Dedicated or phone GPS?

[Pink Jazz]

I was wondering, what do you prefer, a dedicated or phone GPS?

I personally prefer a dedicated GPS, because I don't have to rely on spotty rural cellular coverage nor consume any data; not everyone has an unlimited data plan.  Sure, there are some GPS apps with offline maps, however, they take up a huge amount of phone storage that could be put to better use.

[Dr Frankenstein]

My use of GPS maps and navigation is so sporadic that I have no use for a real GPS unit, and data consumption is rather small in the cellphone apps usually (although Google Maps has been getting worse for some reason).

I only got a smartphone in 2011, and prior to that, I'd been using regular atlases and fold-up maps (I still do, in fact. Gives me a much better overview).

[Pete from Boston]

You've spent decades learning the smell of places.  You don't need any map.

[1995hoo]

The car I drive most often has a built-in device and I prefer that.

The maps on mine look more like, well, MAPS than most portable devices or phone apps. I find most such devices' maps to be somewhat cartoonish. For example, I don't need two lines to tell me the road has a right edge and a left edge. I know roads have edges. A single line is enough to tell me where the road is. If the road has multiple carriageways, one line per carriageway is sufficient.

[jeffandnicole]

Phone. 

For the rare times I need a GPS, I'm not going to buy one.  And in a case like recently when the highway was jammed, I was the backseat passenger and could play with my phone to seek out alternate routes on Google maps. 

[roadman]

For the few times I need to use it, I prefer my dedicated GPS over the one in my phone.

[signalman]

In the rare instance here and there where I need something other than a paper map, I just use Google maps on my phone.  I don't own, nor will I buy a GPS.  I could have even gotten my new car with navigation when I bought it over the summer, but opted for the trim without it.

[sammi]

I prefer not to use GPS navigators. Period. We have a dedicated GPS unit for when we need to get somewhere on time, but otherwise I can just put the route together (and search on Google Maps if necessary).

(I also prefer using the term "GPS navigator/unit/receiver" instead of just "GPS". )

[1995hoo]

In the rare instance here and there where I need something other than a paper map, I just use Google maps on my phone.  I don't own, nor will I buy a GPS.  I could have even gotten my new car with navigation when I bought it over the summer, but opted for the trim without it.

Funny, I prefer the way my car's dashboard looks with the navigation unit than without it, and that issue did factor in when I decided which version to buy.

[signalman]

In the rare instance here and there where I need something other than a paper map, I just use Google maps on my phone.  I don't own, nor will I buy a GPS.  I could have even gotten my new car with navigation when I bought it over the summer, but opted for the trim without it.

Funny, I prefer the way my car's dashboard looks with the navigation unit than without it, and that issue did factor in when I decided which version to buy.

I still have a touch screen radio and the navigation system would be displayed on the same size screen. So it would still look the same. However, it was an additional $2000 for something that I'd never use, so I wasn't about to take that option. I can find much better uses for that kind of money.

[ZLoth]

Because of cost, I would never get a in-dash navigation system as a car option. (Too expensive). I prefer my cell phone when in-town and when traveling on well-known highways because of the data transfer, but if I'm traveling the back roads where I know that there is no cell data, I use a dedicated unit. If you keep an eye on Woot, from time to time, they have a refurbished dedicated unit for a good price.

[Laura]

I prefer my phone because I use it like a map that I can zoom in or out. I don't like how dedicated units don't allow you to scroll around to look for alternative routes. That said, a dedicated unit was useful when I had to make book deliveries because I could preload all of the addresses in advance and click on the ones I needed quickly.


iPhone

[1995hoo]

I prefer my phone because I use it like a map that I can zoom in or out. I don't like how dedicated units don't allow you to scroll around to look for alternative routes. That said, a dedicated unit was useful when I had to make book deliveries because I could preload all of the addresses in advance and click on the ones I needed quickly.


iPhone

Scrolling around using the joystick, instead of having to swipe a touchscreen over and over again to pan the map, is precisely one reason why I prefer my dedicated unit.

[Laura]

I prefer my phone because I use it like a map that I can zoom in or out. I don't like how dedicated units don't allow you to scroll around to look for alternative routes. That said, a dedicated unit was useful when I had to make book deliveries because I could preload all of the addresses in advance and click on the ones I needed quickly.


iPhone

Scrolling around using the joystick, instead of having to swipe a touchscreen over and over again to pan the map, is precisely one reason why I prefer my dedicated unit.

The unit in your car? Or another one? Which model, if you don't mind me asking? Unless they've changed in recent years, most GPS unit don't let you scroll around very well.


iPhone

[1995hoo]

I prefer my phone because I use it like a map that I can zoom in or out. I don't like how dedicated units don't allow you to scroll around to look for alternative routes. That said, a dedicated unit was useful when I had to make book deliveries because I could preload all of the addresses in advance and click on the ones I needed quickly.


iPhone

Scrolling around using the joystick, instead of having to swipe a touchscreen over and over again to pan the map, is precisely one reason why I prefer my dedicated unit.

The unit in your car? Or another one? Which model, if you don't mind me asking? Unless they've changed in recent years, most GPS unit don't let you scroll around very well.


iPhone

OEM system built into the car (I believe Acura contracted it out to Alpine). The navigation data, including the points-of-interest database, resides on a DVD located in a drive built into the trunk floor. It's a 2004 model, so nav-traffic wasn't available yet. But I still like the system. As I said, the maps (zoomed out more than usual here) look more like MAPS to me than many other interfaces.

Found a picture from an old thread. The joystick is below the screen.

Whether I would get built-in navigation in a new car would depend on my playing with the system during a test drive and seeing how I liked the interface.

[realjd]

I have a dedicated Garmin GPS that I keep in my suitcase. Why not just use a phone? Because the Garmin works world-wide without relying on cell phone coverage. I usually get the rental car before I have a chance to buy a local SIM card for my unlocked iphone.

I find the GPS useful not for long-distance navigation but rather for last mile navigation. I know what highways to take to get me to the proper city or part of town. The GPS is great for helping me find a specific hotel or office in an unfamiliar area once I'm down on the surface roads. It's particularly useful in downtown areas with one-way roads and in suburban areas with poorly marked road names and nearly invisible building numbers.

[Brandon]

I was wondering, what do you prefer, a dedicated or phone GPS?

Neither.  Give me a paper map any day over any GPS system.

[formulanone]

Phone GPS. That final-mile stuff can be a bitch in an unfamiliar area, or if I'm going to miss my flight after a wrong turn. Carrying less is more.

I'll keep a handwritten map handy ahead of time, and resort to the GPS for backup, if needed.

[Molandfreak]

Dedicated all the way. I also only need it for the "final mile," but that's almost always in an area where my cell service is nonexistent.

[cjk374]

I was wondering, what do you prefer, a dedicated or phone GPS?

Neither.  Give me a paper map any day over any GPS system.

x2!  I can look at a map for about a minute or 2 and I'll know how to get where I'm going.  For that final mile or 2 I'll use written instructions or hand drawn map.

[Duke87]

My car has a built in navigation system but I bought the car used so it is a convenience I have by happenstance, not by intent.

I don't ever ask it for directions but I do enjoy having a dynamic map that constantly shows exactly where I am. It's quite useful since I can glance at it real quick without stopping or pulling over when I have questions like "hmm, I think route 73 turns right at the next light but I don't see a sign indicating such, does it turn right or continue straight?". It also functions as a built in compass which is useful as well.

If I need to look further ahead to plan things out I consult the maps app on my phone, and will fall back on Rand McNally if I am unable to do that.

Realistically though, while I do like paper maps and appreciate that they won't run out of battery life, won't ever lack a signal, and won't ever be rendered unusable by the fact that you're roaming on a foreign network, when the digital maps do work (which is the vast majority of the time) they are of greater utility since they have so much more detail. I essentially have a street atlas of all of the US and Canada built into my car, and a street atlas of most of the world built into my phone. Paper maps can't do that in any reasonable amount of space for any reasonable price.

[hbelkins]

Both. 

[SSOWorld]

My car has a built in navigation system but I bought the car used so it is a convenience I have by happenstance, not by intent.

I don't ever ask it for directions but I do enjoy having a dynamic map that constantly shows exactly where I am. It's quite useful since I can glance at it real quick without stopping or pulling over when I have questions like "hmm, I think route 73 turns right at the next light but I don't see a sign indicating such, does it turn right or continue straight?". It also functions as a built in compass which is useful as well.

Amen.

Phone GPS is fine for me - to hover over my location.  I only use the "Directions" feature when necessary or when I want a close "E.T.A." to let someone know when I arrive (particularly for work).  But the classic paper map is good as well.

[WillWeaverRVA]

If I need a GPS, I use my phone. However, Google Maps is hit or miss and Waze eats up battery power like crazy,  so I might bite the bullet and get a dedicated unit...if I feel I need one.

[SSOWorld]

If I need a GPS, I use my phone. However, Google Maps is hit or miss and Waze eats up battery power like crazy,  so I might bite the bullet and get a dedicated unit...if I feel I need one.

When driving, the phone's plugged in to the car jack.  Therefore battery juice is irrelevant