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Google's Free Satnav Outperforms TomTom

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the sounds-pretty-badbad dept.

Barence writes "A real-world road test of several different satnav systems has found that the free Google Maps Navigation outperformed TomTom's premium GPS unit. PC Pro put the satnavs through four different real-world tests, covering country roads, inner-city traffic and motorway driving. The Google satnav finished the four tests more than half an hour ahead of the top of the range TomTom Go 950 Live. 'For those in rural areas or people who spend hours in their car every day, we believe the investment in a dedicated satnav device or software will still pay off,' PC Pro concludes. 'But for the recreational user, it's amazing what you can get for free.'"

6 of 242 comments (clear)

  1. Not Free by rwv · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I love using Google Navigation on my Android Phone, but it's short-sighted to say that just because I'm not paying extra for "Navigation" that the cost of this service is completely free. It's all part of the relatively expensive "Google Smart Phone" bundle.

  2. Really? by RDW · · Score: 5, Interesting

    With the enormous caveat that:

    'As yet, there's also no way of downloading [Google] maps to a memory card for offline navigation, so you could have major problems in areas without a 3G signal'

    1. Re:Really? by slim · · Score: 5, Informative

      Well, that depends where you're driving.

      Google Navigation does cache images of the entire route -- but this can become problematic if you deviated from the planned route.

    2. Re:Really? by timbo234 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      With the enormous caveat that:

      'As yet, there's also no way of downloading [Google] maps to a memory card for offline navigation, so you could have major problems in areas without a 3G signal'

      It's not just areas without 3G signal, in Europe if I drive a few hundred kms (as little as 100km in one direction) I'm in another country. Despite the EU brining them a bit under control the data charges are still punishingly expensive - it's not worth it to pay 20 Euros in data charges just to navigate somewhere.

      --
      Pre-canned Evolution Links for all those Slashdot holy wars.
  3. The problem is.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Is that Google's solution is not free because it requires a data connection on your phone. When traveling in foreign countries this is usually prohibitively expensive.

    With TomTom you can purchase foreign maps and use them without "per use" data charges.

    Actually, Nokia likely has the best solution in this regard - they give you free maps/navigation on your own phone (so nothing to purchase) but you can pick the countries and pre-load their maps on your phone. You then do not need an active data connection to navigate.

    For what it's worth - TomTom and other standalone makers are probably the losers in this. These devices are consolidating and phone manufacturers are emerging as winners.

  4. Re:good investment? by gstoddart · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Until you have 16 choices, all of them dirt. At least GPS can show you which one is least curvy. It's also great for curvy roads that you don't know and don't have signs, so you can see that hairpin half a mile before you fly off the road.

    What I really like it for is the 'unguided and unplanned meandering drive'. Turn on the GPS, drive around and take random roads you'd never take if you were worried about getting lost. Go ahead, get lost. Navigate by the sun or follow a river.

    Eventually, tell it to take you home. It's actually a pretty decent way to explore your area.

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    Lost at C:>. Found at C.