Replace Garmin Streetpilot 2720 with Kindle Fire 8.9

[TenOC]

I am new to the world of tablets. Until a year ago I was a desktop person, until I purchased my first laptop.

This week my DD gave me a Kindle Fire 8.9. Now I am learning how to use it.

Is there a good App (I think that is the correct word) for GPS navigation to replace my 10 year old Garmin Streetpilot 2720 and BaseCamp.

[gatorcq]

Bill. I have found some are quite useful for height and weight. As they are based on the Truckers Maps. Now do I believe in everything, no. However when combined with the hardcopy, I find they are useful.

S&T, and the POI from Discovery Owners for height (excellent) was always very useful and reliable. Yes some will route you the long way around, however, using the hardcopy and web browser like "Mile by Mile". But as I stated, Until other online Maps (Google & Mapquest) incorporate a height routing. I take it all with a grain of salt.

[Bill_Satellite]

gatorcq wrote:
Google will/does not have a setting for weight, height, or a setting for dirt road.

Most GPS units don't allow for weight and height. The RV ones do but they can be unreliable. The trucker versions will route you on unnecessarily long routes avoiding roads where commercial trucks are not allowed but a private RV would be.

[gatorcq]

Google will/does not have a setting for weight, height, or a setting for dirt road.

[Bill_Satellite]

You mention that cellular connections can be an issue but then blow off the fact that downloading the maps in advance completely negates that as being as issue. The phone will work just as well with or without a cellular signal as it is fully GPS functional at all times. If you are not disciplined enough to take a couple of minutes to download your maps I can't imagine how old the mapping program in your GPS must be when that can take an hour or two to fully download and update.

[GordonThree]

azdryheat wrote:
I have a Kindle Fire and it doesn't like displaying maps. I use Google Maps in my phone for navigation, live traffic, etc. Been all over the US with it. I've never found the need to pay big bucks for a Garmin

All depends where you travel. Believe it or not, cell phones still don't work reliably everywhere. Sure there's offline this or that. I'm not disciplined enough to take advantage of those features I guess.

I've never paid big bucks a Garmin except for one of their first consumer units, back shortly after the stone age ended.

Like many things in the RV lifestyle, to each their own and no single solution is panacea for navigation for all travelers.

[Bill_Satellite]

pasusan wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The Garmin style GPS will never be able to provide the live traffic info and POI data base available from an application like Google Maps or WAZE but neither will work on your Kindle. You will either need to hang in there with Garmin or buy a different small tablet. That's what I did. Best Buy had an 8" tablet for $89 with built in GPS and it has worked great as my primary GPS device in the RV.

Which app do you use with it?

I have both Google Maps and WAZE installed on the tablet. I prefer the way Google does routing but WAZE does a better job if you run into traffic issues. I also use Google to find POI's along the way as well as the campground at the end of the day. The directions are as good as, or better, than any Garmin I have ever owned (first one was 2002).

[Bill_Satellite]

GordonThree wrote:
I've never had trouble with live traffic on either my very old Garmin Nuvi or the newer 760. It's probably dependant on location and what traffic reporting services are available.

Could be that lifetime traffic is not an option for every Garmin?

The Garmin and similar stand-alone GPS units use an FM signal broadcast from the local area. It's of no use outside of the city and not available in many cities. Google and WAZE use real time driver generated data that works on every road, everyday. I have an expensive 7" Garmin sitting under the coach if anyone wants it!

[azdryheat]

I have a Kindle Fire and it doesn't like displaying maps. I use Google Maps in my phone for navigation, live traffic, etc. Been all over the US with it. I've never found the need to pay big bucks for a Garmin

[GordonThree]

I've never had trouble with live traffic on either my very old Garmin Nuvi or the newer 760. It's probably dependant on location and what traffic reporting services are available.

Could be that lifetime traffic is not an option for every Garmin?

[pasusan]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The Garmin style GPS will never be able to provide the live traffic info and POI data base available from an application like Google Maps or WAZE but neither will work on your Kindle. You will either need to hang in there with Garmin or buy a different small tablet. That's what I did. Best Buy had an 8" tablet for $89 with built in GPS and it has worked great as my primary GPS device in the RV.

Which app do you use with it?

[Bill_Satellite]

The Garmin style GPS will never be able to provide the live traffic info and POI data base available from an application like Google Maps or WAZE but neither will work on your Kindle. You will either need to hang in there with Garmin or buy a different small tablet. That's what I did. Best Buy had an 8" tablet for $89 with built in GPS and it has worked great as my primary GPS device in the RV.

[GordonThree]

The Kindle series don't have a built in GPS. They use WiFi and Google's geo-location database to estimate their location. You can certainly use it to plan a trip, check out furkot.com but it's no replacement for a Garmin.

You'll need a more advanced tablet that has a built in GPS to come close to replacing a Garmin.

Other than maybe being beat up around the edges, Garmin never really get old. You can put a memory chip in almost all of them and download the latest 2018 maps for free.