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GPS City Q&A » Automotive GPS » What are the advantages to a stand alone unit anymore?

Automotive GPS (6 replies)

Item

Original Question

What are the advantages to a stand alone unit anymore?

› Garmin Nuvi 3590LMT

Author

Reply

JZ
Las Vegas

Original question asked on Feb 13, 2013, 6:05am

I am considering buying this unit, I don't like built in nav systems that come in cars, you have to always pay to update maps, its not easy and depending on the make of the car some GPS systems are very hard to use. Where I run into a quandary is when you compare a stand alone GPS to a smart phone with a Garmin app program. What are the advantages to a stand alone unit anymore? Most people I know are just using their phones.

Jordan
GPS City

Reply #1 on Feb 13, 2013, 7:14am

Smart phone apps are convenient but the majority of people can not get the most out of those types of phones. For those of us that know how to get the most out of a smartphone a car GPS is not really needed. Also most people do not have smart phones.

I have also had many comments from customers that after using the smartphone app they prefer a gps like a nuvi. That's not everyone. It comes down to a personal choice.

JZ
Las Vegas

Reply #2 on Feb 18, 2013, 8:32am

I almost believed you until you said most people don't have smart phones! I am still laughing at that one! How many millions of units of smart phones have been sold? android is the king but I am sure you heard of a small company called Apple and something called an I phone?? 4,4s, 5. How about a Galaxy note, S11, S11. What I was looking for from you was an advantage a stand alone unit has over a phone, I am seeing the same features in a smart phone GPS as a phone with much better battery life than a GPS.

Jordan
GPS City

Reply #3 on Feb 19, 2013, 7:10am

It is all personal choice.

Keep in mind most people do not know how to use a fraction of the features of their smartphone. We gets lots of people with smart phones buy a Garmin GPS.

HarryD
Pittsburgh, PA

Reply #4 on Mar 4, 2013, 10:54am

The more things yuou run on your smartphone, the shorter the battery charge will last. I have had several smart phones and several stand alnoe GPSs. I still continue to use both. From time to time, if I don't have my GPS with me, I will use GPS and mapping functionality on my smartphone for something quick and easy but I still prefer the standalone GPS for that function and my smartphone for it's function.

Also consider that in many states there are restirictions and fines for interactively using a phone for anything other than talking. In PA for instance, they call it the txting law but it applies to ANY use of a phone keypad or screen other than to dail a phone number for a call. There is an exemption that is part of that law that EXEMPTS standalone GPS navigation devices from that law. That law has been in effect for quite a while now. In Ohio, they just started enforcing anti-txting laws this past weekend. I don't know how many states have similar laws but the number will surely grow in the near future.

JZ
Las Vegas

Reply #5 on Mar 12, 2013, 5:44am

Thanks HarryD for your response. I appreciate it,some good things to consider.

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