GPSMAP 640 released--276C et al replacement. - Page 6

10Cup · 06-16-2009, 12:54 PM

No wonder the Garmin stock is down over $100/share............hope they wake up before it is too late..........

EmmEff · 06-16-2009, 02:25 PM

Look at these figures:

http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+R...s/4619563.html

They're getting hammered... first quarter total revenue down 34% vs. same quarter last year. Automotive revenue decreased 43%. Interestingly, the outdoor/fitness segment was up 18%.

First time I've seen actual figures showing the breakdown... automotive segment made $260 mln in the first quarter and outdoor/fitness made $80 mln. Marine makes $38 mln. I believe the GPSMAP 276c is in the marine segment.

PRW · 06-16-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmmEff

Look at these figures:

http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+R...s/4619563.html

They're getting hammered... first quarter total revenue down 34% vs. same quarter last year. Automotive revenue decreased 43%. Interestingly, the outdoor/fitness segment was up 18%.

First time I've seen actual figures showing the breakdown... automotive segment made $260 mln in the first quarter and outdoor/fitness made $80 mln. Marine makes $38 mln. I believe the GPSMAP 276c is in the marine segment.

Precisely my point with my earlier posts. The general "mass market" for GPS devices is shrinking for Garmin, as the technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous in smartphones and PCs for mainstream users, who only need basic, nuvi-like functionality. The only way for Garmin to slow the bleeding is to adopt the polar opposite strategy that they're on, i.e. focus on, and delight, specialized market segments and users - like us, in order to competitively differentiate themselves and thus, command a more profitable, sticky and sustainable customer/revenue base. The 640, in its current form, is NOT that strategy...

EmmEff · 06-16-2009, 05:25 PM

I don't think either of our opinions/viewpoints were incorrect and certainly not conflicting.

If nothing else, the GPSMAP 640 is a feeble attempt at putting bare minimum marine features (XM Weather and ability to load marine maps) in an auto GPS. If Garmin had actually evolved the 276c/376/378/478 line, we'd see a different (better) product- modernize the user interface, add touchscreen, SDHC card support, and maintain the existing featureset.

Boon Booni · 06-16-2009, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmmEff

I don't think either of our opinions/viewpoints were incorrect and certainly not conflicting.

If nothing else, the GPSMAP 640 is a feeble attempt at putting bare minimum marine features (XM Weather and ability to load marine maps) in an auto GPS. If Garmin had actually evolved the 276c/376/378/478 line, we'd see a different (better) product- modernize the user interface, add touchscreen, SDHC card support, and maintain the existing featureset.

I think the 640 is still a good thing. Have you seen the prices on a 478 lately?

570$ on Amazon. They weren't less than 800$ a year ago.

EmmEff · 06-16-2009, 07:30 PM

I'm so damned close to pulling the trigger on a 478 but it eats at me that it requires those silly proprietary Garmin memory cards, which cost a mint. So it's a toss up between that, a 276c (for $150 less), and the venerable standby 60CSx.

Boon Booni · 06-16-2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmmEff

I'm so damned close to pulling the trigger on a 478 but it eats at me that it requires those silly proprietary Garmin memory cards, which cost a mint. So it's a toss up between that, a 276c (for $150 less), and the venerable standby 60CSx.

Remember that unless you're loading other maps besides City Nav and Bluecharts, you don't need those memory cards.

EmmEff · 06-16-2009, 07:37 PM

I definitely plan on loading 'er up with TOPO Canada and/or Ibycus as well as some custom made maps. Think I'll probably need at least 128MB of extra RAM.

Gros Buck · 06-16-2009, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmmEff

I definitely plan on loading 'er up with TOPO Canada and/or Ibycus as well as some custom made maps. Think I'll probably need at least 128MB of extra RAM.

You can find 512 meg ram at around $100 on Ebay 2 or 3 times a year ...

Paul Jr ...

PRW · 06-17-2009, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmmEff

I don't think either of our opinions/viewpoints were incorrect and certainly not conflicting.

If nothing else, the GPSMAP 640 is a feeble attempt at putting bare minimum marine features (XM Weather and ability to load marine maps) in an auto GPS. If Garmin had actually evolved the 276c/376/378/478 line, we'd see a different (better) product- modernize the user interface, add touchscreen, SDHC card support, and maintain the existing featureset.

Agreed Brother. I didn't think I was expressing a conflicting viewpoint.

PRW · 06-17-2009, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmmEff

I'm so damned close to pulling the trigger on a 478 but it eats at me that it requires those silly proprietary Garmin memory cards, which cost a mint. So it's a toss up between that, a 276c (for $150 less), and the venerable standby 60CSx.

The 478 is king by a long shot, IMO - get 'em while they last. For my part, the cost premium for the Garmin cards over SD should not be a deal breaker, considering all the other benefits of 478 over competing platforms with SD. After all, you'll likely only use 1-2 cards.

jdbski · 06-17-2009, 08:18 AM

Which is better and why?

EmmEff · 06-17-2009, 09:21 AM

Garmin's website shows a comparison...

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare....areProduct=401

The difference only appears to be with the included maps. The 378 comes with inland maps and the 478 comes with coastal maps. They're seemingly identical otherwise.

BlueLghtning · 06-17-2009, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdbski

Which is better and why?

There is a whole thread on this, but short and sweet is if you want to do your own routing on the pc and transfer it to the GPS, you do not want the 378. Garmin did something weird with the inland lake data and mapset and when you goto transfer routes, it will re-calc your entire route only keeping your start and end points. You could technically do a direct route using a bunch of waypoints, but it still comes down to the GPS's route calc at which way that route will go in certain places.

My wife and I have the 376c & 478. She has a 512 card in her 376c which lets me load a good portion of City Nav 2009 that we currently have. I have a 128 card I can load topo or whatever besides whats already built into the 478. We love them both and I'm tempted to buy some spares since I hope to never be without one of these. I wouldn't mind another 478, but the 376C does fine.

Albie · 06-17-2009, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10Cup

No wonder the Garmin stock is down over $100/share............hope they wake up before it is too late..........

LOL, I wouldn't shed a tear if they went under.

06-16-2009, 12:54 PM	#76
10Cup Beastly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2008 Location: NW Arkansas Oddometer: 2,266	Stock No wonder the Garmin stock is down over $100/share............hope they wake up before it is too late.......... __________________ 10Cup - WR250R - BMW R1200GS Trails of the West 2011 Moab/Western TAT 2010 Continental Divide Ride 09 Route 66 Ride SPOT Tracker SpearMotorSports, Inc. The cost of living's going up, and the chance of livin's going down.

06-17-2009, 08:18 AM	#87
jdbski old but getting younger Joined: Aug 2004 Location: The California desert Oddometer: 373	478 or 378 Which is better and why?

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06-16-2009, 02:25 PM	#77
EmmEff Wannabe Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Innisfil, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 1,242	Look at these figures: http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+R...s/4619563.html They're getting hammered... first quarter total revenue down 34% vs. same quarter last year. Automotive revenue decreased 43%. Interestingly, the outdoor/fitness segment was up 18%. First time I've seen actual figures showing the breakdown... automotive segment made $260 mln in the first quarter and outdoor/fitness made $80 mln. Marine makes $38 mln. I believe the GPSMAP 276c is in the marine segment.

06-16-2009, 05:25 PM	#79
EmmEff Wannabe Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Innisfil, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 1,242	I don't think either of our opinions/viewpoints were incorrect and certainly not conflicting. If nothing else, the GPSMAP 640 is a feeble attempt at putting bare minimum marine features (XM Weather and ability to load marine maps) in an auto GPS. If Garmin had actually evolved the 276c/376/378/478 line, we'd see a different (better) product- modernize the user interface, add touchscreen, SDHC card support, and maintain the existing featureset.

06-16-2009, 07:30 PM	#81
EmmEff Wannabe Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Innisfil, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 1,242	I'm so damned close to pulling the trigger on a 478 but it eats at me that it requires those silly proprietary Garmin memory cards, which cost a mint. So it's a toss up between that, a 276c (for $150 less), and the venerable standby 60CSx.

06-16-2009, 07:37 PM	#83
EmmEff Wannabe Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Innisfil, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 1,242	I definitely plan on loading 'er up with TOPO Canada and/or Ibycus as well as some custom made maps. Think I'll probably need at least 128MB of extra RAM.

06-17-2009, 09:21 AM	#88
EmmEff Wannabe Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Innisfil, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 1,242	Garmin's website shows a comparison... https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare....areProduct=401 The difference only appears to be with the included maps. The 378 comes with inland maps and the 478 comes with coastal maps. They're seemingly identical otherwise.