Always a challenge for the obsessive GPS owner: How to get the latest maps and at what cost?
I assume a “live” GPS service like Telenav has the most current maps, however the last two times I used them (navigating from JFK into NYC, and in the Bay Area to a friend’s home) Telenav failed me. The application said my handset’s (Treo 750) network connection was down, though I had no problems with email, web browsing, or watching my Slingbox. Needless to say, if a GPS can’t route it’s worthless… so I canceled service ($10/mo) and relied on Google Maps GPS-less until I picked up a Navigon 2100t ($99) on Black Friday.
The Navigon has been a mixed bag… I love the look of both the hardware (including window mount) and UI, but some elements of the interface are tedious and I’ve had instances of inefficient routing. Rumor has it a substantial software update is coming this month, so I’m willing to give them a little more time. It hasn’t been clear, though, how Navigon would provide map updates. Most GPS vendors sell individual updates (sometimes, more pricey than the hardware) and TomTom offers a community-based MapShare feature to harness the power of the collective – which scares me. Well, Navigon has just announced their FreshMap strategy scheduled for an April launch and I think it’s a winner. The $79 subscription gets you 12 map updates (quarterly) over three years. I think both the pricing and frequency are fantastic. Assuming they improve routing. (I could use easier access to POIs, too.)