How good are the Points of Interest maps with GPS systems?

Specifically, do these maps generally tend to have fairly extensive retail/restaurant/business listings? I have used the Hertz NeverLost system and was pretty pleased with it as it had a pretty large database of business listings and was pretty current. I want to know if the typical GPS manufacturers can compare with this in regards to their POI maps.|||The NeverLost system is made by Magellan, so what it has will be on par with what is produced by Garmin and TomTom as well. All of these GPS manufacturers get their data from the same two companies - TeleAtlas and NAVTEQ. The Point of Interest data tends to be more out-of-date than the road data, so you have to take their currency and positional accuracy with a grain of salt. About the GPS receiver itself, I recommend going with Garmin or TomTom, as Magellan has abysmal customer support that consists of off-shored script readers.|||Hertz NeverLost is a partnership between Hertz / Thales aka NeverLost by Navigation Solutions.





To start with, the older Magellan 750Nav version 4.3.3.12 can have the full POI information up to 15 million, but there is tons that is not needed nor up to date.





Problem here is memory space, so a Magellan RoadMate 2000, 1200 or any of the lower end Magellan system may have only 1.2 million of POI's unlike the Hertz NeverLost system.





As far as Garmin goes, they normally have between 5-6M POI's provided by NavTeq.





TomTom uses Tele Atlas which they just acquired, and their POI number can be as high as 12 million but on the lower end TomTom ONE, there will only be about 1 million again due to memory size and price.





NavTeq and Tele Atlas both charge for POI information so it is not always to the manufacturers benefit to offer everything on their lower end product because they need to somehow differentiate the higher end product with more mapping coverage and higher number of POI information.





If you wish to have the BEST POI search, I would say try picking up a DASH GPS unit for only about $299 and there is a monthly subscription fee, this PND will allow you to go on the Internet and search Yahoo local search so it is almost an unlimited amount of POI and it is probably more up to date than what is supplied on the static POI content offered by Magellan, Garmin and TomTom.





Another GPS option could be the smart phones or Apple 3G iPhones, with GPS receiver, they have the ability to search the Internet in real time for POI contents and map the location and find the phone number, the only issue with the 3G iPhone is currently it does not offer turn by turn voice direction and it does not offer heading up icon. Display refresh rate is slow to refresh also when viewing in satellite mode.





You will see more of the Internet search features available soon from these GPS PND manufacturers.





If you wish to buy a Magellan system that have tons of POI, consider the Magellan Maestro 4250 or the Maestro 4050, both have tons of POI along with AAA content and ratings. Magellan is the only one that offers this AAA content information, TomTom and Garmin does not offer an additional content beside what is loaded in the unit already without paying additional fees.





You can find out more information about GPS systems at Auto Nav 2000 Plus, Inc. http://www.autonav2000.com/





Or if you wish to compare a few GPS systems, try looking up GPS4Rent at http://www.gps4rent.com/ and rent a few GPS units to compare with for yourself to see which system fit your needs best.





Good luck|||To put this into perspective; There are only two major mapping %26amp; data collectors in the world; NavTeq %26amp; TeleAtlas.


NavTeq's data is used as the base data, for applications such as Google and Yahoo Maps; Devices such Garmin, Magellan and GlobalSat; And Car producers such as BMW and Chrysler.





How current a devices data, is based on how recent the data was collected (ie Q42007) in the version of the device you are using, or when was the device's base/ POI data was last updated.





With that being said, the quality of the POI base data is graded by two measures; quantity of total POI's (ie: 6 or 9 million POI's) and catagories of POI's (Resturants, golf courses, businesses, airport etc).





So when seeking to buy a new "Navigational Device" (Dash mounted touch screen GPS unit), keep two questions in mind to the seller/ producer; How many POI's? And What version/ quarter is the base data from? - maybe a thrid, Who's base data is being used?





I help people (consumer %26amp; commericial) everyday understand and use GPS.|||I am no expert. I think the Poi's on the GPS units you can get in the stores are great. I have used many of the Garmin units and find that the higher end units are a little more detailed in the "where am I" feature but over all the lower end unit such as the Nuvi 200 has pretty accurate info as well. The even nicer point about having a portable GPS is that you can put it in pedestrian mode and use it in the city while you are walking as well... convenient and easy to use.

How to find gps coordinates on google maps from a cell phone photo?

I have taken pictures from my cell phone, and in the info it shows gps coordinates.


I just want to know how to use those coordinates on a website like google maps to find the location|||In most cases, you can paste the information directly into google maps, and it will automatically find the location for you. Google maps understands a lot of different ways of expressing coordinates. Occasionally the coordinates will be ambiguous and you'll be in the wrong hemisphere.



The website below will automatically give you a google map from a jpg image without you having to do anything.

What kind of programming do I need to learn to create a GPS network?

What software and languages do I have to learn in order to know how satellites, cell phones, GPS systems and computers work? A business partner of mine told me to learn 4 languages and I can easily master them all. But what is the over general knowledge I need to be able have, to give the schematics on a new GPS system I am creating for my start up company? And where can I learn this for free and in a short time|||Depends what phone you will be programming on.


Android: Java


Windows Mobile: C++, C#


Windows Phone: Silverlight, Microsoft XNA


Symbian/ Nokia: Java?


Motorola: Java


iPhone: Cocoa "Objective C"





All of them support programming access to cell towers and gps, but they each require research and practice to get comfortable with the langauge. I don't think XNA has the support, but I could also be wrong. I blame a lack of sufficient research.





Try visiting Xda-developers.com to get more help. It is a large active community of mobile user and programmers.





To learn about GPS programming in general, use wikipedia as a jumping point. From that last I remember, there is 2 world views in the GPS location programs: round Earth and oblong/ bumpy Earth. Round Earth is easier to calculate position, but inaccurate. Bumpy Earth is more accurate, but requires more trig skills and cpu cycles.|||1) You'll need to learn programming itself. Learning a language (or 3 dozen languages) isn't learning programming.





2) C++, assembly, almost anything, depending on what devices you;re writing code for, and what kind of code you're writing.





3) Schematics are hardware, not programming.





4) Define "short time". Programming itself will take you about 6 months. Learning the math used in GPS calculations will take 6 months to a year. Learning the physics of GPS will take a while - months to years.





5) Knowing how computers work? I've been doing this for over 37 years, and I;m still learning. I suggest that you hire people who know the things it's going to take you years to learn. (Engineers, software or hardware, don't make good salaries because they learned engineering in a short time, they get paid for years and years of study, both in college and forever after graduation.)





Ideas aren't worth even a dime a dozen, it's the ability to bring them to market that's worth money. So if all you have is an idea, and not the knowledge and experience to bring it to market, or the capital to hire people who can, I wouldn't bother.|||C++ and Java [Definite!],


=


Linux [OS]


-


Networking [TCP/IP]

Can you take GPS unit onto a plane for international flights?

Can you take GPS unit onto a plane for international flights from Canada to the US and back again, like the ones for cars?|||GPS devices are allowed, but you can't turn them on during the entire flight. Most airlines have the airshow channel these days that shows your position, altitude, speed, distance to your destination etc., bascially the same thing and it won't get you in trouble or interfere with flight communications.|||You must be Canadian. If there was any reason they wouldn't allow GPS from Canada he would have specified but there isn't so he didn't. International = Canada too. GREAT answer Gerald!

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|||Yes. Just don't plan on trying to use it.|||Sure........but you need to leave it off.........

Is there a GPS unit that you can add missing streets?

I'm researching GPS units to go into emergency vehicles that serve very rural areas. Experience with other units, they always seem to be missing some of the small "back roads". Is there a unit out there that you can add these missing roads in own your own?|||Not that I know of, but if you're doing this professionally I'd contact a salesman at Garmin, TomTom, Magellen, etc. They will know if there are "professional" models that do more than consumer models. Contact info should be on their websites.





You can (or should be able to) update the databases on your GPS on a regular basis along with the firmware though an internet connected computer. Usually though USB.|||I completely understand. Most mapping applications are FAR behind the actual street data. My address has existed for over seven years, but still not on any mapping software. Google maps doesn't show it in map mode, but it is clearly there in satellite mode, and those are old as well.

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|||old 1s usually have missing streets, sorry i dont fully understand the question though

What is the best value for a hand held GPS for outdoor hiking?

I am in the market to purchase a hand held GPS system. I am interested in the Garmin eTrex Venture Cx, but I seek other opinions. Which brand and model have worked well for you?|||The three top picks in Backpacker Magazine's gear guide issue which arrived today include the Garmin eTrax Venture Cx $286, Garmin GPSmap 60CSx $538 and stripped down CS version $482, and the Magellan eXplorist XL $400. The latter two worked well in canyons and timber, while the first one drops to 125 foot radius precision in those areas.|||Garmin e-trex legend. Very basic, practical, easy to use. At a fair price|||I use the Garmin 60C which is now discontinued but the new version the 60csx would be a great all around gps. I use mine for backpacking, kayaking, snowboarding and mountain biking. Rugged design, water proof, shockproof.

What does the Blackberry 8310 need to work the GPS?

Hi i am about to sign up for a Blackberry 8310 on the o2 network. I've heard a lot of good reviews about this handset but i really don't know how the GPS works on it. Do i have to subscribe to something or do i need to pay extra for it? I'm a complete novice at it so can someone kindly explain in simple english the answers please.





Also can anyone who has a 8310 please tell me if they think they are worth it?





Thank you...Roy|||Hi,





Blackberry 8310 is a great mobile, the best thing in this phone that he is using a built in GPS receiver you don't need to buy an external GPS.





You can find more information at:





http://na.blackberry.com/eng/devices/device-detail.jsp?navId=H0,C221,P583#tab_tab_features





and at:





http://www.gps-navigation-center.com/search.php?search=blackberry%26amp;tag=true