I'm new to this particular area in Albuquerque. My Garmin GPS generally does a good job, but when I tried to locate a nearby Starbucks, it couldn't find any at all. It didn't seem to recognize the name "Starbucks". Next, I used my smart phone and it found several in the area, the closest being less than 1/2 mile away (using Google).A little later, I tried finding a Verizon store and the Garmin couldn't find any. The smart phone located several. Now, I still like my Garmin since it's been pretty reliable on long trips and generally reliable in locating places nearby. Kinda strange it couldn't locate two major businesses close by!

How old is your model of GPS? Does it include 4FourSquare POIs, and when was the last time you updated the base map? I was in Albuquerque last October and my 2589LMT had no problems finding anything.Yes, direct searches on the internet are going to always use more current data.

Practically everyone here has a Garmin horror story, including me, like telling me to drive over the Snake River.I use my Android phone/google maps almost exclusively in towns. That darn Garmin, even if it knows where something is, will send me blocks out of my way.

I like a GPS that can't find Starbuck's!!

That’s because our phones really are smart(er).

IMO relying on a GPS to take you to an unknown location, or one found by your GPS, is an endeavor fraught with disappointment. I use a GPS to direct me to a known location that I entered in the GPS and route-checked for accuracy. With a GPS, as with real life, blind obedience is not a good idea.

GPS Certainly Not a Perfect Science | Good Sam Community

MDKMDK
Explorer
Apr 09, 2019
How old is your model of GPS? Does it include 4FourSquare POIs, and when was the last time you updated the base map? I was in Albuquerque last October and my 2589LMT had no problems finding anything.
Yes, direct searches on the internet are going to always use more current data.
2oldman
Explorer II
Apr 09, 2019
Practically everyone here has a Garmin horror story, including me, like telling me to drive over the Snake River.

I use my Android phone/google maps almost exclusively in towns. That darn Garmin, even if it knows where something is, will send me blocks out of my way.
toedtoes
Explorer III
Apr 09, 2019
I like a GPS that can't find Starbuck's!!
hookie
Explorer
Apr 09, 2019
That’s because our phones really are smart(er).
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Apr 09, 2019
IMO relying on a GPS to take you to an unknown location, or one found by your GPS, is an endeavor fraught with disappointment. I use a GPS to direct me to a known location that I entered in the GPS and route-checked for accuracy.

With a GPS, as with real life, blind obedience is not a good idea.
mr__ed
Explorer
Apr 09, 2019
Yes, it's been a little while since my Garmin was last updated. Guess I need to do it again. :)
mr__ed
Explorer
Apr 09, 2019
toedtoes wrote:
I like a GPS that can't find Starbuck's!!

That wouldn't work for me! I'm addicted to their latte's :W
Edd505
Explorer
Apr 10, 2019
toedtoes wrote:
I like a GPS that can't find Starbuck's!!

Hate burned coffee, and lattes, that's not coffee. Folgers or Maxwell House, that's coffee.
valhalla360
Navigator
Apr 10, 2019
This isn't a GPS issue. This is an issue of using an out of date GIS database of Points of Interest (POI).

Presumably, your Gamin Unit has a static database of POIs that you need to manually update by downloading a new database. If it's not up to date, it may not show some sites. Also, with limited storage, it may not have every little place.

Your phone is querying the Google Maps database online, which is constantly being updated with the ability to store nearly unlimited POIs, so it's far more likely to have the latest info.

This is why when our Garmin dies, we likely won't replace it.
rrupert
Explorer
Apr 10, 2019
mr. ed wrote:
Yes, it's been a little while since my Garmin was last updated. Guess I need to do it again. :)

Garmin puts out map updates about three times a year. Also, software updates as needed.