AR-NWA ADV BS thread

[Albie]

Originally Posted by mdawg12

Garmin Montana - who has one? What model? What do you think?

Got the 650T. Good unit, but typical Garmin, has it's short comings. God I want Google to build a stand alone GPS soooooooo bad.

[tokyoklahoma]

Originally Posted by terrascout

The Cottage Bacon, made using boneless boston butt, at Ozark Smokehouse on 62 in Farmington is darn good and a bit leaner due to the cut then most stander bacon without being as lean as ham.

The Ozark Smokehouse was closed, when we went through there on our way to the Apple Festival. Is it open again?

[Scribe]

Originally Posted by Albie

God I want Google to build a stand alone GPS soooooooo bad.

+1 to that. I just downloaded Google's new navigation app for the iPhone and all I can say is watch out Garmin. If it was GPS based instead of cell tower based, I could see no reason to have a Garmin at all. So much better.

[terrascout]

Originally Posted by tokyoklahoma

The Ozark Smokehouse was closed, when we went through there on our way to the Apple Festival. Is it open again?

Don't know, I have not been there in a while. It's a shame if it is closed down for good. One of the few hill side barns of any size in the area.

[Albie]

Originally Posted by Scribe

+1 to that. I just downloaded Google's new navigation app for the iPhone and all I can say is watch out Garmin. If it was GPS based instead of cell tower based, I could see no reason to have a Garmin at all. So much better.

Couple problems with a cell phone as a GPS is that the screens don't work with gloves on, battery life is atrocious when running a GPS app, and they aren't hardened, so mounting them to the bike with all the vibration and lack of waterproofing wil probably kill one pretty quick. That's why I wold really love to see them come out with actual GPS hardware as well as a downloadable map solution. I have no doubt they would kick Garmin's butt.

[Valentino Magoo]

Originally Posted by Albie

Couple problems with a cell phone as a GPS is that the screens don't work with gloves on, battery life is atrocious when running a GPS app, and they aren't hardened, so mounting them to the bike with all the vibration and lack of waterproofing wil probably kill one pretty quick. That's why I wold really love to see them come out with actual GPS hardware as well as a downloadable map solution. I have no doubt they would kick Garmin's butt.

+1.

Unfortunately, I don't know if the market is big enough for Google to step into hardware. If the Google Map app starts to use the GPS circuitry as well as cell-tower-based in the new cell phones (like Scribe suggests), then I see the consumer car GPS market drying up. That could really hurt Garmin, and really only leave them with the "outdoor" GPS market. Is that a big enough? I don't know.

I think building a more water proof and shock resistant phones (or isolation carriers) is more likely than Google actually producing hardware. Unfortunately. But I support the dream of a Google GPS Unit with Downloadable maps.

[ozarkrider]

Originally Posted by Valentino Magoo

+1.

Unfortunately, I don't know if the market is big enough for Google to step into hardware. If the Google Map app starts to use the GPS circuitry as well as cell-tower-based in the new cell phones (like Scribe suggests), then I see the consumer car GPS market drying up. That could really hurt Garmin, and really only leave them with the "outdoor" GPS market. Is that a big enough? I don't know.

I think building a more water proof and shock resistant phones (or isolation carriers) is more likely than Google actually producing hardware. Unfortunately. But I support the dream of a Google GPS Unit with Downloadable maps.

RAM makes a mount to hold cell phones in a "claw" type of holder. DaMoron has one on his WeeStrom and it worked great on our trip to VT last year. Keep the power plugged in and it functioned just as well as my Garmin unit.

[Albie]

Originally Posted by Valentino Magoo

+1.

Unfortunately, I don't know if the market is big enough for Google to step into hardware. If the Google Map app starts to use the GPS circuitry as well as cell-tower-based in the new cell phones (like Scribe suggests), then I see the consumer car GPS market drying up. That could really hurt Garmin, and really only leave them with the "outdoor" GPS market. Is that a big enough? I don't know.

I think building a more water proof and shock resistant phones (or isolation carriers) is more likely than Google actually producing hardware. Unfortunately. But I support the dream of a Google GPS Unit with Downloadable maps.

Google has announced they will be building brick and mortar stores. Gonna need something besides a couple laptops, cell phones, and tablets to fill those stores.

[Albie]

Originally Posted by ozarkrider

RAM makes a mount to hold cell phones in a "claw" type of holder. DaMoron has one on his WeeStrom and it worked great on our trip to VT last year. Keep the power plugged in and it functioned just as well as my Garmin unit.

Can't speak for other smart phones, but an iPhone will actually discharge while plugged in and running a real time GPS app like Motion GPX. And once again, it's not waterproof, can't use it with gloves, and it's not hardened against vibration. Put enough miles on it strapped onto a bike and it will fail from the vibes. Never mind the fact if you get n a wreck and destroy the phone, gonna make it hard to call for help.

[Valentino Magoo]

Originally Posted by Albie

Google has announced they will be building brick and mortar stores. Gonna need something besides a couple laptops, cell phones, and tablets to fill those stores.

Cool! By the way, Google says that their Maps app for iPhone will soon have a function to allow you to download and save map sections to your phone, so that when you are out of cell range, you'll still have access to the Google Maps and GPS function. The GPS on the iPhone DOES work when you are out of cell range, the problem is you have no map data. Out in Colorado I could locate myself with the iPhone in the middle of nowhere (with GPS only), but all I had was a blue dot in the middle of a blank screen.

There is a paid app (and others) that let you download map data now (Offmaps, $2.99), but I don't know how well it works. http://www.ehow.com/how_5963452_use-...s-service.html.
I'll wait until Google enables that function in their Google Map app.

[ozarkrider]

Originally Posted by Albie

Can't speak for other smart phones, but an iPhone will actually discharge while plugged in and running a real time GPS app like Motion GPX. And once again, it's not waterproof, can't use it with gloves, and it's not hardened against vibration. Put enough miles on it strapped onto a bike and it will fail from the vibes. Never mind the fact if you get n a wreck and destroy the phone, gonna make it hard to call for help.

DaMoron has a Droid phone of some kind. Didn't seem to have any problem with discharging. My Casio is mil-spec. Waterproof, dustproof, etc. I've tested its abilities a coupla times.

Smartphones aren't the final answer for sure, but a move in a good direction. I haven't even installed the gps on PandaBike. If I need directions, or to find fuel, food, etc, I just pull out the phone and go to Google Maps. The gps is living in the car so my wife can get further confused.

[mdawg12]

Originally Posted by ozarkrider

RAM makes a mount to hold cell phones in a "claw" type of holder. DaMoron has one on his WeeStrom and it worked great on our trip to VT last year. Keep the power plugged in and it functioned just as well as my Garmin unit.

Ditto - have one on my GS to hold my Iphone. Works great. Can't take place of the GPS but I use it to look up weather, email, and have it blue toothed to my Sena headset for phone and music.

With all the negativity, I'm thinking I don't want to drop over $500 on a Montana. Just keep using my Nuvi 500 until Albie uses his pull to get Google to make a unit.

[Albie]

Originally Posted by Valentino Magoo

Cool! By the way, Google says that their Maps app for iPhone will soon have a function to allow you to download and save map sections to your phone, so that when you are out of cell range, you'll still have access to the Google Maps and GPS function. The GPS on the iPhone DOES work when you are out of cell range, the problem is you have no map data. Out in Colorado I could locate myself with the iPhone in the middle of nowhere (with GPS only), but all I had was a blue dot in the middle of a blank screen.

There is a paid app (and others) that let you download map data now (Offmaps, $2.99), but I don't know how well it works. http://www.ehow.com/how_5963452_use-...s-service.html.
I'll wait until Google enables that function in their Google Map app.

I've got the Motion X app which has downloadable map segments. It's a pretty decent app, It will handle tracks. The Motion X Drive app will do turn by turn directions.

Still, at the end of the day, I don't want to use my iPhone for navigating.

[Albie]

Originally Posted by mdawg12

Ditto - have one on my GS to hold my Iphone. Works great. Can't take place of the GPS but I use it to look up weather, email, and have it blue toothed to my Sena headset for phone and music.

With all the negativity, I'm thinking I don't want to drop over $500 on a Montana. Just keep using my Nuvi 500 until Albie uses his pull to get Google to make a unit.

Honestly, if Garmin would just up the 50 Via point limit in a route to something like at least 200 I'd damn happy with the unit. AS it stands right now though, that friggen limit really hamstrings routing.

[mdawg12]

Originally Posted by Albie

I've got the Motion X app which has downloadable map segments. It's a pretty decent app, It will handle tracks. The Motion X Drive app will do turn by turn directions.

Still, at the end of the day, I don't want to use my iPhone for navigating.

Cool, downloading now on phone. I will add it to Ipad too. I use that a lot in the cage when traveling. Wonder if it drags down the power on it too?