Zumo To Have Curvy Roads Mode

[NorthernVFRDave]

But apart from GPS and all this stuff, let's not forget to teach our children how to NAVIGATE using a map (and compass) for when the battery dies...

(I have encounterd people on the Scottish hills in adverse weather, trying to navigate holding their smartphone, near sheer cliffs. No map, no skills, no nothing)

How true you are there.. I have 2 kids learning to drive right now. They just did their in class for drivers Ed at the end of August. They spent 4 hours in class learning the basics of understanding how to read, and fold (LOL) a road map.

Never crossed my mind at first, because map reading was part of high school 25 odd years ago, when i was there. But not today, classes like that have been replaced dance and cosmetology, you know classes that are more important than understanding what a map is.

[Switchblade]

My 2 cents....

Me too a company sponsored smartphone user, from the HP iPAQs, PALMs and now a HTC.

Tried them on my bike with

IMAG2205.jpg

Very tricky to operate while driving, neigh on impossible to see what is on the screen.

For many years now I have a Nuvi510, which is water&shock proof, paid equiv of $200

It is hacked into thinking is is a ZUMO, so I can switch off "recalculate route", can set LARGE keys for typing (instead of one keyboard it is divided in 4-5 screens and a few other gimmicks like fuel meter.

Garmin Customer support is good (in NL at least).

Dropped it a few times, still works a charm.

Put it to good use during TMAC12

But apart from GPS and all this stuff, let's not forget to teach our children how to NAVIGATE using a map (and compass) for when the battery dies...

(I have encounterd people on the Scottish hills in adverse weather, trying to navigate holding their smartphone, near sheer cliffs. No map, no skills, no nothing)

But it smiles like maple syrup ..

[JZH]

$700 is robbery and these things will eventually die a horrible death. The smart phones are slowly taking all their market.

Maybe for in-car navigation, but since you still cannot buy a truly waterproof smartphone (the Sony and Samsung both have serious flaws that make them unsuitable for sustained outdoor use), there is still a market for a motorcycle-focused waterproof GPS.

Ciao,

They make waterproof cases for phones. And since I've been using mine for GPS duty, I just put it away if the threat of rain is present.

That reminds me of the old Bagster rain covers: totally opaque, so while you could protect your tank bag from the rain, you had better not get lost, because you could no longer see your map! A GPS you have to put away in the rain strikes me as the same kind of unacceptable compromise. (The waterproof phone cases I've seen do not allow you to use bike power, volume buttons or touch screen features, etc.) Accordingly, I think dedicated motorcycle GPSs still have a few years to go before good waterproof smartphones make them obsolete.

(I've just bought the Honda handlebar remote control unit for my Zumo, so I'm going to keep that for a while.)

Ciao,

[007]

The commando 4g LTE is glove friendly, not great, but it works. I have not had any of the problems users complain about in reviews, such as the phone rebooting for no reason. It has a larger screen than my Garmin Nuvi 500. It is one less piece of hardware that I need to charge/ plug in. No qualms about the phone as a phone, either. Its not the latest technology, but works just fine for me.

[RED RUNNER]

$700 is robbery and these things will eventually die a horrible death. The smart phones are slowly taking all their market. Garmin's apps are $50-60 for the phones and the phone will do GPS and a host of other functions. They even released a HUD to work with the phone:

http://www.imore.com/garmin-offers-heads-display-navigon-equipped-iphone

$700 isn't robbery. It may not be cost effective if you're already set with a phone and want to make concessions, but consider:

First, that $50 dollar app is in addition to the purchase price of your smart phone.

Second, the price of your smartphone isn't the $200 or so you paid for it; you paid that price after entering into a two year contract. The price of the phone is actually closer to $600.

Third, you've got to buy a waterproof case for the phone. Add another $50.

Fourth, you've got to add touch capacitive pads to your gloves. Add another $25.

Fifth, you've got to find some shade to read what's on your phone in bright sunlight. The screen on a smart phone is far less visible than the Zumo's screen in bright daylight.

Finally, you can't just use the smartphone as a navigation device without advance prep if you're going to be in the boondocks. Even though a smartphone has a standalone GPS receiver, it relies its cell or wireless radios to download the map data. If you don't have a cell or wifi signal nearby, your phone may know where it is, but it can't download a map to show you. You can download maps in advance of your trip, but many people may not think that far in advance. GPS devices have their map data preinstalled.

[luvtoleanit]

$700 is robbery and these things will eventually die a horrible death. The smart phones are slowly taking all their market. Garmin's apps are $50-60 for the phones and the phone will do GPS and a host of other functions. They even released a HUD to work with the phone:

http://www.imore.com/garmin-offers-heads-display-navigon-equipped-iphone

$700 isn't robbery. It may not be cost effective if you're already set with a phone and want to make concessions, but consider:

First, that $50 dollar app is in addition to the purchase price of your smart phone.

Second, the price of your smartphone isn't the $200 or so you paid for it; you paid that price after entering into a two year contract. The price of the phone is actually closer to $600.

Third, you've got to buy a waterproof case for the phone. Add another $50.

Fourth, you've got to add touch capacitive pads to your gloves. Add another $25.

Fifth, you've got to find some shade to read what's on your phone in bright sunlight. The screen on a smart phone is far less visible than the Zumo's screen in bright daylight.

Finally, you can't just use the smartphone as a navigation device without advance prep if you're going to be in the boondocks. Even though a smartphone has a standalone GPS receiver, it relies its cell or wireless radios to download the map data. If you don't have a cell or wifi signal nearby, your phone may know where it is, but it can't download a map to show you. You can download maps in advance of your trip, but many people may not think that far in advance. GPS devices have their map data preinstalled.

First off my smartphones cost me $0. I got my first iphone free, then I sell the old one on the market (ebay) to pay for the new one. So I've never paid for one out of pocket, not a cent. Second, I listed in my post that the carriers subsidize the cost, fully aware as I work in telecomm and have my entire professional career. A personal cellphone is a requirement for me so I'm going to pay for the service no matter what. My monthly plan is discounted a fair amount so it doesn't cost me what it costs the common person out there.

Third, when it's raining I tuck the phone away and just use bluetooth for directions. Not even a big deal as my local twisty runs are done in the dry only and if I'm on a trip this is a minor thing that I can deal with for a few hours, I pull my radar also even though I could buy waterproof cases for both. My mount for the smartphone is powered so when I tuck the phone into my Kriega it's fully charged and will last a full day's ride giving directions, pumping music, what have you.

Fourth, farkle fingers were $15 for me. That's insignificant.

Fifth I regularly use my smartphone in broad daylight and I can see it just fine. It's angled appropriately on my mount, no biggie.

Last I download my routes prior to the trip and I don't ride in the boondocks. Sadly I'm not doing the Baja or Dakar next year.

So I spent $65 total vs. a Zumo in reality. That is a huge savings and the shortcomings of it are extremely minor to me almost nonexistent. I don't ride anywhere that is void of all civilization on purpose as I want to at least be in the realm of another living human being, 911 access, helicopter, what have you in case of an off. Plus, as was mentioned, this tech will take over eventually so I chose to go this route now skipping a transition later. Even if I bought a m/c specific GPS I'd still have a real map on me for redundancy no matter what. The smartphone does music, internet, takes pictures, video, performs some security and access functions as well as being a phone for 911, emergency calls from relatives, contact for home alarm, messaging, etc. The newer ones even have camera flashes that can stay on for use as a flashlight.

I use to take a gps, camera, flashlight, phone but no more. With the AI built into the newer smartphones, well I use Siri for route changes, which is handsfree. I call her my bitch and she does what I say. All I have to do is talk to her and tell her what I need to do and she does it. I've hopped on the bike before with no planning and said "Route me to X" and she does it. Then I can ask "how far to my next turn" and such and get updates, all hands free, my gloves don't go near the phone. I prefer directions over bluetooth anyway as I don't like to take my eyes off the road.