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Last Post 06/22/2008 10:52 PM by  swink_d
gps
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djc38
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11/15/2006 9:40 PM

    i do local auto appraisal and would like some opinions on systems being used

    by you all today. thanks

    dennis cooper
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    Storm Duty
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    11/16/2006 10:47 AM
    Hands down, I prefer the Garmin 2720. It seems to have the most up-to-date maps, 1 button auto detour, and rerouting. I have used many other items and returned them all to choose the Garmin unit.
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    Jud G.
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    11/16/2006 4:11 PM

    Here's an old THREAD from the archives that gives a variety of experienced opinions regarding your question.

    In a catastrophe situation (numerous locations), I prefer the Microsoft Streets and Trips program.  Coupled with your laptop and laptop stand, this program will enable you to quickly plot all of your locations in advance.  The program is so, so easy to use with its familiar, common sense features that are Microsoft enabled and it finds just as many addresses as your Delorme program.

    My experience with the 2006 Delorme program stinks as the features are cumbersome and putting in multiple addresses is a bear.  Quick address edits and rearrangements are not an easy chore. 

    I used someone's Tom Tom and it was great.  The little guy talks to you and automatically redirects you when you miss a turn.  I wouldn't use this or the Garmin in a Catastrophe situation due to not having a 'qwerty' keyboard to input all of those addresses.  The screen of the Tom Tom is considerably smaller, but it is in 3D and plenty easy to read while driving.

    Top Pick: MS Streets and Trips.

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    Storm Duty
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    11/17/2006 9:27 AM
    The Garmin is the easiest when in comes to entering the address. It already recognizes that you are in a particular state and allows you to use the remote control or the touch screen to enter the address and the street. It will then find the matches starting with your location outward. You can also remove it from the dash when not around to keep an eye on it and they way it exceeds over Tom Tom is that it is made for the USA and Canada. Tom Tom is an English product and works backwards just like their driving. If I want to find a particular store I can on the
    Garmin, but on Tom Tom, I need to know the shopping center/plaza name. It is also 3d and has all the maps built in. No need for the CD's.

    I bought mine. Put the battery in the remote. Put the unit in the sand base. Plugged it in, and away I went.

    Now for Streets & Trips. I also use this to plot my course for the day. I can enter my start and end, and all the stops for the day. I can even indicate how long at each stop and know when I will arrive. I then print it out and carry the adgenda with me to use my Garmin. The problem with using S & T is that you don't always want to take your laptop and expose it to possible damage, heat, theft, etc. Also, it does not give you the turn by turn voice prompted directions like Garmin does.

    IMHO

    1) Garmin
    2) Magellin
    3) Sony
    4) Streets & Trips
    5) Delorme
    6) Tom Tom
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    djc38
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    11/17/2006 6:37 PM
    thanks for the help! i will check out the garmin.
    dennis cooper
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    ddreisbach
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    Posts:172


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    11/19/2006 7:01 PM
    I use Delorme for cat work and am very happy with it. I've heard MS S&T is good also. I export my entire list of claim addresses from Integriclaim to Delorme in one shot. It helps me to set daily appointments at locations near each other. I don't use the turn-by-turn directions or route-planning functions.
    I need my computer with me in the car, plus I've done this for years without computer damage. Theft is not a big concern - I'd be more concerned with theft from my trailer or a motel room. Also, consider that many of these GPS units cost as much as a low-end laptop with Delorme or S&T software, and are sitting on the dash ready to steal.
    I'll take my full-size screen and keyboard any day.
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    Jud G.
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    11/20/2006 12:50 PM

    With IntegriClaim, how do you download your addresses into Delorme or MS Streets and Trips?

    Thanks.

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    ddreisbach
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    Posts:172


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    11/20/2006 10:51 PM
    Here is the basic procedure, Jud. It will require tweaking:

    In IntegriClaim, click on 'Claims'; then 'Labels/Map'. Make sure all the claims you want are selected, then click on 'Make Map File'. (Save it so you can find it again.)

    In Delorme, click on 'Find'; then on the address book icon. Click on 'Import'. You can figure it out from here.

    Good Luck!
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    Jud G.
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    11/26/2006 7:17 PM
    I see what you mean with the "tweaking'.  It works and thanks for the tip!
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    Agility Cat
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    12/15/2006 7:57 AM
    I searched for a whille for a GPS; not willing to take my laptop with me in my car for safety reason (theft), I looked for one which I can carry easily in and out my car. I appreciated all your inputs regarding the subject matter, and went on line, searching for one suitable for my needs, and Found the following:
    Support Plus, Invion 4". Basically the system is the same as Garmin and Tom Tom, magellan ...etc.
    It does give me accurate direction, voice prompted turn by turn, mileage to the point of destination, approximate time of arrival, and more; I used it for two months now, between the states of FL, LA, MS, AL, GA and finally back to home in North Carolina; I had no problem whatsoever with it, it does the work, easy to operate, and provide me with features I need.

    The product is made in the Neterlands, but they have a headquarters in Irvine, California. I was lucky on the price: >>> retail $ 399.00 + in store rebate 0f $ 120.00, in addition a manufactor mail in rebate of $ 100.00. Total with Tax $ 196.10 <<<

    www.supportplususa.com Telephone: 949-273-8288
    Jean Paul Bouvret
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    djc38
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    12/20/2006 6:42 PM
    i purchased the garmin 330 and it works great thanks for all comments.
    dennis cooper
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    okclarryd
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    Posts:954


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    01/27/2007 8:42 PM
    Now that I'm a staffy dude, I don't worry about which is the best, I just worry about making the one the company gives me work.
    I have a Garmin in the company car and have learned to work with it. I still prefer the full laptop screen and Delorme but ............
    Larry D Hardin
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    john gray
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    03/23/2007 9:14 PM
    i running delorme and i built this lap top mount works out pretty good
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    ClaySheffield
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    04/18/2007 11:54 PM
    Currently using a cheep and hackable Mio Digiwalker for $199.00 you can't go wrong. If you hack it, you can add all sorts of programs to it: pocket word, movie player and mp3. Software allows for multi-destination and it will optimize the route for you. Anybody need any help with one let me know.
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    TourneyKit
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    07/25/2007 12:32 AM

    I'm using a Garmin 330c and find it easy to work with and accurate.  Not to mention is was only $280.00 delivered. You can pop it in and out of the car to prevent theft with ease.

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    K ung Fu tzu
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    Posts:76


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    12/17/2007 6:59 AM
    I finally bought a small unit, a Garmin Luvi ($230) and have been using it non-stop the past month. Here's what I found, good and bad.

    The Nuvi is about the thickness of a deck of cards. I can easily stick it in my front pocket when I leave my truck. I have it suction cupped to the immediate left of my windshield and it tucks in very nice and doesn't obstruct you line of vision. I still can't comprehend sticking one in the middle of the windshield.
    The touch pad works pretty quick and it adjusts quicky to changes in direction.

    Here's the bad:

    When you change settings, addresses, whatever, you have to keep 'backing out' of your screen shot to get back to the map. It would be great if the unit had a 'go back to map button".

    It's locked up on my several times and needed to be rebooted.

    The worse thing I've found with these little units is that the map doesnt give you a perspective of where you are. The screen is too small. It also doesn't optimize routes if you have a few stops. It doesn't show, with any clarity, a way around a traffic accident, construction, etc. If you were in Atlanta for instance, it would show how to get somewhere, but you'd actually have no idea where are you within the city limits (without backing out the screen shot substantially)

    It think the unit works well, but only if you have a basic understanding of the city you're in and are accustomed to the highway directions and loops. The commercials are accurate in selling the units to soccer moms and stuff, that's when they work best.

    I agree with Larry, the full laptop with Delorme or S&T's works best.
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    BobH
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    12/17/2007 8:33 PM
    Posted By Jung Fu-tzu on 12/17/2007 6:59 AM
    I agree with Larry, the full laptop with Delorme or S&T's works best.

    Yeah, I have been using Delorme on a laptop on a stand in my Van for a few years now - and I only pull out a map occasionally when the street is spelled wrong on the assignment and I need to see similar names.

    The myopic thing you describe just isn't a problem when you are using a laptop.  The left 1/2 of the screen is a wide angle view, the right half is zoomed in to see the street names.  With older versions you would be reaching over to hit Pg up, Pg down to zoom in and out.  (or Alt-Pg-up, Alt-Pg-down if the last thing you clicked on wasn't the map region). 

    Delorme 2008 has "auto-zoom to turn" that zooms in when a turn is approaching so you can see the street names better, and backs out when you are on the open road, so you get more of the big picture.  It isn't perfect, and sometimes I turn the feature off so I can control the zoom.

    The other thing about inserting stops - the best way to do it with Delorme is to set your start-finish as your house or office as a round trip.  Then you insert your appointments as "stops" and you can put in as many as you want, and edit them through the day by clicking on the "advanced" tab.  If someone cancels on you, you can drag and re-arrange the appointments, change the sequence anyway you want.

    It takes a while to get used to Delorme.  You insert a stop - and it marks it on the map but the line where you typed it becomes empty (so you can type in another stop).  So you type in several stops - but they are "gone".  You have to click on the "advanced" tab to see those addresses or edit them.  The interface takes a while to get used to, not very intuitive.  Kind of like Xactimate, very powerful but kind of awkward.

    My only grief with Delorme, is that when you get to a site and want to "put the laptop to sleep" (close the cover and it will hibernate) it boots up quickly and Delorme is up and running - but the GPS usually stops working when the program is suspended like that.  I used to go through all the tabs to "stop GPS"  (the program thinks it is running, but it isn't - so you tell it to "stop").  Then you "start GPS" and get it to work again.  I learned the shortcut keys (Ctrl-G) to start and stop, so I can get it working within about 2 minutes of getting back to the vehicle.  And you always say "yes" when it wants to save the GPS log, otherwise it takes longer to find the satellites and get oriented when you start the GPS next time.

    In addition to a laptop stand, get one of those cable-locks for the laptop (loop it around the seat mount on the floor) and just toss a newspaper or something over the closed laptop on the stand so it doesn't look like a laptop when you park and leave.

    Bob H
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    buraley
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    01/27/2008 11:52 PM

    my ex works for GPS dealer :) i've used everysingle one i could 'borrow' ....

    in North America nothing beats Garmin. best route calculating, best maps. Go with Nuvi 350 or higher: small, portable, fast calculations. But they lock their product well and they charge you every enhancement you want to upgrade .. new version of maps, european countries etc.

    For notebooks - Streets & Trips, although their GPS receiver is junky .. for faster GPS package check Garmin again i think ti's Garmin 18.  I really only use MS Streets & Trips to load the list of my claims into it so it would build my routes.   Then break my addressed into days by schedule and sync with Garmin PDA.  pull your schedule, click a name, GO  (keeps their phone # in there too if you're running late) 

    If you want a GPS enabled cellphone (HP, HTC, ASUS etc..) on Windows Mobile .. then your best shot is TomTom, although s a UK company and their routing engine is %^%^% :) I'd double check my route every time I use it before I switch into drive :) BUT once you're on the road, it's sweet... strongly recommend changin the instruction directions language to Chineese ...   makes you thankful you were born into an english speaking country  :)  
    tom tom has instant traffic updates, user mainained traffic cameras locations and maps for almost every continent on earth.

    price them on www.pricegrabber.com and shopping.yahoo.com before you head to the store :)

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    swink_d
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    06/22/2008 10:52 PM

    On delorme I have noticedthe GPS works much better and starts much quicker on an individual  port than a shared port.

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