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msmobiles.com_robot · Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 16777215

GPS navigation software especially designed for HTC Touch Diamond! While TomTom may be one of the most popular GPS software out there, it may not be the best after all...

Read more at http://www.msmobiles.com/news.php/7520.html

Stoic33 · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 96

As a huge SatNav user this is the area that most excites and annoys me when it comes to Windows Mobile: Microsoft really needs to step up and combine the Smartphone and PPC platforms, their certainly shouldn’t have to be multiple apps for different devices, their literally creating segmentation in their own market and is probably why an WinMo AppStore doesn’t yet exist, the average Jo would just get confused as to which version works best with his/her device..

-- As for CoPilot --
What I really like about CoPilot is its support for both PPC's and Smartphones (non-touch screen devices), which is great as it will run on my primary device (HTC S710) with all the options nicely accessible using the keypad (similar to tomtom5) plus the user interface is nice.

The only down-side to CoPilot is that the maps are not as up-to-date as that of tomtom’s and personally having used both i slightly prefer tomtom's user interface, but only marginally.

However, if you’re a smartphone user the latest version of CoPilot works out of the box, were as the latest version of TomTom (6 & 7) are a bit of a pain for non-touch screen devices (not officially supported) and requiring a fake cursor to operate, which is partly tomtom’s fault and partly MS’s fault for segmenting the market and allowing this to happen in the first place.

EJR · Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Posts: 2629

gavinfabl · Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 36

I have Tom Tom 6 and Co-Pilot 7. I also tried Garmin XT on a 7 day trial.

Tom Tom 6 maps are old. The navigation software is excellent.

Co-Pilot 7 and Garmin XT have newer maps than TT.

Garmin XT is fiddly, Co-Pilot 7 easier. But TT was the easiest.

I have found it is best leaving CO7 settings within routing that my vehcile is a RV not an automobile.

TT6 advantage when driving is that it displays the next turning and normally the one after. So if you are leaving a motorway, CO7 and TT6 will both show you to turn off, but TT6 goes one step further and will show you whether you are going to be turning left or right at the end of the sliproad. This makes a huge difference, as it means you can get in the correct lane when coming off a motorway for example.

However CO7 has more customisable options than TT.

Personal preference at the end of the day.

Stoic33 · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 96

kieranEire · Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Posts: 282

What about igo and navigons mobile navigator. In my personal experience with sat nav there several things that I compare them on. I tried all these on a Kaiser.

Accuracy of maps (Teleatlas or Navteq )
Clarity of routing.
Routing calculations
Ease of finding locations (searching)

I have tried

Tom Tom 6&7, Teleatlas and Navteq maps available.
Igo 6&8, Teleatlas
Destinator, Teleatlas
Garmin GT, Teleatlas
Navigon Mobile Navigator, Teleatlas.
Automapa 5 Teleatlas
Route 66 6&7. Teleatlas

General rule, Teleatlas is better for Europe and Navteq for the US. Of course since Nokia bought Navteq the European maps are now of equal quality in Europe but they are more expensive. More importantly however the date of the maps is more important than who sourced them.

Navigon Mobile Navigator in my opinion has more recent and therefore accurate maps. I used several junctions I know that have changed in the last 2 years to determine this. However the accuracy is more obvious in speed limit detection. I drove from Belfast to the west coast of Co Galway Ireland and it did not make any mistakes, and the limit changed as soon as I past the speed sign. It was extremely accurate. However the UI is not very nice or easy to use. The routing also is not the best but ok. The onscreen routing is clear and nice to look at. Switching from Northern Ireland to the Republic was fully automatic. It switched from miles per hour to kilometres per hour without any effort.

Igo 8's maps are not as update as Navigons but are not any worse than the others. The routing is good. Certainly much better than Navigon. The menus are easy to use and clear. The 3d mapping is a bit of a gimmick but a nice touch none the less. When crossing the border the speed limits stayed in miles per hour, resulting in speed limits such as 31 mph etc.Though the automatic zooming is better than the others. I liked how you can configure it to zoom out to a 2D route map showing overall progress to a 3D cockpit view when you are 3 miles from a turn, etc.

Destinator has been bought over. This software has lots of features, Nearly all the features that exist on the other pieces of software. Mapping is ok but has not been updated in a while. The search for locations was so slow I gave up on this application. Its unusable.

Garmin GT. Again Garmin is ok, routing, clarity, search etc are all good. I noticed many Taxi drivers preferring Garmin sat nav units which are effectively running the same software. Though it’s more basic than the others though maybe this is its strength.

Automapa 5 again is a nice piece of software but its 3d buildings is really only available in xxxxxx. The maps on mine where again pretty much the same as the others. Routing I felt was lacking. Clear easy to use though clearly targeted at the *** market.

Route 66, again same maps, good routing, easy to use. I get the feeling this Dutch company is following in Tom Toms wake though. Tom Tom does everything it does but a bit more.

Tome Tom 7. The must have solution in the states with the option of Navteq maps and Teleatlas or NavTeq in Europe. This is a huge positive. Tom Tom is a strong all rounder, good in everything but it lacks some features of the others.

Final opinion.

My ideal solution is the mapping accuracy of navigon mobile navigator in Igo 8’s user interface. If you want a solution that keeps an eye on your speed no matter where you are or what the speed limit is. Navigon is the choice for you.

If your in xxxxxx automapa, the US a version of Tom Tom with Navteq maps.

Everywhere else it’s a toss up between reliable Tom Tom or the 3d eye candy of Igo 8. Pesonally I like eye candy.

Stoic33 · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 96

alcedes · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:31 pm Post subject:

kieranEire · Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Posts: 282

Stoic33 · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 96

Stoic33 · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 96

netboy · Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 349 Location: Bayarea, CA USA

i tried Iguidance v4, Igo8 and TomTom7 for USA.

Igo8 -has the best POI!, it shows where the POI is located when u do a search. ie, Best Buy -168 Oak ST, San Francisco

Tomtom7 -just shows the name, BestBuy, no address listed. if there is more then 2 bestbuy in your area, how do u know which one is which?

Iguidance v4.0 -when u do a search for poi, the wheel keep spinning, spinning, and spinning...

bdimon · Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 12:41 am Post subject:

I like Co-Pilot's navigation because it has more parameters to tweak than Tom Tom. However, Tom Tom is definitely easier to learn.

The "Live" part of Co-Pilot Live is that it may transmit its location to a web page so your friends can follow you on the Internet. Also they can send you multiple-choice questions that display on the screen, e.g., Where do you want to meet? School, Home or work. Then you tap on the button that says "school" and they get the answer. Also they can send you a new destination that you may accept or reject.

These Live features are cool and nobody else offers thems as far as I know.