Home > Consumer Reviews > Navman GPS e Series for Notebook Computers with USB connectors

I have a dream: a super car navigation system based on my laptop. This is the reason why I couldn't wait to rush to the nearest Micro Center to buy a Navman e series when I knew a laptop based GPS is available.

However, the following days proved to be a nightmare and challenge to my intelligence and patience. The USB GPS driver crashed my system a hundred of times. It does not support XP well. Note that my XP platform used to be so stable that I can run application servers, such as Oracle and Weblogic, without interruptions. To make things worse, the USB GPS is not compatible with most third party software.

I am not the kind of guy who gives up easily. The following two weeks I tried my best to fit the Navman into a position in my final goal: the super car navigation system. As an experienced software engineer, I managed to narrow down problems caused by the new device. I searched their support site to download patches and new drivers. Unfortunately, the solution only relieves the problem a little bit. I contacted supports from both Streets Finder and Navman. Their totally ignorance drains my patience quickly. I even exhausted third party software and related discussion groups to try to find a work around.

As to the software part, I didn't waste any time on StreetsFinder. If Navman still has its value in their products, StreetFinder is totally useless. You have to connect to internet to find a direction on your way in the car or download it in advance. Suppose you have 10 points on your map, if you want to find direction between each pair of the points, you have to download 45 directions from a website and store them onto your software before hitting onto the road!

Finally I got so exhausted and reached the decision: I have to switch to other products. I am happy now with the decision. The followings are some quick facts and comparison of the different solutions:

A) GM 210 $150 + MapPoint $240 + AGPS $10: expensive but almost 100% functionalities
B) GM 210 + Streets and Maps $40: 70% functionalities
C) Navman + StreetsFinder: 40% functionalities of my dream navigation system

Go to http://www.gpscity.com/products/gm/gm210ipaq.html to see the product specifications, compared with Navman e series at http://www.navmanusa.com/land/e_series/index.html

Hardware: NavMan GM 210
WAAS No Yes
USB Yes Yes
Serial No Yes

Software: StreetFinder MapPoint+AGPS Streets and Trips
Direction: Internet based!! Yes Yes
Real time navigation: NO Yes No

Finally I have to admit I love Navman's windshield mounting bracket. If you want to spend $150 on a great bracket, useless software, and a non-compatible GPS sensor, then Navman is your best choice.

I wish all GPS fans can share my experience and enjoy their smooth trips with their dream car navigation systems!

Denis

BTW, I got my GM 210 from http://www.thegpsstore.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/site/holux.htm?L+thegpsstore+mefb8253+1044338931)http://www.thegpsstore.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/site/holux.htm?L+thegpsstore+mefb8253+1044338931

Navman & Rand McNally obviously didn't test this thing before selling it. It's a great way to ruin your company. It's no wonder RM filed for bankruptcy.

Too many problems:
- Route finder requires internet connection. What's the point? I don't have internet service in my car. If I did I would have used MapQuest.
- GPS gets lost; shows me driving off road, miles off course AND in the wrong direction.
- If left alone, takes minutes to get back on track, if at all.
- Rebooting gets everything back on track.

Annoyances:
- The whole app doesn't behave like a "Windows" app: mouse clicks and menus don't work/behave as expected.
- When tracking your progress with the moving map, the map doesn't re-center until you get to the end of the window. I need to see where I'm going and what's coming up, not where I've been.
- Loading maps from the CDs to hard disk is a pain; the 4 CDs are organized by geography but the Load program installs in alpha order, therefore, installing data for several states requires several CD swaps.

Doesn't anybody make an affordable GPS with moving map for PCs? We have the technology. I'm a private pilot and this has been available for cockpits for years now.

This GPS = POS. As stated in a previous review, you cannot get directions without being connected to the internet. Map Point doesn't need the net once it's installed. Unexcuseable for software that takes up four CDs, when MP only takes up two.
You're stuck with Streetfinder, since no other software seems to recognize the unit.
I found out it didn't like my USB mouse, so once I disconnected it, I finally aquired a satallite and fixed my position. Then the hangs started, and the system only starts less than half the time without freezing. This is going right back to the store.

THE PRETTY GOOD:

Rand McNally makes pretty maps, though
- You need to download an updated version to run on XP
- Level 1 display (whole continental US) only aligns its layers in 800x600 screen mode

You can alter the map display to myriad available schemes, or make your own. Special display mode for night viewing, for example. Very pretty.

THE WRETCHED AND DISMAL:

RM's Directions work, BUT YOU NEED AN INTERNET CONNECTION TO COMPUTE THEM!
(i.e., the software loaded off 4 CDs only includes data to display; the route computations are on networked servers. On the road, you need to compute all your routes at home or in the hotel, and God help you if you are in a strange place in the car and need to find the route out. You're on your own. This seems made for those who have a roaming (wireless) Internet connection, live in the car.)

The NavMan GPS: DISMAL. It hooks up trivially easily, and starts looking for satellites (once you have the XP update downloaded; otherwise the software hangs). Unfortunately, the antenna had a wretched time finding the satellite signals. I could get my position at home on my desk, or out in a field with the antenna laying in open grass, but it couldn't find satellites in my car, on the dash, mounted inside the windshield, or even on top of the car. The nicest unit is worthless without satellites.

All in all, some nice concepts here, and they'll really be terrific when they work, and work in the car!

The software will not stay up on my new Win2k laptop. Zoom in on the map and it crashes. Pan the map east or west and it crashes. Acquire a satellite and have it plot your current position on the map, and you can see where you are for about 2 seconds before, you guessed it, the map software crashes.

Rand McNally's web site is useless for technical issues/upgrades.

Complete POS. Going back to the store tomorrow.

Putting your company's name on a product this poor is an easy way to ruin a well-known name brand in record time.