your cell phone from "more accurate" to "vastly inferior". Yes, you lose out on features, but for a $120 price tag, that redundancy can be a big factor to many people. A One Plus One is also not available yet, and it's $299 US. Even the Nexus 5 at $349 is $349 US plus shipping plus customs. I once ordered a phone from the US that was $130 cheaper than the same one up here, and at the end of the day only saved about $5 after conversion and all the fees/charges. Besides, even at $350, it's $200+ more than you pay for a good stand-alone unit.

Cell phones also tend to have shorter battery lives than the portable GPS units that come with batteries, even shorter still when you continue using all the phones features while navigating with them.

Some people want redundancy. I'm not saying those who prefer a cell phone are stupid, I'm saying there are pros and cons to both systems.
 
BlueLaser said:
I said they used cell positioning for triangulation, did you not read it all? I also explained how sometimes you turn that off when you're travelling to avoid roaming charges, which means you lose that and the added accuracy it brings, reducing your cell phone from "more accurate" to "vastly inferior". Yes, you lose out on features, but for a $120 price tag, that redundancy can be a big factor to many people. A One Plus One is also not available yet, and it's $299 US. Even the Nexus 5 at $349 is $349 US plus shipping plus customs. I once ordered a phone from the US that was $130 cheaper than the same one up here, and at the end of the day only saved about $5 after conversion and all the fees/charges. Besides, even at $350, it's $200+ more than you pay for a good stand-alone unit.

Cell phones also tend to have shorter battery lives than the portable GPS units that come with batteries, even shorter still when you continue using all the phones features while navigating with them.

Some people want redundancy. I'm not saying those who prefer a cell phone are stupid, I'm saying there are pros and cons to both systems.
Click to expand...

This is your opinion. Just checked my bill for nexus 5 32gig it costs $399 + $16.99 shipping and $51.87 tax. Where do you get duties. Where do you get that turning roaming off makes your phone "vastly inferior". If you read my post I mentioned I used it in Cuba without a problem. It is foolish for me to use the phone because GPS is illegal in Cuba and renting a car is foolish, however the phone had no problems picking up the satellites and my position to lane level enough that I could drive with it and navigate streets and reach my POIs. I would hardly consider this vastly inferior. The battery life also lasts whole day on some phones and there are cases with additional juice so it is not an issue.

My opinion is that is is foolish. It it not calling anybody stupid. I do many things that are foolish. Your points have not convinced me that it is not foolish to buy a stand alone GPS unit.
 
fuji said:
Android phone with dashboard mount, or buy a tablet if you want a bigger display. There are many good GPS apps available that have offline maps. I don't find Google maps very good as a car GPS. You can install TomTom, Sygic and copilot are also good.
Click to expand...

If you are using Android, you can use NFC tags to automatically set-up your phone to display brightness to full, disable screen timeout, automatically enable Bluetooth, connect the phone to my car for audio streaming and hands-free calling, and maximize the volume - just by placing the NFC tag on the holder. (for more detail: http://www.cnet.com/how-to/automate-your-android-phone-in-the-car-with-nfc-bluetooth/ )

When my old Garmin started to go a little flakey, I did use my S-3 as GPS navigator and also a few times in the US. The directions were good but the traffic info was lacking. I am also lazy so anything other than jump in and drive becomes a hassle for me.

I ended up getting a Garmin 2595 voice operated 6" unit ($150 sale) and I prefer it over the phone. The voice command is excellent so I don't need to touch it. It has voice dialing including searching contacts which works better than my phone's voice dialing. If you have Android, there is an app that links the data capability with the Garmin. The traffic function is great as it will give you a warning with a distance to the slowdown. This worked perfectly one icy night on the 401 Christmas night between Guelph and Milton. I'm not sure how the unit knew but as it counted down in meters (400,..300.., ) to the the slow traffic, it was bang on.
 
IM469 said:
...
When m I'm not sure how the unit knew but as it counted down in meters (400,..300.., ) to the the slow traffic, it was bang on.
Click to expand...

Crowdsourcing this data live from other smartphones, normal cell phones (can detect speed), Google, GPS devices, truckers, traffic counting loops and detectors, etc...

There are billions of dollars being invested into this worldwide especially the connected vehicles. This is all part of it. There are even algorithms that are said to predict when an accident will occur because of known patterns from data collected on previous accidents.

This is just scratching the surface of what is really going on. I am quite convinced that Google knows more about us then we do. Just imagine all the data and patterns being recorded and analysed.
 
pablice said:
This is your opinion. Just checked my bill for nexus 5 32gig it costs $399 + $16.99 shipping and $51.87 tax. Where do you get duties. Where do you get that turning roaming off makes your phone "vastly inferior". If you read my post I mentioned I used it in Cuba without a problem. It is foolish for me to use the phone because GPS is illegal in Cuba and renting a car is foolish, however the phone had no problems picking up the satellites and my position to lane level enough that I could drive with it and navigate streets and reach my POIs. I would hardly consider this vastly inferior. The battery life also lasts whole day on some phones and there are cases with additional juice so it is not an issue.

My opinion is that is is foolish. It it not calling anybody stupid. I do many things that are foolish. Your points have not convinced me that it is not foolish to buy a stand alone GPS unit.
Click to expand...

Duty can be up to 20%, depending on where you order from. It depends who their importer is. In any case, your total is $467.86USD which is $508.56CAD. Meanwhile I can walk into Best Buy and buy a Garmin Nuvi 44 for $135.59 after tax. That's a big difference.

I didn't say you would have problems using it, I said it wouldn't be as accurate without the cell service turned on, which is my argument to your claim that phone GPS is more accurate. I use my phone when I travel for GPS all the time, but it's inferior. If I can get a GPS with my car rental instead, I do that because I get faster, better service with the standalone then with my phone.
 
BlueLaser said:
Duty can be up to 20%, depending on where you order from. It depends who their importer is. In any case, your total is $467.86USD which is $508.56CAD. Meanwhile I can walk into Best Buy and buy a Garmin Nuvi 44 for $135.59 after tax. That's a big difference.

I didn't say you would have problems using it, I said it wouldn't be as accurate without the cell service turned on, which is my argument to your claim that phone GPS is more accurate. I use my phone when I travel for GPS all the time, but it's inferior. If I can get a GPS with my car rental instead, I do that because I get faster, better service with the standalone then with my phone.
Click to expand...

OK we will agree to disagree. No more need to go back and fourth.

I think you have the figures a bit incorrect above since we are getting a deal on the Nexus from the Google phone if you consider exchange rates and the price is the same in both Canadian and USA Google play store.

From the Google play in the states it is $399 USD ($433.70 CAD) or . In Canada Google Play it is $399 CAD ($367 USD). Shipping would be the same. Don't know that their tax bit its not $506.

For the devices it all comes down to personal preference and what we are comfortable with. You know from your training that it is just a tool and it all depends on how you use it.
 
Using a phone is much more expensive then a dedicated GPS and only makes sense for people who were already planning on owning a smartphone.

For the 99.9% who already own a smartphone, a dedicated GPS is just pure extra cost.

Also, integrating your phone with your car via Bluetooth gives you a lot more than just a GPS. You get a music player as well as a hands free phone, and maybe a dash cam as well.
 
pablice said:
Crowdsourcing this data live from other smartphones, normal cell phones (can detect speed), Google, GPS devices, truckers, traffic counting loops and detectors, etc...

There are billions of dollars being invested into this worldwide especially the connected vehicles. This is all part of it. There are even algorithms that are said to predict when an accident will occur because of known patterns from data collected on previous accidents.

This is just scratching the surface of what is really going on. I am quite convinced that Google knows more about us then we do. Just imagine all the data and patterns being recorded and analysed.
Click to expand...

My first Garmin had traffic but it only added the time delay and no specifics. This blew me away because it was a desolate stretch of highway at night and it was accurate. On a business trip along 401 to London when the unit diverted me down to the 403 from Hurontario. I almost ignored it as there was nothing mentioned on 680 traffic. By the time I was heading west on QEW towards the 403 route to 401/Woodstock, there was a traffic report of a major accident with west bound traffic backed up 'as far as the eyes can see'.

Google is testing driverless cars so this could be all part of their software for the project.

BTW - Fuji: "For the 99.9% who already own a smartphone, a dedicated GPS is just pure extra cost" It's a value judgement- having tried both - getting in and out of my car without taking the phone out of my pocket and the superior traffic re-routing - $150 is worth it. I also couldn't get toll avoidance on the smartphone which is important to me.
 
Miss Jessica Lee said:
When I was headed west my Garmin kept trying to take me across the border and through the USA .. I don't have a feature on mine that avoids border crossings, that would be convenient.
Click to expand...

Navigon for iPhone has this feature...it let's you avoid things like toll roads, ferry and boarder crossings, but then TomTom shows you different routes and their road block and rerouting feature is pretty good...looks like there are pros and cons to every system...lol ahh first world problems....so many choices :p.

BTW I think Garmin bought out Navigon (German company) and subsequently made it worse with updates...maybe to not compete with the dedicated GPS devices...lol
 
Toll avoidance you have to be wary of. I crossed into buffalo once with that enabled and it tried to route my drive home around the whole lake through Windsor to avoid the bridge toll which is only a buck or two.
 
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