GPS Why not a smart phone?

One big reason for not having a GPS that no one mentioned is the cost. After having 2 Garmin's and wanting one that was RV specific I was looking at the Garmin 760 model which was $400. The Copilot App was $6.99, for me it was an easy choice. It has height restrictions and propane tunnel avoidance and does every thing that the $400 gps does for $6.99. It uses no data because it is downloaded to your phone or Ipad. The complete USA map takes 2.2 g of storage. With my Garmin's I had to pay for live traffic updates after the free time expired. Waze as others have stated is free and has a much more detailed traffic update, like pot holes or cop 1 mile ahead on right. Some have stated they like a bigger screen or don't like to switch if a phone call comes in and old tablet is ideal for this. My daughter gave my wife her old tablet( kids always have to have the latest). I will down load Copilot to it and it will become essentially a dedicated GPS only with a much larger screen.

GWolfe wrote:
I wonder how using your phone for GPS would work in areas/states where there are no texting laws? I have both and use both, I prefer the GPS for the screen size and ease of use. I use my phone in my work truck and it is a pain to try and take a quick glance at the screen to see where the next turn is.

Well, GPS's are not illegal anywhere that I know of and if all I am using is the GPS feature how does that violate the no text laws? There was a test case or two in CA and the judges ruled there was no violation.
RichH

I wonder how using your phone for GPS would work in areas/states where there are no texting laws? I have both and use both, I prefer the GPS for the screen size and ease of use. I use my phone in my work truck and it is a pain to try and take a quick glance at the screen to see where the next turn is.

I have a Garmin smart link on my phone that I can enter routes or destinations into and when I get in my personal truck it will sync with the GPS and everything will be there. It's great for route planning and takes the hassle out of entering everything by hand in the truck.

We have a Garmin Nuvi for about 5 years now and have been pretty happy with it. We still use a stand alone GPS for several reasons.

Two primary reasons being my wife doesn't have a smart phone and when we travel, she is usually using it. Also, if we need the phone for something, it is nice to still have a GPS. Thirdly, I will often use the smartphone and the Torque app. Can't monitor Google Maps/Waze and Torque at the same time. I have found Torque doesn't always re-sync properly after switching apps.

-Michael

Stand alone GPS uses on-board map data so it works no matter if you are in range of a cell tower or not.

Phone.. will download local map data and store in RAM but if you exit the app for any reason you may not be able to get it back if there is no tower in range.. has happened to me. Leaving you lost. (Well not, in my case, lost, But wondering if I was going to remember the next turn).

Also the stand alone can partner with your computer for a very nice size display.

I use my iPhone. It does NOT use data and does NOT need cell service.

I use Co-Pilot which has a semi truck setting for bridges and weight limits.

Also use Google Maps and Apple maps.

p220sigman wrote:
...

I'm also curious (if anyone knows), when you use your smartphone in memory mode where the route is stored, how does it know where you are for navigation purposes or is it just a map at that point? It would seem like it would have to use the location services on the phone, which it turn use data and for which you have to have cell service, but I don't know.

The waze app does not use data to determine your position, it uses the GPS in your phone to know location, velocity (speed and direction.) Your car GPS operates the same way.

waze internally uses Google Maps for the on-screen maps, as do many other apps.

In the very special case of being in a tunnel where the phone's GPS can not "see" the satellites, the app will "dead reckon" its location for a short distance. In other words, it knows where it is when you just enter the tunnel and it knew you were doing 35 mph north, it will just continue displaying that travel. This is an issue with ALL
Nav systems, whether built-in, portable, phone-based.

I'm a retired US Navy submariner. When submerged with no access to electronic or satellite info, Dead Reckoning is used sometimes for days at a time.

Maps and Waze on my smart phone work great until I don't have a cell signal. Which tends to be often, particularly out west. So we have a stand alone GPS. I've added a lot to the maps - custom points and off road trails - that using a cell phone wouldn't help with.

Not only do I NOT have a smartphone, I barely have a cell phone (I live TOOOO far out in the boonies to make paying for a real cell phone practical).

I would be hard pressed to travel without my Garmin. Yay GARMIN (and all the other stand alone GPS mfgrs...) :)

The gps on my smart phone knows exactly wyere I am. It also shows heavy tfc areas etc.